Fort Fido Doggie Daycare

Just in case you missed these gems last night

2012-02-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

All of these commercials are very funny, and dog related, my favorite is the Bud Light one hahaha!

Enjoy that sun,

-Grant

Good day sunshine!

2012-02-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

I caught some really great clips of the action here at the Fort today. Each one features (for the most part) a different pair of pooches tearing it up while we listened to the Beatles and enjoyed the sunshine!

Winston and Willy

Pearl and Bear

Gordon and Emily

I hope that you guys got to spend some time enjoying the nice weather as well. Hard to imagine that the whole city was covered in snow just a couple of weeks ago!

-Hope

Revered Ruby

2012-02-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

Hi there, feast your eyes on Ruby! She is a four month old, thirty pound, Goldendoodle that had her assessment this morning. Ruby is a very sweet dog with quite a ravishing look about her. She is attending Fort Fido for socialization because she tends to be a bit timid around other canines. In our Medium Roll, Ruby did just fine, despite not interacting too much with the other pack members. The good thing is that Ruby did not act fearful or uncomfortable around the other dogs, she just didn't engage them. There is much hope left for her. We believe Ruby may come around to playing with the pups after some daycare-consistency.

Ruby is currently enrolled in, and doing well in, our Basic Obedience and Leadership class. Dog trainer extraordinaire Garrett Stevens, runs the class, it fills up quickly and it's popular!

Swell job today Ruby, we shall see you again soon.

Have a nice weekend, enjoy the weather,

-Grant

Cool Clips and a Happy Birthday to Tazzie!

2012-02-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

One from the Big Roll and three from the Medium Roll... Sorry Little Roll, we'll get ya soon! ;)

Mollie and Ziva, among many others we had in there today, were getting along like two peas in a pod.

New puppy-boy Bear has been branching out nicely. Here he starts to romp with Macs and Otto.

Emily and Phoebe are best friends. They are a very good match as far as size and play-style are concerned... You can see what I mean in this clip.

Another set of best buds, Barkley and Diego roughhouse a lot when they meet, usually twice a week.

Happy Birthday to Miss Tazzie! She turned the big "five years old" today. Her ma Lisa was kinda enough to bring in treats for all (Including some for us, thank you kindly!), be sure to grab some treats for your pup on the way out. Sorry, the donuts we received are pretty much gone lol. :)

Take care,

-Grant

In The News

2012-02-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

Cairn Terrier - Toto's breed - State Dog of Kansas

Looking for worst behaved dog in America

Hollywood dogs get recognized at this year's Golden Collar Awards

Stay calm around dogs on the loose

Protect your pets from winter hazards

Service Dog's licks save owner's life

Baby on the way? Make time to prepare your pet

Cheers,

-Grant

A neat link and two clips

2012-01-31T10:37:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, Rainier's ma, Joyce, sent me a link to an awesome video. It's titled, Useful Dog Tricks 2 performed by Jesse the Jack Russell Terrier. Wow! Too cool, that Jesse is one smart canine and he also has one hell of an owner. Great job! Those Jack Russell Terriers sure are cute but you gotta be on your game to own one.

Attained two outstanding clips this morning.

One from the Big Roll, everyone is ramming and jamming in this clip. Looks like fun!

Almost every time I looked in the Medium Roll today, there was a wild group just having a blast. Bogie, Gus, Pupcake and Tikvah, were an animated quartet indeed!

Have a great day,

-Grant

Some Recent Photos

2012-01-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

One from Dakota during snowmageddon, one from Diego (He's jump starting his modeling career with this pic haha.), one I took of Miura and one dad (David) took of Mom (Nancy) showing off new Fort Fido puppy Zoe. Thanks you two for sending in these pictures and thanks to you others for posing lol.

Enjoy your week!

-Grant

Local Dog News!

2012-01-28T16:11:00.000-08:00

Local animal activists come together to help an injured pup and the family who could not afford her care.Little Luna broke her leg after a tumble from a table, and thanks to help from a few rescue organizations and a generous vet, she was able to get the care she needed.

KOMO news viewers also came together to give a second chance to 8-year-old Black Lab Piper.

Loose dogs in an Idaho town have put a hold on incoming mail. Remember, both Tacoma and Seattle were on the list of Top 10 cities for dog bites to mail carriers this past year. Make certain that your pooch is securely tucked out of the way, if they are aggressive or even over-exuberant ("don't worry, she's friendly" are some famous last words, lol).

The Seattle Humane Society posted some tips for keeping pets safe in the cold weather. I know it seems like we go over this every summer and winter (and we do!), but it's only because the advice is just as good now as ever. :-)

The Washington Sportsmen's Show is going on this weekend, where Dock Dogs are going to be making a splash! They will be there every day of the show.

Here is another great rescue story--a lost dog was extricated from some bramble bushes and thanks to help from Facebook and Twitter, Irish Setter Zweetie made it home okay.

This next story isn't local, but it's something cool you should check out. The Stage Stop sled race began yesterday, and will end February 4th after 240 miles. This race is modeled after the Tour de France, with stops in different towns daily. This is a nice 'alternative,' I think, to the grueling nature of races like the Iditarod.

Hopefully we don't have conditions for a sled race around here anytime soon!

Hope

A bear of a day...

2012-01-27T11:22:00.001-08:00

(Yeah, he's pretty much like that hahaha!)

Not really ;) it was smooth sailing around here today. This morning we assessed another super-cute puppy, you know, the type that make you go "Ahhh". Meet Bear, he is a three month old, itty-bitty, English Cream colored, Golden Retriever. Bear did pretty good for a first day. We started him in our Medium Roll where he was a bit hesitant at first. Bear slowly began to come out of his shell as more pack members joined him. He played nicely with Tikvah among others. We know, with the right training and consistency, Bear will become an awesome adult dog. He is such a looker, we all can't wait to meet with him again.

Well, I'm pooped lol! Enjoy your weekend,

-Grant
P.S. You can spot bear in this clip but it doesn't do him justice, it's mainly Kona and Pupcake going at it... Every time I saw Bear go into play we weren't "Camera Ready". ;)

Double Dog Dare Ya

2012-01-26T09:25:00.000-08:00

Boy o boy, what an eventful week it has been. I figured it would be a big one due to last week's snow. This morning, we assessed two new Medium Roll puppies! We were as pleased as punch when both young dogs passed with flying colors.

First up was Sadie. She is a five month old, thirty-two pound Labrador Retriever / Coonhound Mix. Sadie has "puppy" written all over her. She is tall and lanky, quite adorable yet ruff and tumble. Sadie did very well with the other dogs and played like there was no tomorrow.

Later on Jax rolled in. He is a four month old, thirty-four pound, Boxer. Like Sadie, Jax is a high-energy and curious puppy-dog. He went to playing right away and excelled at it. Jax is a fine specimen that got along great with the others pack members.

Both pups enjoyed their stay immensely. They are welcome back to The Fort anytime. We are excited to have them in again, these two shall turnout to be some marvelous adult canines.

Watch these clips of the newbies having a ball.

Be well,

-Grant

*Update*

A special WELCOME BACK! goes out to our Big Roll pal Big Duke. You may recall that Duke has been going through some serious health issues. Surprisingly, things are on the up and up for him. So much so, that he was able to attend daycare today with his brother Jack. Way to be Duke, you are one tough animal... You can do it buddy! :)

Exuberant Zoe

2012-01-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

Get a load of Zoe! The latest addition to Fort Fido's Little Roll. She is a three month old, ten pound, Miniature Goldendoodle. We have several Goldendoodles at The Fort and even a few Miniature Labradoodles but no Miniature Goldendoodles until now... This Zoe, cute can hardly begin to describe her. This precious one is a cuddle-bug that you wouldn't want to put down (but you must lol don't want any S.A. happening). She did a fine job meeting the pack upstairs and even found a good friend in little roller Gherie. Zoe and her owners will really be able to reap the benefits of dog daycare. As most of you already know, it is the "bee's knees" for socialization and extracting puppy energy. ;) Wonderful job today Zoe, we look forward to seeing you again.

