The Forever Home Flyer

The Newsletter of First State Greyhound Rescue

7/3/07

 

In This Issue:

 

Have a fabulous Fourth!

Happy Birthday, Rock!

Pet Parade

What Degree Has Your Hound Earned?

Greyhound Lovers' Picnic--Last Chance!...and a SURPRISE!

Keep Those Votes Coming!

 

 

 

Have a fabulous Fourth!

 

Many pet lovers have a love/hate relationship with the Fourth of July.  We enjoy the festivities, but we fear the effect that they have on our animals!

 

These reprints from the Greyhound-L, the huge mailing list of greyhound lovers, offer some suggestions for making your Fourth fabulous for your WHOLE family:

 

The fourth of July is right around the corner. Everybody love the fireworks: Well, almost everybody. How about your hounds?

Inevitably, this time of year results in lost hounds, scared by fireworks, running in terror: some to be hit by cars, others never to be found. The Greyhound List, and the Greyhound Amber Alert have seen far too many of these over the years.

Some of the things you can do to keep your hound safe this year:

1) Don't let your hound stay in the yard alone. Fireworks can terrify them, and the adrenaline rush can be enough to propel them over fences you never imagined they could clear.

2) Keep your hound indoors, play the stereo or TV and keep the air conditioner or fans going to keep outdoor noise muted.

3) If your hound is especially fearful, and frightened of noise, see your vet about medications that may help to keep him calm.

4) If you are leaving your hounds with someone, make sure they are savvy about your hound's reactions to noise, and sensitive to their needs. Many,many lost hounds get loose from caretakers.

5) Make sure your hound is wearing identification. Too often people never see their hound again, just because that when found, the rescuer didn't know where to bring the dog or whom to call.

Have a wonderful, safe holiday everyone,  Michael McCann,
Boston

 

I have a suggestion that just may help your hound get through the holiday. Our Minnie is terribly afraid of fireworks, and on July 4 we can see and hear displays from three venues. We use DAP Comfort Zone spray and the supplement melatonin to calm Minnie, and this year we're adding something new. My husband has recently been in classrooms with autistic children. Since heavy blankets are used to help calm a stressed-out child (only if the child wants the blanket used), he covered Minnie with a dog bed during a particularly fierce t-storm this month. She was lying on her belly against a wall, and only her head was left uncovered. Within a couple of minutes she stopped panting and shaking, and put her head down. Five minutes later, when she seemed to be quite comfortable, he lifted the bed off her. She immediately raised her head--panting and trembling. He covered her again, and she was calm. A "eureka!" moment. We're praying this will work with fireworks too, as the 4th is celebrated
 all month in our neck of the
Minnesota woods.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Rock!

 

On June 3rd Rock Kressler celebrated his 7th birthday with a party at the local doggie day care, For the Love of Dogs.  His hound sisters, Rosie and Lily, and 7 of his friends from weekly Meet & Greets attended.  There was music, games for the hounds, lots of prizes and treats, and food for the people guests.  It was the first time we "unleashed the beasts" together in one spot, and they behaved very well.  (Even Oreo.)  Guests included Bailey Dawg and her mom and dad, Lori and Dailis Melbarde; Mavis and her mom, Ellen; Shiloh and Lightfoot with their mom, Linda; Oreo, Beau and Korina with their mom, Leslie; Rock's sister, Amy; Ron Liberta; Jill Wright (K9s in Training); Debbie and Greg DeLucca; and Rock's mom, Janine Kressler.  All agreed it was a GREYT time!

   

                     

 

Pet Parade

On June 9th, FSGR volunteers from the EastonBethlehem, and Phillipsburg area participated in the first annual Pet Parade event in downtown Easton, PA.  The event coincided with the weekly Farmers' Market, and included a speech about greyhounds by FSGR volunteer Janine Kressler, including "floor models" Rock, Lily, Oreo and Korina; a pet parade, with judging for Most Unusual Pet and Best Costume categories; pet vendors; and the farmers' market vendors.  The event lasted from 8:00 a.m. (those farmers get up early!) till 1:00 p.m.  We had a greyt time, and the event sparked a lot of interest in the hounds and the adoption process.  We have been invited back next year and are looking forward to attending again. 

 

 

 

What Degree Has Your Hound Earned?

 

Most of us know about the great titles your dog can earn through the American Kennel Club and other organizations . . .

We all are familiar with the:

CH (champion)
CD (companion dog)
CDX (companion dog excellent)
UD (utility dog)
UDX (utility dog excellent)
TD (tracking dog)
TDX (tracking dog excellent)
OTCH (obedience trial champion) and so on...

Well some of the dog owners out there in cyberspace have a few of their own titles that even your family dog can earn -without any special training! Most are naturals.

Here is a list of just a few of them :

AD ( attention deficit )
ABRM (all beds are mine)
ARB ( ace refrigerator bandit )
BW ( butt wagger )
BWX ( butt wagger excellent )
CC ( cat - courser )
CCX ( cat - courser excellent )
CP ( couch potato )
CPX ( couch potato excellent )

CRX (cockroach extreme)
CSX ( counter surfer extraordinaire )
DIVA (Divine, Intelligent Very Annoyed)
EAX ( escape artist excellent )

FC (Fly catcher)

FCX (Fly cather extraordinaire)
GFIY ( go fetch it yourself )
GP ( garbage picker )
GPX ( garbage picker excellent )
HD ( hole digger )
HDMX ( hole digger major excavator )
IDDI ( I didn't do it )
ILF ( I like food )
ILLF ( I like lots of food )
IWFF ( I work for food )
KOTT (killer of the toys)
LD ( lap dog )
LDX ( lap dog excellent )
PHD ( puddle hopper dog )
RPA (Royal Pain in the A**)
SBDF (silent but deadly fumigator)
SC ( skunk courser )
TBF ( thick but friendly )
SBDF ( terribly good snorer )
TGAN ( terribly good at nothing )
TSIM ( that seat is mine )
TTIM ( that toy is mine )
UNCD ( under the covers dog )
UNCDX ( under the covers dog excellent )
WM ( who me ? )

Which ones have your dogs earned?  My Gopher is definitely  "Gopher, SBDF, FCX, TBF"...and proud of it!

 

Greyhound Lovers' Picnic--Last Chance!...and a SURPRISE!

 

It's nearly time for the yearly picnic...do you have your RSVP in yet?  For more information, go to the First State site (www.firstgreys.org) ...to RSVP, email deardet@comcast.net, 610.693.3482.

 

Don't miss your greyt chance for food, fun, games, gab, and your chance to win this fabulous framed print:

 

And the surprise???  The return of the First State Store!!  Under the enthusiastic guidance of April & Tina Esterly, the Store is BACK, and better than ever!

 

Keep Those Votes Coming!

 

So far, over 500 votes have been cast in the first ever FSGR Calendar Contest!  Keep voting...no more than one ballot per email address per day.  Voting will conclude at the FSGR picnic 7/14/07http://www.firststatecalendar.bravehost.com/

 

 

 

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This newsletter is a publication of First State Greyhound Rescue & unless otherwise noted, is copyrighted by FSGR, 2005. Any products or services advertised are listed as a courtesy to our readers, and no guarantee is made by FSGR regarding them.

To be removed from this list, please reply to this email with "Remove" in the subject line. Please feel free to email me with ideas for future newsletters! Janet Selman, Editor, FSGR Email Newsletter