Miami County Dog Blog

Dog Safety Fair a Success Thanks to Miami County Dog Blog volunteers

2009-10-11T23:25:00.010-05:00

Personable Pets Dog Training hosted their 1st Annual Dog Safety Fair today at the Tails R Waggin Doggy Daycare in Overland Park, KS. Although attendance could have been a little better (we were competing with a Chiefs home game and unseasonably cold weather) the usual gang of volunteers made the day alot of fun and a great success.

Carolyn Karns, of Louisburg, KS based Olive's Hope Pet Rescue, was on hand to run the 'What Can I Do?' challenge. Thanks to her, children learned that they should never hug, kiss, wrestle, tease, chase, surprise, startle or poke dogs. It was nice of Carolyn to volunteer her time and knowledge to this event.

Sandy S. of Mastiff Hope Pet Rescue was also on hand. Her family attended with her and they brought along the always energetic (okay, maybe I am exaggerating here) Mini Coupe as a demo greeting dog. This gentle giant, who I think is close to 200 lbs, is always a hit with the kids. Thanks to Sandy the kids learned they should always ask for permission before they pet a dog and that they should NEVER pet a strange dog.

Karla and Sadie Vialle were also on hand to greet the kids. Sadie is a certified Pets for Life Therapy dog and an agility competitor. Although Sadie is always happy to interact with the kids she spent a good portion of the day curled up with her new best friend - Sandy's son!! Thanks Karla and Sadie!

We also need to thank Ann and Dillion, of Louisburg, for taking time out of their day to teach kids that they should NEVER interrupt a dog when he is sleeping, eating, playing with a toy, sitting in a car or in a crate. It is very important for kids to understand these rules of engagement so they can stay safer around dogs. Thanks Ann and Dillon!

We also initiated a new volunteer this time. Actually three of them. Erica H. and her kids were a great asset to the event. Erica taught parents that most dog bites come from dogs that kids know, that no breeds should be considered 'safe', that kids are bitten by dogs more than adults and that a wagging tail does NOT mean a dog is friendly. Dog safety is a family affair and Erica did a great job educating the parents.

So, once again the Miami County Dog Blog squad pulled off another successful event and hopefully more kids and their parents now know how to stay safer around dogs. Also, mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual Dog Safety Fair in May 2010!

All content © Personable Pets Dog Training

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA
Certified Professional Dog Trainer

Personable Pets Dog Training

http://www.personablepets.com/

Serving Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas including: Stilwell, Lenexa, Olathe, Paola, Bucyrus, Leawood, Shawnee, Osawatomie and Spring Hill.

Attend Personable Pets Dog Training 1st Annual Dog Safety Fair!

2009-09-24T22:41:00.011-05:00

According to the CDC, 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year.

But most dog bites can be prevented!!

It is estimated that there are 53 million dogs living in America, meaning approximately one out of every three households is home to a dog. So, even if you don’t own a dog, you and your children will most likely come into contact with other people’s dogs on a regular basis. Attend the Dog Safety Fair to learn ways to stay safer around both unfamiliar and household dogs. Read More...

All content © Personable Pets Dog Training

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA

Certified Professional Dog Trainer

Personable Pets Dog Training

http://www.personablepets.com/

Serving Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas including: Stilwell, Lenexa, Olathe, Paola, Bucyrus, Leawood, Shawnee, Osawatomie and Spring Hill.

Personable Pets Dog Training makes a road trip for Dog Safety

2009-09-17T21:26:00.007-05:00

At Personable Pets Dog Training. we were thrilled to be guest speakers at the Kansas Home Care Associations annual meeting. Although we thoroughly enjoyed presenting our "Two Thumbs Up for Dog Safety" program - the fun didn't end there. The road trip to and from Topeka with a backseat full of DOG was just as entertaining.

It was a beautiful morning as we loaded the car for the trip. Did we load the computer? check. Projector? check. Program handouts? check. Directions? check. 4 dog crates? check. Dog toys? check. Dogs? check and check!

The dogs included the usual suspects - Sadie Lou Vialle the wonder Lab and Olive Marie the goofball Dane mix. Sort of the canine version of Thelma and Louise.

