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Arizona Labrador and Giant Breed Rescue |
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| ALGBR Newsletter |
April, 2010
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 Greetings!
ALGBR has been busy showing off all of our wonderful dogs at several adoption events valley wide this spring. It's always fun to get together with all the other rescues at these events. Taking a stroll among all the booths is always a highlight. You see every kind of pet imaginable; dogs of every breed, cats, horses, guinea pigs, even rats. One thing that made me smile was seeing the ladies at the rat rescue table wearing t-shirts that said, "Get over the tail!" That's the thing about rescue...chances are that if people can make a pet out of an animal, there will always be a need to help those pets who become homeless or unwanted find a new home. Thankfully, lots of people with compassionate hearts are there to help. If helping labs and giants appeals to you, join us! There's never a shortage of dogs who need our you!!
Melissa Goodwin
Volunteer Coordinator, ALGBR
www.azlabsandgiants.org
Poe at the Franciscan Renewal Center
PACC911 Spring Fling
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 You are Cordially Invited to our Adoptee Reunion!
ALGBR is going on it's 5th year of rescuing dogs and it's time for
our 1st reunion! Our volunteers have adopted out SO many wonderful
dogs to SO many wonderful adopters that we would love to see all of you
again. Many of you have adopted puppies from one of our litters.
Have you ever wondered how the other puppies turned out? Some of you
have adopted one of a pair. Wouldn't it be wonderful to bring those
dogs together again? Will they remember each other? There's only one
way to find out, and that's to attend our reunion. Not only will you be
able to see a lot of beautiful labs, but we are hoping our giants will
join us, also. In addition to visiting and letting your dog take a swim
in the lake, we will have a special guest, Sheila Lyengar. Sheila is
an experienced trainer, teacher, and rescuer. Sheila is the owner
of Lotus Dog Training and Boarding, as well as the founder of
Reservations Rewards Animal Rescue, an organization that rescues dogs from the
reservations. Sheila will be giving a couple of training sessions as
well as a question and answer session. Mark your calendars for a great
reunion and training session. The date is Saturday, May 1st from 10 am
to noon. The location is Cosmos Dog Park in Chandler, 2502 E Ray Rd, Gilbert, AZ .
Check these 2 links for both Sheila and the park.
www.gilbertaz.gov/parks/popups/cosmo-park.cfm (please check this link for park rules & parking)
If you are interested in attending, please let us know so we can
get an estimate on how many dogs we can expect. If you have any
questions, feel free to contact us at adoption@azlabsandgiants.org.
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Dr. Walker's Corner
Brad R. Walker DVM, Medical Director, VCA Mountain View Animal Hos pital
In the last newsletter you were given information on stem
cells and their use in the treatment of arthritis. This article will deal with the more
traditional treatments of chronic arthritis in dogs, pharmacological drugs and
nutritional supplements.
The two most common groups of drugs for chronic pain are the
opiates and the non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). The opiates consist of drugs like morphine
and hydromorphone. Long term use is
limited due to undesirable side effects of sedation, central nervous system
depression, vomiting, constipation and developing tolerance. For this reason, the most common pharmacological agent for
chronic arthritis pain in dogs are the NSAIDS. The ones you may know of are carprofen, meloxicam , and deracoxib. NSAIDS work by inhibiting enzymes called
cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes. These COX
enzymes help form prostaglandins which are chemicals that regulate a variety of
physiologic functions in the body. COX 1
enzymes help maintain kidney function, maintains the protective mucosal layer
in the stomach, and helps with blood clotting. COX 2 enzymes increase in
inflamed tissue and are responsible for pain.
So as you can see, the NSAIDS used in dogs are called COX 2 inhibitors
because they inhibit the enzymes that are responsible for pain. COX 2 NSAIDS reduce both pain and
inflammation. The NSAIDS generally work quite well for chronic arthritis
pain in dogs and in most cases are tolerated quite well. It is interesting to note that some dogs respond
better to one and not other. So if one
doesn't work on your dog, you might want to try a different one.
As most of you know that use them, NSAIDS can have side
effects. These include vomiting, diarrhea, gastric ulceration, liver and kidney
disease, and they cannot be used concurrently with corticosteroids (like
prednisone). For these reasons, periodic blood tests are indicated and they
should not to be used if your dog is sick.
A certain period of time (called a wash out period) needs to be allowed
when changing brands of NSAIDS or starting them after corticosteroids have been
discontinued.
The next drug that has been approved for osteoarthritis in
dogs is Adequan or polysulfated glycosaminoglycan. This is an injectable medication that
stimulates the cartilage repair process and suppresses enzymes that eat away
cartilage. It is safe with few side effects
but does have to be administered by a veterinarian. It works the best if given before the
arthritis is severe and before the cartilage has been completely eroded away.
