Happy New Year!

More Boarders!

Star


Moon



Madigan and Jenna



Madigan



Jenna

On Demand Shorty and Harvey!

Thanks for your comment on the last post! Your kids are doing great and have been singing to the rest of the boarders from time to time!

Here are a few shots from this evening to help you get through the rest of your vacation! :)

I will try to get some more shots of our other boarders tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Shorty



Harvey



Harvey

Merry Christmas!

All of us at Gemini Dogs wish you a happy, restful Christmas! Woof! Thank you for being a Gemini Dog!

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Did you get our latest newsletter? If not, click to sign up now and get a coupon for $5 off your next Gemini Dogs service, or use the signup box to the right.

You'll get Woof! news and notes about once a month with info about upcoming classes and seminars, fun helpful info, and a coupon or two.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Everyone on the doggie daycare and office staff is going to need a gym membership after the holidays are over!

We'd like to thank all of our generous customers who have been bringing in special treats for us humans this week! Wow! You guys are awesome!

We knew you liked us, but not this much! :)

Gemini Dogs helps On Course for Kids!

Several Gemini Dogs students and staff recently participated in On Course for Kids, a team agility event that creates a fun night for patients and their families while raising money for the Floating Hospital's Children’s Cancer Center Childlife program in Boston, MA.

GD students and staff included:

• Nancy Basley and Deja Blu
• Carolyn Barney and Steiff
• Sally Bridges and Happy
• Denielle Stasa and Jury
• Julie Stauffer and Jessi
• Sandy Ingmanson and Charley
• Martine Meijering and Murray
  

Gemini Dogs owner Michelle Borelli once again helped out behind the scenes as an accounting volunteer.

The folks that participated from Gemini Dogs have raised over $7,320 for the children! Overall the event has raised almost $30,000 so far. Woof woof to you!

How it works
Agility participants asked friends, family, and organizations to sponsor them. Each team consisted of two agility dogs with owners and two children from the Floating Hospital Children’s Cancer Center!

The child actually became part of the team for the night and joined the dogs on the turf. In addition to agility, there were other activities for the children and their families and they had funny contests, too, like the team with the shortest legs or the team with the most team spirit. The evening was filled with cheering, laughter, dog petting and fun! All the children received gifts and ribbons for participating in the event.

What is the Floating Children's Center?
The Floating Children's Cancer Center serves children throughout New England from infants to young adults. The money raised through team and event sponsors goes into the Cycle for Life Fund at the Floating Hospital’s Children’s Cancer Center in Boston.

This fund pays for:

• Toys, books, computer games, trips and other therapeutic initiatives.
• Funding to keep the playroom open on weekends so that children receiving chemotherapy can have breaks from treatment to play.
• Providing child life therapists whose goal is to help children be children.
• Outings and support for the teen group that works with older patients.
• Access to a telephone line at the Cancer Center Clinic for the parents.

The money is not for research, which is funded through other sources. It is used only to make the lives of children with cancer a little more tolerable.

If you would like to make a donation, make your check payable to Cycle for Life Fund/NEMC and drop it off at the Gemini Dogs office or mail it to:

c/o Becca Romish
New England Medical Center
Development Office
750 Washington Street
NEMC 231
Boston, MA 02111

Thank you very much for your consideration of this worthy cause!

Surf hits the Cluster

Just received an email about Gemini Dog Great Dane Surf. His Mom writes:

Surf participated in his first rally trial (at the Bay Colony Cluster) and took 2nd place in Rally Intro with a score of 95! He was among the youngest dogs at the trial and was the youngest in his class, so we're very proud of our "little" pup!

Nice job and a Woof to you two!

Bay Colony Cluster Dog Show

The 2007 Bay Colony Cluster Dog Show, one of the oldest and most prestigious sporting events in North America, is going on now through Sunday at the Bayside Exposition Center in Dorchester, MA.

Let us know if you go to watch or participate!

• Photos here (Boston Globe)
• Show website
  

I'm a Gemini Dog!

Here are a few daycare doggies from early this morning!

Happy Birthday, Moon!

Happy birthday to Moon!

Here's Moon a year ago:




And here he is a few weeks ago. He's sure has grown a bit, eh?!

Your dog is invited for Thanksgiving dinner!

Don't forget, doggie daycare is open on Thanksgiving!

Why not drop Fido off for the day while you're over the in-laws for dinner and football? Stuff yourself silly without worrying about Fifo!

Or, let him stay the whole weekend while you are out getting all those early-bird shopping specials on Friday and Saturday!

Whatever the reason, we'd loved to share our holiday weekend with your pooch and his friends! Hurry now to reserve your spot today.

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! Woof!

Teardrops for Kes

We are sad to announce the recent passing of one of the original Gemini Dogs, Kes Barney. Kes was senior instructor Carolyn Barney's Springer Spaniel.

Carolyn writes:

It was with great sadness that we said goodbye to Kes on Saturday morning to let her out of her seizure ravaged body. ... Kes was my last springer of my lines. She was my agilily, obedience and tracking partner for many years alongside her best buddy Neelix who she has now joined.

She has been my On Course for Kids fundraiser partner since the beginning. She loved the kids, especially in her earlier years. This year Steiff will try to fill her paws for the fundraiser. This is the first time I have been Springerless for over 25 years.

Thank you for the kind words many have sent already.

Carolyn
(email)

Congrats to Lisa Bert!

Please join us in congratulating Lisa Bert on her completion of our Assistant Training Program. Lisa is now a full Assistant and will be sharing her knowledge and skills with our clients and their dogs.

Congratulations Lisa and enjoy your assignments!

If you'd like to become an assistant, contact our Pet Dog Training Program Director, Paul Emerson.

Photos ready!

To those who had their doggie portrait taken at our Family Reunion on Saturday, the proofs are ready.

• Check them out here

Keep in mind that Chris can retouch the photos so that leashes, backdrops, and drool vanish!

Hitch helps out in the office

One of our newest daycare dogs, Hitch, helps clean up the daycare office.

Come to our Family Reunion this Sat. 12-3pm!

Don't forget to attend our 1st Annual Gemini Dogs Family Reunion this Saturday, Nov. 10 from 12-3pm. Meet your dog's daycare friends and reconnect with students from your last class. Maybe even show off how well Fido is doing with his sit-stays now!

Bring a photo for our family tree!

Chris Otte Photography will once again be taking portraits of your furry family. See some from last year.

There will also be agility and Frisbee demos and you'll have the chance to try it too!

While you mingle with our staff and learn more about the other services we offer, your pooch will also have a chance to run around with his friends and play some doggie games too.

Michelle will also give a brief talk about her recent involvement with the Maine puppy mill incident and answer any questions about our new Gemini Dogs DART. All free!

It may be raining outside....

But our daycare dogs are playing inside! On lousy days like today, we let your pooches out for a quick pee and poop, and then let them romp and explore in our huge indoor training room. They love it!

Trick or treat!

Halloween was in full swing yesterday in Daycare. A few dogs got dressed up and everyone went home with a Halloween treat. Hmm, now who had more fun -- the dogs or the staff?!

Marie shows off the raffle prize


Congrats to Jerry for winning the raffle - a bucket full of treats, a blanket, a Gemini Dogs t-shirt, and some other cool stuff!

Jerry checks out his prize







Skeeter the chicken















Derek, Jerry, and Hitch



Hitch and Jerry

Happy Halloween!

Be sure to stop by Doggie Daycare today and pick up your treat and enter our raffle for a bucket of Gemini Dogs goodies!

Tag, you're it!

Tyler and friends play tag earlier this morning.





John says hi to Chester, the newest member of the Gemini Dogs family.




Bogey



Maggie

Gemini Dogs back to help in Maine puppy mill response

Gemini Dogs owner, Michelle Borelli, was deployed once again to assist in the emergency sheltering of about 130 dogs who were moved from the nearby Buxton puppy mill to a new emergency shelter in Portland, Maine.
She arrived on Saturday, October 13 and cared for about 130 dogs at the Portland shelter. She worked with the United Animal Nations (UAN) Emergency Animal Response Services (EARS) team, a national disaster relief team that had deployed 6-8 volunteers like her to work alongside several other national and regional disaster teams.

Michelle's main responsibility was feeding and monitoring the eating habits of the dogs in their care. In fact, she designed a new feeding system that is working so well that both EARS and the American Humane Association have asked that she provide Standard Operating Procedures regarding this new system for use as a standard for feeding in emergency shelters across the country. Pretty cool!

Michelle was joined by the EARS Massachusetts State Coordinator, Cheryl Noroian. Cheryl's dog Louie attends daycare at Gemini Dogs. Good job, ladies, and thanks for helping out those poor pups!

Good job Bridget!

We recently received this great comment about one of training instructors, Bridget Desroches. Thank you and nice job, Bridget!

Bridget is an excellent trainer, is patient, and is one of the most professional and engaging trainers we have met.

Did you know that Bridget is one of six CPDT-certified trainers on staff at Gemini Dogs? We doubt you'll find that many highly-skilled instructors at your average training center! We know our stuff!

Woof woof to Daria!

Congratulations to recently titled Sennenhof Daria OAP (Open Agility Preferred)! Daria had to earn three qualifying scores to earn the title and she got first place for all three! Proud parents Mary Durham and Paul Emerson are happy as can be. Just ask them!

Paul is a Gemini Dogs Senior Instructor and Behavior Consultant, CPDT.

New Frisbee, Freestyle, Earthdog classes starting soon!

Are you running out of daylight to romp with your dog after work? How about taking a fun new class with Fido instead?

Since our intro workshops and classes were received so well, we've added another round of Frisbee dog, Freestyle Dancing with Your Dog, and Earthdog classes to our Fall schedule! Yahoo! What are you waiting for? Sign up for a class now!

And don't forget, we now have instant online gift certificates available. Uh-oh, do you see it? Shopping season is lurking around the corner....

Teardrops for Bono

Gemini Dog Bono McNulty (owners Carol and Frank McNulty) was a long-time Agility dog. We, along with all your agility doggie friends, will miss you. Keep running, Bono!

Doggie Daycare Help Wanted

We are looking to add more staff to the Gemini Dogs family and are looking for responsible, mature, dedicated, smart, outgoing, and hard-working animal lovers. Experience is a plus, but not necessary.

Doggie Daycare Positions
PT hours vary and may include weekend days and evenings. Applicants must be over 18 years old. Experience is preferred but we are willing to train the right person who loves dogs, has great customer service skills, and is a hard worker. Experience in a barn, kennel, vet clinic, etc., is a bonus.

Fill out our online application or email your resume. No calls please.

Big mouth!

The world record for the most tennis balls held in the mouth by a dog at one time is five. Augie, a golden retriever owned by the Miller family in Dallas, Texas, USA, successfully gathered and held all five regulation-sized tennis balls on July 6, 2003.

Online gift certificates now available!

Uh oh, did you forget your brother's birthday again? Get him an instant gift certificate to Gemini Dogs!

Did your Mom just get a new puppy? Or maybe your daughter's dog just graduated from Level 1 Obedience and is ready for Level 2? Congratulate them with an instant gift certificate!

Design your gift certificate, preview it, and then send or print it immediately. It’s fast and easy! Give it a try!

Save gas, shop online. Gift certificates are good for any of our services, including training classes, daycare, boarding, grooming, and retail items. Woof!

CGC Test on Oct 18

Does your dog have what it takes to be called a Canine Good Citizen? Take the test and find out! Go here for info on the CGC test and to register.

• CGC Test at Gemini Dogs
• Oct 18, 7PM

Not quite ready for the test? No problem! Sign up for our CGC and Therapy Dog Prep Course.

Gemini Dogs assists in HSUS response in Maine

(Update here)

On September 29, Gemini Dogs owner Michelle Borelli was deployed through the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) National Disaster Animal Response Team (NDART) to Buxton, Maine, where she assisted in the continuing on-site care of over 275 dogs who were seized by the state of Maine in a recent raid of an unlicensed kennel.

According to The Portland Press Herald, the dogs had been living in deplorable conditions typical of animal breeding facilities known as “puppy mills.” The Herald also reported that many of the dogs were malnourished, injured and afflicted with infectious diseases.

According to American Humane, who is assisting in the mission, "Puppy mills supply the commercial pet market through mass breeding practices that put profits first and animals’ well-being last. In these operations, animals typically suffer abuse and physical stress, exposure to extremes of heat and cold, and a lack of sufficient food and water. They often live in filthy, diseased conditions and may spend their entire lives in small runs or cages."

Michelle is a member of NDART, SMART, and CMDART, and she is the founding member of the newly-formed Gemini Dogs Disaster Animal Response Team. Due to the nature of her deployment, Michelle is unable to comment on her work in Maine. However, she did urge that by supporting our Gemini Dogs DART, you can help her to reach out to these and other animals.

Michelle is actively seeking members for the Gemini Dogs team, and will be hosting an educational discussion on how you can get involved during our annual Howl-O-Ween Festival, which is tentatively scheduled for the first weekend of November.

What is a DART team?

• Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) members are trained to respond in any setting, at any time.
• They may be called upon to help at a local house fire, an impending storm, or any situation where animals need to brought out of harm's way.
• Team members must go through a variety of training workshops, practice drills, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) courses to become eligible for deployment.

What Do DARTs Do?

• Prepare communities and individuals for disasters
• Collect donations of supplies and other needed items for use in current and future disasters
• Establish emergency shelters for animals during a disaster
• Assess and care for animals during a disaster
• Provide food, water, and any medical needs to the animals in that emergency shelter

Email Michelle for more information on how to get involved in animal disaster response.

I'm a Gemini Dog!

We had another beautiful sunny weekend for our boarding dogs. Lots of sunshine, wrestling, and playing chase!

Here are a few of our happy guests.


Sophie loves Gemini Dogs!



Moon chases Micky and his leaf.



Micky



Einstein runs around the yard.



Otis the happy Golden



Smokey and Bruschi wrestled all day!



Moon chases his sister Star.



Bert and Dancer



Tyler looks pretty happy, no?