It’s a Dog’s Life: A World of PawsAbilities!

As soon as you walk into PawsAbilities 2010, you will realize that this is a day for the dogs. On March 13-14 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Susquehanna Service Dogs will transform the Main Hall of the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA into a dog’s delight, with Dog Olympics, agility, demonstrations of canine skills, dock jumping, canine freestyle and much more! With an entire weekend of canine fun to benefit SSD ahead of you, the pawsabilities are endless.

Do you know what you’re going to do at PawsAbilities 2010?

Ultimate Air Dogs

New for 2010 is the Ultimate Air Dogs! Watch these dogs seem to fly off the end of the dock as they catch some serious air. Ultimate Air Dogs is a dock jumping organization with exciting events such as Splash (similar to a long jump off the end of the dock) and Ultimate Vertical (a high jump). You and your dog can watch this canine sport and maybe even try dock jumping for yourselves. You may discover a fun new sport for you and your dog!

Register to participate

Dog Olympic Games

Find out if your dog has what it takes to be a canine Olympian is the Dog Olympic Games! If your dog can wriggle under a limbo stick, retrieve socks or give doggy kisses like a champ, your dog may have what it takes to clinch the gold. You can register for the games the day of the event. Each game costs $1. Or you can purchase a bandana and play as many games as you want on both Saturday and Sunday!

Great Biscuit Bite-Off

If you enjoy baking special homemade treats for your favorite four-legged friend, be sure to enter the Great Biscuit Bite Off! Our very own service dogs will judge the competition to decide which homemade treat is the tastiest! It’s free to enter. Click here to register. We will recognize the top three winners on our blog and Facebook page.

Canine Marketplace

Our Canine Marketplace is filled with vendors offering everything from homemade dog biscuits, dog collars and toys to beautiful photography and portraits. You and your dog can browse the booths – you’re sure to find something you like! Last year we had over 60 vendors for all your shopping needs. If you’re interested in becoming a vendor for PawsAbilities 2010, visit our Vendors page and complete our online registration form. It’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss!

More Fun!

Other fun events for you and your dog to participate in and watch include Rally-O, the costume contest, the Abrams & Weakley Parade, Agility Tryouts, Steppin’ Woofs Canine Freestyle, Kid’s Corner, dog wash, and many fun demonstrations. Don’t forget about the Breed Fun Match, Obedience Show & Go, and the Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International testing!

Tickets

Tickets cost $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 4-12 through March 8, 2010. You can purchase tickets online or you can call SSD at 717-671-7813. Presales end at 5 p.m. on March 8. After March 9, you will need to purchase tickets at the door, $10 for adults, $5 for children. Your tickets are good for both days, so you can enjoy the entire PawsAbilities weekend!

For up-to-date information about PawsAbilities and Susquehanna Service Dogs, follow @SSDOGS on Twitter, become a fan of SSD on Facebook or follow the SSD blog. We will be posting photos from last year’s big event and stories about the other exciting things to do at PawsAbilities 2010.

Dogs have an amazing ability to bring a smile to your face. Even something as simple as petting a dog can brighten your day. Susquehanna Service Dogs, a program of Keystone Human Services, trains and provides service dogs for children and adults with disabilities. These service dogs assist children and adults to become more independent and lead full, rich lives in the community – truly earning the nickname “man’s best friend.” All proceeds from PawsAbilities benefit the work of Susquehanna Service Dogs and Keystone Therapy Dogs, so bring your dog and family and have fun supporting these wonderful service dogs!

If you’d like to support SSD, make a donation, become a vendor or a sponsor of PawsAbilities, or support SSD on Facebook Causes. It’s only with your support that we are able to continue providing service dogs to assist people to become more independent.

We hope to see you and your four-legged friends there!

Chantilly
March 19-21, 2010

Dulles Expo Center
4368 Chantilly Shopping Center
Chantilly, VA 20153

SHOW HOURS:
Friday, March 19, 2010 4 PM – 9 PM
Saturday, March 20, 2010 10 AM – 7 PM
Sunday, March 21, 2010 10 AM – 5 PM

LEASHED PETS WELCOMED

http://www.superpetexpo.com/

There will be lots of vendors there, rescue infromation, and plently of entertainment! It should be a great weekend!

Once again, the prestigious American Kennel Club (AKC)/Eukanuba National Championship brings some of the world’s most beautiful and diverse dogs together to compete in this celebrated canine competition. With their coats trimmed, nails filed and gaits perfected, top dogs from around the country – and the world – vie for the title of Best in Show and the chance to join the elite family of past National Championship winners. The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship premieres on Animal Planet and will be simulcast on Discovery Channel on Saturday, February 6 2010, from 8-11 PM (ET/PT).

