DogBoy's Dog BlogDog boarding, training, daycare and wellness in the Austin area

As the holiday season approaches, Noodle and I have been talking about how grateful we are to have so many wonderful people and pups in our lives. We love seeing all of your warm smiles and wagging tails, and we want to think of ways to thank you for all you do to keep the DogBoy’s family alive and well. Noodle had an amazing idea, and I want to share it with you.

We want to invite you to become a special part of the DogBoy’s community - an elite group of dog-loving ambassadors who want to be a part of building the future of DogBoy’s services and products. You can be an integral part of growing DogBoy’s the way you want to see it grow. Do you ever walk into a restaurant or other local business and think to yourself, “This place would be so great if they asked me what I think and what I would do differently”? I know I do. Well I am here today to invite you to do just that.

We’re going to create a Facebook group of DogBoy’s Ambassadors, with only those of you who want to actively be a part of giving input about what you want for your dog. We want to be a part of providing that for you, so please, contact me and tell me you want to be an official DogBoy’s Ambassador.

We’re also going to have a special Holiday Open House this year to say thank you in person. Come celebrate the season with us on Friday, December 9th from 6-8 pm at the TWC. We will have yummy homemade appetizers and adult beverages, invite local vets and our wellness practitioners, and have wonderful door prizes to give away. This party is just for humans, but we will have presents for you to take home to your pups! Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

For our Christmas boarders, we will be celebrating the holidays again this year with our Second Annual Santa Paws! Purchase any retail item from DogBoy’s, and we’ll wrap it and open it with your dog on Christmas Eve. Last year we had so many presents under the tree! If you are boarding over the Christmas holiday and would like to participate in this fun event, just purchase a gift and leave it with the front desk. We’ll make sure it gets labeled and to your pup, and will hopefully get a good picture or two of the fun, which we will gladly share with you after the holiday.

For those of you who have been patiently waiting for our Private Dog Park, we are almost ready! We are in the process of ordering the signage and making the final arrangements. We hope to be open by the first of the year. We will have an official Dog Park Open House in February. Thank you so much for your patience!

Enjoy this beautiful weather, give that pup of yours a belly rub, and we hope to see you or hear from you soon!

With joy,

DogGirl

While boarding, daycare and training will always be our primary focus here at DogBoy’s, we do our best to have a selection of quality food, treats, toys and food puzzles to keep you and your dogs happy. To make sure our wonderful two-legged and four-legged customers stay satisfied, we’re always looking to try out new items on our shelves. Here’s what’s new this fall at DogBoy’s:

DogBoy’s branded treats and merchandise

“Life’s uncertain-eat dessert first,” a wise person once said. So we have to tell you about the most exciting new thing we have at DogBoy’s-our very own branded treats and merchandise. Supplied by Healthpro Nutrition, a maker of quality dog treats, DogBoy’s brand treats come in turkey/sweet potato, cranberry/sweet potato, smoked salmon, and peanut butter flavors.

You can show your DogBoy’s pride by buying a leash with our familiar ranch dog silhouette logo. The leashes are six feet long and are made of sturdy nylon-perfect for walks or for use during a training class. We also are selling logo “leash links.” They attach to the hand loop of a leash (they also make pretty good key rings), and are perfect for attaching accessories such as hand sanitizer, bug spray and cleanup bags. All of these leash accessories are also available here in the office. Be completely prepared for your next walk and do it in style!

New High Quality Foods

Diet is so important to us here at DogBoy’s. From day one, we strive to educate our clients about how diet affects all aspects of a dog’s life, especially when it comes to behavior and overall health. And we know that our customers expect that when we offer dog food for sale, it will be food that meets our highest personal standards: free of fillers, and full of good protein, fruits, vegetables and other healthy ingredients. That’s why we’re excited to offer Life4K9 brand dry dog food, in both chicken and barley and lamb and barley varieties. A number of our staff have tried it; Jay reports that his dogs Graham and Hoosier both love the chicken and barley formula.

Toys

Last, but certainly not least, we have some fun new toys for sale. We have a line of fun-and tough-stuffed toys from Mighty Dog Toys. From cows and goats to possums and beavers, we have animals for large and small dogs alike. From Sprocket Pet Goods comes P:ECO the Penguin. P:ECO is the green dog toy, made entirely from organic and recycled materials. It’s the perfect toy for the green dog in your life.

Be sure to let us know how you like these new products. And if there’s something we’re not carrying that you’d like to see at DogBoy’s, let us know that too!

Noodle, I believe it’s story time!

