Hey everyone!  Welcome to the February edition of our newsletter.  Can you believe it’s February already?

Now that we have dug out of the snow storms and have enjoyed the most recent, unusual warming spell, we are hard at work keeping your pet(s) warm, happy, dry and having a blast.

In this edition we will be covering the following topics:

• Keeping your pets safe and warm when the power goes out
• Flea Control, the Natural Side of Things
• February Kennel Notes
• Important News from WASART
• Facts to Remember

Keeping your pets safe and warm when the power goes out

With so many areas around town losing power during the recent snowstorm, many have asked us what we do when our area loses power.  The answer is that we have a 50,000 watt, natural gas powered, automatic generator hard-wired into our electrical system.  When the generator detects power from PSE has been lost, it automatically starts itself.  It takes just a few seconds for our generator’s electricity to come on.

We learned our lesson about six or seven years ago before our generator was installed.

The Woodinville area lost power for about five days in mid-December.  Keeping all the animals warm and fed was difficult and we vowed to install a generator as soon as we could.  The installation was completed about a year and a half later.

This winter we lost power on Christmas day and for two or three days during the recent snowstorm but our generator power came right on and all of the pets we were caring for never knew the difference.

Flea Control, the Natural Side of Things

Each spring and fall we hear stories from our customers about the horrible flea problems they are dealing with in their homes. The gloomy, wet and mild environment we live in is the perfect recipe for flea infestations. Unfortunately, fleas are one of the downfalls of pet ownership. In this article we would like to share some things we have learned this past year about how to deal with fleas in a more natural way.

So how do your pets get fleas? When your pets go outdoors the fleas jump on for a ride indoors. Did you know a flea can jump 200 times the length of its own body? Once inside, the adult fleas start shedding their eggs which only multiplies your problem. A female adult flea lays about 15-20 eggs a day, which is roughly 600 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs then drop off of your pets, onto your floor covering as well as surrounding areas in your home. The infestation is more prevalent in the areas your pets sleep.

So where do we start our battle to get rid of these nasty little parasites? For starters, wash your pet’s bedding often in hot water and tumble dry on high heat. This will help kill any fleas or flea eggs that are on the bedding.

Scheduling your pet for regular grooming is a great way to get rid of any fleas that are on them. When shampoo lathers up real thick it will drown the adult fleas. You don’t even need to use chemical flea shampoos for this. A good rinse in warm water and a blow dry will help get all those nasty little eggs out of your pets coat too.

Vacuum your home often; this will pick up fleas and eggs that are hiding out in your carpets. Pick as much stuff up off the floor before hand as fleas will hide in dark areas in your home. Make sure you empty your vacuum and put the contents outside immediately after vacuuming.

Treating your carpets with borax is a great way to get rid of fleas indoors. You can find borax in the laundry aisle of your local store under the name 20 Mule Team. Before treating your carpets you will want to test this in an inconspicuous area to make sure it won’t damage your carpets. Once you have determined your carpets are safe sprinkle a light dusting onto the carpets and then work it down with a broom. You will want to be careful not to breathe in the dust while you are doing this. Leave the powder on your carpets for three to five days before vacuuming it up. The borax will kill the flea larvae by dehydrating your carpets. Borax however; will not kill the adult fleas. If you already have a flea infestation it may take a few weeks for you to see results.

Treating your yard is also essential in the fight against fleas. A great natural way to treat the yard is by introducing beneficial nematodes into your soil. Nematodes are microscopic worms that act as a parasite to fleas. The worms actually attack the flea larvae while they are in the cocoon stage before they reach maturity. Nematodes will not harm you, your pets or even your gardens. On the contrary, nematodes are extremely beneficial to gardens as they also kill soil grubs that cause damage to plant roots. Nematodes are applied using a sprayer similar to the ones used to apply home pesticides. Since fleas like to hide in dark, moist areas you will need to make sure to spray under trees and shrubs. Beneficial Nematodes can be purchased at many garden shops or online organic gardening websites.

When it comes to flea control it is always better to be proactive rather than reactive. Prepare to start treating your home and yard in early spring and throughout the summer to prevent the dreaded infestation. With a little work and due diligence you and your pets will  enjoy a happier and healthier life together.

