front page 09 25.qxp - Clayton Pioneer

Page 14 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com September 25, 2009
O'BRIEN FAMILY PET CARE
for dogs, cats, horses & exotics
Dog Walking, Cat Visits, Pet Sitting,
Overnight & Nursing Care,
Fine Art Pet Portraits
FREE
photo sitting
with purchase
of a print
Patty Flannery
Your local neighborhood REALTOR
since 1986
Dentistry
FREE
Dog Walk -
with purchase
of 4 walks
Insured and Bonded
Aimee O'Brien
Registered Veterinary
Technician with 10+ years
experience with animals
(925) 899-7354
www.obrienfamilypetcare.com
for Infants, Children & Teenagers
Jason M. Renner, D.D.S.
Richard C. Rissel, D.M.D
925-689-2800
www.diablovalleykids.com
2875 Willow Pass Rd., Concord
Where the artisan
meets the craftsman
Quality Custom Cabinets
Kitchen, Bath, Office and Entertainment Centers
Commercial Millwork
Kevin Mancino, Proprietor, Local Resident
(925) 915-0822
www.oldeworldcabinets.com
With our compliments
Free granite countertop with
your kitchen cabinet purchase
Limited to granite styles in stock, fabrication not included
DRE#00906625
Call me. Let’s talk REAL ESTATE
Office: 925.975.5255
email: granyflany@msn.com, home & fax: 925.672.0541
Required kindergarten
screening – complimentary
Proudly serving
the Diablo
Valley for over
25 years –
“experience
counts”
Less than 5 miles
from Clayton
LIC # 915172
World Woof
Tour to stop
in Clayton
Clayton dogs are lucky.
They live in nice houses, snuggle
on soft sofas, eat well and
gather for play dates in their
own park.
Millions of dogs around
the world are not as lucky as
Clayton pooches. They wander
the streets, starve under
bridges and die in shelters
after producing dozens of
puppies doomed to the same
fate.
The World Woof Tour is
an international documentary
group traveling the world to
draw attention to the need for
animal adoption and the
importance of spaying or neutering
to stop the wholesale
euthanasia of unwanted animals.
Clayton pooches will get a
chance to bring their owners
to The Grove on Oct. 9 at 5
p.m. to welcome the World
Woof Tour on their way
through the Bay Area.
The 5 p.m. reception will
follow the Tour’s afternoon
appearance at ARF in Walnut
Creek that afternoon.
For more information on the
World Woof Tour and to meet
Oscar, the spokesdog, visit the website
www.worldwooftour.com, or call
Nancy Janes of the Romania
Rescue Foundation at 672-5908.
Miss Marti and Suzuki are
ARF’s Adoption Stars
MISS MARTI
Miss Marti is a busy girl
who is always on the move. She
is looking for a home where she
can receive a lot of physical and
mental exercise. She is an intelligent
dog who will be a star pupil
in her training classes, and is a
natural for dog sports like flyball
or agility.
The adoption fee for adult
dogs is $225 and includes 60
ELENA BICKER
PAWS AND CLAWS
Now that school is back in
session and vacations are on
hold, it is not unusual for dogs
to suddenly “behave badly” by
barking, chewing inappropriate
objects and similar activities.
It’s not that dogs are wreaking
vengeance against their suddenly
inattentive families. They
are merely bored. All that energy
previously spent on walks,
trips to the dog park, hiking and
playing ball is now bottled up in
a house or yard. One possible
solution is doggy day care a couple
days a week.
Unlike human day care, dog
day care is not regulated; anyone
can declare him or herself a dog
day care service. Some investigation
is required before dropping
off Fido at the nearest
facility. The Internet can be a
great source of information,
although comments – both positive
and negative – should be
evaluated with caution. Be sure
to ask for references.
The length of time the day
care has been in business and
how many workers have been
employed for more than six
months speaks to the stability
and consistency of the day care.
