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Pet Press KALISPELL JUNE 2020
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Kim and Charlie
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET … JUMP!
Hamilton and Lincoln Go Dock Jumping
We’ve been doing training with Hamilton and Lincoln to see if they have what it takes to compete.
T he first time we brought our dog back in September, when he was still a puppy, so I don’t think he’d ever even been to a lake before. But Hamilton took one look at the water and knew that was the place he wanted to be. This summer, my wife and I want to let Hamilton spend more time in the water by getting him into DockDogs competitions. We’ve been doing training with Hamilton and Lincoln to see if they have what it takes to compete. It’s a bit daunting. I’ve never done anything like this with my dogs before, but I’m excited to try it. A few of my clients do DockDogs stuff, and that’s their family time. They travel around to competitions all over the western Hamilton to the lake, he broke out into a run and jumped right into the water without us even telling him to. This was
United States and compete with their dogs. It sounds like a lot of fun, and I love to hear about people spending time with their dogs. If you’ve never heard of this canine sport before, DockDogs is an organization that runs dock jumping competitions. These events are exactly what they sound like. Dogs run off a dock and jump into a body of water, competing for height, distance, and speed. The first dock jumping competition was at the 1997 Incredible Dog Challenge, an event sponsored by Purina. Since then, it’s grown to be an up-and-coming sport with competitions all over the world. Though it’s gaining popularity, the community is still pretty small, so you can meet people from all over the country at one competition. I’ve seen some DockDogs competitions and the dogs love it. They go bananas for jumping into the water and chasing toys. Some of these dogs can jump 30 feet into the water. It’s amazing! I’m excited to be part of this fun sport. My clients who do DockDogs competitions speak so highly of it. I’ve gotten to talk to some of my clients about these competitions, and it’s great to see their eyes light up. It’s awesome to hear people talk about hobbies they’re passionate about. And when those hobbies involved spending time with their dogs, all the better!
Speaking as a veterinarian, it’s really important for me to know what my clients are
doing with their dogs, especially if they have sport dogs or working dogs. There are different treatments or therapies we might try with these kinds of dogs. A lap dog who hangs out around the house with their 80-year-old owner has a very different lifestyle than a lab who does dock jumping. If a dock-jumping dog comes in with a ruptured ligament, my goal isn’t just to help them heal. I want to help them get back to their normal life, so they can be safely jumping off the docks again. Dogs who participate in these kinds of activities really love them, and I don’t want them to lose that joy if we can help it. I hope to have my own dock jumping stories to share soon. Lincoln can’t jump very high or very far, but he’s really fast, so we’d like to put him in the speed competitions. Hamilton, meanwhile, isn’t coordinated enough to go for height, but I bet he can gain some distance. We’ll have to wait and see how they do at their first competition.
Charlie in Utah
Wish us luck!
– Dr. Jevon Clark
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Gunner photos
A COUPLE OF Turn Your Vacation Into a Staycation 3 WAYS TO REPLACE A CANCELED VACATION
Hello, everyone!
Vacations provide opportunities for families to spend time together in a relaxed environment, get away from the routines of everyday life, and create meaningful memories. If you’ve recently had to cancel a trip but still want to create the experience of a vacation for your family, then a staycation is just what you need. Transform Your Backyard When you’re trying to recreate a vacation, the outdoor areas of your home present a variety of possibilities. You can turn a sandbox into a relaxing beach, complete with a kiddie pool “ocean.” If you have trees, then set up a zip line or obstacle course. You can even stimulate summer brains with a scavenger hunt around the backyard with hidden clues in the dirt or bushes. The ultimate prize can be something you would have purchased on your original vacation, like a souvenir you can find online. Create a ‘Family Museum’
My name’s Ozzy. I used to live at the animal shelter here in town. Now, I get to live with the Lewis pack! You probably know Shannon. She’s the receptionist at The Animal Clinic of Kalispell. I love living with Shannon and her family. It’s a fun place. There are also several chickens, a big goldfish, and a pug named Lily living at the house. Shannon’s daughter, Maddy, is my best friend. We play together all the time. Tug of war is our favorite game. Another game we play is hide-and-seek, which is when Maddy hides my favorite plastic bone so I’ll play with her more. That’s not my favorite game, but I do love playing with Maddy, so I don’t mind too much. Lily joined our pack about two years ago. She’s also a rescue, but she wasn’t living at the animal shelter like I was. That’s why Lily’s health wasn’t so great when she first came to live with us. In fact, her teeth were so bad that she needed 16 of them removed! Lily says she’s feeling much better today. She loves to run around in the yard and eat chicken poop. I keep telling her that we have plenty of treats, but pugs have unique tastes, I guess.
Many vacations include an educational aspect in order to enrich our understanding of the place we’re visiting, and museums are a great way to accomplish that. If you’re confined to the house, then teach your kids about your own knowledge and interests and encourage them to get creative and make their own contributions, too. Have everyone create art, take photos, or write about their prized possessions. Display these masterpieces around your home and let their creators take you on a tour. Learning more about one another builds meaningful bonds. Bring Your Trip Home You probably chose your original vacation destination in order to experience new and different cultures and activities. But just because you’re no longer traveling to that location doesn’t mean you can’t experience some of what it has to offer! Research popular local cuisine, activities, and history of the area, then create ways to experience them with your family. Cook a traditional meal, recreate a scenic location through photographs, or share a story about local lore and history. Your changed plans will no longer feel like a missed opportunity.
