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Come to the picnic! One week away!
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Saturday, Sept 22, NVSR Annual Picnic, Curtis Memorial Park, Hartwood VA, noon to 4 pm
 For this year's picnic we've planned lots of fun activities for you. Free lunch until 1 pm and wonderful baked goodies for sale all day. The Sheltie Shop will have t-shirts, refrigerator magnets, Sheltie garb, jewelry, and our fabulous 2013 calendar. Here's the new cover! →→→→  Many of our foster dogs will be in the very popular Foster Corral, and volunteers there can answer your questions. Stop by and see the beautiful Shelties we have for adoption. Maybe you can walk one for us. One of our guests this year is a rep from Natural Balance with a nice variety of food samples and treats. Your goodie bag will also contain some very interesting items ... Here is the schedule of the main events (there are more!) 12:15-1:00 - Food! Relax over lunch and meet new friends. 12:45-2:45 - Silent auction - terrific items for sale 1:00 - Agility demo followed by Rally demo. Equipment will be left up so you can try these activities. 1:00-3:00 - Animal Communicator (15 minute consultations) 1:30 - Canine massage and therapy dog presentations 2:00 - Foster dog and adopter parades + big group photo (!) 2:45 - Raffle and more games 3:15 - Nose work (VERY interesting), Grooming, Microchipping  The picnic will be held rain or shine. We have a big tent next to the pavilion, so there will be shelter from rain or sun. Click here for the picnic invitation with directions.We look forward to seeing YOU next Saturday.
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Interceptor and Other HW Preventatives
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Interceptor, one of the products used for heartworm (HW) prevention, has not been available for several months, as you have probably discovered. You can still find it in a few places, though.
Novartis, the manufacturer of Interceptor, has told us that it "may be" available in a few months. Novartis is also developing a new HW preventative product.
Our advice is to discuss HW prevention with your veterinarian and follow his or her recommendations. We began to use Interceptor years ago because ivermectin, the principal ingredient used in other HW preventatives, could be harmful to herding breeds. (Interceptor uses milbemycin.) Research has shown that in lower doses (as in HW prevention) ivermectin is not harmful to most dogs. In fact, ivermectin is used to treat HW infection. Our vets use it to treat our HW+ Shelties.
There are several new products on the market, some of which combine HW prevention with flea and other parasite control. If you change to another preventative, give the first dose on a day that you can be home to observe your dog - a day when your vet clinic is also open. Caution about purchasing medicines online ...Be very careful about the source you use if you purchase HW preventative or other medications online. Some of these products are not made to the standards we require in this country. Read more about this in a Consumer Update from FDA. The best advice is to order from a website that belongs to a Vet-VIPPS accredited pharmacy. Your vet clinic may also use an outsourced prescription management service. |
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News and Notes
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Have you checked your dog's collar recently?
On it should be a clearly readable ID tag with your name and best telephone number to reach you quickly. If your dog is a lucky NVSR adoptee, you must have your NVSR ID tag on her as well. (Let us know if you lost yours and need a new one.) If she has been microchipped, you should have a hang tag with that number. In addition, you will probably have a local registration tag and a rabies tag.
If you dislike the jingle, jingle of dog tags, consider a "tag bag" from Quiet Spot. It keeps the tags quiet and clean, as well as the white fur on a Sheltie's chest. Lots of dog supply places carry this product.
Make sure your dog's martingale collar is adjusted properly, too. The two rings on the big loop that goes around the dog's neck should not meet when the smaller loop (where you attach the leash) is pulled tight. You do not want your dog to back out of his collar if he's frightened.
 We are looking for submissions for the "Happy Tails" page on our website. We especially love those letters written by the dogs themselves. (They make such interesting comments about how they've trained their humans ... and they type so well!) If you'd like your news and photos to be included, send them to shepherd@nvsr.org and state that you want them included on the NVSR website.
 Are you looking for a vendor for a "doggie door" for your yard? If you purchase from Here's a fun exercise video with a well-trained border collie. Can you do this with your Sheltie? That Downward Dog pose is especially good! More laughs with the Dog Diary vs. Cat Diary! |
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Beware of Treats and Food from China
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Read carefully the information on the bag of treats or food that you purchase. Many companies are now selling dog treats and food made in or sourced from China. Some dogs have become ill from these items, so read carefully! Be aware that "Manufactured for ..." doesn't mean "Manufactured by ..."
You can make your own dog treats - then you'll know exactly what is in them. Here's one of our favorite recipes:
Cheese & Green Bean Cookies
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, low or fat free
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cooked green beans, mashed
1 cup beef broth, reduced sodium, plus 1/4 cup for glaze
1/4 cup milk, low or fat free
1 tbsp olive oil
Additional Flour for Rolling
Preheat oven to 350°.
Toss cheese and flour in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mash the green beans. Stir in the broth, milk, and olive oil. Make a well in the center of the cheese/flour, pour in the green bean mixture, and mix thoroughly.
Knead the dough until combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and continue to knead using extra flour. Knead until you have a firm dough. Roll out and cut out shapes. Place the cut outs on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour 1/4 cup of beef broth into a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush it onto the cut outs.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Store for 3 weeks in refrigerator or freezer for 6 months. But, they won't last that long!! |
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New Arrivals
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These newcomers are on our website. Check there for updates about them and when they'll be available for adoption.
Angel, F, 2 yo
Jake, M, 8 yo
Lady Beth, F, 12 yo
Rose, F, 9 months
Roxy, F, 4 yo
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NVSR is on Facebook!
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Check out our NVSR page and "Like" us, so that you'll receive the postings and news automatically. Or, you can go to our page online and see what we're talking about. If you want to join Facebook, it's easy. Keep in touch!
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Play With Your Dog
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 Whole Dog Journal has a great new book out, written by Pat Miller, CPDT, CDBC. It's all about why and how dogs play, not just ways to play with your dog. Those are in the book, too, but also the reasons dogs play and how to get your "I'd rather not play" dog to enjoy the benefits of play.
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| Quick Links | |
Check out The Whole Dog Journal for great tips on training, quality dog food, canine health and dog activities. No advertising, only solid, reliable information that really makes sense!
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| Donate to Help NVSR |
NVSR is a 501(c)(3) organization, and your donation is fully deductible. Donate through PayPal or send a check (address below). We appreciate every dollar we receive - and every dollar goes to help our Shelties!
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| Contact us ... | |
703-912-4002
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