Cutest Pets of Porter County Magazine February 2020

A Magazine For Pet Owners & People Supporting Local Animal Shelters and Rescues

Porter County • February 2020

4 Ways Pets Improve

Overall Well-Being

How to

Train Your Cat

Cutest Pet Contest Winners!

Welcome

Message

Today, I am proud to present the first edition of Cutest Pets of Porter County Magazine!

Now that this first one is finished, my goal is to publish one every month.

Jeff Smith

For those who are not familiar, the magazine is a companion project for the

facebook group we started last year; Cutest Pets of Porter County. The Facebook

group is for folks to show off their furry family members and participate in fun and

friendly photo contests.

The group postings and contests have been a nice escape from a lot of the stuff

happening on social media. In future additions of Cutest Pets of Porter County

Magazine, I hope to present pet owner adoption stories. I also want to put the

spotlight on local organizations, volunteers and supporters. I will do my best to find

helpful information, entertaining stories and, of course, we’ll feature many of the cute

pet pictures that have been provided by group members.

I hope you enjoy the magazine. Be sure to join the fun by visiting our Facebook

group www.facebook.com/groups/cutepetspc

Thank you!

Jeff / Cutest Pets of Porter County Magazine

2 February 2020 | Cutest Pets of Porter County

Inside:

Welcome Message......................................2

4 Ways Pets

Improve Overall Well-Being.........................4-5

Cutest Dog Contest Winners........................6-9

Contestants............................................10-12

On The Cover

Oliver

Cover photo by Becky Graykowski

Find Us On Facebook

www.facebook.com/groups/cutepetspc/

Cutest Pets of Porter County

Magazine is a monthly publication.

It is supported by advertising from

local pet related businesses and

services.

Directory....................................................13

How to Train Your Cat: 5 Tips From

a Professional Tiger Trainer......................14-15

Cutest Cat Contest Winners.....................16-19

Contestants............................................ 20-21

Cutest Critter Contest Winners..................22-24

Publisher / Advertising

Jeffery Smith

CutePetsPC@gmail.com

A published advertisement does not constitute an endorsement of products or services. Cutest Pets

of Porter County Magazine reserves the right to refuse advertising at any time for any reason. In

particular we do not accept advertising relating to the sale of animals; this is an affirmation of our

commitment to pet adoption.

All content in Cutest Pets of Porter County Magazine is intended for informative and entertainment

purposes. For issues relating to animal health and wellbeing, please consult your veterinarian.

Information provided in this issue was obtained from sources deemed reliable, and should be

considered accurate at the time of publication.

Cutest Pets of Porter County | February 2020

3

4Ways

Pets Improve Overall Well-Being

Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock


Self-care is an important piece of maintaining a happy and healthy life,

and adopting a pet can be a beneficial way to improve overall wellbeing

in a number of ways.

From reducing loneliness to keeping people more

active, the perks of pet ownership can be felt both

physically and emotionally, and are nearly impossible

to quantify. Plus, adopting a pet can be a feel-good

experience, because you’re not only getting a new best

friend, you’re helping an animal in need find a loving

forever home.

Consider some of these ways adopting a pet can

improve overall well-being. For more information on the

benefits of pet adoption, visit Pedigree.com.

1. Pets Increase Physical Activity

Adopting a pet offers owners a chance to improve

daily exercise habits. From taking walks and playing

in the yard to having a new partner for hikes and visits

to the park, dog owners have numerous opportunities

to be active with their four-legged friends. Cats also

need playtime each day, providing cat owners with a

designated time to get active while bonding with their

pets.

2. Pets Reduce Feelings of Isolation

Pets have the ability to make people feel less alone.

Whether coming home from a long day or taking a

stroll around the neighborhood, having a wagging

tail around can make everything better. The moodboosting

effect of pets is the driving idea behind a

campaign from the Mobil Delvac and PEDIGREE®

brands called Mutts4Trucks, which aims to make a

positive impact on the mental and physical well-being

of professional truck drivers while helping pets in need.

According to research from DePaul University, nearly

one-third of professional truck drivers said being alone

and away from their families is a significant issue

affecting their mental health. To help reduce those

feelings of loneliness, the campaign is pairing drivers

with shelter dogs in need of homes.

3. Pets Encourage Relationship Building

Pets require walks, trips to the vet and grooming, which

can get their parents out and into new settings and

environments. When out and about, pets can provide

a comforting presence for their owners and serve as

conversation starters, helping to put their owners at

ease and encourage socialization. Pets also provide

opportunities to meet, mingle and make friends with

neighbors while at the park, on walks or running

errands.

4. Pets Help with Stress Reduction

Almost anyone who’s ever sat on the couch with a

furry friend knows pets can bring a calming presence.

Having a dog in the house can also help people feel

safer and more secure in their surroundings. From

comforting snuggles to a friendly tail wag, pets have

an uncanny ability to help ease their owners’ minds

and reduce stress.


