March Newsletter

EASTER EGG HUNT
We will be hosting our Second Annual Dublin Creek Animal Foundation Easter Egg Hunt at the kennel on Sunday, April 1 at 2pm.  Come out to the kennel with your dogs and let them hunt for Easter eggs and win prizes for them and you!  Cost is $5 per dog and all the money goes to our rescue fund.  Friendly dogs only please.

NOW OFFERING FULL SERVICE GROOMING
Yes, you read that right!  We are now offering full service grooming, including clips on Tuesdays and Thursdays!  Remember that your dog does not have to be boarding to be groomed by us!  Call us today to book your grooming appointment!

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Don't forget to sign your dog up for activities during their stay!  Canine guests can enjoy water games, ball play, food searching games or just snuggle time in a one-on-one 30 minute session!


TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR PET OWNERS
1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years.  Any separation from you will be very painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want from me.  Do not break my spirit with your temper, thugh I will always forgive you.  Your patience will teach me more effectively.

3. Please have me spayed or neutered.

4. Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for your kindness than mine. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment.  After all, you have your job, your friends, your entertainment.  I have only you.

5. Speak to me often. Even if I don't understand your words, I understand your voice when it's speaking to me. Your voice is the sweetest sound I ever hear, as you must know by my enthusiasm whenever I hear your footsteps.

6. Take me in when it's cold and wet. I'm a domestic animal and am no longer accustomed to the bitter elements. I ask for little more than your gentle hands petting me. Keep my bowl filled with water. Feed me good food so that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding. By your side, I stand ready, willing and able to share my life with you, for that is what I live for. I'll never forget how well you've treated me.

7. Don't hit me. Remember, I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I've been out in the sun too long, or my heart may be getting weak.

9. Take care of me when I get old. For you will grow old too.

10. When I am old, or when I no longer enjoy good health, please do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having fun. Just see to it that my trusting life is taken gently. And be with me on that difficult journey when it's time to say goodbye. Never say, "I just can't bear to watch." Everything is easier for me when you are there. I will leave this earth knowing with my last breath that my fate was always safest in your hands. I love you.

MEET ANGEL AND HER BABIES
As you know, kennel owners Sue and Katherine founded the Dublin Creek Animal Foundation making their longtime, ongoing animal rescue efforts official.  We generally make weekly trips to the Central Valley or other areas to pick up shelter dogs and cats that are at risk for euthanasia.  This week was no different.

We receive weekly lists from shelters that show the animals that they have that are at risk of being put to sleep.  We look at the list and then see which, if any animals we are able to save.  Vicki, our trainer received the list and called Sue to ask if we could possible take one more dog since there was a cute, fluffy, very adoptable small dog on the list.  Sue said yes and that she would look at the list and call our contact at the shelter to make arrangements and see if he was still in need of help.  Shortly after, Vicki received a text from Sue saying, "What about the Pit Bull with the babies?".  Ruh-roh! Vicki knew what this meant.  Apparently, they had a female Pit Bull who had come to the shelter as a stray and full of milk having obviously had a litter of puppies.  As it turns out, the veterinary hospital that they work with had a litter of 3 week old puppies with no mother.  The puppies were puppies were put with this female Pit Bull who took them on as their own, nursing them and caring for them.  They told us she was a very sweet dog so of course, we decided to take her instead of the easier to rehome small, fluffy dog!  You might be wondering why we would do that.  The answer is that we feel that she deserves a chance at a new life and loving forever home just as much as the next dog.  We all love Pit Bulls because of their happy, friendly, outgoing temperaments and their intelligence and trainability but the truth is that they are more challenging to find homes for just because there are so many of them.  We didn't care, she needs us so we are there for her.

We committed to taking her and named her Angel because that is exactly what she is to those puppies.  If it weren't for Angel caring for them, who knows what would have happened to them.  As soon as we met Angel it became very clear why the shelter workers did not want her to be put down.  She is a gem of a dog.  Sweet, friendly, easy going and on the small side.  The puppies are small breed puppies, maybe Rat Terrier mixes.  Angel and her babies are all looking for forever homes.  They can meet prospective adopters and be adopted now but will not be able to actually leave for another month or so.  Please contact us if you are interested in meeting Angel and her babies or any of our other wonderful animals that are available for adoption.  See our adoptable animals here!

