Emergencies

I've always been very safety conscious, I've kept earthquake kits at work and in the car. I've attended a pet first aid class and I have great friends who will always pitch in during an emergency. As prepared as I've always felt, I recently found out my emergency plan was totally ineffective.

A fire recently demolished the building in front of my apartment. It was the scariest experience of my life. Marley started growling and barking at the front door and I shushed her; she kept it up and I finally looked outside and all I saw was orange. I managed to shove a cat into the carrier and run out the door. I spent the next 4 hours outside while the fire department put out the fire. I am very lucky the fire only killed my plants, my neighbors lost windows and their doors were broken down.

I feel really good about the following things:

• Marley's leashes are by the front door and Marley was excited to see me pick up the leash.
• I didn't lock my front door on my way out; the fire dept didn't need to break down my door.
• I managed to remain calm and helped one of my neighbor stay calm.
  
• I was calm enough to grab the cat carrier and Mahone.

These are some things I need to work on:

• I need to keep the cat carrier by the front door. I startled Bob when I retrieved the cat carrier and he hid under the bed.
• I need to keep an emergency kit by my front door or replenish the one in my car. If my building had caught fire I would have been stuck without any pet paraphernalia.

I hope everybody remains safe and I hope my experience helps you avoid a similar situation. Marley is such a good girl, she remained calm. Actually, I think she thought we were having a midnight walk. Overall, I'm grateful everybody is fine and the only damage was to buildings and not people or pets.

Hagan Dog Park

We recently attended the grand opening of Hagan Dog Park. It is the first dog park in Rancho Cordova and it is the result of over 5 years of fund raising by committed volunteers. It is over 2 acres and is split into three sections. There are 2 large dog areas and one small dog section. All sections have a concrete pad and access to water. There are a ton of trees within the large dog sections and the small section is simply huge.

The event was simply one of the best I have attended. There were fly ball and agility demos. There were a ton of booths with information. It seems like the entire city turned out to support the dog park.

Marley patiently waiting to enter the park.

Ribbon cutting ceremony.

It was very well attended.

There were various city officials, who attended the grand opening. Including, a police officer and a narcotics dog.

A search and rescue dog was also part of the festivities.

As soon as we were allowed to enter the park Marley found the best rolling spot.

She rolled around for about 10 minutes totally ignoring all other dogs. She always looks so happy when she is rolling around.

Rescue Me event

The Local Bark hosted the most amazing rescue event. I don't really know if other rescue events are run the same way, however this was simply fabulous.

They started the event with a rescue dog parade. Basically, all rescue organizations were invited to the microphone with their rescue dogs and they said a few words about each dog's history and the kind of home the dog needed. I was incredibly impressed with Chako Pit Bull Rescue, they managed to convey the joy of owning a pit bull without minimizing some of the problems that may be encountered with the breed.

I found the event very helpful because I had Marley and I was able to discuss various breeds with the rescue groups. For instance, I've always wanted a German Shepard and I spoke to them about the differences in size and energy. They were great about discussing my needs and the type of German Shepard I should look for when I'm ready for a new dog. I wish more people who are shopping for a dog had attended this event, I'm sure they would have left with a new understanding of their new dog prior to bringing him home.

I couldn't believe this cutie was still in rescue.

Marley participated in the cutest trick contest and came in second. The winner had the coolest trick I want to teach Marley.

We also participated in their Dog Park workshop. Their facilities are nice and the outdoor play area is really large.

Overall, it was a wonderful event and I would highly recommend attending something similar if you are looking for a dog and want more information on the specific breed or are considering a rescue dog.

Agility Interview

We interviewed an agility instructor today and it was a very interesting experience. Marley was so excited it took her forever to calm down. The first thing she did was run up the A-frame spin around and run down. It was fabulous to see the excitement on her face.

She was so excited she didn't stop when running down the dog walk and she didn't stop when going over the A-Frame. She did refuse to have anything to do with weave poles and she jumped off the teeter. Basically, she acted like a total crazy dog.

After discussing Marley and her attitude we decided to start with a foundation class. Hopefully this will help us overcome her aversion to jumps. I'm very excited, our new trainer seems to break everything down to the basics and then we will build up. I think this will help me become a more confident dog owner.

Are you looking for a dog?

Oops, sorry you can't have Marley; however, one of our local dog resorts is holding a Rescue Me Adoption Day. Its on May 23, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.


It sounds like a fabulous event with an open house and dogs available for adoption. The following organizations will have information available and dogs ready to be rescued.

• Greyhound Friends for Life
• German Shepard Rescue
• Westie Rescue
• Central California Labrador Retriever Rescue
  
• Chako Pit Bull Rescue
• Second Chance Cocker Spaniel Rescue
• Pug Rescue
• Animal Services

If you already have a dog and are just looking for something fun, this is a great event to attend. If you register, your dog can experience their pay yard and they will provide advice to help you have a great dog park experience. There will be contests, giveaways and prizes.

It sounds like a great event if you are looking for a new family member.

More agility please

Please take me to agility class, I promise to be good!

We miss agility class. Our class is currently on hiatus and I'm so surprised at how much we miss it. I'm looking at different classes and instructors trying to find something fun but challenging. I feel like I'm prepping Marley for college.

Hopefully we will find a new class soon.