Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 6, 2014

8

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 6, 2014


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND??

A FEW BASIC STEPS 

FOR HOUSE-TRAINING 
YOUR PET

Looking For A Best Friend?? Squirt 
is a 6 ½ pound terrier mix estimated 
to be about 6 months old. He is an 
adorable buff colored puppy with a 
charming underbite that only gives 
him more charm.

 Squirt has a friendly, happy 
personality, and loves people. He 
is very affectionate and will settle 
in a lap for some cuddling before 
going off in search of adventures 
and playtime. He has a lot of puppy 
energy and likes to keep moving.

 Squirt enjoys going for walks. He 
is still very young and hasn’t had 
much leash training, but he is a fast 
learner, and catches on quickly. He would benefit 
from some training to help channel his energy in 
the right direction. 

Squirt has a curious nature and a healthy interest 
exploring the world around him. 

 Squirt and his kennel mate spend most of the 
day romping and playing together. He loves to play 
with toys as well as with other dogs. He seems to 
get along with all the other dogs he has met at the 
shelter as well.

 Squirt would love to be part of an active family 
who can give him the love, attention and exercise 
he needs. He would do best in a 
home with a yard with space to run 
and play, as well as a family who 
will take him on daily walks. He 
would enjoy having another dog as 
a companion and playmate.

 Come in to meet Squirt to see if he 
would fit into your family. He is sure 
to put a smile on your face when you 
see him in action.

 He currently resides at the San 
Gabriel Valley Humane Society 
located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in 
San Gabriel with his roommate. We 
are located off San Gabriel Blvd., 
north of Mission and south of Las 
Tunas. 

 To arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’ with Squirt, 
please stop by any time from 10:00am to 4:30pm 
Tuesday thru Sunday. 

 His adoption fee is $120 which includes his 
neuter surgery, a microchip, first vaccinations 
and a free wellness check-up at a participating 
veterinarian. Feel free to call us at (626) 286-1159 
for more information on Squirt. . 

 

See our website at www.sgvhumane.org for 
information and photos of all our wonderful pets. 

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc


Pet ownership is on the rise these days, and 
regardless of what “kind” of dog you choose 
to adopt, one thing all new pet owners have in 
common is the need to start off on the right paw 
when it comes to house-training. This necessary 
task doesn’t have to be as daunting as it sounds, if 
you set some boundaries and establish a consistent 
schedule from the start.

 Below are a few simple pointers that I hope 
will help you and your new pup work through 
the ins and outs of basic house training. These 
tips are meant to be helpful in establishing a 
sense of structure with your new addition to the 
household. It is by no means a complete list of what 
can be done to train your dog to go out doors, and 
you shouldn’t assume that each of these tips will 
indeed work in your particular situation.

 The concept of pad training is relatively new 
to me, and there is apparently a wide range of 
opinions among trainers, as to whether one should 
use the pee-pad during the puppy‘s initial house 
training experience. Many say it was the best thing 
that ever happened, while others say it became 
somewhat of a crutch. My advice is that you use 
common sense and try to understand what is 
going on in the mind of your dog, as I believe that 
is key to any bonding or training experience you 
will share with your four-legged furry friend.

 Timing is everything - Puppies do best on a 
regular schedule. Lead your puppies to the pad 
frequently, as they will need to relieve themselves 
at least six times a day. Follow the same path to the 
pad every time. The process will require your full 
attention for a few weeks, but the effort you put 
into it now will last for the rest of your pet’s life.

 Dine and dash - If you establish set mealtimes, 
your pets will need to relieve themselves on 
schedule as well. Keep tabs on when your dog 
relieves himself during training. Use that timing 
to get your dog accustomed to going outside or 
using the training pads.

 Relaxation room - Dogs like their own den, and 
a proper-sized crate for your dog is all the space it 
needs for downtime. Have your dog or puppy sleep 
in the crate at night and when you 
are not home during training.

 Separate spaces - Set up the 
training pad in a special area away 
from the crate and food. Consider 
using special trays designed to hold 
training pads to keep the pad in 
place and deter dogs from playing 
with the training pads.

 Treat time - Use the same treat 
every time your pet does the right 
thing during house-training for 
positive reinforcement. Rubbing its 
nose in its feces may make matters 
worse and could cause your dog to 
hide when it’s time to go.