February Newsletter

GET A FRESH START FOR SPRING
Spring is a time for new things, new beginnings and clean, fresh bright surroundings!  Why not do some Spring cleaning and give you and your animals a fresh start?  Check out our super easy ideas!

-Get your dog or cat groomed.  Okay, so not every pet enjoys the bath itself, but most love how they feel afterward!  Don't want to get wet yourself?  No problem, our groomer Michelle doesn't mind at all!  Book an appointment for a bath for your pet.  You can book a grooming appointment anytime even if your pet isn't boarding at the time!

-Take your dog or cat for a check-up.  It is always nice to have peace of mind that all is well, so consider taking your dog or cat in for a check-up with your vet to be on top of things.  This is especially important for senior pets!

-Get your pet some new toys!  Sometimes we get so busy and wrapped up with our hectic schedules that we forget that our pet is playing with (or not playing with) the same old, boring toys.  Take them on a shopping spree and pick up some new toys for them!

-Figure out new ways to entertain your pets!  Interactive toys like stuffed Kongs or puzzle toys, which are available for both dogs and cats are a great way to exercise your pets mind and get them some mental stimulation.  Cats love the toys on a stick that you can whip around for them to chase!  Haven't tried them?  Give it a shot, your cats are likely to go wild!  For your dogs, consider making them a sandbox as a legal place for them to dig and find toys and things you have hidden.  Don't forget a cover so that neighborhood cats can't pay it a visit!

-Try a dog sport!  Sign your dog up for a new dog training class such as K9 Nose Work, Fun with Agility or Fun with Freestyle!  Sometimes just an hour a week devoted to you and your dog can do wonders for both of you.

-Get your pets a new collar and tag!  When was the last time you got your dog or cat a new collar?  Can you still see the name on their tag?  If you can't or it has been a while, help them feel refreshed in a new collar and tag!

VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL
We have an offer you won't be able to resist!  We are offering a 15% discount on boarding stays over February 14!  That's right, want to get away for Valentine's Day?  Now you can!

NEW THINGS TO COME
As if we haven't done enough renovating, wait until you see what we have planned for this year.  We aren't going to reveal the details yet, but it is going to be big and amazing and your dogs are going to love us for it and we think you will really like it too!

BOARDING ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Don't forget that we offer enrichment activities for our boarding dogs.  For just $20 we will give your dog one-on-one attention for up to 30 minutes!  You choose (or let us audition different activities and choose based on what your dog likes) what activity you think your dog would like.  It might be Just for Jocks, where we play fetch with balls or toys with your dog.  Or, Water Games where we will up a tub and play with the hose with your dog.  Your dog might like searching for food and would enjoy our Find it! game.  If your dog is mellow yellow, then we may just hang out giving them a massage or one-on-one quiet, snuggle time.  The feedback we have received since starting these activities has been amazing.  The dogs love it.  The great thing is that we frequently take pictures of these dogs during their play time and post them on our Facebook page so you may even see your pet up there!

CATS LIKE PLAYTIME TOO!
We wouldn't dare forget our feline friends!  Cats enjoy one-on-one time too, this is why our feline guests staying in our deluxe cattery get individual attention to play with a cat toy on a stick, chase a ball or toy or just get some petting and snuggling time.  This is also available to cats staying in our other cattery, just let us know!

WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK
We have been making many changes and updates to our website.  Check it out!  Also, if you are on Facebook consider "Liking" our page if you don't already for updates, specials, pictures of our guests and of course, photos and updates of our wonderful adoptable dogs and cats!

ADOPTIONS
Special thanks to professional photographer Mary Jones who has generously donated her time coming by and photographing our adoptables.  In rescue a majority of the dogs are found online via websites like Petfinder and it is the picture of a particular dog that someone falls in love with.  We are so grateful to have had Mary offer this to our adoptables.

