Small dogs are accomodated

                                             Indoor Play area for dogs 

                            Every dog that comes is happy

                   Some dogs just love posing for the camera

                                              Paradise Doggie Day care 

     The hierarchy of the American family is parents, children, dogs and then cats. Although if you are a cat owner you know that cats come first in any family.

   As more families become two income families with both parents working, many dogs are being left at home by themselves.  With our dogs being so very important to us, doggie day care places are becoming more prevalent.

  Amador County is blessed to have such a place; The Paradise Doggie Day Care Center, located in Sutter Hill where the old Harley Davidson dealership had been. Owners, Tine and John Kellogg, run not only the doggie day care but a Walker Hound rescue service as well.  Also in the center is an excellent do-it-yourself dog bathing facility, with a step up bath tub, soap, towels and blowers.

  The Doggie day care originated because of the rescue service. Tine who was busy with the rescues, was out buying groceries and carrying one of her dogs in the van.  She wished for a place to leave her dog while shopping. So, the idea was put in motion and in October 2010 The Paradise Doggie Day Care Center opened.  Once the business opened it took off. Tine and John soon found themselves caring for as many dogs as they could handle, never turning any away. People bring in their dogs daily for the hours they work, or while running errands. Others, vacationing in the area, drop their dogs off while sightseeing.

   The center allows dogs a chance to socialize with other dogs in a supervised environment. Tine and John’s service includes picking up dogs and bringing them to the center or taking them to the vet for a visit. At any given time they have 10-15 dogs in their constantly supervised play areas, one for small dogs, one for larger dogs.

  While John and Tine are caring for the dogs at the center, they may get a call that a Walker Hound is in trouble and needs to be rescued.  One of them gets into the van and heads out to pick up the dog. These trips often involve driving hundreds of miles for the rescue.  The new rescue is brought back to Amador County to be placed for adoption.

 Tine and John (a retired highway patrolman) are a part of The National Coon Hound Rescue (Walker Hound). If you go into their business, chances are you will notice more than one coon hound lying on one of the couches they have in the play area. These dogs featured in the book the Red Pony by Steinbeck are valuable hunting dogs. They are used for treeing animals but don’t hurt them. They are good hunters but very gentle dogs and excellent pets.

   Tine explains that most Walker Hounds have instincts to be good hunting dogs but still need to be trained. The lack of training results in numerous dogs being given to shelters because they don’t perform to the owners expectations.

    For Tine and John the work that they do requires great energy but more than that, it is a labor of love.  If you would like to contact them, their number is 209-223-3900. Dogs require love and John and Tine provide more than enough for each dog in their care.

Miss Bellina

 Bella Smiles for the camera

                                              Miss Bellina

     “Diabetes.” The mere mention of that word scares people. At best, diabetes often means the end of some of life’s greatest pleasures. At worst it can be a death sentence. It may come as a surprise that diabetes is a disease that many animals have as well. Up until recently, in most cases with dogs, it was a death sentence which brings me to Miss Bellina.

    Miss Bellina is an eight year old pure bred French toy poodle owned by Cherylann, owner of Bella Imagio Skin Care and Day Spa in Pioneer. Miss Bellina for most of her life has been in perfect health having high energy. All of a sudden, about a year ago, Cherylann began noticing significant changes in Miss Bellina’s health. She started to gain an abnormal amount of weight. For some dog owners weight gain is not unusual as dogs tend to manipulate their owners into giving them all the food they can.  Cherylann overlooked the weight gain but then Miss Bellina was diagnosed with a bladder infection.

   After the bladder infection there were other changes. She became real lethargic and her hair started thinning. At that point Cherlyann became concerned that there was more happening. The first thing that came to mind was that she had been given treats from China and was suffering from Fanconi syndrome (an illness caused by toxins).

     To narrow down what the cause could be, Miss Bellina’s diet was changed. She had been on a high Carb food so Cherylann switched her dog food to a higher protein diet.  Suddenly Miss B started to drink more water and became close to incontinent.