The last group of agents that are used to reduce pain and
inflammation are the nutritional supplements and some natural products. The most popular are the glucosamine and
chondroitin products that are sold for humans and animals in many forms and
also used as nutritional additives in dog foods. They are both natural substances found in
cartilage cells. They are reported to
help both stabilize and help the cartilage retain water to keep it
healthy. The products are generally safe
but there are differing opinions in human and animal research to whether they
are actually of benefit.
The latest research does show the benefit of omega 3 fatty
acids to reduce inflammation in dogs.
One of these, called eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, is in Hills Science
Diet J/D dog food and has been proven to significantly help in pain and
inflammation in dogs with arthritis.
Fish oil is naturally high in omega 3 fatty acids and may be of benefit
to supplement.
Other products such as shark cartilage and elk velvet are
empirically said to reduced pain and inflammation. These again are somewhat controversial on
their effectiveness.
If your dog is developing hip pain or is becoming less
active, talk to your veterinarian. A plan of action can be taken to help if
pain seems to be the problem. This plan
may include the use of some of the newer non steroidal anti inflammatory agents,
food, food supplements, and other
medications as suggested by your veterinarian.
* If you have any questions or concerns about your pet's health, to
ensure proper diagnosis and treatment, you should always contact your
veterinarian.
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 "Good dog!!"
Positive Reinforcement is the Key to Success
Reprinted from PetPlace.com
Written by Dr. Jon Rappaport
This is me, but I am a positive reinforcement kind of guy. I've learned
from having a staff that praising people when they do a good job
improves performance better than chewing them out when they do a bad
job.
The same goes for dogs. When dogs are good, I love to give positive reinforcement. I think this is a great way to train dogs.
And it isn't just a matter of tossing a treat. WHAT you give can be
important to your dog's health but WHEN YOU GIVE IT is important to his
understanding that the reward was associated with a certain behavior.
If you wait too long to give the treat, your dog won't be able to
associate the reward with the good behavior. That is the big problem
with punishment after the fact. Many times, dogs don't associate the
punishment with the behavior.
This is a common scenario. You get home from work to find that the
trash has been knocked over and there is trash all over the house. You
find your dog and yell at him. You may even drag him over to the trash
and put his nose in it and yell at him. Here's the problem: the dog
won't associate the trash with his behavior. Your dog will have no
understanding that HE did that. He will only associate the trash with
your seemingly irrational behavior. He may be afraid of you but he will
have no understanding of why you are punishing him and it will not stop
him from doing it again.
So, unless you catch your dog in the act when he can actually associate
his actions with the punishment, scolding him will not work. That's why
I like to stick with positive reinforcement.
My good friend Dr. Nicholas Dodman (a wonderful veterinary behaviorist)
sums up the following principles of effective training:
1. Training should not involve any negative or punishment-based
components. There should be no yelling, no hitting, no chain jerking,
no hanging, and absolutely no electric shock. Each session should be
upbeat and positive with rewards for jobs well done.
2. Remember that the opposite of reward is not punishment; it is no
reward. If you ignore unacceptable responses, your dog will not be
rewarded for his failed response. Most dogs want to please their owners
or, at the very least, to obtain highly valued resources (food,
attention and toys).
3. Reward good behavior immediately. The reward needs to be immediate
so they associate the reward with the behavior. Treats work great for
food-motivated dogs. A good treat, works really well. You want your dog
to be strongly motivated to obey commands to receive the treat.
4. If praise is used as a reward, deliver it in high singsong tones,
which are most pleasing for the dog. Also, enthusiasm in your voice
will be much appreciated. If petting is to be used as a reward, it
should be in a way that the dog enjoys, such as stroking the dog's hair
on the side of his face in the same direction that it grows, or
scratching him on the chest.
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 Together Again...An Amazing Adoption Story
ALGBR and fate combined in a magical way last month to bring long-lost littermates together again. A family that recently lost their male Great Dane, and wanted to find a playmate for their current Great Dane. They turned to ALGBR to help fill the gap that was created at their big boy's passing. As you've noticed if you've followed our website, we only occasionally get giant breeds, but this Dane family didn't have to wait long to meet Massive, a Great Dane boy recently surrendered to ALGBR. Massive is a 184 pounds of lovable, sweet Dane. His foster family fell head over heels for the big fellow, so it was a bit bittersweet when they made the appointment for Massive to meet his new potential family. Knowing that this was an experienced Dane family made them feel better, but when they got a look at their female, it was clear that this was no ordinary meet and greet.