‘Hot Dog’ DOG BISCUITS
Inspired by Chewy.com
Fido shouldn’t eat scraps from the grill, but he can still enjoy a classic summertime snack! Get creative and whip up some “hot dog” dog treats
Staying at home doesn’t mean your family can’t have the fun of a vacation. All it takes is a little creativity and innovation to build an experience that will bring your family closer together.
1/2 cup flour • 2 tsp powdered Parmesan • 2 tbsp natural, xylitol- free peanut butter • 1/4 cup water • Beef stick dog treats cheese Ingredients
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RESCUES
WILL YOUR DOG FOOD CAUSE HEART FAILURE? FDA Report Warns Against Grain-Free Diets Is a grain-free diet good for your dog? Many people would say yes but won’t be able to explain why. It’s just something that sounds right. However, a little investigating reveals no evidence that grain- free dog foods are actually better for your dog. In fact, a report from the Food and Drug
And a Word From Ozzy
It’s really nice to have a place to call home. When I was at the animal shelter, I wasn’t sure I’d ever have a home again. Getting to live with Maddy and Lily and the rest of the Lewis pack is the best thing ever! If you’re thinking about bringing a new pet home, then I recommend checking out local animal shelters. Your new best friend just might be waiting for you.
Administration (FDA) suggests that going grain-free may actually be bad for your dog’s health.
Between 2014 and 2019, the FDA received reports of 515 dogs being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a condition in which the chambers of a dog’s heart become dilated because the heart is too weak to pump blood effectively. This can lead to congestive heart failure. DCM is not a rare condition in dogs. Some
breeds, like Doberman pinschers, Great Danes, Saint Bernards, and cocker spaniels have a predisposition to DCM. However,
the reports submitted to the FDA were unusual because the disease was occurring in breeds of dogs not prone to DCM.
Directions
The FDA examined the labels of dog food products reported in the DCM cases. They found that 90% of the food in these cases were grain-free. They also noted that 93% of the products contained peas and/or lentils, and 42% contained potatoes and/or sweet potatoes. The FDA also released a list of dog food brands that were named at least 10 times in the DCM reports. These included popular brands like Acana (67 reports), Zignature (64 reports), Taste of the Wild (53 reports), Blue Buffalo (31 reports), and Rachael Ray Nutrish (10 reports). Does this mean you should stop feeding your dog these brands or other grain-free dog foods? Not necessarily. Keep in mind that correlation is not causality. Just because these foods happen to be grain-free doesn’t necessarily mean that being grain-free is what has caused dogs to develop DCM. Dr. Jerry Klein, the chief veterinary officer of the AKC, stated, “At this time, there is no proof that these ingredients are the cause of DCM in a broader range of dogs, but dog owners should be aware of this alert from the FDA.”
1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2.
In large bowl, combine flour and Parmesan cheese, then add peanut butter and water. Mix until mixture thickens and forms a dough.
3. Sprinkle flour on your workstation and roll out dough to form a long, 1-inch-thick cylinder. Cut dough into 3-inch pieces. Use the round handle of a wooden spoon to make a crease down the middle lengthwise of each dough piece, forming a hot dog bun shape. 4. Place “buns” on a nonstick baking pan. Cook in the oven for 7–10 minutes, or until hard. 5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut beef sticks into 3-inch pieces. Place beef sticks into buns to create “hot dogs.” 6. Share with your dog during your next cookout!
Not sure which food is best for your dog or cat? Feel free to ask your vet during your next visit! They can discuss your options and help determine the best foods for your pet’s lifestyle.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
406.755.6886 WWW.KALISPELLVET.COM 1408 AIRPORT ROAD KALISPELL, MT 59901
Inside
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DockDogs Make a Splash
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3 Enriching Staycation Ideas Meet Ozzy and Lily
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Special Canine Cookout Is Grain-Free Really Good for Dogs?
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5 World Records Broken by Animals
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS’ MOST AMAZING ANIMALS
DIDGA, A VERY TRICKY KITTY
Hearing about someone who has claimed a Guinness World Record is pretty cool, but do you know what’s even cooler? When animals make world records. Here are a few amazing animals who hold some really cool records.
Anyone who says cats can’t learn tricks hasn’t met Didga. In 2016, Didga, with help from her human, Robert Dollwet, claimed a world record by performing 20 different tricks in 60 seconds. Her routine started with the classics, like sitting and giving high-fives, and culminated in riding a skateboard while hopping over a low bar. Dollwet told Guinness World Records that training Didga took a lot of time and patience and that he was so proud of his clever cat.
Super Beagles and Jumping Llamas
CASPA, THE AMAZING JUMPING LLAMA
PURIN, THE BEAGLE WHO HOLDS 3 GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
Sue Williams is an animal trainer and behaviorist who specializes in dogs. One day, she was working on agility training with her dogs when she noticed her llama, Caspa, watching them. After a little time and training, Williams discovered that Caspa loved jumping, too. In 2015, Caspa cleared a bar set at 3 feet, 8 1/2 inches. He jumped right into the world record for “highest bar jump cleared by a llama.” “He’s a complete diva,” says Williams. “So, if there are people there to show off in front of, that’s when he’s at his ultimate best.”
Nicknamed “The Super Beagle,” Purin scored her first title in 2015 for her amazing goalkeeping skills. The beagle “saved” 14 mini soccer balls thrown by her human, Makoto Kumagai, in one minute. A year later, Purin claimed another record when she became the “fastest dog on a ball” by traveling 10 meters in 10.39 seconds while balancing on a ball. Not long after, Purin and Kumagai set the record for
“most skips by a dog and a person in one minute — single rope” with 58 skips. Talk about super! You can find videos of all these amazing record holders and more at GuinnessWorldRecords.com .
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