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Montgomery County, Maryland, All About Pets, Gazette

TRANSCRIPT

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

L ily hit the jackpot last year. Found bythe Garrett County Humane Societychained to a post in an abandoned

house, the little mixed-breed dog was lessthan a year old, trying to nurse a few pup-pies—alive and dead. Flea-bitten and starv-ing, she had large patches of hair missing.

Lily was sent to PetConnect Rescue inPotomac, and then to a foster family inBethesda. The Crane family of Bethesda fellin love with and adopted the affectionate lit-tle dog. Today, Lily’s best friend is Chunk, theCrane’s miniature Australian shepherd, anAmerican Kennel Club-certified dog theybought at Potomac Kennels in Gaithersburg.Lily’s hair is now long and shiny, her tail lush,and she spends her days loved and well-fed,roaming her big fenced yard and playing withother dogs in the neighborhood.

There are many stories like this aboutdogs, cats and other animals at organizationslike PetConnect Rescue. Volunteers rescueat-risk animals from shelters when they aresubject to being put down and place them infoster homes where caring people in themetro area can adopt them.

“If you’re looking for a new family mem-ber,” said Randi Martin, a PetConnect adop-tion coordinator, “go to our website at

petconnectrescue.org and you’ll find allbreeds, shapes and sizes of dogs and cats.”Listings offer a biography and adoption coor-dinator contact information. “Come meet asmany animals as you want. We love that.”

According to Martin, there’s a seeminglyendless stream of dogs every week. “We getemails from shelters all the time with storiesand pictures that would just break yourheart,” she said. “They come to us just ashell of themselves. They are so traumatizedsometimes they don’t even bark or eat. Butthen they go into a foster home, realize noone’s going to hurt them, get food andwater and love, and you start to see theirpersonality.”

Foster volunteers tell PetConnect allabout the dog, and that’s what goes on theanimal’s online bio. The PetConnect web-site’s “Home at Last” section offers manyhappy ending stories like Lily’s.

PetConnect places 600 to 700 dogs andcats in homes each year, said Martin. “We’revery careful. We like to do home visits andlook around the neighborhood. When we goto sleep at night, we want to make sure thatwe’ve done the best for that animal.”

Montgomery County Humane Society’sb j Altschul, director of external relations,suggests checking the “Adopt a Pet” listings

for animals on the humane society’s website,www.mchumane.org.

First-time adopters should think aboutwhat kind of animal they want. Adoptioncounselors will ask many questions, saidAltschul, such as, “What are your family cir-cumstances? Can your home and yard han-dle the pet? Can your lifestyle? What needsdoes the animal have and can you meet theneeds of that animal?” Day-in, day-out careis an important consideration. “If you’re nothome all day long, a puppy or high-energydog is probably not a good match,” she said.“Someone who has a leisurely lifestyle mightdo well with an adult animal.”

“Know what you’re getting,” saidAltschul. “Our adoption counselors will goover all of this with you, and our adoptionstaff spends a lot of time helping families andindividuals with the decision and process.”You need to be checked out as a pet owner,she said, both for your sake and the sake ofthe animal. “If you have previous experiencewith a pet, it may [only] be as much as a

phone interview. For those with less experi-ence, it may require a home visit.”

The Montgomery County HumaneSociety is a nonprofit animal welfare organ-ization that has been sheltering animals since1958 and never turns an animal away. It hashandled more than 8,200 animals so far thisyear, according to its website. Programsinclude adoption, foster care, lost and found,rescue, education and volunteering.

Sharon Hasenauer of Silver Spring runsthe re-home program for the Potomac ValleyBernese Mountain Dog Club. Home visitsand a questionnaire help her make gooddecisions about matching owners with dogs.“Each rescue group has its way of doingthings,” she said. “Usually I, or a member ofmy club, visit the dog and the new homefirst.” She keeps a waiting list of people whowant to adopt the popular Bernese breed.

“By going through extra measures likehome visits and detailed questions, we try toreduce the number of animals that arebrought back,” said Altschul.

2 All About Pets Special Supplement to The Gazette | October 2012

Adopting is all about a happy ending

COURTESY OF CINDY CRANE

Lily, right, a mixed-breed rescue that went from near death to living the good life, sits withher best friend Chunk, a miniature Australian shepherd.