Once upon a time, there was a short-legged, furry little Aussie Basset mix named Mr. Blue. A blue dapple guy with a friendly face, Mr. Blue loved coming to DogBoy’s to run and play, and to show other dogs how to play nicely too. Blue was a great leader in playgroup - a True Blue leader, if you will. He made sure all the other dogs minded their manners, and didn’t get snarky if he had a bad day. Tracey, his mom, loved the days he came to DogBoy’s as well, because that meant that she could focus on her work and Mr. Blue would come home tired and happy at the end of the day.

One day though, Tracey got a job in another state. We were so sad to see them go, but we knew Mr. Blue would go on to do great things no matter where he lived. Turns out that when they went away, Mr. Blue got so inspired that he decided to write a book - and True Blue Leadership was born.

Tracey and Blue authored True Blue Leadership—The Top 10 Tricks from the Chief Motivational Hound, a leadership bookwritten from the perspective of her 10 year-old rescue dog, Mr.Blue. Tracey’s book is inspired by her father, the late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones.

Please join us Tuesday, September 27th from 4-6 pm at DogBoy’s Training & Wellness Center for Mr. Blue’s True Blue Leadership - Stop Playing Dead Tour. It will be a fun evening of festivities, a book signing (paw print!) by Mr. Blue himself, and a pawtography photo opp. Come meet Mr. Blue and his mom Tracey, and see what all the awesomeness is about. A portion of the proceeds from this special evening will be donated to the Austin Humane Society.

Watch Mr. Blue’s Video

To find out more, visit Tremendous Life Books on Facebook, or email DogGirl. Hope to see you this week at the event!

And they lived happily ever after.

Stay cool, and see you soon!

DogGirl

The view of Bastrop fires from DogBoy's

Sunday was a pretty scary day for us here in Central Texas. A severe drought, mixed with high winds created the perfect storm for fires to erupt all over the surrounding areas, including Pflugerville. Understandably, you were worried, so Noodle and I are here with answers.

The Texas Forest Service told of 63 fires yesterday that burned close to 33,000 acres. Community Impact has all the details of the fires in our area. Everyone at DogBoy’s is keeping a close eye on the news, the dogs and the property. Currently, and thankfully, there are no fires in Pflugerville at the present time.

Here’s what we know:

DogBoy’s continues to maintain a defensible barrier to fire by cutting all the combustible materials away from the buildings and property, clearing surrounding brush, and cutting grass down to 1/2″. Many neighboring farms have plowed their fields, leaving little to burn. DogBoy’s kennels and training buildings are made of concrete, cement board, aluminum and tin, so the buildings are at low risk for catching fire.

Other pet care facilities in Austin such as Hip Hounds and Barking Springs have graciously offered up space for us in case we need to evacuate. If that ever were to happen, however, we would need extra help for transport. If you would like to join a call list of people nearby who could quickly help in a situation like this, please email me at doggirl@dogboys.com with your current email and cell phone. Ideally, we’d like to start a Google Huddle (group text alert), so if you’re on Google +, all the better!

Please know that we are doing all we can to stay on top of these events, and your dogs and their safety have our full attention now and always. Be safe out there, Y’all, and we will keep you informed if there are any changes.

With care,

DogGirl

Howdy, Dog Lover!

We also care for many dogs that are more heat sensitive than others. Short-nosed dogs (aka Brachycephalic dogs) like boxers, bulldogs, pugs and puggles are watched especially closely. The roof of their mouth acts like a radiator in a car - short snouts equal an inefficient cooling system. Other dogs that overheat easily are the very large breeds, like our Pyrenees and mastiffs, as well as dogs on thyroid medications. Elderly dogs and those with heart conditions also have trouble with the heat as well as younger dogs. We keep an extra-close watch on these dogs when they’re here in summer months, and you will often see a well-behaved boarding dog spending time in the office when they need to be indoors more.

One of the things that makes DogBoy’s extra special is that the dogs we care for get to play outside in playgroups, hand-picked by staff who are trained in dog behavior. On an ideal day, that means they are outside for a full day’s play, whether they are here for daycare or boarding. But your dog’s safety is our top priority, which means on days when the temperature or heat index is close to 100 or hotter, they can’t play outside all day without overheating.

So what do we do?

