by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Charlotte Reed & James Bell going over the features of the Chevy Volt.

When you think of the New York International Auto Show, the first thing that comes to your mind probably
is not dogs –and is more likely what the new concept car is.  But this year on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Chevrolet,
in celebration of National Pet Day, teamed up with pet expert Charlotte Reed to talk about safety for our pets while
traveling and versatility for pets in their vehicles.

With many pooches on hand, some even famous in the NYC area, like Cubby and Porscha from ‘Doggie Moms,’ the dogs were ready, willing and able to try out the different Chevy models and all they have to offer our pets.

Cubby (white dog) and friends check out the car!

According to a 2011 AAA/Kurgo survey, nearly six in 10 respondents said they had driven with their dog in the automobile at least once a month in the past year.  But the question is, was the dog on their lap or properly secured in a doggie seatbelt or in a crate?  At the Chevrolet National Pet Day, both Charlotte Reed and James Bell, who is GM’s Head of Consumer Affairs, took us on a tour of different vehicles had to offer what works best for our four-legged friends.

“From subcompact hatchbacks to full-size SUVs, Chevrolet vehicles today provide plenty of choices to meet the needs of owners and pets of all shapes and sizes. To avoid stress, do your homework in advance and make note of your specific pet’s needs and review safety features,” said Charlotte Reed, a pet lifestyle expert.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind for finding a pet-friendly vehicle:

Safety features. According to the 2011 AAA/Kurgo study, three out of 10 pet owners admit
to being distracted while driving. One in five admits to driving with a pet in their lap. The
Chevrolet Equinox, for example, has lane-departure warning systems, stability and traction
control and forward-collision alerts that help heighten driver alertness to possible danger.
Owners can reduce distractions by keeping pets restrained in the back seat with a dog seatbelt or in a secured pet carrier.

Hannah being with her doggie seatbelt on.

Exterior and interior features. Look for vehicles that are wide, tall and slightly square at
the back. This will make it easier to get pets and pet equipment into and out of vehicles.
Cargo room and additional cup holders are useful to stow pet food, water and accessories.
The Chevrolet Traverse crossover sport utility offers best-in-class roominess and class-
leading cargo space. It has flexible and fold-flat seating, as well as a rear cooling system

Talking OnStar capability for a Pet Emergencythat is ideal for pets on a hot summer day.

In-vehicle technology. The Chevrolet Equinox, Traverse and Tahoe SUV offer power lift-gates that make it easier for pets to access the vehicle. They also have fold-flat seats offer more space for transporting pets and crates. Additional safety and security technology such as remote unlock, vehicle location and crash-detection services from OnStar can provide
live help at a touch of a button during pet-emergency situations.

So the next road trip you take with your pet, even if it is just to the local dog park, think safety first (dog seatbelt, crate, secured pet carrier), and look for a car or sport utility that will suit you and your dog’s lifestyle.

Charlotte Reed, James Bell

Chevrolet at NY Auto Show, 2012

Testing the pet ramp

Blade, one happy pup checking out all the rides!

Beau

Hannah the model pup for the day!

Charlotte Reed & James Bell, NY Auto Show, 2012

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

On Monday, April 9th, after a busy morning of client meetings and errands, I was driving to my office on Sunrise Highway near Islip heading East and I saw a lot of smoke in the distance.  I said to myself, “Wow, something is seriously on fire!”   And within the hour I learned that there was a big and growing brush fire in Manorville, NY.  Didn’t think that much of it at first other than it reminded me of the Pine Barrens fire in the 90’s.  A few minutes after learning of the fire, I saw a post on Facebook by a Long Island Equine Disaster Preparedness, (which was originally created during hurricane Irene by a horse owner on LI), that there were over 200 horses needed to be evacuated and the call for help was very urgent.  Being someone who has been riding horses my entire life, I was immediately sick to my stomach at the thought of spooked horses near a fire.

Horses being lead out of Fire zone. Photo Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas

So I re-posted the original post on both my personal and business Facebook pages to see if any of my horsey set connections could help.  I also called a few of the phone #’s  on that were posted to see if I could get updates and spoke with Christine Distefano from Amaryllis Horse Equine Rescue to get any updates.  The response from both dog/cat and horse people was amazing of everyone wanting to help and people that were already on their way to help.