Last month nearly 4,000 dogs descended upon Long Beach, California, to compete for more than $225,000 in cash prizes at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. The competition is the largest prize-money dog show in the world, bestowing a $50,000 cash prize to the dog crowned Best in Show.

Hosted by entertainment personality Bob Goen, the competitors are usually determined through an invitational system including the top 25 dogs in each AKC-recognized breed, but this year it has been waived in honor of the AKC’s 125th anniversary. This year’s open format allows any pure-bred, unaltered dog that is six months of age or older an opportunity to compete for top dog honors.

Dog show insider and breeder Gina DiNardo and American Kennel Club judge Edd Bivin also assist with the play-by-play. Throughout the broadcast, feature reporter Leanza Cornett checks in with special profiles of owners, handlers and dogs and digs up dog health and training tips from the experts. Viewers also learn about the rules and regulations, passions and preferences of the dog show world and many of its star breeders and handlers.

About the Competition

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is the AKC’s culminating event, determining the nation’s best canines. Like all dog shows, it is a process of elimination, with one dog being named “Best in Show” at the end of the two-day contest.

Only the “Best of Breed” winners advance to compete in the group competitions. Each AKC-recognized breed falls into one of seven group classifications. The seven groups are Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding. Four placements are awarded in each group, but only the first-place winner advances to the “Best in Show” competition.

The Seven Groups in All-Breed Shows

Sporting — These dogs were bred to hunt game birds both on land and in the water. The breeds in this group include pointers, retrievers, setters and spaniels.

Hounds — These breeds were bred for hunting game by sight or scent. These breeds include beagles, bassets, dachshunds and greyhounds.

Working — These dogs were bred to pull carts, guard property, and perform search and rescue services. Among the breeds in this group are the Akita, Boxer, Doberman Pinscher and St. Bernard.

Terrier — This group includes breeds such as the Airedale, Cairn Terrier and Scottish Terrier. Terriers were bred to rid property of vermin such as rats.

Toy — These dogs were bred to be household companions. This group includes little dogs such as the Chihuahua, Maltese, Pomeranian and Pug.

Non-Sporting — This diverse group includes the Chow Chow, Bulldog, Dalmatian and Poodle. These dogs vary in size and function, and many are considered companion dogs.

Herding — These dogs were bred to help shepherds and ranchers herd their livestock. The Briard, Collie, German Shepherd and Old English Sheepdog are some of the breeds in this group.

Finally, the seven group winners are brought into the ring, where they compete for “Best in Show,” the highest award at any dog show.

A Breed Apart

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is the only major dog show that…

• Out of thousands of AKC sanctioned events, is organized and held solely by the AKC, the nation’s oldest and only not-for-profit purebred dog registry.
• Is strictly by invitation only. The top 25 dogs in every AKC recognized breed and variety, as well as every Bred-by-Exhibitor Champion and Best in Show winner during the qualification period, are invited to compete. In addition, the winner of each breed’s national specialty show is invited to compete.
• Invites international competitors. In January 2006, international dogs from 20 countries as far away as Brazil, Malaysia, England and Japan participated.
• Offers significant prize money — a total of over $225,000. In addition, special competition and prize money for AKC Bred-By-Exhibitor Champions is offered.
• Celebrates the heart and soul of the sport of purebred dogs by awarding the AKC Breeder of the Year Award. Seven individuals are honored who have left a great impact on a specific breed. These breeders have dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs.
• Invites nearly 4,000 dogs to compete in three national AKC events taking place under the same roof. The AKC National Agility Invitational and the AKC National Obedience Invitational are held at the same time.
• Showcases the AKC Meet the Breeds, an exciting annual event for families as representatives from up to 157 AKC National Breed Clubs, who share their knowledge and love of their chosen breed via informative displays and canine representatives.
• Serves as the only all breed qualifying show in America for entry into Crufts — the world’s largest dog show. The Kennel Club (England) has designated the winners of Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Best Bred-by-Exhibitor and Awards of Merit at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship as qualified to enter Crufts.
• Offers sizable scholarship awards for its Junior Handler winners and requires a specific grade point average as part of the eligibility criteria. Junior handlers, between 9 and 18 years of age, are invited to demonstrate their expertise for an opportunity to receive a $2,000 scholarship.

Spay Day is an annual campaign of The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International to inspire people to save animal lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats.

Officially the last Tuesday of February, Spay Day includes events and activities taking place throughout February across the United States and U.S. territories, and around the world.