Well, when it’s this hot outside, we have to change things up a bit. DogBoy’s kennels have always been designed to keep the cool in with reflective roofing and 4′ thick concrete slabs that hold on to the earth’s temperature. We also have air-conditioned kennels, so dogs have a comfortable place to cool down. To take advantage of the cooler times of day, the dogs get playtime in the morning. And we start early! We get the AC going in the kennels around 10 am, and when it starts to get hot around mid-day we bring the dogs inside for a rest and cool-down period. On days when we have lots of dogs on the property, we may also bring dogs into the office or to our beautiful and spacious Training and Wellness Center. After cooling off, we let the dogs out for potty breaks and shorter, supervised hikes. While on hikes, we turn on the sprinklers and hose dogs down to help cool them off. When boarding numbers are high, we limit day care, so everyone has dedicated space to cool down.

Our hard-working kennel staff makes sure that there is fresh, cool water in the buckets and kiddie pools, placed in the shade so your dogs can have a refreshing drink and cool themselves off with a splash if they want to. Our team refreshes these water sources again mid-day so that when the dogs come out after their rest break to play, they have plenty of clean cool water.

Thanks again for your questions, and keep ‘em coming. We want you to travel worry-free, and enjoy your time away from your dog, while at work or on the road, with confidence that we’re taking care of all the details. Enjoy these last few weeks of summer and we’ll see you again soon!

Stay cool,

DogGirl

P.S. For those of you who want to know more about our old friend Mr. Blue, the pawthor of True Blue Leadership, who will be visiting DogBoy’s for an official Book Signing and Pawtography Event Tuesday, September 27th, check out his video:

Noodle is feeling patriotic today!

Howdy, Y’all! Noodle Here.

My Mom and Dad are out celebrating the 4th of July without me this year, but I want you to know that that’s not necessarily a bad thing! I’m holding down the fort at the Ranch (all 10 lbs of me), making sure all the other dogs have company, and I’m busy keep away the intruders in the tall grass (All grass is tall to me).

My mom says that the 4th of July is a real reason to celebrate. Rumor has it, she’s visiting the home of a Navy pilot, who’s home for only a short visit near the end of a VERY long deployment. I love snuggling on my mom’s lap while she’s reading her friend’s military spouse blog, Witty Little Secret.

Sometimes she laughs (fun for me), and sometimes she cries (good for her), but she always leaves with a better understanding of what it’s like to truly sacrifice for the sake of our country.

Okay, back to me and my cuddly self. Did I mention I miss my mom? There is one more thing I need you to know before tonight. If your county doesn’t have a burn ban like Travis County does, and you actually get to go out and see fireworks tonight, do my four-legged friends a favor and DON’T bring them along. I know you love to take us lots of places, and most times that’s a good thing! But fireworks stress us out, so please keep us home indoors where it’s safe. Windows closed, shades drawn, and music up are all things that will improve the mood. If your pups have access to your back yard where the scary fireworks are, make sure their collars and tags are on, JUST IN CASE they feel the need to escape and go AWOL. If you have time, download this really cool CD called Through a Dog’s Ear, it’s music just for me that is especially made to calm us down. Here’s even more safety tips for dogs during fireworks.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July, dog friends, and come home soon, Mom!

Love, Noodle

If you’ve lived in Texas any length of time, you’ve probably come to see that passing bills when the Legislature is in session doesn’t resemble the old Schoolhouse Rock classic “I’m Just a Bill” so much as a brutal contact sport. The current session is just about over and has had no shortage of controversial bills, some of which have even made national news like House Bill 1451, better known as the Puppy Mill Bill. You can read the text of the bill and all amendments, and see more, at the Texas Legislature Online. The bill would require licensing and inspection for any facility having more than 11 breeding female dogs or cats, mandating humane conditions such as proper ventilation, food, water, and enough space.

Passions have run high on both sides. Supporting the bill is Texas Humane Legislation Network. Opposing it is the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance. Our aim here is to present both sides as fairly as possible.

It is undeniable that something needs to be done to curb the problem of puppy mills in Texas. We here at DogBoy’s have seen the tragic health and temperament consequences of puppy mill dogs, as well as the heroic efforts of customers who have helped rescue these dogs to give them the best and most dignified life possible. It is a wonderful thing to rescue a dog in need of a home from a good shelter or rescue group, but responsible breeders produce good pets as well. Unfortunately, not enough people investigate where they are buying their puppies from, or simply may not know what separates a good breeder from a disreputable one. We covered this in part in a previous blog entry, “Getting A New Dog.”

