From Now on "Like" us on Facebook!

From now on we will be continuing our blog posts on our New Facebook Page. "Like" us at http://facebook.com/bestfriendswakefield

WE NOW HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE!!!

We are SO excited to announce that Best Friends Wakefield now has a Facebook page! We're looking forward to connecting with our customers and friends through this social network. Please check it out and "like" us so you can follow what's happening here.

Don't forget about our adoption event this Saturday from 10am to 2pm. We hope to see you there.

DOG PARKS

Dog parks have become very popular over the last few years. While I think group socialization for dogs is a must, I am concerned about the dog park environment. I stopped by my neighborhood dog park one day during the summer just to take a peek. There were about 15 dogs there. The owners were engrossed in their own social conversations. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to make friends, but our first priority should be keeping an eye on our pets.

One dog in particular I noticed was a lab. His body posture was stiff, alert and he was “bumping” his “playmate” with his chest and shadowing him. The other dog, a mix, was crouching low to the ground with his ears back and trying to get away. Being a trainer myself and someone who is familiar with the dynamics of group play, I had to step in and rescue the poor little cowering dog. The lab’s dad looked at me and said “He’s ok, he’s just playing, He always plays like that”.

This is what makes me nervous. People sometimes think their dog’s behavior is play when it is actually something else that could lead to trouble. His dog was not “just playing”. He was clearly exhibiting bullying behavior. It’s the kind of behavior that we don’t allow in our Doggy Day Camp.

I am by no means saying don’t take your dog to a park. It can be a wonderful thing and a great time for both you and your dog to make new friends. But, I am asking that you be aware of what is appropriate play and what is not. This is for the safety of all involved. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers has some wonderful information on it’s website for dog owners about dog parks – what makes a good park, information on body language, pro and cons, park etiquette, etc. Take some time to read the information there.

Finally, if you feel the environment there is not a good fit for you or your dog then leave. It’s better for your dog to socialize in a group where both you and he feel safe. You’ll both get so much more out of the experience.

Our Doggy Day Camp is a wonderful option for group socialization and play for your dog. All dogs are screened prior to attending, up to date on their vaccines and supervised. And don’t forget the parties we have!! Check out some of the older posts for the pictures we’ve taken at past parties.

For more information or to set up a screening interview, call us today at 781.245.1237.

Agni

ADOPTION FEST

Now that the rush of the summer is over, we'll be posting again more regularly. To start things up again, I'd like to tell you about the upcoming Adoption Fest we'll be holding. It will be the first event that Best Friends Wakefield has held. On Saturday, October 16th from 10am to 2pm we'll have representatives from Northeast Animal Shelter, PAWS, Northeast Coonhound Rescue and Broken Tail Rescue here for those of you looking to add a furry companion to your home.

Shelters and rescues are overflowing with wonderful pets just waiting for their forever home. We hope that those of you looking for a pet will forego the pet store route and stop by. Your newest family member may just be waiting for you in one of these wonderful organizations. If you can't make it on the 16th, please contact them directly or visit any other local shelter to find that special furry someone.

Inquiries about this event can be direct to the Best Friends Wakefield Center at 781.245.1237.

Hope to see you there!

Agni

SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER!!

I just can't believe that summer is almost over!! Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday we had a full house for the 4th of July.

It means vacation season is almost over and the kids will be going back to school. Don't forget about your furry friend during this time. After a summer full much company and fun with the family it may be a bit of a shock when every one is back to work and school and he's left on his own. Our Doggy Day Camp is a great way for him to mingle with other dogs and play. He'll come home at the end of the day tired.... a tired dog is a good dog. If you've been to our Day Camp but haven't been in a while, we'd love to see you again. If you've never been and would like to set up an interview, please call us today at 781.245.1237.

Training classes are on going. We'll soon be starting our "Out and About" class. This takes the practical lessons you and your dog have learned in class and takes it out into the real world.

