We hope to see you and your pup!

Schedule:
NIGHT 1:
Monday, February 13
Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups
8-9 p.m. (ET) live on USA Network
9-11 p.m. (ET) live on CNBC

NIGHT 2:
Tuesday, February 14
Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups, Best In Show
8-11 p.m. (ET) live on USA Network

Fun Facts:

• The Westminster Kennel Club was established in 1877, making it America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs.
• First held in 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is America’s second-longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby..
• Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series.
• Since Westminster held its first show 133 years ago, there have been 25 men elected president and 12 states have joined the Union. The dog show has outlasted three previous versions of Madison Square Garden, and is currently being staged in MSG IV.
• The first telecast of Westminster was in 1948, three years before “I Love Lucy” premiered.
• In 2005, streaming video with same day coverage of breed judging highlights was made available for the first time on the Westminster web site (www.westminsterkennelclub.org). It was an immediate and huge hit.
• A portion of the proceeds from Westminster’s first show in 1877 was donated to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to establish a home for stray and disabled animals.
• The Empire State Building first honored Westminster by lighting its tower in the Westminster colors of purple and gold in 2004 and will do so again in 2012.
• There have been a total of 301,650 dogs entered in Westminster’s 134 shows through 2011
• Through the 2011 show, there have been 1,705 judges who have officiated at least once at Westminster, some as many as 23 times, at Westminster.
• Two dogs have won Best In Show at both Westminster and Crufts in Birmingham, England, each of them winning at the English show before coming to the America: the Lakeland Terrier, Ch. Stingray of Derryabah (Crufts 1967, WKC 1968) and the Kerry Blue Terrier, Ch. Torums Scarf Michael (Crufts 2000, WKC 2003).
• Only one time has the offspring of a Best In Show winner duplicated the feat. In 2000, the English Springer Spaniel Ch. Salilyn N’ Erin’s Shameless repeated the 1993 BIS accomplishment of her sire, Ch. Salilyn’s Condor.
• Two Best In Show winners, Norwich Terriers, had the same sire: 1994′s Ch. Chidley’s Willum the Conqueror and 1998′s Ch. Fairewood Frolic were offspring (half brother/sister) of Ch. Royal Rock Don of Chidley
• The Papillon, Ch. Loteki Supernatural Being (“Kirby”), is the only dog to capture Best In Show at the World Dog Show (1998 in Helsinki) and Best In Show at Westminster (1999).
• In 2009, Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee, a Sussex Spaniel, became the oldest dog to capture Best In Show at 10 years, 2 months and 9 days of age in 2009. The youngest winner was the Rough Collie, Laund Loyalty of Bellhaven, who captured the award in 1929 at the age of exactly 9 months.
• Westminster was established in 1877, pre-dating the founding of the governing body of the sport, the American Kennel Club, which was established in 1884.
• In 1884, The Westminster Kennel Club became the first member of the American Kennel Club.

WHAT: GRAND OPENING  PAWRTY:GROOMING BY KENNELWOOD @ THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF MISSOURI ON MACKLIND

DATE: February 11th

TIME: 9am-4pm

WHERE: Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110

PARTY DETAILS: Pet pampering, prizes and treats will all be part of the grand opening celebration of the new Grooming by Kennelwood facility at the Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 on Saturday, February 11 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The new facility offers pets the chance to get groomed while giving back, as a portion of the proceeds goes to the Humane Society of Missouri to help care for shelter animals. Grand opening festivities are free and open to the public.  Activities include free pet nail trims with a donation to the Humane Society, facility tours, grooming demonstrations, refreshments, raffles and more. All people adopting pets from the Humane Society of Missouri during grand opening weekend (Feb. 10 – 13) will receive an all-inclusive bath or groom for their new pet for the exclusive price of only $35 (valid through March; excluding SHED-X^® Treatments).  Persons who adopt a dog, one year or older and larger than 35 lbs., will receive a $50 savings on the adoption fee. Contact information for general public information: 314.802.5735 or visit www.kennelwood.com and www.hsmo.org.

We hope to see you and your pooch soon!

Recently, a very handsome black Labrador visited one of our locations as he usually does for grooming.  As he and his mom approached grooming check-in, the grooming manager noticed that this pup did not seem like his usual self.  She also noticed after taking a closer look that he had an unusual tightness in his belly and that his belly seemed to be swollen.  After the grooming manager and the facility manager reviewed the pups condition, they both recommended that he be taken directly to his veterinarian.

This four-legged buddy was seen by his veterinarian and was diagnosed with stomach cancer.  The tightness and what felt like swelling was a tumor that had developed in the pups belly.  This story is a very sad, but an important one to share because bringing your pup to Kennelwood for any service gets your pet in front of pet experts who often times know your pet, may notice odd behavior or something unusual that could ultimately save your pet’s life.

Keep a leash on your new pet.  Your new pet has not bonded to you yet, so do not trust your new rescue pet off leash outside.  Even in a fenced yard, some pets get scared and confused when let outside to potty.  If you keep a leash on your new pet for a few days, your pet can easily be lead by you.

Don’t leave your pet unattended.  It is best to stay with your pet while he or she is outside in the yard, even in a fenced yard, till he learns he is safe and feels comfortable.  Your new pet will appreciate your company and patience.

Plan to spend some time at home until your new pet gets used to the surroundings. For best results, take some time off, or plan adopting your pet on the weekend or at a time when you will be able to stay home for a few days and nights.

Buy identification early.  When you bring your pet home from the adoption event or breeder’s home, you will be busy with other responsibilities.  Before you bring your new pet home, buy id tags that have your name, address and phone number printed on them.  That way, if you get to the adoption event or breeder’s and fall in love with another pet, or your pick has already been taken home, you are still prepared.