The first 10 minutes of any car ride with these two is always interesting. It takes awhile for them to figure out who owns which toy, who is going to successfully sneak their way into the front seat and who owns which window. Once they settled in the trip to Topeka was pretty uneventful with the exception of the dog treat contest at the toll booth. They apparently thought the toll booth guy was the judge for the cutest begging performance and that he would only award the treat to the winner. It was almost embarrassing to see the lengths they would go to for a dog biscuit - a single dog biscuit!

By the time we got to the conference we were all a little tired but the girls were great!! They just hung out in the conference hallway, graciously interacting with anyone who wanted to stop by for a quick pet. And since there were 3 different organizations hosting conferences in the building there was NO shortage of people who wanted a quick pet. They both had a short part in the safety program and even though they were on stage for less than 5 minutes - several attendees listed 'the dogs' as the best part of the presentation! Guess we humans need to work on looking cuter as we speak!

2 hours later and we were on our way home. We were all tired and everyone wanted a nap. Unfortunately, Olive was the first one to take advantage and she seemed to think she owned the entire backseat. Poor Ms. Sadie tried to sleep sitting up but it just wasn't working. Eventually we got Olive to move but it didn't take long for her to assume that Sadie would make a great pillow. Thankfully Sadie was too tired to care.

We finally made it home and Karla and I both agreed it was a perfect day. We had beautiful weather, a fun car ride, shared Dog Safety info with wonderful group of people and we got to spend the day with our dogs - really, the perfect day!

Sharon Woodrum, Certified Pet Dog Trainer
Personable Pets Dog Training
http://www.personablepets.com/
Offering Dog Training Classes in Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas

Olive's Hope to the Rescue - Goat Rescue that is!!

2009-09-05T23:36:00.012-05:00

Carolyn Karns, with Louisburg based Olive's Hope Pet Rescue has saved a lot of pets over the years but this week was a first for her - she rescued 2 goats! Don't get me wrong. These weren't abandoned or stray goats - they were my goats.

It all started on a Monday. Just like any other morning, I let the goats out to pasture before I went to work. Sometime during the day they must have decided a road trip sounded like fun because by the time I got home that evening they were gone. Since it was still daylight outside I ssumed they had just wondered off, but I did a quick check of the property and still no goats. Darkness came and I could hear the coyote's in the distance so I started to assume the worse. I called Carolyn and she reassured me that they had probably just wondered off and we would find them in the next day to two. Tuesday came and went and still no goats!

Wednesday morning came and still no goats. I lost all hope but Carolyn still had faith. That afternoon Carolyn called to tell me that State Troopers had visited some of my neighbors the day before, looking for the owner of a couple of stray goats hanging out by the highway. She said she would drive down to the area and check things out. A little while later Carolyn called to say a local mail carrier had spotted a couple of goats hanging out under the highway overpass close to my house and the description sounded just like my goats. Could it be? Could they have stayed out of harms way - and out of the coyotes way - for 48 hours?

Yes they did! My goats were alive and well. By the time I got to the bridge Carolyn had climbed to the top of the rocky embankment to catch one of the runaways. We loaded her into the crate in back of Carolyn's car (this crate is usually reserved for Carolyn's dog rescues) but we couldn't catch the 2nd one. I told Carolyn to drive away and the 2nd goat would follow. She did follow, but must have gotten tired because when Carolyn stopped and opened the car door the 2nd goat hopped up in the front seat with Carolyn for the ride home.

I was thrilled to have my girls home and it wouldn't have happened without Carolyn. Not only did she keep the faith, she interrupted her day to go catch them, and, thankfully, she knows everyone in town so people knew exactly who to contact with stories of the runaway goats!!

Thanks again Carolyn!!

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Personable Pets Dog Training, http://www.personablepets.com/, Serving Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas

Lenexa's Waterfest goes to the Dogs - Personable Pets Dog Training that is!

2009-08-02T22:38:00.008-05:00

So what did Lenexa's 10th Annual Waterfest have to do with dogs? Not much really, but the event organizer thought a dog agility demo would interest the crowd.

So, Sharon Woodrum of Personable Pets Dog Training in Louisburg, KS, got up bright and early on Saturday August 1st and headed to the festival along with local dog agility demo volunteers - Karla & Sadie Vialle and Janet & Peanut McRae. And I cannot forget to mention Gene Vialle and Rob McRae for doing all the heavy lifting. The equipment doesn't move itself so thank goodness they were there!!