Why not start the school year off with a clean dog? After all that summer swimming a good bath in our grooming salon might be in order. Try a remoisture treatment too to get rid of that dry skin. Shedding season is just around the corner. Don't forget our schedicure - takes out 80% percent of the undercoat.

We hope everyone has had a wonderful summer!!!

BRING YOUR PET FOR A SPA DAY AND HELP THE GULF!

Would you and your pet like to help with the cleanup of the oil spill??

We are still collecting hair and sending it to Matter of Trust . Check out their website. You can find videos demonstrating how the hair is used to pick up the oil. It is truly an amazing thing to see. A Best Friends Pet also made it onto their photo page!!! That cute Boston Terrier in the box owns our Manager in the Avon, CT store.

Please call us today at 781.245.1237 to schedule an appointment. It'll make both you and your pet feel good!!

BEST FRIENDS PET CARE HELPS WITH OIL SPILL CLEAN UP

Best Friends Pet Care is helping with the oil spill in the Gulf. How? By donating dog hair from our grooming salons. We are collecting clipped hair and all that hair from brushing and shedicures and donating it to Matter of Trust.

Hair naturally repells water and attracts oil - that's why we have to wash our hair. Matter of Trust takes the hair and puts it in recycled nylon to make "booms" which can be used to block the oil from spreading, containing it in a certain area. Water is denser than oil so the oil floats on top of the water. These booms can also be used to help "mop up" oil.

Check out this video by Matter of Trust.

This is the time of year many of our furry friends begin to shed, our Shedicure is great for this, or we give them their "summer cuts". Why not schedule an appointment with our gooming salon today and let your pet make his contribution to this great cause.

Call us today at 781.245.1237.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!!

Best Friends Wakefield Doggy Day Campers ushered in Spring this past Friday with a Spring Fling. Though the turnout wasn't as large as some of the other events, lots of fun was had by all. The rain didn't dampen spirits as the party goers enjoyed playing in our indoor camp room.

Photos were taken, of course, and this time we made them into 3x4 magnets for mom and dad!! Dogs also bought Cala Lillies to give their parents and got special treat bags themselves.

Check out the photos as well as the slide show of all the Day Campers posted above. These photos are also posted in our lobby entrance for all to see.

If your dog would like to come and join the fun, just give us a call at 781.245.1237 to set up an interview.

SPRING FLING CELEBRATION

Best Friends Wakefield's Doggy Day Camp will celebrate Spring on Friday April 16th.  The fun will start at 8am with games, contests and special treats and of course, pictures!!! 

Let's have another record turn out and for any of you who haven't joined the fun in the past, we'd love for you to come.  If you've never been to our Doggy Day Camp and you're furry friend would like to give it a try and come to the Spring Fling, I'll waive the interview.  He/she just needs to be at least 5 months old, spayed/neutered and like the company of other dogs.

For more information on any of the services we provide, please call us at 781.245.1237.

Agni

Center Manager

SHAMROCKS, LEPRECHAUNS AND DOGS

Best Friends Wakefield held it’s second annual St. Patrick’s Day Party yesterday in our Doggy Day Camp. Twentyseven dogs attended and we had a photographer from the Wakefield Observer come out to take pictures. The paper is published weekly on Thursdays so keep an eye out for next week’s issue.

The day started with photographs taken of each guest with Auntie Lindsay (see the slideshow for all the photos taken).  I’d like to give her special mention for the fabulous job she did with the decorations. Also, a thank you shout out to Uncle Scott for his help. We couldn’t have done it without them.

After pictures, the guests enjoyed refreshments. The menu included ice cream, smoked chewy treats and a doggy “stogie” (all natural cookie in the shape of a cigar). Then, the fun and games began!!

Otis S. attended his first day of camp yesterday and walked away with the award for “Cutest Leprechaun”. As the youngest camp member, at a mere five months old, he took this prize hands down. Don’t let his size, cute face or sweet expression fool you. This boy has a glint in his eye and will be a contender some day. He held his own and made himself right at home.