On the ground reports of it being chaos and people having to walk in and walk horses out were coming in from a few different places.  But an army of people were there to help with horse trailers and had places to bring the horses – posts were coming in from all over LI of people offering up stalls and stables.  It is a wonderful and amazing thing that all the horses and their owners made it out safely.  We also had a group of Long Island Pet Professional members from all over LI ready to help as reports that Kent Animal Shelter may have to evacuate their 110 animals were being posted, but thankfully they ended up not having to evacuate.  (Big thanks to everyone who offered help!)

But the question remains in my mind, are you ready in case of an emergency with your pet?  Whether it is a dog, cat, horse, bird, or reptile, do you have a plan of action, back up plan?  Unfortunately in disasters like this is when we realize just how important a plan is.  Just something as simple as having your dog’s or cat’s ID tags up to date, extra set of collars and leashes readily available, and of course pet medical records and proof of vaccinations – seriously you can scan onto your Smart Phone or ipad these days.  But I would suggest having a hard set of copies in your car glove compartment.

Other important things you should consider when having an evacuation plan are to have a contact near your home – that if you can’t get there in time they can.

• Contact information for your pet’s veterinarian
• Recent Photo of your pet
• Water, food and containers
• Leash/muzzle/harness
• Any Medications for your pet and/or list of them
• Pet carrier or cage
• Kitty Litter & container for cats
• Also put your veterinarian phone # into your phone
• Sign or decal on your windows alerting firemen how many pets and what type may be in your home
• First Aid Kit for pets in your car at all times – in case your pet gets injured and you can’t get him or her to the vet right away

Remember too, that your pet may act differently during an emergency, so make sure their collar and/or harness is on correctly so the don’t slip out of the collar and run away.  Have a family meeting to discuss a plan of action for any emergency and be sure to include all pets in that plan so everyone knows what to do, where to meet during emergency etc.  Suffolk County residents please know that emergency shelters are often pet friendly – they work with animal organizations to ensure you leave your home With your pet and will help keep your pet safe.  More information on this can be found here.

Thank you to all our volunteer firefighters, police and rescue for doing what you do! Crossing fingers and paws that this fire will be out in a day or so.  A big thanks to Fetch Doggies, SuperPaws, Sit, Stay and Play (sitstayplaydogs@yahoo.com),  Iguana Party,  East End Boarding Kennel, Pre-K-Nine Training (PreKnineTraining@aol.com), Pet Peeves Dog Training, ArtCasso for contacting me to offer help if anyone needed it, I was just one of many messengers getting the word out.  And if I forgot anyone thank you too.

Horse being lead to safety. Newsday Photo Credit: Photo Credit: John Roca

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Now that spring is here and many of us humans are planning summer vacations, but what about our dogs?  Are you the type of person who hates to leave your dog behind and wish you could take him with you for a getaway?  These days many dog owners don’t want to leave their beloved four legged family member behind, and luckily now you don’t have to.  Thanks to a locally run business, Canine Camp Getaway, they offer a five day fun and activity filled vacation for you and your dog.  Recently I spoke with Janice Costa the Owner and Founder of Canine Camp Getaway to find out more about the doggie vacations:

Q.  What made you decide to launch a dog vacation business?

Janice: “I have two large dogs who love to go places. Whenever I pulled out my suitcases for a business trip, they would drop their toys and bones inside, or even try to lie down in it (as if I might somehow not notice a 100-pound dog lying in the center of my suitcase trying to stow away!). They do NOT like being left behind. And honestly, I don’t like being without them, either! I work long hours, and spending time with them is one of my greatest pleasures, so it seems wrong somehow that when I get a week off to do what I love, they wouldn’t get to be a part of that.

Unfortunately, so many places aren’t dog friendly, and even the ones that claim to be dog friendly often don’t take large dogs, or don’t have anything for you to do with your dog when you get there. And why drag my dog’s hours away from home if they’re just going to be stuck in the hotel room with nothing to do?

My one dog loves swimming pools, and the other loves all dog sports…and I thought, wouldn’t it be great if there was a vacation where I could relax and have fun, and my dogs could also do their favorite things, like swimming, lure coursing, agility, etc.? I also loved the idea of having a vacation where I could meet other like minded dog people. And I was pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who felt this way — I know so many dog lovers who also view their dogs as an important part of their family, and can’t imagine leaving them behind to go on vacation.

So I thought about the things I love to do and the things my dogs love to do and created a vacation that we all could enjoy together. Canine Camp Getaway of NY is as much their vision as mine, and I’m delighted that so many other dogs and dog lovers enjoy it as much as we do!”

