Who's Walking Who?

Because of their independent spirit, training a Northern dog can be quite a challenge. Nannette Morgan who owns a Siberian Husky is familiar with Northern dog traits and personalities. Nannette co-wrote an article about training Siberians to stop pulling on a leash and to do a fairly reliable recall.

If you'd like to contact Nannette directly, her contact info is as follows:

Nannette Morgan, BA, CPDT
Pawsitive Pals Dog Training, Morgan Hill, CA
morgan@pawsitivepals.net | 408-806-2021
www.pawsitivepals.net
www.trulydogfriendly.com
"Service faster than a speeding Siberian!"
Assoc. of Pet Dog Trainers, Full Member #066177
Int'l Assoc. of Animal Behavior Consultants, Inc., Assoc. Member #297
International Siberian Husky Club, Member

Training Videos

"It is our dream that through the creation of PetVideo.com we’ll help owners and their pets strengthen their unique bond. Our first order of business is to launch over 200 training videos that are easy, quick to watch, and fun to do with your pet. New and seasoned pet-owners can work on one behavior, skill, or fun trick at a time and enjoy watching their relationship with their pet blossom. PetVideo is also the engine that drives the new Petfinder.com adoptable pet videos – a lifesaving medium to help adoptable pets put their best paw forward."

~ From the PetVideo.com website

Sponsor a Dog Today!

If you are unable to adopt a Samoyed, why not sponsor one?

Now you can do just that when you visit our Available Dogs page. Just click on the photo of the SFSR dog you want to learn more about. You will be taken to that individual dog's page on PetFinder.com. On that page you can click to sponsor that fuzzy face little angel! Look for the button and you are on your way to helping that Sammy thrive!

A very special dog

If you ever wanted to give up, watch this gutsy dog. Be sure to watch the video to the end.

Goodbye Sweet Belamy

It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that Belamy had to be put down this morning. Pamela had her with her on vacation when she started convulsing this morning. Pamela rushed her to the emergency hospital, but it was time to say good by. Belamy was deeply loved and spoiled these past few months she has been in foster care with SFSR.

Nutro Pet Food Under Consumer Scrutiny

If you or someone you know feeds their animals Nutro prodcuts, check out these articles. Apparently, lots of pet owners have been complaining. Naturally, Nutro denies it all.

Pet Food Under Scrutiny.

Consumer Complaints About Nutro Pet Food.

String of Illnesses Afflicts Nutro-Fed Pets.

Dog Etiquette is No Different Than Human Etiquette

From Syndi Seid's Advanced Etiquette "Etiquette Tip of the Month"

Summer is a season when both humans and pets---especially dogs---enjoy being outdoors. Adults, children, and dogs may do as they please in the privacy of their own homes. But when in public, all are expected to behave in a civil and courteous manner. Here's my own list of pet peeves:

Owners who bring dogs as uninvited guests: Humans are taught never to bring an uninvited guest to a party, or to ask if an extra guest is welcome. Unless a dog is officially invited, owners should leave them at home and not even ask if they can bring the dog.

Dogs off leash: By law, dogs are to be on a leash when out in public. The only leniency might be when a dog is totally obedient to its owner. This is no different than parents of children. Children are often leashed when very young, until they learn to mind their parents in public and not run off in all directions.

Dogs who drool and slobber: Humans keep a towel nearby when a baby or person drools. They try not to let their baby slobber on them. Likewise, a dog's parents should keep a towel handy whenever their dog drools or slobbers, especially at someone else's home.

Dogs who bark too much or are overly playful: Children and adults who become too loud and rowdy in public places are typically invited to leave the area. Dog parenting requires similar disciplining. Dogs who bark too much and become too playful need owners who call a time out, just as good parents remove children from the play area to calm them down. Both owners and parents repeat the lesson until dogs and children learn how to behave appropriately.

Owners who don't keep dogs safe. Good parents would never let their children swim in a pool or pond that wasn't clean, or wander off into the woods or unknown territory. They would also never keep an infant or dog in the car with a window slightly open while they run into a store for a quick purchase. Humans and dogs should also always wear seatbelts while in a moving vehicle.

Inconsiderate travelers. Good parents and dog owners practice voice commands and instructions prior to leaving home. They don't let their children or dogs leave their sides, and they curb all yelling and barking. While more hotels are pet friendly today, some adults and children are terribly afraid of animals. Good parents and owners don't let their children and dogs get too close to other people, unless invited, and expect them to be well mannered when they do so.

Run Free in San Francisco

Looking for places where you and your dogs can get some healthy off-leash exercise and socialization? Check out the San Francisco Run-Free Guide for suggested locations. The guide includes maps, webcams, and descriptions of popular dog walking sites throughout The City. The map and information is provided by and maintained by SF DOG (San Francisco Dog Owner's Group).

