NVSR logoThe Sheltie Spin

 

Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue 
July 2013 

 

"Giving Shelties a New Leash on Life" 
In This Issue
Keep Your Sheltie Safe in a Vehicle
Come and See Us!
News and Notes
Dog Treat of the Month
10 Top Reasons ...
Keep Your Sheltie Safe in a Vehicle

It's summer, and we all want to go places and do things with our Shelties. So, just open the car door, invite him to jump in, and take off.  Right?  We want you to rethink that in favor of a safe trip for you and your Sheltie.  Here are guideliness for keeping you both safe when traveling.

Secure your dog.  Anything loose in a car becomes a missile in an accident, including your dog, injuring herself and anyone else.  Even a small fender-bender can cause a door to pop open, and the frightened Sheltie would take off, perhaps across a busy highway. A loose animal in the vehicle is distracting (not to mention a cell phone call, French fries, and yelling children, all at the same time).   

 

A crate is always best.  Tie it down, so that it cannot shift.  In case of an accident, the crate (with dog in it) can be removed from the car and put in a safe place.  A loose dog in the car can be threatening to emergency personnel (or others) trying to help, and the dog may be harmed in their efforts to help. 

 

Use a seatbelt harness.  If your dog loves to look out the window or you don't have room for a crate, this is the solution.  Purchase one that fits properly and use it every time, even for those short trips. (Remember, most accidents happen within a few miles of home.)  

 

Keep heads and paws inside. Don't allow your dog to hang out an open window when the car is moving.  Too many things to mention here can happen!

 

Keep your dog out of the front seat.  In an accident, an air bag can go off, causing severe injury or death to your dog.

 

Never, ever leave your dog in the car in warm (or hot) weather! Need we say more?? 

 

And, don't think that in an accident you can hang on to that dog on your lap.  You will not be able to!  That's why we have laws about children in car seats.  It's impossible to hang on to something when your car is decelerating quickly.  

 

Now that you're all prepared, have a wonderful, safe summer! Go have some fun with your Sheltie.  

Come and See Us!

Information about all our upcoming events is on our website "Events and News" page.

 
Melinda on Corigliano.
Saturday, July 27 - Saddle Cover Sales at the Morven Park Dressage Event, Leesburg, VA, 10am - 4pm. 
Our volunteer, Melinda McKenzie Hall, is a dressage rider (that's horses, for those who don't know), and she sews saddle covers to sell and benefit NVSR.  Several of our volunteers will be at the horse show selling piles of saddle covers.  If you want to see some gorgeous horses and excellent riders - come on out! (Maybe YOU need a new saddle cover.  Melinda sells these by mail, too.) It's also Downtown Day in Leesburg, right around the corner, so check that out, too.  Our volunteer, Barb Gardner, owns Black Shutter Antiques in the heart of historic Leesburg.  Stop in!


Saturday, August 10 - NVSR Day at Prince Michel Winery, Leon, VA, 10:30am-3pm.
  Join us for a day of Shelties and fine wine at this beautiful winery featuring Rapidan Valley wines.  They will donate a portion of their sales that day to NVSR. So, come and stock up!
 

ParadeB Saturday, September 21 - Mark your calendar NOW for the fabulous and not-to-be-missed NVSR Annual Picnic, at Curtis Memorial Park in Hartwood, VA. Noon to 4m. Please note that we moved the date one week earlier! The picnic extravaganza will be bigger and better than ever.  We'll have a barkin' good time!! If you have something special to donate to the Silent Auction, please let us know.

News and Notes


Looking for one of our e-newsletter articles or links from past issues?  You can find them in the e-Spin archives.  
Here's the link.

Dr. Nancy Kay, DVM, has published two very good books about caring for your dog and discussing your dog with your vet:
Speaking for Spot and Your Dog's Best Health.  Check them out at Dr. Kay's websiteHer blog is full of very interesting articles and information, too.  The recent article on photographing dogs with children spurred a lot of comments!


What should you do if you see a dog left in a hot car? Did you know that even on a "cool" day with 72 degrees outside, the temperature in a car can go up to 115 degrees in a short time? 
Read this article about what YOU can do to help a dog in distress in a hot car.


