MRDO 2006 PICTURES AT LAST!!!

I've finally managed to upload pictures of the MRDO 2006. Here are some of the pictures. The rest of the pictures can be viewed at Cleo's Photo Albums.

Cleopatra

Natasha and Cleo

Belle and Iskandar

Nancy with ice cream for Kookie

Sarah, Belle and Cleo

Sarah, Belle, Douglas, Cleo and Amber

VACCINATE YOUR DOG!!!

Good morning everyone,

A friend of mine was asking about vaccination for dogs, and I figured I ought to put something up on the subject.

Vaccination for your puppy and / dog is very important as it can help protect them from harmful diseases. The exact vaccination requirement for each dog may differ according to breed, climate and environment. It is also very important that you track and monitor vaccination dates for your dog. Don't delay vaccination and try to ensure that booster shots etc are given on time. Set a reminder on your computer or even on your mobile so you won't forget your next appointment.

I have extracted an article from PetEducation.Com on vaccination for your puppy/dog. Please note that this is merely a guide for dog owners. Please ENSURE that you consult your local vet for the vaccination requirements for your dog.

Regards,

Natasha

A lab pup being vaccinated

Vaccination Recommendations for Puppies (Puppy Shots)

Race Foster, DVM

Marty Smith, DVM

Holly Nash, DVM, MS

Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.


The vaccination of puppies (puppy shots) is one of the crucial steps in assuring the puppy will have a healthy and happy puppyhood. The who, what, why, when, where, and how of vaccinations are complicated, and may vary from puppy to puppy. Always consult with your veterinarian to determine which vaccines are appropriate for your puppy. To better understand vaccines, it is important to understand how the puppy is protected from disease the first few weeks of its life.

Protection from the mother (maternal antibodies)
A newborn puppy is not naturally immune to diseases. However, it does have some antibody protection which is derived from its mother's blood via the placenta. The next level of immunity is from antibodies derived from the first milk. This is the milk produced from the time of birth and continuing for 36-48 hours. This antibody-rich milk is called colostrum. The puppy does not continue to receive antibodies through its mother's milk. It only receives antibodies until it is two days of age. All antibodies derived from the mother, either via her blood or colostrum are called maternal antibodies. It must be noted that the puppy will only receive antibodies against diseases for which the mother had been recently vaccinated against or exposed to. As an example, a mother that had NOT been vaccinated against or exposed to parvovirus, would not have any antibodies against parvovirus to pass along to her puppies. The puppies then would be susceptible to developing a parvovirus infection.

Window of susceptibility
The age at which puppies can effectively be immunized is proportional to the amount of antibody protection the puppy received from its mother. High levels of maternal antibodies present in the puppies' bloodstream will block the effectiveness of a vaccine. When the maternal antibodies drop to a low enough level in the puppy, immunization by a commercial vaccine will work.
The antibodies from the mother generally circulate in the newborn's blood for a number of weeks. There is a period of time from several days to several weeks in which the maternal antibodies are too low to provide protection against the disease, but too high to allow a vaccine to work. This period is called the window of susceptibility. This is the time when despite being vaccinated, a puppy or kitten can still contract the disease.

When should puppies be vaccinated?
The length and timing of the window of susceptibility is different in every litter, and even between individuals in a litter. A study of a cross section of different puppies showed that the age at which they were able to respond to a vaccine and develop protection (become immunized) covered a wide period of time. At six weeks of age, 25% of the puppies could be immunized. At 9 weeks of age, 40% of the puppies were able to respond to the vaccine. The number increased to 60% by 16 weeks of age, and by 18 weeks, 95% of the puppies could be immunized.

Almost all researchers agree that for puppies and kittens, we need to give at least three combination vaccinations and repeat these at one year of age.

Consult with your veterinarian to determine which vaccinations your puppy should receive, and how often.

Drs. Foster and Smith prefer to vaccinate puppies with a combination vaccine at six weeks of age initially, with boosters given every three weeks until the puppy is about sixteen weeks of age. We feel that this schedule will help protect the widest range of dogs. We realize that with our protocol, we will be vaccinating some dogs that are not capable of responding, and we will be revaccinating some dogs that have already responded and developed a protection. But without doing an individual test on each puppy, it is impossible to determine when the puppy's immune system will be best able to respond. We also realize that in the face of an infection, due to the window of susceptibility, some litters will contract a disease (e.g., parvo) despite being vaccinated. By using quality vaccines and an aggressive vaccination protocol, we can make this window of susceptibility as small as possible. Our vaccination protocol may not be right for every puppy. Puppies that are not exposed to other dogs and have a very small chance of coming in contact with parvovirus, may not need to be vaccinated as frequently. At the same time, some 'high risk' puppies may need a more intense and aggressive vaccination program. It is best to work with your veterinarian on a vaccination protocol that is best for your individual puppy or kennel, taking into consideration your individual situation.

Against which diseases should puppies be vaccinated?
The AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents' Report on Cat and Dog Vaccines has recommneded that the core vaccines for dogs include distemper, canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), and canine parvovirus-2.

Noncore vaccines include leptospirosis, coronavirus, canine parainfluenza and Bordetella bronchiseptica (both are causes of 'kennel cough'), and Borrelia burgdorferi (causes Lyme Disease). Consult with your veterinarian to select the proper vaccines for your puppy.

AVMA Vaccination Recommendations for Dogs

Canine Distemper
Class: Core
Efficacy:High
Length of Immunity: > 1 year for modified live virus (MLV) vaccines
Risk/Severity of Adverse Effects: Low

Measles
Class: Noncore
Efficacy: High in preventing disease, but not in preventing infection
Length of Immunity: Long
Risk/Severity of Adverse Effects: Infrequent
Comments: Use in high risk environments for canine distemper in puppies 4-10 weeks of age

Parvovirus
Class: Core
Efficacy: High
Length of Immunity: > 1 year
Risk/Severity of Adverse Effects: Low

Hepatitis
Class: Core
Efficacy: High
Length of Immunity: > 1 year
Risk / Severity of Adverse Effects: Low
Comments: Only use canine adenovirus-2 (CAV-2) vaccines

Rabies
Class: Core
Efficacy: High
Length of Immunity: Dependent upon type of vaccine
Risk / Severity of Adverse Effects: Low to moderate

Respiratory disease from canine adenovirus-2 (CAV-2)
Class: Noncore
Efficacy: Not adequately studied
Length of immunity: Short
Risk / Severity of Adverse Effects: Minimal
Comments: If vaccination warranted, boost annually or more frequently

Parainfluenza
Class: Noncore
Efficacy: Intranasal MLV - Moderate Injectable MLV - Low
Length of Immunity: Moderate
Risk / severity of Adverse Effects: Low
Comments: Only recommended for dogs in kennels, shelters, shows, or large colonies; If vaccination warranted, boost annually or more frequently