    Cherylann immediately rushed her to the doctor and had blood work done. The results came back and the Vet informed Cherylann that Miss Bellina was a diabetic. In the not too distant past that was a death sentence for a dog, but now Diabetes can be treated.

   Cherylann was sent home with medicine to help Miss Bellina.  Miss Bellina receives two shots each day of insulin. Miss Bellina does not mind the shots and Cherylann makes a point of not giving her the shots in the same place (generally between the shoulder blades) repeatedly. Because this treatment is fairly commonplace it is not expensive and the insulin can be purchased at any pharmacy. Each vial she buys lasts three months (in larger dogs the amount of insulin required may be more but it is still not costly.)

    The whole process is very simple. To keep Miss Bellina’s blood sugar low she first monitors it with urine test strips every three days. Like humans if the blood sugar is kept in line the rest of the dog’s health remains good.

    Today looking at Miss Bellina, it is impossible to see she has any health issues. Miss Bellina spends her time at Cherylann’s side.   When Cherylann is working at the Spa, Miss Bella greets the customers coming into the spa. The two are best friends who both intend to live a long life together.

   Cherylann would like to remind everyone who is a dog owner to watch for signs of Diabetes.  And, know, if their dog is diagnosed with Diabetes that, just as in humans, the Diabetes can be controlled through diet, exercise and insulin. As with everything else we do for our dogs, a little love and attention can also help.

Bella

                                         Bella in snow

                            Bella Loves fetching snowballs

Bella 

   Having once published a newspaper I am used to getting complaint letters, but I thought this column would not offend anyone. To my surprise I received the following letter regarding last month’s column on Baxter:

    “I appreciate a fellow canine getting some press but I beg to differ on Baxter. (Bullish Baxter, April) In fact I beg for anything and I'm quite good at it. Better than Baxter, that's for sure and I know him as well as any dog would want to, better actually. I wouldn't call him handsome or cute. Try eating in the same room with him. I did and now if he's in my store I'm not. He might be short and stocky (I'm being far too kind here) but he has a temper and under bite that he is evidently quite proud of. And as for catching or chasing snow balls, he is fortunate to find them before they melt. Baxter should stick to sniffing rest stops although I could out-mark and out-smell him there too. Treat him if you must but check me out. I'm the pretty one.  Sincerely, Bella, The Real Hardware Dog”  

   Upon receipt of this letter, I felt it only fair for Bella to have equal time for her story. I contacted Brent Parsons, Bella’s loyal owner.

    Bella, a German Shepard, was adopted as a puppy, ten years ago.  She was supposed to be Brent’s wife’s dog, but Bella had other ideas and immediately attached herself to Brent. Where Brent goes Bella goes.  She can be found five days a week at the Pioneer Hardware Store. Bella enjoys mingling with the customers and playing hide and seek. The only thing she doesn’t like at the store is Baxter. Baxter is a good friend to her anywhere else but Bella will refuse to go into the store if Baxter is there.    

  Bella and Baxter will, however, ride in the same vehicle when Tom (Baxter’s owner) and Brent go fishing.  Bella spends her time at the lake finding old bones she buried the previous year while Baxter is busy finding his scent from a previous visit.

  . When there’s snow on the ground, Bella fusses until she has coerced Brent into a game of “fetch the snow ball”.  It is Bella’s passion. If Bella had her way the game would last all day. But once the game of fetch is over, Bella heads into the store and rests behind the counter.

    Bella likes a nice steak bone but bring her a rawhide bone and she buries it in the store hoping Brent won’t find it.  She has been known to even steal toys from the dog next door and hide them in the store.  Customers are often surprised when searching for a piece of hardware and end up pulling out a rawhide bone or a ragged stuffed hedgehog.

  . Bella hopes you will come by for a visit.  She accepts dog biscuits but if it has snowed, be prepared to throw a snowball or two for her to fetch.