If you’re active in the dog world, you probably freqeuntly exchange names and numbers with other dog people. Rather than fumbling for pens and scraps of paper, or using your card from work, why not print dog-related cards at home?

You can print small amounts of customized cards as you need them. (Who needs a box of 500 identical cards from the printshop?) Some companies, like Avery, have blank and pre-designed templates to help you design and print your own cards.

For privacy reasons, you may want some cards with only your name and telephone number or email address. You can also print some that include your home address.

You can feature your favorite breed, dog sport, your dog’s name, a special interest, certifications you’ve earned, or your club affiliation (if permitted by the club).

There are a wide variety of card types available for inkjet or laser printers; clean-edged or micro-perforated, print-to-edge or cards with margins, bright white, vellum, glossy, matte, extra-thick, and photo paper.

Ballpark: For about $15-20 you can get a pack of 200-300 cards. That’s enough to split with a friend!

Do you know where the nearest Animal Emergency Hospital is? How about the others in your area? Are there any veterinarians near you that take after-hours emergencies?

Why not be prepared and make an info sheet for your local emergency clinic?

Ask your vet where she recommends you take your dog if you need immediate care after hours. Ask your vet’s office where the emergency hospitals in your area are, check in the phone book, or do an online search.

Open a new document in your word processing program, and include the following on your Emergency Clinic Info Sheet:

• Facility name, street address and telephone number
• Hours of operation
• Directions and landmarks
• Map (from Mapquest or Yahoo). Copy and paste onto your page.

Finally, put the info sheet where you can easily find it, and keep a digital copy on your computer, PDA, online storage, diskette or CD.

Here is a sample info sheet I created (in pdf format).

I frequently wander through the AKC Museum of the Dog and wish for prints of my favorite pieces. Happily, you can find great dog art online. Why not buy yourself a little present?

• Fine Art Dog Prints: This site has many breed-specific prints by a variety of artists
• All Posters and Art.com: Both of these sites have a wide variety of modern and traditional dog art. I can spend a lot of time browsing these sites!
• Collectors Prints: This site has a large selection of antique prints, most with certificates of authenticity.
• Enid Groves: A friend in Seattle sent me one of Enid’s humorous breed studies. (Thanks, Diana!) See if Enid has your breed.
• eBay : Of course, eBay is always a great source for dog art. You can find old pieces, and discover new artists. It’s not uncommon to find prints signed by the artist.

If you have a favorite breed, try searching for an artist or collection dedicated to that breed on Google or Yahoo. Check with your breed club; often members who are artists specialize in their breed.

Do you have a favorite dog art site or artist that’s online? Please let us know!

Halloween is fast approaching. In addition to the usual warnings about keeping chocolate away from your dog, and making sure he doesn’t slip out the front door when the trick or treaters come, there is a darker one.

Do you have a black dog or cat? A veterinarian I know cautions clients to keep black cats indoors and not leave black dogs unattended outdoors (or alone in your car) during the week before Halloween to a few days afterward. It may be a good idea to keep a close eye on pets of any color during this time. While it’s unlikely that your pet will be stolen and harmed during this time, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

On a more positive note…why not:

• Practice sit or down stays (in another room) while someone else hands out candy to the trick or treaters
• Make a cute costume for your dog and visit a nursing home
• Have a daytime Halloween party for your human and canine friends (dogs in costume)
• Attend one of the “Howl-oween” events sponsored by shelters or local dog-related businesses

Groups around the country are knitting or crocheting mats to make life easier for shelter and rescue animals. Many shelter animals are seniors, and they welcome the cushioning provided by the mats. (If you’re not a knitter, traditional washable blankets are also welcomed by shelters.)

In my area, the Knit n’ Purl for Pets Knitting Workshop meets regularly to knit pet mats at Petropolis in suburban St. Louis. Some volunteers knit pet mats at home and drop them off at Petropolis for donation.