Take it easy,

-Grant
P.S. Here are a few neat clips from today, one featuring Zoe.

``` Daring Dwayne ```

2012-01-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

Please welcome little Dwayne to The Fort. He is a ten month old, thirteen pound, Miniature Poodle-Shih Tzu-Yorkie Mix that assessed this morning. Dwayne was named after "The Rock" AKA Dwayne Johnson, striking resemblance hehe? I remember watching that Rock fella back in my WWF (now WWE) days as a middle-schooler lol... Fake wrestling, how funny, it's entertaining as a lad. A soap opera for men if you will haha. Anywho, back to our new pal. He did just fantastic upstairs in the Little Roll! Dwayne has the longest eyelashes we have ever seen, he is quite dapper. When the dogs started to pour in, he was quick to greet them with positive energy and exaggerated play-bows. Dwayne spoke awesome "Dog" for a pup and truly seemed to thrive here. We plan on seeing him again. Way to go Dwayne, you are welcome back anytime and ya definitely smell what The Rock is cookin, I couldn't resits posting that, it was The Rock's famous line. ;)

Take a gander at this clip of Dwayne. Unfortunately it doesn't do him justice. He was really going at it with Fendi but every time the camera came out he stopped. That's how it goes a lot of times. :(

Cheers,

-Grant
P.S. Ahhh, also wanted to post this nice clip of Doberman youngin Hank and tall black lab guy Jake.

Getting ready for class

2012-01-23T11:43:00.000-08:00

Howdy, I hope your weekend went well. Sure glad that this weather is approaching "normal" lol, what a headache it has been. We had a great group of dogs today even if they were a bit wound-up, you know, cabin fever and all. ;)

My folks and I (David & Nancy) spent part of Sunday getting ready for our group training class starting January 31st. There are three more spots available in the class, it is not too late to sign up. Just give us a call (253-460-0299)! Mom spent her time doing a lot of touch-up painting while dad and I hung up our old outdoor banner/sign near the Big Roll. It turned out pretty cool. Dad also did some fence repair. On Saturday, Manager Hope sealed the seams of our rubber flooring. That is a difficult job, lucky for us she's good at it.

This morning I caught a great action clip of the Medium Roll, have a look.

Take care,

-Grant

Sunny Saturday

2012-01-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

The storm has broken, and I expect that things are going to get back to normal here at the Fort. I hope that you all made it through the storm without being too much worse for the wear! The sunshine today was a nice break from the gray of the past few days, and the dogs here today were really feeling their Wheaties after having been cooped up for a couple of days.

Today was a great Saturday, with an almost record number of dogs for this day of the week. Here are a couple of clips of what went down today!

Buddah and Tikvah were tearing it up together.

Then they split up to go play with Louis and Gordon. :-)

Here's hoping that the weather keeps getting better!

-Hope

Artic Diego Pics!

2012-01-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks once again to Diego's owner Carla for sending these outstanding photos in... The Beagle-Boy is in his element here, ripping up some fresh powder, o yeah lol!

I know y'all know how much we enjoy receiving pictures of our Fort Fido dogs outside of The Fort. :) Send 'em if ya got 'em, grant@fortfido.com!

Thank goodness this freezing mess is almost behind us. Watch out for falling ice chunks, they are a not so obvious danger, particularly the ones off of power-lines... I'm not used to having to look up while walking to and from home. While shoveling the driveway, pops and I almost got nailed, yikes!

Have a nice weekend,

-Grant
P.S. Yes, we are open tomorrow. Should be having a busy week next week, the canines are restless ;). Cabin fever? Hehehe!

Are we thawing out yet?

2012-01-19T08:55:00.001-08:00

Looks like it is beginning to... Although this morning was fairly treacherous, be careful on that ice or any slick looking pavement for that matter. We are doing our best to get De-Icer down in the patch/trail we've dug out at The Fort. Gibson and I's walk was ironically quite a workout, that snow, with it's icy-morning-layer, is tricky for us low to the ground folk lol. Gibby has been real tired from playing in the deep snow, he thinks he has to bunny-hop it rather than walk through it, it's pretty comical. I'll cut him some slack though, it is up to his neck haha!

In non-frosty news, a friend told me about this book by Rupert Sheldrake titled, "Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home". It sounds quite interesting, looks to be worth reading. Here is the information about it from the Author's website. It is an image, click on it to enlarge.

Be well!

-Grant

Snow Pictures and a Clip

2012-01-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple pictures of Nancy and Polo out in the snow.

and a clip of Cortez, Gherie, Bogie and Miura.

Dog Brings Comfort to Ill Children

Have a Great Day!
- Gary

Some good articles found online

2012-01-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon canceled due to lack of snow - Hahaha, bummer for them, however, it looks as though we won't be having that problem.

Retired bomb-sniffing dog captured after airport escape - Darn that wild Arco, sounds like a smart one but quite the rebel. I believe we have come across a few Belgian Shepherds or a mix with that breed in the past. They are neat dogs!

Big dog saves her little pal from the clutches of a hungry owl - That Ramadi is one lucky little pooch, way to go Sadie! One of our past customers would bring in her Chihuahua from time to time because Hawks would attempt to swoop down upon it in the backyard. Once they built an arbor, the pup was safe. That's pretty intense.

World's smallest working dog - Therapy dogs our awesome, way to go Lil' Lucy you're one cool pooch, even if you don't weigh more than a few sausages lol.

Dogs have built-in Snow Boots - Rivaling the frost stopping powers of Penguin wings! Too cool! I've been wondering about Gibby's paws during our arctic treks to and from home haha. He doesn't seem to mind the cold and absolutely loves the snow.

Dog eats 100 rocks, lives to bark about it - Wild stuff... Antler dog chews are wickedly popular with customers here at The Fort. All of our personal dogs gnaw on them too. With that said, I do my best to remind customers to monitor their canine friends while they enjoy an antler. Inspect the antler from time to time as well. If it seems really hollow, like a chunk is going to break off, or, if it is "splintery" discard it!

Take it easy,

-Grant

The Musher's Secret

2012-01-16T13:54:00.000-08:00

Click on the image to enlarge it and actually be able to read the info :)

Well, considering it's a snowy day out there I thought I'd mention a real swell product we've been carrying here at The Fort for years. Our buddy James, Vet Tech next door at Fircrest Veterinary Hospital, recommend we carry it. It's called Musher's Secret and I may have mentioned it a bit in the past. It is amazing, all-season, Paw Protection for dogs. We use it on our own dogs pads when they've been through some heavy activity. For instance, a long summer walk on hot asphalt or hiking trips. Occasionally we will have a new canine friend at Fort Fido that's a tenderfoot. If they play really hard and their pads can't handle the rubber-flooring, due to dryness, Musher's Secret saves the day by preventing cracked pads. It's made from 100% natural waxes, ideal for any dog be it working, hunting, mushing, service or pet. It's cool stuff folks, we and many others swear by it.

Take it easy out there today on the roads. We won't be closing regardless of weather conditions. Please call to reschedule your day if you can't make it due to the weather. If you don't let us know you risk losing the day, nobody wants that now now!

;)

Stay warm,

-Grant

Big dogs play ball, too!

2012-01-14T16:38:00.000-08:00

If you're curious about the playtime today, here's a cute clip of pups Gordon, Emily, Pearl, and Winston tossing a couple of balls around!

And here is today's news round-up!

Lucy is the World's Smallest working dog, tipping the scales at a scant 2.5 pounds and measuring only 5.7 inches at the withers. Lucy is a certified therapy dog who visits people in nursing homes, schools, and other places.

In Kansas City, a dog hero is revolutionizing policy at a shelter for battered women to allow them to keep their pets. This particular pup saved the life of a woman, who then refused a place at the shelter if it meant giving up her hero. The immense loyalty on both sides, woman and dog, is touching and inspiring.

A memorial is being erected to a police dog who fell in the line of duty in New Jersey.

Dogs in Hollywood can look forward to their own awards--Golden Collars!

Thanks to donations, an 88-year-old man and his beloved pup have been reunited in a new home.

In New York, a dog alerted its household to a burglary in progress, and the suspect was quickly apprehended by authorities.

Don't get snowed in now!

-Hope

P.S. If you're looking for something to watch while you're snowed in, consider checking out the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge.

Stella's a spitfire!

2012-01-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

Please welcome Stella to The Fort. She is a darling, five month old, thirty pound, Boxer that had her assessment early today. Stella did amazingly well for her first day. She spoke darn good "DOG" for a pup and got along wonderfully with all of the pack members. The Medium Roll is the quintessential fit for her at this time. We have Boxers in both the Big and Medium Rolls. Stella is full of energy yet quite intelligent, most of the Boxers we come across here at Fort Fido tend to be this way, lucky for us lol! They are definitely a striking and popular breed. Swell job today Stell ;), we hope to see you around these parts again.

Enjoy your weekend,

-Grant
P.S. Checkout these two clips I scored of Stella playing this morning. One features Tikvah (no surprise there) playing with Stella and the other shows her tearing it up with Buddha... Unfortunately the fence got in the way of that one.

Cool, Calm and Calvin

2012-01-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

Meet Calvin! He is a four year old, seventy-three pound, Golden Retriever that assessed this morning. This handsome, brown eyed, fella is quite unique. Calvin has an extremely tranquil disposition. Cool, calm and collected would be the best way to describe him. Being a newcomer to the Medium Roll, all the pack-members were eager to check him out. While Calvin didn't interact much with the other dogs, he seemed very comfortable and relaxed. We hope that regular attendance will give Calvin the confidence to engage more with the other canines and become a full-fledged pack member. Nice job today Calvin, see ya soon!

Take it easy,

-Grant

Nancy's Chicken Chase Game

2012-01-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Little Roll was treated to some hilarious fun this afternoon. Nancy's brainchild, The Chicken Chase Game, was a comical hit. Beija, Frizzy, Gherie and Samarah seemed the most interested out of the group but many tried it out. Nancy thought that dogs with a bit of "prey-drive" would really be into this game... The game being a very popular Skinneeez Stuffing-Less Toy (they come in many different animals including chickens, foxes, rabbits, skunks, etc...) attached to a slip lead and stick. Kinda like an old-timey fishing pole or carnival game. You can whip this thing around and many dogs in the little pack seem to really enjoy it. Pretty funny stuff, here are a few clips of the Chicken Chase Game in action hahaha.

Cheers,

-Grant
P.S. Of course, we carry the Skinneeez line of dog toys. They are quite popular, an awesome toy that tends to last, check 'em out! ;)

*Public Service Announcement*

We do not promote/recommend exacerbating any animals Prey Drive instincts (Notwithstanding, certain styles of training or activities; working dogs, hunting dogs, guard dogs, etc...) However, given the circumstances, this game ended up being just fine for the Little Pack. We would never try this in the Big or Medium Rolls, it simply would not fly (no pun intended there) and would potentially cause a fight. The Little Group is just a different beast. We know each of our Fort Fido dogs well and would never put them in harms way. Today's group was able to handle the chickeny-funness without drama. :)

Kool Kona Pic and Clips

2012-01-10T11:54:00.000-08:00

(Our badge pic of Kona doesn't do her justice lol, she was very excited that day, hence the blur.)

