The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door
“Dear Dogs and Cats: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It i s not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years – canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat’s butt. I cannot stress this enough.”

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1) They live here. You don’t. (2) If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That’s why they call it ‘fur’-niture. (3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people. (4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don’t speak clearly.

Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they (1) eat less, (2) don’t ask for money all the time, (3) are easier to train, (4) normally come when called, (5) never ask to drive the car, (6) don’t hang out with drug-using people; (7) don’t smoke or drink, (8) don’t want to wear your clothes, (9) don’t have to buy the latest fashions, (10) don’t need a gazillion dollars for college and (11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children ..

What'cha got under that Kilt, Buddy?

The Park Pet Retreat was proud to be asked to Sponsor the “Sheepdog (kids) Obstacle Course” at the 2008 Stone Mountain Highland Games. This is the first year the Games have provided numerous activities for the ‘Wee Lads & Lassies’. The obstacle course was a huge success. It gave the kids a chance to “romp & run & have some fun”, and gave the adults a chance to exhaust themselves trying to keep up with them.

The Park has accepted their offer to host the Obstacle Course for years to come, and we look forward to seeing you and your Wee Ones there next year.

Running the "Hills & Valleys"

Crossing the Loch Ness with Ranger SunshineA pretty little Lassie named Carly

A brave young Lassie conquers the "Over & Under"

www.smhg.org

www.smhg.org/childrensgames.html

I am proud and happy to say that The Park Pet Retreat opened its gates (doors) to Pooch Parents and their Pooches on September 1, 2008.

We spent a long, hot summer renovating an automotive repair facility into the most beautiful doggie daycare I have ever seen. I would like to thank my project manager, Jeff Nobles, of Artisan Design Build , and his crew for all of their hard work and creative collaboration. It was hard on everyone working for 2 months in the stifling heat without air conditioning, but thankfully we all got along and had a great time bringing The Park to life.

Thanks also goes to Troy & Mitch of Southern Stainworks for their professional paint work and most artistic park mural on the back wall. They are ‘two wild & crazy guys’ who bring a lot of laughter to the job with them.

This was a new experience for all of us and brought us together as friends.

A special Thank You to Sharron Abercrombie for her loving artistry in The Park Store. It was a joy and amazement to watch her bring a blank wall to life.

I have never embarked on such a huge venture in my life, but I think it turned out pretty good. Thanks be to God for pointing me to this location, it is perfect. A loving Thank You to my son Sean, brother Mike, sis-n-law Susan, Ashleigh, and all my wonderful Friends for your love and support in this endeavor.

Thank You to The Park Rangers who have pitched in and helped to put the finishing touches on The Park Pet Retreat. They are a great bunch of people and Dog Lovers. It would not be The Park without them.

So, we are off to a good start and are looking forward to a long and successful relationship with all the Pooch Parents and Pooches here in Tucker and all places near and far.

Happy Tails to All,

Ranger Rita

The Park Pet Retreat provides ‘24/7 Cage-Free Attended Care’, which is a new concept in the Pet Care world. The 24-hour cage-free concept means that your Precious Pet will never be put into a kennel or cage. They will spend their days and evenings (if boarding) roaming freely in one of the 3 large pavilions we have at The Park. Our experienced and dedicated staff of Park Rangers will give them lots of TLC, and will keep them engaged in activities until they are ready to rest.

If your Pooch is boarding overnight with us, there will be a Park Ranger on duty throughout the night to ensure their safety and wellbeing. In the evening, we will serve dinner, have a little play time, and then take everyone outside for an evening stroll in The Meadow. As the hour grows late, we will turn down the lights, put out plenty of beds and turn on soft music. Then, just like at home, each Doggie will find their own spot to sleep through the night. Should we have any night-owls wandering around looking for playmates, the Ranger will be able to move them to another part of The Park until they get drowsy. Should your doggie prefer to sleep in their own crate we can certainly accommodate that arrangement.