Bordetella
Class: Noncore
Efficacy: Intranasal MLV - Moderate Injectable MLV - Low
Length of Immunity: Short
Risk / Severity of Adverse Effects: Low
Comments: For the most benefit, use intranasal vaccine 2 weeks prior to exposure

Leptospirosis
Class: Noncore
Efficacy: Variable
Length of Immunity: Short
Risk / Severity of Adverse Effects: High
Comments: Up to 30% of dogs may not respond to vaccine

Coronavirus
Class: Noncore
Efficacy: Low
Length of Immnunity: Short
Risk / Severity of Adverse Effects: Low
Comments: Risk of exposure high in kennels, shelters, shows, breeding facilities

Lyme
Class: Noncore
Efficacy: Appears to be limited to previously unexposed dogs; variable
Length of Immunity: Revaccinate annually
Risk / Severity of Adverse Effects: Moderate

A possible vaccination schedule for the 'average' puppy is shown below.

Puppy Vaccination Schedule

Age - 5 weeks
Parvovirus: for puppies at high risk of exposure to parvo, some veterinarians recommend vaccinating at 5 weeks. Check with your veterinarian.

Age - 6 & 9 weeks
Combination vaccine* without leptospirosis. Coronavirus: where coronavirus is a concern.
12 weeks or older

Rabies: Given by your local veterinarian (age at vaccination may vary according to local law).

Age - 12 & 15 weeks**
Combination vaccine Leptospirosis: include leptosporosis in the combination vaccine where leptospirosis is a concern, or if traveling to an area where it occurs. Coronavirus: where coronavirus is a concern. Lyme: where Lyme disease is a concern or if traveling to an area where it occurs.

Adult (boosters)§
Combination vaccine Leptospirosis: include leptospirosis in the combination vaccine where leptospirosis is a concern, or if traveling to an area where it occurs. Coronavirus: where coronavirus is a concern. Lyme: where Lyme disease is a concern or if traveling to an area where it occurs. Rabies: Given by your local veterinarian (time interval between vaccinations may vary according to local law).

*A combination vaccine, often called a 5-way vaccine, usually includes adenovirus cough and hepatitis, distemper, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. Some combination vaccines may also include leptospirosis (7-way vaccines) and/or coronavirus. The inclusion of either canine adenovirus-1 or adenovirus-2 in a vaccine will protect against both adenovirus cough and hepatitis; adenovirus-2 is highly preferred.

**Some puppies may need additional vaccinations against parvovirus after 15 weeks of age. Consult with your local veterinarian.

§ According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs at low risk of disease exposure may not need to be boostered yearly for most diseases. Consult with your local veterinarian to determine the appropriate vaccination schedule for your dog. Remember, recommendations vary depending on the age, breed, and health status of the dog, the potential of the dog to be exposed to the disease, the type of vaccine, whether the dog is used for breeding, and the geographical area where the dog lives or may visit.

Bordetella and parainfluenza: For complete canine cough protection, we recommend Intra-Trac II ADT. For dogs that are shown, in field trials, or are boarded, we recommend vaccination every six months with Intra-Trac II ADT.

Vaccine dose
It is NOT true that a small breed of puppy should receive a smaller vaccine dose than puppies of larger breeds. All puppies regardless of age, body weight, breed, and gender are given the same vaccine dose. Vaccines are generally administered in one milliliter (cc) doses. Simply follow the manufacturer's recommendations. To administer a lesser vaccine amount than recommended will likely result in insufficient immunity.

Time to produce protection
Vaccines do not stimulate immunity immediately after they are administered. Once a vaccine is administered, the antigens must be recognized, responded to, and remembered by the immune system. In most puppies, disease protection does not begin until five days post vaccination. Full protection from a vaccine usually takes up to fourteen days. In some instances, two or more vaccinations several weeks apart must be given to achieve protection. In general, modified live vaccines and those vaccines administered intranasally provide the fastest protection.

Why do some vaccinated animals still get the disease?
It is a fact that in the USA today, literally hundreds and perhaps thousands of vaccinated dogs and cats are still contracting the diseases they were vaccinated against. Some term this 'vaccine failure,' although it is more likely a failure of the immune system to respond than a problem with the vaccine itself.

Parvovirus is a serious case in point. How can a puppy get the disease and possibly die if it was vaccinated? Unfortunately, for some reason the vaccine did not stimulate the immune system enough to protect the puppy from disease. The reason may be interfering maternal antibodies, the vaccines themselves, the dog's own immune system, or genetics. By far, the most common reason in puppies is interfering maternal antibodies.

KEEPING YOUR PET SAFE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!

Hello everyone,

In line with the recent Malaysian Responsible Dog Ownership Day, I thought I should post an article about Safety for your Dogs. There are some very interesting and important points that I feel every dog owner should know.

Regards,

Natasha

Extracted DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital

Safety Tips
Even though we care about your pets, it doesn’t mean that we want to see them in need of our care. Here are some great tips on how to avoid our emergency room and keep your pets safe all year long.

Hot Weather

Never leave your pet in the car
It may seem like a car trip will cool off your pet, but it will probably do more harm than good. The sun can raise the temperature in the car to 120 degrees Fahrenheit within minutes.

Pets, like humans, need extra water
Whether you're indoors or out, both you and your pet need access to lots of fresh water during the summer, so check water bowls several times a day to be sure it's full. If you go outside, be sure to bring plenty of water for both of you.

Keep a close eye on themIf they’re extra thirsty, pets are bound to drink something they shouldn’t drink. Puddles of what looks like water may be on the ground, but they may include antifreeze or other dangerous chemicals. Did you know that antifreeze has a sweet taste that animals like? But watch out. It can be toxic.

Pets need sunscreen
Your pet can get sunburned, just like you! Especially if he or she has light colored hair. Animal sunburns can cause some of the same problems as with people: pain, peeling, and skin cancer. Keep your pet out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. When you do go outside, rub a bit of pet safe sunblock on unprotected areas like the tips of the ears, the skin around the lips, and the tip of the nose. Some sunblock can be dangerous to your pets. A rule of thumb: If it’s safe for babies, it’s safe for your pets.

Watch the exercise
Don’t overdo it in the heat. Keep walks to a gentle pace. If your pet is panting a lot or seems exhausted, it's time to stop.

Inside is better than Outside - (I subscribe to this rule whole heartedly as it's always safer to have them indoors!)
Even if they’re in the shade, animals can get sick quickly on hot days. Keep them inside as much as possible. If you have to leave them outside, check on them regularly.