Kona's owner brought me in a marvelous picture of the ever so sweet Kona posing with the Christmas toy Fort Fido gave her. Thanks for the photo guys! We are glad you enjoyed it Miss Kona.

Here are a couple of clips from this morning.

Our Little Roll was having an awesome time today, that's fairly normal of course. I thought this clip was funny, every pup cheesin' for Nancy. Pearl even throws her own ball hahaha.

From the Medium Roll, we see that new friend of The Fort, Gus, is fitting in with the pack seamlessly. I should have recorded minutes later, Gus was taking on everyone, doing it well and having a great time.

Last but certainly not least, the Big Roll. McGee and Marco Polo are birds of a feather. There was a lot of action in there today amongst the big dogs but this clip seemed the best.

Take care,

-Grant

Medium Monday

2012-01-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Not a medium dog but hey it looks like a medium sized mug ;)

It was pretty much non-stop crazy fun in the Medium Roll today... Only had to intervene a few times, that's good lol. There was just the right mix of hard playing regulars ready to let out their energy. Have a look:

Have a great week!

-Grant

Dog News Around the World

2012-01-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

The Times of India is reporting that many canines in Mumbai are suffering from lifestyle diseases. Those diseases stemming from insufficient exercise, poor nutrition, and obesity are also unhappily common in the United States. Please remember that treats are great...in moderation. The best way to pamper your dog is to feed a balanced diet and provide regular exercise, to help your pup have the longest and healthiest life possible. If you're looking for a great food for your pet, check out Kumpi. It is specially designed by an animal nutritionist to provide complete nutrition to your pet.

ABC reported on some amazing examples of intelligence by supposedly wild or feral animals. Stray dogs in Moscow have mastered the use of subways, to get to neighborhoods with better food, a house cat in England takes the public bus to get around town unbeknownst to its owner, a jungle leopard in India, needing to cross a swollen river with its cub, gets a man to ferry her and her cub across in his canoe. These and more stories of animal intelligence are being studied and compiled to help us build a better picture of animal consciousness.

To help study the decline of Killer Whales in the Puget Sound, an eight-year-old lab has been trained to sniff out whale scat. This allows scientists to study the diet of the whales and make hypotheses about what may be impacting the size of their population (such as high concentrations of foreign chemicals in their systems).

South Korea has a dog cloning industry that is raising a lot of sticky ethical questions. I'm sure that we all remember Dolly the Sheep, the first adult animal to be cloned back in 1996. A lot of the same questions that came up then are resurfacing, as cloning becomes a commodity.

An Australian newspaper reported on a kelpie and his trainer, and what it's like to get animals trained for television and film. The pup, Koko, is the star of an Australian film called Red Dog. If you are interested in seeing the film, I would suggest checking out Stadium Video Rentals--they are a great local movie rental place, and always have a great stock of foreign and rare films available for rent.

I also found this cute blog post about 5 things your dog wants from you. I especially agree with number two--your dog wants a pack leader. In the absence of a strong leader, your pup will feel the need to fill that role. Now, you wouldn't let your dog dress you or decide where you go for dinner on Friday night, so why would you want your dog to run any other part of your life? Dogs don't want to be "in charge"--that's a lot of stress and responsibility! They would much rather leave all that to you, if you can show them you are able to be strong and confident.

I hope that you guys enjoyed reading these stories! We'll see you again next week.

-Hope

:( Diego Pic & Links

2012-01-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

From the Diego camp... Here he is brandishing his new Steelers collar he got for Christmas, one of his owners is from Pittsburgh. I told his owner we wouldn't let him get sacked too hard in the Medium Roll, good thing all collars come off before play lol. Folks around these parts have a hard time forgetting 2006 (Refresh your memory with the "Reaction to officiating" portion) hahaha. Thanks for the picture! Click it to enlarge.

Some links from today:

Dog found alive four days after Montanan avalanche

Study shows dogs can pick up on human intentions

When a dog isn't a dog

Couple finds $4,500 wedding ring in dog's stomach

Enjoy your weekend,

-Grant

Gadabout about Gus

2012-01-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

Gus is a one year old, seventeen pound, Jack Russel Terrier that assessed this morning. Upon his arrival, Gus showed poise and confidence while using his nose to explore the lobby. We thought he would be the perfect addition to the Medium Roll and as it turned out, he was! Gus wasn't sure what to make of the dog-less play area but as soon as the canines began to trot in he figured things out quickly. Gus began to greet the other dogs and play, he truly enjoyed himself... Becoming quite smitten with our little Boston Terrier Mix Annie. First rate job today Gus, we look forward to seeing you again.

Take it easy,

-Grant
P.S. The morning crew caught this wonderful clip of Gus in action.

Top Breeds @ The Fort

2012-01-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

The other day, I got to thinking about the various canine breeds we've encountered here at The Fort. We have had well over 600 dogs walk through our doors since 2006. It's a bit tricky for us to determine how many different breeds there has been (including mixed breeds), but we would guess that at least 75+ varieties of dogs have attended.

With that said, here are the Top Five Breeds from Fort Fido Doggie Daycare. This was no trouble for us to figure out as it has become quite clear over the years.

1. The Labrador Retriever and all it's color variations. The Chocolate and Yellow Labs being the most popular. This makes a lot of sense considering the Labs make a wonderful all-around dog for any type of family or individual.

2. Oodles of Doodles... Poodles and all of their popular "designer" mixed breeds. The Labradoodle, Goldendoodle, Cockapoo, Maltipoo, Yorkipoo, Schnoodles, etc... All of these breeds are mighty cute and hypoallergenic, hence the popularity.

3. The Golden Retriever. Has been America's most popular dog breed time and time again. It reminds me of Baseball and Apple Pie lol.

4. Boxer. They have the most energy/stamina of any dog we have ever seen. Makes sense why there are several at The Fort eh? Even though they seem to be fully-ampled at all times, Boxers tend to be pretty well behaved and well rounded daycare dogs for us.

5. German Shepherd. These dogs are majestic and powerful creatures yet need much time, training and energy from their owners. They are, what we always say, "A LOT OF DOG". ;)

This was quite interesting and fun for us to think about.

We have to put the Shih Tzu as an honorable mention. We've had tons of these guys running around, besides, I wouldn't want to tick-off Mr. C !

Cheers,

-Grant
P.S. Found this interesting, you may too... The Worlds 10 Most Expensive Dog Breeds. Also, all of our Top Dogs were on the 2011 Most Popular Dog Breeds list from the AKC, no surprise there! Here is a cooler, visual, version of that same list.

The Rolls, The Clips

2012-01-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

From the Big Roll, Mother Maggie was on patrol as usual... There is always some "correcting" to be done when Chocolate Lab gal Kodiak is in the thick of it! Osbourne seems to be watching in amazement lol, "How does she do it?".

In the Medium Roll it was business as usual. You know, Tikvah in every shot doing something super fun, Zeus too, haha. ;)

Samantha had us chuckling with her "after-romp lounge position". A dog has to be mighty comfortable to be on it's back like that, especially with the pack. :)

Upstairs, known as the "Little Roll", was its fast and furious self. We captured a bit of Wrastlin' in between ball time. The usual suspects were hitting it hard; Buddy, Chloe, Pearl and Frizzy just to name a few.

Take care,

-Grant

Missed Santa Pic and News

2012-01-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

Hi y'all,

My apologies to Mr. Luther & Miss Payton. I somehow didn't scan there Christmas card until it was too late, doh! Either way, have a gander at it now, better late than never. These two cuties are always photo ready...

(Priceless! Payton always looks like that but I have never seen Luther with that petrified looking, don't-mess-with-me gaze hahaha!)

Some news links for ya:
Amazing dog can save lives by dialing 9-1-1

Neighbor revives dog hurt in fire

Tintin: A beginner's guide to the European Classic

New Year delivers helpful companion for Texas boy

Texas rancher trains dogs to tend to cattle

I hope your New Year's holiday went well. I cranked up the pipes at Midnight, always a pleasure to be able to do that lol. ;)

Have a nice week, welcome 2012!

-Grant

Ryker, Chloe and Emily

2011-12-31T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a clip of Ryker, Chloe and Emily playing today.

An Arizona man is ringing in the New Year with good news after a local animal warden found his dog, which had been missing for a month.

Amber the abandoned pit bull mix will soon realize a happy ending to her sad story.

Man and his dog rescued as they cling to a steep California cliff.

Happy New Year,

- Gary

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-12-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

Today I just wanted to say, we are very lucky here at Fort Fido. We have outstanding customers, wonderful dogs, a nice facility, a tremendous, well-seasoned staff, fun training classes, a food we can sleep at night selling and a great reputation! Wow, there is a lot of "horn to toot" hahaha, the list goes on and on...

As I reflect on 2011, I realize that it was a pivotal year for The Fort. It was our fifth year in business (some folk say you've "made it" when you hit that number) which was hallmarked by winning Best Doggy Daycare in the South Puget Sound by South Sound Magazine. Time has gone by so fast. It feels like only yesterday Dad (David) was saying, "Man your Battle Stations!", in all seriousness, while anticipating an eight dog day. Hahaha! My how we have grown, learned and improved over these last five. We shall continue to do so! I can't say what the future will bring. However, I can promise that Fort Fido will continue to provide a superior Dog Daycare service to all in the coming years.

As always, we here in "dog land" lol thank you all for your business and support, past years, this year and years to come! We (our whole staff included) take pride in what we do and hope that it shows through in our efforts.

With that said, have a safe and happy New Year's Celebration. Best wishes to you and yours for 2012. The wife and I will probably be checking out First Night. There was good fireworks one year down by Ruston Way, might do that too. The Fort is open tomorrow with it's regular Saturday hours (9am - 6pm). It's a perfect day to get some energy out of your pups before the festivities begin. Drop on in!

Cheers!

-Grant
P.S. We have received a couple of grand new reviews on Yelp and Google. You can check them out here and here. Feel free to help us bring in the New Year by letting the world know how awesome Fort Fido is! ;)

My wife has been using Yelp quite a bit, she enjoys reviewing restaurants and other businesses with it on her iPhone. Believe it or not, I can hardly work one of those darn things. Gary programs apps for them! Maybe we need to get some type of Fort Fido App going someday, not sure how many use them? A reminder/alarm to pick up your pet? Schedule and pay over the phone? Hmmm...

Also, if you have worked with everyone's favorite Dog Trainer, Garrett Stevens, please leave him a supportive review as well. Garrett has launched his new website recently. His business is continuing to thrive and he is gaining much popularity in the South Sound. Way to go Garrett!

Little dog action and Doggie Events

2011-12-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

Kelsey caught a couple of really cute clips of the little ones upstairs! Check out Pearl and Mooshu tearing it up in the first clip. In the second clip, Henry tells that ball who's the boss!

