Cottonwood Tails - Cottonwood Kennels

Cottonwood Tails
Vol. 1 No. 6
_____
Playtime !!!
Painting the Pasture
Agility Equipment
Up and ‘Running’
Art Group Comes to
Cottonwood
The last couple of weeks has seen
some of the Cottonwood staff putting
their more active pasture walk dogs
through our new agility course.
Penny believes in keeping our little
guys fit and trim. The agility course works
in well with the daily play/exercise program the kennel is famous for already.
The course is a ‘pet’ project of Penny
Vardell, Cottonwood’s co-owner who
has wanted to put one together for
years.
She loves to
try out different pets
on
the
course as a
part of their
normal play
times. She recently took Pippi Bynny for a
little spin on the course. As seen in these
pictures, Pippi was a natural. She ran
the
course
perfectly.
The course has been named the
’Gabi Vardell Memorial Agility Course’
after Penny’s dog Gabi who would leisurely walk through the course and
check it all out on her evening forays
into the pasture.
The course,
designed by
Dan Antaya, includes weave poles, teeter
totter, hurdles and a jump ring. It is located across the pasture from the play yards
in our pasture area.
M a y b e
someday we’ll
find that champion in our
midst.
Until
then,
let’s
have fun !!
Gabi looks on as brother Michael
jumps a hurdle back in March
Back in her younger days, Gabi was
known to be quite agile, jumping every
fence on the property and wondering
why they were there.
The teeter totter sports a plaque with
Gabi’s name on it. The crew at the kennel got together and
had
this
plaque made
to
honor
Gabi.
Cottonwood Kennels
7275 Valmont Road
_ July, August 2012
Members of the art community descended on Cottonwood Kennels
Friday July 13th armed with paint ,
brushes, easels, drawing books and
canvas.
O u r
pasture
was their
target
‘du jour’.
With all
the green
and trees in full bloom, plus the
sheep, chickens and our alpaca, It
was a target rich environment for a
well eyed
artist.
Nicholas politely poses
T h e
group spent
the day putting on paper
and
The finishing touches
canvas, the
beauty of Cottonwood Kennel’s pasture. Everything was game. The barn,
Nicolas our alpaca, chickens of the
field and the sheep all found themselves the center of artistic attention.
**********************
All of the animals except for
man know that the principle
business of life is to enjoy it."
~ Samuel Butler
**********************
See Us
ON Facebook
Boulder, Colorado
‘Et Voila’ The finished work
The group plans to return in the fall
to enjoy the rich fall colors as the foliage begins to turn for the season
Phone (303) 442- 2602
[email protected]
Cottonwood Tails
Page 2
_July, August 2012
Front Office Report
By Rhonda Beitzel
Making our Pets Comfortable in
Their Senior Years
By Penny Vardell
Kennel Manager
We are definitely into summer. We
have experienced several really hot
days. One of the
most
important
things we keep an
eye on is the temperature.
We pay very close
attention to the dogs
when they are outdoors. We have lots of shade, misters,
pools of water and even gently wet them
down occasionally with the hoses..
We who choose to have pets will
come to that point in our life, and our pets
life where we will have to face our friends
senior years.
A lot of those senior years can be quite
fun and rewarding , but the time will
come where they look to us for special
needs.
“There are a lot of things we can do to
help our senior pets “
I know that sometimes it is hard to look
back at their younger years and wish that
they hadn’t gone by so quickly. The years
that brought us to those senior years were
filled with love, fun, adventure and unforgettable memories.
When those late years arrive, we hold
tight to those early days of frolicking and
playfulness.
When the temperature gets too hot
we bring the little guys inside to rest up
in the air conditioning. We do this both
for Boarders and daycare dogs.
Our playgroup schedule changes occasionally due to higher temperature
forecasts, so if you would like to know
the schedule for a particular day, feel
free to call in advance.
Cottonwood Kennels
7275 Valmont Road
The harder ones like medications,
acupuncture and more checkups at
their veterinarians office make a
great difference too. Pet health professionals and care providers can
give us many options to help make
these years more comfortable
“The later years seem to pass more
quickly than the younger ones “
Watch their eating and drinking
habits. Older dogs may need softer
foods as their teeth begin to go.
There are a variety of good soft
foods on the market today for senior
pets.
Look for differences in their stool
and urine. A lot of senior health
problems can be caught early if you
notice differences in
them. Treatments are available for most internal
illnesses if caught early on.