There should be a manageable
ratio of handlers to dogs.
Insurance is a necessity. Steps
should be in place in case of an
percent off one 7-week dog
training session.
Suzuki is a gem, who’s looking
for that special lap to warm.
She is three years old, and would
be a good pet for a first time cat
owner.
The adoption fee for adult
cats is $50.
Meet your forever friend at
Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue
Foundation, 2890 Mitchell
Drive, Walnut Creek, during
adoption hours: 3 to 7 p.m.
Thursday and Friday, Noon to
Do your homework
on doggy day care
emergency.
As with any care provider,
health and safety are primary
issues. Facilities should require
up-to-date vaccinations, or
titers, and behavior evaluations
before admitting dogs. Final
acceptance to the day care
should happen after an experienced
evaluator has evaluated
the dog on-site. Facilities should
require that dogs over six
months be spayed or neutered.
While the potential consequences
of an unspayed female
dog are fairly obvious, intact
males and their pheromones
may trigger aggressive behavior
in other dogs.
Drop in and visit during the
afternoon, rather than mornings
and evenings when dogs are
checking in and out. There
should be no bad odors. Check
the condition of the play equipment,
enclosures and other
areas where dogs may be in contact.
Barking should be expected,
but non-stop barking is a
sign of stress or over-excitement.
No barking at all in a
facility that has play groups
would be unusual and should
also raise questions.
Dog play areas/times should
be divided by size and age, with
enough space for dogs to be
able to take a break from playing.
Dogs should be introduced
into a group, rather than randomly
thrown together. Dogs in
SUZUKI
4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The primary caretaker must be
present to adopt. ARF also
encourages kids 16 and younger
and canine family members
(dog adoptions only) to be present
during the adoption process.
Would you like to be part of the
heroic team that saves the lives of rescued
dogs and cats? Can you share
your talents to connect people and animals?
ARF volunteers are making a
difference! For more information see
our website, www.arf.net, or call
925.256.1ARF.
play groups should be monitored
by people versed in dog
body language and fight prevention.
Playing dogs should be
free of any training equipment,
such as specialized collars or
harnesses, to prevent the entanglement
of limbs or jaws. There
should be a plan in place should
a fight break out.
“Unlimited” playtime can
over-excite dogs. Dogs need an
opportunity to rest and quiet
space should be provided. If the
dogs are to be confined, ask
how the dogs will be confined
and how they will be trained to
accept the confinement. There
should be a qualified trainer
onsite to help with adjustments
and behavior modification. Be
clear on the behaviors to be
modified and the techniques to
be used.
Once a day care facility has
been chosen, prepare the dog. It
is always a pleasure to care for a
dog trained in basic obedience
(sit, down, stay, come, loose
leash walking). For a detailed list
of questions to ask, check out
the dog behavior section under
Resources and Links at arf.net.
To get your dog started on basic
manners, check out ARF U at
www.arf.net or call 296-3111.
Elena Bicker is the Executive Director
of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue
Foundation. She can be reached at (925)
256-1ARF (1273)
Music,
from page 9
hefty parent paid per-sport
fee, a successful drive guarantees
that at least some sports
get an added year of life.
Having started later than
the athletic foundation, the
MDMEF until recently was
still electing officers and getting
organized as a non-profit.
Officers stress that the
loss of music is critical
because of the manner in
which students learn to play.
“Students typically learn to
play in elementary school,”
said Sinz, whose daughter
plays with the Concord High
Jazz Ensemble.
If programs are cut, the
continuity across grade levels
gets broken, she explained.
Coupled with a redistribution
of music teachers, it results in
a stilted program with ramifications
that last years.
“Help us to give the students
of Mt. Diablo Unified
School District the education
they deserve, not one determined
by the state or federal
government,” Coartney said.
For more information, visit
www.mountdiablomusic.org or
contact Lauren Sinz at
lsinz10202010@gmail.com.