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BY JIM MAHAFFIE

Dog? Cat? Fish? Hamster? Snake?Parakeet? Take time to decide,because the choice is not all that easy.

“Some people know whether they’re dogor cat people, for instance,” said Josh Beitler,manager of PetSmart in Gaithersburg’sKentlands. “But when choosing a pet, there’sa lot to take into consideration, down to cer-tain breeds and types.”

Beitler said his staff advises customers try-ing to make pet choice decisions every day,and that PetSmart stores are equipped withtrained salespeople and lots of informationto help.

“First, you ask a lot of questions,” saidBeitler. “What’s your lifestyle like? Because ifyou’re gone 16 hours a day, a dog is not rightfor you. You need enough time to devote tothe animal, and a cat is more self-sufficient.”

Other considerations include the ages ofchildren in the home. Are you adding toyour pet family or getting a pet for the firsttime? “There are big responsibilities withdogs, less with cats, and even less for ham-sters, gerbils and guinea pigs,” he said.What’s the housing situation? Is the yardfenced? Does the apartment allow dogs, catsor small caged animals? Fish tank decisions

also get pretty creative, said Beitler. “Thereare so many [fish] you can and can’t havetogether in the same tank.”

Ruth Hanessian, owner of the 33-year-oldAnimal Exchange in Rockville, said shealways asks prospective pet owners many

questions, including about who will reallycare for the pet and the reasons people wantto own.

“For instance, a very young child is nottaking care of a cockatiel,” said Hanessian,who sells locally raised animals, “from ham-sters to cockatiels and mice to macaws.”

A buyer should have familiarity with largebirds before getting a macaw. The same goesfor snakes and reptiles. Buyers should alsoconsider the cost of food, which varies great-ly for different animals, she said.

To aid prospective owners, Hanessian hascreated the “Animal Exchange channel” onYouTube, a series of videos about what’sinvolved with owning gerbils, parakeets,hamsters, bearded dragons and more.“They’ve been viewed over a million times,which is great,” said Hanessian. “They giveyou a solid comprehension of what’sinvolved in keeping a pet.”

In its stores, PetSmart offers free CareGuides for more than a hundred pets, fromdog and cat breeds to rabbits, hamsters, frogs,geckos, snakes and more.

All About Pets 3October 2012 | Special Supplement to The Gazette

What to consider before buying a petPHOTO BY JIM MAHAFFIE

Bearded dragons, such as this one atAnimal Exchange in Rockville, needspecial care and are fascinating to watch.

[continued on 11]1859405

1848399

4 All About Pets Special Supplement to The Gazette | October 2012

BY JANET OCHS LOWENBACH

“F all is a particular challenge fordog owners,” said Mary Jo“MJ” Seemann of Chevy

Chase, an animal trainer for 30 years, thelast seven of which have been with PetSmartin Bethesda.

“You have the little bunnies, the mice, thesquirrels and all the other little four-leggeddistractions that make your dog leave yourside and lurch off into the bushes. People—especially the guys—say they can handle it,but you need training if you don’t wantyour dog to pull your arm out of its socketor pull you across the street.”

Seemann, a former scientist, trains withpositive reinforcement, using “clickers toalert the dog it has done something goodand rewards [of] food or toys instead ofyelling when the dog does the wrong thing.”

She said that finding a trainer who isexperienced and the best match for a dog isno easy task for what the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association estimatesare 147,000 dog-owning households and250,000 dogs in Montgomery County.

It is tricky because, Seemann said, “Inthis field, there are no regulations, andanyone can put up a shingle and call him-self a dog trainer. It is important that train-ers keep up with the times and use scientif-ic principles that teach the dog positively,rather than using punishments—like anelectronic dog collar—which are harmfuland ineffective.”

The techniques that a trainer uses canstrongly affect how you interact with yourdog for years to come. Therefore, it is veryimportant to choose your trainer wisely.

How do you do that? The first step, saidJanet Sidebottom, founder of Potomac DogSchool in Rockville, is to get a list of poten-tial trainers by contacting your vet or fellowpet owners, or through an Internet search.

According to Debra Ekman, founder ofYour Dog’s Friend in Rockville, some goodsites include hers—yourdogsfriend.info/Positive-Trainers—trulydogfriendly.com,karenpryoracademy.com and petprofession-alguild.com.

