Sept-Oct 2006

Volume 3 Issue 5

A non-profit organization dedicated to dog bite prevention through education

Doggone Safe is the only non-profit organization incorporated in Canada and the US dedicated to dog bite prevention through 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 pamphlets and bookmarks when you join - while supplies last.

In This Issue      Canadian Animal Health Institute Sponsors Bookmark Production

Member Update

Website Update

IPDTA Conference and Award Winners for 2006

Case File - The Dreaded Pit Bull

Dog Safety and READ - A Doggone Great Combination!

Doggone Safe in the Media

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

Canadian Animal Health Institute Sponsors Bookmark Production...

The Canadian Animal Health Institute has generously funded the production of 136,000 Be a Tree bookmarks to be distributed across Canada. Doggone Safe members from Canada can order 100 bookmarks free of charge with free shipping. For more bookmarks and non-members the bookmarks are free, but shipping charges will apply. Send us an email if you would like some bookmarks to distribute in Canada.

The Northern Ontario Health Unit will distribute over 4000 bookmarks to elementary school children as part of their anti-rabies campaign. Public Health Nurses in Prince Edward Island will also distribute the bookmarks and will distribute the Be Doggone Smart at Home pamphlet to 1300 new mothers to help prevent injuries to infants.

Member Update...

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

Website Update...

Halloween Page and Press Release - There is an article and downloadable press release with Halloween safety tips at www.doggonesafe.com/halloween.htm.

New Bite Prevention Handout - Check out the bite prevention page and be sure you have seen all our great handouts. These can be copied freely with credit to Doggone Safe.

Updated Victim's Assistance page

Be sure to visit the members only page to see the other press releases, flyers and letters available to help you promote the Be a Tree and Be Doggone Smart at Work programs.

IPDTA Conference and Award Winners for 2006...

The International Positive Dog Training Association held its annual conference and award banquet in October. The conference was a big success with interesting speakers and a terrific venue at the Holiday Inn in Kitchener. As positive trainers we were pleased to note that the hotel has a reward program for employees. Guests can fill out a form indicating that they received great service from an an employee, and that employee earns stars to wear on a ribbon attached to their hotel name tag.

Once again Doggone Safe members won awards at the banquet. These are listed at right and the full list of winners will be posted at www.ipdta.org.

All Doggone Safe members will receive a press release template that they can modify to announce their win to the local media.

A special treat at the conference was a fascinating lecture by Stanley Coren about the evolution of dogs and the evolution of intelligence in dogs. Stanley is a popular fellow and a long line of girls formed to be photographed with him. I wonder if Mrs. Coren knows about this! Photos of Doggone Safe co-founders Joan and Teresa with Stanley are shown at right.

Teresa (L) and Joan (R) with Jennifer Reed (winner Dog Trainer of the Year) of Leader of the Pack Dog Training in Guelph ON

Case File - The Dreaded Pit Bull...

Editor's note: This is a true story - Tanya is a fictitious name

Tanya heard someone screaming for help and rushed out to see what was happening. A woman was standing, terrified on top of a car, while a pit bull circled, lunging and barking. By the time Tanya realized the danger, she was too far from the door to go back indoors and telephone for help. The dog spotted Tanya and charged towards her, abandoning its previously intended victim. Luckily for Tanya, she had attended a dog training course with a local dog trainer, where she had been taught what to do in the face of an attacking dog. Tanya froze, did not make eye contact with the dog and hoped for the best. The dog bumped her, but did not attack and eventually moved away.

This is one of several stories we have heard about pit bulls leaving people alone who are standing still. This case goes against the commonly held opinion that pit bulls once in a highly aroused state will attack even if a person stands still. This story was told to us by Madeline of Innovative Reality Dog Training & Dog Behavior Consulting of NYC and NJ. Thanks to Madeline for passing on this life-saving information to her clients.

Dog Safety and READ - A Doggone Great Combination...

By Tara McLaughlin CPDT, CDBC

Last spring, Charlottesville Therapy Animals, the Therapy Dog group that I Co-Direct, was asked by our local county school system to pilot a Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.®) program. Prior to my first meeting with the county administrator, I thought about dog attacks and how often they’re directed towards children.

Wouldn’t it make sense to combine dog safety with the R.E.A.D.® program?  Being a Doggone Safe member and licensed Be a Tree^TM Program presenter enables me to actually empower children by educating them about canine behavior and body language as well as how to respond when confronted by a dangerous dog. The children would learn how to make good decisions when interacting with all dogs, not just Therapy Dogs. 

Our Therapy Dogs can tolerate handling that most dogs find stressful or intolerable. We do not want to confuse kids by allowing or even encouraging them to interact with dogs inappropriately . . . possibly even causing them to be bitten by another dog because of our Therapy Dogs’ tolerance. Read the full article...

This article was first published in A Pawsitive Canine Experience - reprinted with permission.

Editor's note: The Be a Tree program is delivered to the children before they start the READ program so that they will know how to read dog body language and how to interact appropriately with the dogs. Therapy dogs are not present during the Be a Tree program. Click here to find out why Doggone Safe does not take dogs to Be a Tree sessions.

Doggone Safe in the Media...

On TV

October was a busy month for Doggone Safe Vice President Teresa Lewin, who was interviewed for TV three times!

A local news crew came and taped Teresa presenting the Be a Tree program to a grade 3 class at Holy Rosary School in Milton ON. The kids were terrific and gave accurate answers to the reporter Cindy Csordas' questions about what they had learned and what to do if a dog approaches (Be a Tree of course). The segment was shown on the 6:00 and 11:00 news on CH TV in Hamilton, Halton and Niagara.

Rogers Cable from Milton ON  interviewed Teresa about the Be a Tree program at a humane society fundraiser in October. The segment has not aired yet.

The Pet Network came to the IPDTA conference and interviewed Teresa about Doggone Safe, the Be a Tree Program, the Doggone Crazy board game the Clicker Puppy DVD and the How of Bow Wow DVD. The segment has not aired yet, but we will let you know when it does. Be sure to sign up for the Pet Network as part of your cable or satellite TV service.

On the Radio

In Print

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...

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!

Clicker Expo 2007 Dates and Locations have been announced - click on the banner to the right for details (Doggone Safe earns commission if you sign up).

New book by Joan and Teresa - Getting Started: Clicking with Your Bunny

New Clicker Training videos (ClickFlicks) for download for as little as $4.99 US and no shipping fee!

 ClickerExpo

Our Sponsors ...

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

Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - Newfoundland

Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - Ontario

Trade show booth sponsor; educational material sponsor

Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - Newfoundland

Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - Newfoundland

Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - Newfoundland

St. John's Veterinary Hospital

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.