Some neat dog related events are going on in the area this January. The Western Washington All Breed Dog Show will be held from the 14th to the 16th at the Western Washington Fairgrounds. You can see a flier and other information for the event here.

The 20th, 21st, and 22nd is the Conconully Super Mush sled dog race, out at Peacock Meadows Sno-Park. This seems like a really exciting thing to go and see--it is the premier sled dog race in the Northwest.

Puget Sound Dock Dogs will be at the Washington Sportsmen's Show at the Puyallup fairgrounds during the last week of January (the 25th through the 29th).

For a calendar with more pet-related events happening through March, pick up a copy of Pet Connection from the Fort Fido lobby!

We'll see you back again tomorrow,

Hope

All kinds of news and a peek at all play areas!

2011-12-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

I found a lot of dog-related stuff on the internet today, so check out these cool articles!

Calvin is the "Fastest Wiener in the West"

Lazy dog eating spilled food

Dramatic dog rescue in Fargo

Golf courses employ dogs to keep geese at bay

A lost pup returns to her home at group home for the developmentally disabled

Service dog helps smooth school for child with autism

A dog gave his life to save his family from a burning home

Two more dogs saved their families from fires, here and here. A third dog notified his owner that the neighbor's house was on fire.

Firefighters found an abandoned dog in a building that was aflame.

Sgt. Zeke helps deployed soldiers to deal with stress

Dog Walking Commandments

Here are a few clips from the action at the Fort today:

Pupcake tears it up with her buddies Zeus, Gibson, Hunter, and Gracie in the medium roll.

Gem and Abby romp around the big side this morning!

Upstairs, Koji was pulling out all the stops to try and impress Cody, while Gherie played with Shih-tzus Samarah and Buddy.

Have a great evening everybody,

Hope

Kumpi Day

2011-12-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

In 1997 Evy Serpa lost her dog Kumpi to cancer when he was only five. This dog expert of over thirty years contracted with a premier nutritionist to create a product line. She was surprised at how far beyond the current concept of premium one could go.

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a nice Holiday, we sure did. Got to checkout Warhorse. It was a pretty good film, although there weren't any dogs in it lol.

Kumpi arrived today so we've been a bit busy. We apologize for any inconveniences due to it's late arrival. We've been out of the twenty pound bags for a couple of weeks now. Luckily that is over and we are all stocked-up now. Thank you for your patience.

Here are a few neat bits from the web I've spotted today.

Ask Dog Lady

Lost Blind Dog Returned Home

Dog Saves Family From House Fire

Dog Wearing Pants Does Something Amazing (Video)

Dogs May Tell Much About A Man

I'll leave you with a fun clip of Tikvah and Miss Phoebe doing what they do best in the Medium Roll.

Take it easy,

-Grant

Cute Lil Kate!

2011-12-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

Kate is a 3-month-old Miniature Australian Shepherd whom we welcomed into our Pack this morning. She is a gorgeous little Blue Merle, with a lot of energy! Kate was spunky and confident with the other dogs, although she didn't jump right into the mix. There was a lot of tail-wagging and sniffing around, and she seemed very intrigued by the beautiful Irish Setter Miura. Kate's curiosity and energy level makes me think that once she's more comfortable in the daycare environment (it can all be very new and overwhelming for a little one!), she's gonna bust out all the stops.

We've had quite a few Australian Shepherds of all sizes over the years, and they tend to be a breed that really thrives in daycare. Starting off young is also great--it will help Kate to be well-socialized and build good foundations for communication and pack behavior that will help her for the rest of her life.

It was really great having this precious pup join us today!

-Hope

P.S. I also found a neat article about a little pup in Idaho who woke her family when a fire was breaking out in their home. Thanks to that pup, everybody made it out okay.

Christmas Fashion at Fort Fido!

2011-12-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

There wasn't too much going on at the Fort today, so we decided to have a little Christmas Fashion Show!

First little Chloe donned her gay apparel, a Santa Suit!

Tikvah looked great in that same suit, with matching hat. She really knows how to work the camera.
Tikvah also tried on a cute little stocking cap. This girl really likes to get dressed up!

Lastly, I managed to finagle Gordon into the Santa hat, though it wasn't long before it was off of his head and into his mouth.

Emily tried on the hat for a minute, but only because I held her lunch hostage! Lol. This girl is too rambunctious and excited to play to sit still for long.

I also read a couple of very sweet Christmas articles today, including this one about a little girl's letter to Santa.

A blind pup, lost and presumed dead, was located and returned home, just in time for Christmas. Talk about a miracle!

Some shelter dogs got a visit from Santa's elves, and received much-needed supplies and care this Christmas.

Here's wishing you all a lovely holiday,

-Hope

P.S. I wanted to share a holiday memory with all of you guys--I remember watching this every Christmas with my siblings when I was a kid. The NORAD Santa-tracker has been a yearly tradition since 1955, when a department store printed the wrong phone number in a "talk to Santa" ad. From those humble beginnings, we now have a massive production, with over 80,000 people calling in to check on Santa's progress and over 2 million people watching the holiday antics online.

Christmas is almost here!

2011-12-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

(A Santa Buddy Part 2 variation lol, click to enlarge, what a looker!)

Well, it looks like Christmas is finally upon us. On behalf of the whole Fort Fido crew, Merry Christmas and or Happy Holidays to you all!

We thank you all very much for your business, support and positive vibes. We'd also like to thank you for the gifts and goodies you have gorged us with this season hahaha! Thank you! We no doubt have the very best customers and canine companions here at The Fort.

Enjoy your family, friends, furry friends and feasts. Have a grand old time, be well, cheers!

-Grant, David, Nancy, Hope, Gary, Matt, Kelsey, Jacob & Devin

Some more of our lovely greeting cards

2011-12-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

Take a look, click on each picture to enlarge. Louis's card was another one of my favorites, how creative haha! He always has quite a look on his old Bulldog mug.

Here's Gemma in the spirit

Our bud Rainier with Santa and The Family

Miss Gingersnap wishing us a Merry Christmas

Briggs, Carona and their owner Gary looking dapper.

Louie, patiently waiting for the Jolly Dude...

We received several marvelous cards this year and we thank you all very much!

I only scanned the cards that had our Fido dogs on them to show my Blog fans. Don't feel left out... We've put every card received up in the lobby for all to see.

:)

Have a great day!

-Grant

Santa Claus is coming to town...

2011-12-21T14:02:00.000-08:00

Rather, "Santa Butters", is coming to town hahaha! You may recognize Buddy, he is one of Fort Fido's poster boys. He is a very handsome American Eskimo that has been coming to The Fort for years. You just can't beat his striking look! It's been awesome to use pictures of Buddy for marketing, specifically our Website/Blog Logo. He is one photogenic little canine. Twas hilarious this morning when Butters came in as Kris Kringle, we had to get a pic of it.

Long time Fort attendee, Black Pearl, brought us in some excellent Christmas Cookies. Thank you! Ironically enough, Hope, with Dave's glasses as a prop, looked very similar to the "Cool Santa" depicted on the sugary dough haha! Nancy had to score a photo of that one.

I'll leave you with four clips of The Rolls. Two from the Medium, one from the Big and one long one from the Little Roll.

Cheers,

-Grant
P.S. Just a side note, other dogs in our Website/Blog Logo include (From left to Right) Faramir, Mr. Bingley, Lola and Ruger. All but Mr. Bingley still attend and have been doing so since 2006. Thanks dogs for looking so good! ;)
P.P.S. Here is Buddy from 2009 in another costume lol!

Meet The Bear

2011-12-20T13:06:00.000-08:00

Bear was in bright and early this morning for his assessment. He is a four year old, seventy pound, German Shepherd Mix with a wonderfully beautiful coat. We tried him out in our Medium Roll where he assumed the "Top Dog" position in the pack rather quickly. Bear exhibited good bite control while correcting puppies. He seems to be a fairly well-seasoned alpha, the medium roll is where he'll stay for now.

Bear also took quite a liking to Miss Patty. With her charms, she is quite hard to resit, the two frolicked and romped for a large part of Bear's stay.

To us, Bear, looks a lot like a German Leonberger, maybe it's the purple tongue? Could be a Chow thing too?

Anywho, nice job today pal, we will see you again soon.

Take care,

-Grant
P.S. I got a nice email forwarded to me from one of our customers. It's pet safety tips for the Holidays. Definitely worth a read to remind us all. ;)

We did have one of our daycare dogs pass an ornament today, yuck! If a canine can't pass a certain object on its own, it can be life threatening, not to mention, one pricey vet bill... Trust me, I've heard several stories over the years and have helped extract a number of things from dog-bums lol. Keep an extra eye on your pet over the holidays... No pun intended. :)

Hohoho

2011-12-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

Scored a great set of photos from friends of The Fort Logan and Hannah. Click on each photo to enlarge.

The twosome was getting all dolled for the Holidays, it sure looks like the groomers did a fine job. Then again, it's easy when you have this much natural beauty to work with. ;)

Later that day, Hannah was caught checking Santa's "Naughty or Nice" list online hahaha.

Logan was telling her, "Look, if you have to check, you ain't on the nice part sis.". Hahaha!

Take it easy this week!

-Grant
P.S. The pics don't do them justice but these two canines have some luxurious coasts... Ya know why? Cause they are Kumpi dogs of course! :)

Get your canine news fix!

2011-12-17T17:18:00.000-08:00

A new Broadway musical based on the book Because of Winn Dixie has cast its first canine star!

A man in Wisconsin is alive today thanks to his faithful labrador Holly.

With the Christmas season so close at hand, there are a lot of people contemplating pups as presents. Pet store puppies are notorious for coming from puppy mills, and there are many adoptable dogs that would be just as great of an addition to any family.

A 12 year old girl is handling her pup at the AKC Eukanuba National Championship. I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for her!

Urban mushing is growing in popularity in Mexico. Some are hoping that their country can have an urban mushing race on a scale rivaling the Iditarod someday.

One family had a Christmas miracle when their pup was hit by a car and appeared to be dead, only to wake up before burial.

A police sniffing dog named after Denver Broncos quarterback Tebow made a big bust at the Orlando airport.

A trucker network is helps out families by transporting pets across the country. That's some great volunteer work, and I'm glad to see that these men and women have stepped up.

That's all for today, folks! We'll be seeing you back here on Monday.

-Hope

Sweet St. Nick Flower Dog

2011-12-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

(Click Photos To Enlarge)

Buddy's ma, Bonnie, sent us an amazing flower arrangement from Buds & Blooms. It is multiple flowers shaped into a very artistic "Santa Dog". Thank you very much Bonnie, this pup brightened our day and has gotten many a compliment! Cortez couldn't help himself, he just had to pose with the new Santy.

This morning I found two good links from MSN.

The first link is actually from the Today Show. It is the Top 11 Animal Stories from 2011 and there are some tremendous ones. Although not all the stories are canine related, several of them are. ;)

Now, I have seen this next link before and it cracked me up, some folks think it's creepy, I guess I'm somewhere in the middle lol. Checkout the book, Yoga Dogs. I was reminded about this book while glancing at MSN's Humorous Holiday Gifts.

