 In the News...
Pit Bull Therapy Program
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01-May - Tazzie K
01-May - Bluebelle W/M 01-May - Zouk D
03-May - Chippy M
03-May - Kayley C
05-May - Sierra F
05-May - Bailey P
05-May - Lucy I
05-May - Sofi R
05-May - Zola S
07-May - Pepsi M
07-May - Gibbs R
08-May - Jake G
09-May - Calla W
12-May - Mack S
20-May - Loki P
20-May - Elwood F
23-May - Jake M/P
23-May - Jess K
25-May - Charlie M
27-May - Buddy H
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Greetings!
Okay, I don't know about you but if the sun doesn't show up soon it's fired. The rain of April has put a damper - pun intended - on our pups enjoying their outdoor fun. But hopefully spring has fully sprung and the sun will stick around long enough for all of us to start to dry out.
Even if it does dry out a bit, doesn't it seem like there's always a mud puddle with your dog's name on it? If your weekend fun with your dog gets messy, then Dirty Dog Mondays are the answer! Read In the Zone for more info on this new offering and the return of our FREE Puppy Hours. With spring's springing there's much in the air - like fleas, lice and allergies. Check out Pup Smarts to see how to help your pooch through the itchies.
Finally, as outlined in Heard at the Hydrant, Wag Zone's prices will be increased on May 15 to keep up with rising labour and operating costs. Take advantage of today's pricing and buy your pup's package before the clock runs out!
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Attack of the Itchy Things
As new plants and flowers burst into life this spring, so do a number of itch-provoking triggers. From allergies to fleas, here's what to be on the lookout for and what to do about it if your pup start's a-scratchin'.
 Allergies
Blooming plants, grasses and flowers can trigger allergic reactions called atopy in dogs and cats.
The allergy is similar to hay fever that humans suffer. The animal reacts to inhaled particles such as mold, pollen, and dust. But instead of sneezing, pets typically have itchy skin and will persistently scratch, lick and bite to get relief. Like in human sufferers, the allergy is an inherited predisposition.
"If left untreated, dogs and cats with seasonal allergies will scratch or lick themselves constantly," says Dr. Link Welborn, AAHA past president. "In an attempt to relieve themselves, dogs and cats often create sores that become secondary infections."
If the signs of atopy occur for less than three months out of the year, oral medications (like cortisone) may be used to control itching. In more severe cases, pets are given a skin allergy test to pinpoint what allergies the animal is sensitive to. Your veterinarian can then give injections of the allergic material in minimal doses to build up immunities in your pet's system. Other treatments for allergies include immunotherapy, antihistamines, steroids and medicated shampoos.
If you suspect that your pet may be suffering from seasonal allergies, set up a visit with your veterinarian.
Lice
 Lice cause intense itching and scratching, and can make pets a bit crazy with all the crawling and biting. The good thing is that lice seldom cause long-lasting problems.
Like human head lice, dog lice are usually transmitted from dog to dog by direct contact. In this respect, lice infestations are a sign of a pampered pet! The dogs most likely to get lice are those who go to dog day care, puppy classes, agility, dog shows, or on group walks.
Does my dog have lice? The first sign of lice that most people notice is that suddenly the dog is intensely itchy. Upon close inspection, you might see some small, tan to medium-brown colored critters down near the skin. You can tell lice from fleas by the color (fleas are quite dark) and the speed (lice are quite sluggish movers, while fleas usually zoom out of sight before you are really sure you saw anything). You might also notice nits (eggs) which resemble little bits of dandruff or dead skin but which adhere to the hairs instead of shaking off.
Help! My dog has lice! There is no need to panic if your dog gets lice. First, dog lice do not like to infest humans - they prefer canine company. Next, a lice infestation is a highly treatable condition. For a thorough rundown of how to handle a lice infestation, click here to read this article in full. During treatment your pets should be kept away from situations where they will be in contact with other animals. They can go to the parks and for walks, but they should not play with other dogs until at least 4 weeks of treatment have passed.
Naturally, the trick is to stop the cycle before it starts - especially if your dog comes to daycare. Wag Zone recommends the regular use of a persistent insecticide such as Revolution or Advantage to prevent infestations and to help ensure all the pups playing here are lice-free.
Fleas  Fleas are the scourge of dog-dom. Your dog can get fleas from other dogs, from animals travelling through your yard, or you can bring them home on your clothes. Once on your pet the fleas will rarely leave, they will simply stay and feed. A female flea will lay up to 25 eggs per day over her 2-week lifespan (that's 300 eggs!).
Unlike adult fleas, the eggs do not stay on your pet. Instead, they fall off and lodge in the carpet, floor, or bedding. Larvae that look like tiny worms hatch from the eggs. They feed for a while, then make "cocoons" (pupate) and are dormant for a while. When conditions are right, the new flea hatches from the cocoon and leaps onto your pet and the whole process starts again.
Does my dog have fleas? One of the best tools available for detecting fleas is the flea comb. This small, metal-toothed comb allows you to comb through the hair and pick up bits of flea dirt and the fleas themselves. Another sign of fleas that you will see is the excrement they leave behind, rather than the fleas themselves. If you part the hair on your pet, particularly in areas such as the base of the tail and the back of the neck, you may see small specks of "flea dirt". Fleas are flat, dark critters that move very quickly and tend to hop as opposed to the slow movement exhibited by lice.
