January 2006

Volume 3 Issue 1

A non-profit organization dedicated to Dog Bite Prevention

Doggone Safe is the only non-profit organization incorporated in Canada and the US dedicated to dog bite prevention education and victim support. Doggone Safe provides services in Canada, the US and around the world through its website and network of volunteers.

Join Doggone Safe and become part of a growing movement of professionals dedicated to dog bite prevention education. Get some free bookmarks when you join - while supplies last.

In This Issue      2005 in Review

Member Update

Doggone Safe in the Media

Be a Tree ... Be a Hero

Dog Bite Prevention Week

Doggone Safe Conference 2007

Doggone Safe Members Nominated for DWAA Awards

Tips for Trainers

Upcoming Events

Recommended Products

Our Sponsors

Join the Dog Bite Victim Support Group - this is a forum for families of child dog bite victims to talk about their experiences and concerns, learn from and support each other.

Join Doggone Safe or donate to the Courtney Fund

2005 in Review

Doggone Safe had a great year in 2005. Here are some of the highlights:

Organization

• more than 100 new members

• Doggone Safe incorporated as non-profit in US

• Jennifer Shryock appointed VP of US operations

• Kerry Potter-Kotecki appointed NY state co-ordinator

• Tina Van Why appointed US South East co-ordinator

Be a Tree Program

• 65 new Be a Tree presenters

• 211 teacher kits sold

• Be a Tree embraced by several communities on a wide-scale basis

• Be a Tree teacher kits shipped to Australia, Netherlands, France, South Korea and England

• Be a Tree teacher kit translated into French

• Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association promoted Be a Tree program and distributed 45,000 Be a Tree bookmarks to school children

• Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians continued to promote the Be a Tree program

• Be a Tree program delivered to native communities in Saskatchewan by Health Canada

Doggone Smart at Work Program

• Program delivered to several hundred workers, including entire Bermuda postal service

• Promotional package posted to website

• Certification training provided to several Doggone Safe members

Media Coverage

• radio public service announcements produced and played on numerous radio stations in the US over the Christmas holiday period

• coverage in several magazines

• many radio interviews

• two local cable TV shows produced

• television public service announcement aired in the fall in Rockland Co NY

Distribution of Educational Materials

• 180,000 bookmarks distributed

• 1,700 coloring books distributed

• 2,200 fridge magnets distributed

• 5000 calendars distributed

Sponsors

• Nutrience

• Candian Animal Health Institute

• VOCM Cares Foundation

• Pet Project Foundation

Website

• "Learn to Speak Dog" video released for free download

• members web page posted

• Be Tree Reference page posted

• Doggone Safe joined KPCT affiliate program

• Doggone Safe joined Dogwise affiliate program

• Article library posted

• Be Doggone Smart at Work information kit posted

• Budget calculator for Be a Tree sponsorships posted

New Products Promoted by Doggone Safe

• Crayons

• Colouring books

• I'm Safe with my Pet Story Book

• Stickers

• Clicker Puppy DVD

• Dogs & Storks CD by Family Paws

• Living with Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar

• Painting Beagles art work

Member Update...

It is membership renewal time. If we have your email address you will receive a renewal notice by email. Please respond to this so that we know that you received this and to save us on postage costs. Membership dues will be $20 for 2006. We appreciate on-line renewals - just click here and choose Join Doggone Safe (even if you are already a member), then click on Catalogue and choose "Join Doggone Safe". Thanks in advance for renewing your membership. We count on your support and enthusiasm! We will extend all existing memberships until the end of February, but after that the password for the Member's Only part of the website will change. We know that you don't want to miss out on the resources coming soon for the Be Doggone Smart at Work program and upcoming announcements about our other programs.

The Member section of the website is now on-line. If you are a Doggone Safe member and have not received your password - please send an email and your password will be sent to you.

Topics covered on the member page are:

Members-only Yahoo discussion group for presenters - discuss presentation issues and ideas with other members and program creators

Logo Usage - download member logo versions for use in print and on on-line

Member wall certificate - download the member wall certificate that you can personalize and print

Sponsorship Proposal - view the Doggone Safe sponsorship program description

Educational Give-Away Materials - order free materials to give away at your presentations or public events

Send us information about any community events you will be attending so that we can include these in the newsletter and on the website.

New Budget Calculator Spreadsheet:

A spreadsheet to help with budget calculations for the Be a Tree program is posted at the members page. This allows you to try out different combinations of numbers of classrooms, numbers of students and different combinations of give away materials. You can use this to help develop pricing options for sponsorship proposals. This is available in US dollars only.

Doggone Safe in the Media...

In Print

Julie Jones, the Community Outreach Co-ordinator for the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians, says in the Feb-Mar issue of Animal Wellness magazine, "Recently the OAVT endorsed an in-class educational program called "Be a Tree". This is a fun and non-threatening presentation that teaches children how to behave around dogs they may encounter". Read the article.