Opponents of HB 1451, led by the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, say that the aim of the bill is to eliminate commercial pet breeding altogether, in service of a radical agenda that seeks to eliminate meat eating and pet ownership. Additionally, RPOA says that the bill would be the first step down a a path which would prohibit livestock farming; hunting, trapping and fishing; zoos, rodeos and circuses. There have also been claims that the bill would dictate training methods, especially for hunting dogs. In light of that, it is worth noting that State Rep. David Simpson of Longview, a leading opponent of the bill in the legislature, received approximately $500 from the NRA and another $300 from the Texas Deer Association in the period covering the 2010 campaign (view Rep. Simpson’s filings online at the Texas Ethics Commission’s website). Furthermore, opponents of HB 1451 say that existing state and federal standards and anti-cruelty laws are more than adequate to police puppy mills.

On the other side, supporters of HB 1451—led by the Texas Humane Legislation Network argue that criticism of the bill is overblown or outright false. In their FAQ section covering HB 1451, THLN asserts the following: that only commercial breeders with 11 or more intact female animals which ALSO sell the offspring of those females will be subject to the bill’s licensing requirements and standards, and subject to inspection. Boarding facilities like DogBoy’s would not be affected; trainers would not be affected; so-called “hobby breeders” who may only have one or two litters in a year would not be affected. THLN also argues that the inspection and standards give the state the leverage to seize animals before they die from neglect, instead of charging the people responsible for animal cruelty after it’s too late.

As with many bills the Legislature considers, the good intentions behind the puppy mill bill have been lost in a system that seems to value controversy over sober analysis. Hopefully we were able to shed some light on this subject, and we’ll be sure to follow up on HB 1451 if anything new develops.

Howdy, Dog Lover!

Noodle Doodle can be a Little Napoleon.

Most of our dogs are perfect angels, right? I know Noodle is! Well, the truth is, Noodle can sometimes be a pill around strangers who come in the house.

Occasionally, dogs who are great with their owners can be less angelic in public, and can sometimes even snap or bite. Of course, we can help if you are experiencing this behavior.

But in honor of National Dog Bite Prevention week, I thought it might also be helpful to hear some tips from world-famous trainer, Victoria Stilwell.

Take a listen to this AVMA Animal Tracks podcast, and get tips on preventing dog bites. Victoria gives advice about teaching your dog WHAT to do, when you encounter a situation that makes your dog uncomfortable, and a few things you can do to prevent your dog from biting at home and in public.

For more information about National Dog Bite Prevention Week, visit the AVMA website. Until then, socialize your dog as much as you can - we can help with that too!

Take it easy,

DogGirl

Kids & Dogs can coexist peacefully!

This past Monday, DogBoy and I ventured off the Ranch with our well-seasoned dog trainer of almost 10 years, Rebecca Andrews. We were on a mission to educate the children of Dessau Elementary School for their local Career Day. One of our own kids goes to this school, so this career day was a special treat for us. We brought along Rebecca’s faithful sidekick, Murphy.

Of course, everyone wants to pet Murphy. He’s the local favorite greeter at DogBoy’s. He’s easy going, always ready for a belly rub, and wonderful with kids. But besides teaching kids what it’s like to run a dog ranch or be a dog trainer, we felt pretty strongly that there are other important things that kids need to know about dogs. We’re all kids on the inside (right?), so I thought I’d share these things with you too:

How to greet a dog you don’t know:

1. ALWAYS Ask permission! Not all dogs like kids (or people, for that matter), so it’s always a good idea to ask first.

2. Approach with your body sideways (perpendicular) to the dog. This lets him/her know that you pose no threat, and squat down to his or her level, looking away. Watch the dog’s body language to see if the pup is eager to meet you or not. Lick your lips or yawn, even scratch your belly. These area all calming signals that put dogs at ease. If you see the dog back up or give you the “whale eye”, back away and give the dog space.

3. Let the dog smell you first. I prefer an open hand, but some people advocate protecting your fingers…

4. Pet the dog on the chin or chest - not on top of the head or on his back. Never hug a dog you don’t know! Even most of our own dogs don’t love the hugging and kissing that we do.

Murphy is a certified Canine Good Citizen

We also discussed what to do if you see a dog running towards you with no owner present:

1. BE A TREE! Stand still with your arms down and look straight ahead. Don’t look at, talk to or touch the dog, as this will engage him. Whatever you do, DO NOT RUN. The dog will chase you and the dog will catch you!

2. If you get knocked down, tuck in your knees, and protect your head with your arms. Close your hands into fists and cover your neck and ears. If the dog does mean you harm, these are areas you want to protect. It is unlikely that this would happen, but it’s good to know what to do if it does!

Finally, we discussed all the different types of jobs dogs have, and what every pet dogs needs at home:

Food, Water, Shelter, Love and Exercise!
(Shots and Spay/Neuter too!)

