What is the scoop with the poop?

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:09:27 +0000

In case you are wondering why we have gotten SO darn demanding about having a negative fecal test on file for your dog, Dr. Anne Lannon has assisted me with writing the following article on fecal tests.

Internal parasites (which includes “worms”) are very common in dogs, especially puppies. Puppies may get worms from their mothers. More commonly, dogs get parasites from contaminated water or by ingesting fecal matter from infected dogs. Many parasites also develop in the ground so a dog could become infected by eating dirt or digging in dirt and then licking their paws.

The most common intestinal parasites are roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and whipworms. Roundworms and tapeworms are the only adult parasites that may be seen by the naked eye. Roundworms look like spaghetti and tapeworms look like rice. Otherwise the only way to diagnose parasites is to have a stool checked by your veterinarian. They look for parasite eggs under the microscope. There are also two protozoal parasites—coccidia and giardia—that can be diagnosed in a fecal sample.

Your dog could have intestinal parasites and the stool could “look” completely normal. However, if untreated, these parasites can cause diarrhea, intestinal bleeding and vomiting. Therefore, we require a yearly fecal check by your veterinarian to keep your dog and all the other dogs here safe from these parasites.

I have also done a little research on these parasites so I will add to this that the documentation I have read supports the fact that you MUST keep your dog on a monthly flea and tick treatment as well as a monthly heartworm treatment. Most commonly available treatments for both say they kill the eggs of the parasites. I can not stress enough how important it is to have your dog on a monthly dose of flea/tick treatment as well as heartworm medication. You can purchase the flea and tick treatment from Paws In Time. However, you will need to visit your veterinarian for a blood test and to purchase your dog’s heartworm preventative. It is commonly recommended to NOT give both medicines at the same time. Try to separate the medication by at least a week.

Take a look in our play yard

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:09:07 +0000

I promised everyone that this year would be the year for one more BIG improvement so now it is done and we are SO excited. At long last all of the gravel has been removed outside and the entire outside play yard is specially designed Astro Turf. This should be so nice for everyone. Now the dogs can play, play, play and no more dust from the gravel to get them dirty and smelly. This should also be easier on their little paws as they go tearing around outside. AND now that the entire outside looks like a putting green, we will be holding putting lessons for the dogs soon. Watch for THAT in the upcoming months!!!!!!! I hope you all enjoy this latest improvement at Paws In Time. It is our pleasure to continue to serve you and your dogs in the most safe, healthy and playful manner we can. Take a look…it’s pretty.

Remember vaccination information

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:08:35 +0000

Please remember to have your veterinarian fax proof of your dog’s vaccinations to us when you have them updated so we also have the most current information on file. When you ask them to fax us the information please remind them that we also need proof of the fecal test results. We really appreciate your help in keeping our records as up to date as possible. Our fax number is 630-208-7775.

Upcoming changes at Paws in Time

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:04:16 +0000

What would you like to see at Paws In Time? Please feel free to share with us what you have in mind for improvements and we will try to make it happen. Who knows where the next 10 years might take us.

A Brief History of Paws in Time (Pt 4)

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:58:12 +0000

So what happened next you ask? I was working so hard to raise money and still the business was growing at a very rapid rate confirming for me that we were meeting a substantial need in the Fox Valley. Though I kept pounding on doors and talking the good talk, it became apparent to me that I was not going to be able to raise the full amount of the funds necessary to build the building of my dreams. It was April and the lease I had on the first building was due to expire on October 31 of that year. I made the decision to sell the land that I had bought to build on and disband the LLC I had created. Which meant telling all of my wonderful investors that the dream was ending. That was only the beginning.

That also meant that my dream was ending because it was April and my lease was up October 31. I had most certainly outgrown my first building with daycare numbers averaging 40 dogs per day in a building whose capacity was 25!!! But I had 6 months to find a new building, get zoning done, build out the building AND move the business. Oh my gosh the day I realized the dream of building the new building was not going to happen, I cried and cried. I was certain I would never find a new building that would suit my business needs and my dream business would most certainly die. I felt so sad thinking I was serving the community and now so many people were depending on me. I did not know how I would ever be able to handle letting everyone down.

As I cried on that oh so sad day, my good friend, Steve Morken called to say he had a building for me to look at. I told him I wasn’t interested and to leave me alone. He suggested it one more time and even promised me a Diet Coke on the drive. Ok, I would go with him………..see you in June……………..

Was it a Fight or Play?

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:21:25 +0000

Often when we have an accident during the day with one or more of the dogs, the questions asked of us are, “did it happen in a fight?” and “why wasn’t someone watching my dog?” I know it may seem odd for me to say this with the number of dogs we have playing with us on a daily basis but honestly, the number of actual fights we have had in 10 years could probably be counted on one hand. The energy it takes dogs to play is but one tiny little tick below that which it takes for them to fight. So the staff is out there all the time with the dogs keeping that energy happily flowing so everyone is having a good time but no one is getting hurt. Every now and then, the kettle will tip over and someone will get angry over a ball or just plain angry but the staff is always right there to stop the argument quickly. Once the dogs are redirected they usually resume their play none the wiser and the day rolls along fine.