1. Never talk to strangers
2. Look both ways before crossing the street
3. Don't play with matches
4. Be a Tree

Read article by Andrea Cleary

Be a Tree - Be a Hero...

Julie Jones, the Community Outreach Co-ordinator for the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians has been having a blast traveling around Ontario promoting her profession and delivering the Be a Tree program to school children. Julie tells the kids that she is showing them how to be their own Action Hero - because heros help people get out of potentially dangerous situations. She has them make a muscle to show how strong they are while she talks about this. Julie tells the kids that knowledge is power and now they have the power to help keep themselves safe.

Be a Tree presenters - try this and let us know how it works for your kids.

Dog Bite Prevention Week...

May 21-27, 2006 is dog bite prevention week. Doggone Safe would like to support members in any initiatives they can suggest to raise awareness during this week. Send us your ideas and we will try to help you and will share ideas with others through the newsletter. A media kit from Doggone Safe will be made available soon to help promote dog bite prevention week.

Dog bite prevention week will be a good opportunity to offer our Public Service Announcements for radio to local radio stations. Radio stations are required to donate a certain amount of air time to PSAs and are always looking for topical PSAs. Contact your local radio stations and offer to provide them with PSAs for dog bite prevention week. You may be able to get a free plug for your business... "This message brought to you by Susie's Dog Training school".

Click here to download PSAs in text form, high and low res audio.

Doggone Safe Conference 2007...

Doggone Safe Members Nominated for DWAA Awards ...

Several Doggone Safe Members have been nominated for awards for their writing in 2005 by the Dog Writers Association of America. These prestigious awards will be presented in February at the annual DWAA banquet in New York. Doggone Safe is very proud of the accomplishments of our members. Good luck and congratulations to all.

Tips for Trainers...

There are many dog trainers among Doggone Safe members and we all have lots of great ideas about how to incorporate dog bite prevention education and child safety into group dog training classes and into private consultations with clients. This column is a new feature in the newsletter that will showcase these ideas. We would love to have your ideas, so please send any tips for trainers and we will include these in this column so that we can all learn from each other.

Two important things that you can teach your clients that will help keep the kids in the family safer around the dog are:

1. alpha-rollovers, pinning, shaking, growling at the dog, or other forms of intimidation, force or aggression to "show him who's boss" are relics from the military past of dog training and in fact may serve to cause the dog to become aggressive to weaker family members;

2. learn to read dog body language and know when the dog is saying, "I have had enough".

Read an article (nominated for DWAA award) written by Joan Orr and Teresa Lewin about ways to incorporate bite prevention education into puppy class.

Upcoming Events...

Here are some events organized by Doggone Safe members, at which Doggone Safe members will be speaking or at which Doggone Safe will have a booth. Please find us and say hi!

Recommended  Products...

Living with Kids and Dogs...Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar.

This is a must-have resource for families with kids and dogs. All ages and stages of dogs and children are covered with practical tips for keeping them both safe and happy.

"This is a wonderful book. Useful, useful, useful information - all the main points in an extremely easy-to-read style. As a trainer and mom, Colleen sees the full picture"  - Dr Ian Dunbar - founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

Click on the link to buy Buy this book from Dogwise and help earn commission for Doggone Safe.

LIVING WITH KIDS AND DOGS...WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND

Dogs and Storks CD - Everything you need to know to prepare the family dog for life with kids.

Produced by Jennifer Shryock, Doggone Safe US Vice President, parent, educator and dog behavior specialist. Learn more and read testimonials.

Doggone Safe is now a KPCT Affiliate. Any orders placed at the KPCT site within 30 days of visiting that site via a link from Doggone Safe will generate commission for Doggone Safe.

Click on the recommended products to the right to order or get more information.

If you want to learn the newest clicker techniques from the experts and get hands-on practice, then come to a Clicker Expo. These expos are a ton of fun and the environment is very positive. Doggone Safe president Joan Orr will be there as a faculty member. Be sure to introduce yourself and say hi!

Our Sponsors ...

Thanks to our sponsors. Their generosity and community spirit help us to spread the Doggone Safe educational messages more effectively.

Trade show booth sponsor; educational material sponsor

Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - St. John's Newfoundland

Bookmark Sponsor

Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - Dana Point-San Clemente California

For More Information...

For more information about Doggone Safe and for useful tips about bite prevention please visit the Doggone Safe website. Any materials found at the site can be used at websites or in printed matter without permission (unless specifically noted) provided proper credit is given. A link back to the Doggone Safe site is appreciated.

Privacy Policy...

Doggone Safe will not share its mailing list with third parties. Information obtained through the on-line ordering system is encrypted and kept confidential. Credit card information is not stored and is deleted as soon as the order is processed.