Have a great weekend!

-Grant
P.S. Christmas is right around the corner... If you need to get some "Holiday Things" done without Fido's help, feel free to drop him or her into The Fort. Please note, we are NOT closing or changing our hours of operation in the month of December this year.

Super Signage!

2011-12-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

Today the Fort got hooked up with a cool new sign! The guys from Clear Channel came out and replaced the whole strip of signs just outside. They were really nice guys, and let us document the whole process.

First step--raise the truck bed so that they can reach the billboard.

Here's some finagling as they try and remove the old sign.

This picture is particularly neat--you can see the old sign beneath ours, showing that a dance studio used to be in this building. The building that Fort Fido occupies was built in the 1950s, and has hosted a lot of different businesses over the years.

Here they are hanging the new sign--I really like this color better, it stands out a lot more than the tan sign did.

Here is the finished product! Fort Fido, and our neighbor Max-MPG Scooters and Motorcycle service.

Just to round things out, here is a clip from each play area today!

Have a good night everyone!

Hope

Season's Greetings from Diego & Miller

2011-12-14T13:22:00.000-08:00

We received two awesome Christmas cards/photos recently (Click them to enlarge).

One from Diego. He is looking as sharp as ever posin' in front of the tree. Note that he is sporting some holiday accessories. So Vogue lol!

The other is from Main Man Miller. I think this one is spectacular, the card is an ornament that you can actually hangup. Miller is a natural dog-model putting on his best "Blue Steel" for this winter warming pic.

THANKS YOU TWO!!

A few dog related headlines from this afternoon:

Dog found three years later and 71 miles away (Pretty good but the last link tops this one!)

New dog for Christmas? (Some great info. here. We always meet a Xmas pup or two :)

Why dogs do the funny things they do (I really enjoyed this article, I've often wondered about several of the things mentioned, very cool.)

Man credits dog with saving his life (Another nice one where a dog saves the day.)

Dog returns home after 8-year, 2,700 mile trip (Holy Mackerel! Really ? LOL.)

Cheers,

-Grant

Christmas Buddy and Clips

2011-12-13T12:43:00.000-08:00

Checkout this great photo of Fort Fido's very own "Buddy" with Santa Claus. It turned out real nice but my scanner didn't do it justice. Buddy's owner told me that Bud snagged Santa's beard right before the shoot, haha, typical Buddy style! Also, notice that Mrs. Claus had to fill in for the Jolly guy in this pic lol.

Remember, send us in your holiday pet photos (or any pet photos for that matter), they are all Blog worthy and we love receiving them.

Clips from today:

Two different colored "Golden Retrievers", Lulu & Sam played hard today.

The Medium Roll was as wild and boisterous as any day.

The Little Roll was also it's high-energy, fun-loving self.

Take care,

-Grant

A & O Dog Training Site Launches and Documentaries

2011-12-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

Our in-house dog trainer, Garrett Stevens, of Alpha & Omega Dog Training, has been working with us for a couple of years now. Garrett offers some outstanding dog training classes and seminars here at The Fort. We are excited to announce the launch of Garrett's new website, check it out here. Congratulations Alpha & Omega Dog Training! Another interesting fact is that our main man, Gary, is the Webmaster/Designer of Garrett's new website, too cool, nice job.

I am a big fan of Documentaries and Non-Fiction... I've watched several of the neat films over at snagfilms. There are many wonderful, canine related, documentaries on the site. I thought I would list some of them here for y'all to enjoy. Please note, not all of these are total "feel goods", specifically the top two, but they are all very informative none the less.

Rez Dogs

Dog Bless You

Those Wonderful Dogs

Man & Dog, An Evolving Partnership

A Pug's Life

Canine Confidential

Demon The Biker Chihuahua

Hope your week has started off well!

-Grant

Walking Fido in a Winter Wonderland!

2011-12-10T13:02:00.001-08:00

With the cold weather settling in for the next few months, it's important to consider how you are going to keep your pet warm and safe in this weather.

The first and most obvious thing is to, of course, limit the amount of time that your pup spends outside in the cold. Especially if there is snow or ice on the ground, time outside should be kept to manageable chunks. More pets are reported lost during the winter than during other times of year--this is because snow and cold can dampen smells and make it harder for your pooch to find his way home. Be cautious, and don't let your pet off-leash in a place where they may become lost.

Sweaters, coats, and booties can help to protect short-haired pets from the elements. It may feel a little silly to dress up a dog (who am I kidding, it's adorable!), but Fido will thank you for the extra layers. I've heard from several pet owners here at the Fort that their pups will refuse to go out in the cold or wet without a coat, instead waiting until they are all bundled up. Can't say that I blame them--I haven't been anywhere without a coat in ages!

Protect your pup's pads from the cold and ice by applying something like Musher's Secret. This is a product made from all natural waxes, that coats your pup's paws and protects them from the elements, and any chemicals (such as de-icers) that have been put down to help us two-leggers deal with the weather. Make certain that while walking in this weather you keep an eye out for places that rock salt or other thawing chemicals have been used, and keep Fido from getting too interested! Puddles outside can also act as reservoirs of these chemicals. When you return home, your pup's feet and legs should be rinsed to make sure that no lingering chemicals are waiting to be licked.

There are non-toxic alternatives to the typical lime rock salt and calcium chloride salt, that can be used around pets. Morton Salt has a product, aptly named Safe T Pet, that is completely salt and chloride free. It is safer for pets, plants, and people! It's even easier on the concrete than traditional rock salt.

Just as you wouldn't leave your pet in the car during the summer, you should also avoid leaving them in a vehicle during the winter. While it is out of the wind, cars can still become very cold in a hurry, and this becomes a serious hazard to pets inside. On the subject of cars--many outdoor cats will sleep beneath the engine of parked cars during the winter, enjoying the last bits of radiating heat. If you park outside, make certain that you make some loud noise and check around for sleeping cats before starting your vehicle.

Puppies and older dogs do not tolerate heat as well as adult dogs do, so if you have a junior or senior pet, keep a close eye on how they are doing, and be sensitive to any signs of discomfort that they might be showing. Older dogs especially can have a hard time, if the cold sets off their arthritis. Adequate nutrition from a good food like Kumpi can help to combat this, as well as limiting time spent in the cold.

Make sure that any portable heat sources are out of pet range and keep your fireplace blocked off from Fido, to avoid any dangers that the heat may pose.

If you have any other tips or tricks for dealing with the winter weather, post them in the comments and let us know!

-Hope

PS--I posted before about a dog accidentally shooting his owner at the beginning of a hunting trip, and I come to find out today that another unfortunate would-be hunter has suffered the same fate. I'm starting to notice a pattern, watch out hunters! Lol

Happy Friday!

2011-12-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some superb news articles that Hope found earlier today.

Dog and rooster alert family to fire

World's oldest dog dies

Dog rescues dumped kittens

Blind horses and dogs find sweet life on farm

Here are some clips from the rolls today.

First up, two from the Medium Roll.

Miss Black Bella has a blast here all the time, look at her make the rounds lol.

Fort Fido old-schoolers Annie (Lab Mix) and Sofee (Boston Terrier/Pug/French Bulldog Mix) have been best buddies for a few years now, they are some great dogs.

Two from the Big Roll as well...

Mollie and Polo played quite hard this morning, they can handle it though. ;)

Bubba, Max and Sam were an unstoppable trio of pals most of the day.

Last but not least, the Littles.

Buddy and Chloe go at it.

The chase is on in this one with Chloe for the win Haha! She usually steals the show up there, always doing something fun.

Happy Friday y'all, have a nice weekend,

-Grant

Jack & Santa

2011-12-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

Checkout these two awesomely hilarious photos of Jack, Santa and Jack's nephew lol. Click them to enlarge.

Talk about priceless, they really show off Jacks personality. Jack is a fun-loving, large/strong, Chocolate Lab that has been coming to Fort Fido for years. Definitely a regular of the Big Roll, nobody messes with Jack. ;)

Thanks for sending those pics in, we love sharing them with everyone. Don't forget to send in photos of your pet outside of The Fort ( Grant@fortfido.com ). Holiday themed photos of your pet are even better. I'll post them all up here on the Blog.

Have a great day,

-Grant

]]] Luther's Adventure [[[

2011-12-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

(Click Map To Enlarge It)

Wow, now this is a good one, although a bit scary...

This morning dad (David) was in the lobby greeting customers. While glancing out the window he noticed a dog across the street, near Roundtable Pizza, approaching The Fort. The dog looked very familiar, "Is that Luther?" he thought. He was astonished to find out that it was! Already heading his way, David called for Luther and he happily came into the door then straight into the Big Roll, where he rules the roost I must add. So, Luther decided to bring himself to Doggie Daycare today, ahhh hahaha! Everyone was shocked. We found it very comical, he seemed to have a look on his face like, "Yeah, so what?" lol. In the past we've wondered at the possibilities of something like this happening.

The dogs at Fort Fido have a really good time here, for many, it becomes their second home. Everyone is fortunate and relived that Luther, however the heck he escaped, made it here in one piece. He managed to make his way roughly two miles from Crystal Springs Road, near Titlow Beach, all the way to 27th and Bridgeport! He no doubt crossed several busy streets and intersections while avoiding the dog catcher lol! Luther's owner is out of town, the house sitter/dog watcher had no idea how he escaped... His sis Payton was still in the yard and all gates were locked down. Luther is an old pooch but still has quite a bit of spring in his step, maybe he jumped over something?

Anyways, good thing he is here and safe now. What a wild morning for all involved! I have had a number of house sitting/dog watching gigs in the past. I know how difficult it can be to keep track of another person's household/pets. I know the sitter and feel for her, she's a great gal and loves these dogs... Sometimes accidents happen!

To Luther: No more adventures like that ya crazy man!

;)

Take care,

-Grant

FOUR CLIPS

2011-12-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

Short and sweet, twas a busy day.

Two from the Medium Roll with the ever so rowdy Buddah and Tikvah.

Two clips from the Little Roll, never a dull moment up there. Chloe and Pearl are always getting spunky no matter what day it is.

I should have had Mom (Nancy) film my dad (David) and I fixing the big utility sink downstairs this morning lol. Last night, Gary noticed that it was leaking heavily onto the floor! We had to shut the water off so there wasn't any bathroom/cleaning facilities downstairs for awhile. There was also a lot of mopping to do, doh! It was a bummer but luckily we got a new faucet on the thing and it's dry as a bone now. We actually got it fixed rather quickly without any foul language or bickering hahaha! We also got off cheap this time around. The last Fort Fido plumbing fiasco cost 50 times as much and let's just say we needed professional help.

;)

Cheers,

-Grant

Hello Monday

2011-12-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

(Unfortunately the quality on this pic isn't that great, had to be scanned, it's an old one. Either way, this Big Mama tipped the scales at 160 pounds!)

