Thought for the Day

"A multitude of small delights constitutes happiness..."  Charles Baudelaire

Website and Blog Dedicated to Traveling with your Pet

Traveling can add so much stress to a person, even when it is a vacation, particularly if your pets are coming along. There is an emerging website that sounds like it will be of great benefit to pet owners. GoPetFriendly has some great features, however not all the links are currently working correctly. I am using Mozilla's Firefox, but that should not - in theory - make a difference. At the moment it is just as easy for me to use my bookmarked links for Goggle maps and the hotel sites I use. The one thing I found useful was that they did pull the pet policies off the hotel's websites and you can easily access them. It still makes you go back and forth between tabs and I have not figured how to make the restaurants and amenities come up, let alone with the hotels. I will check back in a few months and see how it progresses. It is a good start and combined with a blog that discusses pet friendly travel spots that the list owner has been to - it is promising.

Obed & Rally match 8/28

The Dog Training Club of Durham is holding an
Obedience and Rally Obedience Show N Go
Saturday, August 28th
at the new location of  the Durham Kennel Club's December Obedience Trials

The location is: NetSports , 3717 Davis Drive , Morrisville ,NC.

This will be the weekend before the shows in Raleigh. Three rings.Rally will be in Ring 1,
Open in Ring 2, and Utility in Ring 3. Novice Obedience will start in Ring(s)2 and/or 3
whichever ends first,but not before 12:00.

Registration will begin at 8:30 and end at 1 or  before depending on the number of registrations
as we must end by 3. The first runs will begin at 9:00 am.

Enter from the back of building. Runs will be $5.00! Crates and Chairs
must be on a rug or mat to prevent indentions in the astroturf. To help prevent
spills, please do not bring canned drinks or drinks with out lids. We appreciate your help in
keeping this site in good condition.

Does your artwork get a 2 paws up?

Do your friends tell you how awesome your artwork is? Do you have a friend who is talented? Here is a chance to sky rocket an art career with he Art Show at the Dog Show! A competition limited to artists producing dog related art.

Prizes range from $100 and up, but this year's PURCHASE PRIZE FOR BEST OF SHOW offered by the Sponsors is $1250 plus it will be donated by the sponsors to the AKC Museum of the Dog in St. Louis, MO.  Wow!

The winners for 2010 have been selected, but it takes time for art - so start getting ready for next year... But in the mean time, look through these talented artist entries, who knows, you may find an artist to do a portrait of your dog... find an artist to do a logo for your new club or for your next specialty!

Talented people - congratulations to all the winners!  Special congratulations to Carolina arists:

• Artist: Danila Devins – Southern Pines, NC and her ethereal pastel, The Pac Class 
• Artist: Anita Gersch – Waxhaw, NC and Best Entry Depicting a Whippet
•  Artist:  Danila Devins – Southern Pines, NC and her entry in Other Media,  Yellow Lab’s Favorite Toy

Information for 2011 will be posted October, 2011.

2010 Hambone Awards Looking for Submissions

This is your chance to tell your funny vet stories to the world - and maybe get some national recognition for you and your fur friend.

VPI Pet Insurance sponsors an annual Hambone Award. The stories have always been amusing, but they are spicing things up and looking for submissions! The 2010 nominees run the gamut from a chain saw attacking terrier to a tortoise that was almost scalped.

I have used VPI for years and most vets in the Triangle take their claims - including the emergency vets.

Pet Loss Support Group

We have all been there - the devastating loss of one of our pets. Some understand, some don't. You can find support in a group dedicated to pet loss and grief, "The SPCA Pet Loss Support Group welcomes anyone grieving the loss of a pet, regardless of when your pet passed away or where you are in the grieving process.  The SPCA Pet Loss Support Group allows you to share with and learn from others who are grieving the loss of a beloved pet too.  

The group is facilitated by a non-denominational chaplain and, when available, a counseling professional.  While beneficial, the SPCA Pet Loss Support Group is not intended to replace professional counseling services or physician recommendations.  It simply provides a space for sharing with others who have experienced the loss of a pet while being directed to grief resources.

The SPCA Pet Loss Support Group meets at the SPCA Pet Adoption Center just off Tryon Road/ S. Wilmington Street in Raleigh. It is offered as a free service to the community."