It is an exciting time for animals and animal lovers in Saratoga
County! This fall, construction begins for our new county animal
shelter. The official groundbreaking Wednesday, September 30 at 11 a.m.
The new facility promises to be a state-of-the-art center for pet adoptions and heart-felt reunions with lost pets. There will be an outside exercise area for potential adopters to interact with available animals, temperature control throughout the facility, an animal bathing area, and most importantly, there will be a room where veterinarians can spay or neuter animals in support of our efforts to curb the pet overpopulation problem.
The new shelter has been three years in the planning. The architectural design comes from C.T. Male Associates and Bishop Beaudry will coordinate and oversee the construction. The cost of this new facility will be $5.27 million. It will double the space of the current shelter that is a 30-year-old building, never intended to be an animal shelter. The new shelter will reflect a change of purpose from simply holding animals to making them adoptable. To date more than $325,000 in private donations has been received.
Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter (FSCAS) has worked to show people in our community that the need for a new shelter, even during these troubled economic times, is real and long overdue. FSCAS continues to raise money for the shelter and the animals. On October 8, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., FSCAS will host their biggest annual fundraiser at the Prime of Saratoga National Golf Course. It promises to be a wonderful evening of food, drink, silent auctions and a presentation on the new shelter by C.T. Male. Tickets are $75.00 per person. All proceeds will benefit the shelter and the animals. For more information on this worthwhile October event, contact Sandy Zanone at (518) 583-1080.
A good dog is a trained dog
Dogs are capable of learning behaviors that make them into wonderful pets, but they need someone to teach them these behaviors. There are many ways to teach dogs and every trainer believes their way is the best way. Some argue you should reward pets with bits of food during training, others say all you need is a clicker, and still others argue that the dog in training must wear a tight choker. I find that the proper approach depends on the individual dog's drives and temperament. One size does not fit all. Take for example my dog, Vida. Vida has a very high food drive and will do just about anything for a piece of hot dog, cheese, apple or carrot. Vida also is a very sensitive dog that will shut down if a trainer is too heavy-handed. She does best with a light touch, soft but firm voice, and treats. In other words, you need to know your dog before deciding on the best approach for training her.
No matter which approach you follow, it is key that you train with confidence and leadership. Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer, National Geographic Channel) describes it as being "calm and assertive." This means your body language and your voice should communicate to the dog that you know what you are doing and are deserving of the dog's respect. Training with frustration, anger, impatience, nervousness or indecision just does not work. Your dog will see right through you and question why she should do what you want her to do. If you are not the leader, your dog will make up her own mind about how she will behave.
Another thing to remember about training is that it is important for some of it to involve other dogs. Training in small groups helps to socialize your dog. In addition, seeing others make mistakes helps everyone in the class learn. Training in a group can make the lessons seem like a fun adventure for your dog. Some obedience teachers even let all the dogs off lead to play, rumble and interact with each other at the end of class.
I have been thinking about dog training lately because after over a three-year wait, I have been invited to be a student at the Medford, Long Island training center for CCI (Canine Companions for Independence). This will be an intensive two-week training period with a service dog. No, I am not letting go of Vida, but at 12-years-old, it is time for her to retire. She will live with us as a pet, but after successfully completing the course at the CCI training center, I will be bringing home a new, young service dog.
There will be lectures, teamwork with CCI dogs, tests and more. The people at CCI will select the dog they feel will be a good match for me. After I am paired with a dog, he or she will stay with me in my dorm room. These dogs have been trained to help people with disabilities, but during these two weeks I will be taught how to handle one. I think this will be a tremendous learning experience. During my two weeks at the center, I will try to keep up on my column by writing about the experience. I am looking forward to the whole process. I guess the one good thing about being in a wheelchair is this chance to work with one of these special dogs. Furthermore, I look forward to sharing the adventure with myreaders.
The new shelter has been three years in the planning. The architectural design comes from C.T. Male Associates and Bishop Beaudry will coordinate and oversee the construction. The cost of this new facility will be $5.27 million. It will double the space of the current shelter that is a 30-year-old building, never intended to be an animal shelter. The new shelter will reflect a change of purpose from simply holding animals to making them adoptable. To date more than $325,000 in private donations has been received.
Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter (FSCAS) has worked to show people in our community that the need for a new shelter, even during these troubled economic times, is real and long overdue. FSCAS continues to raise money for the shelter and the animals. On October 8, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., FSCAS will host their biggest annual fundraiser at the Prime of Saratoga National Golf Course. It promises to be a wonderful evening of food, drink, silent auctions and a presentation on the new shelter by C.T. Male. Tickets are $75.00 per person. All proceeds will benefit the shelter and the animals. For more information on this worthwhile October event, contact Sandy Zanone at (518) 583-1080.
A good dog is a trained dog
Dogs are capable of learning behaviors that make them into wonderful pets, but they need someone to teach them these behaviors. There are many ways to teach dogs and every trainer believes their way is the best way. Some argue you should reward pets with bits of food during training, others say all you need is a clicker, and still others argue that the dog in training must wear a tight choker. I find that the proper approach depends on the individual dog's drives and temperament. One size does not fit all. Take for example my dog, Vida. Vida has a very high food drive and will do just about anything for a piece of hot dog, cheese, apple or carrot. Vida also is a very sensitive dog that will shut down if a trainer is too heavy-handed. She does best with a light touch, soft but firm voice, and treats. In other words, you need to know your dog before deciding on the best approach for training her.
No matter which approach you follow, it is key that you train with confidence and leadership. Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer, National Geographic Channel) describes it as being "calm and assertive." This means your body language and your voice should communicate to the dog that you know what you are doing and are deserving of the dog's respect. Training with frustration, anger, impatience, nervousness or indecision just does not work. Your dog will see right through you and question why she should do what you want her to do. If you are not the leader, your dog will make up her own mind about how she will behave.
Another thing to remember about training is that it is important for some of it to involve other dogs. Training in small groups helps to socialize your dog. In addition, seeing others make mistakes helps everyone in the class learn. Training in a group can make the lessons seem like a fun adventure for your dog. Some obedience teachers even let all the dogs off lead to play, rumble and interact with each other at the end of class.
I have been thinking about dog training lately because after over a three-year wait, I have been invited to be a student at the Medford, Long Island training center for CCI (Canine Companions for Independence). This will be an intensive two-week training period with a service dog. No, I am not letting go of Vida, but at 12-years-old, it is time for her to retire. She will live with us as a pet, but after successfully completing the course at the CCI training center, I will be bringing home a new, young service dog.
There will be lectures, teamwork with CCI dogs, tests and more. The people at CCI will select the dog they feel will be a good match for me. After I am paired with a dog, he or she will stay with me in my dorm room. These dogs have been trained to help people with disabilities, but during these two weeks I will be taught how to handle one. I think this will be a tremendous learning experience. During my two weeks at the center, I will try to keep up on my column by writing about the experience. I am looking forward to the whole process. I guess the one good thing about being in a wheelchair is this chance to work with one of these special dogs. Furthermore, I look forward to sharing the adventure with myreaders.
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