The second question usually comes if a wound is found and there was no obvious altercation so, thereby, no real explanation. “How could you not have seen something happen to my dog” or “there must have been a fight?” Its probably a good time to remind everyone that dogs have mouths full of teeth and their mouths are what they use to play. As they are chasing and tumbling with each other occasionally they will tear skin with no malicious intent. Usually when something like this has occurred we have no knowledge of it because they never break stride or give any indication at all that they are hurt.

To minimize the opportunity of sending a dog home with an unknown injury we have recently implemented two times during the day when the staff stops all play to completely go over all of the dogs in our care. This time of complete body exam takes about 30 minutes and all little nicks are being noted. You probably have noticed that we are telling you about the tiniest of dings now. Better to be more informed then not at all, right?

Generally speaking, each dog has a preference for playing with either humans, other dogs or toys. We can accommodate all play preferences here with staff to play with those who like to play with people, other dogs for the dog-on-dog players and balls and toys for the others. After finding out WHAT they like to play with, we work on learning each dog’s play STYLE. A dog will either be an individual player meaning he/she likes to play with just one person/dog/toy or they will like to play in a big group. Along with that the dog will either be a gentle player or a rough and tumble body slammer. The age, sex or breed of the dog does not in any way indicate what type of play the dog is going to prefer. They tell us and we go with it. If your dog is a body slammer who likes to play in big groups then expect that you are going to have lots of dings and tears throughout their life and likely none will be from actual fights. Believe me also that likely he or she will have given out as good as he/she has gotten.

These are a few things to keep in mind when you find a ding or two on your dog and consider calling us. We are all working very hard to provide a safe, clean, well run facility for your dog to come and play and get that energy out. We love to play with your dog as much as they love to come and play.

A Brief History of Paws in Time (Pt 3)

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:20:15 +0000

What came next? I knew I needed to move the business into a larger building, so I began to look at existing buildings and vacant land. What I found was that the problems I had in finding the original building as far as proximity to homes or eating establishments still existed. At last I found vacant land in the industrial park directly across from where Paws In Time currently resides. The lot was an interior lot, but I liked it and could envision exactly how I wanted my dream building to look both inside and out. I had one small problem…MONEY!! Banks weren’t exactly jumping at the chance to lend money to a “risky” business like mine, so what the heck was I going to do? With much convincing I was able to get a bank to work with me to buy the lot with the idea in mind that I was going to build this fabulous building on it.

The next year of my life was quite interesting as I set out to raise money from investors and work extensively with attorneys, architects and builders. What an adventure!!! I have never attempted to raise that much money. The most money I had ever tried to raise was for a 75 mile bike ride as a fundraiser!!!! Yikes and now I was setting out to try to raise over a million dollars. Oh boy what a year!!!!!!

I looked long and hard for that money. Talked to everyone I knew and some I didn’t even know about my dream of building this grand facility. Several clients decided to sign on as investors which was amazing to me. In the end, I was unable to raise the last little bit of money so the dream was fading quickly. Tune in next month to hear what came next…

A Few Reminders

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:20:07 +0000

- We prefer quick release collars on the playfloor. Generally speaking we remove any other type of collar for safety prior to the dogs being let out on the floor.

- With spring break behind us, this begins summer for us. We do tend to fill up quickly for boarding on the weekends. Please plan to make your reservations early so as not to be disappointed.

- You may want to consider leaving your dog’s belongings with us by renting a storage locker for $20 per year. You can leave toys, bedding and food (non-perishable in a sealed container) and we will clean and reuse each time your dog comes in to stay with us.

- Please make sure ALL of your dog’s vaccinations are current INCLUDING negative fecal tests. We will not be accepting your dog if all vaccinations are not current. This is for your protection as well as all of the dogs in our care. When we give you a shot reminder card, it is our hope that you will be making the appointment with your veterinarian directly and will provide us with the updated record.

Puppy/Beginner Class

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 21:28:20 +0000

There is still time to get into the next puppy/beginner class which starts Thursday, April 5. This class is intended for puppies who are at least 16 weeks old. However, if your dog has minimal training or its been awhile, this class would be for you also. The class size is limited to 7 so give us a call to get signed up for this next class.

Spring Break

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 21:27:34 +0000

Oh boy, we are once again to that time of year—spring break. As we prepare to keep everyone safe and to have a good time playing, we want to wish you all safe travels. For those on our waiting list, we will continue to work to get you in. But, for some reason, this travel time is different then the other holiday periods. Typically, those that have made reservations don’t change or deviate one bit. So going forward, it is never too early to make reservations for next year. You will not be the first.