Harper O. dazzled everyone with her Irish Step. This girl is ready for Dancing with the Stars!!! She had such speed, grace and agility. Her movements were effortless. She insists she’s never had any professional training, but there were some doubters in the audience.

Juno Y. left his competition in the dust when it came to “Fastest Runner to the Pot of Gold”. He is, afterall, a Toy Australian Shepherd and used his inbred ability to his advantage. Jaws dropped and gasps could be heard when he turned on a dime and changed direction. No one was expecting that move! Just look at those piercing blue eyes.

“Most “Charm”ing Personality” went to Buster F. Buster credited his win to his breed. When interviewed he had this to say: “Peepulz don’t no wut all uz puggyz haz bin throo. We haz lotz of sponsibiliteez.” He wouldn’t elaborate but left the impression that Pugs are vital to our survival and thus the perpetual worried look on their faces.

Max M. ended the day with a song and won “Best Rendition of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”. The range on this boy is amazing, considering his young age. He truly is a prodigy. This is the second year a Beagle has taken this title.


Best Friends Wakefield holds it’s Doggy Day Camp Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm. We are pleased to announce that we now have a session on Saturdays from 9am-2pm. If you’d like your dog to participate in the fun, call us today to set up an interview at 781.245.1237. The more the merrier!!!

Best Friends is Spotlighted at the NJ Super Pet Expo

At the New Jersey Super Pet Expo Danielle, the manager from our Windsor, NJ location was interviewed for the "How Cute is Your Pet" segment of The Cute Pet Gazette. Check out her interview about Best Friends Pet Care.

NO MORE DEBARKING FOR DOGS!!!

I was very happy to hear this morning that the MA House voted 150-1 to ban the surgical debarking of dogs and cats in the State of Massachusetts.

Dogs bark. It is a form of communication, something to do when bored and an attention getter. Think about children you've seen out in public having "tantrums" to get what they want. They scream and cry for candy and mom gives in. If your dog barks at you for attention or for a treat or to go outside and you reward him by giving him what he wants, what does he learn? Like a child he learns that the behavior gets him what he wants.

There's no need to debark a dog. Training, training, training!!! Training is really just a lifestyle and it's a lifetime of consistency and repetition. We need to teach our canine companions what we expect from them. They don't understand our language or our social habits. The best way to do this is by consitently rewarding for behaviors we want. What do you think would happen if you had a dog that was barking at you for a treat or to play ball and you turned your back on him and walked away from him instead of giving him what he wants? He's going to learn that barking doesn't work. You're likely to see him try "throwing" behaviors at you... in other words trying something else... maybe an unwanted behavior like jumping or pawing. Well, ignore these as well. Now he doesn't know what to do and he sits!!! BINGO!!! Praise him and give him his treat/reward... now he'll start to get it. When he's quiet you can start to attach a "cue" to the quiet behavior. So now when he sees the neighbors cat outside the window or some other "intruder" he'll still bark to alert you but now you can tell him "quiet" for him to stop.

Screaming or yelling at your dog to stop barking doesn't work. He thinks your joining in!

If you have a puppy, please start from day one. They are little sponges at this point and it will be so much easier on you if you start from now. Yes, I agree.. it's so cute to have a little puppy jump up on you but what happens when that puppy grows up to be a big dog that will knock you or someone else down? Not so cute any more, huh?

Nuisance barking is completely controllable and preventable. Make sure your dog is happy, well exercised, trained and healthy.

The AKC has a Public Education page on it's website that talks about barking and other areas of concern for dog owners.

Best Friends Wakefield offers training from puppy kindergarten to advanced classes. Both group classes and board and trains are available. Call us today at 781-245-1237 to reserve your spot in class!!

Agni

Center Manager

ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARTY AT DOGGY DAY CAMP

CUPID'S ARROW HITS ITS MARK!

