Welcome to the April 2006 edition on theSausagepress.

First of all, let us apologise for missing last month's newsletter. However, we do have a pretty good excuse. 3 weeks ago we welcomed a little puppy into our family. His name is Schnitzel Von Krumm and he's a standard smooth haired Dachshund (wiener dog). We had been wanting to get a little brother for Sausage for some time now and after 2 years of being an only dog, Sausage now has a brother!

Sausage and Schnitzel have really hit it off and spend most of their time either side of a rope toy. Sausage, being the big puppy that he is, has welcommed the re-introduction of puppy toys and puppy raw hide bones into the house.

This edition of theSausagepress contains interesting dog related news, articles and information from all over the globe, as well as our monthly reader only special offer!(scroll down)

 

Physical enlightenment has gone to the dogs

SAN FRANCISCO — Stretched out on a yoga mat in this city's Dolores Park, I'm trying to get my chakras flowing.
Nothing doing — my energy centers are as locked up as the water behind Hoover Dam. Maybe it's because I'm a yoga newbie, or perhaps it's the fact that I'm also trying to get my dog, Jaco, into a Downward Facing Dog pose.

Nothing doing there, either — Jaco looks as comfortable as a nudist in a swarm of bees, which about describes my state-of-queasiness.

When doing yoga doggie-style, you have to be prepared to flex some very particular muscles. Namely those controlling the mouth and eyes, depending on your devotion to the canine kind.

Adore your dog? Then the notion of spending 30 minutes working through Iyengar positions with Fido may bring on an isn't-that-adorable grin.

But if you think Rover's humanoid activities should be limited to lounging on the sofa and eating leftovers, well, your eyes long ago rolled skyward.

No better proof exists that many folks have taken a whimsical bumper sticker — "Dog is my co-pilot" — to heart than the spate of books and classes dedicated to making sure that dogs aren't left out of their owners' full-body quests for physical enlightenment.

"Yoga offers time to slow down and connect with yourself, but some people just find that easier to do with a loyal pet nearby," says New York yoga instructor Jennifer Brilliant, co-author of Doga: Yoga for Dogs. "Dogs actually are naturals at yoga. We can learn a lot from them."

Helping forge this human-dog yoga bond is Crunch Fitness, whose free doggie-and-me sessions — called Ruff Yoga — are offered at locations from Los Angeles to New York. Now, its San Francisco gym is joining the pack, a natural fit considering this city's slavish devotion to yoga and to dogs.

Thank, or blame, Suzi Teitelman for Ruff Yoga. As Crunch's New York-based director of yoga, she had her epiphany when her devoted cocker spaniel, Coali, began hovering by her yoga mat during at-home sessions.

"Pretty soon I was getting Coali into positions, and I could just feel him getting happier," says Teitelman, who wears her dog-love proudly. "This is a partner class, where you and your dog get closer by working through poses together."

Dogs feeling happier. Bonds growing stronger. Perfect goals for me and Jaco, a 3-year-old rescue mutt with the deafening bark of a beagle and the nuclear energy of a Brittany spaniel.

The class is serious as Crunch instructor Pete Chandonnet asks us to put hands together and bow. Then, just when he asks us to contemplate what we hope to gain from the half-hour, Tahoe, his MGM lion of a chow mix, promptly attends to his privates.

So much for serious.

As the class unfolds, human students are put through a variety of basic yoga poses with Zen-sounding names like Sun Salute and Reverse Warrior, essentially linked stretches that emphasize fluidity and balance.

Dogs have both in abundance. They also like to chase anything animate. Which makes it difficult to keep the dogs in their next pose, in which the dogs are lifted onto their hindquarters while we stretch out their front paws.

Nose to muzzle, it doesn't seem all that strange. But then I picture the scene from 20 yards away — five humans waltzing with their four-legged friends — and instantly feel like disappearing into the next area code.

Jaco seems zoned out. He's not barking and even seems uninterested in a marauding shepherd who taunts the crew.

Maybe he is happier? Or maybe he's just thinking, "Why do you want me to stand like a kangaroo?"

Just as I'm almost convinced this peaceful interlude could benefit man and beast, Chandonnet pushes me over my limit and commands us to massage our dogs' stomachs. I do it, but feel like a white-suited masseur at some doggie Canyon Ranch.

I look around, hoping others are sharing my embarrassment. No such luck. The other dogs are far less interested than Jaco in spa pampering: Tahoe is chasing the shepherd, while a pit bull pup named Gem is busy frantically digging a tunnel to Oakland.

