Time for a Walk Blog

Check out this short article that our awesome walker Ellen found on the Baltimore Sun Web site.  Thanks for sharing, Ellen.

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I have the best kind of pet — somebody else’s.

There’s Lulu, Amber and Theo. Wonderful dogs that belong to my neighbors. And Sugar, Elmo and Roxy, dogs that belong to out-of-town relatives.

My pets are wildly happy to see me when I arrive, but I leave without them.

I live the carefree life of someone who enjoys the unconditional love of an animal, but without any of the vet bills or the dog hair.

It is a kind of pet lend/lease program.

I have permission to enter the locked homes of my neighbors for a collar and a leash so I can enjoy a springtime walk with their dogs.

But I don’t have to walk the dog in the rain, or at 6 a.m., or if I don’t want to.

I am welcome to stop by for a dose of canine affection. But if that same dog gets loose and enters a neighbor’s kitchen and eats all the cat food, it isn’t me who looks bad.

We can’t have pets in our family. Really, really bad allergies.

But when I thought about finding a hypoallergenic dog like the one the Obama family owns, my friend Betsy said she wouldn’t be my friend anymore if I got a dog.

“Your life is chaos,” she said. “I won’t stand by and watch you add to it.”

That’s true enough. So when I start feeling blue, I head out into the neighborhood and see which of my dogs will drag their rightful owners to the ground, excitedly trying to get to me.

Then I undo hundreds of dollars in obedience lessons by allowing the dog to jump up on me and lick me in the face.

I am kind of like the Auntie Mame of the animal kingdom in my neighborhood.

Life was particularly grand for my pets and me during the winter snowstorms. Their owners couldn’t think of anything less fun than playing in 4 feet of snow with a couple of dogs. So I did.

After I had worn everyone out, I sent the dogs home, where their snow-covered coats melted all over someone else’s living room rug. It was like having kids, but without the bother of snowsuits.

Visiting Theo is particularly rewarding.

Theo is a help dog, trained by Fidos for Freedom to assist his master, Geoff. But when he is not wearing his red vest, he is free to pay attention to me. Theo’s training never really leaves him, so he will bring me an assortment of shoes and socks during a visit and place them at my feet.

Lulu is a year-old Lab-golden mix the size of a pony, and a total love sponge. She actually shuts her eyes and gives up a low moan when you pet her. Tender as a mother with her corgi neighbor, Lulu doesn’t know her own strength. If she decides to roll in the grass at your feet, she might hyperextend both of your knees or break the bones in your feet.

Sugar had a scarring experience in her childhood so she can act odd sometimes. When she visits, she and my husband fight over the couch and Sugar’s spot right in the middle of it. My husband grouses at Sugar but she just stares dumbly. It is like a Ralph Kramden-Ed Norton moment out of “The Honeymooners.”

My daughter shares in our community’s community pets as well. She will take one for a run or play ball with another, all the while passing out an assortment of coos and kisses.

“I can’t have a pet,” she declared in a moment of introspection. “I’m too self-involved.”

The other good thing about other people’s pets? If they know that about you, they never bring it up.

One of our walkers, Nancy, sent us this wonderful note that really exemplifies how kind and giving our clients are!  We hope to see a lot of you at the walk!

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It’s that time of year again when the Animal Welfare League of Arlington hosts the biggest dog-centered event in Arlington and asks all of us to help homeless animals in our community by participating in the 15^th Annual Walk for the Animals.

Last year, as part of the Time for a Walk Team, my dog Barney and I pledged to walk the three miles and raised approximately $250 from family, friends, and clients. This year, Barney and I will be joined by the newest member of our family, Duffy, who wasn’t from the Arlington Shelter; however, he is a rescue—one of lucky ones!

We sent emails and handed out letters to all those who helped last year and added a few new friends as well. Wow! The very next day Phoebe and Cami McGee’s mom Ashley left us a great note—“Go team Nancy, Barney, and Duffy!”—with a great contribution. What an awesome start! Then, the very next day, Tug O’Neill and her mom Carrie left another great note of encouragement and a contribution putting us closer to this year’s goal of $500.

We have several people who have added to our goal (a total of ten, so far). Today, the Payne family left notes and donations putting us over our $500 goal. How awesome! Jami was kind enough to share her story with me, speaking from experience, as Jami used the AWLA to find her girls.

Jami adopted Lexi after she was separated from her original family, but Lexi was a little lonesome during the day when Jami had to go to work, so Jami went to see if she could find her a sister. Last July, Jami adopted Georgi, who had had two other families that didn’t have the proper time to care for her. Lexi was so very happy to have a new friend in Georgi. Jami promised that the girls wouldn’t have to go back to the shelter and has worked extremely hard to fulfill that promise. Training Georgi has been easy because she loves her treats (what girl doesn’t?), but both have cut back on their treats to help the less fortunate dogs still in the shelter.

