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Things To Do With Your Dog In and Around Atlanta

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Things to do with Your Dog
Week of 10/17-10/23/2012

 

The Humane Event
Thursday, Oct 18 7:00p
at Summerour Studio, Atlanta, GA
Join Atlanta Humane Society’s Junior Board, the 1873 Society Club, for the 3rd annual Humane Event. Guests will enjoy cocktails and bites from favorite Atlanta restaurants including Aja, Cruzado, D.B.A. Barbeque, JCT Kitchen, Miso Izakaya, The Optimist, The Shed at Glenwood, Spice Market, Tantra, Yum Bunz and Whiskey Park, then dance the night away with a live performance by Kidd Koby Roc. read more

Creator: LizLapidusPR

 

Atlanta Beagle Rescue Bowling for Beagles
Friday, Oct 19 8:00p to 10:00p
at 300 Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
Price: $25 per adult $18 per child under 18 $85 for a team of 4
Phone: (404) 273-6297
Age Suitability: All Ages

Come out and support Atlanta Beagle Rescue next Friday, October 19!. Come by yourself or create a group to celebrate Friday night, beagles, and bowling!
It’s at 300 Atlanta – bowling with everything entertainment under one roof: state-of-the-art lanes, floor to ceiling video screens, dining and friendly servers. Registration includes bowling fees, shoes, pizza and unlimited soft drinks.
Register online at http://www.atlantabeaglerescue.org/upcoming-events/event/2-bowling-for-beagles.html.
Event Website
Categories: Charity & Volunteer, Pets
Creator: Roxie Beagle

 

Fall Pet Photo Shoot
Saturday, Oct 20 12:00p to 4:00p
at City Dog Market, Atlanta, GA
Price: $25
Age Suitability: All Ages

Please join us on Oct. 20th from 12-4 and on Oct. 21st from 1-4 at City Dog Market for photos taken by Jane Davis Photography to benefit Ahimsa House.
Donate $25 to Ahimsa House and receive a mini photo session of your canine ghost or human goblin (costumes welcome!), with a complimentary 4×6 print.
Proceeds will help provide a safe haven for the animal victims of domestic violence.
To make a appointment, sign-up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084FAEAD2FA75-fall
Event Website
Creator: ahimsahouse
Atlanta Kennel Club’s 113th Anniversary Dog Show
Saturday, Oct 20 8:30a to 6:00p
at Atlanta Expo Centers, Atlanta, GA
Love dogs? Bring your family & friends to the Atlanta Kennel Club dog show, obedience and Rally obedience trail. Watch the regions best Junior Handlers vie for a $1,000 scholarship from Atlanta Kennel Club, meet dogs you’ll see on TV at the Westminster Kennel Club show, visit with nearly 2,000 dogs of all breeds, learn grooming tips for your best furry friend, and shop great pet supply vendors. read more
Creator: Kachme27
Strut Your Mutt, Picnic and Party
Sunday, Oct 21 12:00p to 4:00p
at Heritage Green, Sandy Springs, GA
Price: FREE
Phone: (770) 613-0880
Age Suitability: All Ages
Tags: music, park, party, pets, dog, animal, rescue, shelter
Furkids Strut Your Mutt, Picnic and Party is going to be a blast for the whole family! Come participate in our dog costume contest, visit adoptable dogs, enjoy a BBQ lunch, acoustic entertainment, and much more. All proceeds benefit a Georgia’s largest animal shelter!
We hope to have a great time while enjoying the setting at this beautiful park conveniently located directly across from our Petco in Sandy Springs!
Enter in a 50/50 Cash Raffle too! See website for details.

Good Mews Animal Foundation Holiday Sale
Saturday, Oct 20 9:00a to 5:00p
at Sandy Plains (Publix) Shopping Center, Marietta, GA
Price: FREE Admission
Phone: 770-499-CATS (2287)
Age Suitability: All Ages

Good Mews Animal Foundation will be having a Holiday Sale this year so mark your calendars! We will be selling all holiday items, so you will be sure to find a lot of great things! The sale starts Friday October 12th (9-5)and will run every Saturday 9-5) and Sunday (Noon-5) thru the first weekend of November.
The sale will be located at the Sandy Plains (Publix) Shopping Center:
1860 Sandy Plains Rd at Scufflegrit Rd. Marietta (2 doors down from Publix)
For information, viisit www.goodmews.org
Event Website
Categories: Charity & Volunteer, Pets
Creator: goodmews

Another reason I love my dogs!