We owners run through a few more poses and finish by hugging the dogs. A moment later, Jaco, never making eye contact, walks off. His way of saying, "Hey, this never happened, all right, pal?"

I'm down with that. He'll bark. I'll plug my ears. And all will be right in my human-dog cosmos.

Original article can be found Here

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These days, lavish parties have gone to the dogs

Last year in the United States, more than 700,000 pets enjoyed being the life of a party thrown in their honor.

Sweet sixteens and bachelor bashes are so yesterday! Today, in America, parties are for the dogs. If you really want to party like an animal, find a favored feline or pampered pooch enjoying their special day, bring the fur-family and join in toasting the fuzzy guest of honor.

Labrador retriever owner Tyler Hurst of Phoenix, Ariz., got the idea to throw a party for his pet after visiting a neighbor's son's first birthday party.

"I don't have a child yet. My family pretty much consists of Tiny Toons (the dog) and me," says Hurst. "I didn't want to miss out on all the fun stuff so I decided to have a birthday party for him."

"Dogs aren't the only ones having fun. Dog parties unleash the true party animal in everyone," says Arden Moore, pet expert and author of "Dog Parties: How to Party With Your Pup."

"Snicker if you will, but deep down inside, you know that you would rather attend a dog party than a boring candle party. At dog parties, you don't have to worry about wearing the right clothes or making the right small talk."

Moore offers these tips:

• Pick the right place. You can host a small party inside your home if you have dog-proofed the area, like the living room. For outdoor parties, make sure the site has a fence or other enclosure to keep dogs contained.

• Select the right party guests. You don't want a canine bully at your party.

• Offer safe treats and prizes. Contact guests in advance and ask if their dogs have any food allergies.

Original article can be found Here

Sausage & Schnitzel share an afternoon nap

New York fashion goes to the dogs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - From a Chihuahua in a white Marilyn Monroe dress to a bulldog in a purple net tutu, the dogs of New York today are as well dressed as their owners.

At a dog fashion show this week at one of New York's hottest clubs, waiters circled the room with glass bowls of dog food as well-groomed young people sipped cocktails and their dogs sniffed out new friends at the bar.

Preparations for the show, which raised money for an animal rescue center, were as chaotic as any fashion event, with some new problems.

"There's a lot more barking and a lot more interesting smells," said actress Stella Keitel, daughter of actor Harvey Keitel. Stella Keitel was among those walking with the canine models on the catwalk. "I'm definitely watching where I step."

Pet fashions are big business, with major retailers such as Target producing lines of clothing and accessories and boutique stores opening in swanky districts of New York.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 63 percent of U.S. households own a pet and total spending on pets -- including food, vet care, services and products such as fashion -- was around $35.9 billion in 2005.

The Animal Fair magazine show drew a parade of socialites, reality TV stars, models and B-list actors with their pets -- mostly lap dogs with a few retrievers and collies.

Model Beth Ostrosky brought Bianca, an English bulldog belonging to her boyfriend, radio shock jock Howard Stern. "Animals are people, especially dogs, they're part of the family," Ostrosky said, admiring Bianca's purple net outfit which was coordinated with her own Nicole Miller silk dress. "Quite frankly it was supposed to be a skirt but it kept sliding off her so we decided to make it a collar," she added.

Another dog -- a tiny Chihuahua -- was sporting a white 1950s dress inspired by an outfit immortalized because Marilyn Monroe was wearing it when a subway up draft sent the flared skirt flying up around her shoulders.

Some of the audience brought their dogs too.

Stephanie Warren came with her miniature schnauzer Minerva and the two were wearing matching gray and pink wool ponchos.Warren said she takes Minerva everywhere and that they frequently wear matching outfits.

"I hope I'm not being ridiculed," she said. "We even have some of the same jewelry I've had made. "I've taken her to a wedding before," she added. "I had got divorced and I didn't have a date so I took her."

Stylist Kristine Karam had a cocktail in one hand as her dog Minuda peered out of a bag under her other arm. "She wouldn't wear a hat but she has a beautiful blue cashmere turtleneck and she has a beautiful strand of pearls," Karam said of Minuda, who was unadorned on this occasion.

Susie Essman, an actress who appears in the comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm," wore a black and floral dress while her dog, a Shih Tzu named Sumo, wore a matching coat. "He doesn't normally wear the same stuff as me," Essman said. "It's fun for an event but to walk down the street, I think I would feel a little ridiculous."

To read the full story, click here.