Once they have collected names, owners“should interview several potential trainersto make sure they are comfortable with

How to get helptraining your dogMontgomery County ExpertsEncourage Positive Reinforcement

COURTESY OF CAROLYN BENSON

Carolyn Benson of Chevy Chase adopted Australian cattle dog Una, who had been foundwandering with a pack in Georgia. To find the right trainer for the dog, she visited severalbefore deciding on PetSmart.

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their approaches,” Sidebottom said.Seemann, who values scientific-based train-ing, advised looking for a trainer with anundergraduate degree that is science-based,and who has taken continuing educationcourses to keep up modern techniques.

In addition to an interview, ideally, anowner should observe a trainer before hir-ing him, Ekman said. If a trainer practicespunishment, negativism or an approachbased on dominating the dog, find another,she advised.

“Dog training is both an art and a sci-ence,” Seemann said. “It comes from work-ing with people and helping them under-stand what needs be done with their dogsand why. Trainers are not magic; we have totake tests and study.”

Chevy Chase resident Carolyn Benson,who eventually trained at PetSmart withSeemann, was concerned about finding theperfect trainer for Una, her 1-year-oldAustralian cattle dog.

Una had been found wandering, tick-infested, with a pack in the mountains ofGeorgia.

“Una was a wonderful dog, but she need-ed discipline and gentle training,” Bensonsaid. “When we walked, she tugged the leashand ran after squirrels and other animals,and I worried about being pulled.

“To find our trainer and a productivetraining environment, we read widely. Thenwe visited several trainers to see how theyinteracted with the animals,” she said.

Benson was happy to see that Seemannused a gentle teaching approach. “Wewalked around and around the aisles of dogtoys and food at PetSmart for an hour andrewarded Una with food every time she didnot pull. MJ gave us all confidence.”

For information about training atPetSmart, call 800-738-1385, ext. 41348, orvisit petsmart.com and click on services.Various levels of training are available.

Your Dog’s Friend Helps Adopted PupsEkman founded Your Dog’s Friend, a 5-

year-old nonprofit that offers workshops inBethesda and training classes in Rockville,with the goal of “helping to keep dogs outof shelters by educating and supportingtheir humans.”

“When people bring home their newdogs,” Ekman said, “they often have noidea what to do or where to turn. They cre-

ate problems that could have been prevent-ed or remedied.”

Your Dog’s Friend uses only positivetraining. “You don’t have to punish or dom-inate a dog to get that dog to behave. Youcan set your dog up for success, reward thebehaviors you want and teach alternatives tothe behaviors you don’t want,” Ekman said.This approach, she believes, is important forall dogs, but especially for adopted dogs.“We use positive methods of training andbehavior modification because they areeffective, build trust and, unlike harsher,compulsion methods, cannot cause pain,aggression or fear in dogs.”

Your Dog’s Friend offers a variety of pro-grams: free workshops by local profession-als; training classes that include ongoingpuppy kindergarten and basic, sports, andbehavior-oriented classes; behavior andtraining advice; and referrals. Most of thefree workshops are offered at St. Luke’sEpiscopal Church in Bethesda and at amonthly workshop for recent adopters at thetraining center in Rockville.

For more information or to register forworkshops or classes, visit the website atyourdogsfriend.info or call 301-983-5913.

COURTESY OF POTOMAC DOG SCHOOL

Dogs are trained at Potomac Dog School,a 6,800-square-foot indoor/outdoor facilitythat also offers boarding, grooming anddoggie day care.

[continued on 10]

1859341

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6 All About Pets Special Supplement to The Gazette | October 2012

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

W illie, a big, happy Bernese moun-tain dog, was a little over 2 yearsold when owner Shari Fisher of

Bethesda found a mass on his shoulder andhead. The diagnosis was a sarcoma cancer,which called for immediate surgery and tworounds of chemotherapy.

“We thought that because he was soyoung, it was worth a try,” said Fisher.

That was just the beginning. Willie hadseveral cancers over his eight-and-a-halfyears. Between leg problems, vet visits, med-ications and radiation, the Fishers estimatethey probably spent some $40,000 onWillie. Yes, $40,000. He used to get earinfections, too, said Fisher, and the cleaning,flushing and antibiotics would cost $400 ormore. “I didn’t have pet insurance. Whatwas I thinking?”

