Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, a leader in retail pet supplies and service, has grown to 30 franchise locations throughout the United States. This milestone achievement coincides with the company’s fifth anniversary.

Michael Vick on a stick available at WOOF in Spring, Texas

Since the first Woof Gang Bakery opened in Jupiter, Florida in Nov. 2007, the company has expanded across Florida, North Carolina, Texas and New Jersey. In 2013, 18 new locations are planned to open, starting in Las Vegas, Nev.; Waco, Texas and Knoxville, Tenn.

Building on continued success and consumer demand, the corporate brand and range of offerings has increased. What started as simply a dog treat bakery and boutique concept has grown into a full-service neighborhood pet store model.

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming has trademarked “Your Neighborhood Pet Store” to demonstrate the concept that each store is a local business, focused on building relationships with customers though excellent, personalized service and quality products. The store environment is consumer-friendly and comfortable, and dogs are always welcome.

Continuing the neighborhood connection, franchise locations host in-store events to help benefit the local pet community, including meet up events, pet adoptions, rescue groups, fundraisers and food and supply drives for local shelters.

Complementing the retail business, pet grooming is standard in all franchise locations. As a company, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming professionally grooms more than 3,000 canine customers each week. Self-service grooming is also offered at several locations. In 2013, pet massage will be added to the menu of services and some locations will tap into the trend of dog yoga by opening “doga” studios.

About Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming

Woof Gang Bakery is a leader in the pet franchise industry offering the very best in pet care. Each Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming location is a neighborhood store, offering gourmet dog treats, healthy pet foods, pet supplies, accessories and pet grooming.

It is the Woof Gang Bakery company mission to provide quality products and services that enhance the well-being, health and happiness of beloved animal companions.

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming has 30 locations operating throughout the United States. For more information or to find the location nearest you, visithttp://woofgangbakery.com/.

Monthly Second Saturday event at Houston Humane Society offering free family fun!

The Houston Humane Society (HHS) invites Houstonians to the Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 8^th from 11am – 2pm.The event is part of Houston Humane Society’s monthly Second Saturday program, and everyone is invited to the shelter for a day of fun for the whole family at a price you can love: FREE!

WHAT:   Holiday Open House – a Second Saturday event at Houston Humane Society

WHEN:   Saturday, December 8^th, 11am – 2pm

WHERE:

Houston Humane Society

14700 Almeda Rd.

Houston, TX 77053

Activities:

• Free holiday photo by a professional photographer with the donation of any human or pet food donation or pet toy donation.
• Free sweets and treats!  Sip cider and snack on delicious holiday treats.
• Free rabies vaccine available at the HHS Animal Wellness Clinic from 9am – 2pm (standard office visit fee does apply)
• Special adoption fee of just $75 for any dog that has been at HHS for 3 months or longer, plus adopt 2 cats for 1 adoption fee of just $50.

CONTACT:     

Monica Schmidt: 281-961-9225, mschmidt@houstonhumane.org

WHY:  The Houston Humane Society is dedicated to, and working towards, ending cruelty, abuse and the over population of animals while providing the highest quality of life to those in our care. The HHS does NOT receive any government funding or operating funds from national animal welfare organizations, and relies solely on donations, special events and program services. HHS maintains a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

“Meadowlake is thrilled to be partnering with Natural Pawz to provide high quality products to all of our clients,” says Laura Koch, Executive Manager of Meadowlake Pet Resort. “Natural Pawz products are a great addition to the premiere services Meadowlake already offers.”

Customers purchasing food at Meadowlake will be eligible for Natural Pawz Customer Loyalty Program which is rated #1 in the Houston area.

Natural Pawz is an award winning business in the Houston area.  Locally owned by husband and wife team Biff Picone and Nadine Joli-Coeur, they have 12 locations in the Houston area. Natural Pawz has been voted Best Pet Store in Houston for 3 years running and best Pet Services, Supplies or Boutique by the Houston Press, Fort Bend Herald, Woodlands Online and recently by “H” Texas Magazine as “Best of the Best.”  The Natural Pawz team sets the standard in the market for 100% natural pet food, treats and holistic health solutions.  Natural Pawz is a strong supporter of local rescues and shelters, donating over $60,000 in food and supplies to them over the past three years. Many Natural Pawz locations hold adoption events nearly every weekend at their stores.

