Going Home: Carmenere

Happy Woof Wednesday! Before we put on our party hats to celebrate the new year, we want to check in on a charming little pup who found a home for the holidays.

Adopter and Berkeley Humane volunteer Moi shared an adorable picture and update with us:


thanks for the docs and check in. it was really hard to stop playing with her long enough to write this email. no new name yet, but we should have it narrowed down soon. she had the last of her meds yesterday and i think i heard the last of the kennel cough this morning. but will call up if i'm wrong. she's already learned to sit! we're getting her outside every couple hours and only a few accidents in the house so far. not bad for a wee one. she's been cozying up to the many beds she has around the house and even the crate we've decked out for her, but her favorite's the queen sized one that doubles as play area. she's a great pup and i hope we'll make her as happy as she does us.

here's a photo of her tuckered out from play-

Carmenere looks like one happy dog, Moi. Since she shares a name with a grape, we hope she ages like fine wine! Thank you for the update.


If searching for the perfect pet is on your list of resolutions, check out our adoptable dogs and cats!

Going Home: Emma

Welcome to a Christmas edition of Woof Wednesday! This week features Emma (formerly Kendra) who was a volunteer favorite here at Berkeley Humane! 

Emma charmed everyone with her sweetness and now has found a lovely home of her own with Jennifer R., who happens to be a hospital intern with Berkeley Humane. 

It looks like Emma has settled in quite nicely to her new home and is ready to celebrate the holidays! 

“Kendra is embracing the lazy Saturday of cuddles and Netflix.”

Thank you for the update, Jennifer!

You can check out our adoptable dogs here. Our shelter is closed on Friday, Dec. 25, but re-opens for adoptions Saturday and Sunday.

Fierce and Fragile: Big Cats...and...

This blog is about cats, mostly my cats, but on occasion about "cat news". I am a big fan of The Bruce Museum in Greenwich Connecticut and I just found out that they have organized a new exhibition called Fierce and Fragile: Big Cats in the Art of Robert Dallet that will start January 10 and run through March 13, 2016.  This exhibit will benefit Panthera.

Interestingly, Hermès, the Parisian luxury house, and Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, have joined forces as leaders in their fields to mount this first ever major exhibition of the works of the master French animal painter Robert Dallet on the tenth anniversary of his death. The exhibition is a celebration of the beauty and allure of big cats and a call to protect their wild populations for generations to come. The paintings have been selected from Hermès' own collection and from that of Dallet's son, Frederic.

The show will feature approximately 60 of the artist's paintings, drawings, and sketches, illustrating the eight big cat species: tiger, lion, leopard, cheetah, cougar, jaguar, snow leopard and clouded leopard. True to Dallet's passion as a wildlife naturalist, the exhibition offers an in-depth look at the science and biology of the big cats while examining the conservation challenges the animals face today. Offering a cross-disciplinary approach that brings together art, design, and science, this exhibition provides a visual framework for a powerful conservation message. The exhibition will launch at the Bruce Museum and is scheduled for an international tour throughout Europe and Asia in 2016 - 2017.

Thanks to a collaboration between the Bruce Museum and Hermès of Paris, general admission will be free from January 10 - March 13, 2016, during regular gallery hours. By waiving admissions, the Bruce and Hermès illustrate their commitment to the understanding and appreciation of art and science to a greater audience.

On another note, thankfully with all the holiday chores and entertaining, I am just delighted that my order of Royal Canin Persian Cat food arrived just in time from www.chewy.com , not only saving me time, but also money!  After dining on their dry food and the TastyToppers by Blue Buffalo, also conveniently shipped by www.chewy.com, my imported Tonikinese from Thailand and my two new himalayan kittens are taking a nap...I wish I could join them!

Introducing a dog into your cat-only household

"...dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!" - Dr. Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters

Did you know that that cats and dogs don’t have to know each other from kittenhood and puppyhood to be able to live together? It is definitely possible to successfully introduce an adult dog into a cat household, and even for the two to eventually become pals. So if you’re an animal lover with a cat already in your home, it is still possible for you to adopt or foster a dog! Here are some tips and tricks to help facilitate successful introductions. 