Pets are expensive, yet very few dog andcat owners have medical insurance for themtoday. There are more than 78 million dogsand 86 million cats living in households inthe U.S., according to the 2011-2012American Pet Products Association NationalPet Owners Survey. Americans will spendmore than $26 billion in supplies, over-the-counter medicines and veterinary care in2012. The survey also showed that the aver-age routine vet visit costs $248 for a dog and

$219 for a cat. And when a visit is surgical,those figures nearly double. Ouch—especial-ly if you own an older pet or one with achronic disease or injury, or a purebred dogwith a genetic condition.

There are as many as 10 national petinsurance providers, according to The Barkmagazine, including Petplan, VPI orVeterinary Pet Insurance Company, andPurinaCare. Premiums can range from $10to as much as $90 a month, depending onfactors such the animal’s age and variouscoverages desired.

Pet insurance works best when it protectsagainst the unexpected, expensive thingsthat can happen, according to Kate Zirkle,marketing manager for Embrace PetInsurance, another national provider. Of themany providers, she said, “There are differ-ences in what they cover, what they exclude,what they cost, their level of customer serv-ice and how they pay claims.”

“My advice to clients is to read the fineprint carefully about coverage limitationsand pre-existing conditions,” said R.Thomas Ramirez, D.V.M., a veterinarian atAlpine Veterinary Hospital in Cabin John.“Keep in mind that pet insurance compa-nies must take in more money in premiumsthan they pay out in claims in order to stayin business.”

Pick a plan that’s right for your needs andbudget. The best way to do that, Zirkle said,is to call the company or go online to getanswers to these questions: What is and isnot covered? Does the plan cover geneticand breed-specific conditions? Chronic andrecurring illnesses? Are there per-incidentlimits that restrict the amount you could bereimbursed? Does the plan reimburse claimsbased on a benefit schedule or the actual vetbill? How are wellness claims handled? Arethere any restrictions that apply? Like anyhealth insurance, read the policies carefully

and understand co-pays, deductibles andcaps. Make sure your vet qualifies underyour plan, too.

“It sounds ridiculous, but once they’re apart of your life, you’ll do anything forthem,” said Fisher of her family’s beloveddog Willie. If you own a wonderful compan-ion, pet insurance lets you rest easier, know-ing that at least some of the costs will becovered for an expensive illness or injury.

Should you get health insurance?

PHOTO BY ELISE MAHAFFIE

Willie battled cancer and other healthissues throughout his life, which led toabout $40,000 in veterinary bills.

Plans usually will not pay for:• Cosmetic, elective or preventative

procedures such as deworming, taildocking, ear cropping and declawing(except where medically necessary)

• Veterinary fees related to pregnancy,breeding or whelping

• Orthodontic or endodontic proce-dures such as root canals or crowns

• Behavioral problems

• Prescription diet food

• Pre-existing conditions

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All About Pets 7October 2012 | Special Supplement to The Gazette

BY MARY WADE BURNSIDE

Grace Woods lives in a two-bedroomapartment in Gaithersburg, as dothree cats, a parakeet, two hamsters

and a leopard gecko.“I enjoy all different kinds of animals,”

she said. “It’s interesting to watch them andlearn about how they are and what they doin general. I wanted to kind of see the differ-ent temperaments of them. They’re veryindividual in and of themselves.”

As long as her landlord permits it, inMontgomery County, Woods can have allthose animals under one roof.

And because she lives in Gaithersburg,she even could have chickens if she hadenough property and the appropriate enclo-sure in which to keep them.

But if she wanted to keep a bird native toNorth America, or a poisonous snake, orcertain types of livestock, that would be adifferent story.

Federal, state, county and even municipallaws dictate what animals residents cankeep. For instance, nationally, the U.S. Foodand Drug Administration has placed a banon the sale of reptiles with shells that are lessthan 4 inches, such as small turtles, becausethese animals tend to pose a salmonella risk.

“It is enforced as a health regulation, butbecause it involves animals, it would behandled by us,” said Paul Hibler, deputy

director of the Animal Services Division ofthe Montgomery County Police depart-ment, which enforces the codes having to dowith the animals people can keep as pets.

“There is a state law which prohibitsquite a bit and a county law that prohibitsexotics that are considered dangerous,”Hibler said. “The state law is more specificand mentions species.”