Anyway, it was a beautiful day - not too hot - and there was plenty of shade for the pups. Not only did Peanut and Sadie put on terrific agility demos, they were also gracious enough to interact with the crowd/kids between performances. Watch the video below to see Peanut in action.

The best part about doing dog agility demo's is meeting regular people who are interested in the sport but have no idea how to get involved. Although dog agility competitions are gaining quite a following - anyone can train for agility, whether they want to compete or not. Actually, dog agility training is a great way to get up off that couch and spend some quality time with your dog. It can also be a great confidence builder for shy/insecure dogs.

Interested but not sure what to do? Visit PersonablePets.com and sign up for our upcoming agility test drive. It is a 1 hour class dedicated to all things agility. The goal is for you to leave this one hour session with an understand of what agility is, how to train for it and whether or not it is the sport for you and your dog.

Thanks again Lenexa for having us and we hope to see you next year!!

Happy Training!

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Personable Pets Dog Training, http://www.personablepets.com/, Serving Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas

Dogs and Cats part of the 4th of July celebrations in Louisburg

2009-06-26T23:06:00.006-05:00

Wondering what to do this 4th of July weekend in Louisburg, Kansas? Here are a couple of ideas.

Attend Louisburg’s annual Freedom Fest and meet the wonderful volunteers from Olives Hope Pet Rescue. They will be coordinating the Kiss My (Ugly) Dog contest. Several local officials have agreed to participate in the event and the one that receives the most votes will have to kiss their namesake - Ms. Olive. Members of the public can purchase a vote and all proceeds will go toward rescuing and rehoming pets in the Miami County Kansas area. Click here to read the Louisburg Herald's story for additional details.

You could also celebrate Independence Day with Rarws and Stripes at Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory and Education Center! Cedar Cove is a non-profit organization devoted to the care and preservation of endangered large cats while educating the public on their behavior, physiology, habitats and the threats & dangers of extinction. You can visit their website http://www.saveoursiberians.org/ for additional information.

Regardless of what you do and where you go - have a safe and fun 4th of July Weekend!!

Dogs take over the Plaza!!!!

2009-06-17T12:18:00.008-05:00

This past Sunday Mastiff Hope Rescue attended the 22nd annual Dog-n-Jog event on the Plaza to help raise funds for the Greater Kansas City Humane Society. We've never seen so many cute dogs in one location. More than 1,000 dogs and their companions made their appearance on the Plaza. Mastiff Hope volunteers gave lots of hugs and kisses to the jogger's dogs stopping by our booth. Our Mastiffs gave out lots of kisses to the joggers as well. (Who could pass up a wet sloppy kiss by our handsome Mr. Napoleon, pictured left)

Directly in front of our booth, they set up a small kiddie swimming pool for drinking water for the dogs attending. It quickly became a wadding pool for the dogs instead of drinking water. We always knew when a Lab was near by all the splashing we heard.

We had three Mastiffs man our booth, Napoleon, Amadeus, and Loah. We also had an honorary 'mastiff' Emmet (he's a white boxer but thinks he's a mastiff). Napoleon was adopted by one of our Volunteers and is a very happy spoiled old man. Mr Amadeus is looking for sponsors to help him receive his heartworm treatment. Loah and Emmet were there hoping their 'fur-ever' families would find them. Loah was lucky enough to have a couple interested in adopting her. Emmet, unfortunately is still looking for his perfect family.

I have not yet heard how much money the Humane Society earned but it looked like a very successful event for them! Despite the off and on rain through out the morning. We were proud to be on hand to help raise money for a great cause. The Greater Kansas City Humane Society provides a great service to the Kansas City community!

Deanne Rose Pet Pals Day!!!

2009-05-11T00:09:00.009-05:00

The fine folks at Deanne Rose Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas, sponsored another great Pet Pals Day!! Although this was an Overland Park activity, Miami County was well represented. Personable Pets Dog Training
was on hand for the Dog Agility demo and Pet Safety presentations for all the kids (and adults) in attendance. Karla and Sadie Vialle (from Louisburg) once again wowed the audience with their agility skills. Make no mistake about it, agility is a team sport and Karla and Sadie appear to read each others minds as the fly through the courses.

Mastiff Hope Pet Rescue was also in attendance. Mini Coope (don't let the name fool you - he weighs well over 100 lbs) the Mastiff was once again the center of attention. He is such a gracious boy - calmly sitting there why all those young kids came up for a quick pet. If you have never seen these gentle giants work a crowd you are missing an incredible site.