Watch for Heatstroke
It can be fatal. If you suspect your pet has heatstroke, call a veterinarian immediately. In the meantime, lower the animal's body temperature by applying towels soaked in cool water to the hairless areas of the body. Often the pet will respond after only a few minutes of cooling, only to falter again with his temperature soaring back up or falling to well below what is normal. With this in mind, remember that it is imperative to get the animal to a veterinarian immediately.

Signs of Heatstroke:
Panting
Staring
Anxious expression
Refusal to obey commands
Warm, dry skin
High fever
Rapid heartbeat
Vomiting
Collapse


Cold Weather

A FUR COAT DOES NOT ENSURE WARMTH!
Hypothermia and dehydration are the two most probable life-threatening conditions for animals in cold weather. Make sure your pet is indoors or in covered shelter, with plenty of food and water. Blankets or thick towels, even an old quilt will give your animal something to snuggle in against the cold. If you cannot bring your animal inside, check on him or her regularly.

Animals drink less in cold weather, so it’s important to make sure your pet is getting hydrated. Be sure your pet’s water supply does not freeze.

Very young and older animals need special attention during the cold. Their immune systems can’t handle the weather as well as other pets.

Be aware that some chemicals used to melt snow are hazardous to your pet! Keep a close eye on them when they’re outside, and be sure to clean off their feet when they come back inside. That way, they won’t lick their feet and ingest any toxic residue.
Call your vet immediately with any health concerns.

Hiking & Walking in Nature
Make sure your pet has a clean bill of health. Apply a flea & tick repellant.

Map out your journey: beware of sharp rocks, steep slopes, hot sand, surf with undertow
Provide plenty of water. An average, healthy, resting 100 lb. dog requires about 3 liters a day. That may double if he’s exercising. Ocean water is not recommended.

Keep an eye on your dog. Is he showing signs of heat exhaustion? They are: excessive panting, difficulty breathing, lack of urination, brick red gums, staggering, vomiting, or diarrhea. If you are nowhere near help, immerse your pet in cool water and rest in a shady area.

Don’t share pain medication with your pet. Anti-inflammatory drugs like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin can have toxic effects on their livers, gastrointestinal systems, and kidneys.

Common Household Dangers:

Anitfreeze
De-icing salts used to melt snow and ice
Chemicals used on lawns and gardens, such as fertilizer and plant food
Cedar and other soft wood shavings, including pine. They emit fumes that may be dangerous to small mammals like hamsters and gerbils.
Human medications including pills and ointments
String, yarn, rubber bands, and dental floss
Toys with removable parts—like squeaky toys or stuffed animals with plastic eyes
Human foods to keep away from pets:
Onions and onion powder
Alcoholic beverages
Grapes
Macadamia nuts
Turkey & chicken bones
Chocolate
Yeast dough
Coffee grounds and beans
Salt
Tomato, Potato and Rhubarb leaves and stems
Avocados (toxic to birds, mice, rabbits, horses, cattle, and dairy goats)
Anything with mold growing on it.

Household plants to keep away from pets:
Azalea
Geraniums
Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)
Lilies
Mistletoe
Philodendron

Raw Meat
While there are advocates of raw food diets for pets, there can also be dangers associated with it. Chicken can be especially dangerous. It is a major carrier of Salmonella bacteria.

How do you know if your animal has been infected with salmonella?

Here are the most common signs:

Diarrhea - often watery and containing mucus or blood
Vomiting
Increased salivation (especially cats)
Increased thirst
Abdominal pain
Other signs include:
High body temperatures
Depression
Dehydration
Weight loss
Weakness
Shock


Many animals can be infected with Salmonella but show no signs at all. That presents a real risk to humans especially young children who may handle infected pets. Basic hygiene is important to prevent the spread of the bacteria, especially after playing with animals, cleaning out their environments or handling their food and water bowls. Hands should be washed thoroughly.

Paraquat
Animals often vomit quite soon after ingesting the paraquat-containing food. Sometimes they will vomit up pieces of the food that the poison was hidden in. Occasionally they’ll vomit multiple times.
Often, animals will seem to feel better after the initial vomiting, but others will continue to vomit. Usually, within a couple of days, the vomiting will start up again, and the animals will become lethargic. They will usually stop eating. If very large quantities are ingested, they may progress more quickly through the symptoms and show signs of respiratory distress or death.

Slug Bait & Other Poisons
Slug baits:The ones containing metaldehyde are toxic to pets. They are cheap, abundant, and well advertised, but they seriously affect your pet’s central nervous system.They can cause tremors, drooling, restlessness and often proceed to seizures and death if not treated.

Non-toxic alternatives:
Beer or yeast placed in slug traps
Copper bars or crushed eggshells placed around plants
Iron phosphate pellets found under commercial name such as “Worry-Free,” "Sluggo," and "Escargot.”

Rodent Baits
The most popular chemicals used to control rodent populations have been “anticoagulants.” These cause the body to lose its ability to clot normally, and in three to five days, a rodent will die of internal bleeding. Currently, one of the most popular baits on the market is bromethalin. Animals who ingest a substantial quantity of this bait can have tremors, running fits, seizures, and death within the first few hours. Smaller amounts may cause weakness and wobbliness that progress to paralysis and coma. Bromethalin is often green and in a block or pellets like many anticoagulants.
If you can’t use non-toxic alternatives, always use a tamper-proof bait station. For the best possible results, consult with or utilize a professional who is knowledgeable about proper baiting techniques, equipment, and current products on the market and who is accustomed to treating homes with pets and children.

Fourth of July (or Hari Raya / New Year)
It’s important to be extra careful with your dog this weekend as you celebrate the 4th of July holiday. Unfortunately, this weekend is one of our busiest times at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. Our expert staff wants all pet owners to keep these things in mind as they celebrate the holiday:
Trips to the ParkWith so many people and pets enjoying limited spaces, it’s important to keep control of them, either by leash or command. Keep a close eye on your dogs, and keep them within view at all times. Sniffing is an acceptable activity, but don’t allow them to eat or drink anything in a public area.

Fireworks Noise
Explosions are extremely frightening for house pets. Keep pets inside in a quiet, dark area with limited access to windows or other potential hazards. A radio or fan can provide soothing background noise to drown out the sound of fireworks outside. If you know that your pet’s nerves become extremely frazzled during this holiday, contact your veterinarian ahead of time to see if he or she recommends sedating them. Make sure your pets have proper identification in the form of ID tags or microchips, so if they escape, you can be quickly contacted when they are found.

Fireworks Ingestion

Fireworks in shiny packages can look like an appetizing snack and, if eaten, can be poisonous to animals. And although the risk is usually small, animals can be burned from falling fireworks and sparklers. Keep both used and unused fireworks away from pets.

Holiday Food
It may be tempting to allow pets to snack alongside you at your 4th of July picnic, but “holiday food” can wreak havoc on a dog’s system. Keep fatty, sugary foods and alcoholic drinks away from prying noses.

Halloween
Before and after Halloween:
Keep all candy out of reach, not just chocolate! A lot of people know chocolate is dangerous to dogs, but so are other candies. Sugar can cause nasty gastrointestinal upset.

Lollipop sticks and plastic parts and wrappers can cause intestinal obstruction and potentially rupture the intestines:THAT’S A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY!

Keep candles away from tails and toes.
Keep decorative light strands away from curious puppies and kitties. One chewing session can be dangerous and possibly deadly.

Halloween night:
Keep your pets locked indoors and away from trick-or-treaters. Dogs especially may feel that their territory is being invaded by the constant onslaught of visitors. Keeping your dog in a secluded area of the house will help him stay calm and keep him from growling or possibly biting your visiting ghouls and goblins. It will also keep your pet from being able to dart outdoors.

Don’t take your dog along trick or treating. Even typically calm dogs may get spooked by excited, shrill voices and strange costumes.

Make sure your dog has current, accurate & readable identification tags. If you have recently changed your address or phone number, update the ID immediately. If you haven’t yet, take this opportunity to have your pet micro-chipped with an AVID chip. Your vet can help you with this easy, painless procedure.

If you have a black cat, be especially careful about keeping it indoors on Halloween. Some people are superstitious about black cats and may try to scare or harm them.

Costumes are typically more fun for humans than animals:

An animal in a costume should NEVER be left alone and unsupervised. Some pets, if left alone in costume, may chew it up and ingest it. This could cause intestinal obstruction.
If the costumed pet escapes or is frightened away, the costume could get caught on trees, fences, or bushes, and your pet could get hurt.

Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving weekend is always a busy time for doctors at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. Often, animals get sick because of distracted or careless pet owners on Thanksgiving Day and the days that follow. Most of the problems are gastrointestinal and can be prevented.

Keep away from your pets:
Turkey Bones (They are hollow and splinter easily into sharp pieces. The splinters can lodge in your pet's throat or intestine or cause punctures to the intestinal tract and create blockages)
Turkey Carcasses (Parts may be undercooked and infected with Salmonella)
Fatty Meats & Gravy
Baked Goods
Garbage containing any leftovers (Don’t forget your outside garbage)

Alternative ways to celebrate:
Add a teaspoon of white turkey meat or broth to your pet's food to share the "Thanksgiving experience" with your animal.
Treat pets to goodies and gifts made especially for them.
Spoil them with an extra hour of brushing or a quiet walk; both of you will appreciate the reprieve from noise and relatives!

Holiday Dangers
Shiny tantalizing strings of tinsel are enticing to cats, and they often pull the silver stuff off the tree by the mouthful. Once ingested, it can become entangled in the cat’s intestines and can create a life threatening obstruction. It is best to avoid tinsel altogether if you have pets in your house.

Mistletoe is a small evergreen plant with white berries that is traditionally hung around the house in hopes of inducing festive “smooching.” All parts of the plant are toxic and as few as three berries can be lethal to a child. It is best not to have mistletoe in a home with pets or children. If it is a “must have” item for holiday tradition, find a plastic replica or seal the living plant in plastic and tack it firmly in place. Remove it as soon as possible when its desired purpose has been achieved.

With more and more of our Christmas ornamentation needing to be “plugged in,” electrical cords are in abundance this time of year. Be careful to keep pets, especially puppies and kittens, from chewing on cords. Limit the length of cords, pets' access to them, and inspect the cords frequently for any signs of fraying.

Keep chocolate away from dogs.
Dogs possess a fondness for chocolate; unfortunately, it contains a stimulant harmful to them (in addition to being loaded with fat and sugar). Keep chocolate in cupboards or sealed containers and off shelves, countertops, and coffee tables. Also beware of suspiciously good-smelling wrapped packages under the tree—no thoughtful friend or family member minds being asked if it’s chocolate when it’s for the safety of the family pet.

MALAYSIA RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP DAY 2006

Note: The Pictures are finally up on Cleo's Multiply Albums

Cleo and Belle had a grand time at the MRDO yesterday, although we didn't let them in the water like we normally do... mainly because the water looked murkier than usual... yuck!

Anyway we got there at about 10.45am and wandered round the grounds of the Central Park. Cleo and Belle made new friends and met some old friends too. Pacco and Amanda were there and Paccp was having a good time splashing about in the water.

We finally met Kookie and Reyee together with owners Nancy and hubby. Kookie was really adorable though I was slightly taken aback by how plump she was in real life. Nancy had always said that she was, but I didn't realise the extent of it I guess. And I think the cutest thing was watching Nancy cool Kookie off with 2 bottles of ice cold mineral water by pouring the water into Kookie's mouth instead of having Kookie lapp it up from a bowl or something. And then of course dear old Kookie had a couple of ice creams too... Hmmm Nancy, maybe you shouldn't give her anymore treats and snacks... ?

Cleo only took part in one event yesterday as all the "long distance" races have been taken off the list of events. She took part in the fastest recall and surprised both Douglas and I by actually charging down the race lane! She usually walks slowly when called, but she literally hurtled down the lane and came crashing into my legs at the finish line! We were so pleased with her performance that we didn't really care that she didn't win the heat... Well in fairness she lost to a giant black Great Dane that outran her easily with alot less strides!

I've been trying to put pictures up all of today but haven't been able to load anything but one picture onto blogger or multiply. It's been rather frustrating... and I am not even sure what the problem is. Sigh... will try and put some pictures up as soon as I can.

I really hope everyone there had fun yesterday... Well done Puppy.Com

We all went home quite tired... so much so that Cleo fell asleep in the shower! It was quite a chore waking her up to get her out of the shower... and then she fell asleep while she was being blow-dried... so as soon as I finished, I had to prod her so that she would get off my lap. She promptly crawled into bed and cuddled her brand new soft toy that Sarah bought her...

A PAIN IN THE NECK: IS YOUR DOG'S COLLAR DANGEROUS?

Hello,

It has been some time since I've put up a decent post. There's no real excuse except that I have been incredibly busy. Anyway here's something I found that further emphasises why choke chains and prong collars etc are bad for your dog!

Extracted from PETA Animal Times

A PAIN IN THE NECK : IS YOUR DOG'S COLLAR DANGEROUS?

Dogs are usually smart and affectionate. But most of them have one problem: They just can't get anywhere fast enough. Their walks always turn into a tug-of-war between their walker's arm socket and their neck. An old-fashioned dog trainer would say to teach them not to lunge by walking them on a "choke" chain collar and yanking it abruptly whenever they start to pull.

