HSTB's HOWLiday Block PAWty Fundraiser

Brianna, our favorite holiday dog.

Happy Holidays! I hope every one of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with loved ones (both the two and four legged variety).

With Thanksgiving behind us it’s time to start thinking about Brianna’s heartworm treatments fundraiser again. As you probably know by now, everyone’s favorite foster dog is scheduled to begin her treatments in mid-December at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

I'd say I feel silly in this getup, but I feel silly most of the time.

Our October fundraiser at Wag Pet Boutique on Davis Island was a huge success (thank you again, Wag!). Our Mini-Behavior Consults brought in enough money to cover all of Brianna’s existing medical expenses to date, plus enough to have a little extra left over for whatever additional veterinary costs will inevitably arise and we have a good start on the fund for her heartworm treatments as well. To those of you who have donated to the Brianna Fund thus far, we cannot thank you enough!

Santa's reindeer have got nothing on me! I am one cool holiday dog. 

 

In fact, the Mini-Behavior Consults were such a success (we actually had people waiting for consults at the end of the day so that I had to finish meeting with people outside on the sidewalk after Wag closed) that I approached the Humane Society of Tampa Bay about doing a second fundraiser there. But the Humane Society had a better idea… they offered to let us have our own booth at their annual HOWLiday Block PAWty to be held on Thursday, December 20^th in Hyde Park Village from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm. So mark your calendars!

Come get a Mini-Behavior Consult at Brianna's Fundraiser at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay's annual HOWLiday Block PAWty on Thursday, December 20th from 6:00-9:00 pm at
1602 Snow Avenue in Hyde Park Village, Tampa (look for our booth somewhere between the Williams Sonoma and the Pottery Barn Kids). Doggone Good Goodies will be at our booth too, with some of their organic, all-natural and grain-free dog treats.  
More here: http://humanesocietytampa.org/event/howliday-block-pawty/

For those of you who cannot attend the HOWLiday Block PAWty but would like to contribute to the Brianna Fund,  you can make a donation by credit card by contacting Krystle Jimenez, Medical Operations Assistant at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay at (813) 252-2027. Or you can mail a check to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay Attn: Krystle Jimenez, 3809 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL 33607. Please make checks payable to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Be sure to note payment is to be applied to the Brianna Fund C/O Leah Booker.

Won't you come to my fundraiser... pretty please?

 

Because donations for this fund are made directly to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay they are 100% tax deductible.

Any donations we receive above and beyond the balance owed for Brianna’s existing heartworm treatments will be set aside for other dogs in need of heartworm treatments.

Thank you so much for your generosity this holiday season and we look forward to seeing you on December 20^th!  

Happy Holidays, from our pack to yours!

P.S. Huge thanks to Ashlie Burke for the beautiful holiday photos of Brianna!

Brianna Starts Heartworm Treatment at the Humane Society!

Brianna is going to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay on Tuesday, November 13^th for an initial heartworm consult and to review her heart radiographs (x-rays). If all goes as planned she’ll be on antibiotics for a month to prepare her for her heartworms treatments, which will begin mid-December.

You can help with the cost of Brainna's treatments! The Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been kind enough to set up a donation fund for Brianna. The goal is to raise the full $325 needed for her treatments.

Your donations to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay help homeless

animals like Brianna get the treatments they need so

they can find forever families. Thank you!

 

To make a donation by credit card towards this fund please contact Alicia Chesney, Medical Operations Assistant at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay at (813) 252-2027 or mail a check to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay Attn: Alicia Chesney, 3809 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL 33607.

Please make checks payable to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Be sure to note payment is to be applied to the Brianna Fund C/O Leah Booker. Because donations for this fund are made directly to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay they are 100% tax deductible (although Alicia asks that you please be patient with her as she mails your receipts!).

 

Thank you and we'll keep you updated on Brianna's progress!

Dog Back Pack Basics

A tired dog is a well-behaved dog. 

 

Karen from San Luis Obispo, California asks: “Mind refreshing my memory on your recommendations for dog backpacks? Brand, weight, minimum age..? Thanks!”

