ADOPT a WORKOUT PARTNER
FEBRUARY
ADOPT a SENIOR SWEETHEART
MARCH
SPAY and NEUTER AWARENESS
APRIL
TRAP/NEUTER/RELEASE
MAY
BACK in BLACK
JUNE
Food Bank PET FOOD DRIVE
WHISKERS & WINE
Saturday the 13th
JULY
$9 for 9 LIVES for 9DAYS
AUGUST DOG DAYS of SUMMER
SEPTEMBER BARK in the PARK OCTOBER ORANGE & BLACK!
NOVEMBER GIVING THANKS Testimonials from our adoptive families and animals
DECEMBER HOME for the HOLIDAYS
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SPORTS & ACTIVITIES to SHARE WITH YOUR DOG
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Bring your dog along for even more fun!
In, out, over & through--it's all about working as a team.
The warm head of a friendly pet can soothe a lonely heart.
Interested? Check out this VIDEO for a taste!
Dog-powered running for those who want to share their goals with a best friend.
Channel the desire to pull into harness work that lets the dog feel useful.
Root instinct drives the joy of running with a purpose.
A reason to jump for joy. Jumping with achievement!
Dogs who excel in this sport love to show they can do it further and better.
Too many choices? Take a vacation with your dog and sample a variety.
A joy for the social dog, think 'tot lot'.
Some dogs love to run. Adding the responsibility of teamwork adds to the fun.
Instinct, drive, and flying dirt. What more could an earth dog want?
Excitement, speed, and focus, a sport for dogs driven to do it faster.
Channel the dog's desire to control and direct movement for the pack leader.
Sharing quiet moments of contemplation is the essence of being a pack.
Working as a team is what drives these dogs.
Take a wonderful combination and add a little learning to keep it safe.
For dogs who love to pull and people who want to let them.
The excitement of meeting a challenge and being part of the team.
More focus on teamwork, less on precision. Fun and relaxation for human and dog.
A fun way for dogs and humans to share exercise and fresh air together.
Tracking, obedience, protection.
Making a difference is important, and that includes dogs. They know it matters.
Dogs love to pull, people love to ski. Put the two together and you have skijoring.
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Many of us tend to look back at the indulgences of the Holiday Season with a resolve to eat healthier and exercise in the upcoming months. We invite you to start on this path with a buddy who will be just as enthusiastic as you--a buddy who is always up for a run--your dog. Don't have a dog? At our ACAC Adoption Center, there are always good candidates longing to join you in your new fitness campaign. This January, we decided to up the ante on health and fitness information of all types. We've loaded this newsletter with links and tips designed to help you and your dog reach your fitness goals for the new year and have FUN while you're at it. You are invited to come to the Amador County Animal Control Adoption Center to find your Workout-partner-with-benefits (Love and Loyalty).
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WORKOUT and PLAY with your Canine Partner
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Is exercise your New Year's resolution?
One of the joys of owning a dog is playing with him or her. Why do dog activities matter? Why promote them? Because they help dogs keep their homes. People and dogs doing things together is good news all around. Formal activity provides the structure that helps people learn how to communicate better with their dogs. In turn, the dogs have an opportunity to acquire good manners, making them easier to live with and less likely to be given up. Shared activities promote shared information among owners, which helps them learn more about their dogs, avoid problems and resolve them in a healthier way. Activities make exercise fun, and that boosts the relationship. Exercise reduces boredom. A dog that exercises with its human is less likely to have behavioral problems. That provides a mental boost for humans and dogs alike.
People who play with their dog, stay with their dog.
LOCAL DOG HANGOUTS:
ZION: walking trail
KENNEDY TAILING WHEELS: off-leash park
TABEAUD: walking trail and lake
SUTTER AMADOR HOSPITAL: walking trail
CAMANCHE: lake and paved areas
HOWARD PARK
UPCOUNTRY PUBLIC LANDS
DOG PLAY LINKS:
PAW NATION games | PAW NATION exercise
CESAR's WAY games | CESAR's WAY exercise
WIKI HOW games | WIKI HOW exercise
ASPCA
DOG PLAY
WebMD
DOGGED by OBESITY
Man's best friend is subject to one of man's worst enemies: obesity. Up to 50% of dogs in the U.S. weigh too much. Like people, overweight dogs are at risk for health problems ranging from arthritis to heart disease. Here is one challenge you and your pet can face together. Research suggests that people who exercise with their dogs are more likely to stick to a fitness program themselves. The key is to find an activity you both enjoy. There are dozens of these listed in our "LINKS" section at left. The variety of sports, games, and just plain good times listed there will be an eye-opener. Many will be new to you. Some, you may have seen on TV but never thought of doing yourself. Don't hesitate, plunge right in and explore! You and your dog will be glad you did.