After a bit of note comparing and a lot of looking at one dog, then the other and back again, it was clear that the family's female Dane and Massive were actually littermates. There's no way to tell for sure, but take a look at these two, and the conclusion is easy to draw. The family explained that their female and her brother were given to rescue by their breeder because they had unusual coloring and conformation. The male was adopted before the female. It was clear when they were reunited that these two were, indeed, brother and sister. "It was a great match, and I know he will be very happy, but that doesn't make it hurt any less." said Jenn Heckel, Massive's foster mom. "He was the best foster I have ever had!"
Massive has adjusted beautifully to his new home, and he and his sister have bonded. In fact, she follows him everywhere! What a special adoption for this family and Massive's foster family, the Heckels!
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A "Happy Tail", Mindy
Hi there, my name is Mindy, and boy, oh boy, do I have a story
to tell you. Just about a year ago I
found my forever home. As I walked into
my new home, I met Stitch and Sparky, my two Japanese Chin brothers. They were thrilled to meet me, and I have to
say I loved them from day one. Sparky is
my favorite, he's so cute, he thinks he's a Lab... as for my other brother,
Stitch, he's a little timid but he loves me and I love him, I just don't play
with him as much as Sparky.
I have two human brothers, and a sister who I really enjoy
playing with. My parents were warned by
my foster family that I love to counter surf, but even with that warning and
their diligent watch over food left on the counter, I have managed to snag a
few things. Bread is my favorite and if it's
anything from crust to bagels left on the counter unattended I'm on it.
One of my favorite things to do is give hugs and kisses... no
really I give a hug like a person does then I nuzzle my face into their neck,
it's the best ever!
I love my new home, I have a yard to run and play in, and
thank goodness my parents are okay with me being on the couch, because it's my
favorite spot to curl up for a long nap.
Each morning I wake up my mom for a walk, and sometimes my Chin brothers come
along, too. I'm teaching the Chins how to
be a big dogs and they seem to be catching on.
Thank you Arizona Labrador & Giant Breed Rescue, because
of you and my caring foster family I'm finally home!
 
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Help ALGBR with a click...and a "lick"!
ALGBR has the opportunity to win
money from a Shelter Challenge with your votes!! This does not cost
you any money and it takes minimal time. You can vote once a day, but vote
every day for Arizona Labrador & Giant Breed Rescue. Like all
rescues, donations are an integral part of keeping our organization running and
rescuing dogs. PLEASE forward this to all your friends and relatives and
ask them to vote for ALGBR EVERY DAY. Just click on this link to
vote, and add it to your favorites on your internet browser.
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_shelterchallengeresults_sidetabsj
Don't forget that every time you search the web or shop online, you can help ALGBR by using GoodSearch.com and GoodShop.com
The US Postal Service is teaming up with Ellen DeGeneres and Halo: Purely for Pets. During the launch of the new line of "Stamps to the Rescue", Halo will be donating a million meals to shelters across the country. Help create awareness of adoption and rescue, and add some cute stamps to your mail! http://stampstotherescue.com/
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| Upcoming Event |
Paws Around the Fountain Adoption Event
Sunday, April 11, 2010
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Fountain Hills
PACC911 and Marriott Pet Adoption Day
Saturday, April 17, 2010
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location TBD
Adoptee Reunion
May 1, 2010
Cosmo Dog Park
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
PetSmart Adoption Events
ALGBR attends the PetSmart adoption events every month
2nd Saturday of every month - Litchfield Park Petsmart from 11:30 AM
to 3:00PM, located at 1561 N Dysart Rd, Avondale, AZ 85323
3rd Saturday of every month - Mesa Petsmart from 11:00 AM to 3:00PM, located at 1733 S Stapley Drive, Mesa, AZ 85204
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 Donate to ALGBR!
Arizona Labrador and Giant Breed Rescue is an all-volunteer, non-profit 501(c)3 organization. We operate solely on the time, dedication, and funding of our community. If you'd like to donate to our rescue and help save the lives of dogs in need, please click on the "donate" button on our website at www.azlabsandgiants.org or click the PayPal button above. The dogs will love you for it!
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Spread the Word!
If you know anyone who might be interested in adopting a dog, please feel free to forward this newsletter and refer them to our website, www.azlabsandgiants.org And, if you find yourself with time to volunteer, please click on the "Volunteer" button on the website! A moment to rescue...a lifetime of love  |
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| Contact Information |
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Arizona Labrador & Giant Breed Rescue
602.307.5227
PO Box 26116
Phoenix, AZ 85068-6116
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