 

Great question Karen! Dog back packs are an excellent way to make your dog feel like he has a job. As an added bonus when your dog is walking with a pack on he gets twice the workout! I use them almost every day to drain my dogs' energy. 

Give your dog a job and you'll have one happy pooch!

I like the Ruff Wear Approach pack best. Admittedly, it is pricey but it is also durable, simple to use and fits extremely well. Although if you do decide on a Ruff Wear pack beware the sizing; they run VERY large (my 55 lb. Pit Bulls wear a small). There are other good brands out there, too. Outward Hound makes a good pack, I just prefer the Ruff Wear fit.

 

Wag at 304 E. Davis Boulevard on Davis Island in Tampa.

Tails at 745 Higuera Street in downtown San Luis Obispo.

 

 

Tails in downtown San Luis Obispo will size your dog for free in you are in that neck of the woods- as will Wag on Davis Island for all you Tampanians. Both Wag and Tails carry the Approach Pack by Ruff Wear.

 

 

If you aren't in the San Luis Obispo or Tampa areas you can order an Approach Pack here:

http://www.gundogsupply.com/ruff-wear-approach-pack.html

 

Weight recommendation follow:

 

Dogs over 2 years of age with no underlying medical conditions can start at 10% of their total body weight in sand bags or a like material that will fit to conform to the body without sloshing back and forth (to minimize stress to the joints) and can be conditioned to wear up to 20% of their total body weight for daily use (once they're used to the pack). Additionally, they can wear up to 40% of their total body weight for a short day trip.

 

Now that's a pack, Cookie Monster!

 

Dogs between 1-2 years of age with no underlying medical conditions can wear up to 10% of their total body weight in sand bags or a like material that will fit to conform to the body without sloshing back and forth (to minimize stress to the joints) but more weight is not recommended.

 

Consult a veterinarian before putting weight on dogs under 1 year of age (although an empty pack is always fine).

 

Thanks for the question, Karen!

 

 

Mini Behavior Consults at Wag THIS SUNDAY

Every dog is a good dog. 

Hi all you Brianna fans! Time for an update.

Brianna was seen at Timberlane Pet Hospital in Plant City this past on Tuesday, October 23^rd for an initial exam, X-rays of her heart, additional parasite screening, some bloodwork and medication. Though she qualifies for the special heartworm treatment program at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, none of the services listed above were included in her treatment plan, so it was exceedingly important that we get this done. Her bill from Timberlane is $154.98. Timberlane has been kind enough to allow us to pay her bill next week but it must be paid in full before Halloween. I cannot stress enough how desperately we need your help with this; if we can get only 16 people to donate $10 each these services will be completely covered!

Brianna, stressed out in her dog run at Hillsborough County Animal Services. 

Brianna’s X-rays showed some irregularities of her lungs but nothing atypical of a heartworm positive dog. We will not know until her treatments are completed what this will mean long-term. Also, she has now developed kennel cough so her treatment at the Humane Society has been delayed. Her first exam at the Humane Society won’t be until November 13^th. In the meantime, she is on restricted exercise (in her cozy crate with an orthopedic dog bed and lots of dog cookies).

How can you help? Come to our fundraiser!

When: This Sunday, October 28^th

Time: from 11:00am-3:00pm

Where: Wag Pet Boutique on Davis Island

Address: 304 East Davis Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606

What: Wag will host Attaboy Dog Obedience and Behavior as we offer Private Mini Dog Behavior Consultations

Cost: A paltry suggested donation of $20!

Please come to my fundraiser on Sunday!

Wait... I have HEARTWORMS? What are those?

Every single penny of the proceeds will go towards the Brianna Fund to pay for Brianna’s medical treatments.

Wag on Davis Island will host Brianna's fundraiser this Sunday,

October 28th from 11am-3pm. Come on by and say hello!

If you cannot attend the fundraiser but would like to make a donation by credit card towards Brianna’s medical needs please contact Timberlane at (813) 754-7387 or mail a check to Timberlane Pet Hospital and Resort, 1704 Walden Village Court, Plant City, FL 33566.