We haven’t stopped with our fund raising effort, as every dollar helps pay for medicine, beds, and food for many animals until new homes can be found. And the best is yet to come: We can’t wait to spend the whole day at Bluemont Park with the other members of our Time for a Walk team. Hope to see you there and thanks a million to all who have supported us and the AWLA.

One of our walkers passed this story on to us via NBC Local News.  If anyone else finds any bizarre, comic, or otherwise entertaining news stories about dogs (or cats) doing awesome (or not so awesome) things, feel free to send me an email at tara@timeforawalk.com.

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George Kaufmann takes his golden retriever to work at Robert Bernard Jewelers every day. That proved problematic one day in January when a diamond dealer took in a rock for the jewelers to inspect. As soon as the dealer pulled out the diamond, he dropped it.

“I went to pick up the diamond, it wasn’t there anymore,” said Kaufmann, who co-owns the business. ”I looked around and I didn’t see it. I grabbed his head, opened his mouth, looked inside and nothing there and I felt him swallow.”

Kaufmann scrambled to figure out how to get the $20,000 rock out of Soli’s stomach. A veterinarian assured Kaufman it would pass naturally, which meant checking every day.

“It wasn’t that pleasant,” Kaufman said. ”I had to go through it, which was not that nice. My cousin, who’s a dentist, he thought it was really funny. He brought me a box of rubber gloves.”

And it didn’t come easy. Kaufmann endured three days of sifting before finding the diamond in the roughage.

“It was like hitting paydirt, like in the gold rush,” Kaufman said

This bizarre story gained international attention. The National Enquirer picked it up, and on Monday, the BBC called for a live interview.

Just going to the local bank is an adventure for Kaufman, now.

“Somebody said, ‘Oh this is the dog that ate the diamond,” Kaufman said. “So he’s getting to be more well-known.”

Kaufman said he opted not to buy the diamond but return it instead — a decision he insisted had nothing to do with how he finally got his hands on it.

Christina recently discovered this really great company, Crate Covers and More, that specializes in stylish crate covers.  They have pre-made covers, but you can also design your own.  The prices are reasonable and the products are impressive.  If I had a dog, I’d probably buy five so my dog’s home could have a different look for each day of the week.  But alas…

Check out two of their covers below:

A few days ago, one of our walkers sent me a link to a toy at a dog and cat supplies site called Muttropolis.  Basically, this toy is a ball that you can throw to your dog, and when he or she picks it up,  it gives your pup a stache.  Who says giving your dog excercise has to be serious work?  Really, though, what will they come up with next for our pets? 

We found this message a few days ago and thought we’d pass it along.

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Dear Friends,

Today Nature’s Variety is announcing that out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling all Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula products with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11.
Nature’s Variety has received new test results from an outside facility that indicate that Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 10/29/10 and Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 11/9/10 may be contaminated with Salmonella. Therefore, we are voluntarily recalling these date codes of product from the marketplace. Also, out of an abundance of caution, we are expanding our voluntary recall to include all Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats with any “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11. We believe taking this action is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce your confidence and trust.

No other Raw Frozen Diets are involved in this expansion other than chicken, and no other Nature’s Variety products are involved.

The products included in this expanded recall are any Chicken Formula or Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11, including:

UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs
UPC#7 69949 50121 3 – Chicken Formula 12 lb retail display case of chubs
UPC#7 69949 60137 1 – Organic Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
UPC#7 69949 60127 2 – Organic Chicken Formula 6 lb patties

The “Best If Used By” date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions.
If you have purchased one of the affected products, please return the unopened product to your local retail store to receive a complete refund, or to exchange it for another variety. If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a complete refund or replacement.

As you may know, Nature’s Variety now uses High Pressure Pasteurization on our Raw Frozen Diets as a unique process to kill pathogenic bacteria through high-pressure, water-based technology. Having incorporated this state-of-the-art technology on our Freeze Dried Raw products in late 2009, we were able to confidently implement the process universally on all Raw Frozen Diets after the February 11, 2010 recall in order to further enhance food safety. Nature’s Variety also utilizes a test and hold protocol to ensure that all High Pressure Pasteurized Raw Frozen Diets test negative for harmful bacteria before being released for sale.

We believe replacing all raw frozen chicken products on the market with new raw frozen chicken products that use High Pressure Pasteurization is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce your confidence and trust.  By recalling all raw frozen chicken products with “Best If Used By” dates on or before 2/5/11, we can provide our pet parents with new raw frozen chicken products that have been processed through High Pressure Pasteurization. Adopting High Pressure Pasteurization is an important step to ensure that our products meet the strictest quality and food safety standards.
Our commitment to you and your pets in the future is the same as it’s been in the past – to offer Raw Frozen Diets made from the highest quality ingredients, made in our own plant in the Midwest, by people who care deeply about pet nutrition, health, and happiness.

For more information about the expanded recall, please read our FAQ document.
We also offer the following resources if you’re interested in learning more about High Pressure Pasteurization and our Food Safety Protocols:

Read our extensive High Pressure Pasteurization Q&A document
Learn more about our Quality & Food Safety protocols, explained under Learn About Raw (in the Learning Center)
Browse the online FAQs about High Pressure Pasteurization in the Safety & Quality section (in the Learning Center)
If you have additional questions, please call our dedicated Customer Care line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-374-3142.

