Wordless Wednesday: Relaxed and Cozied Up!

Balin, one of the dogs adopted from TAGS rested and cozied up! Thinking about adopting? Consider adopting from The Animal Guardian Society, click here.

Oshawa Centre Community Contact Day

Are you still hesitating about volunteering? The Animal Guardian Society promotes its volunteer and foster programs every June at the Oshawa Centre. 

Our table

If you have any questions or concerns and don't want to write lengthy emails, come out and talk to some of our volunteers to get a better picture of what TAGS is about. We always need volunteers or foster homes, and you can apply online.

Some of the positions available:

-PetSmart volunteers
-Fosters
-Designated cameraman or -woman for our YouTube channel
-Graphic designer

 

We will also be selling various dog toys, dog jackets, magnets, stickers and much more in order to raise money for our dogs and cats in need.

Our big red dog has become an attraction of its own over the years. Come and take a photo with him!

Dates: June 22, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
            June 23, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: Oshawa Centre, 419 King Street West, Oshawa, ON L1J 2K5

Our big red dog

Wordless Wednesday: Sleeping Beauty!

Shhhh! I'm taking a nap!

This is Izzy! She is available for adoption through TAGS. If you think Izzy might be the perfect fit for your family, click here to fill in an adoption application to meet her!

How to Deal With Separation Anxiety in Pets

Many owners face a pet's separation anxiety at one point, especially if their beloved pet is a rescue dog. Our pets become anxious because they don't understand why we can't just stay and play with them all day instead of going to work.

Source: quickmeme.com

Source: The Animal Guardian Society's website. 

Symptoms of Separation Anxiety:

1. Whining, howling, barking
2. Destructive chewing
3. Urinating or defecating in the house
4. Licking or chewing their own paws

5 Tips to Help Them Overcome Separation Anxiety

1. Don’t make a fuss: Come and go from the house without making a big fuss over your dog, and don’t say things like, “Mommy’s going to work now, but I’ll be home soon, so be a good dog,” before you leave. Leaving your house should just be treated as regular,   everyday behaviour that is no big deal. The really hard part is coming home. Your dog will be so happy to see you, but you need to ignore him for 5 to 10 minutes when you get home. Once your dog has calmed down, you can greet him and say hello. Practise leaving for short periods of time, and build up to longer absences.
2. Exercise: It sounds easy because it is. If your dog is good and tired, she’ll just rest until you get home instead of releasing all of her pent-up energy by being destructive.
3. Crate train your dog: This can be an important step, especially if your dog is a destructive chewer when left alone. Not only will the dog cause damage to your belongings, but more importantly, your dog could hurt himself or swallow something dangerous. When used properly, the crate will feel like a safe place where your dog will be comfortable awaiting your return. Click here to read more about crate training.
4. Distractions: Try leaving the TV or radio on for your dog. Hearing human voices throughout the day can be comforting. Classical music usually works well. Toys can be another good distraction for your dog. You can try stuffing a bone or a Kong with treats and peanut butter or Cheese Whiz and giving it to the dog before you leave. (If you put it in the freezer beforehand, this treat will last even longer.) Also, there are a lot of toys on the market that are designed to make your dog work to get at the treats inside. These are good options because they keep her busy and distracted from the thought of your absence. You can try other games as well, such as hiding treats and toys around the house so she has to spend time looking around to find them. The idea is to make the dog tired from her search so she will be more relaxed waiting for you to get home.
5. Bach flower remedies: A mixture of these herbal remedies made from flower extracts can be helpful for some dogs to help ease their anxiety. These are usually more successful when some of the other techniques are used in conjunction with them. Click here to read more about Bach flower remedies.

If you are wondering what kind of exercises you could do with your dog, think no more! The Animal Guardian Society is launching agility classes in June. Click here to sign up.

5 Reasons You Should Attend a Charity Yard Sale

Every year, TAGS organizes a yard sale.

What separates it from other yard sales is the fact that at ours, all your money goes to charity. When you purchase something, keep in mind that it's going to help sick dogs like Shyla, and it may even help fund our next trip to pick up a couple of puppy mill dogs. Everybody wins here—you get to find great treasures for a reasonable price, and our charity can add some much-needed funds to meet our tight budget. 

People cookies and dog cookies are always a bestseller!

5 Reasons You Should Come:

1. Every penny will help homeless dogs.
2. There's always a great selection of items—some gently loved and even some new.
3. You will meet other dog-loving people.
4. You can ask our volunteers questions about volunteering, fostering or adopting.
5. You get to enjoy some nice June weather (yes, TAGS guarantees that it won't rain by doing a special rain dance!).

Among this year's great finds are a big-dog cool-down jacket (XXL), two sets of cross-country skis, household items, furniture (such as this type of chair), doggie accessories, books and much more!

Date: June 8, 2013. 8 a.m - 1 p.m.
Location: 77 Allan Street, Port Perry, ON.

It's a relaxed, fun event every year.

Wordless Wednesday: Off to the Races!

Jill having fun at the Furry Friends 5K on Sunday. 

Throughout the event, Jill wore a race shirt that identified her as a dog up for adoption.
Make sure she doesn't need this shirt next year. Put in an application to adopt Jill! 

This is a blog hop. Check out the other participating blogs as well by clicking on the image below.

May Adoptions!

Any month in which there have been adoptions is a great month, but May 2013 was especially exciting for the volunteers at TAGS.

At the end of April, we were thrilled that a few of our senior dogs had been adopted since it is generally more difficult to find homes for them. Similarly, in May, TAGS found homes for Molly and Reimer, who, despite the fact that they are adorable, are also part of a marginalized group.

Also adopted this month was Boomer, who had been waiting for his fur-ever home for some time. However, Boomer's story just goes to show that patience is a virtue. The perfect family came along, and we couldn't be happier for Boomer and his new family. 

Click on the image to view a larger version. 

Oakley is a purebred Siberian husky who is almost two years old. This energetic guy came to TAGS when his family couldn't take care of him anymore, and he's happy to have found a home where he will have lots of opportunity to play and just be a dog!

Molly is a 10-month-old female black Lab mix. Molly loves to play with just about anyone who wants to play with her, no matter what their species may be! Molly is very affectionate, friendly and sociable, so it comes as no surprise that she has found a home.

Reimer is a one-year-old black Lab and blue heeler mix, which basically makes him look like a mini-Lab. Reimer came to TAGS from a high-kill pound in Tennessee and has been thoroughly enjoying his time in Canada so far. This guy's tail never stops wagging, and he loves to greet every dog and human he lays eyes on with a sniff and a smile.

Boomer is a greyhound mix who is almost four years old. Boomer is considered to be a compassionate alpha who loves to exercise, especially if said exercise involves chasing a ball. Not much is known about Boomer's life before he joined the TAGS family, but he used to be very cautious of newcomers. With help from dedicated volunteers and Brooklin Pet Care, who fostered him, he has become the dog everyone knew he could be.

Congratulations, everyone!