July 2007

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03f8dfc3.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0408dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Greenbelt Kennels</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Greenbelt Kennels"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2006"><U>November 2006</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2006"><U>December 2006</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2007"><U>January 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February 2007"><U>February 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March 2007"><U>March 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="April 2007"><U>April 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May 2007"><U>May 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="June 2007"><U>June 2007</U></A>   |   <B>July 2007</B>   |   <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 2007"><U>August 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2007"><U>September/October 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November 2007"><U>November 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="December 2007"><U>December 2007</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January 2008"><U>January 2008</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0408dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>July 2007</I></div> <div> Greenbelt Kennels</div> <div> Waggin’ Tails Doggy Day Care News</div> <div> July, 2007</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Hello again! With this week’s soaring temperatures, clearly we’ve entered the “dog days of summer.” Where did that phrase come from and what does it mean, exactly? Read on to find out. This issue also includes fun things to do with your pup as well as more information about how the staff will take care of things during owner Jean Brown and Elena Alvarez’s imminent vacation. Each month we strive to bring you news about day care and helpful or interesting tidbits about dogs in general. Don't hesitate to pass on suggestions or questions to me: Kellye Crocker, newsletter editor and Cosmo’s “Mom,” at kelcrocker@mchsi.com or 278-5658.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> In This Issue</div> <div> <B>€ A Message From Jean</B>—Who’s in charge while We’re away.</div> <div> <B>€ Dog Park Policy</B>—Sometimes it’s too hot.</div> <div> <B>€ Kennel News</B>—Improving the grounds.</div> <div> <B>€ Meet the Staff</B>—Your dog’s newest friends.</div> <div> <B>€ Out and About</B>—Have fun with your pooch at three events to benefit the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.</div> <div> <B>€ Top Ten Dog-Friendly Cities</B>—Take a vacation with your furry friend.</div> <div> <B>€ Dog Days</B>—A quick primer on what the phrase means and where it came from.</div> <div> <B>€</B> <B>Dogs in the News</B>—California debates a pet sterilization law and the sickening underground world of dogfighting.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> A Message From Jean</div> <bR> <div> My granddaughter Elena and I take off early this week for our two-month trek across Alaska and Canada. We’re planning several educational opportunities for Elena, who is home-schooled. And I could use a break.</div> <bR> <div> We are leaving our day care “kids” in good hands. Juli Coats, featured with her sister, Jessica, in last month’s newsletter, has been promoted to kennel manager. Please see Juli if you have a problem, question or concern while We’re away. She will oversee our morning operations. My niece, Beth Clark, will be in charge during afternoons and evenings. Two day care clients will step in on weekends: Zipporah Woods, “Mom” to Lazarus the Lab Mix and Lulu, a Shiba Inu Mix that was abandoned at the kennel; and Mary Vansice, “Mom” to Beagles Sam and Sweet Pea.</div> <bR> <div> As we mentioned last month, Lindsay Davis will be handling a lot of the paperwork, including the day care invoices. If you have a question about your bill, please contact her by hitting “reply” to your invoice email or leave her a telephone message. She will return your message in a timely manner, but please be aware that she works part-time.</div> <bR> <div> Also, remember that if you need to board, please give Juli or Beth a note with your dog’s name and the requested dates. This is a very busy time of year, so try to book as far in advance as possible. Have a great summer, and Elena and I will see you in September!