We are so happy to have made some really wonderful and successful adoptions in January.  Perhaps our most exciting is the placement of Yogi after being with us for a year and a half!  We were absolutely thrilled when we had not one, but TWO families step up to adopt him.  We found a wonderful loving home for Yogi where he has a senior Dachshund girlie for a companion.  We couldn't be happier.

Our wonderful little Snickers was adopted too!  He and his boy hit it off immediately playing fetch and ball together.  We are so happy for Snickers, who now goes by the name COOP!

Sally was adopted too!  Here she is with her new owner and boy are they happy!

Willie Nelson wasn't here long.  This mature dog reminded us how critical it is to help adult dogs and remember that there are people out there looking for adult dogs that are many times already trained, calm and set in their ways.  Willie's owner fell in love with his picture and when met Willie, fell in love with the real thng too!

Pancho lived with our trainer for two months!  She trained him to do a number of behaviors and got him ready to be a wonderful companion.  Although she REALLY wanted to keep Pancho, she knew that he would love to have family where he could be an only dog and someone's spoiled little everything.  That he is!

Liam found a home!  This little cutie pie wasn't here long and we knew he wouldn't be.  Sweet, friendly and outgoing, he found a home quickly!

Patsy Cline wasn't here for long either!  This little peanut who was found on the streets dodging a large dog found a wonderful home with a companion Chihuahua who loves her!

Millie found a home too!  Poor Millie was a matted mess in the shelter.  Our own Cat, who used to be a groomer clipped her down and made her feel good again.  She found a home with her own lap to call her own which is exactly what she needed!

And this is just the dogs we placed in January!  Please check out and share our adoptables with anyone who may be looking for a dog or cat. 

January Newsletter

Happy New Year!  It seems impossible that it is already 2012 doesn't it?  We are happy to have spent the holidays with so many of your animals and we continue to be grateful for your business and your trust in allowing us to care for your cherished friends.  For that we give you a heartfelt Thank You.

January usually gets people thinking about resolutions and changes for good that they want to make for the new year.  So, we thought it would be fun to suggest some pet related New Years resolutions!  Here is what we came up with:

Walk your dog more.
Exercise does all of us good, this includes people and dogs.  Why not make a commitment to walk your dog more?  Start out with a distance or length of time that both of you are comfortable with and make a commitment to do it every day or every other day.  You will be amazed at how great you both feel and you will be glad to see what a little walk can do to help your dog relax around the house.  If you don't like to walk alone consider meeting up with a friend or neighbor who also has a dog and walk together.  This is great because if your dogs become friends you may also to enjoy play dates and allow the dogs time to play together. 

Take a training class.
For a little bonding and mental stimulation you won't find a better solution than taking a positive reinforcement dog training class!  Dogs love to learn and taking a class can give you a boost of motivation.  Keep an eye out for our training class schedule which will be out soon for our March classes.

Improve your pets diet.
Okay, so this is generally a human resolution, but there are many pets out there who would benefit from a healthier diet.  If a pet food is high quality the dog will eat less of it and retain more nutrition from it.  Take time to look at the labels of the pet food that you feed to ensure that your animal is getting a healthy diet.

Groom your pet!
Grooming can be a task or a relaxing pastime.  Usually it is only a horrendous job when the animal doesn't enjoy it or they are in poor condition (usually from lack of grooming).  You can get your dog or cat used to grooming by having short, relaxing grooming sessions while you watch TV.  Personally, I adore grooming my two long haired dogs.  I have taught them to sit on my lap while I brush them out nightly.  By keeping them brushed out, it keeps their coats in good condition so that I don't have to worry about mats or knotting.

Up the mental stimulation and enrichment.
These are terms that you might not be familiar with.  Mental stimulation and enrichment basically means giving an animal something to do.  Animals who live in zoos, for example are given a variety of items or games to do in order to encourage mental stimulation this keeps the animals more happy and less likely to become stressed from boredom.  Dogs like to work and have a job to do and there are simple ways to give them that.  Interactive toys such as Nina Ottoson toys are a wonderful way to enrichment a dog by encouraging foraging (searching for food) which actually burns energy.  They are great all the time but can be particularly helpful during the winter months when it is rainy out and you may be walking or exercising your dog less.

