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Whenever I hear "It's just such an honor to be nominated, and particularly alongside such a talented group of people...." blah, blah, blah, I always think what a line that is!  They want to win and they'll be sad if they don't. But then I realized that I was being honest.  Of course it would be great to win, but truly - what an honor to be singled out from all of the other wonderful pet businesses in the area.  This also goes to prove what a wonderful crew of dog walkers we have.  I don't even have my own regular crew of dogs that I walk anymore, and I haven't for over a year, but all of our employees are out there everyday continuing to provide the very best in service.  Thanks guys.

Sooo... "It's just such an honor to be nominated, and particularly alongside such talented people...." but if you would like to actually vote for citydog as "Best Pet Indulgence" in Kansas City, visit www.kcmag.com and click on "reader's choice".  Results will be published in the August issue of KC Mag...and wouldn't that be cool if we won, 'cause August is our 6th Anniversary month!

Wag, Wag, Wag, 

Sandy.

Rex was Cameron's boy.  Cameron adopted Rex - a plain dog needed a plain name, Cameron always said - from the Humane Society of Tulsa, OK.  He was young, about 6 months old, but apparently full grown.  He's always looked the same, he grew older, but never any bigger.  He was very sensitive dog.  His eyes looked at you full of hope.  He hoped that you would never stop petting him, hoped that just around the corner would be a walk, hoped that you'd lean in to kiss him in just a moment.  He got all of that and more.  Cameron filled Rex's life with trail running in Tulsa, and then a move to Greenville, SC gave the boys the mountains.  They'd both go running through and up the mountains.  Rex would glide through the brush with grace but always come back to make sure Dad was still doin' alright.  

Another move brought them to Kansas City.  Gone were the mountains and trail runs.  But one block down was a new phenomenon - the dog park.  There Rex made many people friends, but not many dog friends.  Rex was too busy "crossing off the trees on his 'to-do' list" around the park.  When he was ready for people affection he'd make his way into the center of the people and absorb the energy.

That is where I met Cameron and Rex.  From that point forward is when I learned that Rex always sits with his back feet turned inward, just barely touching each other.  That's when I learned that Rex's favorite resting place for his head is in your lap.  That's when I learned that he was a gracious host with his home and toys and food - dogs were welcome to come in. That's when I learned that as close as we grew, I was never a substitute for Dad.  That's when I learned that the only toy he would ever fetch was his leash, tied up in an intricate arrangements of knots, that only Dad knew how to do.

We all miss him dearly, and with his passing there is a quiet spot in the home.  We will take him back to the mountains in South Carolina and let him rest for all of his days.

He sometimes refused to play along.

He'd much prefer to lie down and pretend to take a nap.

But...he always came around.

He loved his Papa more 
than anything in this world.

And a good beef stew was a close second.

Running along the outskirts of any park 
was always better than mingling in the center.

He had a lot of love to give. 

Adopt a Shelter Cat Month  
This month Justice Dunn, who came from an Oklahoma Shelter, was our Cover Cat to highlight the ASPCA's Adopt a Shelter Cat month.  Here are some tips given by the ASPCA that will help you make a smooth transition when you decide to bring that new kitty into your home. Visit www.aspca.org for more tips.

+ Offer her a safe place to hide while she gets her bearings.  
+ Set up a litter box in quiet, low-traffic area.
+ Ready a comfortable cat perch on a sunny window sill - if it over-looks the birdfeeder, all the better!
+ Cats must scratch so make sure to provide yours with a sturdy, rough-textured scratching post to save wear and tear on furniture.
+ Once settled in she will want to play. Stock up on plenty of interactive toys such as feather wands and kitty fishing poles.

Visit www.petfinder.com to find any type, breed, size, age of animal that you are looking for.  You can even do searches using location as a criteria.  It has a complete listing of rescue organizations, shelters and their adoptable pets.  It's addictive!

