Shipment of books has come in

I just received a shipment of books from Patricia McConnell Publishing this morning.

"The Puppy Primer" by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D. and Brenda Scidmore is one of our top sellers. It's now in its second edition. From their website: "Perfect for puppy class trainers and self-guided training, too! Engaging, humorous and easy to follow, the updated 'Puppy Primer' is packed with positive reinforcement tips and tricks, special topics and more."

We also have autographed copies of "The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs" and "For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend"

"The Other End of the Leash" discusses the differences and similarities in the we dogs and people communicate.

"For the Love of a Dog" is about the emotional capacity of dogs and how they are capable of a broader spectrum of emotions than previously thought. This is by far the best book I've ever read, including fiction and non-fiction, and I read a lot.

All of her books are based in science but cover the material in an easy to understand way with anecdotal stories to further explain the theories and concepts. I highly recommend any of books, which is why we carry a large selection of them.

Unrestrained Dogs

It seems like I may have done a blog entry on this before, but I've gone through everything and can't find it. However, like most things, I think it bares repeating. And in light of the recent study (see link below), it also seemed a timely topic.

Essentially, the conclusion is dogs in the car are an added distraction. Taking your eyes off the road for two seconds doubles the potential for an accident. Not to mention an unrestrained dog can be thrown from the car or escape the car and be hit by another car or be seriously injured by a deploying air bag in the event of an accident.

My wife and I often travel with our dogs, but both have dog seat belts and are not allowed free roam of the car.

The survey and results are available at http://www.aaanewsroom.net/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=7&ArticleID=789

National Assistance Dog Week

This week, August 8 - 14, is National Assistance Dog Week. Their goal is to
• Recognize and honor assistance dogs
• Raise awareness and educate the public about assistance dogs
• Honor puppy raisers and trainers
• Recognize heroic deeds performed by assistance dogs in our community

I'd also like to remind everyone that assistance dogs receive 25% off self serve dog washes every day and we are ADA compliant.

For more information on National Assistance Dog Week, visit their website at http://www.assistancedogweek.org/

On the Ballot

I got an update from Missourians for the Protection of Dogs a few days ago.

"Thanks to your hard work, and the grassroots support of hundreds of volunteers across the state, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act has been certified for the November 2, 2010 statewide ballot in Missouri. We are Proposition B on the ballot, and will be urging Missouri citizens to vote YES on Prop B this November!"

I've said this before, but feel it bares repeating as I still hear people making the same unfounded arguments. (Now called) Proposition B only clarifies what is expected of large breeding facilities. This in no way affects any other breeders, particularly meat producers. Even if it did, it only calls for humane treatment and meeting the basic needs of the animals in the breeders' care.

More information available at http://www.missourifordogs.com/