New Obedience Training Classes starting in February

Our new obedience training classes are booking up quickly.  Camille Robinson, our obedience trainer, has been working with Best Friends for about 6 months and her students absolutely love her. 

Camille Robinson has been teaching dog obedience for over 25 years. She taught for the Suburban Dog Training Club, the Dog Training Club of Chester County, Abington Township Adult School and Upper Dublin Adult School. She has served as the corresponding secretary for the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors. Camille's dogs and some of her students' dogs have earned obedience titles in AKC and UKC registries and in Canada.

Our next set of training classes will be starting on February 23rd, 24th and March 7th.  The classes offered are Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Manners 1, Basic Manners 2, Advanced and a brand new class, Rally!!

For more information on class dates and times, call the Willow Grove center directly at 215-659-3441.

‘Puppy cam’ is latest Internet sensation

Recently, the TODAY show aired a segment about the newest Internet hit, the 'Puppy cam'.  Imagine being able to take a peak into the lives of these puppies anytime you want to!

Story and Photo are Courtesy of TODAY.msnbc.msn.com

By Michael Inbar

TODAYshow.com contributor

updated 10:48 a.m. ET, Sat., Nov . 15, 2008

It takes a village of some 4 million to raise six cuddly pups, or at least to ogle them for hours on end.

What began as a way for a San Francisco couple to keep tabs on their pet Shiba Inu dog Kika’s litter while they were at work has become an unlikely Web sensation. Viewers flock to the Internet site Ustream.com to monitor the 5-week-old brood’s growth, watching the energetic pups paw and play with one another and have at it with their chew toys .

TODAY peppered its Saturday program with peeks into the puppy’s lair, giving the brood of six their first network exposure outside their spreading fame on the Internet. Speaking via satellite with TODAY’s Lester Holt and Amy Robach, Ustream co-founder Brad Hunstable explained how a private dogsitting webcam became a worldwide phenomenon.

Click here to view full article, visit the TODAY show website.

Does your dog have a ton of pent up energy especially in this winter weather? Does your dog love to romp and play with other dogs? Are you looking for some FUN on Saturdays?

We have the perfect solution for you – the Indoor Dog Park at Best Friends Pet Care in Willow Grove. We have a warm, safe, and clean place for your dog to play in a supervised environment. No mud. No snow. No ice. No worries.

The Indoor Dog Park is located at the back of the facility with ample parking. It is staffed by one of our associates and costs only $10 to become a member; $5 each week per pet after that. Please bring your dog’s vaccination records with you.

From 10a-12p we have little dogs only, 12-1p is for all sizes, and 1-3p is for big dogs only. We provide water bowls, toys, agility equipment, and clean up supplies. Please no snacks, treats, or toys of your own.

5 TIPS FOR DOG PARK SAFETY

(Indoors or Outdoors)

• Remove your dog’s leash on the outside of the entrance gate.
• Always monitor your dog’s behavior, and keep him under visual and voice control at all times.
• Be aware of the behavior of all other dogs and their owners.
• Only interact with someone else’s dog after the owner says it’s ok.
• Stay with your dog and be part of the FUN.

Angel Tree Donations Make the New Year a Sweet Treat for Rescue Pups

Throughout the holiday season, Best Friends Pet Care has been collecting donations made by our very generous clients for our Angel Tree Program.  Clients were asked to donate toys and treats,or a dollar amount to local underpriviledged pets.  All proceeds collected were used to purchase merchandise from Best Friends which would be donated to three rescue organizations: Faith's Hope, Cascade Beagle Rescue, and Kitty Cottage Adoption Center.  This year's proceeds exceeded $700!

Take a look at what happened when the pups stopped by to raid underneath the tree!

These two mischevious puppies are Carmen and Paco from Faith's Hope.

Carmen is a 3-month-old American Pit Bull Terrier puppy that was taken to a shelter in the Reading, PA area along with her 2 littermates when she was only 6 weeks old.  Carmen came to Faith's Hope Rescue about a month ago and has been in foster homes, getting lots of love and learning to be a good puppy while she waits for just the right permanent home.

Paco is a 4-month-old Pit Bull mix.  He was surrendered to a shelter in Maryland when he was only 7 weeks old and has been with Faith's Hope rescue since the end of November, 2009.  Paco was born with some very severe skeletal and muscular deformities.  His hips are malformed, some of the bones in his legs are malformed or misaligned and his ligaments and muscles are also abnormal. Because of all these abnormalities, he is not able to use his back legs, he just drags them. He is, however, quite mobile and otherwise a perfectly normal and healthy puppy.

Camper of the Week - First of the New Year

"Ari" is a chocolate lab mix.  He first started coming to our Indoor Dog Park and then joined our Doggy Day Camp program last January.  Since then he has become one of our favorite campers!  You'll never find Ari without a ball in his mouth.  He LOVES them.  Ari's favorite activity is to run around the camp room holding a ball and playing keep away from the other campers.  Ari is also very popular in the Indoor Dog Park with all of his friends. 

Diane Schwarz helps keep network running to foster kittens

Best Friends Pet Care in Willow Grove has worked with Diane Schwarz from Kitty Adoption Team for the past 3 years. Best Friends Pet Care's Cause for Paws program outfitted local fire departments with oxygen masks designed for dogs and cats.  Diane and the Kitty Adoption Team made several donations towards oxygen masks.  Best Friends matched these donations dollar for dollar and together we were able to supply several fire departments with these much needed masks.

Article and Photo are courtesy of The Times Herald.  For full article, visit The Times Herald website.

By MELISSA BROOKS

Times Herald Staff



She’s the center of a foster network that’s found homes for nearly 5,000 kittens, saving them from abandonment, abuse and their “certain” fate at a crowded shelter.

Diane Schwarz said it’s a “group effort” to bring “kitties about to be euthanized” from a large shelter in Philadelphia that’s overwhelmed by its furry tenants, to foster homes in Blue Bell, where they stay until permanent caretakers come forward.

“We have quite a few foster mommies, but just a handful of us started Kitty Adoption Team (KAT) about 10 years ago,” Schwarz said.

The all-volunteer, nonprofit organization was founded on the notion that most people can’t bottle feed kittens and bring them through the weaning process when they’re found homeless and without a mother, Schwarz said.

Funds collected from jewelry and catnip toy sales will be used to purchase pet oxygen masks through Best Friends Pet Care in Willow Grove, so first responders have them to keep on fire trucks and distribute if necessary.

Local Lab is First Boarding Guest of the Week at Best Friends Willow Grove

"Logan" is a 3 1/2 year old Labrador Retriever Mix.  Logan has been visiting Best Friends in Willow Grove for over 3 years.  This uniquely colored red Lab loves to meet new friends in Playgroup.  Playgroup is a 45 minute long session where the boarding guests can play together in a supervised environment.  Logan's favorite activities in playgroup include tug-o-war, fetch and playing on the jungle gym!  Recently, Logan's mom and dad enrolled him in Best Friends Doggy Day Camp.  Now, Logan can come to visit and play whenever he wants to!!!!!!!!  The Doggy Day Camp program is available Monday thru Friday from 7AM until 6PM.  Logan is a big part of the Best Friends Family.