Shorty Howell Park is a beautiful, 67 acre park located at 2750 Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth. While this park doesn’t have any dog parks, it does have a 1.25 paved walking trail that you and your pooch can have a walk or a run on.

Beautifully, the park has a pond in the center that is filled with ducks, geese, turtles and more! But, per signage, the ducks are not to be fed so unfortunately, you’ll have to leave the bread at home.

Open from sunrise to 11pm (unless otherwise noted), this park is truly for the whole family. With multiple playgrounds, seven youth baseball fields, a multi-purpose field (that also has a lighted track), your family can have fun all day & end it with a cookout on the grills and pavilion.

Shorty Howell has a large community activity building that can be used for classes, rentals, and events that happen all year round.

Like previously stated, it does not have a true dog park but it is very dog friendly. Personally speaking, I go to Shorty Howell to use the trail and every time I’ve been there I have met plenty of pooches!

Shorty Howell is a beautiful park that you must check out if you and your fur friend are looking for a place to walk! For more information on the park or how to rent it out, click here.

                                      Chappie

By Gemma A.

Whippets are a medium dog breed with a lot of personality in an elegant package.

Appearing to be a smaller version of a greyhound, whippets are actually close relatives. A British breed, whippets were created when the popularity of early greyhounds took off among the nobles. Only those of royal blood were allowed to own purebred greyhounds during this time so some enterprising ‘peasants’ created the whippet, leading to its nickname of ‘the poor man’s greyhound’.

Like their larger cousins, whippets were created to race, and are able to reach a top speed of 35mph. This need for speed makes them wonderfully athletic companions, always ready for a hike or to accompany you on a run. They are often gifted at agility and high energy sports like flyball and lure coursing. It is best to keep your whippet active for good health but these sweet little dogs also love to sleep and snuggle! After a bout of activity, you’ll likely find your whippet curled up on the sofa or under the covers, snoozing away.

Whippets are charismatic dogs with their long noses and large, soulful eyes. Elegant and affectionate,
they are also charming and funny. Whippets thrive on human interaction and seem to delight in making
their people laugh. If you are big on personal space, a whippet might not be for you; they want to be with you at all times, even when you visit the bathroom!

Whippets are a well protected breed by their admirers and so can be hard to find. Rarely appearing in rescue, most whippets are bought from a handful of breeders across the US. The American Kennel Club has a list of breeders by state, and this is a good place to start.

For more information on this delightful dog, please consider the following links:
http://americanwhippetclub.net/
http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/whippet/
http://whippet-rescue.com/
http://www.whippetrescuesoutheast.com/

By Lisa S.

Many people know that “come” and “stay” are two commands that will save your dog’s life. In my opinion, a third command, “leave it”, is just as essential. “Leave it” is training your dog to ignore an object or food until you say it is okay to approach – or not.  It is a great and useful verbal tool to help with impulse control and to reinforce your role as the alpha, the leader and protector of the pack.

“Leave it” has many uses that can be practiced with your dog both at home and when you’re out.  When you are walking, you know that the garbage in the road is unclean and you shouldn’t go near it. But, your dog sees it as delicious treat and to them, it smells alluring. Teaching them the “leave it” command can save your dog from potential messes they could cause or illnesses that could happen upon checking it out. Once your dog has mastered the command, he knows that he should ignore it unless you tell him it is okay to investigate.  The same thing applies in the home.  If you drop a pill, break a glass, or drop some food that the dog is not supposed to have, there is no mad scramble to get there before your dog.  A simple, verbal “leave it” will let your dog know that he should ignore the object.

Teaching the command is fairly simple and dogs usually master it pretty quickly. A good article that sums it up quickly can be found at here. There are also several videos by various dog trainers on YouTube found here and here.

Once your dog has mastered the command, don’t forget to continue to practice!  It is a wonderful bonding experience for you and your pet that can keep them safe and happy!

By: Gemma A.

If you’re looking for a loyal, loving, and elegant companion, let me introduce you to the retired racing
Greyhound. These long legged, ‘needle nosed’ dogs are well known for their gentle nature and soulful
eyes.

From the farm where they are born to the race tracks where they demonstrate their incredible speed,
Greyhounds have a unique upbringing that results in a well adjusted, well socialized dog. These
beautiful creatures are used to being handled by people and have lived with other Greyhounds from the
moment of their birth. This is credited with producing the sweet, friendly nature that Greyhound owners know and love. It also means that, by the time a Greyhound retires from their athletic career, they are
already well socialized companions.

Many people think that such athletic dogs are high energy. In fact, Greyhounds are known for being
quite the opposite! As sprinters, they are used to one short burst of activity, followed by long periods of
rest. In fact, Greyhounds are often called the ’45mph couch potatoes’ in reference to their top speed and
ability to sleep the day away! It’s also believed that, due to their natural prey drive (due to their original role as hunting dogs), Greyhounds are not good with cats or small dogs. To the contrary, many Greyhounds live happily with other animals and prove to be very gentle with the smaller creatures in their household.