Thank you for your loyalty and trust.

Warmly,
Reed Howlett
CEO, Nature’s Variety

Northern Virginia Professional Pet Sitters Network will have an exhibit space at Super Pet Expo, March
19-21 at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA. We will have an exhibit space and
would like to invite you to stop by booth #301. Save 37% on adult
admission tickets when you purchase them online at www.superpetexpo.com. Pay $8.45 for a $13.00 ticket!Just use discount coupon code EXHVA. Plus kids 12 and under attend for free (one per adult)
when tickets are purchased on line. We hope to see you at the show.

Purina Commercial

Vote Time for a Walk as NOVA’s top dog walking company! 

http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/best-of-survey

Check out these new breeds in the AP article below by VERENA DOBNIK:

NEW YORK – His name is Alchemy — a sleek Irish red and white setter, high-energy but gentle.

Next week, he’ll represent one of three new breeds making their debut at the Westminster Kennel Club’s world-class dog show alongside the perennial Labrador retriever — just named America’s top dog for the 19th consecutive year.

Alchemy, a silky-coated canine from New Jersey, will also step outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to ring the closing bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange. That moment will be beamed live to a Times Square giant screen.

The two other breeds entering the annual show for the first time are herding dogs, the and the Norwegian buhund.

“It’s exciting for me to see beautiful dogs that finally get recognized in this country after being around hundreds of years in their home countries,” said David Frei, a spokesman for the club who co-hosts the show’s live television broadcast.

The so-called Pyr shep, native to the mountains of southern France, has guarded sheep since medieval times. Its expressive, intelligent eyes guide a fuzzy, sturdy body in action. The breed comes in two varieties — rough- and smooth-coated. Hundreds of them lost their lives in World War I, searching for wounded men or as couriers or guard dogs.

And the loyal and fun-loving buhund — either black or cream-colored, with a curly tail — also has existed for centuries, sailing on Viking ships and working in the Norwegian countryside.

“It’s a dog with pointed ears and a thick coat who looks like it’s ready to go to work on a farm, herding,” said Frei. “They have a great work ethic.”

Represented by 29 individual dogs in the show, the three breeds made it into the 134th annual event after being officially recognized last year by the American Kennel Club, the governing body of the purebed dog sport in the United States. The show starts Monday.

Several factors are required for AKC recognition: a solid parent club that oversees the registry, a precise standard for the breed’s ideal dog, and a sufficient population and distribution in the United States.

“They can’t all be on some farm in Georgia,” joked Frei.

Worldwide, more than 400 breeds of dogs are recognized. Although the three new breeds in this year’s show have long been accepted abroad, “it took this long for them to receive AKC recognition in this country,” Frei said.

The Labrador retriever was named the top dog in the United States on Wednesday by the American Kennel Club, followed by the German shepherd, the Yorkshire terrier and the golden retriever. The ranking is based on the number of registrations for the breed with the AKC in 2009; the lab is most popular in Los Angeles.

Westminster’s 2010 rookie breeds were to be formally introduced at a Friday morning news conference at Hotel Pennsylvania, across the street from the Garden, where they’re staying with their owners in rooms normally used by humans. The occasion was to be broadcast to local TV stations across the country.

The newcomers bring this year’s show total to 173 breeds and varieties, up from about 150 two decades ago, Frei said.

“This is the world’s greatest dog show, with a different cast of characters every year,” he said.

Anna Jones is bringing 9-year-old Alchemy along with another Irish red and white setter, 2-year-old Toffy, after a string of other shows this past year that won the dogs enough points to be declared AKC champions, a requirement to step on Westminster’s green carpet.

The red and white setter — an older breed than the well-known mahogany-coated Irish setter — is a lean, elegant hunting dog with a mouth soft enough to retrieve game without damaging it. The breed became almost extinct in the early 20th century, but was saved by its “fanciers,” said Frei.

Tuesday afternoon, Jones’ two setters and a group of Pyr sheps and buhunds will be whisked away from Madison Square Garden in a van to ring Nasdaq’s closing bell. Exactly how a dog rings the bell will remain a mystery until then.

Amid this week’s snowstorm, Lisa Donnelly’s 18-month-old buhund, Lola, was oblivious to the excitement leading up to the show. All the pooch knew was that she’d gotten a bath and wasn’t allowed outside her Connecticut home to play.

“She’s usually happy, outgoing and low-maintenance,” said Donnelly. “But now, she’s having a hissy fit in the basement, whining and crying to go out.”

The Westminster is the nation’s second longest continually held sporting event, after the Kentucky Derby, according to Frei.

The Pyrenean shepherd and the Norwegian buhund will compete Monday as part of the herding group. The setters will compete the next day in the sporting group.

Pyrenean Shepherd