First, set up your cat for success! Before your bring a dog into your home, you can work on the following with your cat: 

• Place the litter box, cat food and water in a safe space, where the dog cannot access it.
• Create high, safe spaces in your home that your dog cannot reach. You can use tall cat trees or install fun shelving on the walls for your cat to climb. Ideally, your cat would be able to get from one end of a room to the other without having to touch the ground. This allows your cat to observe and get used to the presence of a dog without feeling like they are in danger. This also provides your kitty with much more space as well as an easy escape route if they become overwhelmed.
• Even dogs that can be great with cats will chase anything that runs away, so work on building confidence in your cat! This can be done by spending lots of time playing with your cat, in addition to providing lots of vertical space and escape routes. 

Second, take your time finding the right dog that is the right fit for your family!

• Ideally, you should select a dog that has had prior experience with cats. If this is not possible, it would be wise to choose one that has tested well with cats at the shelter. Although testing well with cats at the shelter doesn’t always translate to doing well with cats in the home, it can be a helpful indicator. 
• If you have a senior cat at home, it may be a good idea to look for a more mellow, lower energy dog that won’t play too rough. 
• Curiosity and chasing can be worked on, but if a dog is lunging aggressively towards cats and shows strong prey drive, it probably isn’t a good dog to bring into a home with your cat. 
• Rotate the animals in the house for a few days to get them used to each other's scent - keep them from seeing each other by keeping the cat in a room during the day, and allowing the dog the rest of the space. At night, keep the dog in a room, and give the cat free run of the house to explore the exciting new scents.
• It’s critical to work on very strong basic cues with your dog, such as “leave it” or “wait” and to develop a very solid recall, so that you can recall the dog if it gets too interested in the cat. Berkeley Humane offers all sorts of training classes that would be helpful, you can see a full list of classes here. 

Third, make sure the first introductions takes place in a calm, controlled environment. 

• During the first introduction, the dog should be leashed and under control. Its best that the introduction take place when both animals are calm, and in an area where the cat has vertical space to perch up high. 
• Give your dog plenty of treats and if it gets too focused on the cat, recall its attention. Do your best to ensure that both animals get used to being relaxed in the same space together. These leashed interactions should happen for several days without incident before you allow unleashed interactions. If you are away, make sure to keep the dog in an exercise pen, crate, or separate room where it cannot be alone with the cat. 

Fourth, move on to supervised unleashed interactions

• Once a week or more of leashed interactions go by with out any alarming occurrences, you are ready for supervised, unleashed interactions. 
• Keep a vigilant eye out for any signs of rising tension, and continue to treat the dog and keep the interactions calm and mellow. Do not hesitate separating the two again if you feel that they are not ready for this step. 

Finally, unsupervised interactions!

• After a month or more of supervised, off leash interactions go without incident, you may be able to start leaving the two alone together. Start with shorter periods of time, and work your way up. Of course, you are the best judge of your dog and cat. Keep an eye out on body language and warning signs, and don’t hesitate to start separating the two if you have any doubts. 

Signs to look out for: 

• Dog getting overly focused in on the cat. Break the focus by recalling and rewarding with treats. If recall doesn’t work, physically body block the cat from the dog to break focus. 
• Keep an eye out on your cat’s eating, drinking, and litter box habits. If these habits are not normal or don’t go back to normal after an adjustment period, your cat may be stressed.
• Be observant of body language and watch for aggression. This can go both ways - if your cat is continually acting out against a completely calm dog, and it is being properly exercised and has plenty of safe spaces to retreat, you may not have a dog-friendly cat. 

Though it may seem daunting at first, once you get started the process will feel somewhat intuitive. Introducing a dog into your feline family can be a wonderful, rewarding experience for everyone involved. 

If you’re interested in adopting a dog, check out our adoptable dogs here! For more information on volunteering as a foster, please visit our volunteer page. 

Going Home: Rocky

Happy Woof Wednesday, animal lovers! Or perhaps we should say, Happy "Worf" Wednesday, because this week we're celebrating the adoption of a winsome little pup called Worf, who is now rocking his new moniker "Rocky."

The dog formerly known as Worf.

Adopter Maria shared a cheerful update with us: sounds like Rocky is getting nice and comfortable in his new home! Says Maria: 

"[Worf] ended up being the perfect fur baby for me and I'm so happy I adopted him! His new name is Rocky and he's settling in really well! He is already potty trained and he doesn't do anything he's not supposed to. He's really sweet and friendly to all humans and dogs!" 