We had a blast, of course we were a huge hit with the kids, and DogBoy’s is headed back to another school to do the same thing tomorrow. Who doesn’t want to grow up and play with dogs? We have the best job in the whole wide world!

So if you know a kid, or a parent with kids, pass these tips along. Next week is Dog Bite Prevention Week, so let’s all do our part to keep everyone safe!

Until then, keep those tails wagging!

DogGirl

Piers shows he can "Leave It" with treats on both paws

If you’ve been a DogBoy’s client for any length of time, odds are good that we’ve shared our views on the importance of diet and the ingredients that go into your dog’s food. Most of us don’t think twice about limiting, say, our children’s sugar intake. After seeing my 4 year-old rampage through a store after he shared my milk shake the other day, I was forcibly reminded of why that is a good idea! Unfortunately, dog food manufacturers—especially the large companies—aren’t exactly forthcoming about the ingredients they use and can hide unhealthy ingredients behind jargon that can leave even the most conscientious dog owner scratching their head.

One solution is to make your own dog food from raw ingredients. Several of the DogBoy’s team do this, particularly our Director of Training, Paula Baker Prince. It is probably the best way to ensure that your dog’s diet contains the best possible ingredients.

If you think you might want to try home-made dog food, but want to try something maybe a little less intimidating first, you can always try to make your own dog treats. Maria Carlson, an old friend of mine, has been making her own treats for years. She says that books, blogs, even online recipe sites like Allrecipes.com are great places to look for easy to make (but yummy) dog treats. To get you started, the DogBoy’s Dog Blog presents three tasty treat recipes that will put a smile on the face (and a wag in the tail) of your favorite four-legged friends.

Our first two recipes come courtesy of Marg Pedroza, whose dog Lily is a regular daycare and Chelsea’s Charm School client. Marg knows that wheat flour isn’t the best thing for dogs—they tend to process it like sugar. Marg uses oat or potato flour but there other good alternatives out there, such as spelt or even garbanzo bean flour.

Salmon Treats a la Lily

1 can salmon (pink)

½ cup chopped parsley, or 1 bunch fresh

3 eggs, shells included

½ cup ground sesame seeds

½ cup ground flaxseeds

(NOTE: Coffee grinders work great for grinding the seeds)

2 to 3 cups potato flour

Preparation & Cooking

Marg says “Put these ingredients in a food processor and mix VERY WELL. Pour potato flour through the opening while the processor is on. Use 2-3 cups until dough forms to consistency of a pie crust and rolls into a ball—now it’s ready to take out. Dump it onto a potato-floured counter or kneading board. Knead more flour into the dough and when it’s rolled out to a cookie-dough like consistency, roll it out one last time to about a ¼-inch think. Use a knife or pizza cutter to make small squares; you can also use cookie cutters if you want to be fancy. Bake on a greased or papered cookie sheet (you will probably need 2) at 375 for 20 minutes. Turn and rotate the cookie sheets and bake for about 10 more minutes.

If cooked until crisp, you can store these biscuits at room temp for 1-2 weeks.

Sweet Salmon Aux Pommes

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes (can also substitute one can of cooked plain pumpkin)

1 can of salmon

2 ½ cups non-wheat flour (oat flour works especially well)

1 tablespoon flaxseeds (optional)

Directions:

Boil the sweet potatoes approximately 20-30 minutes until done. You should be able to easily stick a fork in them and break them apart. Put the potatoes into a food processor, add the salmon and set to “pulse.” When the salmon and sweet potato mixture is combined, add 1 cup of flour and process until smooth, then add the next cup of flour and repeat, repeating again with the last ½ cup. If adding flaxseeds, add at the end. They’ll give the treats an extra nutty flavor with the added benefit of more Omega-3 fatty acids (especially good for the skin and coat). Using a tablespoon, make “drop” cookies on a greased cookie sheet, evening out with the back of the spoon.

Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until brown. Refrigerate.

Maria Carlson of Elkhart, Indiana and proud doggie mom of Ruby, was kind enough to share her favorite recipe—heartily endorsed by Ruby for its bacon-y goodness!

Ruby Snacks:

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup water

1 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons melted bacon fat

5 cups of flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Beat eggs in a large bowl; stir in milk, salt, and bacon fat until well-blended. Gradually stir in flour to make a stiff dough. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll into 2-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 35-40 minutes and cool on racks. Store in a covered container in the fridge.

Three great recipes to get you started! If you try any (or all) of them, please let us know how they turned out. Better yet, snap a picture of the results and share them on our Facebook page. And if you and your dogs have other great recipes, don’t keep those to yourself either! Feel free to add them in the comments section below.