Seawall Walkies

The Bow Wow Haus crew spent the day on the seawall enjoying the spring sun. We met some great new friends. Hope next weekend is as good.

Little Dog Spring Fling!

THIS FRIDAY - Apr. 24 @ 6:30 p
1340 Davie St (@ Jervis)

A great opportunity for the little ones to play indoors - and get them tired out before their bedtime!

Come early to give your pooch the maximum opportunity to socialize and play! As always, enjoy good company, doggie & people snacks - and have a browse through the newest finds @ BWH.

Our meetups are being really well attended - so it's lots more fun for everyone. Thanks to everyone for helping to spread the word!

Hope to see you there!

Emergency Preparedness for your Pooch

Here are a few tips from the City of Vancouver on including your pooch in your emergency preparedness planning.

In a disaster, you and your pets could be on your own for 72 hours or more. If you have to leave your home during an emergency, don't leave your dog behind! Follow some simple steps and be prepared.

1. Get a license - and make sure it is up to date and securely fastened to your dog's collar.

2. Have a buddy system with a good friend or neighbour to heck on your animals if a disaster hits.

3. Prepare a disaster kit for each pet, including:
* a photo of your pet
* vet and vaccination records in a zip-locked bag
* if your dog is on medications, two weeks worth of meds in water-tight containers
* up to 2 weeks worth of food and water (canned food is better because the animals won't need to drink as much water - and don't forget a can opener)
* non-spill food and water bowls
* plastic pick-up bags
* pet first aid kit
* paper towels & disinfectants
* blankets
* toys and treats

For more information, visit www.vancouveranimalshelter.ca

Foster home urgently needed!

A Foster Home is URGENTLY needed as soon as possible for a beautiful black female dog (lab shep cross) that has been thrown out in a dump - she has been nicknamed her Jennie Gem.

She is heavily pregnant and we cannot imagine her having her babies in this dump - if she does live. There are many coyotes around this dump and dogs like her will be taken down very quickly. There is also a risk that she could be shot to death as other dogs in the dump have died like this. This dog has been very abused by people and whines in fear when you come near her. She crawls/wriggles away from you and yet she is dying for attention. She was not able to stand up when the rescue group came near her because she was so submissive and scared. However, the worker got to pet her rump but she kept crying in fear. She will make an AWESOME pet for a family - she has such a sweet submissive nature. She is about 2 years old - at first glance.

Rescue for Life will supply all vet care, supplies (food, vaccinations, kennel, etc.), and will provide all training for the dog also. You will be walked through the process on how to help re-hab this dog and within in a couple weeks you will be shocked at the new personality you will see shining through.

Once her puppies are old enough to be adopted (8-10 weeks), they will go up for adoption.

Please forward this email to anyone who is animal lover. Through networking this deserving dog will find a foster home and get her second chance at life.


**Age:** 1-2 year old
**Sex:** Female, pregnant
**Weight:** 60 pounds (and furry)
**Breed:** Shep, Lab cross

Rescue for Life

http://www.rescue4life.org/

Co-existing with Coyotes

So, it happened. We saw our first coyote of the season this morning - while hiking on our usual trails at the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver.

Here are some tips from the Stanley Park Ecology Society on keeping you and your doggie safe:

If a coyote approaches, appear as large and threatening as possible. Make aggressive gestures (moving arms and legs), shout in a low voice, and throw rocks, sticks or objects. Never run or turn away; coyotes, like most canids, like to chase moving objects. Coyotes are naturally timid animals and will flee when confronted with aggression.

"Coyotes sometimes prey upon small dogs. Small dogs have even been taken directly off the leash. You can ensure your pet's safety by supervising it at all times when outside. Allow your dog off-leash only in enclosed areas. If you encounter a coyote while walking your dog, gather your dog in your arms. If this is not possible, keep it on a short leash as you move toward an area with increased activity. Shout, wave your arms, or throw objects at the coyote.

Large dogs rarely come into conflict with coyotes. Incidents generally occur during the late winter and early spring when coyotes mate and are more territorial. Do not let your dog to play or interact with coyotes.

Some other precautionary measures that can be taken include:

* Keep a whistle handy while walking your dog. The whistle may not scare the coyote directly (coyotes hear the same sirens, car alarms, and horns as we do), but it will alert other pedestrians in the area of your need for help.
* Walk your dog in areas of high pedestrian traffic such as busy streets, jogging and park trails. Walk during times of increased activity such as during daylight hours, around schools at arrival, dismissal, break or lunch periods, along transit routes as the work day begins or ends, and around parks when sporting events (e.g. soccer practice) are being held.
* Walk your dog with friends and family.
* Avoid walking along abandoned properties or densely vegetated areas.
* Make sure your dog is ahead of you and within sight at all times while walking.
* Any dog that is off leash should have an immediate recall response to eliminate potential conflict with coyotes, dogs, and people."

Organic, vegan + YUMMY doggie shampoo!

We're bringing in a new line of the yummiest-smelling doggie shampoos and spritzes (arriving at BWH on April 21!) - in four cookie scents: Sugar Sugar, Strawberry Shortbread, Lemon Drop and Mint & Chip. (Also safe for our feline friends...)

Most importantly, Cookie Moon Doggie Wash provides your dog with a safe, gentle, non-irritating shampoo experience. Made from natural and organic ingredients without artificial colors or dyes, these shampoo do not incorporate harsh ingredients such as sulfates, parabens, DEA's, MEA's etc. Instead, Decyl Polyglucose is used as the cleansing agent.

Decyl Polyglucose is extremely gentle, fully biodegradable and derived truly from corn, glucose and starch. Many shampoo companies will label their surfactant (cleanser) as coconut derived or coconut based which is another way to say sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate derived. Sulfates are chemicals used in many of the shampoos on the market today and can also be found in products that strip paint off the walls or in products that clean the grease off engine parts. YUCK!

Combined with organic herbs to protect and calm, botanical extracts to promote and maintain hair growth, organic sweet almond oil to aid in moisturizing your doggie's coat, organic apple cider vinegar to naturally fight off pesky fleas, and organic aloe vera to soothe any skin irritations - this shampoo is an excellent choice for sensitive doggies.

The spritzes are equally yummy - made with purified water, vodka, aloe vera, almond oil - and other all-natural ingredients.

We're the first (and for now, only!) shop in Vancouver to carry this sweet line - so be sure to come check it out!