Cleo in a Harness

Sherry Fries, an accredited animal chiropractor, adamantly disagrees. "Anybody who still employs the jerk method for training their dogs ... should have the same thing done to him or her," she says. What happens? "Whiplash of the most severe kind. It can also set the stage for disc disease, neuropathy, or disease to the spinal cord and nervous system.

According to British veterinarian Robin Walker, the "yank and stomp" method was popularized by the well-known animal trainer Barbara Woodhouse, whose books from the '60s and '70s are still sold in book stores.

"Barbara had arrived with her choke chains and nasty things were happening to dogs' necks," he says. "Since then I have seen a stream of screaming dogs arriving at my surgery with dislocated neck bones and damaged voice boxes."

Sherry Fries explains why: "When a dog is jerked by a collar, his head is stationary, and sometimes the body whips around. So now we're talking about maybe 50 to 60-plus pounds on the stalk of the neck being thrown around, and the dogs can't tell us, 'Hey, that really hurts!'"

The garroting effect of a choke chain can cause bruising and damage to the skin and tissues in the neck, resulting in the formation of scar tissue. Scar tissue has no feeling, thus, subsequent jerks will require greater force to achieve an effect.

Not only can the jerk method of training cause physical injury, it cancause psychological problems as well. Kevin Behan, author of Natural Dog Training warns: "...with a choke collar, the dog has an instinctive reflex at his disposal to deal with the sensation of something tightening around his neck. He may misinterpret the correction on the choke collar as a stranglehold and unnecessarily become rebellious or afraid."

Australian veterinarian Dr. Robert K. Wansbrough has even printed a factsheet on the hazards associated with choke collars. In it he warns that chokers can cause dogs to become fearful of hands, resentful, and aggressive.

While choke chains and their ugly counterpart, the "prong collar" (sometimes recommended by trainers when the war of wills caused by a choke chain escalates), come in for the most criticism, regular buckle collars aren't necessarily the answer.

Chiropractor Sherry Fries dislikes all collars. "I implore people to use harnesses as opposed to any collar," she says. Like a choke collar, a buckle collar puts pressure on a pulling dog's neck. The absolute safest option for walking a dog is probably a standard nylon-web harness. However, if your dog is a determined lunger, he or she may need an intermediate tool for training.


Injuries caused by choke collars:

Dislocation and/or fracture of the vertebrae
Intervertebral disc protusion
Fainting
Partial or complete paralysis of the fore and or hind limbs dueto spinal cord injuries
Damage to the vagus nerve thus affecting function of majororgans such as the heart, lungs, liver, bladder, spleen,kidneys,etc.
Crushing of the trachea with partial or complete asphyxiation
Crushing of and sometimes fracture of the bones in the larynx
Brusing of the esophagus
Sharp increases in pressure in the head which can cause brain oreye damage and sometimes prolapse of the eye

DOGS RESCUED FROM DOG POUNDS FOR ADOPTION

Please help rehome these dogs... They will be at

Hartamas Shopping Centre Every Saturday from 12 - 6 pm

Ikano Power Centre Every Sunday from 12 - 6pm

Contact : 016 6070 398 / 012 2256 170

I LOVE TO CHEW

Me - Chewing on Mommy's bed

Note from Cleo:

I love to chew so Mommy gives me a new milk bone every 3 days. It's also because she wants to make sure my teeth are clean. I don't like the nasty toothbrush and toothpaste that she tries to use on my teeth. And getting lovely milk bones is a much better option, don't you think?

FEMALE PUPPY FOR ADOPTION

NOTE: THE PUPPY HAS BEEN ADOPTED

21 SEPT 2006

I have a black female puppy available for adoption and would be grateful if one of you could give it a home. Alternatively, you could forward this email to any of your friends who might be interested. Please give me a call at

03-5891 8584 (office)

or send me an email with your contact details and I’ll get back to you. You can email me at either

nvfernz@simedaby.com or natasha_fernz@yahoo.co.uk

She’s about 2 months old, and is a really lovely girl. She has deep blue eyes (as you can see from the picture). She was found wandering about on the main road by herself. I am not sure where the mother is. She’s playful and can already eat doggie keeble (and she can eat quite a bit). She loves human company and prefers to wander about the house instead of being caged up.

TEMPORARY GUARDIANS NEEDED URGENTLY!

Dear Friends,

These pictures are of Heng. He outlived his owner and he is 5 yearsold. He needs a lot of attention and is quite temperamental at the moment because he is trying to cope with his owner's demise. The problem we think will be resolved as all he needs is love and a sense of belonging. He is now being cared for by his late owner's sister who lives in an apartment.

So poor Heng lives in the house by himself with daily visits from the people that are trying to care for him. They do care for him, just not in the way his owner did. Please help, Heng needs a home desperately.

If you're interested to adopt Heng, please contact Sherrina at 012 2256170.

We also have a number of rescued dogs available for adoption:

1. 6 Adult dogs - friendly - we just rescued them from the DBKL pound.

2. One mother dog and her two puppies

3. 8 puppies that need daily care - Rescuer willing to pay for care ofthe puppies! [we just lost one pup]

Please come forward to help, we just need the space for 3 weeks max -puppies mayb shorter. Call 012 2256170 urgently!!!!

ADOPTION VENUES
Saturdays: Hartamas Shopping Centre12 to 6pmSeptember
Sundays: IKANO POWER CENTRE [outdoor area near FASTA PASTA]12 to 9pm

Thank you and regards.
Sherrina K
www.reswcue2rehome.blogspot.com

WATCH THAT TAIL!!!

CRASH! Cleo's tail sent a porcelaine bowl and a porcelaine spoon flying off the table and onto the ground... I jumped from the sofa and immediately dragged Cleo away from the broken bits of porcelaine. Cleo was quite bewildered and was perhaps slightly shocked cause as far as she was concerned she didn't do anything... The poor thing...

We've always been really careful with leaving things on the coffee table. We usually don't have anything on it at all, cause we've experienced her tail knocking over glasses, ornaments etc... but yesterday I had just finished having some soup and planted the bowl onto the table cause I was too lazy to take it to the kitchen... and Cleo realising that I had finished my soup decided that it was play time. So she came bounding over with her tennis ball in her mouth... and that was then it happened.
So to all you labrador owners out there, watch that tail!!!

ANIMAL WELFARE: WHO CARES?

CASIM, a coalition of six organizations and the Bar Council Legal Aid Centre (KL) invites you to attend a public forum that will address animal rights from religious perspectives, the inadequacies of existing laws and humane ways of managing animals.

