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In This Issue

Upcoming Events!

Movie Night!
Friday, Feb. 26th
Best In Show - PG-13
FREE Admission!
Concessions for Sale
Friendly Dogs On Leash
(call to RSVP)

Spring Break - March 15 - 19
NO DAY CARE
(THANKS for reserving EARLY!)

GPA Speed Alley
Race your dog against a radar gun!
March 27th 10 am - Noon

Mighty Texas Dog Walk
Saturday, April 17th
Walk with Team DogBoy!

 

Share the wealth!

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Open House - Doggone FUN!

DogBoy's Training & Welless Center Open House last month was a big hit!  Well over 100 people came to enjoy training demos, mini massage classes, tours and games.  Thanks to Nicole Mlakar Photography for covering the weekend's events!  We had a great time.  We also want to thank everyone who was involved in the planning and invite you all to come out and see "Chelsea's Place" real soon! 

Photo of Paula doing a Rally-O demo
by Nicole Mlakar Photography

Wellness Treatments Now Available!

DogBoy's is now offering two different wellness services for your best friend. 

Christina Hardinger, CMPT, LSAAT from Skillful Paws will be giving massage treatments on Fridays by appointment.  Massage appointments take between 45 minutes to an hour, and cost $60 per session.  We had our first lucky dog this past Friday, Grady Anderson, and he had a great time!  Grady came for his appointment during his boarding stay.  Grady's dad will get a full report that we will also share with his vet. 

Dr. Jack McGowen, DO from Jaymac Animal Chiropractic is now available for chiropractic appointments on Wednesdays and Fridays!  These appointments only take about 15 minutes, but do require a referral from your vet.  Please contact us to get a referral form.  The cost is $60, and like the massage appointments, the owner is welcome to attend, but it is not required.  Dr. McGowen's chiropractic adjustments also come with a full report for you and your vet.

We are happy to answer any questions you may have about either of these services.  Please contact Kate for more info or to sign up! 

DogBoy's Partners with Austin Humane Society!

In celebration of our new Training & Wellness Center, DogBoy's has forged a formal partnership with the Austin Humane Society . We are planning to see up to three of their more active shelter dogs each week, giving them a complimentary evaluation and day of day care.  This will give those rowdy pups a chance to run and socialize, and get out of that shelter environment for a bit.  We are hoping to help out around 150 dogs a year, which should increase those dogs' chances for adoption and finding that forever home.  The AHS has generously offered to give us a dedicated sponsored run at their facility and to make us major sponsors in their annual Rags to Wags Gala, one of their largest annual fundraisers.  We are currently selling AHS raffle tickets to win a Mazda Miata if you're interested! 

We are SO excited about this partnership with the Austin Humane Society, and can't wait to get started.  Stay tuned to hear more about our visitors!

Photo: Pepper Emken, Austin Humane Society adoptee

You've got problems? We've got Solutions!

Join us for our upcoming training classes:

February Classes:
Sunday, 2/21 -- 2 pm: Level I Obedience for Shy Dogs Sunday, 2/21 -- 4:30 pm: Agility I

March Level I Classes:
Thursday, 3/04 -- 7 pm
Wednesday, 3/10 -- 6:30 pm. This class meets on Wednesdays & Sundays at 6:30 pm
Monday, 3/22 at 6:30 pm

AKC Puppy Head Start Class:
Saturday, March 3/06 at 11 am

Canine Good Citizen Class:
Saturday, 3/20 at 1 pm

Rally-Obedience:
Tuesday, 3/23 at 6:30 pm

Out 'n About:
Sunday, 3/07 at 1pm

Agility I:
Monday, 3/08 at 7 pm

Tricks & Games:
Thursday, 3/25 at 6:30 pm (single session class)

 Just click on the pic of Noodle (right) for a full list of all our upcoming classes!  And remember that we are now having classes rain or shine at Chelsea's Place!

Paula's Picks - Through a Dog's Ear

Amanda and I had the pleasure of attending the Through a Dogs Ear seminar by sound researcher Joshua Leeds and Julliard trained pianist Lisa Spector at the Association of Pet Dog Trainer's conference this past Fall. We learned so much about how sound impacts our dogs, and not always in a good way!

Soothing and relaxing, we have been playing the Through a Dog's Ear  CD in our kennel since Summer '09 with great success - happy, calm,
stress-free dogs. Our staff is noticing the same positive impact!

Psychoacoustically designed, the music supports our dogs? nervous and immune systems. It also relieves stress, helps with separation anxiety and other behavioral challenges. There is even a specific CD designed for dogs who don?t do well riding in the car. And it is all accomplished by simple sound!

One of Our canine massage therapist, Lisa Knaggs, also uses the music during her massage sessions. She reports her massage clients relax faster and remain calm longer.  Interested in learning more about how to recognize stress in our dogs and its resulting impact? We?re having a Stress Seminar on February 27th at 11 a.m. Join us!
 

Staff Dog of the Month - Gracie

Gracie Stedman (known by her gangsta’ name of “G-Sted” around the Ranch) was adopted in June 2003 from the Austin Humane Society when she was only 3 months old. Her new mom Jenny had never owned a dog before and was never around them growing up. So, Jenny and Gracie had a LOT of learning to do as they embarked on this new adventure together.

From the beginning, Gracie was a very loving and very challenging dog! They started out at the AHS puppy class where Gracie let all the other puppies know that SHE was in charge! From there, they went to private lessons that led to a diet change and the suggestion of more exercise.  Jenny took the recommendation of a friend, and still can’t believe her good fortune in finding DogBoy’s!

As Jenny immersed herself in all things “dog”, the staff was extremely helpful in providing recommendations and advice on how to deal with everything from Gracie’s diet to how to trim her nails. The other dogs would look on with envy as Gracie rode up in her Mustang GT Convertible, ears flapping in the wind, twice a week for Day Care.

Over the next few years, DogBoy’s would continue to be an invaluable resource as Jenny got married and introduced her husband Ben into Gracie’s life.  A little over a year after being married, DogBoy’s helped Gracie deal with new babies being added to the household. Now the “big sister” to two little girls and a little boy (ages 4, 2, and 6 months), Gracie has adapted well in large part due to the help and training she and her mom received at DogBoy’s.

Gracie can still be very pushy around other dogs and her playmates are usually limited to ”the big boys”. She was officially moved to an Orange Card when she learned how to climb the wooden fence to chase the neighbors’ cows! However, she still LOVES coming to the Ranch and is so excited about the new wellness opportunities and resources that will now be available through “Chelsea’s Place”.
 

Go DogBoy, Go!

We want to send a big shout out to Bart, aka DogBoy, for completing the Austin Half Marathon !  Our team was there to cheer him on and we couldn't be more proud of his accomplishment.  Bart ran 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 22 minutes (Shave off a minute for having to walk across the crowded finish line!).  Way to go, DogBoy!  Can't wait to see you at the Capitol 10K!

A special thanks to Bart's pal Miki (aka Mighty Mouse) for all her support and for putting up with Bart all 13.1 miles!