The Park has a unique environment which is designed to give the feeling of being outdoors, as if in a shady, wooded park. Our use of natural, organic materials is very purposeful in its intent, which is to create a cool, calm, relaxing environment for our Park guests. The Park environment will give your Dog the benefit of visual and mental stimulation while, at the same time, making them feel relaxed and safe.

We have 3 large pavilions for our Park Pooches. Our Park guests are generally assigned to a pavilion based on their size and temperament. But we will constantly observe your Pal’s behavior and demeanor and will find the most comfortable play group for them to be a member of. Our large dogs will Romp in Live Oak Lane,our medium sized visitors will Run in Dogwood Acres , and our Petite Pooches will Have Some Fun in Peachtree Place. We also have 2 large outdoor areas, The Meadow and The Field, for our Park guests to enjoy fresh air & sunshine, and, of course, to take care of business.

A very unique and pleasing feature of The Park Pet Retreat is the Recycled Rubber Flooring we have installed in our pavilions. Most daycare and boarding facilities have concrete floors. But, dogs don’t typically live or sleep on cold, hard concrete, so why should they be subjected to that in a place where they will be spending a good bit of time. The Rubber Flooring offers a comfortable surface for our Park visitors with bad hips or arthritis, a soft surface for our rough-housers to play on, and helps calm the noise of our barkers. The flooring is made from recycled tires and virgin rubber, is vulcanized and non-porous. This means that we can easily clean and disinfect the floor, and not be worried about the occasional ‘accident’.

The Park Pet Retreat is happy to offer Respite Care for your beloved best friend who needs some extra TLC and attention for post-operative surgery or non-communicable illness care. Respite care is offered during the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Away from the other dogs, your dog is kept safe and quiet. Our dedicated respite care spaces provide comfortable dog beds, plenty of fresh water and close attention from our dedicated staff. Should the need arise, we will be in contact with your Veterinarian throughout the day, and will transport the patient to the Vet’s office if necessary.

PARK PERKS

The Park Pet Retreat is designed to serve not only the Pooches, but the Pooch Parents & Siblings too. Here are the Park Perks that all of you will enjoy:

• ParkCam will allow you to log on to The Park Pet Retreat website and watch your Pup romp & run & have a lot of fun with his or her Park Pals. We will offer a password protected connection for you and any others you wish to share your password with.
• ParkPix are daily candid shots of your pooches as they go about the business of romping, running, having fun – and, of course, napping. These pix will be available for you to download and print.
• Tucker Falls Spa at The Park is a deluxe self-serve bath station. We are happy to offer the Hydro Surge Rapid Bath Pet Bathing System for your convenience and your pet’s enjoyment. The Hydro Surge system gives your dog a professional quality bath in just a few minutes! No hand scrubbing or pre-wetting! Massaging action spray that dogs love! Great for your dog’s skin and coat! Rotating head directs spray for hard-to-reach areas. A slide switch quickly selects between wash and rinse settings. Shampoo, towels and dryers will be provided or you are welcome to bring your own. We even have stairsteps to make it easy for your bigger babies to get up to the tub.
• Professional Grooming will be provided by a trained, experienced groomer and will be available by appointment.
• Park Ponderings you will have the option of subscribing to our bi-weekly offering of information, news, and humor.
• Park Parties will happily be arranged to celebrate your Pets birthday or other special occasion.
• The Park Store will make You and Your Pooch happy as you browse through our selection of Toys, Treats, Apparel, and other pet paraphenalia including Lupine collars and leashes. We are proud to carry Orijen Dog Food. Orijen is high-protein, low-carbohydrate and grain-free with ingredients in a Biologically Appropriate ratio of 70 percent meat, 30 percent fruit and vegetables and zero grain (70/30/0). Read more about Orijen at:http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/documents/ORIJEN_White_paper.pdf
• The Park Atmosphere is maintained at a comfortable temperature and humidity level by our brand new air conditioning and heating system, which is supplemented by an Ultravation Germicidal UV Air Treatment system with Photocatalytic Odor Reduction (in other words air purification & odor control).