Date: 16 September 2006 (Saturday)
Time: 8.30 am - 1.00 pm
Venue: Pure Life Society, Multipurpose Hall, Batu 6,
Jalan Puchong, 58200 KL
Tel: 03-77829391

Speakers:

1. Dr. Chandra Muzaffar (International Movement for a Just World)
2. Ms. Christine Chin (SPCA)
3. Ms. K. Parameswary (BCLAC [KL])
4. Dr. Jon S. Satyamoorthy (MARPO)
5. Mr. Anthony Thanasayan

Admission is free. To register or to make enquiries
please contact

Ms. Siti / Ms. Sheena
Tel: 03-26913005/26932072, or
Fax: 03-26930527 or
EmaiL: lacklb@streamyx.com

STOP CHOKE CHAINS! THEY HURT!

I am one of those "unconventional" dog owners, or so I've been told. And the reason for this is simply because I treat my dogs as if they were human. (Cleo lives indoors and sleeps on my bed). As far as I am concerned they are beings with feelings and emotions, and are equal if not superior to humans.

I have been told that I look after Cleo better than how alot of people would look after their child. Well I guess it's true. Cleo always comes first in everything I do. For example, I ensure that I am out of bed by 6am every morning (be it a working day or a holiday) so that Cleo can have her breakfast, simply because she has to eat at that unearthly hour on weekdays so that I can get to work, so I don't see why I should get a break on weekends while she goes hungry. I know most people would not bother to get out of bed on a holiday to feed their dogs... because to them - it's just a dog... I sincerely believe that if you won't let your child go hungry on a Sunday, you shouldn't let your dog go hungry just because you want to have a few hours of extra sleep on a Sunday...

Anyway, I am also one of those who are absolutely against the use of choke chains on a dog. Many trainers that I have met over the past years have insisted that I use the choke on my darling Cleo. I have never and will never use a choke chain on any dog. As far as I am concerned it hurts. Many trainers will try to tell you that it doesn't. Some will even go so far as to demonstrate the use of the choke on your arm. Of course when they demonstrate, the force used on your arm is probably a fraction of the force that they will use on the dog. So if anyone tries to sell you the idea of a choke chain with this demonstration, I suggest that you ask them if it's possible for you to try it on them with the chain around their necks, and not their arms. See what they say to that...I'll wager that none of them would be up for that challenge!

Again, my belief is that if you will not use a choke chain to discipline your child, then you shouldn't use one on your dog...Anyway here's an extract from Animals in Mind, an organisation in the UK on the effects that a choke chain can have on your dog.

*** *** ***

Choke chains have been used on dogs for many years, they are so common that few people give them a second thought.

Maybe they could become less common if people were aware that choke chains (apart from being ineffective as training aids), are the cause of many medical conditions including:

Injured ocular blood vessels
Tracheal and oesophageal damage
Severely sprained necks
Cases of fainting
Transient foreleg paralysis
Laryngeal nerve paralysis
Hind leg ataxia

When examined for damage caused by choke chains, some dogs have shown misaligned vertibrae and some have sustained permanent nerve damage. One condition called Horner’s syndrome causes nerve damage that results in recurring pain in the eye and severe headaches.

People who advocate using choke chains often suggest using them on dogs from a very young age. Using chains on young dogs is highly likely to result in much more severe and long term injuries. For example, agility classes do not allow dogs to begin training until they are one year old. Solely because of the increased risk from traumatic injury.

Fifty dogs using choke chains were studied in Germany. The dogs were followed for their whole lives and autopsies performed when they died. Forty eight had some form of injury to the neck, trachea, or back. Two were genetic while forty six of the fifty were caused by trauma.

Pain is the principle The other problem with choke chains is the training regime that goes with them. Far from preventing pain and injury the primary purpose is to cause it. The general principle is that you ‘snatch’ the chain in order that the dog learns that to disobey brings pain and discomfort.
Trainers who advocate choke chains say that once you have inflicted sufficient pain, your dog will learn to respond to just the ‘chink’ of the chain. It is true that in general dogs will respond - by flinching or cowering in anticipation of the pain that usually follows the warning ‘chink’.The National Canine Defence League does not use choke chains and advises new owners not to use choke chains on dogs they adopt.

Stopping and changing

Very often we see dogs on choke chains who are damaging themselves by pulling with all their weight and strength - their owners having been told that a choke chain is the answer.
In most cases the answer is not to rely on any devices (painful or otherwise), but to understand a dog’s motivation for pulling and how to get them to appreciate this is not what is wanted and will in fact, get them nowhere.

Dogs are usually very quick to learn. By repeatedly stopping or changing direction when they pull, then rewarding when they get it right, it is possible to get even the most determined dog to appreciate that pulling will not get them anywhere.

Never on a puppy

Never even be tempted to use a chain on a puppy, it simply isn’t necessary. Puppies from 4 weeks to one year willingly learn using very gentle methods. Any force or punishment is simply not necessary. More importantly it interferes with effective communication, making them completely counter-productive.

Older and bigger dogs For dogs that pull heavily, there is a simple device called a Walkrite or Easy Walker. These are simple nylon harnesses that pull back when a dog pulls forward. You would use exactly the same stopping and changing method described earlier, but with the added advantage that a dog finds it difficult to pull against the Walkrite.

I personally like the use of a Halti, a special head collar that helps with training your dog to walk calmly next to you with no pain inflicted on the dog. See www.halti.co.uk for details of how a Halti works..

It is possible for dogs to be taught how to walk quietly without any aids. However, if a dog already has a habit of pulling and is too strong for the owner then we would advocate using a Walkrite harness until the owner feels more confident that they have control.

Time and time again we see choke chains failing to help owners. Dogs are very determined, if they have to undergo some discomfort to achieve their goal, they will endure it. Any training that seeks to prevent behaviour by pain or discomfort has the potential to fail, especially when the dog considers it more beneficial to be defiant.

Conversely, any training method that provides a reward for an expected behaviour has zero chance of failure because the very persevering attitude that causes the defiant action will be working for us, not against us.There are thousands of trainers who can show more effective ways to teach dogs, that don’t involve force or have the potential to cause painful and debilitating injuries, but an end to the use of choke chains rests with us all.

extracted from Animals in Mind

DOG OWNER'S CHECKLIST

A dog is for life. No exceptions!!!
The only answer to the question ‘When is it acceptable to give up a dog?’ is ‘Never.’

Dogs are pack animals.
It is unnatural for them to be alone. Do everything in your power to minimize the amount of time they spend alone.

All dogs can be trained.
Age, breed, size…none are an impediment to a well-trained dog.

Aggression is learned behaviour.
Aggression is not the same as dominant, submissive, or fearful behaviour, and it is not an inheritable trait. Aggression is the cumulative result of inadequate training and poor socialization.

There is no need to punish a dog.
Concentrate on what your dog is doing right and praise that, while ignoring or redirecting the behaviours you don’t want.