Olives Hope Pet Rescue (based in Louisburg, KS) was also represented. One of the staff members is currently fostering kittens for Olives Hope and she brought them out to share the tent with the agility dogs. The crowd couldn't get enough of the kittens and they appeared to be second in popularity only to Mini Coope.
The event was packed full of activities - from sheep herding to police canine demonstrations. Planning is already underway for next year and we cannot wait.

Sharon Woodrum, CPDT-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Personable Pets Dog Training, http://www.personablepets.com/, Serving Overland Park and Louisburg, Kansas areas

Dog Pictures with the Easter Bunny at Land of Paws

2009-04-01T21:41:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd share the following opportunity for you and your dog.

Spring Bunny Pictures at Land of Paws
Instead of chasing bunnies this season, how about taking a picture with one!?

Bunny Picture Times, Dates & Locations

Land of Paws-Corinth Square
Friday, April 3rd 4pm-9pm
Saturday, April 4th 10am-4pm

Land of Paws-Briarcliff Village
Friday, April 10th 12pm-6pm

Land of Paws-Deer Creek Marketplace
Saturday, April 11th 10am-4pm

Visit www.landofpaws.com/news for more information!!

Land of Paws
Briarcliff Village
4155 Mulberry Dr.
Kansas City, MO 64116
816.587.2275

Land of Paws South
6772 W. 135th St.
Overland Park, KS 66223
913.402.1033

Land of Paws
4021 Somerset Dr.
Prairie Village, KS 66208
913.341.1011

Vacation with Dog

2009-04-01T20:55:00.010-05:00

The Vialle family (Gene, Karla and Sadie) headed out on Friday, March 20, 2009 for a week vacation on our 37 foot sailboat in Oriental, North Carolina. Sadie was definitely ready for a road trip!

After the road trip, we spent most of the week on our home away from home, Aria. A well-trained dog is very important on a sailboat. We have also learned that the world of sailboats is a very dog friendly world, so Sadie loves to go to the boat!

A trip to the boat almost always includes swimming! Sadie starts talking in the car anytime she sees the ocean. Even though it was a bit chilly, she talked us into letting her swim a couple of days on the trip. Her favoriate swimming toy always travels with us for occasions just like this!

Look close, Sadie is in the water swimming back after a fetch.

Three fetches and out!!! Brrrrr.....but she asked to come back the next day.

The weather turned rainy, so we decided to head back to Louisburg and take our time driving through the mountains. We spent a night in Asheville, NC and took some time the next day to drive around Asheville. Much to our surprise, we found out that the Three Dog Bakery has expanded around the world and they have a store in Asheville. So, we had to make a stop there and let Sadie shop. Here she is modeling a Three Dog Bakery-Asheville t-shirt.

Thankfully, our roadtrip ended back in Louisburg with about six hours to spare before the big snow storm hit. We spent our first day home enjoying the relaxation after the vacation. Sadie napped with her new dinosaur toy from the Three Dog Bakery-Asheville.

Another wonderful vacation on Aria......can't wait for the next one in May!

Puppies, Cats and Olives Hope Pet Rescue saves the Day

2009-03-23T22:22:00.010-05:00

Too often pet rescue heros go unnoticed. That is because so many of them get involved in the effort to help the animals - and not for personal glory. Carolyn of Olive's Hope Pet Rescue in Louisburg, Kansas, and Sandy of Mastiff Hope Pet Rescue are some of those heros. And since they won't tell anyone of their recent escapades - I will.

Over the last month, Olive's Hope Pet Rescue saved 18 cats from local shelters by successfully rehoming them. This was a huge effort. Not only did Olive's Hope Pet Rescue have to find homes for all the cats, they also had to insure they were all spayed/neutered and transported from the shelters to their new homes. This was no small job but if you ask Carolyn she would just say - "Oh well, that's what I do." Congrats Carolyn!

During this same time, Olive's Hope Pet Rescue, in coordination with Mastiff Hope Pet Rescue, saved 5 puppies from local shelters. These puppies, from 2 seperate litters, were less than 2 weeks old and had to be bottled feed and cared for 24 hours a day. Somehow Carolyn found time to rescue 18 cats while bottle feeding puppies and Sandy found the funds to pay for puppy formula. Well done ladies, well done!