Help! My dog has fleas! If your pet already has fleas, just killing the adults is not effective for long term flea control. You could treat your pet with a flea shampoo or spray to kill most of the fleas on him, but as soon as one of the eggs in the environment hatches the new flea will jump right on your pet and your problem starts all over again. So it is important to treat not only the adult fleas on your dog, but stop the flea life cycle in its tracks.
A persistent insecticide like Revolution or Advantage will do the job of killing adult fleas. In addition, you will want to prevent flea infestation in your home, so use Program tablets to prevent the eggs from hatching, and to kill the larvae.
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Dirty Dog Mondays! So you and your pooch had a grand time over the weekend, enjoying the spring weather and the great outdoors and of course, with doggy fun, comes doggy dirt. We can help you with that. Bring your dog in for daycare on Monday and add on a basic bath for just $10*!! That's a savings of up to $35! We have five bath slots available each Monday for pups that could use a bit of freshening up. *Additional charges apply for double-coated dogs and blow drying. Puppy Hour Reboot  Got Puppy?
Wag Zone is pleased to announce the return of our 'pup'-ular FREE Sunday morning Puppy Hours! These one-hour sessions are the perfect opportunity for you to introduce your puppy to supervised off-leash play with other puppies in our clean, safe, indoor playroom. Your pup gets to romp with dogs his own age and size and you get to commiserate with other puppy owners. We will provide: - a safe and positive environment where your puppy can interact with others his own age and size
- an experienced handler to ensure safe and appropriate play
- clean-up service
Your puppy must: - be healthy
- have completed at least his 2nd set of vaccinations
- be 5 months of age or younger
- be fed at least two hours in advance and been completely toileted
- be under your personal supervision at all times
To take part in Puppy Hour, please register in advance each week online at www.wagzone.ca or via email to info@wagzone.ca. |
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New Prices and New Hours
As many of you are no doubt aware, the first phase of increases to BC's minimum wage went into effect on May 1. While we have managed to keep our full day rate unchanged for the last three years, this adjustment, along with increased operating costs, has unfortunately made it necessary for Wag Zone to implement a modest price increase, effective May 15 (Prices exclude HST):
Playcare
Short Day - 0-4 hours $21.50
Half Day - 4-6 hours $27.50
Full Day - 6-12 hours $31.50
10-day Half-Day Package $247.50
10-day Full-Day Package $283.50
20-day Full-Day Package $535.50
Staycare
1 night $52.00
2-3 nights $47.00
4-6 nights $45.00
7-13 nights $42.00
14-20 nights $40.00
21+ night $37.00
The minimum wage will be adjusted two more times, with the final adjustment coming in May of 2012. Wag Zone will follow suit with a single slight increase next May.
As part of this adjustment, we are taking the opportunity to revisit our operating hours and overall pricing structure, so while our prices may be going up so is the potential value for you. Starting May 16, Wag Zone will be open from 7am - 7pm weekdays to better serve those clients who work until 6pm. We are also eliminating the 9-11 hour day rate. So if you do need your pooch to stay late or are stuck in traffic, you won't have to worry about additional charges.
We recognize that price increases are never fun. We do believe, though, that the care your dog receives at Wag Zone - whether through the morning walks along the river, the space to run full-speed in our playroom or outdoors in a large and safe fenced yard, the opportunity to interact with dog friends all day, or the genuine affection and care from our staff - is of great benefit to your dog's life, health and well-being.
All About...Nanette!
Each newsletter we will introduce you to another talented and committed Wag Zone team member that your pup calls friend.
Nanette is a born and raised North Vancouver girl who married her high school sweetheart and raised two beautiful daughters. Now that her chicks have flown the coop, Nanette shares her home with her loving and supportive husband of 33 years, Lily a silver tabby and Vinnie aka Tees Me Vindicator, a standard chocolate poodle who is a Canadian Champion. Anyone familiar with Nanette knows that she is a wealth of information with a soft spot for poodles.
Nanette values her time spent volunteering and is the President of Good Bears of Canada Tender Teddies Chapter - a group that raises funds to buy and give away teddies to those young and old and in need of a hug. Nanette also spent 10 years as a volunteer with the North Vancouver RCMP and Fraser Valley Traffic Services setting up, designing and co-ordinating programs such as Counter Attack, Citizens on Patrol, Stolen Auto Recovery, and The North Vancouver Crime Prevention Society.
Career adventures for Nanette included working and advancing to Assistant Manager of CIBC Treasury Department and as a payroll clerk for a company that serviced the movie industry. After the industry declined, she decided to pursue other interests.
What do do next? The only things she knew were raising children, banking and payroll. When looking for a job, her husband asked only two things of her: part time and she must love what she was doing. This is where her life took a completely different path, while making use of her experience raising children, management skills and caring nature.This is how Nanette came to Wag Zone. Starting as a dog handler then advancing to Afternoon Supervisor, Nanette also became a Certified Pet Care Technician and achieved certification in both Dog Safe Pet First Aid and Dog Safe's Find Fido program.
"Working with dogs is much like raising kids only they have rolling tongues, wagging tails and furry coats" Petting, stroking, and hugging these furry coats have also helped a painful arthritic condition that Nanette suffers from, " the constant motion of moving my fingers and their warm coats have halted the pain and deformity of my hands, that otherwise could have resulted in me being disabled."
With Nanette on Wag Zone's team, not only do her hands benefit, so do her team, our dogs and our clients!
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Woof!
Robina & the Pack @
Wag Zone Urban Dog Retreat, Ltd.
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