The Pet Friendly Newsletter
For Pets and The People Who Love Them!
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September 12, 2003
Volume 1, Issue 9
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In this issue I'm glad to be able to share a story that
I found absolutely hilarious -- and think you will too.
It's contributed by Sandra Johnston, the volunteer
coordinator for a pet visitation therapy organization
called PALS here in Calgary, Alberta (www.palspets.com).
Her pooch, Watson, is a friendly, happy golden retriever
who loves his adventures. I've known Sandra now for over
6 years (my two dogs were PALS dogs, and just retired
from regular visits earlier this year)... and she always
seems to be able to see the humourous side of things! And
every pet lover will tell you that a sense of humour always
comes in handy.
On another note: the photos sent in by our readers are all
marvellous... it's wonderful to see so many well-loved
pets! Please be sure your photos are crisp, clear, and
accompanied by a caption, your name and location. We get
a lot of photos, so if yours doesn't appear within a few
months, don't be afraid to try again.
See you next month!
Angela - Editor
Rundle, Tonka, Kimo & Jasper (the furry Pet Friendly support staff)
PET QUOTES OF THE DAY:
"No man can be condemned for owning a dog. As long as he
has a dog, he has a friend; and the poorer he gets, the
better friend he has." (Will Rogers)
"A dog is not almost-human, and I know of no greater
insult to the canine race than to describe it as such."
(John Holmes)
PHOTOS FROM OUR READERS:
"Licorice is a 5 year old Yorkie Poo who loves the water
and boating!!! He is also a therapy dog (under the St John's
Ambulance program) and visits patients in a nursing home once
a week." - Jacqueline Valmont
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"Hi, here's Skye and Jordie (Aussie
and Border Collie) at the wonderful Cochrane off-leash
area, right on the Bow River!" - Janet
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"My golden retriever's name is GWAPO which
means handsome in Tagalog (Filipino). This picture was
taken when he was five months in Lake Louise. The water
was below freezing, but the weather was hot, and Gwapo
just dove in the water." - Eliott
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Want to show off your pet? Share your cute, funny, or
touching photos with our pet-loving crowd. Email your
photos in .JPG format, along with a brief caption, to:
photos@petfriendly.ca
This Issue's Recommended Pet-Friendly Book:
Three Dog Bakery Cookbook: Over 50 Recipes for All-Natural, Paw-Lickin' Treats for Your Dog
PET STORY: From the "Yet another reason why I should get
a Whippet for my next dog" stories.
"It seems that my best choice for yesterday would have been
to lock the doors and stay inside. Tequila fuzziness from
the previous evening aside, the day proved to be a series
of morphed plans and misadventures.
First the morning's unsettled weather forced me to cancel
my outdoor plans and implement contingency activities. No
sooner done then the skies clear, oh well, such is Calgary
weather. Would have loved to go to the Dog Hash but plans
called for a long walk in a wonderful wooded area with
Watson and a very sweet guy.
So there we are ten minutes into the walk and Watson's
nose goes straight up into the air, which is not a good
sign, and off he bounds for parts unknown. Damn, damn, damn!
Coyotes, deer or something grossly dead was all I could think
of so I went running after him leaving a somewhat confused
person on the pathway witnessing me in a state only Watson
could drive me to.
After several normal recalls in both of his names,
whistling and using the word "biscuit" countless times
(yes I was lying about having one but I was prepared to
deal with this untruth at a later time), I resorted to
the grand daddy of recalls: "Watson you get your butt
back here RIGHT NOW!!!" Like he understood. What
impression all of this was having on my abandoned
companion will never be known as events certainly went
downhill after that.
Watson, having completed his adventure, decided it was
best to heed my calls and returned resplendently attired
in the entrails of some dead fish. God he stunk! Faced
with the prospect of putting this smelly creature in my
car and the ensuing ride home, we decided that we should
take him down to the river and wash off as much of the
"slimy" matter as possible. Ownership does count for
something in this world so I valiantly insisted that
I sacrifice only my hands to this smelly job. Having
rid Watson of the solids but in no way making any
discernable change to the odor, we continued on. We now
had a wet dog that stunk of dead fish. In addition it
was clear that I now smelled like the same dead fish.
This was one of those times when I was glad of my
ability to find humor in everything.
Anyway, back at the car I suggested that I drop my
companion off because I knew I had an afternoon of
washing and grooming. Windows rolled down and doing
our best to only mouth breath we arrive at our
respective abodes.
Short date to say the least.
After washing Watson in two wet shampoos, lemon juice, a
no rinse shampoo, Dawn dishwashing detergent and finally
resorting to Vim, I surmised that, once again, I had a
sweet smelling dog. Not! But it wasn't until later on in
the day that I became aware that his coat still harbored
more than just a trace of the smell. I was tired of
washing him so I dug around and located some Channel #5
perfume that I hadn't used in about a decade and sprayed
Watson with it. It sufficiently masked the odor and I
felt quite proud of my problem solving skills.
Later in the evening I went over to a friend's place
listened to the latest installment of his girlfriend saga
(I keep telling him she's way too high maintenance for a
guy who has no "feminine side") and went home where Watson
& I fell into bed.
This morning I got up, let Watson out and returned to my
room to begin getting ready for work. As soon as I crossed
the threshold, I was assaulted by the very distinctive
smell of Channel #5 coupled with the not so subtle odor
of dead fish. This is quite possibly the LAST thing any
woman wants her bedroom to smell like!
Like I always say most times real life adventures are
funnier that any joke. Sometimes it just takes us a while
to appreciate the humor. Have a good one. I know I have
laundry and more dog washing on my to do list tonight. Ha."
- Sandra Johnston is the volunteer coordinator for
the Pet Access League Society (PALS) in Calgary, Alberta.
www.palspets.com
FEATURED: SALT SPRING ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Salt Spring Island is the largest and most populated
of the spectacular Gulf Islands, located midway between
Victoria and Vancouver. The primary village is the Ganges,
where you'll find a variety of shops and services. Salt
Spring is accessible by both air and by ferry (see the
BC Ferries website
for schedules and routes).
- Recreational opportunities include a multitude of hiking
trails (on mountain, beach, and park trails), over 120+
bird species for the bird-watchers out there, swimming
pools and beaches, lakes, tennis courts, boat charters,
cycling, golfing, and kayaking.
- Ruckle Provincial Park is a great place to spend the
day. Watch the boats and ferries sail by, or explore
the 7 kilometers of shoreline, rocky headlands and
tiny coves and bays. More info...
- Hundreds of artisans display their wares in the Ganges.
Spend an afternoon taking a 'studio tour'!
- Take advantage of the Water Taxis to explore the other
nearby Gulf Islands. They offer a haven of natural areas
where you can walk the dog or just spend the day relaxing
and soaking in the peace and beauty of the area.
- The Apple Festival
takes place during the last weekend
in September. Enjoy some tasty, wholesome apple treats!
- Visit the popular Saturday Market,
which runs April to mid-October, rain or shine, in the heart of the Ganges.
An outdoor arts, crafts, and farmers market, you'll find
potters, jewelers, fiber artists, woodworkers, farmers,
and food vendors who have all "made it, baked it, or
grown it" themselves.
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