</div> <bR> <div> <I>—Jean Brown</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Dog Park Policy</div> <bR> <div> Our day care “kids” love going to the West Des Moines dog park. And their humans like it, too, because the trips provide off-lease exercise and a stimulating change of pace. (Not to mention that they come home “dog tired.”) The day care has even hired more staff to keep up with the high demand for dog park trips.</div> <bR> <div> Please understand that sometimes we may have to shorten the trips so the dogs aren't in the heat for too long. During some scorcher days, we may skip the park altogether. When that happens, the staff spends extra time playing with your dogs on-site, where it is cooler and safer for them.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Kennel News: Looking Good</div> <bR> <div> Greenbelt has been making physical improvements, and many of you have noticed! Beth did a great job of painting the interior. We’ve moved the front desk and added a small door to better accommodate you and your dogs.</div> <bR> <div> Outside, we’ve repaired and resurfaced the blacktop driveway. Staff members have been clearing brush and debris left by the tornado-type winds that had dogs and employees in the basement, as well as cleaning, repairing and painting—often without even being asked, Jean says. “It is really great to have people around who see that something needs to be done—and they do it,” she says.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Meet the Staff</div> <bR> <div> Our newest employee is Jeremy Domsch, who does a bit of everything—from driving the van to the dog park to refilling water dishes. He has a 13-year-old Pit Bull named Misty. “She’s my baby,” he says with a grin. Working with the day care dogs “is therapeutic, almost,” Jeremy says.</div> <bR> <div> You may have also seen Juli’s daughter, Kaylie, helping out. She’ll be 13 in September and thinks working at a doggy day care is pretty cool.</div> <bR> <div> Out and About: Mark Your Calendar</div> <bR> <div> € <B>WOOFStock</B> is a new event at Ankeny SummerFest for groovy pups and pet lovers. You'll find treats—for those with four and two legs—plus live entertainment by Mike Fonda and Mary McAdams.</div> <bR> <div> Details: Sunday, July 15, 4-7 p.m. at the SummerFest Leisure Garden at Prairie Ridge Sports Complex in Ankeny. Admission: $10 per dog, humans free. Proceeds benefit the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.</div> <bR> <div> <B>€ </B>A recent Greenbelt newsletter included a link to a story about people doing yoga with their dogs. Your faithful newsletter editor mused about how long it would take for the trend to make it from the coast to Corn Country. Well, friends, the wait is over. Now’s your chance to participate in <B>“DOGA, Yoga With Your Dog.”</B></div> <bR> <div> Details: Saturday, July 21, 8:45-11 a.m. at the Aurora Business Park Pond in Urbandale. Sponsored by the ARL and Liz Taylor Yoga. Cost: $15 per person; dogs free. Bring a beach towel, standard leash and your dog’s favorite treats. The event includes 30 minutes of fun stretches with your dog, a meet-and-greet with ARL adoptable pets and an easy-going dog walk around the pond. Refreshments, prizes and fun are promised.</div> <bR> <div> <B>€</B> Celebrate the boys of summer at the <B>Dog Days of Summer</B>, the ninth-annual pooch-friendly Iowa Cubs game, sponsored by the Cubs and the ARL.</div> <bR> <div> Details: Wednesday, August 1, gates open at 5:30 p.m. The Iowa Cubs take on the Tucson Sidewinders at 7:05 p.m. Cost: Dogs free with paid human admission (includes free pup bandana). Your dog can show off his new bandana in a parade from first base to third base at 6:30 p.m. Dogs and their families will have a special seating area.</div> <bR> <div> At these and other ARL events, dogs must be at least 4 months old, on leash at all times and current on vaccinations. Female dogs in heat are not allowed.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Top Ten Dog-Friendly Cities</div> <bR> <div> DogFriendly.com recently announced its Fifth Annual list of top dog-friendly cities in North America. Cities are judged on several criteria, including the number of dog-welcoming attractions, hotels and outdoor cafés. The 2007 winners:</div> <bR> <div> 1. <B>Boston, Massachusetts</B>. Getting around is easy because the subway, called “the T,” allows leashed dogs to ride except during rush hour. Many beaches and attractions allow dogs.</div> <bR> <div> 2. <B>Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.</B> Several shops and outdoor restaurants welcome dogs. You'll also find seven off-leash beaches and more than 20 off-leash parks.</div> <bR> <div> 3. <B>New York City, New York</B>. Enjoy a carriage ride through Central Park with your pup and then browse the William Secord Art Gallery, selling paintings of more than 100 breeds. Take one of the many dog-friendly taxis to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park to splash at the man-made swimming pond for dogs.</div> <bR> <div> 4. <B>San Francisco, California.</B> Hop a famous cable car with your pooch, walk across Golden Gate Bridge together and hit one of the many beaches and parks that welcome dogs.</div> <bR> <div> 5. <B>Austin, Texas.</B> You'll find lots of dog-friendly hotels, parks and patio restaurants, plus ten off-leash areas. From March through November, visit the Congress Bridge Bat Colony at sunset to see 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats—North America’s largest colony—fly off looking for supper.</div> <bR> <div> 6. <B>Portland, Oregon</B>. Take a break at the Iron Mutt Coffee Company, where your dog can romp around an off-leash play area. A city amusement park and the famous rose gardens allow leashed dogs. Raise a Black Lab Stout at one of the Lucky Labrador Brewing Company’s three pubs.</div> <bR> <div> 7. <B>Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C.</B> Set sail with the Potomac Riverboat Co. Canine Cruises, take in Doggy Happy Hour at the Old Town Holiday Inn Select in Alexandria, Virginia, and let your pup sniff all the memorials on The Mall.</div> <bR> <div> 8. <B>Orlando, Florida.</B> Dine with your dog at Sam Snead’s Tavern, where former Gov. Jeb Bush signed the state’s Doggy Dining Law. Choose among pet-friendly resorts such as Portofino Bay Hotel and Sheraton World Hotel.</div> <bR> <div> 9. <B>San Diego, California</B>. Explore several dog-friendly beaches and outdoor restaurants. The Otay Ranch Town Shopping Center has its own off-leash park.</div> <bR> <div> 10. <B>Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.</B> Carriage rides and walking tours welcome dogs. Fort Wolf (in Fort Worth) is considered one of the country’s best dog parks. Hotels in a variety of price ranges welcome dogs, too.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Honorable mentions:</B> Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Seattle, Washington.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> These are the Dog Days</div> <bR> <div> Hot enough for ya? We’ve entered “the dog days” of summer—the hottest, most humid days of the year, at least in our part of the world. This is also the time when Sirius—the dog star and the brightest star in the night sky—rises and sets in conjunction with the Sun. Ancient Egyptians and Romans thought when this happened, Sirius added heat to the Sun’s heat, creating the hottest days, according to Cornell University’s Ask an Astronomer website. (Sirius doesn't really make it hotter, though.) The ancients called the period from 20 days before Sirius’ conjunction with the Sun to 20 days after the “dog days of summer.”</div> <bR> <div> Wikipedia reports that in modern times, the phrase has taken on new meanings. “Dog days of summer” often refers to the American stock market, which is slower in the summer. (And poor performers are called “dogs.”) Plus, many people believe it’s a reference to dogs and how they behave on hot, humid days. (Lazing around? Could be they're a lot smarter than us humans!)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Dogs in the News </div> <bR> <div> € <B>Mandated pet sterilization?</B> A proposed California law to require most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered passed the state Assembly by one vote and now heads to the Senate amid howls of protest. Read the San Francisco Examiner story: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><U>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/27/national/a112359D04.DTL&type=politics</U></FONT></div> <bR> <div> € <B>Sick “sport.” </B>Newsweek recently ran a story about the prevalence of professional dogfighting in the United States. Unfortunately, it isn't available for free online. But they do offer this eye-opening interview with a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detective, talking about the problem: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><U>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19028969/site/newsweek/</U></FONT></div> <bR> <div> A story Saturday in the Washington Post offered more information on the investigation into allegations of dogfighting against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><U>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/07/AR2007070700250.html</U></FONT></div> <bR> <div> That’s it for now. Thank you for sharing your dogs with us at day care! Stay cool.</div> <bR> <div> Until next month,</div> <div> Kellye</div> <div> Newsletter Editor/Cosmo’s “Mom”</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>