Countdown to 2009

Holy Moly! It's almost 2009!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and ring in the new year with lots of dog treats!

HAPPY 2009!

BRrrrrrr! It's Cold Outside!

Wowwie! It's almost Christmas! So many of my friends are coming to camp later this week. I can't wait to see them all. I hope they all come prepared for the weather! It's been really cold here in Boulder. Much colder than usual. I'm so small that my mom makes sure I have my knitted sweater on and booties when necessary (there are days I wish I was a big macho St. Bernard...booties, you've got to be kidding me...unfortunately they are a must if I don't want to freeze off my paws)! I thought I would share some cold weather tips to keep your furry family member safe and warm!

Happy Trails! Until next time-- Scout

COLD WEATHER TIPS

• ANTI-FREEZE - In cold weather, keep your pets away from antifreeze solution, and promptly clean up any antifreeze that spills. Antifreeze is attractive to pets and is deadly, even in very small amounts.
• Most urban pets spend the majority of their time indoors, and don't have tolerance for extremely cold weather. Do not leave your pets outdoors unattended when the temperature gets below freezing! Pets must build up a thicker coat and get their footpads toughened for snow and ice. Pets that get too chilled could develop hypothermia or even frostbite. Ear tips are especially susceptible to frostbite.
• OUTERWEAR - Dogs with very short coats have the least tolerance for cold. Extremely short-coated breeds include Greyhounds, Dobermans, Boxers, Boston Terriers and Chihuahuas. These breeds shouldn't go outside without a sweater or a coat except for short times to relieve themselves. Small dogs with short coats (such as Chihuahuas, miniature Pinschers, and miniature Dachshunds) are especially vulnerable to cold. They may not tolerate any outdoor exercise in extremely cold weather.
• FOOT (PAW) CARE - Many dogs need boots in cold weather, regardless of coat length. If your dog frequently lifts up his paws, whines or stops on his walks, his feet are uncomfortably cold. Be sure to get your dog used to wearing boots before cold weather sets in. Another frequently seen foot problem is the formation of iceballs between the pads and toes of the feet, especially in dogs with long fur. Once iceballs form, they are very painful, much like walking on rocks. When dogs get these, they often whine, stop walking and start chewing at the bottoms of their feet to remove the painful iceballs. To help prevent iceballs, trim hair around your dog's feet. Apply a small amount of Vaseline, cooking oil, or PAM spray to your dog's feet before taking him for a walk. Make sure you use oil that can be eaten; most dogs lick at their paws. If your pet walks on salted sidewalks or streets, be sure to wash his paws after your walk. Salt is very irritating to footpads. Many dogs will quickly start whining and biting at their feet after just a few steps on salted roads. Gently rub the bottom of the feet to remove the salt as soon as your dog is off the road.
• OUTDOOR PETS - If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, let him get acclimated gradually to dropping temperatures. Once a pet is acclimated to either warm or cold, a long dose of the other extreme is hard to take. Outdoor pets need a sheltered place that is well bedded with DRY straw, shavings, blanket strips or other insulating material that traps warm air. Also, remember that animals drag a lot of moisture into their bedding areas from snow, rain and mud. Check it often and change it whenever it is wet, or your pets can't keep themselves warm. Northern dog breeds such as Huskies and Malamutes who actually work in the winter pulling sleds need more calories.
• INDOOR PETS - The rest of the pet population generally gets less active in winter. Consequently, cut back a bit on what you feed your animals, or your vet will be nagging you in spring about your portly pets.

Article Source: University of Minnesota Vet. Outreach Programs, written by Dr. Laurie Greene

Happy Friday! Wow, hard to believe the month of December is half over.

Camp is starting to fill up for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. I'm so excited to see some of my fellow Camp Bow Wow'ers that I haven't seen for a while! Reagan, Munch and Cody will all be here for Christmas! Woohoo! All three are little dogs, so they are in my play yard and staying for 7 days! They are all from the same family and come and stay usually over Easter, July 4th and Christmas. I haven't seen them for 5 months!

I know all of our camps are gearing up for the busy couple of weeks ahead. Many are already booked full for the holidays and the rest are filling up fast!

We got snow here in Colorado last week! I love the snow! (But, when's it's too deep, I tend to get lost in it!)

I'm off to work, promoting our newest camp in South Windsor, Connecticut and two new openings next week, one in New Bern, North Carolina and the other in Salt Lake City, Utah. That makes 93 Camps total. More friends for me!

See you all next week!--Scout

Giving Thanks

Hi fellow furry friends!

I just wanted to share my experience at the most fun camp I’ve ever been to! My name is Barkley and I was homeless just a few months ago. The great camp counselors at Camp Bow Wow were nice enough to take me in and foster me so I could play all day with other dogs and get royal treatment rather than being stuck in a shelter! Not too long after I got there, my new parents took me home with my new brother, Slick.

For Thanksgiving, our parents were going out of town, so they took us to Camp Bow Wow for the weekend! I was so excited, I nearly peed myself in my parent’s new car, but luckily I didn’t. I think I almost passed out from excitement when I went into the lobby – hard to remember since I was hyperventilating. Anyway, Slick and I got to play for 4 days straight with so many of our other doggy friends (a lot of them I already knew from my first stay there – hi to Molly, Gertie, Pal and Bandit!) and then Slick and I got to share our own big cabin since they must know we don’t like to be separated at night (although Slick is a bit of a bed hog). We knew our parents were watching us on the Live Camper Cams so I did my best to slobber at the cameras.

So this year, I’m thankful for my new parents and brother, but also for the kindness and energy of the Camp Bow Wow counselors and staff! Not sure where I’d be without them!

Hope my parents want to go away for Christmas too so I can go back – if not for an overnight stay, at least for some day camp fun! I know my parents love it when I come home exhausted.

See you soon!

Barkley
(Saint Bernard Mix – we think.)

'Tis the Season

It's that time of year, when the world falls in love...every song you hear, seems to say....

Hey all! Scout here. I absolutely LOVE holiday music. (A couple stations here in Colorado started playing it the week before Thanksgiving!) For me it triggers the coming of the month of December. And, whatever holiday you may celebrate during the month, it kicks off the season of giving. Whether it's the bell ringers and red kettles outside of the stores, your local fireman calling and asking for help, or your local humane society asking you to remember your furry friends, they are all working to help those less fortunate.

As I am a dog (duh!), of course, I especially favor those that help my furry friends. I encourage everyone of you to reach into your heart and give this holiday season. There are many furry friends out there waiting to find their forever home, and thousands will be adopted during this holiday season. Check in with your local humane society or local rescue organization, where even the simple gift of a bag of dog food is appreciated. I know the economy is tough, and there is much uncertainty about the future, but giving even the smallest amount goes a long way in helping our furry friends. There are many pups out there waiting for their forever home. Supporting the organizations that help these pups find homes is an awesome thing! I was one of those pups...and now that I've found my forever family, I'll never let them go!

Helping others gives me a warm fuzzy all over. I hope it does you too!

Until next time! --Scout