Obey all local by-laws pertaining to dog ownership.
Breaking the law makes life difficult for all dog owners.

It is important that your dog be adequately trained AND socialized.
You don’t need to compete in obedience, but your dog should not do anything that infringes on the rights of other citizens.

Without exception, pick up after your pet.
Whether it’s your own yard or beside the trails in the woods, you’ll keep the area clean and enjoyable for everyone who follows you.

Dogs do not exercise and socialize themselves.
Even if a dog does run around her yard, she certainly isn’t gaining any socialization experience there. Running around your yard is about as interesting to your dog as going for a jog in your living room would be to you.

Your dog should not be left unsupervised outside the home.
Any number of things could happen if you aren’t there to watch out for her, from escape to theft to abuse by strangers.

extracted from www.goodpooch.com

BE A RESPONSIBLE BREEDER!

I am still deeply upset with my experience over the weekend. Visions of the poor puppies and the 2 adult females keep playing in my head and I have not been able to even sleep properly. I am at the moment seriously contemplating reporting the matter to the SPCA. My only reservation is that my friend may get into trouble if the breeder suspects that it was him who made the report...I am not sure that this particular breeder is a nice person considering that he can be so horrid to those poor animals. Has anyone reported animal cruelty to the SPCA? What exatcly happens when you do?

Anyway I have extracted an article from www.goodpooch.com on responsible breeding. I hope that everyone reading this will think twice before breeding your dog and ensure that the Code of Ethics for breeding is adhered to when doing so...

Thinking of breeding your pet?

Even if the breeding and birth were successful, there are other important issues you should consider first.

As much as 65% of available puppies come from “one time” backyard breedings. It used to be believed that puppy mills were the main source for irresponsibly bred dogs. Sadly, they’re second only to backyard breeders. These people aren’t experienced show veterans who enlist the help of other knowledgeable professionals (I.E. dog show judges and reputable breeders) in determining whether or not a given adult dog is breeding quality. Backyard breeders will pretty much mate any two fertile dogs together. It is rare to find a backyard breeder who does any kind of pedigree screening or health tests to reduce the risk of passing on inheritable defects. Many of them feel that because it’s “just one time” they’re not having an impact on the pet overpopulation problem. But all those “one time” breedings add up.

There is a Breeder’s Code of Ethics for every breed. Do you plan to follow it? If not, there is a good chance you’ll create substandard animals. You’ll be harming the breed you claim to love by producing inferior specimens.

It is extremely rare to find one responsible breeder who owns both the sire and the dam in a well-planned mating. The sire's specific faults should be balanced by the dam's specific strengths, and vice versa. More often than not, one breeder owns the championed dog and another breeder owns the championed bitch, only coming together briefly for the purpose of mating. When one person owns both the sire and dam in a union, it is usually an indication the person is a backyard breeder.

Dogs do not have to be purebred to be loved. However, it is far more difficult to find homes for unpredictable looking puppies. At least with purebred puppies, there is a built-in market of breed-specific fanciers and enthusiasts. Most people want to know if the puppy will grow to be 5kg, 20kg, or 50kg. Will it be long, medium, or short-haired? Can it stand the cold or take the heat, or both? Because of the inability to predict the characteristics of the adult dog, mixed breed puppies are much harder to place, and have very little monetary value. So much for that profit you thought you’d make.

It is estimated that as much as 60% of dogs are re-homed at some point during their lives. Responsible breeders do everything in their power to screen potential buyers. It is one attempt to reduce the likelihood that a dog will ever find its way into a shelter. Responsible breeders require the dog to be returned to them in the event the buyer encounters ownership challenges. Individuals without significant investment of time or money in a given dog are much less likely to make sacrifices, should problems arise. With each re-homing, a dog ultimately faces euthanasia.

It was once said, “The world doesn’t need more (insert breed name here). It needs more (insert breed name here)’s who are healthier and live longer and who more closely match the breed standard.” Are you breeding just to create more (insert breed name here)’s? Or is your goal to truly improve the breed by passing on the genes of your physically, mentally, and genetically superior animal?

Millions of dogs are euthanized every year in North America. Every puppy purchased takes a potential home away from an abandoned dog in a shelter. Unless you have a truly exceptional animal and guaranteed, qualified, responsible buyers lined up for as many as 12 puppies, please do not breed your dog.

© 2000-2005 GoodPooch.com

STOP IRRESPONSIBLE DOG BREEDERS IN MALAYSIA

A very close friend of mine has been bitten by the dog bug... I think Cleo (my rambunctious yellow labrador) has won his heart in one way or another, and so he decided that he would like to have a dog of his own. After much thought and deliberation he decided that he would like to have a German Shepherd which would basically be a family pet and a watch dog at the same time.

As I have had German Shepherds in the past (I practically grew up with German Shepherds), I knew a decent amount about caring for German Shepherd puppies and adults. So I was asked to help with choosing a suitable puppy. I don't proclaim to be an expert, but I guess a dog lover would generally know what to look for in a puppy and also how to care for a dog.

Anyway my friend found a breeder in Ipoh that claimed to have German Shepherd puppies from the working bloodline and was free from hip problems (this guy actually advertised in the papers). We were rather excited and we set off early Sunday morning to take a look at these puppies. The breeder met us at the Highway Exit and led us to where he kept the puppies and 2 of his bitches.

I was absolutely horrified at the conditions of the dogs... They were kept in some sort of factory/warehouse (where these people roasted suckling pigs for restaurants and hotels in Ipoh), and the enclosure that they were in looked more like a chicken coup. The area in which they were kept was quite hot (considering all the roasting of pigs that were being carried out there).There was a litter of puppies (about 3 weeks old) with the mother, lying on the dirty floor in one of the enclosures. I didn't see a water bowl or any food anywhere...

The puppies were quite dirty and when the mother dog got up, we didn't even realise that it was a German Shepherd. It was so scrawny you could see all the ribs sticking out of the poor girl, we thought it was some mangy mongrel until we got a better look at her... and she was obviously very frightened of the breeder cause she went into hiding as soon as she saw him. I do not believe that the bitch has been given proper care or even proper food. The puppies were rather inactive and looked malnourished, not to mention dirty. I guess the quality of milk that they were getting from the mother was rather compromised.

Then we noticed that there was another dog in an enclosure at the back. According to the breeder that was another female of his. This dog was also in a very sorry condition. It was incredibly thin and her ribs were also protruding. Her hind legs were also terribly bowed and she was walking with a funny gait. I was certain that her bones and joints were in a bad state.