Please make checks payable to Timberlane Pet Hospital. Be sure to note payment is to be applied to the Brianna Fund C/O Leah Booker. Unfortunately, this donation is not tax deductible, but it will make a world of difference for Brianna.

Brianna, enjoying a relaxing Saturday with her foster family.

Please keep in mind that Brianna’s heartworm treatments scheduled to begin at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay will cost an additional $325.00, but those costs are not due now. There will be fundraising for those treatments at a later date.

We hope to see you this Sunday at the fundraiser, and we’ll keep you posted about Brianna’s condition as we get more information.

Learn how to develop both trust and respect in your relationship with your dog.

Brianna Still Needs Your Help!

Brianna on her way to Animal Services last week.

Many of you have been following the story of Brianna; a loveable, unassuming mutt who was found on a farm in rural Tampa a little over a week ago. Well, here is her story to date:

We are guessing she is about two years old and is obviously some kind of mixed breed dog (I like to call her AKC for “All Kinds of Canine”). When they found her she had open wounds on the pads of her feet from traveling (probably for miles and miles) but was otherwise in good spirits. In fact, she was so sweet that she charmed her way into the hearts of all the farm workers. When no one could take her home she ended up at Hillsborough County Animal Services. But no owner ever came forward to claim her and no one adopted her so our family brought her home as a foster.

Brianna kept getting more...

... and more stressed out at Animal Services.

How could we have possibly left her there?  

Unfortunately, Brianna tested positive for heartworms before she left the shelter. This means that she will require months of expensive treatments and crate rest until the worms are completely out of her system. Luckily, she qualifies for a discounted treatment program through the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. However, the treatments will still cost $325. In addition, the Humane Society treatments do not cover additional vetting that Brianna requires.

Timberlane Pet Hospital in Plant City has offered to take care of Brianna’s additional veterinary needs for about $150 (sorry I can’t be more specific but it’s hard to get an accurate estimate before she has her initial exam). This will cover things like additional parasite screening, vaccinations and X-rays of her heart to see what kind of permanent damage, if any, has been done by the heartworms.    

Brianna is a WONDERFUL dog, worthy of a wonderful home someday. But before we can begin to look for her forever home we need to make sure she is healthy. PLEASE DONATE to one of her funds to insure she gets the veterinary care she so desperately needs.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS:

Brianna will be going to Timberlane Pet Hospital on Tuesday, October 23^rd for her initial exam and radiographs. Timberlane has been kind enough to allow us to pay her (estimated) $150.00 bill next week but it must be paid in full before Halloween. I cannot stress enough how desperately we need your help with this; if we can get only 15 people to donate $10 each these services will be completely covered!

Timberlane Pet Hospital in Plant City totally ROCKS!

They consistently go the extra mile (or ten)

for homeless animals in Hillsborough County.

We cannot thank them enough for all they do!  

To make a donation by credit card towards this fund please contact Timberlane at (813) 754-7387 or mail a check to Timberlane Pet Hospital and Resort, 1704 Walden Village Court, Plant City, FL 33566.

Please make checks payable to Timberlane Pet Hospital. Be sure to note payment is to be applied to the Brianna Fund C/O Leah Booker. Unfortunately, this donation is not tax deductible, but it will make a world of difference for Brianna.

HEARTWORM TREATMENT:

Brianna’s treatment for the heartworms should start next week. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been kind enough to set up a donation fund for her. The goal is to raise the full $325 needed for her treatments.

Your donations to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay help homeless

animals like Brianna get the treatments they need so

they can find forever families. Thank you! 

To make a donation by credit card towards this fund please contact Alicia Chesney, Medical Operations Assistant at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay at (813) 252-2027 or mail a check to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay Attn: Alicia Chesney, 3809 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL 33607.

Please make checks payable to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Be sure to note payment is to be applied to the Brianna Fund C/O Leah Booker. Because donations for this fund are made directly to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay they are 100% tax deductible (although Alicia asks that you please be patient with her as she mails your receipts!).