 Go green - Consider environmentally friendly 
training pads such as Eco-Care Training Pads 
made by Simple Solution. They are made from 85 
percent recycled material, saving landfills from 
over 400 tons of waste every year. While reducing 
landfill waste, they also maximize absorption, 
holding two times more liquid than leading pad 
brands and using polymer technology to convert 
liquid to gel, locking in moisture and preventing 
leaks. The pads are designed with odor neutralizers 
to eliminate tough urine odors and can be used 
with litter box mats, as a dog crate liner, as car seat 
covers and to clean up messy spills. Today, more 
owners use potty pad training when they have 
limited outdoor areas. For more information, visit 
www.simplesolution.com. There are several other 
pad manufacturers that now offer eco-friendly 
products, so you will want to take the time to find 
the right product for you and your pup.

 Training assistance - Many pet owners find it 
helpful to include some basic behavioral training 
concurrent with puppy house training, to promote 
a stronger sense of structure and communication 
with the dog. Thankfully, there are a lot of good 
trainers available in the Pasadena/Sierra Madre 
area. Some dog trainers even make house calls, 
which adds the cutting edge advantage of one-
on-one attention in the convenience of your own 
home. 

 The Pasadena Humane Society offers a variety 
of evening and weekend training courses at 
their facility on Raymond Avenue. The certified 
instructors at PHS are qualified to train dog and 
master as a unit. Owners are then able to take what 
they learn with them and continue to use the same 
techniques at home. For more information about 
training classes at Pasadena Humane Society, visit 
www.phsspca.org or call 626-792-7151.

 Whichever route you choose to take and 
whatever technique you choose to apply in training 
your puppy or your dog, for the best results it is 
very important to be consistent in your routine. 
Also, when it comes to your use of commands and 
rewards, limit your vocabulary to only a few, single 
syllable terms, and strive to offer lots of petting and 
verbal praise as a reward, in lieu of snacks or treats. 
If you start early enough (in my opinion it’s never 
too early to start training) you will be doing your 
pet a big favor by teaching him to want to please 
you simply for the praise rather than for food or 
treats. Remember, a healthy, well- trained & well-
loved dog is a happy dog!


DogWalking & Sitting ServicesSierraMadre, Californiawww.canyoncanine.comchris@canyoncanine.comChris LeclercCanyonCanine626-355-8333 626-533-9536CCConCaCanyonCanineCanineeeieCCChris LeclercChris Leclercae,
chris@canyoncanine.com.canyoncanine.comwwwnCaSierraMadrare, CaliforCaalking&SonDogWWalking & Sitting ServicesonCa626-355-8333 62onCayeclercinnia6-533-95362eclerccanine.comanine.comani,CaliforirnanineSittingServiceseaninee
DON’T BE IN A HURRY TO GROW OLD

It is often said that the 
eyes are the window 
to the soul but your 
face is a window to 
how healthy you have 
lived. Premature 
aging makes us look 
tired, older than we 
are and less vital. 
Think about it, don’t 
you love being around 
people who make 
you happy, who get 
excited about life? 
They seem fresh and 
energetic. 

 We are all going 
to age and look older. 
After all, the opposite 
of aging is death and most of us are not in a hurry 
for that to happen. There are a lot of thing we 
can do to prevent premature aging. Our diet and 
lifestyle pay a huge role in how fast our face ages.

 Here are 5 things you can do to prevent 
premature aging of you face.

 - Don’t smoke, quit smoking and stay away from 
those who do smoke. There is probably nothing 
that ages the face faster than smoking. The 
nicotine causes narrowing of the blood vessels in 
the outermost layers of your skin impairing blood 
flow to your skin. This causes your skin to get less 
oxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin 
A and C. The chemicals in cigarette smoke also 
damage collagen and elastin, which will cause 
the skin to sag and wrinkle. This happens from 
second hand smoke too. 

 - A poor diet will contribute to premature facial 
aging. We need to take in antioxidants from the 
foods we eat, namely fruits and vegetables. It is 
important to eat a wide and colorful variety of 
fruits and vegetables.

 - Avoid excess sun, mainly between the hours 
of 10 and 2 but don’t avoid the sun all together. 
Protecting your face from sun is fine but we need 
to have some sun exposure to unprotected skin 
on a regular basis so that our bodies can make 
Vitamin D which will aid in keeping us youthful. 