Mental stimulation isn't just for dogs, cats benefit from it greatly as well.  If you have ever visited our cattery you will notice that we have nets and shelves that encourage climbing and problem solving.  We also offer toys that encourage problem solving such as this one.

Undivided Attention
Here is a quick and easy one that will mean the world to your dog (or cat).  Set aside time to give your animal some play time that is dedicated to them.  Mix up the time but offer your dog some time, even 15 minutes to just play ball, just tug of war, just hide food or run and around and play, whatever your game of choice is, commit to giving them daily.

More car rides.
Most dogs love going for car rides.  If your dog is one of them, take him on more car rides.  If your dog doesn't particularly like car rides it could be because he only gets one when he goes to the vet!  Try taking him when you are running to Starbucks or to the bank (make sure it's not too hot out!) and let him just tag along.  Many dogs really enjoy that and it is such a simple and easy thing to do.

So try finding a New Years resolution that will enhance the relationship you have with your dog or cat and improve the quality of their life!  Little changes can be simple but mean so much!

Adoptables
We have several dogs, puppies and kittens looking for forever homes.  All of our animals our spayed/neutered and vaccinated prior to being adopted out.  If you or anyone you know is looking for a new companion, please encourage them to come and meet some our adoptables.

Bake Sales
Thank you so much to everyone who purchased our baked goods.  We are so grateful to all of you who contributed and happy that this fundraiser was such a success.

Many people don't know the costs involved in rescuing unwanted animals.  The majority of our rescues come from animal shelters, not owner surrenders.  This means that generally they come to us intact (unspayed or unneutered), without vaccinations and sometimes with other health issues including internal parasites, skin problems, respiratory infections, kennel cough and other health issues that while not life threatening can be costly to treat.  When we accept an animal, we accept that financial responsibility and we have to make that animal healthy before we place them out.  On top of that we also pay for all the animals food, toys, beds, etc.  So, donations mean the world to us and to the animals we are rescuing.

We are happy to share some of our success stories.  These animals were adopted in the last month:

December Newsletter

We hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We sure did as we have so much to be thankful for here at Dublin Creek Kennel, especially, all of you, are wonderful clients!

Bake Sale
Thank you to all of you who purchased baked goods from our first ever Bake Sale!  We held this bake sale as a fundraiser to raise money for the Dublin Creek Animal Foundation, the 501c3 non-profit organization we started which takes in and rehomes unwanted dogs and cats.  We are happy to announce that we raised over $800 to benefits our animals in need!  Thank you to all of our employees who pitched in!  Special thanks to Janelle who did the majority of the baking, to Michelle for her wonderful fudge, Vicki for her dog and cat treats and Suzie Tripp who donated her wonderful treats!  And, if you didn't make it out to get some treats, don't worry, we have another Bake Sale scheduled for December 19-23rd!


Our Adoptables
We have many wonderful animals looking for their forever homes.  If you are looking for a new companion animal or you know someone who is, please tell them about our adoptables!  Can't adopt but want to help?  We are also looking for foster homes for these animals for the holidays.  If you can help, please call the kennel!  Here is a sneak peek at them, but please visit our rescue page for more information about our adoptables!

Luke

Snickers

Yogi

Amigo (on the left) and Bonita (in the middle)

Adopting a Special Needs Dog
It has taken Boo Boo over a year to find a home and his brother Yogi is still looking.  We aren't quite sure why it's taking Yogi so long to find his forever home, except to say that Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes are coming into the shelters in high numbers every day.  With Boo Boo we knew why it was taking longer and were prepared to wait for the perfect home for him.  See, Boo Boo is a shy dog and shy dogs are always a bit more challenging to find homes for because people are reluctant to take on a dog that is less outgoing.  But, Boo Boo's owner will tell you that you should definitely consider it as in just a short period of time, Boo Boo and he have completely bonded.  Hank, another shy dog, who was adopted a couple of months ago was also here for nearly a year while we waited for the perfect home to come along and boy did it!  He was adopted by a family that is happy and willing to help Hank come out of his shell.