Q. What, exactly, does one do on a ‘dog vacation?’

Dogs swimming at Camp pool

Janice: “Our guests tell us that Canine Camp Getaway of NY is like a ‘Club Med for dogs,’ with a wide variety of activities and classes (since different dogs like different things). We have a dog-friendly swimming pool, which our Labs and Goldens seem especially fond of, and then we offer dog sport classes, including agility, Frisbee, flyball, hiking, canine freestyle dancing, lure coursing, scent detection, doggie skateboarding, rally obedience and more. I’m also a big believer in education, so we incorporate many educational activities as well, such as Canine CPR, Therapy Dog and Canine Good Citizen preparation and testing, seminars by veterinarians and dog nutrition experts, etc. For our human guests, we have horseback riding, zumba classes, karaoke, Vendor Day, country line dancing, nightly Yappy Hour in the dog-friendly bar, and even an on-site spa! Best of all, dogs are welcome everywhere — even in the dog-friendly section of the dining room or the lounge at night, so you really can “hang out with your dog” without sacrificing a fun vacation!”

Lure Coursing

Q.  So, why or what does a dog need vacation from anyway?

Janice: “Everyone jokes about how great it is to be a dog. Someone else pays for the kibble, no mortgage payments to worry about, and you can sleep all day, right? But dogs get stressed out just like people do. Dogs pick up on our moods, and when we’re stressed, they feel it, too. Dogs are also natural wanderers, so being inside a house all day long (and without thumbs to be able to control the TV remote!) can sometimes leave your pup bored, lonely or just lacking in stimulation. It’s a proven fact that dogs live longer, healthier lives when they have mental and physical stimulation (and this also leads to happier, better behaved and more relaxed dogs!). And, of course, everyone is so busy that half the time, even beloved dogs have to share their human’s attention with a job, family obligations, household chores, TV, computer time and everything else.

But a vacation…well, that opens a dog’s life up to new sights, new scents, new experiences, physical and intellectual stimulation and a chance to spend ‘fun vacation’ time with THEIR best friend…you! Just as you crave a chance to totally relax, have fun and leave life’s stresses behind, so, too, do dogs love to be the center of their owner’s universe for a week, rather than competing with ‘real life’ — jobs, bills, chores and all those other responsibilities. And a vacation with your dog is a chance for you to both do things you might not otherwise do — explore nature, meet new people and dogs, try new activities and just rediscover why the human-canine bond is so very powerful! Plus, it’s just plain fun!”

Q. Where is your vacation held?

Janice: “We hold our Getaway at the Roaring Brook Ranch in Lake George, NY. We love the location because of the stunning mountain views, scenic hiking trails and proximity to the lake. Plus, the hotel has nearly 300-acres, so there’s plenty of space for the dogs to explore! The town itself is just a few minutes away, with great outlet shopping, boating, fishing and plenty of dog-friendly shops perfect for browsing with our canine BFF.”

Q.  Is this vacation primarily for couples, or do people come by themselves?

Janice: “Both, actually! We generally get about one third couples and two thirds singles, with many people attending who don’t know anyone at all when they get there. But dog lovers are such a friendly group, and the dogs tend to make friends pretty quickly as well, so even if you attend alone, you and your dog are likely to have plenty of new friends before you leave!”

Q. Do dogs need special training to attend Canine Camp Getway?

Janice: “We have dogs of all sizes, ages and breeds. Generally, we get roughly half large dogs and half small dogs, and a good mix of pure breeds and mixed breeds ranging in age from four-month-old puppies to senior dogs. We don’t require obedience training to attend, but dogs must be good with both people and other dogs, due to the social nature of the vacation experience.”

Q.  What if someone attending has never done any of the dog activities offered? Is that a problem?

Janice: “We have a full staff of talented and highly experienced instructors, so whether their dog is new to dog sports or a seasoned pro, they can still participate in the activities. In fact, many times our human guests are surprised to find that their dogs have many hidden talents! What’s also nice is that there are so many different activities, you can try a little bit of everything and see what your dog likes best.”

So if this sounds like the type of vacation you and your dog are drooling over, for more information or an application, check out the Canine Camp Getaway website. Or you can email Janice directly at Janice@caninecampgetaway.com or call at 877-592-2674. And for updates check out their Facebook page too.