The 16th annual Spay Day takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, with events and activities in honor of Spay Day taking place throughout the month of February. The information on this page will help you decide how you’d like to participate—as an event organizer, volunteer, photo contest entrant, or corporate sponsor. Eligible event organizers will receive funding from the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest to spay or neuter even more animals after Spay Day is over!

Special information is provided for veterinary and media professionals. Be sure to review the Spay Day Event Planning Guide and, if you haven’t already, create a Spay Day Event Organizer record. Doing so will ensure you are kept up-to-date with the latest Spay Day happenings!

Ways to participate 

• Organize an event
• Volunteer at an event
• Spay or neuter your pet
• Enter the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest
• Become a corporate sponsor
• Veterinarians and vet techs: Offer your skills
• Media professionals: Cover Spay Day

Get Spay Day stuff

• Spay/Neuter Postage
• “It’s Not Just Rabbits” and “Save a Life Today: Neuter or Spay” T-shirts
• Spay Day Store

Organize an event

Host an event on the last Tuesday of February (Spay Day) or any time during the month of February. The main objective of Spay Day is to inspire as many people as possible to have their pets—or other animals in need—spayed or neutered in conjunction with the campaign. Additional objectives include raising money to provide spays or neuters for animals whose caretakers need assistance, and informing people of the importance of spaying or neutering their pets to reduce the numbers euthanized in shelters. You can organize a spay/neuter, fundraising or educational event for Spay Day.

1. Spay/neuter events involve the spaying or neutering of animals, or the distribution of spay/neuter vouchers for animals to be spayed or neutered at a later date. Most event organizers arrange for special, discounted or free* spays or neuters to be made available, particularly to low-income pet owners, homeless shelter animals awaiting adoption, or feral cat colony caretakers. Others use different means to motivate people to schedule that spay/neuter appointment, such as offering a prize drawing, hosting a spay/neuter party (free cookies and punch for everyone who brings in their pet!), or providing special information about the many lifesaving benefits of spaying and neutering. Spay/neuter events may also include fundraising and educational elements.
2. Fundraising events involve raising money to subsidize the cost of spays and neuters performed during or after Spay Day. Raffles, bake sales, “spay-ghetti” dinners, benefit concerts and shelter open houses are just a few examples of fundraising events that some organizers have found to be successful.
3. Educational events include activities like setting up a table and distributing literature, holding a Spay Day essay contest or writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. 

To get started planning your event, download the Spay Day Event Planning Guide and check out the Spay Day Action Kit. Be sure to login to your existing Spay Day Event Organizer record (or create a new one if you haven’t participated in Spay Day before) to register your event and report your event results. Event registration for Spay Day 2010 opens Nov. 23, 2009.

Volunteer at an event

Volunteers are often needed for a variety of important tasks at Spay Day events. For example, during spay/neuter clinics volunteers may assist with greeting and checking in clients, and monitoring recovering animals. Other volunteer positions include staffing information tables, hosting fundraising parties, and helping to publicize the event. Please check with the organizer of the event in your area for more information about volunteer opportunities.

Enter the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest

Win prizes and raise lifesaving funds for spay/neuter by entering your pet’s picture in the Spay Day 2010 Online Pet Photo Contest, which runs from Jan. 20-Mar. 4, 2010. Each vote for your pet costs just $1, with the money going to the eligible Spay Day Event Organizer of your choice to spay or neuter even more pets after Spay Day is over. Spay Day 2009 photo contest entrants raised more that $228,000 for 173 U.S. event organizers, which allowed them to spay or neuter an estimated 7,361 additional animals.

Become a corporate sponsor

Have a product or service that you’d like to market to pet guardians or the animal welfare community? Spay Day corporate sponsorships can help companies achieve their marketing and public relations goals. Through our many outreach vehicles, we help companies promote their products/services to new audiences; build relationships with local animal welfare organizations; provide exposure to The HSUS’ constituents; and align with a cause that resonates with the general public. Help end pet homelessness while reaching new customers. Email us at corprelations@humanesociety.org to learn more.

Veterinarians and vet techs: Offer your skills

Veterinarians are vital to the success of Spay Day. Without your involvement, spay/neuter surgeries would simply not be possible.The following are just a few suggested ways you can participate in Spay Day.

• Find a Spay Day event near you, and ask if you can join their team.
• Form or join a coalition of local veterinarians and hold a city, county, or statewide Spay Day event.
• Offer your existing clients—or only new clients—a special discount on all spay/neuter surgeries performed during the month of February, the last week of February, or just on the last Tuesday of February (Spay Day).
• Contact your local animal shelter and volunteer to spay or neuter a certain number of adoptable animals at no charge. Ask the shelter to provide the animals’ adopters with your business card for follow-up health care visits. (Visit theshelterpetproject.org to find shelters near you.)
• Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local newspaper educating readers about Spay Day and the importance of spay/neuter.