According to the state law, residents can-not have foxes, skunks, bears, caimans—small alligator-like reptiles—alligators, croc-odiles, a member of the cat family otherthan a domestic cat, a member of the dogfamily other than a domestic dog, a non-human primate and many kinds of poison-ous snakes.

Boa constrictors and pythons are OK tokeep, as are iguanas, Hibler said.

Nationally, it is illegal to own a birdnative to the United States.

“You can’t go out and catch a blue jay,”Hibler said. “But you can have exotic birds.Parrots are probably the most common andthey are readily sold in pet stores, alongwith finches and canaries.”

The Montgomery County Code is lessspecific. With some exceptions, “a personmust not import, sell, trade, buy, barter,breed, keep or possess: (A) a wild animal;or (B) any animal that the County or anyother jurisdiction finds is dangerous or athreat to public health or

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8 All About Pets Special Supplement to The Gazette | October 2012

BY MARY WADE BURNSIDE

Gaithersburg residents Mary AnnWood and Alethea Kimmel gotAbu, a beagle-basset mix, 19 years

ago. Very mischievous, Abu would take tis-sues, grab food, and “bark, bark, bark.”

“She was awful and she would stealeverything,” said Wood.

About five years ago, the time came forAbu to be put down, and the silence in thehouse afterward was deafening.

“We came back home and the house wastotally, deadly quiet,” she said. “We were soused to her whining all night long.

“I still miss her terribly.”The attachment between an owner and a

pet can be strong, and dealing with a pet’sdeath can be a tough process to navigate.

Wood and Kimmel have had a bevy ofdogs and cats over the last 20 or so years,and there have been some similarities, aswell as some differences, in the animals’passing.

When their cat Max became their firstanimal to die, unexpectedly, a ritual beganafter they took him to the vet to try and fig-ure out the cause.

“Alethea cut a piece of fur off his neck,and they said, ‘What do you want to dowith him?’” Wood said.

Wood and Kimmel chose to have Maxcremated. The ashes were given to them ina container resembling a small cedar chest.

“It started snowballing,” Wood said.

“We brought the little bit of fur home andstuck it in the container and stuck it in oneside of the entertainment center. And thenwe got a card from the vet, so we stuck thecard up there. And then, we put a picture of[the cat] up there.”

Until Wood’s mother came to live withthem, that entertainment center also becamea shrine for their other departed dogs andcats—Goldie, Sandy, Stormy, Snuffy, Sparta,and, of course, Max and Abu. Now, theremains have been stowed away in closet,not in view, but not forgotten.

Pet need to come to terms with thefact that their beloved animal will not bearound forever. “They don’t live as long aswe do, and that’s the problem,” saidLawrence Bender, D.V.M., a veterinarian atGrove Center Veterinary Hospital inGaithersburg. “The vast majority of peoplewho live with pets will have to deal with thisat one point. Their life span is dramaticallydifferent than ours.”

Dealing with an animals’ death cancome with some tough choices. Althoughsome pets may pass away at their owntime, others will grow old or become ill,forcing their owners to monitor the condi-tion and eventually make what can be adifficult choice.

“Euthanasia is a quality-of-life decision,”Bender said. “We have to differentiatebetween living and existing. If all a pet isdoing is lying in a corner throwing up all

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All About Pets 9October 2012 | Special Supplement to The Gazette

day, that’s not much of a life. If they are stilltrotting around and playing, it doesn’t mat-ter what the medical tests say. If they areenjoying themselves, let them have a life.”

When it comes time to take a dog or a catto the vet for the last time, “I think that youjust know,” Wood said.

In these days of advanced veterinarymedicine, pet owners have more options. Aspecialist may be able to treat a condition toprolong a pet’s life.

“To some degree, that’s a good thing thatwe have options,” Bender said. “But someregard it as more difficult. They have todecide to commit to dealing with theexpense and it makes them feel guilty if theycan’t afford to.”

Bender estimates that the cost for treat-ment by an animal oncologist ranges from$5,000 to $10,000. “But there are peoplethat do run up those bills,” he said. “Andit’s difficult for me to judge. If they have$5,000 and it’s their choice to spend it ontheir dog rather than take that two-weekvacation, that’s up to them.”

Wood appreciates that she has never feltguilty at her vet’s office when she could notafford extensive treatment.

“They don’t make you feel awful if youcan’t do things that are almost ridiculous,”she said. “They don’t make you treat yourpets like a kid.”