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

I have written about this before, people on Long Island assuming that you can only get a Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix at local shelters, and oh how that is NOT the case.  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this from a misinformed person, “There are only pit bulls or pit mixes at the shelters,” and for whatever bizarre reason the person saying it always lowers their voice when saying this. Now don’t get me wrong as an owner of my own rescue Pit Bull Max, and proud one at that – I would encourage potential adopters to give a pit or pit mix a chance first – because you will be amazed at what fun loving, super smart, goofy, super loyal and fabulous dogs they truly are.  Anyone who owns a Pit Bull, (American Pit Bull Terrier/American Staffordshire Terrier), or Pit mix will surely agree with me.  But I do understand people have other breeds as their favorites or are looking for something different – I totally get it.  So why skip over your local municipal shelters because of something you heard or assume about the dogs there (and yes cats too!)?

Recently, Last Hope Inc. Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation posted pictures on their Facebook page of 3 different purebred Weimaraners ALL pulled from local Town Municipal Shelters.  They called it, and how adorably so, ‘Weim Whitman Sampler of Shelter Rescues:’ Last Hope’s puppy ‘Maggie’ comes from Hempstead Shelter, ‘Mac’ (formerly ‘Casper’) is from Babylon Shelter; ‘Mandy’ hails from Brookhaven Shelter.

Photo Credit: Last Hope

The thing is – this is not an uncommon occurrence at our local shelters.  I stopped by the Town of Islip shelter last Saturday and asked the Shelter Supervisor Joanne Daly if they had any Dobermans, she said, “not now, but we did just have a female recently that a Dobie rescue group came and pulled.” And if you check out Shelter Link’s page the Town of Islip’s all volunteer group, you are bound to see a purebred or adorable mixed breed that is waiting for his or her forever home.

Little Shelter in Northport, has a beautiful male Doberman there waiting for a home and many other breeds too like: a Mini Pin; Maltese; Chow Mix; Husky Mix; a Shepherd Mix and more.

The North Fork Animal Welfare League has a Rottweiler, Husky, Jack Russell, Beagle, Daschund and many more.

I can almost guarantee that every pet rescue group on Long Island that takes in all breeds and mixed breeds have a purebred dog or mixed bred that you will want.  And if you have your heart on a specific breed there are many breed rescue groups to choose from too.  So please don’t be dismayed by what you heard someone else say – and assume that is exactly how it is at your local animal shelter. Go to the shelters yourself and go often because the sad truth is that dogs come into the shelters daily.

Click here for a list of many of the shelters and breed rescue groups here on Long Island.

And if you want to learn more on dog ownership and training the next Free class is held on April 11 – you must RSVP for the class – find out all details here.

Fluffy: Photo Credit: Shelter Link

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Just the other day our friends at Newsday did a nice article about the most popular breed of dog on Long Island, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).  But I think the article was not quite accurate.  Many people who have dogs, who are AKC registry worthy, meaning they were from an official AKC dog breeder and they have ‘papers’ for the dog – doesn’t mean they actually registered their dog with the AKC.  For example, I had a beautiful Doberman who was from a fantastic Long Island Doberman breeder and I had her AKC papers (which I still have) but I never registered her because I had her spayed and never bred her.  I am sure that is the case with many pure bred dog owners here on LI.

There are also a lot of dogs adopted through rescue groups that may or may not be a pure breed dog – that are also not registered through the AKC – so they were also not accounted for in the article either.  Newsday listed, according to the AKC most registered dog breeds, the top 10 on Long Island:

1. Labrador Retriever; 2. Golden Retriever; 3. German Shepherd; 4. Bulldog; 5. Rottweiler; 6. Poodle; 7. Boxer; 8. Yorkie; 9. Shih Tzu; and the 10. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

And while I suspect there are a ton of Labrador Retrievers,  Goldens and Bulldogs on LI – what about other really popular dog breeds like the American Pit Bull Terrier, (or for you dog fancy people, The American Staffordshire Terrier), I am pretty sure there are a lot of lucky pit bulls owned in loving homes, like my own Max on LI.  Other breeds I seem to see everywhere I go are Chihuahua’s, Shelties, Jack Russell Terriers (Parson Russell’s if you will), and Doxie’s – their not on the list either. Hmmm

So if you have a dog that is not registered in with the AKC, is a mixed breed or you have adopted – we want to know about him or her too!  Please take our 1 question survey here and tell us what kind of dog you have!  Let’s see if we can get a more accurate account of the diverse dog breeds on LI.