Petropolis’ basic guidelines are:

• Use only washable acrylic yarn
• Some shelters have specific size requirements, but others gratefully accept any size mat
• Beginners may find it easier to start with needles a size or two larger than #9
• Knit with two strands of yarn to make an extra-cushiony mat

There may be a group in your area that knits for shelter animals. How do you find one?

• Call your local animal shelter or rescue groups to inquire
• Check your local newspaper in the calendar, pet or lifestyle section for announcements
• Ask at local pet businesses
• Search Google or Google News with keywords such as your location, knit, crochet, pets, dog, shelter, blanket, rug. Try just a few words at a time. You may need to do some juggling of keywords to find a local group (I did).

If there are no established knitting groups in your area, why not start one?

• Find shelters or rescue groups that would welcome the donation of pet mats
• Start with the basic guidelines above, and adjust for your shelter’s needs
• Find volunteers to help knit or crochet mats:
• Put up flyers in local craft shops and pet-friendly shops (with permission)
• Write a short announcement and put in your town’s calendar section of the newspaper
• Contact local dog clubs and ask them to put your announcement in their newsletters

Finally, if you have washable, acrylic yarn you can spare, groups that knit for shelter animals will gratefully accept your donation.

I was standing outside on a cold, clear winter evening last year, waiting for Dash to potty one last time before bed. I was looking up at the night sky when I saw the owl. It freefell from an old hickory tree, extended its wings and swooped silently toward my unsuspecting puppy.

I ran toward my dog, yelling, and waving my arms to scare off the predator. The owl smoothly changed direction and flew up into another tree. I picked up Dash and headed for the safety of the house.

This owl could have easily carried away my tiny corgi. After that experience, I searched the bare trees for owls with a strong flashlight when we went out at night.

I had no idea there were such large owls in this dense suburban area. Since that night, I have witnessed several hawks snatch birds from our feeder, and racoons waddling across the yard at night. A nearby friend lost her cat to a fox. My veterinarian’s family nearly lost their dog to a coyote.

Please watch out for your small dogs and cats. Pets over ten pounds are generally safe from birds of prey, but may still be at risk if you have coyotes.

As we are taking over more and more undeveloped land, many owls, hawks, fox, coyotes are forced to look for food in the suburbs. Food is most scarce during the winter, so you may notice them more during this time. However, a staff member of the Wild Bird Center told me, “They’re there all year. You may not see them, but they see you.”

Animal Blessing ceremonies are very popular with the American public and increasingly accepted by many churches. People bring a variety of companion animals, everything from the expected dogs and cats, to rabbits and lizards, camels and horses, and even favorite stuffed animals and photographs of deceased pets.

Catholic, Lutheran and Episcopal churches seem to be most often the ones hosting the ceremonies. Sometimes college or university interfaith chapels hold animal blessing ceremonies. Most ceremonies are held outside, regardless of weather, while some are held inside the church.

The traditional time is the weekend nearest the 4th of October to commemorate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, but ceremonies are often held from September through mid-October.

How do you find a ceremony?

• Watch the paper from the end of September through the month of October
• Inquire at your local Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal church, or university chapel
• Ask your vet’s office, your local Humane Society or shelter
• Do an internet search with these keywords: your town name, blessing, animals
• Check for ceremonies in your area in this partial list of Animal Blessings in the US

See a ceremony online:

• Duke University Blessing of the Animals (Photo Gallery)
• Animal Rescue League of Iowa Blessing Ceremony (Excellent, close-up video)
• Animal Blessing, Long Beach, CA, September 2006 (Composite video of a large ceremony, set to music)
• Animal Blessing at the Eldon College Chapel (slideshow of a small college ceremony, set to music)

Further information:

• Blessing of the Animals in the US (an article by a Franciscan Catholic)
• Prayers for Animals and other resources (Episcopalian Church)
• Browse online Newspaper coverage of animal blessings around the world.

Recommended Reading:

• Blessing the Animals: Prayers and Ceremonies to Celebrate God’s Creatures, Wild and Tame by Lynn L. Caruso
• Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets, by June Cotner