 

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Dogs can be great listeners

Pepper wasn't quite behaving on Tuesday morning in a corner classroom in the basement of Guiteras Elementary School. While tiny, dark-haired Emily Botelho carefully and quietly read aloud the paperback book in her hands, Pepper twisted and fidgeted on her leash. Pepper yelped a couple of times, and she slapped her paw onto Emily's lap.

Finally Emily stopped reading. She looked over at Pepper.

"Stop it, Pepper," she said forcefully. Then she turned back to the book and continued reading "The Bravest Cat."

Tuesday was a different sort of day for both Pepper and Emily — a special sort of day. For 30 minutes every Tuesday the two get together in that corner classroom at Guiteras, and Emily, like most of the students in the Reading Fur Fun program, loves those 30 minutes.

With its cutesy name and odd arrangement — students taken from their classrooms to read out loud to dogs? — the Reading Fur Fun program may invite skepticism, but organizers say the program absolutely makes a difference in the lives of some children.

"Kids are very self-conscious," said Lynne Sabel, Pepper's owner and Emily's tutor for the 30-minute session. "There's a lot of pressure when they read in class in front of everyone. I think they like coming here because it's non-threatening. The dogs don't laugh or make fun of them."

Ms. Sabel is director of humane education at the Potter League For Animals in Middletown. She typically coordinates programs like Reading Fur Fun but recently stepped in with Pepper when there was an opening in the Guiteras program. She and Pepper spend one hour every Tuesday at Guiteras working one on one with two first-graders, each for 30 minutes.

The students chosen for the program are considered "reluctant readers." They can read, but they're not as adept or as comfortable reading in class as their peers. They need a little more help or encouragement, or just the benefits of one on one attention, and the dogs and their owners provide that. And because dogs are so beloved, there is no stigma attached to this program.

"Everyone wants to read with the dogs," said Marion Fodor, first-grade reading specialist at Guiteras. When students leave class to read to the dogs, others are jealous, she said.

A book and a friend

Tuesday's session started when Emily left her everyday classroom to join Pepper and Ms. Sabel in the reading room. After taking a moment to greet and pet Pepper, Emily chose a book from a pile on the table and nestled in to a purple bean bag on the floor. Pepper, a large, black mix of retriever and flat coat who weighs at least 60 pounds, sprawled on a blanket beside her.

Emily began reading, slowly and quietly. Occasionally she stopped and the room fell quiet for a few seconds. Each time, Ms. Sabel leaned over and asked Emily if she was stuck on a word. She nodded her head. Ms. Sabel helped Emily sound it out, syllable by syllable. When the word clicked in her mind, Emily said it out loud and the reading continued.

At the end of the book, and after several moments of praise from Ms. Sabel, Emily and Pepper took a break. Emily spent a few minutes on dog training exercises, teaching Pepper tricks or discipline. She then sat back down and read another book. By this time Pepper was pretty restless, but Emily forged ahead, finished the book amid distractions and recorded her two accomplishments on a log sheet on the classroom table.

"Emily, you did fantastic today," said Ms. Sabel.

Asked if she likes reading to Pepper, Emily nodded yes. "It's different, and I like dogs," she said. Emily has tried reading to her own dog at home, but she doesn't have as attentive an audience.

A good dog is hard to find

There might be more Reading Fur Fun programs if there were more dogs. Not any dog can take part. Owners and dogs must pass two certification programs: the Canine Good Citizen dog test and the Therapy Dog International test, and the latter is especially demanding. The dogs also must have the right temperament, and the owners must have time to volunteer during school hours.

Bristol resident Lindsay Green and her rescued greyhound Quinn meet all those criteria. They've been volunteering in the Guiteras program since it started four years ago. Ms. Green visits on Mondays.

Asked why the program works, in her opinion, Ms Green said, "I think it's the one on one as much as anything. It's really about a lot of encouragement, a lot of special treatment.

"Some kids just adore the dog. They make sure the dog sees every page. The dog isn't going to criticize them or make fun of them. Really, it doesn't work the same without the dog," she said.

Dogs aren't the only reading improvement strategy at Guiteras Elementary School. Ms. Fodor and her colleague, Paula Richards, bring volunteer tutors into the schools for one on one sessions or for group read-alouds. They talk to parents about the importance of reading at home. They send home tips and advice. They spend a lot of time with the classroom teachers, helping them identify who needs help and how.

The dogs are just one of the strategies, but they seem to be helping. Parents have complimented the results, the students love the program, and the organizers believe it makes an impact.