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HEALTHY TREATS for your DOG and CAT
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During the holidays, we all tend to eat a bit too much, and treats are everywhere you look. Excel K9 Kafè wanted to offer some advice about the best treats to give your canine and feline companions so that they can enjoy the festivities while avoiding a trip to the Vet's office.
For those who feed table scraps, avoid feeding large hunks of fat or pieces of turkey skin. Turkey skin can be a trigger for pancreatitis. Also avoid heavily-spiced food and onions, grapes, raisins, and vegetables from the Nightshade family (like eggplant and peppers).
Many folks come into our store telling us they only give their dogs raw carrots or canned string beans as treats. Keep in mind that carrots (and fruits) have a high sugar content, and canned vegetables have quite a bit of sodium. It's best to keep a wide variety in the diet (as long as you aren't dealing with a food allergy). So try a few baby carrots one day, a couple of slices of zucchini or cucumber the next, then maybe a small piece of roasted skinless chicken meat or a store-bought grain-free treat.
Because of the growing number of overweight dogs and rampant diabetes cases cropping up, it is recommended that you maintain your dog at a healthy weight.To that end, many companies are producing smaller-sized treats. These will help keep calories to a minimum while still rewarding your dog. The small size of the treat will not diminish your dog's excitement at getting them. At our store, we give out a LOT of treats to our visiting clients, and a tiny piece of dehydrated meat is quite the crowd pleaser. No dog ever refuses a treat because it is too small!
For you kitty lovers: meat, meat, and more meat. Cats are carnivores and most would give you 'the look' if you tried to feed them a carrot. There are excellent all-meat treats on the market, but if you'd prefer to cook your own, just dice up some dark meat chicken and give small rewards as you like.
Because really, who wants to go through life without dessert?
from Renee Cintas, owner of Excel K9 Kafé in Jackson
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A REMINDER from BEST FRIENDS Animal Society
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MAMA: from 'MAMA CASS' to 'HOT MAMA'
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In March, 2013 at South Shore Lake Tahoe, a female German Shepherd thought to be 7 or 8 years old turned up at a 7 Eleven, apparently dumped and left to forage or beg for her food. Her would-be rescuers were told by the local animal shelter that because it was full, they would not be able to keep her for long before she would have to be euthanized. Efforts to find her rightful owners turned up nothing, so Paws Partner Margaret Blair of Twin Cedar K-9 Second Chance Dog Rescue was contacted.
Margaret figured an older, sweet-natured shepherd like this would be the dream dog of the century, and that a home could be found easily, so she was brought to Twin Cedar Ranch. Everyone was astonished when she got out of the car. She wasn't 7 years old--more like 9 to 11--and she was 35 pounds overweight. Her back was so broad it could have easily accommodated a place setting for three! She was nicknamed 'Mama Cass'.
A full veterinary exam revealed that, aside from her significant weight problem, she was a healthy girl. On to the TwinFast Plan she went: three small meals of grain-free kibble a day, plus vitamins and a supplement for her old and sore joints.
After a while, she started going out on evening pack walks with the rest of the Twin Cedar gang. When the weather warmed up she started swim therapy at Lake Tabeaud. Her favorite thing to do there was swimming after the local ducks and chasing Vito, Margaret's alpha shepherd, as he retrieved tennis balls.
Within about four months, she had shed a whopping 34 pounds. She feels much better without all that weight, but still has significant arthritis in her joints and a sensitive tummy that requires extra care in feeding. Because of that, Mama (no longer Mama Cass) will live out the rest of her life with Marge and Brian at Twin Cedar Ranch.
Mama: a rescue of the first order!
 
Mama Before: struggling under 35 extra pounds
Mama After: A well-deserved late afternoon snooze in the Twin Cedar office, slim & trim.
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DO YOU HAVE A GREAT ADOPTION STORY FROM OUR SHELTER?
We'd love to hear from you. Send your story, with photos if you have them, to HAZEL JOYCE,
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