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With a little scrambling, a lot of hard work and all of you, the 17th Annual Walk/Run for the Animals was a complete success! The Big Dogs Brigade, (aka The A Dog's Life! Pooper Scoopers) came in second for top donators and raised over $6700!! Thanks to some quick thinking and smooth talking, the top fundraiser from our team was Michele and her lovely Alaskan Malamute, Daphne. They raised over $3,000 of our total!! Our second top fundraiser was Mechelle and George and their beautiful "Baby Boy" Briscoe the chocolate lab. They hastily raised almost $1,000 within 3 weeks notice of the event!! Despite the light drizzle and dreary Pacific North West weather, the contests, prizes and seeing all the smiling happy pooches madethe event a ton of fun!
 
In 2007, we placed a goal of $3,000 and raised nearly $4,000. With that kind of success we raised the bar and made our goal$5,000. What's in store for next year?
There aren’t enough words to thank all of those who hit the streets, grabbed a check book or gave a bit of cash. Your generosity and compassion will feed, shelter and re-home hundreds of animals in need. We hope to see you
all (and more?)next year!
In Memory of Jessica Blair
The A Dog's Life family has suffered a great loss
with the passing of Jessica, our Westside Assistant Manager.
Jessica Blair, 26 died on July 19th 2008, leaving behind her beautiful young son Dylan, and her beloved Water Spaniel, Chase. She was and will always be remembered as a quiet, yet up beat young lady, who never stopped looking at the bright side of life. She was genuinely good hearted and a very strong individual. Jessica carried on a normal, happy life although she was struggling with a long, painful health condition. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family, friends and to all that loved her. We are setting up a donation fund in Jessica's name for the
SW Washington Humane Society, if you would like to contribute, please let us know.
We really miss you Jess, you left us far too soon and you will forever be in our hearts.
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A Dog's Life! Welcomes renowned local dog trainer Michael Thorpe to head up our training program.
Here are a few words from Michael:
I could not have imagined forty two years ago that a summer job at a local kennel was the beginning of a career in the dog training that has led to the even more important task of teaching the family owner. The following summer was spent working at a local animal control center. I learned that some the of the greatest dog lovers of all are the people that serve such places, valiantly attempting to stem the tide of loss and destruction. I often refer to this early training as the dark ages because of the experiences I suffered through.
My first formal dog training class consisted of a man explaining proper use of the "training collar". A choke chain by any other term is still a choke chain. The instructor put a "training collar" on a young boxer, handed me the leash and told me to command the dog to "Heel!!" If the dog did not heel I was to jerk the leash and again command the dog "Heel!" Any deviation by the dog was to be "corrected". The poor dog had to figure out what was expected of him, then perform the behavior or be "corrected". I had trained my first dog using treats and I was taking aback at this "professional" approach to dog training. Even as a kid, this didn't feel right to me. What I instinctively knew then was that dominance and compulsion merely produce a stifled dog that reacts out of fear, not with a spirit of partnership and teamwork.
Dogs can teach us a great deal if we're open enough to listen. I began to listen and watch what they were trying to teach me. Gradually I began to learn how to guide, induce, and redirect the dogs I was training. This did not happen overnight, but I started to feel better about this approach. With my introduction to the Third way, a humane and fair method of dog training based on operant conditioning, the Third Way does not use correction or coercion. Nor does it attempt to dominate the dog. It does control the dog's interaction with the environment, stop undesirable behavior as soon as it occurs, and then prevents it from happening again. This takes place by manipulating what is happening in the environment, using management tools and techniques, not by going after the dog in an attempt to correct or suppress the behavior. Employing this method of training I have a better sense of fulfillment as I work with - not on - the dogs.
Natural Planet Organics
Despite our dizzying happiness with Solid Gold and their sister company The Honest Kitchen, we’ve decided to throw in some variety and add a new product line to our shelves. Natural Planet Organics is an all life stage, chicken based, dry kibble that is US sourced, USDA certified organic. The kibble is palatable to even the pickiest of eaters and a smaller sized bite to accommodate all sizes of dogs. NPO has a healthy balance of everything in it, protein (chicken), fiber (oats, sunflower seeds, broccoli, etc), digestive aids (alfalfa, acidophilus), joint support (chondroitin, and glucosamine), Omega-3 and Omega-6, antioxidants (blueberries, tomato pumice) and is also chocked full of vitamins and minerals. Not only are you feeding your pooch the finest ingredients, but a portion of the proceeds are donated to the Angel of Hope Foundation.
Overnight Care
Planning a vacation for the rapidly approaching summer? Unsure of what to do with Max and Lucy? Would you like to keep them more active than your traditional boarding facility? The A Dog's Life! staff would like to remind you that we offer overnight daycare. We are the only facility that offers and guarantees 24/7 supervision and indoor/outdoor playtime. During the day, your pooch will romp and play with their pals, while nights are filled with rest and relaxation. When morning comes, it’s back to play, play, play! Monday through Thursday rates are $35 per night, Friday through Sunday and holiday rates are $45 per night. Multiple dog households are given a 20% discount and any stays 8 nights or longer are discounted 20% and your pooch will receive a complimentary full spa bath. And don’t forget, weekends at the Westside Facility have stricter pick up and drop off times for the security of your pups. Those times would be between 8-9 am or 5-6 pm. Summer is our busy season so book ‘em quick! For additional information, please consult any A Dog's Life! staff member!
Meet the Staff!
Crystal has always shown a keen interest in dogs and animals from all walks of life, from shelter work to dog shows and other dog related events. Before she began her nearly two year career at A Dog's Life! she worked at the Laurelhurst Veterinary Hospital and volunteered at the Oregon Zoo. She’s a busy lady now that she’s the assistant manager of the EAST side location, but she still manages to put in some volunteer time at the Oregon Humane Society and go to seminars for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).
Crystal is happily married to her husband Landon and together they love taking their rescued shepherd mix Lily to the local dog parks. When she’s not working, donating her time or extending her knowledge in dogs, Crystal enjoys hiking, camping, sushi, watching movies and spending time with her friends and family.
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