Smiling Dogs

The fix is in. Finally a contest made for Sammy's. Samoyed's are KNOWN for their smile. Now they have just the venue to show off their pearly whites to thousands of subscribers to BARK, Dog is my Co-Pilot, magazine (Berkley, CA). It started as a contest - and to some degree still is - but grew into a regular department of the mag, "Smiling Dogs". Dig through your files to find the best photo of your smiling sammy and submit it for publication.

Cleveland Clinic's 'greeter dogs' welcome patients

Doctors. Grumble. Shots. Ouch. Endless waits. Grrr . . mutter, mutter . . . doggie!

Awww, he's so cute! Can I pet him?

Sure you can. That's the idea.

Walk into the Cleveland Clinic's main entrance around lunchtime on weekdays and you just might find a furry friend sniffing around the lobby. An outgrowth of the hospital's therapy-dog program, the new "greeter dogs" offer pettings to break the stress and anxiety of hospital visits.

A dozen dogs participate in the program, taking 90-minute shifts about once a week.

"He's so beautiful," exclaimed Mary Helen Patrick as a white Samoyed called Stoli shook her hand Tuesday on her way to a cardiology appointment.

Passers-by paused and broke into smiles, but few as big as Christopher Doolsby, 9, on his way for radiation treatment. Sickle cell anemia patient Aciana Underwood, 8, came close as she rubbed Stoli's thick fur.

"He's like a big fluffy teddy bear," she said.

Though kids love the dogs, that could pose a problem for parents. As she headed off for treatment, Aciana gave her mother a longing and expectant look.

"I wish we had a dog like that."

Uh-oh.

San Carlos Dog Park Meeting

Hey! Does your dog feel locked up and lonely being stuck inside the house all the time? Does your dog feel the need to break loose and get out? Do you want to find a fun way for your dog to meet new friends and get exercise? Then…

Come to the Dog Park Meeting!!

This meeting will be an open forum. We will discuss proposals and seek your input so we can work together with the San Carlos Department of Parks and Recreation to provide a new dog park for San Carlos.

Dog parks are a great way for dogs (and their owners!) to meet new friends and be active. A dog park would be a great addition to the community. If you would like to help us get this ball rolling, then please come join us:

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 6:30 PM
San Carlos Pet Hospital
718 El Camino Real
San Carlos
650-591-5718

Please come and be a part of our goal to help keep your dog fit and healthy while having fun!

Please RSVP to San Carlos Pet Hospital by Monday May 19, 2008

This season's must-have: Dog-hair jumpers

Ever find yourself rolling your eyes and shaking your head at all the Sammy hair in your house, car, closet, shoe inserts? Turn that frown upside down, buddy. Now you can make some cash with all that fur. Above is an enterprising couple who love being around their dogs so much that they knitted "jumpers" (they're British) out of their dog's fur.

Read the full article.

Ah, but they are not alone... Barking Maria turns dog hair into cardie. Read article.

Pet therapy: Fido might be the next paid health-care professional

"Pearl Salotto was first introduced to the practice in the late 1980s. Her children had given her a Samoyed as a gift. She named it DJ, to replace another dog that had just passed away. She signed up for a pet-assisted therapy program at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., where she took four courses that led to a certificate in 1987.

From the moment she brought DJ into a nursing home for his first visit, she knew: “I wanted to do this full-time.”

In fact, she said, she believed that every person in America had a right to a loving dog. And she believed that every medical and social service institution in the country should have a pet-assisted therapist on staff, to help make that happen."

Read the full article.

Tasha's life

Tasha relaxin'.

Riley Update

Our dear Riley dog had foot surgery on Friday to remove a growth from between his toes. He is doing well, and is surprisingly agile on three legs.

Otherwise he is a happy, healthy boy and brings us joy every day!
~Autumn

New Web Site Launched!

San Fransisco Samoyed Rescue has a new look! In early February, 2008 SFSR opened up for public viewing all the hard work put forth in the previous few months. We took the time to consider how the site is used and how we want the site to be used and came up with a new, user friendly design and navigation structure.

Some improvements you can take advantage of:

Available Dogs Showcased. Right there on the home page is a slide show of all the beautiful dogs in need of a good, loving home. The Available dogs page is linked into Petfinder giving SFSR dogs the most exposure possible.

Solid navigation. There is a red navigation bar (you can't miss it) just below the banner and above the content. It is in the same place on every page. There is also new sub-navigation for each section. You'll never get lost again!

Online Forms. All SFSR forms were consolidated in one location and converted to PDF documents that you can fill in online and attach to an email to us. Soon we will convert them to php forms for even faster application processing.

Easy Donation. SFSR depends on the generosity of people who love Samoyeds to fund our rescue efforts. Every page now has a link to PayPal, where you can easily and efficiently donate to SFSR online.

Come visit the new site and let us know what you think.