Just a few article-links found this afternoon, enjoy!

After duty, dogs suffer like soldiers (Very sad, I most definitely believe it.)

P ooch has ruff time delivering 15 puppies (Whoa! Good thing you didn't have to do that Miura lol. Hard to believe it isn't even close to the record of 24, held by a Neapolitan Mastiff. We had one of those here at The Fort for awhile. She was a sweet yet tricky to handle gal named Olivia. Let's just say, she knocked one of us over once real good hahaha.)

Dogs of WWII (Interesting stuff here.)

Dog missing for eight years to be reunited with family (Now that's a holiday tale!)

Why do dogs howl at harmonicas? ( Funny, I know many pooches that do this... Not Gibson, however, it's easy to get most Huskies going... Marco Polo in particular.)

Dangerous dog policy in Pierce County deemed unconstitutional (Hmmm, this one is opening up a whole can of worms for sure.)

Scored a clip from the Xmas parade, in Enumclaw, the band and I attended. See if you can spot me. Here's a clue, I'm very Elf-Like hahaha. Sometimes ya just gotta go all out.

Take it easy,

-Grant

A couple long clips!

2011-12-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

I caught some longer clips today to share with all you guys today. First up is a clip of Gordon and his buddies Emily and Tikvah. It's pretty funny how even dogs have their "friends" whom they prefer to play with.

This next clip has almost everyone in it! Sam, Lukas, Emily, Tikvah, and Gordon are all tearing it up in this minute-long peek at Fort Fido.

In the news, I found this article about a long-lost dog has been found, and a trip home is being arranged. That pup made it all the way from the East coast to the West, what a journey it must have been.

Another pet has been returned home, after a woman took matters into her own hands to draw attention to her "missing dog" signs.

One more reunion story. It's good to see so many happy endings for people who have lost their pets.

This is interesting as well--military dogs can suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, just like their two-legged companions.

This is kind of funny--but certainly not for the hunter in question! A bird dog was with his owner on a hunting trip, when the pup got excited and jumped on a shotgun, causing it to go off and shoot the hunter in the buttocks. Ouch! Luckily, the man was several feet away, and the firearm was loaded with light birdshot. He's going to be fine, though sitting will probably be awkward and uncomfortable for a while!

Have a great weekend!

-Hope

Photos, Link and Clips!

2011-12-02T12:52:00.001-08:00

Our newest employee, Kelsey (She's still behind the scenes at this point but is doing a fantastic job), took a couple of great photos the other day. I thought I'd share them because they turned out real swell. Click on the photos to enlarge them, the one of Koji is my particular favorite, so artsy lol.

Beija

Koji

Seamus

Cooper

Early this morning I found this link from MSN. It talks a bit about Hybrid Dog Breeds and their current popularity. I would certainly agree, the majority of Fort Fido dogs are mixed, "Designer Breeds", as we like to call them. They can be super-dogs for a variety of reasons. Some are even hypoallergenic! The Designer Breeds all seem to have Hybrid Vigor that combats the fussy physical problems many purebred breeds experience. Not all folks agree with that theory but this guy does. ;)

Here are three grand clips from The Rolls.

Up first, Maximus and Fort long-timer Murphy had a blast together today in the Big Roll.

New pup Kona has been loving it in the Medium Roll, there is ALWAYS someone to play with in that group!

From the Little Roll we have a strong trio battling it out, Chloe, Koji and Pearl. Not surprised by that one lol.

Have a great weekend!

-Grant
P.S. If you are looking for some family-fun this weekend, checkout the Enumclaw Christmas Parade this Saturday evening. My Pipe Band, among others, will be there. It should prove to be a real fun time for all, albeit, cold!

Some Clips From Today

2011-12-01T13:30:00.000-08:00

Busyness abounds for me today because it's the first of the month.

Had just enough time to upload some clips from today, enjoy!

Take it easy,

-Grant

Wild Chinese Pet Trends

2011-11-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

This is definitely not for everyone... I'm neutral on the idea of it all (feel free to ask me in person why lol). It does give me a chuckle though! However, I will not be turning Gibby into an Armadillo anytime soon, hahaha!

What follows is copy and pasted, click photos to enlarge.

This is Crazy! So a new trend has EXPLODED in China’s upper class where people are transforming their pets into miniature version of animals, fairies or dying them crazy colors. Pandas seem to be a big hit and obviously their favorite. It’s become a huge industry and people are spending THOUSANDS of dollars in professional hair dye,

All I can say is O M G…. Poor dogs…

Panda Puppies!
Canine Camel
No Clue…
Uuuh... Princess Fairy Dog?
Sharon Osborn as a dog…
Kinda Looks like an Ewok from star wars…
BUBU!
Tiger
Horse Puppy
?

Extreme!

Cheers,

-Grant

Peppy Pupcake

2011-11-29T13:16:00.000-08:00

Meet Pupcake, what an awesome name!

She is a nine month old, about thirty pound, Tri-Color, Australian Shepherd. Pupcake came into Fort Fido full of high-energy, ready to get to it. We started her in the Medium Roll where she stayed and prospered. Pupcake got along well with the other pack members, she played quite a bit and seemingly enjoyed her stay. Welcome Pupcakes ;), you can comeback anytime and we hope you will.

Take care,

-Grant

Monday's clips and news

2011-11-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! I hope your Thanksgiving Holiday went well. We are back in action here at The Fort! :)

From the Big Roll we have a clip of new pals Copper and Zodiac, it's great to see these two get some energy out. Don't mind Ryker relieving himself haha, when ya gotta go, ya gotta go.

Two from the Medium Roll. One showing the love affair that is "Barkley & Kona". The other clip is to show that new pup Bogie is doing just fine in the Medium Roll lol... Here he takes down a boxer!

From the news today:

All dogs originated in one tiny part of East Asia

Dog reunited with owner after five years

Top 10 healthy holiday treats for dogs

Dogs share gift of giving during the holidays

Dog Tales therapy helps children learn to read

Handling pets during a catastrophe

New children's book about pet loss

Have a nice start to your week,

-Grant

Sweet Dog Stories

2011-11-26T13:23:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I found this neat link to a story about a Jack Russel Terrier named Lily who loves to chase bicycles. It's just amazing how well she can keep up with her owner. I know that my pup would give up after a minute or two--he definitely wouldn't keep pace for over a mile!

Dogs with dementia are being considered as possible candidates for medical trials that will help to find cures to Alzheimer's in humans.

Golly is an 11-year-old English Setter who hasn't let a major disability hold him back from his passion for hunting. Though you wouldn't know it, Golly is almost completely blind.

This story is incredibly sad, but also a great example of why we remove all coats, collars, harnesses, et cetera that dogs are wearing when they attend daycare at the Fort. A pup died while being boarded when her collar and tags got wedged in a fence. My heart goes out to her family.

If there is room for another furry friend in your life, Kindred Souls Foundation has recently rescued more than 50 dogs from a hoarding situation, and they are looking for good homes for these pups.

I hope that you all enjoyed the holiday!

-Hope

P.S.--Check out the schedule for Santa photos at the Tacoma Mall- there are reserved times for pet photos, if you are interested in a cute and furry holiday picture for your cards this year!

Softhearted Sam

2011-11-23T12:29:00.000-08:00

Say hello to Sam! She is a four year old, eighty pound, Golden Retriever that had her assessment this morning. Like a typical Fort Fido Golden, Sam had a blast here. We started her off in our Big Dog Roll and that proved to be the perfect fit for Sam's play-style and temperament. She communicated with the other pack members graciously and had a good hardy run of play. Sam is welcome back to The Fort anytime, we look forward to seeing her regularly.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

A special thank you goes out to all of our amazing customers. We are truly thankful for your business and gallant support!

:)

-Grant
P.S. I'll leave you with some clips from today, one features Sam. Don't forget, we will be closed tomorrow and Friday. See you Saturday!

Hero Dog

2011-11-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

Wow! You gotta check this one out if you haven't already. My wife pointed this video out to me a couple days ago. Sad yet absolutely amazing at the same time.

In other news today...

Thursday's Dog Show may leave the co-hosts speechless

Thanksgiving scraps your dog SHOULD NOT eat

This dog took his owner's motor-home for a drive

And a clip of each Roll.

Take it easy,

-Grant

clips and liks

2011-11-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

Hi there, hope your Monday is going good. Here are a few links and clips from today for ya.

The Medium Roll had the trio of friends Gracie , Sadie & Sofee mixing it up all day today.

From the Little Roll we find Mr. Pee-Wee acquiring a "girly friend" in Pearl. Good luck Pee-Wee, Pearl's a whole lot of woman hahaha.

The Links:

Elderly woman owes her life to her dog and Mailman

Dog makes life easier for boy with cerebral palsy

Pick your dog breed wisely

What can be done about family's aggressive little dog?

Train your dog for holiday gatherings

Cheers,

-Grant
P.S. Please remember, we will be closed this Thursday & Friday (Nov. 24th & 25th). We will be open and ready for action this Saturday (Nov. 26th).

Spectacular Saturday Scenes!

2011-11-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of glimpses at the action from the Fort today. This first clip features a whole lot of the dogs that were here today, tearing it up! You can see Lila and Blue, Gordon, Buddah, Tikvah, and Emily all getting in on the action!

In this next clip, Gordon and Lukas have a good romp, and you can see Tikvah and Buddah having some fun of their own in the background.

In the news, I found a clip about a dog that led police on a mile-long chase down the freeway after leaping from a car involved in an accident. Thankfully, pooch is just fine and has been reunited with its owner.

I hope that you all got to enjoy that sunshine! :-)

-Hope

Funny Pics and Links to News

2011-11-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine from band emailed me this funny dog photo set, enjoy! Several of these pics gave us quite a chuckle.

(Click photos to enlarge)

Here are some nice news articles I found recently:

Dog's unique diving talent gets him YouTube fame (YOU MUST check this one out!)

'Miracle Dog' enjoys new found life with family

Dog saves residents from house fire

Meeting the Breeds, choosing a healthy dog for your family

Have a nice weekend, watch out for the white stuff!

-Grant

Rufus The Lion

2011-11-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

(Click Photo to Enlarge)

It's a bit hard to see in this pic but Rufus the Doodle got an extraordinarily awesome new hairdo lol! He asked for and received the "Lion Cut", although in this pic he looks more like a Camel because his Buddie's head blends in behind him looking like a hump haha.

Here is a clip of the lion-heart in action, of course, Marco Polo, has to make sure he is still "King of the Jungle". ;) He, among others, really enjoys Rufus's company due to his outstanding temperament.

Cheers,

-Grant

~ Boogie Down With Bogie ~

2011-11-16T14:00:00.001-08:00

Get a load of Bogie!

He is a darling, spunky, three month old, fourteen pound, Boston Terrier that had his assessment at Fort Fido this morning. This pup was something else... Bogie came in looking all sweet and innocent but his true colors shined in a short amount of time haha. He tore it up (played hard) instantly with the best that the Little Roll had to offer. We are certain that Bogie will be heading down to the Medium Roll rather soon, it's a good thing, he's ready for the next level of play! Hopefully Bogie will get a chance to meet Mama Beija before he goes Medium. He had a boisterously fun time here and we look forward to seeing him again soon.

Enjoy your day,

-Grant