Vet techs are also important to Spay Day’s success! As a vet tech, you can:

• Encourage your vet clinic to host an event.
• Volunteer at a local humane shelter’s event.
• Discuss the importance of spay/neuter with clients whose pets are not yet altered.
• Distribute information about Spay Day and the importance of spay/neuter.

More information is available in the Spay Day Event Planning Guide.

Media professionals: Cover Spay Day

During Spay Day, people around the world will come together to fight the tragedy of companion animal euthanasia by spaying or neutering their pets.

To interview an HSUS expert on companion animal issues or to find out more about the hundreds of Spay Day events taking place nationwide throughout the month of February, contact Martin Montorfano at 301-258-3152 or mmontorfano@humanesociety.org in The HSUS’ Public Relations department.

Are you jealous of the staff at Dogtopia’s t-shirts? Well you are in luck! Any parades that Dogtopia of Alexandria participates in and you and your furry companions walk with us in will get a FREE Dogtopia t-shirt! The upcoming parade we will be participating in will be the George Washington Birthday Parade which is Monday February 15^th from 1pm-3pm in Old Towne. If you, your four legged, and your family would like to participate with us in the parade email us at alexandria@dogdaycare.com with your name, shirt size, best email address, and the number of dogs you will be walking with. This is your chance to get a free Dogtopia t-shirt and have a great time with your family. If you do choose to participate we will email everyone with a location to meet up so we can all walk together.

When:Tue, January 12, 5pm – 8pm

Where:Hotel Monaco Alexandria: 480 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314 (map)

Description: Join us every Tuesday and Thursday from 5pm to 8pm in the courtyard of the Hotel Monaco Alexandria for the World Famous Doggie Happy Hour. We serve up complimentary gourmet doggie snacks with plenty of fresh water bowls to all of our canine friends. Humans can feast on regional American cuisine from the adjacent restaurant Jackson 20. With a significant emphasis on ingredients sourced from local waters and nearby farms. Jackson 20 is a contemporary Colonial style restaurant and bar that captures the simple, classic charm of Old Town Alexandria. Hotel Monaco Alexandria is nestled in the heart of historic Old Town Alexandria, VA. Our very own Director of Pet Relations “Charlie” (a very handsome Bischon) will ensure all four legged guests of the Doggie Happy Hour have a great time. This pet friendly gathering is only minutes from downtown Washington, DC.

Are you looking to visit the Alexandria area and want to bring your furry four legged child along? Do you when them to experience the same things as you while you’re on vacation or just taking a day with the family to learn more about your community? Then while you’re visiting the Alexandria area or if you wanted something to do over the weekend visit the historic hometown of George Washington and Robert E. Lee. You and your pooch can take advantage of one of Alexandria’s Footsteps to the Past’s many walking tours. Offering a combined total of 100 years experience in Alexandria, VA, they are able to take you beyond the ordinary and let you in on little-known but revealing stories about well-known historical figures. It’s both entertaining and educational, so it makes for a great event for visitors of all ages. They offer many variations of tours to suite your personal style and needs. Your dog is welcome to join at no extra cost, but must be under owner’s control and leashed at all times.

Be sure to call and make reservation and the tour vary in price. Their information is 703 Braxton Place
Alexandria, VA, US 22301. 703-683-3451. footstepstopast@AOL.com

I’m sure doing this with your furry friends would make for a great day!

Second Year in Business Celebration at Philip Carter Winery at 4366 Stillhouse Road Hume, VA 22639. There will be live music and light food. Bring the entire family and your canine friend. As January wanes, make the most of an afternoon with us as we celebrate our Second Year in Business and thank you for making Philip Carter the Favorite Virginia Winery of 2009.

Date/Hours:
Saturday, January 23, 2010 (11:00 AM-6:00 PM)
 Both children and pets are welcome to this event.

If you’re a fan of the Dog Whisperer here is your chance to see Cesar Millan live and help the animals of the Washington Humane Society. For every ticket sold through their exclusive ticket link for Cesar’s live show at the Patriot Center on December 6th, $3 will be donated to WHS.

A towel and blanket drive is also being held at the Patriot Center beginning two hours before show time, which will benefit the Washington Humane Society. They need your help to keep shelter dogs and cats warm, especially in the winter, as they wait for that special person to take them home.

Your generosity will make a big difference in the lives of their shelter animals. Please donate your used towels and or blankets when you come to the show. They can be any size and color, as long as they are good condition without holes.