FUNDRAISERS:

I have recommended Wag Pet Boutique before for their high quality

pet supplies and food but Wag owner Jennifer Fadal also has her

heart firmly in the pet rescue community and will go out on a limb

to help a pet in need. Please continue to support Wag and all of Tampa's

wonderful small businesses!

This Sunday, October 28^th from 11:00am-3:00pm Wag Pet Boutique will host Attaboy Dog Obedience and Behavior as we offer Private Mini Dog Behavior Consultations for a paltry suggested donation of $20! 100% of the proceeds will go towards the Brianna Fund to pay for Brianna’s medical treatments. Wag is located on Davis Island at 304 East Davis Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606. If you have ever wondered what was going on inside your dog’s head now’s the time to find out! We look forward to seeing you there! 

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged

by the way its animals are treated”. - M. Gandhi

 

 

We will make updates to Brianna’s progress, both in terms of her health and eventual adoption (when the time comes), as well as the fundraising efforts on her behalf. Stay tuned!



  

This Wonderful Dog is at HCAS- PLEASE HELP!

What a pretty girl!

Hello fellow Tampanians. We have a dog situation! My husband found this dog running around his farm in Thonotosassa yesterday; which is, sadly, far from a unique situation. This is the second dog he’s found out there in less than a week.

She was just itchin' for some lovin".

As you can see, she is a pretty brindle mixed breed dog (she is listed as a hound mix but really she could be anything), about 45 pounds and probably 2 years old(ish). She is also obviously unspayed. Although she had a collar she had no tags and is not microchipped so there is no way to locate an owner.  

She was very relaxed in the truck, too. 

Because of our current “situation” (read the previous post if you don’t know what I’m referring to),we are unable to house her and leaving her at the farm was a bad idea. We were also unsuccessful in finding a temporary place for her to go so she is currently at Hillsborough County Animal Services on Falkenburg Road. Her ID# is 1485907.

She is this big.

She is a very calm, gentle dog who would do well in just about any home, so I am asking those of you in the rescue community or those of you with a big heart to consider bringing her home. SHE MUST BE REDEEMED BY THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18^th. We are happy to help with transportation, vetting, etc. We just want her to find a nice home.  

Thank you! 

Our sweet little stray at the shelter. Volunteer Kathy has been kind enough to take her under her wing. Thank you for all you do, Kathy!

They have named her Brianna. She is a little stressed out but hanging in there. Keep your fingers crossed for Brianna!

Update: Wednesday, October 17th- Brianna has had NO interest and her final day at the shelter is TOMORROW. This is her Pet Harbor picture. She looks a little more relaxed but the chain link is so depressing. I just keep hoping someone will come forward to give this sweet girl a home.  

A Personal Plea

Hi all,

Sorry to post this out of the blue but I am in need of assistance. Our family is applying to become licensed foster parents and have hit a snag in the process; our licensing agency is wary of “Pit Bull” type dogs of which, as most of you know,  we have two (mixes, that is). I have been told that they will take all the references I can gather regarding my dogs so here I am, asking that you write a testimonial for me.

They are specifically interested in confirming that Maisy and Willa are well behaved and good with children. So it is especially important to get statements from those of you who attended the Pack Walks, particularly with young children or had other child-related exchanges with my dogs. Anecdotes about my dogs interacting with kids are essential to licensure.

Please e-mail all testimonials in Word or JPEG format to me at sloattaboy@yahoo.com. To further complicate things, I was just informed that I must submit all paperwork no later than Friday, October 5th, so there is a strict time limit here too.

Please try to incorporate the following into the letter:

1.       Address “To Whom it May Concern”

2.       You have known me and my dogs for X years.

3.       List my dogs by name (Maisy and Willa).

4.       Leah knows how to handle a dog.

5.       Leah’s dogs are well behaved.

6.       This is what I have seen…

7.       Include your contact information.

Anything else that you think might be helpful would be greatly appreciated. Needless to say, it is exceedingly important that the tone of the letter be kept positive and polite.