Due to their speed and love of running, a Greyhound should never be allowed off leash in an un-fenced
area. If you have a fenced in yard or are committed to walking your new friend on a leash, you will
have no problems. Greyhounds make excellent walking and hiking companions, and are a delight to
take out and about due to their sweet and inquisitive nature. You’ll find yourself stopped by many
curious people who want to ask you about the elegant dog at your side!

For more information on Greyhounds, please consider the following links:

Adoption:

http://www.greyhoundadoption.org/
http://www.secondchancegreyhounds.org/
http://greyhounds2.org/
http://greyhoundcrossroads.com/

Racing and adoption facts:
http://www.greyhoundfacts.org/

The Labradoodle became a known crossbreed in 1988, when an Australian breeder by the name of Wally Conron crossed the Labrador and a Standard Poodle in Victoria, Australia for the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia. Conron combined these breeds due to the low-shedding coat of the Poodle and the gentleness and train-ability of the Lab so he could provide guide dogs to those with fur and dander allergies. Since then the Labradoodle has become a popular crossbreed for guide dogs, training purposes, and they make a wonderful family pet.

The Labradoodle is a crossbreed and not a breed, making it so the puppies do not have consistently predictable personalities or characteristics. Because of this, Labradoodles’ hair can be anywhere from wiry to soft, and may be straight, wavy, or curly. Those Labradoodles with straight coats are said to have “hair”, the wavy-coated dogs have “fleece” coats, and finally, the curly-coated pups have a “wool” coats. Labradoodles do shed, but the coat usually sheds less and doesn’t have the dog odor that is commonly found in Labs.

Grooming Labradoodles usually depends on what the owner prefers. Some are kept with short coats, others natural and curly. Although, it is recommended to take your pup to the groomers every 2-3 months for a bath and a trim to keep the coat fluffy and detangled.

Do you have a Labradoodle? What is their personalities like? Let us know!

image

Jackpot

The Cairn Terrier is a happy, intelligent, active and fearless dog that is one of the oldest breeds of terriers. The name “cairn” was given to them since their function was to hunt and chase between the cairns of the Scottish Highlands, where they originated and are considered Scotland’s first working dog. The Cairn is a “ratter” and also are usually left-pawed which can be related to high-leveled performances connected to scent. Very active, this breed likes to explore and go on long walks so active owners are always a plus! Grooming is simple, with hand stripping seeming to be the preferred way to remove the old, dead hair (by the root) as opposed to using shears that can ruin the dog’s outer coat. The life span of a Cairn is 12-17 years and they have several significant hereditary diseases that they can get. However, the Cairn Terrier Club of America and the Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals have an open registry for Cairns in hopes of reducing diseases within the breed. Fortunately, some breeders voluntarily submit their dogs’ test results for research purpose.

Do you have a Cairn? What’s your favorite feature? Send us their pictures and let us know!

Duff!

The Basset Hound is a breed that so many people know based on it’s iconic look: long body, long ears, short legs. They are an amazing family animal and are known for being very patient, devoted and affectionate, laid back, and honestly they can be pretty lazy! The Basset is not an active breed but does need regular walks and play time to remain healthy (that’s where Gwinnett Pet Watchers can help!). Fortunately, they don’t require too much grooming besides the regular brushing and occasional bath. The Basset Hound came from France but today in the US it is mainly used as a rabbit hunting dog. Are you interested in owning a Basset or do you have one? Let us know!

Image

     Gabby – Robin’s girl!

The German Shepherd is easily one of the most recognizable dog breeds around and for good reason too! German Shepherds are ranked second as the most popular dog breed by the AKC. They are smart, loyal, courageous, which makes them a great family pet & also working dog, as we frequently see them working hard beside police officers. They are a generally healthy breed but need a lot of activity – needing a lot of mental and physical exercise. They also require regular weekly grooming to help with their thick, double coat – nothing a good pin brush can’t handle!

Do you have a German Shepherd? Send us their pics! We love our dogs!

Do you have a Husky? They are a lot of fun! The AKC officially recognized them as a breed in 1930 & they are a highly active and energetic. Huskies are a medium sized dog with a loyal, mischievous personality and they are also very friendly and outgoing. They are not an aggressive breed & they’re often used as a working, sled dog. They typically have a thick, double coat that is usually black, copper red, grey, or white A Husky’s eyes are generally a light blue, although they sometimes can be brown, green, blue, yellow, or heterochromatic. They are a great family pet who love the pack feel and being a part of the family but need lots of exercise and training. Walking them off leash tends to be risky – they love to chase after small animals, so a fenced in yard or park to run. They tend to be a lot of work – but the payoff and love they give is definitely worth it!

Do you have a Husky? Send us their pictures!