Michelle, our groomer, adopted another one of our adoptables several months ago.  Cheerio is a long haired Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix, but he was born without front legs and needed a home where someone was willing to accept that and work with that.  Michelle had a custom made cart made for Cheerio to help him get along better.  Cheerio is a sweet and loving little dog who will start the Paws to Read program this month where he will go to the library where children will read to him. You honestly won't meet a sweeter dog than Cheerio but he was almost killed because of a physical disability that he can't help and that doesn't keep him from having a normal, happy life.  Consider adopting a special needs animal.  Dogs that are handicapped, older or a bit shy can make wonderful companions too!

Cheerio









Look Whose Been Adopted!
These are the animals that have found forever homes through Dublin Creek Animal foundation this month.  We are incredibly proud of this as all of these animals were at great risk before we stepped up and took them in.


We are so happy that after over a year Boo Boo was finally adopted!  His new family reports that he is doing great!

Buster

Pixie

Autumn

Toki

Wiley

Keihei

Pancho Villa

November Newsletter

Welcome Fall and an early Happy Holidays to all of you!  Speaking of the holidays, we are already full for Thanksgiving, but we still have some openings for Christmas!  So, if you are planning to get away and need to board your dogs or cats, please make a reservation right away!

Take a New Years Vacation!
We are offering a 20% discount on boarding for the month of January if you book in November and mention the blog! 

Grooming
Don't forget that we offer grooming!  Our talented groomer Michelle will bathe your dog, brush him or her out, trim the feet and toenails!  Your pet doesn't have to be in for boarding to take advantage of our grooming!  Call to make an appointment today!  Sorry, no full haircuts, baths only.

Dublin Creek Animal Foundation
Most of you already know that we are deeply concerned about the number of homeless animals out there.  We have unofficially done rescue work for years, but we have made it official by founding the Dublin Creek Animal Foundation, a 501c3 rescue group that helps unwanted dogs and cats find new homes.

Most of our rescue animals come from high kill animal shelters that are over crowded.  We regularly receive emails with pictures of the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that are to be euthanized that week.  When we see animals that we think we can help, we then set up transport arrangements for the animals.  Once the animals arrive here we begin to interact with them and evaluate their temperaments and decide what type of home would be the best for that individual.  We get them spayed or neutered, vaccinated and healthy and then we begin to look for new homes for them.  It is tiring and difficult job but also extremely rewarding.  It is also expensive to do and we rely on adoption fees and private donations to pay for the spaying, neutering, dentals, vaccines and any other procedures that need to be done. All donations are tax deductible!

Please visit our Rescue Page to see the animals we are currently looking for homes for here!  And, please, if you know anyone looking for a new pet, please invite them to check out our animals.

Look Who Got Adopted!
We are thrilled to announce that Hank, Charlie (now Truman), Consuela, Chiquita and Whiskers have been adopted through our rescue group!  Way to go! 

Truman

Wylie

Consuela

Whiskers

In addition to our foster animals listed above, we also have two standard, black and tan Dachshunds available.  Slick is a 6 month old male who was bred by Sue who is looking for a show home.  Cinder is a 6 year old female retired show champion looking for a new home.  Inquire to Sue at the kennel.

October Newsletter

Welcome Fall!  With the start of fall remember that the holidays are just around the corner.  Please remember to make your Thanksgiving, Christmas and ski trip reservations early!  It is heartbreaking for us to have to utter those dreaded words, "I'm sorry, we're full", but it happens around the holidays!  Don't make us say that to you!  Call now to book your pets holiday stay!

Canine Activities
Don't forget about our wonderful enrichment activities that will add fun and excitement to your dog's stay with us.  You can choose to have your dog play ball, tug, get a massage or just some snuggles with one of our staff members.  Our activities offer dogs some quality one on one time which really adds to their stay!

Free Time in our New Cattery
For our feline guests, we now offer daily free time in our new cattery.  This gives cats a chance to come out of their enclosure to climb on wall shelves, play with the enrichment toys or hang out on the climbing net.  Multiple cats from the same family are welcome to enjoy free time together.  However, we do not allow the cats to interact with cats from other families.

Hank finds a home!
We are so happy to announce that Hank, one of our adoptables has found his forever home!  Hank, along with Yogi and Boo Boo had been here at the kennel for nearly a year after we rescued from death row at a high kill shelter.  We are thrilled that he has found a home and family to call his own!  Way to go Hank!