Several months ago we here at citydog noticed a similarity besides dog and cat ownership between several of our clients—impending parenthood. One after another, our clients were springing the news on us that soon their houses would be full of two-legged as well as four-legged children. And many expressed concern over how best to merge the different species peacefully. So in the spirit of helping answer this question and with the possibility of being able to branch out and expand our ever-growing list of services, we decided to do a family planning article.

First, let's introduce you to a couple of our clients, their dogs and some different concerns each family has.

Parents: Jim and Erica Fukuhara
Pets: Ruby, 2 year old Visla, Buster and Bill, Cats
Concerns: Ruby is a young (energetic) Visla (energetic).  Ruby has a zest for life and loves everyone.  Their concerns are not so much with Ruby not liking the baby as her calming down and being gentle with Teya.  
Outcome: The proof is to your left!  We've all commented how Ruby even looks more grown up in these pictures.  She has taken to the role of Big Sister quite well.

Parents: Pete Browne and Julie Walker-Browne
Pets: JJ, 2.5 year old Rottie Mix.
Concerns: JJ is well known around here...for being extremely sweet and gentle (once she lets you in her world), but she takes her time (sometimes days) to warm up to strangers and isn't particularly fond of children, although JJ has never been around an infant. One big difference between young children and a new born is their movement and volume level.  Infants are much easier to adapt to for dogs because they don't run and scream, they mostly sleep.   
Outcome: We will see soon how things turn out, but Pete and Julie have being doing research, and taking all of the right steps to ensure a happy homecoming.

Parents: John and April Verseman
Pets: Beau, Pomeranian, and Midnight, Cat
Concerns: Beau is full of character and gumption. He is possessive of April and she fears that his sense of entitlement to her will not mix well when the baby makes it home.   
Outcome: The Baby has not yet arrived, but we're certain that Beau will do just fine.  Below are tips from the professionals to help with a smooth transition.

The steps that the Humane Society of the United States recommends taking are to first remember that your pet may have feelings similar to sibling rivalry since they were the center of your attention before and are your first baby. Expectant moms are encouraged to help their pet become accustomed to spending less time with them and to have another family member in the home develop a closer relationship with the pet so he or she still feels loved and cared for even if Mom is busy with the new baby. And remember that frequent ignoring, scolding, isolation, and/or a drastic decrease in attention from you will only stress your furry kid out and may cause more adjustment problems.
  
Next the HSUS recommends you make sure prior to baby’s arrival that your pets are current on vaccinations, are healthy, and are spayed or neutered (the Centers for Disease Control have shown that statistically un-spayed and/or un-neutered animals are much more likely to bite). Then you can address any training or behavior concerns—consider enrolling in a training class and practicing the training techniques you learn there while enhancing the bond between you and your four-legged kid by doing so. There are even some training ideas that can be reinforced without the aid of a class: 1. redirecting a pets nibbling, pouncing, or swatting to appropriate objects versus people.  2. teaching your furry kid to remain calmly on the floor next to you until invited into your lap; and 3. applying double-stick tape to the changing table, crib, etc. to discourage your pet from getting accustomed to jumping on these objects prior to baby’s arrival. You should also talk to your veterinarian and/or your pediatrician about any concerns you are having, and if your pet exhibits a lot of anxiety and fear over anything, get help from an animal behaviorist now.

The HSUS, many trainers, and a number of veterinarians also recommend getting your pet used to the sounds and smells that will accompany the new arrival. To do this you can play a tape of babies crying (play it softly at first, gradually increasing the volume a little more each time), use the rocking chair, turn on the mechanical swing, shake rattle toys, turn on mobiles, etc. If you have family or friends with infants, invite them over often (but please remember to supervise all pet/infant interactions). As for scents, allow the pet to smell the baby powder, baby oil, soap, etc.—you can sprinkle or rub these things on yourself as well so that your pet becomes very familiar with them. Finally, you can purchase a baby doll, sprinkle it with the powder you will be using, dress it, swaddle it in a blanket and carry it around—use it to help your pet become accustomed to baths, diaper changings, feedings, rocking in the chair, walks with the stroller, etc. (praise your pet when they do not jump on the doll and let them smell the “baby.” And you can always talk to your four-legged kid about their new two-legged sibling being sure to use the baby’s name (provided you’ve picked one out). And remember to reward ALL good behavior with treats and LOTS of praise.

