Balboa Park Animal Rescue Day, originally uploaded by Jim Lockwood.
This was St. Patrick’s Day in Balboa Park, San Diego where many rescue clubs and groups were there to educate the public and let their presence be known. While people were not able to adopt pets that day, they could file applications for later.
This booth is for Bichon Furkids Rescue. Alcala Pet Care highly recommends this rescue organization.
Now that you have your new little fluff ball, what should you do with it? Besides providing them with abundant love, exercise, food and water, the most important thing your puppy needs is socialization.
The ideal socialization period is between 8 and 16 weeks. Once the puppy has had its second set of immunizations, it is generally safe to get them out in public. It needs positive experiences with as many people as possible. Let family members, friends, and strangers greet your puppy and offer small treats.
Your puppy also needs to continue socializing with other dogs; so it can build on the doggie skills it learned while part of its birth pack. Enrolling in a well-run puppy kindergarten class with a qualified trainer is the best way to ensure your puppy acquires doggie socialization in a safe and supervised environment. Not only will your puppy have a chance to play with other puppies; but will start to learn some basic obedience commands as well.
Time spent training and socializing your puppy is the best investment you can make in its future.
When we first moved to Encinitas, to start Alcala Pet Care in 1975, the main reason was to have a place for our Bichon Frises and Poodles. As active exhibitors of Bichons and Miniature Poodles, it was very important to socialize the puppies. It was and still is important to “get your puppy out!”
Often we would just take them to any grass area with lots of people. Because they were white fluffy dogs, people would come over to admire and pet them.
More people, cars, dogs and laws have added a new dimension. With the coming of coffee houses and outside seating it is easier to find places to go and bring your dog. Still there are guidelines and common sense involved.
The first two places that come to mind are Critter’s Corner where the Bichon Bash was held. It is located off Requeza at 389 Requeza St. (From Alcala Pet Care, take El Camino Real to Encinitas Blvd. Left on Westpark. Head towards the freeway and immediately before you would go over the freeway go left at the signs.) Critter’s Corner is immediately behind the Rancho Coastal Humane Society.
The second place is a park I have heard about but not gone to on Encinitas Blvd. west of the freeway and towards Vulcan Street and Pac. Coast Highway. I have forgotten the name but believe it is on the right hand side as you head west. Maybe someone can help us out here with more places, a good project for an adventurous pair.
Ben Hunkins, a friend, an up-and-coming golfer, and real estate person has
just met his new puppy. Ben selected him after making sure the breeder had taken all the
necessary precautions and tests before breeding her bitch. He will pickup the puppy at 8 weeks of age when it
is safe for a knowledgeable dog person to take a puppy home.
Ben’s Mother is a breeder of Bichon Frise and he has been around dogs all his life.
This will be a great home for this puppy. The puppy has no name as of yet.
When the puppy is in need of care Ben will bring him to Alcala Pet Care.
Yahoo! just re-launched their forgotten Yahoo! Pets web site. They’ve updated it with social networking and a new blogger: Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer. They’ve also teamed up with Purina to offer informative pet care articles.