Mikaela cooling them down with the hose
We are always watching the dogs,
both individually and as a group. We
watch for excessive panting, red gums,
lethargy or any other sign of general
discomfort. We want to keep everybody
healthy and having fun.
There are a lot of things we can do
to help our senior pets feel more
comfortable. Softer beds, lighter
treats and gentle toys are the easy
ones.
Most important, spend time with
them. Your love is the best medicine
for their older age. That love will
make them more comfortable than
most medicines combined.
Penny resting with her dogs, Gabi 11, Mouse 15
and Michael 5 on an adventure hike at Sawhill
Ponds in 2011.
The later years seem to pass more
quickly than the younger ones, so be sure
to fill them with as much fun and adventure as they can handle.
See Us
ON Facebook
Boulder, Colorado
When the time to say goodbye
to your little loved one comes, hold
tight to that incredible journey you
have had. Though it may hurt more
than you can stand, remember every
minute of your time together.
Because we chose to have pets,
and knowing that these times will
come to pass, we would live no other
way, because that is who we are.
Phone (303) 442- 2602
[email protected]
Cottonwood Tails
Page 3
July, August 2012
Cleanliness:
Job One
Purrs from the
Cattery
By Connie Duras
Betty and Wilma first stay at CWK is a
month long. Their house was sold but it
took a little time to find a new one. The
cutie little girls
are sisters.
Betty is a long
hair buff colored
kitty. Wilma is a
long hair orange
colored
tabby
kitty. The girls
found their family two years ago
when Dad was taking out the trash.
He looked down and there were two
little fuzzy balls of fury. The girls are little
shy so they are staying in the kitchen.
They love to sleep on or under the futon.
Both girls come out to say “Meow” first
thing in the morning.
By Kristin Jeffers
Cleaning is one of the biggest jobs we
have here at Cottonwood making sure that
our furry little guests stay happy and safe.
Cleaning
takes
place at least 2
times per day. We
alternate
every
other day between
two different disinfectants.
This insures that
no bacteria becomes immune to
one
disinfectant
used over and over. We use a lot of Clorox in
dilution for spot cleaning too.
Cleanliness doesn’t just happen inside the
kennel. We also keep every individual play
and exercise yard as clean as possible.
We then put down a leave on
disinfectant that soaks into the astro
turf. This disinfectant is also rotated
to
keep
anything
f r o m
building up
an immunity .
We have 15
to 17 staff on
daily
to
make
sure
nothing
is
m i s s e d .
E v e r y
section has 2
p e o p l e
cleaning all
day.
Becca squeegees down
Each staff
m
e
m b e r
one of the kennel runs
goes through
after rinsing.
a week of
training so that they understand the
in and outs of our cleaning protocol
and the reasons it is so necessary.
We want our furry friends to have
a fun safe time, and the biggest part
of their care is a clean environment.
Betty likes setting in the East window
for Sun shine and bird watching. Wilma
likes the North window to watch the
cow in a back pasture.
Both girls use the West window to
watch the sun set and the sheep playing.
Their favorite time is when their family
comes to visit.
Kristin wipes down a kennel in the small dog
kenneling area, or ‘The Blaze’ as we call it.
We spot clean every time one of the pets
needs to be picked up after. Even the scoopers are disinfected between uses to avoid any
chance of cross contamination.
Every weekend while the little guys are
brought in for their noon time break, the
yards are raked clean of hair, leaves and any
thing else that is there.
Cottonwood Kennels
7275 Valmont Road
See Us
ON Facebook
Boulder, Colorado
Shannon rakes up one of
the play yards
Phone (303) 442- 2602
[email protected]
Cottonwood Tails
Page 4
Notes From
Small Dog Playgroup
By Pilar Heffelfinger
Playgroup Captain
In the heated days of summer, we
pull out all the stops to make sure your
little one is safe and cool. A lot of the
little
ones
who used to
be
apprehensiv e
about all of
our
water
activities are
now
avid
fans.
It is adorable to see
some of the little ones standing proudly under the water misters or stepping
happily into the pools.
There are a lot of things you can do at
home to protect your pooches from the
summer heat. On walks, try to avoid
concrete sidewalks and asphalt. Stay in
the shade as much as possible and remember that water is your best friend.
Water is your friend in the summer
time heat..
You can freeze some of your pups
favorite toys in a silicone baking mold
for some backyard fun. One of the
things we do here is put all the toys in
the wading pools. This encourages the
munchkins to jump in and splash
around trying to retrieve their favorite
toy.