P.S. Here is just a taste of the Little Bogster in action... I'm sure there will be some better clips of this guy in time, he's an animal. Also, he was tricky to get a picture of, you could imagine why, he was surging with life and ready to roam. There's never time for a photo-op lol.

Spirited Samantha

2011-11-15T13:07:00.000-08:00

Please welcome Samantha. She is a lovely, one year old, forty-six pound, Black and White, English Springer Spaniel. Samantha joined our Medium Roll and was a bit hesitant at first... Unsurprisingly, she busted out hard after a few hours. Samantha just couldn't resist Grady's Chocolate Lab Charm Haha! Samantha did really well for her first day at The Fort. We look forward to her attending. Thanks to Grady for helping bring Sam out of her shell, way to be bud!

Take care,

-Grant
P.S. Here are two clips of Miss Samantha having a barrel of fun in the Medium Roll this morning.

New Training Class & Seminar Dates

2011-11-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

We finally have some new Dog Training Class and Seminar dates up on our website. They will be after the holidays, it's a lot easier for everyone in class that way.

Our Calm & Balanced Seminar will be:

February 26th

11:00 am - 12:30 pm $50 All dogs welcome.

Dog Whispering VS. Dog Training!

Will Cover (or examine)

- How Dog's Think

- Pack Life

- Communicating With Canines

- The Alpha

- Corrections

Don't be shy, bring your crazy, hyper or wild dog and Garrett will do live demos!

Our Basic Obedience & Leadership Classes will be:

January 31st - February 16th

Tuesdays & Thursdays 7:15 pm - 8:15 pm (six one hour classes) $140 All dogs welcome.

Basic Obedience & Leadership includes six custom classes that will cover:

- Pack dynamics & socialization

- The importance of body language & energy

- Housebreaking

- "Sit, down, stay" commands

- Loose leash walking & "heel" command

- "Leave it" command

- "Go to your place/crate/bed" command

- "Come" or Recall command

So anywho... Go ahead and get signed up now! Just stop by or give us a call. ;)

Late Friday evening I found a wonderful Galley of photos on King5's website. It is the Dogs of War Gallery. Check it out here.

I hope your work week goes well,

-Grant

Pups in the News!

2011-11-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

Curl up with the news!

I rustled up a few interesting doggie articles in the news today. First up is the story of a thousand-dollar dog lunch. Literally! A family dog ate $1000 in cash that was left in an envelope on the counter. Now that is an expensive meal.

A four-legged veteran is getting stem-cell treatment to help her arthritis and to improve the quality of her life.

A newly-adopted Saint Bernard defended his new family from a burglar, chasing him from the basement. This was only seven hours after having been adopted!

Therapy dogs visit students with autism, and provide a unique experience for these children.

A pup that was dragged behind a pickup now has a new home, where she can recover and be safe.

In case you didn't know, this is National Pet Adoption Weekend. Today and tomorrow from 9-6 at all Petco locations, there will be adoptable dogs and cats as well as more "nontraditional" pets--rabbits, guinea pigs, and others. The Humane Society is teaming up as well, bringing some of their adoptable cats and rabbits.

This one isn't dog-related, but it's still pretty shocking to see that there was a black bear wandering Lakewood!

Have a great weekend!

-Hope

P.S.--The Seattle Times has a great list of pet events available on their website, check them out and see if there's anything you're interested in!

Little Miss Mollie!

2011-11-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

This morning we met a sweet little Basset Hound named Mollie, and welcomed her into the pack. Mollie is 15 months old, and made a really great addition to the medium role. She has been well-socialized since a young age, and it really shows in her interactions here. She speaks great dog, and had a good time tearing it up with the other medium pups. We even got a great clip of her playing with her new friends Tikvah, Chewy, and Kona.

Everyone enjoy the long weekend!

-Hope

Dog on the bed? & Clips

2011-11-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

A widely debated topic about dogs/dog training is whether or not to let your dog sleep on your bed with you.

Here at Fort Fido, we tell folks, simply, "Don't do it!". It has the potential of opening a whole can of worms.

Many folks do let there pooch on the bed and I understand it fully, the kid in me does as well... Let's face it, it's fun to get cozy and cuddle with your pet who is obviously a loving member of the family (pack). Yet, multiple problems can arise from allowing your fuzzy buddy to snooze with you.

For us, it isn't about hygiene or allergies, although, after reading several articles, that could be a problem for some. Nobody wants to get sick, albeit, I think that's rare. Our problem is when folks let their dog "Rule the bed" (or other furniture).

Letting the dog decide when and where they can sleep is the issue. Over the years we've heard several horror stories of dogs growling/snapping at their owners/owners guests when they attempt to remove the dog from the bed or off of the furniture. Now that is a major problem! We here at The Fort strongly believe in being the leader of our pack/dog(s) and making the decisions. When people begin to let their pet decide things (like being on the bed whenever the y please), it can become a roller-coaster of disaster, with many behavioral problems surfacing, due to seemingly harmless and unconscious actions.

Don't want to beat a dead horse here lol. I think most everyone grasps what I'm saying. However, apparently, many pet behaviorists and scientist have debunked the whole "Be the pack leader" style of training. Who knows, we only know what works for us and plenty of others... Ever heard of Cesar Millan? Hahaha, not many can debate him and we certainly wouldn't. Maybe a happy medium is in order? Here is an example, truthfully, it's exactly what I do and what works for my "Pack Family".

Gibson is allowed on the bed when we want him to be on the bed, simple! First and foremost, we choose the time, then call him up... Our bed is pretty high but he must jump up to be in it. Nobody is going to pick him up and set him in lol. After that, he may cuddle with us in the bed until we are ready to fall asleep. This is the part that's no fun haha... We get up and put him in his crate (that is next to the bed, on the ground) for the night. This works because my wife and I decide, Gibby doesn't have carte blanche, problems don't arise.

We use the "No free lunch" and "You don't decide" methods exclusively. Believe me, my dog and I still have our quirks and issues but for the most part, things are wonderful when we stick to these practices. One thing I can attest to, is that Gibson has absolutely no Separation Anxiety. I was adamant in enacting a plan that would prevent that common and darn right annoying behavioral problem. It's the scourge of many a dog and human relationship. Too many owners out there send mix messages to their pets. Before they know it, the animals believes they are on the same level as them and become ready to make "doggy decisions". Not good!

Agree or disagree, that's my .02 ¢.

;)

Good luck to you and your pack members! Here are some other articles about "The dog on the bed". Not all of them are my style, research and see what works for you. As long as you and your pet are happy and there are no considerable behavioral problems, good on you guys!

Letting your dog sleep on your bed with you

Pets in your bed

Sleeping on the bed

Take care,

-Grant
P.S. Whoa! Can't forget our clips.

News of the day

2011-11-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

How dogs evolved into 'Our Best Friends' (A neat read here...)

Rhode Island Dog named 'Cutest Mutt Alive' (I'm not voting against that guy, pretty darn cute!)

What's your dog's purpose? (To be my best buddy, although he thinks it's to herd and "wrangle the pack")

Veterinary Q&A (Good stuff here, minus the "finicky eater part". Changing foods is actually how one creates a finicky dog. Those poor Veterinarians only go through a two-week brush through on "Nutrition", just feed Kumpi, you can trust them. You and your dog will be fine. There's no money to be made in healthy pets! ;) I better stop lol...)

Japanese company develops robot guide dog (Amazing, although it can't possibly compare to the real thing IMO.)

Hero Dog Awards (I'm sure this will be corny and funny, in a good way.)

Dog volunteers help improve reading levels (I'm all for this, besides, there is a Sheltie at that school, no wonder the kids are doing good haha!)

Video game controlled by toy dog (No doubt this guy will be flying off the shelves.)

Dog and horse become fast friends (Hilarious Frenchy!)

Cheers,

-Grant

_ - = Roll Clips = - _

2011-11-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

Here are a few we captured today.

There was a lot of feisty action upstairs in the Little Roll. Not sure what got in the water lol but every dog seemed to want to "wrestle play". Good times! You can find Buddy, Chloe, Frizzy, Ginger, Pearl and Raleigh in the thick of it.

The Medium Roll had Miss Tikvah at it again... She's growing like a weed and doing first rate. She finally got the ever so popular medium-gal Sofie to play with her. Zeus, is a big Tikvah fan and so is Gibson, surprise, surprise!

Take it easy today,

-Grant

Magnificent Maddy

2011-11-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

Maddy came into Fort Fido rarin to go for her assessment this morning. She is a ten year old, eleven pound, Tibetan Spaniel. Upstairs in the Little Roll, Maddy sniffed and greeted each dog appropriately. She made friends easily and didn't have the slightest bit of apprehension. Maddy has a very lively spirit, this is another pooch whose age we couldn't believe! Her owners are hoping she'll learn to fetch, we plan on having a hand in helping her learn... There is always tons of "Ball Time" upstairs. Excellent job today Madeline, you are welcome to attend anytime.

Happy Monday! ;)

-Grant
P.S. You have probably seen this one but if you haven't it's a crackup. Talk about "toy-possessive" haha. Thanks to Granny for the link!

Cute Clip, News, and a fun project!

2011-11-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

Today, for your viewing pleasure, I have a cool clip of the dogs of the Fort!

We have Lukas and Zeus running back and forth and really stirring the pot! Sisters Lila and Blue also make an appearance toward the end. They really love playing together.

In the news--there were a couple of dogs that saved their owners from fires recently. One in Colorado, and another in Georgia (watch out, this one is a real tear-jerker).

Another neat thing that I found online is this cool project--build your own automatic water-dish! You'll have to be pretty tech-savvy and mechanically inclined to handle it, but if you can, it's a pretty neat toy!

Have a good weekend!

-Hope

Fantastic Diego Pics

2011-11-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Diego's ma, Carla, for sending these in. Super funny! The first three are from Halloween and the others are from a recent trip back home to Germany. I'm not sure how he feels about dress-up but he is sure having a blast in that snow, how exciting, hahaha! Click on individual photos to enlarge them.

Minnie "Diego" Mouse

Captain "Diego" Sparrow

My personal favorite, "Diego" Cobain, it's a shame, he was so young lol!

Buried alive

Tearin it up

Ok, maybe this flying one is the best.

Hanging with the relatives.

Enjoy your weekend,

-Grant
P.S. If you are looking for something to do this weekend you could try the Auburn Veteran's Day Marching Band Championships or something a bit saucier (bring a date), the 47th annual Heather Tartan Ball in Seattle. Tacoma's own and I will be playing at both events, of course. ;)

P.P.S. Remember, as always, if you have any fun photos of your pooch, please send them in. Everyone loves checking them out on our blog, it's fun to see the dogs doing there thing outside of The Fort.

Clips from today!

2011-11-03T16:01:00.001-07:00

Two from each play area.

From the Little Roll you can spot, in no particular order; Dezi, Pearl, Sammy, Henry, Lucy, Buddy and a flash of Buzzette's legs haha.

In the wacky-wildness that is the Medium Roll; Zeus, Grady, Jasmine, Patty, Macs, Barkley, Gordon, Jack, Diego and Sofie can be seen.

Last but not least, the Big Roll features; Buddy, Ryker, Ziva, Sam, Zodiac, Jake, Murphy, Luther, Payton, Jack and Benny.

Take it easy out there,

-Grant
P.S. If you know anyone that wants a wonderful, albeit broken, Tennant T3 floor scrubber, please let us know lol!

