(This picture shows the backs of the shirts, the front is a bit different.)
Hey, the snazzy Fort FidoT-Shirts just came in this morning! Several customers have already picked some up and they look outstanding. The price is $12.99 (for any size or color). We have sizes S - XXL, in colors Blue, Grey and Pink. Get 'em while their hot lol, show off your fort pride! ;)
Crazy fun in the Big Roll. Bella, Stella and Abby have a gnarly play session. Checkout Aliisa's smooth moves towards the end, man, she's an agile Airedale!
From the Medium Roll, Barkley and Diego have a good wrestling match. The same goes for Jasmine and Niko, what fun! Our last clip is of Bella the doodle and new Fort Fido Friend Emily having a go.
Another funny video emailed to me from Rainer's family... This poor persistent pup lol, that statue just won't listen! I sure hope they threw the stick for him a lot after that one.
Next week is National Dog Bite Prevention week, and in anticipation the USPS has released a list of the 25 cities with the highest frequency of dog bites sustained by mail carriers. Sadly, both Seattle and Tacoma made the list- at numbers 10 and 21 respectively. Medical expenses related to dog bites cost the USPS an estimated $1.2 million dollars every year!
The American Veterinary Medical Association teaches this handy acronym for safely petting a dog: WAIT. The W stands for (you guessed it) "wait." When you first see a dog you want to be introduced to, wait and observe for a minute. Does it look friendly? Is the owner in a rush? Do you think the dog would like to meet you? A stands for "ask." Always ask the owner's permission before you pet their dog. They know a lot more about him or her than you do! Maybe their dog is wary of baseball caps, or large coats (which are both fairly common anxieties). The I stands for "invite." Curl up your hand into a fist, and hold it by your side or a little out toward the dog. Let it come to you, and move at its own pace. Once the dog has sniffed you, you can "Touch." When you are petting a new dog, try to make yourself small--kneel or crouch down in front of the dog, and pet with your eyes averted from the dog's face. Looking into a dog's eyes can be seen as a challenge, and especially on leash and around the owner. Never bend or loom over a dog, in dog-language this is a threatening posture.
These are handy rules to remember, and to teach your kids. Having the right etiquette when approaching a dog can make all the difference. When you are the owner whose dog is being pet, make certain that you are aware of your dog and any possible "petters" at all times. You are much more in tune with your pet than others, and can notice little things that let you know he or she is nervous. Flattened ears, bristling hair, and a tucked tail are all signs that your dog may be too nervous to be approached. Never be embarrassed for asking somebody to not pet your dog--you are helping them and your dog to avoid a potentially dangerous situation. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
You've heard us say it a lot, but it always bears repeating: dogs can act very different on leash. They can experience what animal behaviorists call "leash reactivity," which just means that they are in a higher state of arousal that can make their behavior unpredictable. Two dogs that are best friends in the play areas can come out opposite doors in the lobby and flip the switch to seeming like they could never get along! This is why it is best to not let dogs meet on leash--a highly aroused dog can slip into fearful or aggressive behavior at the drop of a hat. They are experiencing a "fight-or-flight" response, but the leash is limiting their options, which leads them to become more aroused. You can see how this cycle is very frustrating for our four-legged-friends!
If you take nothing else away, remember to be always be aware. Paying attention and accurately judging situations could really reduce the number of dog bites in the U.S. Maybe if we can spread the news, we can get Tacoma off of the USPS's list!
Unfortunately, we have experienced some difficulty with Blogger this week. It went down for maintenance last night, and gave us a big surprise this morning when we saw nothing since Monday had remained posted! So here is a synopsis of what has gone down at the Fort the past couple days
Wednesday, we caught some clips of the action in all the different play areas! In the Big Roll, Blue and McGee were caught by the "pup-arazzi" neckfighting playfully.
In the Medium Roll we spotted Hunter playing with Louie. You can also see Niko playing with a black dog who is hard to recognize against the dark floors as Annie.
Ball-time upstairs was as exciting as ever, with all the little guys joining in for a romp.
Thursday morning we welcomed Gherie in for his assessment. He is a one year old, fourteen pound, Honey/Dapple colored, Miniature Longhaired Dachshund (Say that ten times fast!).
Gherie's original name (from the breeder) was Bagheera, named after the panther in the Jungle Book (a collection of stories written by Rudyard Kipling. Many of us our more familair with the Disney Film ;). Bagheera's owners then shortened it to Gherie, how cool! He wasted no time upstairs in the Little roll. The more dogs that came into the play area, the happier Gherie became. He played up a storm and made friends fast. Way to go today Gherie, you are welcome back anytime.
Today, we had another dog come in for an assessment-- a Brittany Spaniel named Penny. Brittanies are bred primarily for bird hunting, and her owner let us know that she has all of those instincts. She loves to chase things, whether they be rabbits, birds, bicyclists, joggers, or even cars! We also hear that she can be quite the escape-artist- we'll have to look out!
We'll be seeing both of the "newbies" back next week.
We are going to get some cool looking Fort Fido T-Shirts in soon! Here is a sneak peak of the design. Don't worry they won't be printed funky looking like that lol, that is my re-sized image mess, you get the idea.
We will have three colors (Blue, Grey, Pink), all sizes and they will be a good price ;). Many of you have asked for them in the past, I am happy that we are finally getting some. I'll let you know more as soon as they come in.
Take it easy,
-Grant P.S. Harbor Graphics INC. is printing our shirts. They have been great to work with!
