A Word from Amy
Welcome to our holiday issue of the Happy Tails Dog Spa™ newsletter! We hope this newsletter finds you enjoying the spirit of the season with shopping, baking and lots of quality time with your family and friends.
Our dedicated staff has been spending the past few months preparing for the busy holiday season. We are continually updating our offerings to ensure Happy Tails remains the premier provider of pet care services - look for Christmas boarding specials such as our Christmas Eve "Yappy Hour."
In the coming year, watch for Happy Tails Dog Spa™ to expand its franchise company as we receive daily inquiries from all over the United States. With our loyal customers and our commitment to our corporate New Year's resolution to "work harder and play harder in 2006" - the possibilities are endless for the entire company and its national community of dog enthusiasts.
Customer Appreciation Luau
The staff at Happy Tails Dog Spa™ wanted to do something special for our customers before the holidays. We were pleased to host a Customer Appreciation Luau on Wednesday, November 9 at our Tysons Corner, VA location.
The entire staff and management team were on-hand to meet and greet customers, share and enjoy "Hawaiian" treats, and express our appreciation for being able to spend time with their much-adored pups. In case you missed it, here is a link to some of our customers' precious and stylish dogs - all decked out in their Hawaiian leis.
Schedule Early for New Year's Boarding
Since all slots for Thanksgiving were booked weeks in advance and we are now booked for Christmas as well, Happy Tails Dog Spa™ would like to remind you that it will soon be too late to schedule your dog for the New Year's holiday. Please call soon to reserve a space.
If your dog will be traveling with you this holiday season, please take a moment to revisit a couple of stories from our August newsletter. Both Flying Safe With Your Dog and Summer Cruising are great article to reference best practices.
K-9 Support Update
We continue to receive wonderful feedback from the K-9 handlers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait whom we are supporting via our working dog philanthropy. They are so thankful for your letters, donated supplies and toys, and monetary donations. In October, we purchased 100 cooling beds and 100 pairs of Doggles, supplying every working dog with one of each. The following is a link to one very thankful group in Afghanistan who wrote in to share their appreciation: Happy Tails on Yahoo Local.
Of course, we couldn't forget them during the busy holiday season, so we recently sent Christmas "care packages" with cards, cookies, sunflower seeds, beef jerky, and a wide assortment of dog toys and treats.
Please keep them in your thoughts this holiday season. Your generosity is so very appreciated by our brave men, women and canines overseas.
On behalf of the staff and management team at Happy Tails Dog Spa™, I wish you a very healthy and happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
Warmest regards,
Amy Nichols
President and CEO
Happy Tails Dog Spa™, LLC
Happy To Be Here, Inc
Pets & Holiday Celebrations
There's one family member who some people may forget about during holiday gatherings: the family dog.
With the hustle and bustle of the season, many dogs get overly excited when friends and family gather in their homes. A dog jumping on guests, chewing on newly wrapped holiday gifts or stealing a turkey leg from the dining room table can certainly be an annoyance.
Don't feel as though you have to keep your dog crated or locked in a room to avoid problems. The Happy Tails staff offers the following suggestions to help keep your dog calm and acting appropriately during the holiday hoopla:
- Give your dog an extra workout. Make sure to take your dog for an extra long walk or have a longer playtime to help tire him or her out before the party starts. A tired dog is typically a well-behaved dog.
- Plan Ahead. If you are having a group of people over and are uncertain how guests feel about dogs be sure to ask ahead of time. Some people are fearful of dogs and it's not fair for the guest or the dog to be in that stressful situation. It's better to prepare a plan for your dog ahead of time than find out when your guests are walking through the door.
- Encourage guests to greet with care. As the partygoers trickle in, ask your guests to calmly greet your dog. Giving an overly excited greeting can encourage your dog to do the same. Take a moment to remind any younger guests who may not be familiar with your dog to give him some space. A formal introduction is never a bad idea to explain to little ones what the dog likes and does not like. If your dog is not used to having children around the house be sure to monitor your dogs reactions as you don't want him to be stressed. In some cases allowing him to retreat to a bedroom may be the best idea.
- Amuse your dog with a toy. To distract your dog from jumping on guests or running away with the tablecloth, get him a very highly desirable toy. Toys with hiding places for treats, like a stuffed Kong or a filled bone, are great options, as they will often keep your dog busy for hours. Always allow your dog to take the toy into another room if he wants to, where he knows he can savor every moment in peace and without interruption.
- Reward good behavior a few times during the event. Keep treats handy and encourage good behavior. If you notice your dog laying in the corner being good be sure to tell him so and reward him for it.
There is nothing better than enjoying the holidays with your dog by your side. We hope our tips will help make all of your gatherings a great success!
Gifts Made With Love
Holiday spending on dogs has reached $5 billion, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. This statistic shows how much we all love our dogs and think of them as another member of the family.
This season, it is expected that the average pet owner will spend about $25 per dog on gifts. Pets are even "giving" other pets gifts this year!
While toys, treats and doggie coats are wonderful gifts, another option is to consider giving homemade items to your dog. You don't have to start worrying about the perfect holiday gift for your dog or your dog's best friends months in advance, as you can easily create personalized gifts.
Happy Tails offers some quick and original ideas:
- Pampered pet stockings: These fun stockings are perfect for your favorite dog. Fill them with bones or toys for the holidays. All you need is two pieces of felt and some red and green thread. Cut out any pattern you like, such as a bone or a dog paw, on both pieces of felt and sew it together, leaving an opening at the top. Attach a ribbon to the top and hang from the mantel.
- Decorative pillowcases: Make or buy pillowcases or shams to decorate your dog's favorite resting spot for the holidays. Embroider holiday pictures or sayings onto the pillowcase or sham to help the family dog get into the holiday spirit.
- Fleece blankets: Make sure your dog is warm this holiday season by making heavy blankets. Go to your local fabric store and buy fleece. With so many prints and colors to choose from, there is a type of fleece to match every personality. Cut a rectangular blanket to whatever size you choose, making sure to keep the corners rounded. You don't even need to turn on your sewing machine; there's nothing required except cutting!
| 
Origin: