I'm a Gemini Dog!

This is Amos, a Bernese Mountain Dog who attends Doggie Daycare and stays with us overnight in boarding. He is one of several Berners that attend daycare, and he is a super cool doggie!

I'm a Gemini Dog!

This is Henry, a cute little Chocolate Lab that has graduated as a STAR Puppy from our Puppy Playschool. He is currently attending Beginner Obedience, and he recently joined us in Doggie Daycare.

Henry has a ton of new friends, and is really enjoying himself. Would your dog like to meet him? Come on in to tour our daycare!

Holy Ribbons!!!

Check out all of the ribbons that our instructor, Kim Lewis, earned at our CPE Agility trial this weekend! Wow...great job Sydney, Wyle, and Maggie!

We had a great time at the trial and we look forward to seeing our little pals at the upcoming Teacup Agility trial on September 11th and 12th.

If your dog earned some ribbons, send us your photos!

I'm a Gemini Dog!

Hello! I'm Lola, and I recently joined the Gemini Dogs family. I will be staying with my new friends while my family is on vacation. I'm a super cute dog, and although I was a little nervous when I first came in this morning, I am settling in nicely and getting to know everyone on the staff.

My new pal, Michelle, promised my mommy that she would send some video of me playing. You see, it's my first time being boarded, so mommy was a little nervous too! But don't worry, mom; everyone is taking good care of me...I'll write more later...time for bed!

Congrats to Mary & Ben On Their C-ATCH!

Congratulations to Mary and her Border Collie, Ben, on earning their C-ATCH at a recent agility trial. Great job! We are so proud of you!

I'm a Gemini Dog!

Scarlett

Sandy

Lucy

TDAA Trial Fun

We had some great fun this weekend at our second TDAA agility trial of the year. If you have a dog that measures under 16" you should check out www.k9tdaa.com and join us for our next trial on September 11-12, 2010. Our premium should be available shortly! And don't worry, this is one venue where you do not have register with the organization before you can enter the trial; just send in your registration with your entry form!

Introducing Rose (and Clancy!)

This is Rose (up front), who will be joining us in doggie daycare soon. Rose is 8 months old and is coming to daycare so that she can learn how to have a soft mouth when playing. Because Rose was not with her mother and littermates for the first part of her life, it is difficult for her to know what's acceptable and what is not. We suggested that Rose join us in daycare so that the other puppies can teach her some playtime manners. Of course, our staff is always on hand to help them out! Rose is also coming to doggie daycare so that her pal Clancy (who is 11 years old) gets to hang out with her AFTER she's all tired out from being at daycare!

I'm a Gemini Dog!

Adora is a cute little girl, huh? She will be staying with us for a while while mommy goes away, and she is signing up for some personal training while she's here. She is planning to learn a good "Leave It" command, and study up on some basic obedience during her stay.

Is Kirby feeling better?

And this is Danni...awwww...

Daycare Dog ~ Daisy

Meet Daisy, one of our new doggie daycare pals! Isn't she sweet?

Monday at 10pm ~ Animal Planet Investigates

I can speak from experience...puppy mills are not pretty! I volunteer to respond for deployments with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and with United Animal Nations (UAN) Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) to disasters such as a puppy mill seizures. (When the state steps in and shuts down one of these places, and seizes the dogs, who get sent to a temporary shelter until they can legally be released for adoption in local shelters.)

So, I have had a first-hand look at the deplorable conditions...I'm glad to see that Animal Planet is exposing this horrible practice that so many pet stores participate in. The bulk of these animals are supplied to pet stores or sold online, and when you buy a puppy that way, keep in mind that they come from places like this. If we all stop buying those puppies, the puppy mills would no longer profit from over-breeding and the practice would stop. These people who call themselves "breeders" are in it for the money, not for the dogs. Real breeders care about their dogs.

Puppy mills really put the public in a bad position, though...we see that puppy in the pet store and we want to "save" these poor dogs, but for each one that is saved, another just replaces him.

Watch the show if you can! I just set my DVR. It's on Monday, May 17th at 10pm.

Archie joins our ever-growing list of STAR Puppies!

Meet Archie, a bulldog puppy that recently graduated from our STAR Puppy Program. Isn't he just the cutest little thing? Archie and his pals spent six weeks attending a one-hour class called Puppy Playschool, held on Mondays at 6:30pm. Archie and his buddies educated their owners about housetraining, puppy biting, and other puppy-raising tips, as well as how to manage their dog in a playgroup.

Have you got a puppy under 16 weeks of age? Then come on down and join the fun! You can start any Monday you would like, just register on our website at www.geminidogs.com and we'll see you Monday night!

Great Weekend at Our APDT Rally-O Trial

We had a great success this weekend hosting our first APDT Rally-O trial in several years...makes me wonder why we waited so long! We awarded both an ARCH-EX and an ARCH-MX, which for those of you who don't know Rally, are quite a big deal for the dogs and handlers. They have to work really hard to achieve these titles, and we were pleased that we could be the ones to congratulate them and recognize their awesome achievements. We got a photo of one of those handlers (Rachel Brostrom) with her dog and Lynn Currie, the judge. But the camera's battery died before we could snag one of our ARCH-EX winner!

We also awarded lots of other titles, and those details we will post soon. I drove home without the list...oops! So I'll update this post later...

Great News from Marjorie and Lily!

"Lily and I completed our CPE C-ATE (CPE Agility Team Extraordinaire) championship last Saturday at the SCAT trial in Connecticut! 5000 points at level C was a long road and certainly not something I ever thought I'd achieve way back when I started agility "just for fun" and said "Oh, I'm not going to compete."

Not bad for the girl who always got picked last in gym class and can barely stay upright on course, and a castoff Southern puppy plucked from certain death at a shelter in North Carolina by the Sudbury, MA rescue group Save a Dog (thank you Shirley)!

Finishing the C-ATE was a great follow-up to Lily's 2009 achievements: Number 8 Top Scoring Regular/Vet in CPE 2009 Top Ten and 6th place in the Games category for her height class at 2009 CPE Nationals. I am super proud of my girl!

Thanks to all for your support and encouragement, and especially thanks to Lily for loving to play agility with me and for putting up with my handling! I hope that Lily and I will see you soon and you will join us in celebrating. Cheers!"

Marjorie Otterson and C-ATE Lily Top Ten 2009, ExST, ExCL, ExJU, ExWC, ExSN, ExFH, PK1, PJ1, CGC

Goodbye Seamus...

We just received a note from Kate, Seamus Ricca's mommy. Seamus passed away at 10:30am this morning. He had mast cell cancer and had undergone two surgeries, but the cancer came back and they were told last Thursday that they only had a short time left with him.

He would have been six at the end of May, but the family decided to start his birthday celebration last night; Seamus had steak and ice cream, cuddled with his mom and dad under the stars overnight, took a walk in the woods, and laid his head down in mommy's lap, with daddy rubbing his back, ate some biscuits, and passed away in their arms.

As Kate said in her note, "Seamus was a great dog and will be missed so much, but the memories of him are just wonderful."

Now, go give your dog a kiss and tell him that you love him...goodbye Seamus...we love you!

Congratulations to the teams who earned a Top Ten Award in CPE Agility in 2009!

2009 Regular/Veterans Year-End Awards
8th ~ Marjorie Otterson and Lily (BC) Gemini Dogs Student

2009 Enthusiast Year-End Awards
2nd ~ Denielle Stasa and Ivy (GSD) Gemini Dogs Instructor

2009 Specialist Year-End Awards
7th ~ Denielle Stasa and Jury (GSD) Gemini Dogs Instructor

Bailey Had a Nice Walk Today!

This is Bailey. Isn't she cute? Bailey has had a couple of Gemini Dogs dog walking visits, and very soon, she will be starting in our doggie daycare where we just know that she will make lots of new friends!

If you would like to have a dog walker visit your house, just give Michelle a call or email her at michelle@geminidogs.com and she will set up a time to stop by and visit with you and your furry friend! And if you're curious about what it's like to have a Gemini Dogs dog walker, have a peek at this note we left for Bailey's parents today!

Hmmm, they left the keys...should I?

Howdee's mom sent this photo recently, and we just had to share it. Isn't he cute?