It's hot these days!  Be kind to your Sheltie by keeping him or her indoors when you can.  (Here's a photo of Simeon enjoying the A/C vent on his tummy.)  Exercise your Sheltie early in the morning, in the evening, or even after dark.  Keep him groomed; mats and excessive undercoat just make him hotter.  Keep her water dish filled and accessible.  Give ice cubes as treats.  Listen for thunderstorm warnings and prepare!  Here are some good ideas for helping your dog through a thunderstorm.

Maggie
How much dog body language do you understand?  Humans are verbal creatures, and we are too often oblivious to the subtle (and not so subtle) signals that our canine companions give us.  Click here for an interesting article and video about whether or not a dog really wants to be petted.  
 
Dog Treat of the Month

We'll try to give you a new recipe each month for making your own dog treats.  You'll know exactly what's in them, since you'll make them yourself. (Avoid those store treats that are suspect!)  If you have a favorite recipe, send it in to us, and we'll feature it.

Here's one of our favorite summer treats - back by popular demand, requested by Skippy, Skye, and Dulcie.

Frozen Pupsicles

32 ounces low-fat or non-fat yogurt

2 mashed bananas

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey


Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Blend well. Fill small paper cups (like 3 ounce bathroom size
Dixie cups) with the mixture. Freeze at least two hours. To serve, let thaw slightly & pop pupsicles out of the cup into a bowl by pressing on the bottom of the cup. Decorate with a tiny dog cookie.  Makes approximately 10 pupsicles in 3 oz cups.
10 Reasons why it costs more to have your dog groomed than to have YOUR hair cut:

10. Your hairdresser doesn't wash and clean your rear end.
9. You don't go for eight weeks without washing or brushing your hair.
8. Your hairdresser doesn't have to give you a sanitary trim.
7. Your hairdresser doesn't clean your ears.
6. Your hairdresser doesn't remove the boogies from your eyes.
5. You sit still for your hairdresser.
4. Your haircut doesn't include a manicure or a pedicure.
3. Your hairdresser washes and cuts only the hair on your head.
2. You don't whine or try to avoid your hairdresser.

And the #1 reason why it costs more to get your dog groomed than it does to get YOUR hair cut is: The likelihood of YOU biting the hairdresser is pretty slim!

Here's one of our favorite post-grooming photos ...

New Arrivals

These beautiful Sheltie newcomers are on our website.  Check there for updates about them and when they'll be available for adoption.


Bella, F, 10 months

Birdie, F, 1 yo

Buddy, M, 6 yo

Rosebud, F, 2 yo Rudi, M, 4-5 yo

Sparky, M, 12 weeks
Donate to NVSR through CFC
CFCLogo
NVSR is a listed charity with the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).  If you work for the Federal government, please consider signing up to give to NVSR through payroll deduction. Our designation number is on the logo above. Many thanks!
News About May
Many of you asked about May and helped out with her expenses with generous donations.  We're happy to report that May came through her open heart surgery just fine, and she's recuperating now with her foster dad on a country farm with lots of other animals, including Shelties. May has to put up with limited exercise for another few weeks, then she's allowed a little more exercise for another six weeks.  Her surgery was successful, and we expect that she'll live a long life with her repaired heart.

May was picked up as a stray wandering around a questionable neighborhood.  NVSR took her from the shelter only to discover that her heart was near failure and that only open heart surgery could help.  We didn't hesitate to schedule that, and the result is wonderful!

Many thanks to everyone who helped defray her expenses! 
 
Learn More About Canines
A brand-new edition of a classic is out!  Sheltie Talk, the recognized standard reference about Shelties, is available in its 3rd edition.  It is in two volumes now - there's just so much to know about these fabulous dogs.

Sheltie Talk by Betty Jo McKinney
 

 

Quick Links
Wondering about Sheltie Colors?
 
Help NVSR with your online purchases through iGive, GoodSearch, and Helping Udders.
 
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! The February issue includes their annual survey of dry dog foods.  Don't miss it! WDJ has lots of excellent e-books, too.
NVSR is on Facebook and LinkedIn!

Check out our NVSR FB page and "Like" us, so that you'll receive the postings and news automatically.

 

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We're also on LinkedIn, so check in there, if you use that social network.


Thanks to our volunteers, Gregg Bender, Jessica Frost, and John Winslow, for helping set up and update these sites.
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