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Miss Jennifer is back from vacation this morning and has taken over her accounts. That means I only have one kitty cat sit today and one meeting with a new client.
The house is a wreck as you can imagine after a week of 14 and 16 hour days. My office looks like a hurricane has gone through, with files stacked here and there, and the inbox, well we won’t even talk about that. But as I look around trying to come up with a game plan to dig out, I see five beautiful faces, saying “Mom, please we have missed spending time with you, we have missed our nice long walks, and when was the last time we went to the dog park together. The dirt will be here when we get back and really we don’t care, we just care about being with you and having some fun!”
Just another reason I love my dogs, they help keep me grounded, they remind me of what is really important and today that is spending time with my pets and visiting my mother, everything else is just noise. So with that said we are off to the park …

Rabbit Hill Park, Ducula GA

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Rabbit Hill Park Entrence

Rabbit Hill park, Gwinnett County


Rabbit Hill Park

400 Rabbit Hill Rd, Ducula 30019

 

Rabbit Hill Park is one of the newer parks in the Gwinnett County park system.  It covers 107 acres, has five soccer fields and some multipurpose fields. There is a 2.5 mile paved multipurpose trail. It has three dog parks, one for small dogs, one for large dogs and one all dog area.

The dog parks are very nice and of good size. They left the trees so there are nice shaded areas (but some owners think if their dogs defecate in the woods they do not have to pick it up). There is plenty of room for dogs to romp and play. There are water fountains for the dogs, agility equipment, and a nice sandpit for them to dig in.Map of Rabbit Hill Park

The only other problem that the dog park has is that it stays wet after a good rain. It can take 3 to 4 days for many areas to dry out. The multipurpose dog area stays wet most of the time and is not really very useful. The good news is that when I was out at the park this week there was a county employee taking pictures of the wet areas and they are planning to fix this.Open space at Rabbit Hill Park

From a dog’s eye, I rate this as a two wag, because they do have dedicated dog parks. However, they have nothing else for a dog to do: no hiking trails, no soft trails, and no lakes or streams for them to frolic in.

Freeman’s Mill Park

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Freeman’s Mill Park

1401 Alcovy Road, Lawrenceville 30045

Park Hours: Sunrise until sunset unless posted otherwise
Amenities ∙ 12 acres ∙ Restored historic gristmill ∙ Playground ∙ 0.5-mile paved multi-purpose trail ∙ Restrooms

This is a terrific little park that is close to my house where I like to walk my older dog Suzie; she is a 15 year old Border Collie. I also like this Park for training purposes. The path is 0.5 miles long and wanders around the perimeter of the park. At some points it is nice and quiet which makes it a great place to work on new commands with only a little bit of distraction from the outside world.

The path wanders over by the playground giving your dog an opportunity to get used to all the sounds kids can make. I have used this area to help socialize dogs that do not have any young children in their families. It helps them get used to the sound of balls bouncing, laughing, squealing, running and the rest of the noises children make while at play.

Next, the path runs close to Alcovy Road. This is a busy road that can help your dog get used to the sounds of traffic. If a dog that normally lives in a quiet neighborhood finds themselves on a busy street, they may become frightened and be unable to follow your commands, putting them in danger. It is very important for dogs to be comfortable in all situations. Taking the time to work with your dog and getting them used to different sounds will help keep your dog safe and make life much more enjoyable.

All in all this is a great little park. Good for short walks or training. I hope you will take the time to visit it soon. Our next stop will be the Rabbit Hill Dog Park. See you there!