When the time came to say good-bye,staying with the animal during the process

was never a question for Wood. At her vet’soffice, she said, a comfortable room with asofa and window allow the owner and petsome final time together.

“It just seems kind of a hard thing to letthem go through that without” their ownersthere, said Wood.

“From our experience with our pets, wejust love them so much, and I would feel likewe were deserting them … If you love themthat much, you’re going to stay with themthrough that. You can’t make sure they arecomfortable, but we hold them and pet themand talk to them.”

Most pet owners make the same choice,

Bender said. “Some people don’t want to bethere, but I would say 70 to 80 percent ofthem do.”

Bender said that Grove Center VeterinaryHospital vets can travel to a home in certainareas of the county if requested.

“It doesn’t have to do with the size of thedog,” he said. “It has to do with if they feelmore comfortable than in the hospital.”

When pet owners express their grief,the staff at Grove Center takes the time totalk to them, Bender said.

For additional help, Bender recommendsrainbowsbridge.com, a website that offers

pet-loss grief counseling, as well as gives petowners the opportunity to create an onlinememorial to the animal they lost.

“We provide one-on-one email supportand phone support with the help of volun-teers,” said Ginny Brancato, owner andfounder of Florida-based Rainbows Bridge.

“Our volunteers are people who have suf-fered a loss and now help others out with ashoulder to cry on and let them know thatthey are not alone in their grief.”

According to Brancato, the websitereceives 45,000 unique visitors a week, withabout 125 people sending emails and 25 peo-ple asking for pet-loss grief support each day.

Brancato offers advice for owners dealingwith grief.

“Get the support you need. Talk to others.Surround yourself with an outlet to grieve.It’s OK to cry. It is so important to know thatyou are not alone,” she said. “Many peoplewho lose a fur baby feel guilty ... Many feelcrazy because society has said, ‘it’s just ananimal.’ But it is not. This animal was lovedand cared for and part of their family. Tomany, it is their only family.”

Wood’s dog Abu might have been hard tohandle, but she is still missed.

“She was into everything and she was achallenge, but she had a lot of personality,”said Wood. “Even though she was so nasty,she was the only dog you could actually justput your arms around … and snuggle her onthe sofa.”

“Talk to others. Surround yourself with anoutlet to grieve. It’s OK to cry.”

-GINNY BRANCATO

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10 All About Pets Special Supplement to The Gazette | October 2012

Potomac Dog School Tailors TrainingSidebottom, who has enjoyed a 20-year

career in the pet industry, founded PotomacDog School in Rockville. She trains dogs ather business, in people’s homes and in pub-lic areas. She operates out of a 6,800-square-foot indoor/outdoor facility where she canalso provide boarding, grooming and dog-gie day care. “That way we can train the dogin many different venues, such as day ornight training or lessons with the ownerinvolved,” she said. “It is good for the dogsto learn the same thing with different dis-tractions and temptations.”

While Sidebottom initially trains somedogs by herself, she soon involves the own-ers. “I show them the things they need to doto change their prior relationship, such aswhen the dog is not listening.”

In addition to positive approaches, “I alsouse other ways to train,” she said. “I pick thebest training methods that match the dog’spersonality, and I teach puppies differentlyfrom older dogs.”

But she does not punish. For example,“You don’t want the dog to be leading youdown the street. If he’s pulling you, youshould not yell. You should stop and turneither 90 or 180 degrees to show the dogwhere you want her to go rather than yellingif she goes somewhere else.”

Training is a lifelong process, Sidebottomsaid, but a good start with good methodswill take you and your dog a long way.

Sidebottom charges not by the class butby the fulfillment of objectives; for example,“come, quiet, wait by the door, walk on aloose leash, keep off the furniture, don’tjump on people, no inappropriate biting.”For lessons, contact Potomac Dog School at301-217-0010, [email protected] or potomacdogschool.com.

TRAINING, continued from 5

COURTESY OF YOUR DOG’S FRIEND

Michelle Mange and her dog Joeyparticipate in Canine Musical Freestyleclass at Your Dog’s Friend.

safety, including types of animals excludedfrom State law prohibitions on dangerousanimals.”

“We usually enforce under the state lawbecause the state law is more specific,”Hibler said.

However, even though it is the goal of thedepartment to enforce the law, “We’re acomplaint-driven division. The only way wewould know if somebody owned an exotic isif somebody complained or turned it in.Most of the complaints we get are concernedwith domestics and livestock,” Hibler said.