It is important that I mention that these letters are 100% confidential. NO information in any letter may be made public. However, someone may contact you to verify the authenticity of your letter (I can virtually guarantee they won’t).

Thank you in advance for helping us out. Please contact me if you have any questions.  

Best,

Leah Bauer Booker and Family

P.S. Here's a video of our adorable daughter just after she finished "dressing" Maisy. Maisy is a little camera shy, but very patient with Harper. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Model Dog Contest Runners Up Gallery

And we have a winner! It was a difficult decision but the winner of the Attaboy Model Dog Contest is Vanya Lind Hagavei, who submitted this gorgeous picture of her dogs.

Thanks to everyone who made submissions. And check out these runners up photos (in no particular order):

Ajax and Atlas submitted by Lauren Peterson

Moose submitted by Stefanie Alvarado

Riley submitted by Ona Weisenbach

Ike submitted by Karen Kessel

Which one is your favorite?

Attaboy Happenings

This is it! Today is the final day to get in your submission to the Attaboy Model Dog Contest. All photos must be received by midnight tonight. For more information on the contest go here: http://attaboydogs.blogspot.com/2012/07/do-you-have-attaboy-model-dog.html

To view all of the photo submissions so far visit the Model Dog Contest Gallery here: http://attaboydogs.blogspot.com/2012/07/model-dog-photo-gallery.html

Good luck!

In other news, mark your calendars because the attaboy August Pack Walk will be held this SATURDAY, AUGUST 4^th (instead of Sunday). I am super excited about this walk because we will be meeting at 9:30 am in downtown Tampa and walking around the downtown area. Check your e-mail for the meet-up location (I’ll be sending an e-mail later today). As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  

See you there and keep posted for more attaboy happenings!

-Leah

Calling All Super Dogs!

Sergeant Stubby (1916 or 1917 – March 16, 1926), was the most decorated war dog of World War I and the only dog to be promoted to sergeant through combat.

With all the negative press about dogs lately I’d like to spend the next couple of days celebrating Super Dogs; those dogs who are trustworthy, heroic, and loyal.

Maisy Joonbug

This is Maisy Joonbug- the ”Matriarch” of our pack. Maisy is a one-in-a-million dog. From playing mom to foster kittens to putting up with rambunctious toddlers to attending consults with me to help rehabilitate dogs, Maisy is my super-duper helper extraordinaire.

 Maisy is super patient, too.

How about you? Do you have a Super Dog? I’d love to hear about it! Send your story and a photo to me at sloattaboy@yahoo.com and I'll help you celebrate your canine hero.

In Case of Emergency

Our pets are part of our families, so of course we want to keep them safe and happy. Today I wanted post links to the websites that I think could be the most helpful in case there was a pet-related emergency in your home. You may want to add these individually to your "favorites" on your computer, or you may just want to add this post to your favorites as a short cut.

Healthypet.com has a great step-by-step article on pet CPR here:

http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?title=Pet_CPR

Petsamerica.org has posted comprehensive video on pet CPR which can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AFrUiRIeVo

It’s best to review the information on pet CPR before you have an emergency.

The ASPCA  has a 24 hour a day, 365 day a year emergency poison control service at (888) 426-4435 (there may be a fee). But they also have a lot of information about foods to avoid feeding your pet, toxic and non-toxic plants and other related topics. You can read more here:

 http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/

Findtoto.com is one of many companies nation-wide that provides services to help you find your lost pet or get a lost pet back home again. Services include things like automated phone alerts, social media alerts and posting flyers in the area a lost pet was last seen. They have a high success rate and provide helpful tips for finding your pet, too. 

Please microchip your pets and keep current tags on them to help them get home in case the worst happens.

And finally, few things will strike fear into your heart like catching the tail end of a news report about a pet food recall but you missed the name of the food involved. Sound familiar? Dogfoodadvisor.com has a page devoted to recent dog food recalls. They can be found here:

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recalls/

Did I miss something? Let me know by leaving a message for me below. I love to hear from you!