Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue Newsletter 01.10

January: Train Your Dog Month

First off, Happy New Year! You all helped make 2009 the best year ever for several homeless dogs! We have a million thanks to give - you all donated over $4,000 in our Pawlidays Fundrasier! That money goes directly back to helping hundreds of dogs get to Colorado from shelters across the midwest, be tested for Heartworm, eat, and get spayed and neutered! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Secondly, it's train your dog month

Hundreds of thousands of dogs are turned into animal shelters every year because their owners didn’t know how to deal with behavior problems and couldn’t find a reliable resource to help them.  Many of those dogs are dogs that we rescue from shelters. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers has selected January as the perfect month because, as we all know, so many dogs and puppies are adopted and brought home during the winter holidays. Our desire is to help these new pet parents start off the new year with their newest family member in the best way possible.

Training can be fun and build upon the close bond owners have with their pets. Through positive reinforcement and play activity, lessons can be learned that will take a dog through his entire lifetime.

Below are some links on how to train your dog to do certain things - from crate training to roll over:

Crate Training

Socialization

Tricks, tricks, tricks

How to housetrain your dog

Teach them to sit

HAPPY TRAINING!!

Dog of the Month: Cleatus

Meet Cleatus - our "silver bell". Cleatus is a rescue dog that came from a farm that 'breeds' silver Labradors. He was living in a barn on hay, and had never been inside a house. Cleatus has lost a lot of hair - we took him to the vet to see what the problem may be. We have changed his food (possible food allergy) and had a tumor removed that was on his testicles (which were removed when he was neutered). Both have helped stop the hair loss, and we see some improvement. He is great, very sweet and calm. He seems to walk well on a leash. We think he is a wonderful dog and if someone can see past the hair loss he will be a great.

I am sending more pictures of Tucker (formerly Irving).  He is such a wonderful dog, and is doing really well.  He was 37 lbs when I got him and now weighs 55 lbs. He is just getting so big!  He is totally worm free and doing really well in his dog training classes.  He absolutely loves the snow, rolls around in it and jumps head first into snow banks.  We tried to take him swimming with Ruger, and he went in a few times, but is still a bit anxious about swimming over his head.  He has a friend in the neighborhood his age, and goes to doggy daycare twice a week which he loves!  He definitely enjoys wrestling with all other dogs (he tried to with an 120lb Saint Bernard the other day). It's hard to get any action shots of him, he is just too quick, so most are sleeping or chewing :-) 

Benefit for Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue

Susan Becker's oil portraits are vibrant pet interpretations designed to touch the heart, capture an essence, and represent a spirit and love for life. They are windows into the furriest souls as she sees them, tangible, yet magical salutes to the animal-human emotional connection. This intimate, intense oil painting speaks to a pet's sense of dignity and their unique personality of joy, desire, or even sorrow, so that each individual can be celebrated, both in the moment, and for life.

For the months of January and February Susan has chosen the Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue as the featured rescue. 5% of the commission fees will benefit the Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue.

Visit her website for more information on how to order today!

Thank you 2009! Here's to 2010!