Ruth Hanessian of Rockville wants tochange the laws regarding livestock, at leastin her municipality. Hanessian, owner of theAnimal Exchange pet store in Rockville, hasbeen circulating a petition to allow house-holds in the city to have two chickens.

She said she does not find that to beunreasonable, “especially with this trendtoward urban homesteading and interest inlocally raised food. A household should beable to have a few chickens to supply themwith eggs.”

But Hanessian’s interests go beyond ani-mals that are considered livestock. At AnimalExchange, Hanessian sells what she prefersto call “unusual”—not “exotic”—pets.

“We sell birds and small animals: chin-chillas, bunnies, hamsters, rats, mice, gerbils,guinea pigs.”

Because of national law, Hanessian can-not sell birds native to the United States. For

instance, she cannot sell an Americanmourning dove, also known as the turtle-dove, but she does offer white doves fromthe Philippines.

Hanessian also sells reptiles, includingbearded dragons, leopard geckos and theAmerican chameleon, a good pet, she said,for young children to start with.

While dogs and cats are popular pets inAmerica, people may opt for “unusual”animals due to allergies, or because theylive in a smaller space, such as an apart-ment, Hanessian said. “You don’t have towalk unusual pets and management is a loteasier, especially when some of them arecaged. You don’t have them running loosein the house and you don’t need to emptythe litter box...”

Woods said she gets as much companion-ship from her parakeet as from her cats. Shewill walk into the room where he stays andsay, “‘Hello,’ and he’ll tweet a greeting backto me.”

EXOTIC PETS, continued from 7

Boa constrictors andpythons are OK to keep,

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“They tell you anything you need toknow about a pet, like their life span, size,environment required, temperature ranges,what healthy looks like and much more,”said Beitler. PetSmart offers free orientationseminars on what to expect with a dog. “It’spretty important to give people a realisticlook at dog ownership. After all, puppies arecute and cuddly, but they grow up.”

The cost of owning a pet should also beconsidered—not just the price of buyinghim, but also that of food, training and vetvisits over the life of the animal. To thosewho want an inexpensive pet, Hanessiansuggests the hermit crab, which along withhis habitat can cost as little as $20.

Hanessian often recommends a guineapig for families with small children. “It does-n’t crawl out of its cage, and you can get oneand all the equipment you need for $100 orso,” she said.

A parakeet and cage cost around $70,and a cockatiel is $200 to $300 at AnimalExchange. The store has a black palmcockatoo for $15,000, too. “And that’s justthe bird,” said Hanessian. “You have toadd the 100-year commitment, as they livea long time.”

Purebred dogs and cats are usually boughtfrom breeders and costs vary greatly. “Wealways say the purchase price is the downpayment, and you’ll spend much more thanthat over the dog’s lifetime,” said CarolLingley, a Bernese mountain dog breeder.

All About Pets 11October 2012 | Special Supplement to The Gazette

BUYING A PET, continued from 3

The American Kennel Club recognizes175 different dog breeds, and all have

different needs and temperaments. If you’relooking for a certain breed, your choiceshould be based on predictability of thepurebred, said Ijamsville-based breederCarol Lingley, who is a board member ofthe Potomac Valley Bernese Mountain DogClub. “Within a range, you can assume youwill get an animal of a certain size, tempera-ment and personality,” she said.

For instance, a border collie will herd andbe extremely intelligent, according toLingley. A corgi will also herd, and may nipat your heels. A beagle will hunt rabbits anda setter will flush out birds.

Both mixed breeds and purebreds can befound at shelters, but purebreds should bepurchased from reputable breeders, saidLingley. “When you purchase a purebred,you become part of a community concernedwith the welfare of that specific breed—res-cue, health research, health registries, publi-cations, merchandise, etc.”

Lingley said that in her opinion, you’retaking a chance when getting a purebred dogfrom a shelter. What may look like aLabrador retriever when it’s young mightactually be part dachshund or whippet.“You may not satisfy the longing for a sport-ing dog with a happy-go-lucky personality.”

-Jim Mahaffie

COURTESY OF ANIMAL EXCHANGE

Animal Exchange employee May Clancyholds an American tricolor guinea pig.

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12 All About Pets Special Supplement to The Gazette | October 2012

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