We held our first annual “Bark in the Park” fundraiser last month. If you were able to attend, I’m sure you spent some time watching the demonstrations on obedience, rally and agility that were presented by the North Arkansas Kennel Club. The special bond between the dogs and handlers was very evident. The dogs responded to all their cues and did what was expected of them. I think all dog owners would love to have their pets behave so well. Next month the North Arkansas Kennel Club will begin offering classes at their new facility in Flippin, located at 825 E. Main St. (next to Dollar General.) They will offer a Puppy class for dogs 8 weeks to 6 months of age, a beginning obedience class, and an advanced beginner class. As your dog advances, you will be able to get instruction in rally, agility and conformation. In rally, the dogs have to negotiate different signs and perform what they are cued to do. Agility is like a doggie obstacle course where the dogs have to negotiate things like ramps, tunnels, or weave through the uprights. Conformation is what you think of in a typical dog show (like Westminster) where the dogs parade for the judges and then have to stand while they are examined for proper physical attributes of their breed. The trainers in NAKC have over 100 years in combined experience working with dogs. You do not have to be a member to enroll in the classes and your dog does not have to be pure bred. The AKC does allow mixed breed dogs in performance events under their K-9 Partners program. The NAKC promotes education and responsible dog ownership. If you are interested in classes or would like to learn more about the NAKC, you can visit their website at www.northarkansaskennelclub.org or contact Sherry Gibbany at 870-416-7062. I know three little misbehaving dogs who may just find themselves in doggie school before too long!
Our featured kitty gets top billing this week. Meet Elsa, a lovely silvery, silky tabby. Elsa was brought into the shelter along with 2 other nursing mom cats and all their 13 assorted kittens that had all been abandoned at a house in Yellville. She is affectionate, well socialized, outgoing and healthy with huge, expressive yellow eyes. She has wondrously shared mom duties with both her friends/relatives, so that all their kittens are chunky, well fed and always cared for. We believe Elsa is the 2 year old matriarch of the entire family group. Of her 10 kittens, only Martin has not yet been adopted. Elsa and her relatives could be the poster kitties to remind people to spay and neuter. This is a perfect example of how one pair of unaltered cats can reproduce to become thousands of cats in just a couple years.
This week’s featured dog is Rusty. Rusty is a very sweet & handsome adult hound mix with the most heart melting hound dog eyes! Weighing in at a healthy, well muscled 64 lbs, he’s proven to be already housebroken, knows both “Sit” & “Shake” and walks nicely on leash. Sadly, Rusty was picked up as a stray along CCC access. We estimate his age to be around 4 yrs. He’s a pretty mellow boy with a laid back attitude in general with people, seems to tolerate other dogs, but we don’t know about cats or other small animals. If you’re looking for a mature dog that already knows the basics, Rusty may just be the boy for you.
Don’t forget to stop by the shelter on Saturday, June 30th for a cake and coffee open house to help us celebrate the first year in our new location. Have a Heart Pet Shelter is located at 657 Highway 202 in Yellville. We are open Tuesday through Saturday 9am-3pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. Phone 870-449-7387.