- Seemly Scuba -

2011-11-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

Meet Scuba, he was in for his assessment early this morning. He is a twelve year old, seventy-five pound, black, Labrador Retriever.

Scuba is the older brother of longtime Fort Fido Friend Truman. He did magnificent this morning in the Big Roll and has definitely met a dog or two in his day ;). As high spirited as he was, we found it hard to believe that Scuba was twelve years old! Seriously, nobody would guess that for his age, the only sign would be his "touch of grey" lol. He played confidently with the other pooches and is a very happy dog.

You are welcome anytime Scuba, great job today.

Cheers,

-Grant
P.S. Although not very local, I noticed this article (and video) on King 5 News today. It may be of interest to some.

Fall Fun Day

2011-11-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday (the 29th) was my wife and I's third time attending Fall Fun Day. It's a special event put on by the University Place Fire Station. Dakota's mom, Michelle, a firefighter, has me in the Fort Fido dog suit passing out candy to all the kids. There are several other mascots and we end up having a real fun time. My wife, JM, acts as my wing-woman as it can be hard to see in the dog suit. She helps me ready the candy, takes photos and watches out for kids who are scared of mascots... I like to steer clear of them, I was one of those kids once, I can relate hahaha.

Enjoy a few of the photos JM took, click on them to enlarge.

Have a great day,

-Grant

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! Click on the photos to enlarge them, have a fun evening and stay safe!

-Grant
P.S. We thought Zeus came in as Casper today hahaha.

New Dog news and New friends

2011-10-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

I found a few interesting doggie news stories today.

A woman's English Bulldog is being held for ransom.

A new style of dog shelter is trying to change the image of shelter dogs.

A beagle that survived an attempt at euthanasia is now up for adoption.

This one is very touching, it made me tear up a little. Sad end to an unusual friendship between a dog and an elephant. Make sure you watch the little movie, it's really amazing.

And one last Halloween safety article--this time about possible dangers that Halloween treats pose to your pet.

At the Fort today, I caught a good clip of some new best friends. Gordon and Buddy became fast friends today, and spent a lot of their time here together.

Everyone have a fun and safe Halloween!

-Hope

Cool Kona

2011-10-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

A peek at beautiful Kona Hawaii

Today Kona, a four-month-old Portuguese Water Dog, had her first day here at the Fort. She is in the perfect age window for socialization at doggie daycare-- puppies really thrive when they are given the opportunity to spend time with other dogs, learning the ropes.

Kona had a blast with the medium dogs! Her favorite buddy was a Miniature Australian Shepherd mix named Chewy. He is a spunky little guy, and a daycare veteran, whose energy level matched Kona's perfectly.

We look forward to seeing Kona back here again next week!

-Hope

SHOTS - LINKS

2011-10-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

Our very first customer, Faramir AKA Wubbie (among other aliases), tore it up right today with Beagle Mix buddy, Buddha, in the Medium Roll.

Also from medium, Barkley did what he does best here everyday... Stir the pot! :)

Everything was normal in the Little Roll, they're off to the ball races, every pups favorite sport.

In the Big Roll, Abby, Abby and Ziva were an unstoppable trio.

Here are some links for ya:

Blind teen keeps on running, thanks to guide dog

Mayor hit by lightning praises dog

More Halloween pet safety tips

Dog found 600 miles from home reunites with owner

First images of Tim Burton's new film "Frakenweenie"

Take care,

-Grant

Serenity

2011-10-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Please welcome Serenity to Fort Fido.

The dictionary definition of Serenity is as follows:

1.(n.) The quality or state of being serene; clearness and calmness; quietness; stillness; peace.
2.(n.) Calmness of mind; eveness of temper; undisturbed state; coolness; composure.

What a wonderful name for your dog!

She is a four year old, twenty-eight pound, Terrier Mix. Serenity is a very striking animal. She headed to our Medium Roll where she didn't do half bad. Although she didn't engage in much play, she meandered and sniffed a few behinds, always a good thing lol. We believe Serenity could benefit from Dog Daycare and might even "Bust Out" into play after a few sessions. Either way, she is more than welcome to attend and is a very fine dog.

Cheers,

-Grant

Tikvah (and others) doing great!

2011-10-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Got some neat clips today... Tikvah, in particular, has really been blossoming here at The Fort. She is now a member of our Medium Roll. Tikvah has grown a bit and plays hard, those are the factors the facilitated the move. :) Since being with the medium group, she has been doing exceptionally well. Check it out!

Watch this next clip, Ginger, is one of the most agile dogs we have here. She almost does a full back flip, attempting to snatch the ball mid-air, in the beginning of this one.

The last clip is some ball from the Little Roll and play from the best friend-"Rebel Rousers" Chloe & Pearl. You can hear our newest employee, Kelsey, just making sure the pups aren't getting too wild. ;)

Leaving y'all with a few news articles found this afternoon:

Training a dog to stop jumping up (Always a tricky one, we get asked about it often.)

When it's time to sue over poop (Heaven forbid!)

Halloween tips for you and your dog (Posted one like this last week, there is always some good stuff in articles like this.)

Take it easy,

-Grant

A word about...

2011-10-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

Salmon poisoning.

I found this article a bit ago on King 5 News and wanted to point it out to everyone. Most of you are likely aware of this already.

In short, don't feed any raw or smoked Salmon to your canine companion. It has the potential of really hurting them and is possibly fatal. What a shame, I love the stuff any way it's prepared (yes, even raw lol) and could see myself breaking Gibby off a tiny piece in the right circumstances... Me saving it for him, waiting until he is around, giving him a command and then letting him enjoy it. Of course, of course! ;)

Some clips scored today: Gordo tries out the Big Roll again and Koji, Zachary and Zoey have became quite a cute trio of pals.

Have a great week!

-Grant

Cool Clip Saturday

2011-10-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

I caught some great clips of the pups at play today. First up is a little clip of Tikvah and Gordon, with a glimpse of Lukas being so patient with excited little Buddah toward the end.

Next we have another one of Tikvah and Gordon--they were best buds today, and it was just hilarious watching the 40-pound (he's gained 20 pounds already!) malamute pup roll over to play fair with the little ten-pound terrier.

Last is a clip of Buddah and Emily, who are a great match. They have very similar energy levels, and play well together. That's probably why there are so many clips of them doing just that! They are great friends, whenever they are here together.

Have a great weekend!
-Hope

Bits from the news...

2011-10-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

Firefighter revives dog, mouth to snout

Pets need some extra care and attention on Oct. 31st

Dog doesn't like Halloween Costume? Accessorize!

Rin Tin Tin: American Hero

Workout with your dog

Dog buried alive, survives

Dog stays by dead owner's side for nearly two weeks

Blind dog and pal seek new home

Enjoy your weekend!

-Grant

Lucky Lukas!

2011-10-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Lukas is a two-and-a-half year old Shepherd mix who joined the crew here at the Fort this morning. Lukas really is a lucky guy--he was found in a dumpster in Los Angeles at 4 1/2 months old, and was fortunate enough to be discovered and rescued. Despite his rough start, Lukas is as very happy fellow who speaks great "dog." He spent some time getting the lay of the land, and meeting the other pups before he started to play a bit toward the end of the assessment. With more time and consistency, I'm sure that Lukas will spend even more of his time tearing it up!

-Hope

P.S.--Lukas was a great example of why we keep the assessments so short--just a four-hour visit in the morning. Right when he was starting to get antsy, it was time for him to go home. Now he has created that good association: he comes here to have fun, but he isn't abandoned. The four hour assessment is long enough that we can get a feel for the dog's personality and watch their interactions with other dogs, but is short enough that it doesn't become a stressful experience.

- Clip Day -

2011-10-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

Check out these great clips from The Rolls today!

Up first is one of Boxer Sam and Yellow Lab Big-Boy Ryker sharing in some fun.

Two from the Medium Roll.

Gordon, Jasmine, Emily and Marley were tearing it up, a very normal occurrence lol.

Barkley and Niko have been buddies for some time now, Jasmine, has also been welcomed into their session.

Upstairs was your daily crazy-ball-time. The Littles sure learn how to retrieve well due to the constant stream of tossed-toys. It's fun up there, for the dogs and the "Wrangler".

One more clip from the Little Roll features busy-gal Samarah enjoying a jolly time with the loveable Gherie. ;)

Take care,

-Grant

Thanks for sending this granny!

2011-10-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Friendship Forever <3

(Click photos to enlarge)

After losing his parents, this 3 year old orangutan was so depressed he wouldn't eat and didn't respond to any medical treatments. The veterinarians thought he would surely die from sadness.

The zoo keepers found an old sick dog on the grounds in the park at the zoo where the orangutan lived and took the dog to the animal treatment center. The dog arrived at the same time the orangutan was there being treated.

The 2 lost souls met and have been inseparable ever since.

The orangutan found a new reason to live and each always tries his best to be a good companion to his new found friend.

They are together 24 hours a day in all their activities.

They live in Northern California where swimming is their favorite past time, although Roscoe (the orangutan) is a little afraid of the water and needs his friend's help to swim

Together they have discovered the joy and laughter in life and the value of friendship.

They have found more than a friendly shoulder to lean on.

Long Live Friendship!

I don't know... Some say life is too short, others say it is too long, but I know that nothing that we do makes sense if we don't touch the hearts of others... While it lasts!

May you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends who care.

Darn, that's a good one, a tearjerker if you will. :)

Cheers,

-Grant

Wesley & Petey

2011-10-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

We had two very cute and wily little guys in for their assessments this morning. Meet Wesley and Petey, best buddies in the same family.

Wesley is a two year old (?), fifteen pound, Shih Tzu. He was recently rescued by his current owner. Apparently, Wesley was an absolute mess, found on the streets malnourished and severely matted. Lucky for him, his life is now awesome and includes a loving permanent home. In the Little Roll, Wesley was a free spirit that romped around and had a good time. He became even more excited when he met fellow Shih Tzu, the ever popular, Cooper. The two became quick playmates. Wesley is more than welcome to attend The Fort anytime.

Next up was Petey. He is a five year old, twenty-four pound, American Cocker Spaniel, also recently rescued. Petey was a Veterinarian "practice dog" for three whole years. Let's just say, it didn't sound like a fun experience and he didn't get out much. His life is vastly improved nowadays. Petey joined his roommate Wesley in the Little play area. Unfortunately he was a bit more reserved then Wesley. Petey is an amazingly sweet dog, I'm pretty sure that Mom (Nancy) fell in love with him lol. He did just fine with the others in the pack but didn't interact as much as Wesley did. Petey too is welcome anytime.

Swell job today lads, hope to see you two again soon.

Take it easy this week, we're gonna see sunshine for two days. ;)

-Grant