5

Cutest Dog

Contest Winners


January


7

Cutest Dog

Contest Winners


February

Is Your Pet The Cutest?

Join Us On Facebook

www.facebook.com/groups/cutepetspc


9

Cutest Dog

Contestants

Scooby

Roxy

Abby

Ollie

Jaako Ta

Bella


2020

Boss

Charlie

Delilah

Gabreiel

Dixie

Wyatt William


11

Cutest Dog

Contestants

Tuesday

Riley

Dexi

Ollie

Roscoe

Abby


Directory

Animal Rescue

and Advocates

Begin Again Rescue Co.

2700 Valparaiso Street

Valparaiso, IN 46383

Phone: (219) 263-0348

Email: beginagainrescueco@gmail.com

Web: www.teambarc.com

Pet Supplics

and Services

Your Company Name Here

Address

City, State Zip

Phone:

Email:

Web:

Independent Cat Society

4061 County Line Road

Westville, IN 46391

Phone: (219) 785-4936

Email: shelter@catsociety.org

Web: www.catsociety.org

Your Company Name Here

Address

City, State Zip

Phone:

Email:

Web:

Lakeshore PAWS

4611 Evans Avenue


Phone: (219) 476-7297

Email: info@www.lakeshorepaws.org

Web: www.lakeshorepaws.org

Porter County Animal Shelter

3355 Bertholet Blvd


Phone: (219) 465-3550

Email: tbianchi@porterco.org

Web: portercountyanimalshelter.org

Submit Your Listing

Add your business to this directory so people can

find you. We are looking for businesses such as:

• Animal Rescues & Advocates

• Pet Sitters

• Animal Trainers

• Animal Hospitals

• Veterinarians

• Animal Friendly Lodging

• Animal Friendly Restaurants

Contact: Jeff Smith for information

Animal non-profits get a free directory listing


13

How to Train Your Cat:

5 Tips From a Professional Tiger Trainer

If the thought of training your pet cat seems like a

difficult feat, consider the daunting task of training one

of nature’s biggest cats. After welcoming two 4-year-old

Sumatran tigers, Frances and Huntley, the keepers at

Nashville Zoo are doing just that. The training program,

which is sponsored by TEMPTATIONS Cat Treats,

is on display for the public to learn about how these

colossal cats are trained.

The trainers offer these tips and tricks from their

experiences working with their tigers that you can use

to train your cat at home. For more information on cat

behavior, visit TemptationsTreats.com.

Photo by Barbie Ziesmer Freel


5 Tips

Start Smart

While your training might be inspired by the behaviors

you’d like your cat to adopt or change, beginning your

training by rewarding your pet’s existing good habits is

often an easy way to reinforce behavior. For example,

if your cat sits patiently for food, pair this with a treat

and verbal reassurance to praise the behavior and

encourage it in the future.

Identify Motivators

When beginning the training process, identify your

cat’s likes and dislikes. Some cats are motivated by

toys while most are motivated by food. When starting

the training process, try out a few different treat flavors

to identify what gets your cat’s attention. Treats such

as TEMPTATIONS Cat Treats come in a wide variety

of flavors, making it easy to find one that will make

your cat come running. For cats with health or weight

restrictions, utilize toys or tactile reinforcement like

petting for motivation.

Celebrate the Small Victories

Training your cat can be difficult, but it’s a great

opportunity for bonding and relationship building.

Have patience and reinforce your pet’s hard work by

acknowledging his or her effort along the way and

provide encouragement to keep him or her learning

and advancing in training.

Be Consistent

To prevent confusion, remain consistent when

rewarding behaviors and only give praise when your

cat completes a trick or task. If you reward your cat

for following a command halfway or missing a step,

you’re not rewarding the behavior you’d like to see in

the future.

Photos courtesy of Adobe Stock

Focus on Practicality

Cats are smart creatures and full of potential when it

comes to training. Pinpointing practical habits that can

serve you and your cat’s lifestyle in the future is a smart

and achievable goal to tackle while your cat is young

and his or her habits are malleable. For example, if

you plan to travel, make crate training a priority. If

your cat shows resistance with nail trimming and being

held, focus your training on desensitization, which will

allow you to more easily groom him or her or assess

injuries later on.


15

Cutest Cat

Contest Winners


January


Join Us On Facebook



17

Cutest Cat

Contest Winners


February


19

Cutest Cat

Contestants

Dinky

Isabella

Robert Meowny Jr

Poppy

Fenix

Snickers


2020

Toby

Cora

Sweet Pea

Luna

Kiwi

Bella


21

Cutest Critter

Contest Winners


January


Join Us On Facebook



23

Cutest Critter

Contest Winners


Have a Story

or Event to Share?

Shelter/Rescue News,

Stories & Events are published free!

Send To Jeff Smith

Email: CutePetsPC@gmail.com

This space

could be yours!

For Advertising Info, Contact Jeff Smith

Email: CutePetsPC@gmail.com

Cutest Pets of Porter County Magazine February 2020

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