Said Ms. Sabel as she loosely held Pepper's leash, " It may be a little gimmick, but it works."

Reading Fur Fun at a glance

What: Dogs approved by the Potter League for Animals visit Guiteras Elementary School for a one-on-one reading program with students identified as "reluctant readers."

When: The school runs three five-week sessions during the school year. Third-graders in the fall. Second-graders next. Then first-graders in the spring.

How often: Students spend 30 minutes with their partner dog once per week.

How it works: The students literally read a book out loud to the dog and her owner, who acts as an adult tutor.

Why it works: Students feel more comfortable in that setting, rather than in the pressure of the classroom. Organizers literally want to make reading fun.

How it started: Roberta Wright, outreach librarian at Rogers Free Library, is the godmother of this program in Bristol. Ms. Wright read about the concept in a Potter League newsletter and contacted the Potter League. For the past four years she's been coordinating the whole program between the Potter League, the school and the dog's owners. "We're hoping to make lifetime readers," she said.

Doggiechiefs are coming back!

Thank you to all those people who emailed us asking 'where are the doggiecheifs?'. The good news is that a permanant range of doggiechiefs will be added to the site in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. If you are desparate to get your hands on some now, please email us and we should be able to help you out.

A dogs life?

A hydro massage in a whirlpool bath for your cat? Perhaps a good runaround in the play area followed by a grooming session to get that shine back on your pet dog's coat? All these are possible while you are away on a guilt-free, pet-free holiday.

Creature comforts have taken a new meaning at what is being described as the world's first animal hotel, promising "six-star luxury facilities" for its furry, feathery and scaly guests. Operated by the cargo arm of flag carrier Malaysia Airlines, the Animal Hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport aims to cater to Malaysians who want top-quality care for their pets when they go away on business or holidays. "We want to offer peace of mind for passengers travelling out of our airport," Animal Hotel manager Shamsul Akmal Shamsudin said. "They can go on holiday knowing we are pampering their pets."

When it opened in 1998, the facility handled only import, export and temporary handling of animals in transit. But anticipating a large potential market for animal care, the facility was given a facelift. Rebranded as the Animal Hotel, it was re-launched on March 16, offering a wide range of services including boarding and grooming.

"We built 30 air-conditioned kennels and five stables, for a start," Shamsul said, adding that extra services like the animal spa and pet grooming were on offer for cats and dogs. "We intend to extend similar services to more exotic pets like reptiles, iguanas later on."

The hotel has a simple but elegant reception area with tiled floors and white walls featuring promotional pictures - a hummingbird hovering near a bowl of exotic blooms, a hippopotamus in a petal-filled bath and a tiger's paw on an embroidered cushion, getting a pedicure. From here, a door leads to the stables and air conditioned canine and feline kennels, each with cushions and stainless steel bowls for water and food.

Sprawling over 4,800 square metres, the centre also includes enclosed pet recreation spaces, paddocks and dedicated areas for reptiles, insects and live laboratory animals. Different species are kept separate. All the animals must have health certificates verifying that they are healthy and free from disease before they can check in.

The hotel continues to handle live animal shipments passing through the airport. Its 21 staff members deal with seven categories of animals - equine, domestic animals like cows, birds, fish, pets, reptiles and insects and zoological animals that include endangered species. "Queen bees, bugs, polar bears, penguins, arowana fish, tarantulas, sea lions ... you name it, they've all passed through our hotel," Shamsul said. "Our new stay-in program, however, is for now limited to pets of Malaysian residents who want go on holiday."

He said the hotel's new deal beats pet stores offering similar facilities because it is open 24/7 and is more convenient for airport passengers. He said it is the only airport animal hotel in the world offering a residence program. Similar hotels in London and Amsterdam only cater for animal handling and those in transit, he said.

Although there isn't a full-time veterinary officer at the hotel, it has a list of 24-hour on-call doctors. The staff also undergo special safety training for handling dangerous animals as well as training by wildlife authorities to identify and care for protected species. All this for a starting price of 30 ringgit ($A11) per kennel per night, to 300 ringgit ($A115) for a horse. Meals, spa and luxury treatments cost extra.

The stay-in centre has no lodgers yet and the online booking and payment feature in its refurbished web site is expected to be operational soon. Future plans include installing web cameras in each holding area, so that owners can check up on their pets from wherever they are. Visitors who toured the facility recently left notes in the guest book. One of them read: "This is a very impressive place. The animal will feel better than (at) their owner's house!"

Animal Hotel: www.maskargo.com/animalhotel

Original article can be found Here