This month we will be conducting a Photo Contest with a chance for your dog walker and YOUR DOG to earn a neat prize!  To enter, your dog walker may submit one or more photos of your dogs "enjoying the dog days of summer".  

They have until August 15th to submit pictures.  Maureen, our Dog Walking and Pet Sitting GM, will then compile a photo album containing all the pictures to be posted on our Facebook page.  Voting will run 2 weeks starting Wednesday, August 17th through August 30th.  So be sure to check out our acebook page for the opportunity to vote on your favorite picture.   

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, August 31st.  Best of luck and may YOUR DOG and your dog walker be the lucky team to win.

The photos will have the names of the dogs only, they will not contain any of your personal information. If you would not like your dogs photo taken please leave a note for your walker or e-mail petsit@furgetmenot.com.  

Why does my dog act this way?
Some dogs, due to their individual personality and breed, are prone to be more high-strung when interacting with other dogs. Past experiences with other dogs and how they experience meeting with dogs on leash on an everyday basis are also critical to whether your dog develops leash reactivity. Basically, how well the dog has been socialized and feels comfortable meeting with other strange dogs on the street influences their reactivity. With rescue dogs this is always difficult as we often don't know anything of their past experiences with other dogs or the lack thereof.

What can I do to prevent this problem from occurring in the first place?
It is very easy to get lulled into false security with a puppy because they are so cute and they don't start out reactive, this is something that develops over time. Therefore, it is very important to take puppies out early on and socialize them around a wide variety of other friendly dogs, both puppies and adults.

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During the month of September our Training Department is holding a Back to School Series designed to be both an educational and a fundraising opportunity to support two local rescue organizations:  

Homeward Trails Animal Rescue  

and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue 

Registration is required and a $15 donation is suggested. At the end of the month, all proceeds will be split equally between the two rescues.  

Date: Sunday, 9/11 from 1-3pm

Topic: Pet Law 

Speaker: Heidi Meinzer Esq. from Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C.  

Date: Sunday, 9/18 from 1-3pm

Topic: Holistic vs Traditional Vet Care 

Speaker: Dr. Jane Morse from Ballston Animal Hospital  

Date: Sunday, 9/25 from 1-3pm

Topic: Nutrition and Holistic vs Traditional Diets

Speaker: Terri Grow, Owner of Pet Sage  

We will also host 2 Doggie Yoga lessons by an Instructor from Pure Prana Yoga Studios.  Registration is $35 and $15 of that fee will go back towards Homeward Trails and Lucky Dog.      

Dogs are natural yogis. They are eternally present, they love to stretch and move, and they can meditate for hours. Share the secrets and benefits of yoga with your furry friend in an hour long workshop. You'll learn essential dog yoga poses and soothing meditation techniques that will calm and relax both you and your pal. All dogs must housebroken, socialized, and on a non-retractable leash. Please bring your own yoga mat and towel.
 
Sunday, 9/18 @ 9:30 am for small dogs (under 25 lbs)

Sunday, 9/18 @ 11am for large dogs (over 25 lbs)  

Lack of exercise and activity can lead to obesity, stress, high blood pressure, and many other ailments...in dogs!  Regular exercise will keep your dog fit and healthy while proper stimulus can result in more desirable behaviors.  

The overweight pet has many added stresses upon his body which can result in increased risk of diabetes, liver problems and joint pain. Boredom is linked to both emotional factors and personality traits. Dogs who are bored tend to develop destructive and annoying behaviors such as barking, chewing, and digging.

A daily walk is the easiest way to exercise and stimulate your dog. How much is enough? Let your dog decide.  Some dogs will be simply pooped after 15 minutes and others could run a marathon. A good average for most dogs is 30 minutes.  Just like you, your dog can get many benefits from working out regularly.  You're actually improving his health so he'll be around for a long time to come.

If you have any questions about our daily dog walking service, feel free to contact me directly at petsit@furgetmenot.com  

The Fall class schedule is now online.  Here's a look at classes coming up in August and September.

Puppy & Levels orientations are held every other Sunday.  Next sessions starts Sunday, August 7 @ 10am.

FREE Puppy Social held every Saturday at 9am.

NEW! Dog Play - Monday, 9/19 @ 8:30pm

Register online

Jini Clausen, Accounting Manager

We talk a lot about socializing dogs and can forget that cats benefit from socialization as well. Because they stay primarily inside, their world tends to be a lot smaller than that of a dog, so it's important to think about how we introduce new things to them so we keep them happy and comfortable in their environment.