Cottonwood Kennels
7275 Valmont Road
__
Notes from
Large Dog Playgroup
By Sterling Loetz
Playgroup Captain
______ July, August 2012
Mikes Canine
Culinary Corner
By Mike Thorpe
Calling all large dogs to the large dog
play yard! The month of August is going to
be a blast. We
have the pools set
up and the cool
misters in both
small and large
This month we will be making
Quickie Dog Cookies.
dog play yards.
Yo u wil l n ee d th e fo ll ow in g
We are excited
ingredients.
by all the new
1 Jar baby food (turkey, beef or pork)
dogs that are
1/3 cup of wheat germ or 2/3 cup of
showing up and
dry milk.
establishing new friendships in play
group. After all, it is a social affair!
Mix the ingredients together in a
bowl until well blended. If the
The month of July saw record tempera- ingredients are very thick, you can
tures this sumthin it out with water just enough to
mer and we
make it easy to dip out with a spoon
onto a cookie sheet.
would like to
remind everyone that if the
temperature
reaches 95 degrees or above, One of our yard misters
play groups will
be shut down and all dogs will be brought
inside to cool off.
It is important to understand that canine
temperatures can easily rise to dangerous
levels in this kind of heat as canines do not
poses the same methods of bodily temperature regulation as we human folk do.
Cooling wet mist
See Us
With that said
let us keep the
good times rolling and the
play yard full of
doggy laughter. We hope to
see you all
soon!
ON Facebook
Boulder, Colorado
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and
bake the cookie dough for 12 to 15
minutes. Remove them from the oven
and let them cool.
They are ready to use or store them
in a closed container in the
refrigerator for future use.
Makes great training treats or just
use to see a smile on your pets face.
They are especially good for dogs who
are feeling a little down as they are
fairly mild on the digestive tract.
Quickie dog cookies
Phone (303) 442- 2602
[email protected]
Cottonwood Tails
Page 5
Rabies's
Goodbye to Our
Vaccination Equals
Dear Gabi
Prevention
According to the Colorado Department
of Public Health and Environment and
the CSU Diagnostic Laboratory, rabies
has been confirmed this year in skunks,
bats, foxes and domestic animals like
cats and horses.
There is no treatment for rabies after symptoms of the disease appear
The number of animals reported with
the disease is nearing the record set in
2009 when more than 100 animals tested
positive for rabies. Wildlife officials use
baits laced with the vaccine to drop into
the wild to slow the disease in wild animals.
The last reported cases of rabies occurred in Colorado in the following domestic animals: dog (2003 - imported
from Texas), cat (2010 & 2008). The last
case of dog rabies acquired in Colorado
occurred in 1974. The last reported case
of rabies in a human occurred in 1931.
There is no treatment for rabies after
symptoms of the disease appear. However, an extremely effective rabies vaccine can provide immunity to rabies
when administered after an exposure or
for protection before an exposure occurs.
Over the last 100 years, rabies in the
United States has changed dramatically.
More than 90% of all animal cases reported annually to CDC now occur in
wildlife, whereas before 1960 the majority were in domestic animals.
Colorado State Law requires ALL
dogs and cats over the age of three
months to be vaccinated against rabies,
animals must be kept current on rabies
vaccinations by either a one-year or
three-year vaccination. All vaccinations
must be given by a Colorado Licensed
Veterinarian.
Cottonwood Kennels
7275 Valmont Road
______ __ _July, August 2012
Meet the Cottonwood
Family
By Penny Vardell
This month I would like to introduce
We will be retiring the Dear Gabi artiyou
to Keri McKelvey. Keri is a graducle as of this month.
ate of Michigan State University. You
We lost our dear Gabi to cancer of the will see Keri all over the kennel, perbladder this month. Gabi was 12. Her last forming every duty involved in our
few days were very good. She was very operations.
active and eating well. But as Gabi would
Keri came to us at Cottonwood after
do, she called all the shots, including the
suffering
some really rough times. We
last one.
watched as the dogs and cats really
helped her to heal. She has been with
us for over two years now.
She was a natural for us, jumping in
and helping out with everything. She
learned the ins and outs of the kennel
like she’d always known them. She was
a great addition to our wonderful crew
and is fun to be around.
Gabi was found as a 7 week old puppy
in a Lafayette school yard and brought to
Cottonwood Kennels as a foster puppy.