We were shown a puppy that was about 8 weeks old, from another bitch apparently that was not at the premise. The breeder informed us that he had brought this puppy from his other premise... I have handled German Shepherd puppies from when I was a young kid, and I knew that this one was not normal.. it was very quiet and it's eyes were dull and had quite a bit of matter flowing from her eyes. Her coat was dull and dirty. She was also quite smelly. She was a sorry little thing. She was practically whimpering in my arms. The breeder wanted RM 4,000 for this puppy. I thought that he was just being ridiculous. I have no idea how he thought that anyone in their right minds would pay that amount of money for a dog that was in such a bad condition. I was also surpised to hear that these puppies have been certified by MKA??? How on earth did this chap get the certification? I would presume that MKA would need to have some assurance of the condition of the puppies, the bitch and sire before certification??? Perhaps he was lying about the certification...? We didn't stay long enough to find out.

We were so horrified with all that we saw that we left in a hurry. We went home with a sick feeling in our stomache knowing that those poor dogs and puppies will continue to suffer in the appaling conditions in which they were kept. As much as we wanted to take the puppy, so that we could give it a better life, we just could not buy from this guy cause it would just encourage him to breed even more puppies irresponsibly... and then the vicious cycle would just continue.

I would like to urge everyone not to buy puppies from irresponsible breeders. If you do you would only be encouraging them to mistreat more dogs and puppies, and you would be contributing directly to these dogs suffering. Breeders such as these, in my opinion, are merely out to make money, and have no feelings for the dogs at all. They should therefore be stopped from continuing their trade.

"When they buying stops, the suffering can too..."

"A puppy is for life, not just for Christmas"

A FAMOSA RESORT DOGGIE OUTING

Puppy.Com will be organizing a Resort Stay at the popular A'Famosa Resort on October 7 ~ 8, 2006. Details of the Resort Stay are:-

Venue : A'Famosa Resort, Melaka
Date : Arrival : October 7, 2006 Saturday
Departure : October 8, 2006 Sunday

Agenda ( October 7, 2006 )

Official Check in time is 1600 hours (4:00PM). (Early check in is always possible if the Bungalows or Rooms are available. Many of our members checked in much earlier at 1:00pm ~ 2:00pm during our last two trips)

Official Check out time is 1200 hours. ( Can normally be delayed to 1300 hours).

4:00PM ~ 7:00PM - Games and socializing session. Full details will be provided at later date.
7.30 pm ~ Dinner, Rest & Relax time.

Accomodation :

Bungalow - RM 640.00 nett with 04 Breakfasts for Puppycom Premium Members only.
Bungalow - RM 640.00 nett without Breakfast for normal members. The Bungalow has four bedrooms and all are equipped with at least a queen size bed and can accommodate up to 8 people per Bungalow. All bungalows have a swimming pool (for humans only).

Family Studio Family Studio (Standard) - RM 230.00 nett with 02 Breakfast for Puppycom Premium Members only.
Family Studio (Standard) - RM 230.00 nett without Breakfast for normal members.

2 Rooms Condotel (Standard) - RM 320.00 nett with 03 Breakfast only for Puppycom Premium
2 Rooms Condotel (Standard) - RM 320.00 nett without Breakfast for normal members.

3 Rooms Condotel (Standard) - RM 410.00 nett with 04 Breakfast only for Puppycom Premium
3 Rooms Condotel (Standard) - RM 410.00 nett without Breakfast for normal members.

Closing date for booking : September 15, 2006 or earlier depending on the number of bookings and availability of Bungalows, Family Studios or Condotels.

In the event that the Bungalows, Family Studios and Condotels are overbooked, priority will be given to Puppy.com.my's Premium Members.There is no restriction on the number of dogs you can bring along.

Dogs and owners are allowed in most area within the A'Famosa Resort except The Animal Safari and The Water World where pets are prohibited.

Dog owners are to take note of the following:-
Dog owners to bring along dog cage or mobile kennel if necessary
Dog owners to ensure that their dogs will not cause any damage to the property of A'Famosa, especially the fixtures at the Bungalow, Family Studio and Condotel.
Dogs must be on leash at all times when the dogs are out of the Bungalow, Family Studio or Condotel.
Dog owners must not let their dogs go off leash along the walkway of the Family Studio and Condotel.
Dog owners must clean up after their dogs at all time. All dog poo must be picked up by the owners.
Dog owners to be responsible for the safety of their dogs and themselves.
Dogs are not allowed to swim in the swimming pool in the Bungalow area. Those swimming pools are only meant for humans staying at the Bungalows.
Dogs are not allowed to sleep on the bed.

We will be organizing several light and simple games for everyone to have some fun and that may include a treasure hunt with your dog in the Cowboy town. Prizes for the doggie games will be contributed by A'FAMOSA RESORT. For those are interested in the Resort Stay, please book your places by filling up the form at www.puppy.com.my/form-afamosa.html . Once the form is submitted, a representative from A'Famosa will contact you at an appropriate time for more details and payment arrangement. More information on A'Famosa can be viewed at www.afamosa.com. Information also available at www.puppy.com.my/afamosa/

MALAYSIA RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP DAY 2006

Puppy.Com will be organising
MALAYSIA Responsible Dog Ownership Day 2006
Date : September 24, 2006
Venue : Central Park, Bandar Utama, Map
Time : 8:30 am - 3.00 pm

8:30am Arrival of visitors and guest
8:45am Registration Counter opens for registration by visitors.
First 500 visitors registerred will be given free door gifts

8:50am Starter : Trivia Questions
9:00am Game NO.1 - Dog Fastest Recall
9:15am Game No.2 - Dog Fastest Eating Duo
9.35am Game No.3 - Best Dressed Dog

9.45am Opening Ceremony - Ribbon Cutting & Photo Taking Session with Sponsor and
Launch of Purina Begging Strip Products in Malaysia
9.50am Demonstration by the Malaysian Bomba Search and Rescue Team with their K9
Search and Rescue Dogs

10:05am Lucky Draw No.1
10.10am Demonstration by the K9 Unit of Malaysian Police on Dog Agility and jump over fire
rings
Crime Control
Obedience
10.30am Game No.4 - Best Canine Triplets
10.45am Dog Parade
11.00am Game No.5 - Obe-Agi Dash Run

11:25am Agility Demonstration

11.30am Game No.6 - Dog Fashion Race
11.45am Lucky Draw No. 2
11.50am Game No.7 - Leash D'dog
12.10pm Game No.8 - Sit Stay Contest
12.30pm Game No.9 - Whose da'leader
12.45pm Game No.10 - Dog Musical Chair
1.00pm Lucky Draw No.3
1.10pm Game No.11 - Waggiest Tail Contest
1:25pm Game No.12 - Obstacle Challenge
2.00pm Lucky Draw and Trivia
2:15pm Free and Easy

3:00pm End of event

For more details, please go to http://www.puppy.com.my/mrdo2006/games.html