Two years ago, I introduced a dog into what had been a cat only household for about 6 years. When I first brought Belle in, I kept her on leash for a couple of days to give the cats time to check her out on their own terms. Once I was certain she wouldn't get overexcited and chase them, (actually, I discovered they were more likely to chase her!) I took the leash off to let her explore on her own.

Even now, two years in, they are still developing their  relationships, since they never quite seem to learn each others' language. Misty and Kitten completely ignore Belle when she gives them a play bow and Belle doesn't get the "game" when Misty sneaks up behind her to "attack" (play swipe) her back paws. But they all love cuddling up together with me on the couch!

The cats can be very nervous around new people too, so whenever new people come over, I make sure to have tuna on hand. I give it to them on plates in the living room so that they associate new people with their favorite treat. I started doing this a few years back and noticed an almost immediate increase in their willingness to interact with strangers.

I also encourage people to ignore the cats, so they can explore on their own and determine the level of interaction they feel comfortable with. Between this and associating treats with strangers, my cats have become much more
likely to cease hiding under the bed when people come over, and they're much more comfortable with new people in their home.

Parents: Dawn is the Chief of Staff at a firm that provides Government Relations, Business Development and Government Services. Dennis is a retired Air Force officer, who is currently a government contractor preparing military-diplomats for service at U.S. Embassies around the wore
 
Residence:  Alexandria, VA
 
Pet Profile: Mancha is a 13-year old Siberian Husky. We have had her since she was 5 months old when we adopted her during our assignment in La Paz, Bolivia. She is a happy, cuddly, friendly girl, who, in true Husky fashion asks "What's my motivation?" when told to sit, stay, or any of those other mundane doggie things. One of her favorite activities is to sing along with our cockatoo when she starts vocalizing in the morning and evening.
 
In addition to Mancha, our "Ark" includes Murray-an 18-year old Singapura cat who joined us during our assignment in Singapore; Quincy-a 4-year old black DSH, who was adopted from Madison-Greene Humane Society (they make really great kitties out there); and Maganda (Tagalog for Beautiful)-a 27-year old Eleanora Cockatoo, who came home with us from the Philippines.
 
Services Used: We have been using Fur-Get Me Not's outstanding services since moving to Alexandria in 2004. Initially, we used pet sitting for the cats and bird. Four years ago, I transitioned from self-employed to more than full-time and we started mid-day walks for Mancha. Our "walkers" have been terrific and have adjusted to Mancha as she has slowed and become a little bit cranky as she has aged. I don't know what we would do without our current walker Christine-Mancha thinks she rocks.
 
How have Fur-Get Me Not services impacted your lives?  As I mentioned above, with Mancha getting older and the rest of our menagerie needing TLC when we travel, Fur-Get Me Not's services have eased our minds....kind of like leaving the kids with family. No worries and great communication. Thanks to everyone at Fur-Get Me Not for the outstanding work you do and for the caring way in which you do it every day. 

I began working at Fur-Get Me Not in February of this year as a dog walker and pet sitter, and I have loved every minute of my time here so far! It is truly a delight to spend time with and get to know so many wonderful pets during the week, and now that I am working in the office on weekends, I am happy to finally get to meet many of you as well!

I was born in Fairfax, but my family moved back to Dallas for business when I was three, so I have always known Texas as home. I attended Texas A&M University where I earned a degree in Anthropology and Arabic Studies in May 2010. After a summer of job-hunting, I decided my best bet for a future in government work would be an internship in DC. So, last August I packed up my essentials and made the move, and I haven't looked back since! Taking a break from school, moving halfway across the country, and interning on the Hill all gave me the time and experience I needed to sort out what I really want my next step to be, which is to teach English overseas. I am currently working on my TEFL certification at Georgetown, which I'm glad has a flexible schedule so that I can continue to work for Fur-Get Me Not!

Growing up, my brother and I were lucky to have some wonderful four-legged siblings, including our English black lab Rover and a cat named Felix (we were creative kids, I know). Later, we added Penny, a beagle, to the family, as well as my best friend Pepper, a dilute calico, who was with us the longest of all our furry family members. Now that I am living here, my boyfriend and I decided we wanted something more cuddly in our life than just our Betta fish Dart, so we recently added a kitten to our household. Our little orange Julius has been wonderful to have around and brings so much joy and fun into our lives! He reminds me every day why my job here is so important - because I know you love your pets as much as I love him!