Meadowlake Pet Resort is a combination pet hotel, university, spa and doggie camp offering lodging, grooming, training, and daycare services.  Meadowlake caters to your pets by providing superb and loving care. Founded in 2009 by native Houstonian and animal lover, Carroll Robertson Ray, Meadowlake is conveniently located to Downtown Houston, the Med Center, Pearland and Friendswood areas.  Set on four green acres, Meadowlake’s many amenities include custom climate-controlled cottages, natural lighting, relaxing music, outdoor patios, hospital grade cleaning equipment, a state of the art spa, activity center with rubberized floor to protect precious joints, a dedicated staff with over 100 years combined animal care experience and even a Kitty Park. Meadowlake’s services and amenities can be viewed online at www.meadowlakepetresort.com.

To learn more about Natural Pawz, visit www.naturalpawz.com. For more information about Meadowlake Pet Resort, visit www.meadowlakepetresort.com.

Keep your pet safe as you celebrate with family and friends

The Houston Humane Society (HHS) wants everyone to take the following steps to be sure pets have a happy, healthy and humane Halloween Weekend.  

• If you plan to hand out candy this season, be sure your dog or cat is secure (whether in a crate or another room).  Many pets escape through frequently opened doors!
• Be sure all pets are wearing collars with ID tags.  Many of us leave collars and tags off from time to time, but this time of year it is imperative that you don’t forget to put their identification on them. Constant doorbell ringing, frequent visitors, and disruption in their normal routine can spook even the most well-adjusted pet.  If your pet does dart out, you want to make sure they have their ID!
• Keep candy out of your pet’s reach.  Many types of candy and chocolate can be harmful to pets.
• Jack O’ Lanterns!  Fun and festive, but watch those candles.   A darting cat or dog can accidentally tip them over and create a fire hazard!  Consider switching to batter operated tea lights this year.
• Costumes!!!  We love ‘em.  But make sure the costume is not restrictive or overly annoying to your pet.  And be careful of anything that dangles!  You don’t want your pet to choke!

Upcoming Events:

Saturday, October 27^th – Danny Clark Photography is hosting the annual Halloween Open House to benefit Houston Humane Society.  Danny will be taking costumed portraits of both kids and pets, and anyone making a donation will receive a free digital image.  The event is from 12pm – 6pm at Danny Clark’s Studio, 2427 Bartlett.

Saturday, October 27^th – Houston Humane Society is one of the beneficiaries of the 2^nd Annual Houston Zombie Walk.  Entry is $15 and includes a 1 mile walk through downtown and a concert performance at Jones Plaza by the Spazmatics.  Event is from 5pm – 10pm, Visit www.houstonzombiewalk.org for more info.

About the HHS:

The Houston Humane Society is dedicated to, and working towards, ending cruelty, abuse and the over population of animals while providing the highest quality of life to those in our care. The HHS does NOT receive any government funding or operating funds from national animal welfare organizations, and relies solely on donations, special events and program services. HHS maintains a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

Cypress Master-Planned Community Continues ‘Pup-ular’ Tradition

Howl-O-Ween Fest returns to Bridgeland 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, with a “gourd-geous” twist — the eye-popping pumpkin-carving artistry of Villafane Studios. Bridgeland is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE: HCC).

During the Fido-and-family event, sculptor Alfred Paredes will transform ordinary pumpkins into expressive 3-D works of art using only X-Acto knives and sculpting ribbon tools. Working with pumpkins somewhat larger than the typical grocery store fare, Paredes requires about four hours from start to finish to create ghouls, goblins and other scary creatures. Straight from an attempt in New York City to set a world record for the largest illuminated pumpkin, the artist will make his first Texas visit, which is also the first visit for any artist with Villafane Studios.

Paredes says his carvings will most likely be dog-inspired and not quite as frightening as usual, given the day’s canine theme and the nature of the family-friendly event. Event-goers can check back often to follow his progress, as there will be plenty of other pup-friendly activities, including performances by Pets Overboard, an energetic stage show featuring a cast of dogs, cats and other animals.

Howl-O-Ween Fest also is a “pet stop” for the “Splash Dogs” dock-diving competition. Learn more and register at www.splashdogs.com or at the event. A portion of the registration fee will support Howl-O-Ween Fest fundraising efforts.

Other Howl-O-Ween Fest treats include a pooch fashion show and costume contest, a farmers market with pumpkin patch, the high-flying antics of the Houston Canine Frisbee Disc Club, street performers, trick-or-treating for kids and dogs, and dozens of pet vendors. As in years past, Foundry Church will hold its annual fall event during Howl-O-Ween Fest, with bounce houses, a miniature train, carnival games and more.