February Kennel Notes

Grooming is offered for both overnight guests and as an independent service without overnight boarding. We also accept the feline companion and those first time puppies. Our groomers are available for brief consultations to answer your grooming questions.

Are you thinking of giving your sweetheart a puppy for Valentine’s Day?  We offer puppy classes.  A four- week course for puppies 8-20 weeks old concentrates on socialization and proper play with other pups (and family members).

Important News from WASART

Are you prepared to leave your house if given 15 minutes to evacuate? Are your pets prepared?

Being ready for a disaster is one of the most overlooked areas of pet ownership but there are some simple things you can do:

• Have a bag of essentials for you and your pet ready to go
• Plan for being away for 5-7 days, and remember things like medicine, food, and toys

The list can be intimidating, so in the coming months we’ll go through it bit by bit to help everyone slowly build readiness. Want to look ahead?

The government has a great start here: http://www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit

This information is brought to you by WASART.

WASART, Washington State Animal Response Team, is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) organization focused on technical rescue and disaster response addressing emergency situations involving companion animals and livestock. WASART currently focuses on Western Washington, though members actively deploy both nationally and internationally with partner organizations such as the ASPCA. WASART has a wide array of volunteer and training opportunities available. Check out http://www.washingtonsart.org/ for more information on how you can become involved.

Facts to Remember

Many of you will be receiving chocolates for Valentine’s Day.  Remember chocolate is poisonous to dogs.  Keep it out of reach of your pets.

February 23rd is Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!

If you are not already, follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Are you Ready?

Lately it seems like there have been a lot of natural disasters happening in our world from the massive earthquake that rocked Japan to near historic levels of flooding in the US. These events serve as a reminder that we all need to be prepared for such disasters. When most people think about disaster preparedness, they think of their human family members but what about our furry family members?

The ASPCA recommends preparing an evacuation kit for your pets in case you must leave your home suddenly. You will also want to arrange a safe haven where your pets can go in the event of an emergency.

Here are some of the ASPCA’s recommended supplies to keep in a disaster kit for your pets:

• Food and water bowl. Consider purchasing collapsible bowls for easy storage
• 3-7 days worth of food, water and medications. If you feed canned food, make sure you either get cans with a pop top lid or include a can opener in your kit. Also, you will want to rotate these supplies to make sure they stay fresh.
• A leash and collar. You may even want to consider a harness and leash for kitty as an added safety feature.
• A blanket for comfort
• You may also want to include a few toys and treats to help calm your pets.
• For cats you will want to make sure you include a litter pan, extra litter and a scoop to keep it clean. The ASPCA suggests that a small tinfoil roasting pan may do the trick.
• For small dogs and cats you may want to include a carrier to keep them safe. A soft sided crate may be a good option for storing until needed.
• Waste bags for cleaning up after your pets

You will want to make sure to keep current vaccination records as well as a photo of your pet in case you get separated. You may also want to consider keeping your pets vaccination records up-to-date with Cascade Kennels. This will eliminate scrambling to put them together during a stressful time. Most vet clinics in the area are willing to fax records over to us if you ask.

While we all hope a disaster never affects us, it is worth the initial investment to ensure all of our family’s safety and survival. You can review all of the ASPCA’s recommendations on their website www.aspca.org.

Upcoming Training Classes
Maggie’s next group training classes still have a few openings!

Her six week Introduction to Basic Obedience course starts Monday, October 17, at 6:00PM.

Introduction to Basic Obedience is NOT just training for dogs; it is training for people too! We want to be sure you have the tools to keep your dog working at a manageable level for the rest of it’s life with you.

The Basic Obedience 2 course starts Monday October 17th at 7:15PM

This is a follow up course to the Introduction to Obedience.

Holiday Family Adoption
Each year the staff at Cascade Kennels tries to give back to our community by helping out a family in need. This year we will be adopting a family through Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Western Washington. They are an organization that supports families who have a child battling cancer.

With your help we will be able to purchase gifts for each family member as well as provide the family with a holiday meal. We will have a collection container at the front desk if you would like to donate cash. Or, if you absolutely love shopping and want to purchase a gift, please email Kim to get the family’s details.

Thank you in advance for helping us brighten the holiday season for a special family.

Book Now for the Holidays
Don’t forget to book early to secure your reservations for the holidays!

To make a reservation you can either give us a call at 425-483-9333 or reserve on our website.