Save the Date for Purr-fect Events for Autumn!

The air is getting crisper and you just might have to put that light jacket on and then it hits you -- autumn is here! For some this means it's time for picking apples and pumpkins and getting ready for Halloween while for others, your main concern is when you can get that Pumpkin Spice coffee you've been craving since last October. No matter how you celebrate the beginning of fall, we want you to know about some fun ways to enjoy this beautful season. Autumn is an exciting time for Morris K9 Campus and we'd love for you and your furry friends to join us! Bring your family including your fun-loving pup to these events for activities ranging from costume contests to hayrides and much more! Come and enjoy the day with us!

PUPTOBERFEST - September 29, 2012
Eleventh Hour Rescue is hosting it's 8th Annual Puptoberfest on Saturday, September 29th at Horseshoe Lake in Succasunna, NJ. The festivities are rain or shine from 11AM - 5PM, complete with shopping, vendors, photos, games and contests throughout the day. Enjoy live music from Frantic Band and visit with WDHA radio station. Your dog can participate in the agility course and a doggy fashion show! Last year, over 4,000 canine-loving friends attended this fun-filled event! All proceeds benefit the Eleventh Hour Rescue and their continued efforts for feline and canine rescue. Morris K9 Campus is a sponsor so come help us support them!


RANDOLPH COUNTRY FAIR - October 6, 2012
The Country Fair is back in town! The Randolph Rotary will host the 5th Annual Randolph Country Fair which will take place October 6th from 11AM - 5PM. This exciting day includes activities such as a community yard sale, food and drinks, hayrides, antique cars, rides vendors and crafters and entertainment throughout the day. This event will be held at the Randolph Township Municipal Complex located at 502 Millbrook Avenue, Randolph, NJ (located across from the Randolph Middle School). Stop by our booth for a visit!

2012 HOWL AND HIKE DOG WALK AND FAMILY FUN DAY - October 14, 2012
Noah's Ark Animal Welfare Association will be hosting it's 18th Annual Howl and Hike Dog Walk and Family Fun Day on Sunday, October 14 from 12PM - 4PM at Horseshoe Lake in Succasunna, NJ. Along with the scenic trip around the lake, this entertaining day includes crafts and games for all, the Bow Wow Bazaar with vendor shopping, the Pet-I-Cure Boutique for the Pooch Spa, the Smooch  A Pooch Booth for some doggie kisses and Adoption Alley to meet pets for adoption. Come out and see why Roxbury Township declared October 14, "Noah's Ark Day"!


FALL FESTIVAL: TIPS, TRICKS AND TAILS - October 28, 2012
Save the Date for our Morris K9 Campus Fall Festival: Tips, Tricks and Tails - October 28, 2012 from 12PM - 4PM! There is no fee to enter but we encourage donations of unopened dog and cat food for local shelters.

This exciting afternoon is filled with activities including caricatures, an "Ask the Trainer" Question and Answer session, interactive doggie demos, Canine Good Citizen testing and much more! Have your pup try out our Canine Treadmill while children can participate in Arts and Crafts!

Your canine can be a part of the Wags to Witches K9 Costume Parade! Prizes will be awarded for categories such as Scariest, Funniest, etc.

Some vendors attending include the Wienie Wagon, Conneck-a-pup, Jewels for Life, the Morris Animal Inn Boutique and more! Local Shelters, Noah's Ark, Eleventh Hour, Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter and Randolph Animal Pound will be there with dogs and cats for adoption! Visit Creature Comfort to learn how your dog can become a therapy dog!

Our first 50 guests will receive a Morris K9 Campus Goody Bag, so arrive early! We can't wait to see you there!

IT'S TIME FUR OUR FALL FESTIVAL!

If your Sunday plans consist of raking the leaves and cleaning the bathrooms, put down that rake and drop the Clorox pronto! We have a better idea for you! Come to our fall festival: Tips, Tricks and Tails this Sunday, October 23 from 12PM - 4PM.


Morris K9 Campus is pulling out the pumpkins and the cider and celebrating fall in style! Both indoors and outdoors, the event will happen rain or shine. Enjoy fun activities like interactive agility; flying disc demonstrations; an "Ask the Trainer" Q and A session; doggie dancing demos and Canine Good Citizen testing.

Fido is more than welcome! Small dog and large dog play groups will be set up in our daycare room so you can watch how your dog plays and interacts with other furry friends. If you want your dog to benefit from more exercise, try our canine treadmill for a quick and easy fitness session. If your dog enjoys prancing around in outfits, make sure to dress Fido up in costume so he or she can participate in our Wags to Witches K9 Costume Parade scheduled for 2:30PM. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes in various categories like best combined pet and owner costume so bring your own Hallowen outfit as well! However, all costume parade participants will be awarded a colorful bandana for their dog!