 - Avoid harsh elements. It is a good idea to 
protect the delicate skin on your face from extreme 
cold and wind. Both wind and cold will zap the 
moisture out of your skin.

 - Keep your body well hydrated with water. Our 
bodies are roughly 70% water and when we are 
dehydrated our skin suffers quickly. 

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES


Dr. Tina is a traditional 
naturopath and nutritionist 
at Vibrant Living 
Wellness Center

THE JOY OF YOGA

YOGA AT WORK


The workplace 
can be a stressful 
place, even if 
we love our job. 
The thought of 
Monday morning 
can bring utter 
dread for some. We wish the weekend were just 
one day longer. Ha! Well, what can we do to 
lessen the stress we feel at work? Yoga, of course! 
It’s possible to inject a little fun and relief during 
those stressful workdays. Taking time out for 
a brief practice can bring clarity and increased 
productivity to our workday.

 Here are a few poses and breathing practices to 
get you started:

 1. Breathe: Take 10 deep breaths at the top of 
each hour. It’s sounds silly, but in yoga, we learn 
how to breathe. Inhale and exhale through the 
nose, evening out the length of inhale and exhale. 
Inhale all the way down to the belly, and let the 
belly decompress upon exhale.

 2. Shoulder Rolls: Resting comfortably in your 
chair, squeeze your shoulders as close to your 
ears as possible, then roll the shoulders down the 
back and away from your ears. Continue to make 
a circular motion with the shoulders, forward, 
then back down and away.

 3. Dynamic Standing: Stand up, feet together 
or hip distance. Inhale, lift arms in line with the 
ears, exhale, and lower arms by the sides. Repeat 
6-8 times. Stand like a tall (like a mountain) 
afterwards.

 4. Forward Bend: From a standing position, 
place your hands on your hips, flex your knees, 
and upon exhale, fold over, laying the belly 
toward the thighs. It’s so important to keep your 
knees bent to avoid strain on he lower back. Stay 
in the forward bend for 6-8 complete breaths.

 5. Hip Opening: Come to sit in a chair and 
place your feet hip distance on the ground. Cross 
your right ankle on top of the left thigh (towards 
the knee). Make sure to flex the foot that crossed 
over. Sit up tall, and lengthen the spine. Sit for 
about 6-8 breaths and switch sides.

 The practice above will help to break up 
tightness accumulated from sitting for a long 
period of time. Someone doing a job that requires 
physical labor would benefit from this practice as 
well. Always use common sense when trying any 
yoga practice outside of the guidance of a trained 
instructor and listen to your body! All five steps 
can be done in order, or you can just take one 
of them. Just breathing with full conscious 
attention will change the course of the day for 
the better. Enjoy!

 

 Namaste, and see you after work at Yoga 
Madre!

Keely Totten


We are a mystery, even to ourselves sometimes. 
It’s because we are constantly unfolding. Evolving. 
When I was young, I imagined being “grown up” 
so differently. I thought once I hit a certain age, 
I’d be “there.” I’d know with certainly who I was, 
what I was here to do, and I’d be doing it. 

 Clearly, it didn’t work like that for me. And it 
probably didn’t for you either. I never woke up to 
“the answers.” At 52, I’m still forming, deciding, 
discovering. Every choice brings me to a new 
understanding of myself and my path. If I remove 
the judgment of “right” or “wrong,” it’s simply a 
journey. My journey. 

 So many of us think we’ve done something 
wrong, if we are not in that perfect life we 
imagined. We blame ourselves for wrong 
decisions and wish we could go back. But what 
if there were no mistakes. We certainly can’t go 
back and change anything. What if we’re right 
where we’re supposed to be. Imagine it for a 
second. If we weren’t fighting the past, we would 
be available to create anything today. 

 Hmmm. So, what do you want to create? What 
needs to change? Listen closely. Follow your 
spirit. Because what you need has always been 
right there. 

. . . . .

LORI KOOP : Helping women create financial 
independence doing what they love. Schedule a 
complimentary session: www.LORIKOOP.com 
or call 626-836-1667. I’m here writing every other 
week. (Location: 47 E. Montecito Avenue, Sierra 
Madre)