“Howl-O-Ween Fest is certainly one of our most colorful and popular events with unbelievably inventive dog-and-owner costumes,” said Peter Houghton, vice president of Bridgeland. “It’s also for a good cause, with the thousands of people attending each year generously donating to various pet charities.”

Most Howl-O-Ween Fest activities will be free; however a few will fetch a small donation, which will benefit participating animal rescue groups. And while fun will be unleashed throughout the day, dogs will have to remain on their leashes at all times. Plus, pets must be current on all vaccinations, wear a current rabies tag and be on their best behavior — any aggressive pooches will be asked to leave to keep the event enjoyable for everyone.

Quieting hunger growls will be a caravan of food trucks trekking to Bridgeland for the day. Already on tap for the event are Custom Confections, the Great American Cookie Company, Grill ‘em Girls, Texas Best Snowballs and Kona Ice.

More details and event updates can be found at http://www.bridgeland.com/howl-o-ween-fest. Also, see pictures from last year’s event, which drew more than 4,000 dog lovers, on Bridgeland’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Bridgelandcommunity.

To visit Bridgeland, from U.S. 290, travel northwest and take the Spring-Cypress/Cypress-Rosehill/Fry Road exit. Turn left on Fry Road (second traffic light) and continue 2.5 miles to North Bridgeland Lake Parkway, the community’s main entrance. From Interstate 10, travel west and take the Fry Road exit. Turn right on Fry Road and continue approximately 11 miles to North Bridgeland Lake Parkway. The Bridgeland Welcome Center is located at 16919 North Bridgeland Lake Parkway in Cypress.

Photo Information

Villafane Studios

The 3-D pumpkin carvings of Villafane Studios artist Alfred Parades will be top dog at Bridgeland’s annual Howl-O-Ween Fest, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27. The “pup-ular” annual event will include a canine costume contest, the Pets Overboard stage show, the Houston Canine Frisbee Disc Club, pet-themed vendors, a “Splash Dogs” dock-diving competition, gourmet food trucks, family carnival and trick-or-treating for both kids and pups.

About Bridgeland

Bridgeland is an 11,400-acre master-planned community in Cypress, Texas, located between U.S. 290 and Interstate 10 on Fry Road and bisected by a segment of the Grand Parkway, scheduled for completion in two years. Managed by The Woodlands Development Company, Bridgeland and The Woodlands share the same development philosophy and benefit from The Woodlands’ 40 years of successful real estate development. Both communities are listed among the top-selling master-planned communities in Texas and the nation and offer a wide variety of housing options, extensive outdoor recreation and a focus on environmental preservation. For more information, visit www.bridgeland.com.

About The Howard Hughes Corporation

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Our properties include master planned communities, operating properties, development opportunities and other unique assets spanning 18 states from New York to Hawaii. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. For additional information about HHC, visit www.howardhughes.com.

A record-setting 70 percent of Americans celebrated Halloween in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Unfortunately, it was also a very busy time at Pet Poison Helpline. During the week surrounding Halloween in 2011, call volumes increased by 21 percent, making it one of the call center’s busiest weeks on record. Pet Poison Helpline is a 24-hour animal poison control service that assists pet owners, veterinarians and veterinary technicians who are treating potentially poisoned pets.

“Every year during the week of Halloween our call center gets busy, but never at the levels we experienced in 2011,” said Ahna Brutlag, DVM, assistant director at Pet Poison Helpline. “Many of the cases we handled were for dogs that ingested Halloween candy – the most common denominator being chocolate. By being cognizant of potential hazards, pet owners can help reduce the likelihood of pet poisonings this Halloween.”

The most common Halloween hazards for pets are chocolate, candy overindulgence, raisins, candy wrappers, glow sticks and jewelry and candles.

• Chocolate – Of all candies, chocolate poses the biggest Halloween “threat” to dogs. Many dogs are attracted to the smell of chocolate, making it a significant threat for massive ingestion. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more poisonous it is. Methylxanthines are the chemicals in chocolate that are dangerous to pets, and they are more concentrated in darker chocolates. A single ounce of Baker’s chocolate can make a 50-pound dog very sick. Milk chocolate and white chocolate are less dangerous, but should still be kept out of the reach of pets.  If you think your dog may have ingested chocolate, signs to watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy,  agitation, increased thirst, an elevated heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures.