Block the get away!  Many pets run out an open door.  Teach your pet to wait at open doors or make sure to block their getaway.

Keep on schedule.  Find out the pet’s daily schedule and stick to it as much as possible.  Once your new pet gets settled in, you can slowly change the daily routine to fit yours.  But until the new pet is comfortable and shows no sign of confusion, keep everything as much to what he is used to.

If you already have a pet at home, keep both pets leashed.  It is easier to let them drag their leashes till you know both pets get along and are safe to be around each other.  If the pets do not get along, you have a leash to separate them.

Keep it intimate.  Your new pup has plenty of time to meet all your friends, neighbors, relatives and their pets.  Let your pet adjust to your lifestyle, your home and you before getting out to events, parties and outings and having invited friends over.

Spay, neuter and microchip!  Spaying a female and neutering a male helps keep them from wandering.  If your pet does get out, microchipping will help them get home as well as it also proves your ownership.

Bella was found by a good Samaritan! She was taken to a shelter that knew about her from Kennelwood’s MIMI ALERT. The shelter workers scanned Bella. They found the information they were looking for by waving a scanner over her withers (shoulders). Bella was one of the lucky ones. Her parents armed her with all of the tools to make it back home safe and sound! Bella was wearing a collar with current and readable ID tags and she was microchipped. If Bella had lost her collar, in this case, she still would have found her way home.

A microchip is a rice-sized computer chip that is programmed with a unique number. The tiny chip is injected under your pet’s skin. You then register your contact information with the database specific to the chip’s manufacturer. If your pet goes missing and is found by someone, a veterinarian or a shelter worker can scan your pet and retrieve all the information they need to reunite you with your beloved pet.

Birds, cats, dogs, horses and reptiles can be microchipped. Microchipping is permanent proof of ownership and is vital in recovering a lost or stolen pet. Your veterinarian, a vet tech or even an experienced member of an animal rescue facility can “chip” your pet.

We hope your pet never goes missing or is stolen but if this happens, please make sure your pet is armed with all the resources to get back home to you. Below is a list of information that we hope is helpful. If you have any questions, please call Patty the Pet Matchmaker at 314-446-1011 or send an email to petmatchmaker@kennelwood.com.

http://www.avidid.com/

http://public.homeagain.com/

http://www.kennelwood.com/pet-matchmaker/missing-pet-resources/

Grooming by Kennelwood will open its doors on January 9th and will offer pet grooming services.  The innovative agreement with the HSMO brings Kennelwood to the HSMO City headquarters.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer this new service, which will help maintain the health and well-being of area pets,” said Kathy Warnick, president of the Humane Society of Missouri. “Kennelwood is a good friend to the Humane Society. This new partnership is a win for us, them and, especially for the animals who will look and feel so great.”

“I admire the incredible work of the Humane Society on behalf of the animals and I am excited to have Kennelwood Pet Resorts involved directly on a daily basis in supporting these efforts” says Kennelwood’s President, Alan Jones.

DON’T MISS OUR GRAND OPENING EVENT AT THE HSMO ON MACKLIND AVENUE ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11th!

Puppies are AKC registered, parents under 10 lbs. Certificate for 1st Vet visit free, 20% off 1st Vaccine, $80 Spay/Neuter.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     

St. Peters, MO – (December 16, 2011) – Today, Saint Charles County Ambulance District paramedics will become some of the best-equipped in the nation to save a pet’s life. That’s because Invisible Fence^® of St. Louis is donating a total of thirty-five pet oxygen mask kits to the organization.

This donation is just a small part of Invisible Fence^® Brand’s Project Breathe™, which was established with the goal of equipping every fire station in America and Canada with pet oxygen masks. These masks allow firefighters to give oxygen to pets who are suffering from smoke inhalation when they are rescued from fires. The masks often save pets’ lives. The donation comes just in time for the holiday season, where the risk of fire can be high due to increased use of candles, electric lights, and more.

Invisible Fence^® Brand has donated a total of more than 10,000 pet oxygen masks to first responders all over the U.S. and Canada throughout the life of the program. A reported 50+ pets have been saved by the donated masks so far, including two pets saved on April 1 in Willoughby, Ohio.

“When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down,” said Sarah Drew Rouse, of Invisible Fence^® of St. Louis. “Pets are valued family members, so we want families to know that their pet can be cared for if tragedy strikes.”

“We realize that humans are the first-priority, but in many cases, pets can be saved if first responders have the right equipment,” said Rouse. “Project Breathe is simply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary to save pets’ lives.”

Saint Charles County is now joining the ranks of Chicago, Cleveland and Memphis, who have all received donated pet oxygen masks from Project Breathe™.

“Thank God they had the masks. They (the dogs) are just like family. I don’t know what I’d do without them. Things can be replaced. Lives can’t, whether they’re animals or people.” Said a pet owner whose dogs were recently rescued using donated masks.

Although the number of pets that die in fires in not an official statistic kept by the U.S. Fire Administration, industry web sites and sources have cited an estimated 40,000 to 150,000 pets die in fires each year, most succumbing to smoke inhalation. In most states, emergency responders are unequipped to deal with the crisis. The loss is terrible for the family, heart wrenching for first responders.

“These masks truly are blessings for Saint Charles County” said Marty Limpert, Saint Charles County Ambulance District. “We’ve seen residents run back into burning homes to save a pet. It’s understandable, but extremely dangerous. These masks will give residents comfort in knowing that we can save their pets if they are suffering from smoke inhalation.”

The company has set up a website, www.invisiblefence.com/O2, where people or companies can support the effort.