We fell in love with her and she became a
part of the Cottonwood family.
Gabi was a very precocious puppy,
ripping out plants, jumping every fence in
the yard and generally a holy terror. This
went on for a few years and then it was as
if she ‘grew up’ and settled down.
Afterwards, Gabi became the voice of
reason and master of poise. In other
Keri can be found out in playgroup,
words, she became a lady, and she feeding, doing medications or working
played the part well. She even ‘knocked’ the front desk. We haven’t been able to
on the doors to be let in.
give her a job she can’t handle yet.
Gabi loved to spend her days in playgroup with all of our little four legged
guests. She was a grand host, and all the
dogs sensed her position as a life regular
in the group. She loved spending her time
with her peers.
Her favorite dogs are golden retrievers. She also has two cats of her own,
Riley and Gravy . She has had these
guys since they were just kittens. She
rescued Gravy from a dumpster in a
snowstorm.
We will miss you Gabi. All who came to
We hope that Keri will make Cottonknow you came to love you. You left a wood her home for years to come.
huge hole in our hearts. Oh, but for one Great job Keri.
more of your smiles.
See Us
ON Facebook
Boulder, Colorado
Phone (303) 442- 2602
[email protected]
Page 6
Cottonwood Tails
Our Bar nyard
Friends
Your Pet’s Horoscope
By Madame Neah
This month we would like to introduce you to our youngest sheep in the
pasture. Woodrow R Call. If you’ve
seen Lonesome Dove, then you know
who’s he’s named after, and like his
namesake, he is hardheaded.
Woodrow started out life rough. He
was a bum lamb, unwanted by his
mother and on his own at birth. We
adopted him at 5 days old and bottle
fed him the first few months of his life.
Aries
(3/21-4/19)
You exude happiness
this month. Be careful
of your tail wagging
or you could cause
havoc in your home.
Keep on wagging,
just be careful not to
clear the coffee table.
Libra (9/23-10/22) A domestic problem has been solved ! It’s time to celebrate. Focus on home, family and
food . There will be a lot of hugs and
kisses involved.
Taurus (4/20-5/20) You are charming
and like to howl to your own tune. You
love to meet new people and openly
greet everyone with a wag and a shake.
New friends appear this month.
Sagittarius (11/22-12/21) Others will
say that you ‘look’ different. You may
be starting a new exercise program
or getting a new hairdo. Take pride in
your appearance. Don’t bow down.
Gemini (5/21-6/20) This month some
may want to deceive you . But hide and
seek with family is just fun.
Capricorn (12/22-1/19) This month
you will have an urge to look for lost
toys or bones. Discovery is on your
horizon. Focus on rest, play and family affairs.
Cancer (6/21-7/22) You have an excess
of toys coming your way. Take the time
to play and enjoy them.
Woodrow at one month old in April
2011 getting acquainted to the pasture
Woodrow is a month younger than his
pasture mate and best friend ‘Gus
McCrae’, and they are a tight pair, usually always together throughout the
day. They are known as the ‘Texas
Rangers’ here at Cottonwood.
Woodrow is a very gentle little guy
and very inquisitive. He will pick up
anything within
his reach and
run off with it so
hold on to your
cellphones. He
is also very quiet and can walk
up behind you
without
you
ever knowing it
until he touches
Woodrow today at one you with his
and a half years old. nose.
Cottonwood Kennels
7275 Valmont Road
July, August 2012
Leo (7/23-8/22) This month you will get
what it is you need, but you may have to
bark for what it is that you want. It’s ok to
speak up.
Virgo (8/23-9/22) You strive for fun and
exercise. Toss aside old toys because
new ones are coming. Focus your energy on breaking them in.
Scorpio (10/23-11/22) Do not compromise your tastes this month. Select
quality ! Stand tall, you are proud and
others will notice.
Aquarius (1/20-2/18) This month a
clash of ideas is present. You may be
blamed for ‘something’. Don’t worry,
you won’t be in your hiding place
long. Love will return. You will be
found to have no involvement.
Pisces (2/19-3/20)
Your dreams
come true this month. So keep dreaming of your favorite pastime, food and
toys.. Be ready for new adventures.
Cottonwood Kennels
“Play and Stay for Pets”
Remember us for all
your boarding, daycare
and grooming needs.
Open 7 Days A Week
7:30am until 6:00 pm
See Us
ON Facebook
Boulder, Colorado
Phone (303) 442- 2602
[email protected]