Once it is time to give birth, please remember to arrange proper care for your pet while you are gone (a certain pet sitting company's name comes to mind here). Then upon your arrival back home, have someone else take the new baby and go in another room so that you can give your four-legged baby a calm, warm welcome (have treats so you can keep your pet’s attention on you). Then if you can trust your pet’s behavior, under your supervision, you can, at this point, allow him or her to see, smell and touch the new arrival. If he or she does not want to go near the baby, DO NOT force the issue—they will get near the baby when they are ready. Again, remember to reinforce all good behavior with treats and praise. And as you all settle into your new larger family, try to keep your daily routines with your pet as normal as possible and be sure to continue to provide him or her with a lot of attention, exercise, playtime, and one-on-one interaction with you.  For the first month after the baby has arrived, even though you will most likely be home all day, it may still be a good idea to maintain dog walking services if that is part of the routine your dog is used to.  You may not realize it, but they get used to someone coming at a certain time on certain days.  It's a good idea to keep that up at least for a little while after you've arrived home.  That also gives you and your family a little more freedom while you're still recovering from the new birth!
At this time we at citydog would like to congratulate Jim and Erica Fukuhara, Ruby's folks AND Steven & Ann Davis on their new arrivals as well as Pete Browne & Julie Walker-Browne, April & John Verseman, AND Ryan & Marcie Cochran on their impending arrivals. We wish all of you the utmost happiness.

Glass Beads are handmade, 
and one of a kind.  Made in Paola, KS. You can also hand-pick the color of beads.

You know your dog wants 'em...and you know you want your dog to have 'em, they taste great and freshen breath!

In addition to bathing suits and vintage wear, look for a new, equestrian-themed line of jewelry and clothing by Peregrine Honig, Robyn Nichols and Amber Hodgson.

The evening also will mark the debut of the new Lick a Witch design line, created by April Calahan-McDonald, assistant director of Grand Arts, and artists Seth Johnson and Cobi Newton.

“Right now we’re starting with men’s and women’s T-shirts,” Calahan-McDonald said, “but (we) plan to expand into other clothing and accessories soon.” Watch for a Lick a Witch launch party later this summer. 

Source - www.kansascity.com

This is one of our updated pages on our website.  We will post information on lost, found or adoptable pets.  Send us pictures along with a description and contact information of the pet that you wish to post.  Anyone can submit a pet, you don't have to be a citydog client.  

Streetnews goes out to nearly 600 email addresses, and these are people just like you who have signed up to keep up to date on pet events - is there a better pool of people to pull from to try and find a home for pet in need?

Visit www.citydogwalking.com/community_board.htm to see how you can help.

Bronco is looking for a home... and so are others.  

It's all black with stainless steel accents.  It has an upper fountain for people, a lower one for the dogs (low enough to be peed in, I found out with the help of my good buddy Townes) and a spigot on the side to fill up water jugs and bowls to take into the fenced area.  It is located on the outside of the north gate.  Some folks have wondered why it's on the outside, thinking the obvious placement would be inside the park.  With the running trail circling around the park, there are walkers and joggers who can also make use of the fountain without having to venture inside the dog park.  Would you really want an inexperienced dog person trying to navigate the double gates without letting a dog escape?  Me neither.  This location serves everyone.  

Stop by the park to check it out.  Make sure to bring your dog good and thirsty!  

Kansas City's Socially Savvy Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Company Since 1999
Columbus Park, River Market, Downtown, Westside, Union Hill, Hyde Park, Westport, Plaza, Brookside, Waldo
112 W.18th St. 2nd Floor     Kansas City, MO 64108    816.561.4504    sociallysavvy@citydogwalking.com 

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