Fun features like face painting, a photo station, the Morris Animal Inn Boutique, and food, including hot dogs and Rita's Italian Ice with Mango, Cherry and Pumpkin flavors, will round out the day! Local animal shelters, Noah's Ark, Eleventh Hour Rescue and The Randolph Animal Pound will be present with adoptable cats and dogs. Though the event is FREE, we encourage guests to bring a can of unopened dog or cat food as a donation for the shelters.


If you haven't already received a key from us to bring on the day of the event, come to Morris K9 Campus and pick one up. If your key unlocks the "Haunted Treasure Chest," you can win one of three prizes:
-Grand Prize: Pampering You and Your Pet Package
This includes a $100 mall gift certificate for a shopping spree, $100 gift certificate for any daycare or agility service and a Morris K9 Campus gift basket valued at $50.
-Second Prize: Two Month Levels Pet Training Membership valued at $199.
-Third Prize: Amazon Kindle valued at $139.

Our first 50 guests will receive a Morris K9 Campus Goody Bag, so arrive early!! If you've never checked us out before, now is the time. We can't wait to spend the fall afternoon with you!

POOCH ETIQUETTE AND TIPS FOR SUMMER BARBECUES

The weekend is almost here! In the dog days of summer, every weekend either entails a trip to the beach or a summer barbecue gathering with friends and family. Cold glasses of lemonade, juicy burgers, and bowls of cole-slaw are enjoyed in the backyard. Nobody wants to miss these delectable warm summer get-togethers but when you have a fuzzy friend at home it can be hard to leave them alone. Here are some tips for deciding whether or not to bring your furball to the barbecue and what to keep in mind if you do.

To Bring or Not to Bring Fido

Determine how your dog acts with groups of people and crowds. If your dog is fearful or aggressive, you should leave your canine at home to guard the house while you are away. If your dog is a jumper or a barker they can cause party mishaps like spilled drinks and guests screaming to be heard above the yaps or howls of Fido. Furthermore, if your dog has a tendency to beg for food or even steal food out of people’s hands, a barbecue is the last place you want to bring your pal. With all that juicy meat around, it’s hard to resist!

Food to Stay Away From

If your darling dog does not have any of the attributes listed above and you already checked with the barbecue host about bringing your pooch, there are some small things to be aware of before affixing Fido’s bib and setting a place for him/her at the picnic table. Beware of the fruit salad if it contains grapes! Grapes are highly toxic to dogs even in small doses. They can cause vomiting and diarrhea and even kidney failure if a significant amount of grapes (or raisins) are ingested. Make sure that alcoholic beverages are not lying on the ground or the edges of picnic tables within easy reach of your curious canine. Any type of alcoholic beverage is potentially poisonous to pets. Other foods you should never let your canine ingest are chocolate, and onions which can be poisonous to dogs. Since the grill will be fired up and an abundance of meat will be around, protect the food from prying wet noses with mesh food tents that open up like an umbrella to fit over wide platters of food. Tell guests to keep food scrap feeding to a minimum so that your dog does not get sick from too much grub and indulgent food that he or she is not accustomed to eating on a regular basis.

Photo Courtesy of Florin Gorgan

Mind the Garden

Though Lilies are absolutely beautiful to look at, for dogs they are an unlikely threat. According to Stephanie Rogers from Mother Nature Network, “The peace lily, calla lily, amaryllis, lily of the valley, autumn crocus and the common houseplant, giant Dracaena or palm lily, are all deemed dangerous to dogs by the ASPCA. Ingestion of lilies can cause gastrointestinal upset, depression, loss of appetite and tremors.” Check with your host to see what plants and flowers they grow in their garden and around their property.

H20

If their is a pool, make sure there is always a lifeguard on duty to watch youngsters and water-loving dogs. Some dogs can be excellent swimmers but can have trouble finding their way out of the pool or may wear themselves out. Investing in doggie life jackets is always a safe and excellent idea. Also, make sure to bring a water bowl for your dog and keep your pup well hydrated.

Do you bring your dog to summer barbecues? What tips can you give us?

A Good Dose of Dog Loving

As a dog owner and subscriber to this blog, you probably know the benefits of social events for your dog. Socialization, mental stimulation and play, to name a few. But what you might not realize is how some of these events, which Morris K9 Campus holds on a regular basis, can improve your own life.

We hosted our first "Must Love Dogs Singles Mixer" last Thursday evening, just in time for Valentine's Day. About 40 singles and their dogs attended this fun and festive event, which included speed dating and refreshments (for both humans and canines), drawings, and "eligible" dogs from Noah's Ark Animal Welfare Center. Here's what attendees had to say about it:




The next time you check out our upcoming events, take a moment to ask yourself what, or who you might be missing.