About the Park:

The mill was built sometime between 1868 and 1879 by brothers John Griffin Loveless and Levi J. Loveless. In 1913 W. Scott Freeman and his son, Winfield, owned it until it was purchased in 1915 by Newt Pharr. Winfield descendants continued to operate the mill through the twentieth century. In the late 1990’s the mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in architecture, engineering, industry, and social history. As of 1996, the mill was the only working grist mill remaining in Gwinnett County.

The mill changed hands several times over the years until Gwinnett County purchased the mill and surrounding property in 2002 with funding available from the Georgia Greenspace Program and the 2005 SPLOST. In 2009, the county raised and restored the mill and surrounding 12 acres for educational and recreational use offering Gwinnett County citizens a sense of the agricultural past.

Keep Your Older Dog Safe on Slick Floors

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One of the things that most fascinates me about working with dogs is learning about their nutrition and health needs. Many of the ideas I grew up with are no longer valid. You must be diligent in your reading to keep up on what is new in the animal world.

In my household I have five dogs:

  • Suzie, a 15 year old female Border Collie
  • Domino, a 12 year old male German Shepherd mix
  • George, a 4 year old male Beagle/Border Collie mix
  • Jake, a 3 year old male Australian
  • Lucy, a 1 year old female Australian Shepherd mix

With the age spans I have to pay close attention so that I am meeting everyone’s needs with the right amounts and types of exercise and nutrition. Sometimes it is a little overwhelming.

When I bought this house 6 years ago I had all of the carpet replaced with hardwood floors for easy cleanup. At that point I only had two dogs and that worked out very well for a long time. But now my oldest dog, Suzie, is having trouble with her back legs. She can sometimes lose her footing when excited or when she gets jostled by the younger dogs. Now I am putting throw rugs down in strategic areas. It is amazing how fast she is came to realize that these are safe spots and if she feels a need for more security she gets on one of those throw rugs.

In an article titled “Tips for Helping Dogs Walk on Slick or Uneven Surfaces”, Patricia Hill writes:

“Elderly pets are a higher risk for falls and accidents, especially when walking on smooth surfaces and steps, but injuries often occur in younger pest, including puppies. Here are some tips that will help keep you dog safe on slick surfaces and steps.
Stairs are one of the most common places injuries occur. Elderly pets with decreased or limited mobility suffer from falls either going up and down steps or at the landing of the staircase. Younger dogs, especially puppies tend to receive injuries going up and down steps the same as elderly dogs do; however, their falls are a result of playfulness or lack of coordination.”

When choosing where to put down the rugs, watch how your dog moves around your home. Pay attention to where she needs to make turns. Make sure there are no long spans of open floor; break it up by placing small throw rugs every few feet. Be careful when buying your rugs and choose ones that will not catch on her nails since this can cause a tripping hazard.

If you follow these suggestions your older pet will feel safe and secure moving around the house and you just might find your dog interacting with the family more making everyone happier.

Have fun and be safe!

Five Tips to Keep Your Senior Dog Happy and Healthy

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  1. Establish a relationship with a veterinarian that is like-minded. Finding a veterinarian who understands your beliefs and will respect them is very important. In my case I do not believe in all of the vaccines that we give our pets, especially as they get older. I rely heavily on nutrition and exercise. I am very interested in alternative types of treatments such as acupuncture and herbal remedies. In my case, it is very important to me to have a veterinarian that is open-minded. One who will listen to the research that I have done, who keeps updated on new and alternative treatments and can help me make a decision.
  2. Feed your senior dog the best food you can afford. One really good website that I use is Dog Food Advisor, but don’t stop there. Don’t believe the commercials; do your research and then talk with your veterinarian. I have found feeding my dogs (no matter the age) my cost a little more, but I make up for what I spend on food with less trips to the vet.
  3. Don’t over feed your dog, especially as they age. Obesity will create health problems and shorten their life. Overweight dogs will be more susceptible to heart disease, joint problems, arthritis and diabetes.
  4. Give your senior dog adequate exercise, but adjust it to her changing abilities.
  5. Be diligent in grooming to control fleas and ticks. Keep nails clipped and teeth brushed. Bathe and brush your dog regularly.

Happy healthy senior dog