Dogtopia - Dog Daycare & Boarding

Happy Valentine's Day and welcome to the February issue of the Happy Tails Dog Spa™ newsletter!

I am proud to announce we will be opening our first franchise in Houston, TX on March 11^th and another corporate location in North Bethesda, MD shortly after! Watch for Happy Tails Dog Spa™ to open six locations total in Maryland, Virginia and Texas in the coming months.

Make sure to watch out for our new commercial if you haven't seen it already! Click here for a preview.

Everyday is Valentine's Day for your dog at Happy Tails Dog Spa™. Happy Tails staff members are trained professionals and natural dog lovers who work hard to create an atmosphere where pets are valued as family and can enjoy endless amounts of time in a safe and positive environment.

On behalf of the staff and management team at Happy Tails Dog Spa™, we would like to wish you and your dog a very happy Valentine's Day!

Best wishes,

Amy Nichols
President and CEO
Happy Tails Dog Spa™, LLC
Happy To Be Here, Inc

Dogs Can Give Blood Too!

People aren't the only ones who can give blood. In fact, many animal health care centers are in urgent need of blood donated by canines.

Similar to humans, donated dog blood is used for critically ill and injured dogs suffering from disorders like cancer, motor vehicle accidents and major surgery. Given the recent advancements in veterinary medicine, blood transfusions have become a common procedure and have saved many lives.

Dog donors must be healthy, ages one to six, weigh 50 pounds and over, have current vaccinations and heartworm-preventative medication and have never been pregnant or had a blood transfusion.

Blood donation is safe and simple for pets. Before the procedure, some dogs are lightly sedated and a small area of the dog's neck is shaved and cleaned. Then, roughly 16 ounces of blood is drawn from the dog. After the procedure, the dog is brought to a recovery room area to rest for the remainder of the day.

Two of our long time Happy Tails customers, Charlie and Jackson Brice, are "on call" in case of an urgent need for blood. Combined they have saved three dogs' lives.

"They told me that Fluffy needed a blood donation and they were happy that Jackson could help," owner Sally Brice recounted. "About two hours later, when I went to pick him up, the staff said Jackson did a great job and that Fluffy and his family was very grateful."

"Charlie is positive which is the norm, Jackson is negative which is rare," Brice added. "Alexandria Animal Hospital was glad to have a negative blood donor-since they are so rare." Brice said hospitals always have a need for blood.

"You wait for them to call, which can be day or night. When you take them in, they give them a mild sedative, and extract the blood. The entire process takes between one to two hours, then you can pick them up. They are still a bit woozy, but after a nap, they are raring to go."

Brice said she is glad she volunteers her dogs. "The feeling is awesome. If my dogs needed a blood donation, I would be very thankful and grateful that someone's dog saved their lives.

If you are interested in volunteering your dog as a blood donor, ask your local veterinarian or animal hospital for more information about where and when drives are taking place.

What better way to spoil your dog than to make her a batch of treats from scratch this Valentine's Day! Here is a recipe you can use to add some Valentine's Day details to a basic dog biscuit:

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup non-fat milk

Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix the peanut butter and milk, then combine the mixture with the dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a heart cookie cutter to cut out Valentine shapes. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown. Cool the cookies on a rack, then store them in an airtight container.

Decoration Dipper
3 cups vanilla chips (*white chocolate)
1 tablespoon vegetable powder for coloring (see below)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Melt the vanilla chips and add vegetable oil and colorings. Dip the tips of the cookies in the icing and place on waxed paper to dry.

Colorings
Pink - To make a pink paste use beet powder
Green - To make a green paste use spinach powder
Yellow - To make a yellow paste use tumeric

Note: While milk chocolate is dangerous for dogs, white chocolate is safe. To read more about this please see the article from K9 Magazine.

Just in case

Do you know what you would do if your dog needed veterinarian care in the middle of the night? Do you know which vet is closest and the fastest route to get there? Knowing the best places to take your dog in case of a last minute need at any time day or night is something few people prepare for ahead of time. This Valentine's Day think of following the tips below to make sure you are ready in case your dog really needs you to be.

Know your options. If you do not have a well known emergency veterinarian or animal hospital in your area, check out Pets911. It is a very useful resource to help you find veterinarians offering 24-hour services in your area.

Keep detailed emergency contact information handy. Have your closest veterinarian, 24-hour veterinarian, and back-up 24-hour veterinarian offices contact information in multiple places just in case you need it. Keep the information in places you will be able to access it quickly, such as the refrigerator, your car and stored on your cell phone.

Have directions available. Make sure you know the fastest route and have directions mapped out ahead of time to each location.

Know the office hours. While some emergency veterinarians are listed as being open 24-hours a day 7 days a week, not all are available 24-hours a day. Some offices close for breaks or could be suffering from a staff shortage, leaving the office closed unexpectedly. Always call before going to the office and have a back-up veterinarian or hospital just in case.