• Candy and sweets overindulgence – Candy and other sweet foods – especially those containing poisonous xylitol – can also be poisonous to pets. Large ingestions of sugary, high-fat candy and sweets can lead to pancreatitis in pets. Potentially fatal, pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and very painful. Pet owners should be aware that clinical signs of pancreatitis may not present for several days after ingestion. Signs include a decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain, and potentially, kidney or organ damage.
• 

• Raisins – Mini-boxes of raisins can be a healthy treat for trick-or-treaters, but they are extremely poisonous to dogs! Raisins are so dangerous that they deserve the same pet-proofing treatment as chocolate – stored in secure containers far from their reach. Dogs can experience kidney failure after ingesting very small amounts of raisins (including similar products with grapes and currants too). For this reason, any ingestion should be treated as a potential poisoning. Signs of raisin or grape poisoning include vomiting, nausea, decreased appetite, lethargy, abdominal pain, excessive or decreased thirst and urination, bad breath, and rapid onset kidney failure.

• Candy wrappers – When pets get into candy, they can eat the wrappers too. Ingestion of foil and cellophane wrappers can sometimes cause a life-threatening bowel obstruction, which may require surgery to correct. Watch for vomiting, decreased appetite, not defecating, straining to defecate, or lethargy. X-rays or even ultrasound may be necessary to diagnose this problem.

• Glow sticks and glow jewelry – Due to their curious nature, cats often accidentally ingest glow sticks and jewelry because they are bright and fun to chew. While not usually life-threatening, the contents can cause mouth pain and irritation, as well as profuse drooling and foaming. If your cat chews on glow jewelry, offer a tasty snack to help remove the product from the mouth. Bathing the chemical off the fur is important too, as grooming can contribute to further poisoning.

• Costumes – If you put a costume on your pet, make sure it doesn’t impair his vision, movement or air intake. If it has metallic beads, snaps or other small pieces, be aware that these pieces, especially those that contain zinc and lead, can result in serious poisoning if ingested. Also, before thinking about dying or coloring your pet’s fur, consult with your veterinarian, as some products can be very harmful to pets, even if they are labeled non-toxic to humans.

• Candles – Curious noses and wagging tails have a way of finding lit candles. Keep candles out of your pet’s reach to prevent accidental thermal injury or burns.

This Halloween, please keep your pets safe. If you think your pet has ingested something poisonous, the veterinary and toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline suggest that it’s always easier, less expensive, and safer for your pet to be treated earlier, versus when he’s showing severe symptoms. Pet Poison Helpline is the most cost-effective animal poison control center in North America at only $39 per call, including unlimited follow-up consultations.

Pet Poison Helpline has an iPhone application with an extensive database of plants, chemicals, foods and drugs that are poisonous to pets. A powerful indexing feature allows users to search for toxins and includes full-color photos for identifying poisonous plants and substances. With a direct dial feature to Pet Poison Helpline, the app is called “Pet Poison Help,” and is available on iTunes.

On Monday, Dec. 3, Pet Poison Helpline will be hosting a webinar for pet owners. The topic will be “Holiday Dangers for Pets,” and it will provide in-depth information about the many toxic substances that can threaten pets during the upcoming holidays. For more information and to register, click here.

About Pet Poison Helpline

Pet Poison Helpline, an animal poison control center based out of Minneapolis, is available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals that require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. The staff provides treatment advice for poisoning cases of all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline’s fee of $39 per incident includes follow-up consultation for the duration of the poison case. Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.

Pet health insurance has been around much longer than most people believe, more than 85 years.  The first pet insurance policy was written for a dog in Sweden in 1924.  In 1982, the first pet health insurance policy issued in the United States was sold to cover television’s canine super-star, Lassie.  The concept of pet health insurance to cover the medical needs of their dogs is still relatively new to many owners, but it continues to grow here in the United States.

Policies may be purchased for dogs in order to help you pay your veterinary bills.  The real benefit of pet health insurance is that it reduces the risk of incurring unexpected and significant expenses necessary to treat an ill or injured dog or a dog newly diagnosed with a disease.  The policies can help ensure that as a dog owner, you can provide the best medical care for your pet.  The insurance may also prevent the dog owner from being faced with hard decisions like, do I pay the vet bill and skip the car payment, or the even harder decision, do I pay the vet bill or put off the mortgage payment.  It can be very stressful to choose between your pet’s health care needs and paying your other bills on time.

There are quite a few different pet health insurance companies now that provide coverage for dogs.  A few of the more well known companies today include; Embrace, Healthy Paws, and PetPlan.  Trupanion is a relatively new but trusted company, and the oldest and largest company is Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI).  The AKC and ASPCA also have pet health insurance plans worth considering.  While encouraging as it is, it may be difficult for a dog owner to decide which pet health insurance company best suits their needs.  Most companies do not cover pre-existing medical conditions, which is one of the biggest drawbacks to pet health insurance.  Protection that covers long-term medical conditions and emergency visits may be purchased.  Most companies now cover preventive health and routine visits, and that was not always the case.

Most companies will provide you with a free quote that is tailored to the breed, age and sex of your dog, and general health.  The cost, or monthly premium, should be competitive for similar coverage.  It is important to do your research on each company and compare their policies, to ensure that you are aware of the policy features that each firm provides.  Policy features will vary and may vary greatly.  Some policies cover dental care, prescription drugs, and alternative treatments such as acupuncture and physical therapy.  Some policies exclude congenital and hereditary conditions such as heart defects, eye diseases, and hip or elbow dysplasia.  Policies may also have limits or caps on them that are applied on a per incident or per year basis, or over the pet’s lifetime.  Also, most pet health insurance companies require a separate deductible for each dog.

Many dog owners naturally assume that pet health insurance is just a variation of human health insurance.  That is not the case, pet health insurance is actually considered to be property insurance.  As such, the bill must be paid out-of-pocket to the veterinarian and then the pet owner submits a claim for reimbursement to the insurance company.  Some insurers pay veterinarians directly on the behalf of their customers.

If you remain uncertain that pet health insurance will meet your needs, you do have another choice.  Some dog owners choose to open a pet health savings account that may be used as necessary to pay for their pet’s health care needs.  However, many dog owners may find this option harder because of the discipline required to regularly make deposits and avoid making withdrawals for items other than vet bills.

Our dogs are an important part of our lives and many of us consider them to be members of the family.  They depend on us and it is our responsibility to provide for their safety and health care needs.  As veterinary medicine continues to use ever increasingly more advanced and expensive technology, use new medications, increase the standards of health care for animals, the costs of care will only go up.  It is a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected accident or illness, to ensure that our pets are covered when they need medical attention.  Our dogs are worth it.

You may watch a professional dog trainer ask a dog to sit, and then reward the dog for sitting with a treat.  Looks easy.  You ask your dog to sit, and then reward him with a treat when he sits.  So what is the difference?  We will look at some of the differences in this article.

What happens when the professional trainer asks the dog to sit, and (gasp, horror) the dog does not sit?  Dog owners often become upset or angry at the dog when the requested behavior is not performed.  Professional trainers know that the dog is telling us he needs more training with this particular behavior in this particular environment.  The dog owner’s distress often negatively affects the dog’s ability to learn.  A frightened, worried dog cannot concentrate on the task at hand.  The professional dog trainer evaluates the dog’s past training and current behavior and develops a training plan to address the failure.

Let’s look at another possible difference between a professional dog trainer and a dog owner.  A dog owner or a professional dog trainer might ask the dog to sit (there is a lot of sitting in this article).  If the dog does not sit, the dog owner might not follow up with the requested behavior.  A professional dog trainer might take the dog by the collar, or move the dog to a less distracting area.  The professional dog trainer would not allow the dog to entertain himself at will until he had performed the requested behavior.  The dog learns the association between the word or sound “sit” and the behavior “sit” more quickly from the professional dog trainer, because the behavior is pursued until successful.

Professional dog trainers understand what behaviors have been trained, and what has not been trained.  In general, it is easy for dogs to learn to sit from a stand.  It is another behavior to learn to sit from a lying down position.  It is an even more difficult task to learn to sit a distance away from the owner/handler/trainer.  It is yet more difficult to teach sit when the dog is moving – running for example.  A professional dog trainer knows she should not ask for a behavior the dog is not yet able to perform.  A dog can be taught to stay from a sitting, lying or even a standing position.  It requires much attention to detail on the part of the trainer to teach a dog to stay in position while standing.

Consider the differences between professional dog trainers and your methods of handling your dog.  You can make changes that will improve your dog’s behavior, and perhaps even your relationship with your dog.

Happy Training!

Tricia Fagan

Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed

DogS Gone Good

www.dogSgonegood.com

trainer@dogSgonegood.com

(713) 557-1949