One Pup at a Time Rescue
Dublin Creek Kennels owners Sue and Katherine know how many homeless dogs and cats there are out there looking for new forever homes, many of them at risk of euthanasia.  This is why they started their own 501c3 rescue organization, One Pup at a Time Rescue.  We rescue dogs that have no place else to go, house them, work with them and find them new forever homes.  It is true that it takes a village which is why staff members help by spending one on one time with the dogs, our trainers invites our rescues to attend training classes and Michelle our groomer keeps them clean and comfortable.  Everyone works together to get them ready for their new homes and help them move forward with their lives.

We currently have two dogs looking for new homes.  Yogi and Boo Boo, Dachshund/Chihuahua mixes, probably brothers are still looking for their forever homes.  They do not have to be adopted together.  If you know of anyone looking or you have room in your home and heart, please come by and meet Yogi and Boo Boo.  They would just love to be home this year for the holidays in their new forever homes.

Halloween Safety!
Remember with Halloween coming up to keep your animals safe!

~Chocolate is toxic to dogs.  Be sure to keep all candy, especially chocolate put away so your dog can't get to it.

~Xylitol, found in chewing gum and some candies is also toxic to dogs.  Keep it out of reach so your dog can't ingest it.

~Keep your dog secured when trick or treaters come to the house.  Dogs can get spooked (no pun intended) and run off by the costumes and high volume of visitors.  Make sure your dog doesn't have access to the front door and be sure he is wearing his collar and tags on Halloween.

~Please keep your black cats safe.  As awful as this is, some people are unkind to black cats around Halloween.  If you have an outdoor black cat, please make sure he is safe and secure around Halloween.

Howl-o-Ween Party
Mark your calendars for Friday, October 21 at 6:30 for Braveheart Dog Training's annual Howl-o-Ween party.  The party will be held at Braveheart Dog Training located at 2123 Marina Blvd. in San Leandro.  There will be a costume contest, trick contest and more!  Treats and prizes!  Dog and people friendly dogs welcome to attend!  Please remember to think of your dogs comfort when choosing a Halloween costume for them. 

September Newsletter

Summer came and went and sometimes it didn't feel like it had arrived!  At least it made for an easier time for our animals who can't always tolerate the heat so well.  As Summer winds down we want to remind all of you to book early for the Holidays.  We do tend to book up for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so please make a reservation for your pet's stay early! 

Stop By Anytime!
We take great pride in the high standards we set for the kennel in terms of care of the animals, cleanliness and attention to detail.  We are one of the few kennels that welcomes and encourages tours without an appointment during our open hours.  This means that current or potential clients may drop in to take a tour without making an appointment.  We allow you to view the entire kennel so that you can feel comfortable and reassured that your pet is kept safe, comfortable and happy!   

The Adoptables
If you or anyone you know is looking to adopt a small dog, please let them know about our wonderful adoptables.  We are currently looking for homes for three wonderful small dogs, Hank, a miniature Pinscher mix and Yogi and Boo Boo, Dachshund/Chihuahua mixes.  Hank was pulled from a high kill shelter just before he was due to be put to sleep.  Yogi and Boo Boo were left in a crate stuffed in some bushes.  These dogs have been here for quite a while and are desperately looking for new homes.  Please spread the word.

Training Recommendations
Are you interested in learning more about how dogs learn?  Check out these great dog training books!
The Other End of the Leash by Dr. Patricia McConnell
This book is a great resource as it helps readers to understand how dogs learn and think.

The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
This groundbreaking book explains how dogs think and learn and how some of our old ways of thinking need to be changed.

The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller
This book is more of a "how to" in terms of training specific behaviors using positive reinforcement methods.

Bones Would Rain From The Sky by Suzanne Clothier
This book is about our relationships with dogs and how to go about building a strong one.  So good, you won't be able to put it down!

Positive Training for Show Dogs by Vicki Ronchette
This book was written by our resident trainer Vicki Ronchette.  It teaches how to use positive reinforcement training to train your show dog.