On Friday, February 12th, Best Friends Wakefield Doggy Day Campers attended a Valentine's Day party. Each guest had a "date", thanks to the wonderful matchmaking of our very own Camp Counselor, Lindsay. No one was left without an escort to this party.

Skye and Max were voted unanimously as the "cutest couple", although Max almost found himself in hot water when he brought Valentine's for the TWO ladies in his life, Lola and Skye. Careful maneuvering on the part of the staff kept his secret safe...... he's such the ladies man! Best kisser went to Lola and Henry walked away with Cupid's Helper.

Keepsake photos were taken and Valentine goodie bags given out.

Plans are in the works for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day bash in March and Spring Fling in April. Can you believe Spring is just around the corner??? Check back for updates.

And, with Spring coming that means PUPPIES!!! Don't forget Best Friends hold training classes so the little youngsters can start out on the right paw. Call us today for more information and enrollment.

Is it time to "Spring clean" your best friend??? Schedule him/her for a day at our grooming salon to take care of all that built up winter muck in his/her coat.

Agni

VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY AT WAKEFIELD DOGGY DAY CAMP!!!!

FEBRUARY IS PET DENTAL MONTH

We brush our teeth daily, make annual or semi annual check ups at the dentist and teach our kids to do the same. But, do we do the same for our pets?

Bad breath is not always just "doggy breath". It can be a sign that something is wrong. Are you're pet's gums red at the base of the teeth? Do they have a yellow/brown crust on them? Do the gums bleed easily if you touch them or while he's chewing? Does he have any broken or missing teeth? This needs attention. Pets can get periodontal disease and gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) too. Periodontal disease can not be reversed once it's taken hold. If left undetected and untreated, infections can form and enter the blood stream. Now you're looking at some serious illness and risk to you pet.

February is Pet Dental Month. It's aimed at making owners more aware of the need for dental hygiene in pets. There is some great information on this at the Doctor's Foster and Smith Pet Education website. You can help your companion by regularly brushing his teeth. If you have a pup or a kitten - get started now!! The younger the better. Make it a pleasant experience with lots of treats. Encourage chewing on appropriate chew toys.

Your vet can perform annual cleanings just like your dentist does for you. In the meantime, you can help by brushing his teeth daily and by getting his teeth brushed when he comes into Best Friends for a grooming! Don't dismiss this important element of your pet's care. It's up to us. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

THE WALL!!!....

Sometimes putting up walls is a good thing. That's what we're experiencing here at Best Friends in Wakefield this week.

A little over a year ago, we introduced our Doggy Day Camp (DDC) program. We had quite a bit of unused, wasted space adjacent to the lobby and decided to clear it out to make room for the doggies to come and play. I remember those days well. Some days we only had one or two dogs!! Those of you who have been bringing your dogs to DDC since the beginning may well remember this.

Slowly, our campers started to increase in numbers. We had more and more friends coming to play with eachother everyday. The camp days got longer and longer. Soon, I had to have a full time DDC Counselor on staff..... wow... we were now averaging about 10 dogs a day in camp.

It seems like over night the number of campers started to shoot up. The weather started getting colder, the snow started falling and we had to bring DDC indoors. Now we began to notice the noise level in the lobby increase. We're averaging 16 to 18 dogs per day. Not only was it difficult to hear customers on the phone, but they, too could hear from the other end of the phone the happy barks and yelps of dogs playing. Needless to say, 16 dogs playing adjacent to the lobby can leave a pretty funky lingering reminder in the air.

So, we are having a wall constructed to separate the DDC playroom from the lobby!!! I am thrilled about this!! We're putting in a large viewing window, so customers can still see how much fun the dogs are having playing together. This will also serve our trainer, Lauren, well. Training classes can be conducted now without the distractions of people coming and going in the lobby.

Stop by to see to us soon and check it out. If your interested in having your dog come to camp to play and release some of that pent up energy, give us a call today at 781-245-1237 for more information or to schedule and interview.

Agni