Rocky, cuddling champion.

She finished with this question:

I was wondering if you have any idea on his background? I know most of the dogs are usually strays, but I thought it didn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for the update, Maria! We thought many people might be curious about where Berkeley Humane's adoptable animals come from, so we decided to ask Sherry Liu, the Marketing and Individual Giving Manager, to shed some light on the subject. 

Q&A with Sherry:

Where do the animals at Berkeley Humane come from? 

We partner with municipal shelters across the entire East Bay, as far north as Martinez, as far south as Fremont, and we go to Stockton as well. Since municipal shelters generally provide animal control, and must accept any kind of surrenders, for any reason, at any time, our ability to intake our animals from them help alleviate their overcrowding.

How much do you know about the animals' histories before they make it to Berkeley Humane?

Some animals are surrendered to municipal shelters by their guardians, whereas other animals are strays found on public streets. The length of time an animal spends at a municipal shelter before coming into our care also varies. This means the amount of information passed on to the municipal shelter, as well as the information passed on by them to us, can vary widely. Often we learn more about the animals we intake through behavior assessments and medical examinations than we receive from the source shelter.

Does Berkeley Humane accept animals directly? 

We do not. Independent humane societies like us generally do not accept direct public surrenders.

What's the farthest away an animal has ever come?

Since the amount of information provided to us can be spotty, it’s difficult to say. However, it’s with regularity that we take in animals from Fremont and Stockton.

Any particularly memorable animal intake stories?

Plenty. However, it is often most gratifying when we’re able to take in an animal who has a medical need. They are often overlooked and the last ones to find loving homes, if it happens at all. Being able to provide medical care that shortens an animal’s stay in the shelter system from many months—sometimes years—to just a few weeks, and being able to help the animals who need it most means a lot to us.

Thank you, Sherry! Every year, Berkeley Humane helps hundreds of dogs to find loving new homes, and each has their own unique story. To read more heart-warming and tail-wagging happy endings, check back each Wednesday for a  new Going Home post. 

Adopted a pet from Berkeley Humane and have your own update to share? Whether it was last week or 5 years ago, we'd love to hear from you! Share your story and pet pictures on our Facebook page!

Tasty Toppers - A Perfect Holiday Treat for Cats!

I have two active and beautiful Thai Tonkinese cats, imported from Thailand that have just turned one. Tonks as they are affectionately called hail from Thailand and are known there as "Thong Daeng". The hallmark of this breed are their penetrating aqua or  jade green eyes and their lively personality -- they are people cats and best described as CODS - cats like dogs!  As you can see, Mocha loves to walk on his leash around my home in the Litchfield Hills.

Since it is the holiday season, I decided that "Santa" would come early this year with a healthy treat for my cats.  A new product by Blue Buffalo called Wilderness Tasty Toppers  caught my eye on chewy.com.  Best of all it's on sale!   There is even more savings if you use chewy.com's auto ship option, I do all the time and it works like a charm.  You are able to update the timing of when you need your items if necessary with the click of a button.  There is a real advantage if you  spend over $49 because the shipping is free and the products come within 2 days.  With all these plus's in mind,  I decided to order the Wilderness Toppers  from chewy.com and I am glad I did, so are my cats!

The Wilderness Tasty Toppers cat food comes in a easy foil pouch that keeps the chicken morsels fresh.  A big plus for me is that the pouches are easy to use and not messy...no rinsing out cans!  I was also impressed by the size of the chicken chunks (so were my cats!)  and the fact that the gravy is grain free and actually smells good!

I like the fact that Wilderness Tasty Toppers have no artificial colors, flavors or byproducts. Blue Buffalo is founded on the principles of using the finest natural ingredients that are combined with a special vitamin and antioxidant formula called LifeSource Bits.  I think this sets Blue Buffalo products apart from the rest of the pack.  I am also impressed that the company has a foundation for pet cancer research.

Blue Buffalo's Tasty Toppers were a big hit with my adult Tonkinese and my very fussy  Himalayan kittens that only ate pate until they tried the tasty topper chucks... it was a grand feast as well as a healthy special treat.

Now that Sabu, Mocha and Zivah are satiated with this fabulous new snack, it's time for their nap... of course!  As for Blue Buffalo's  Tasty Toppers, they were a hit with my cats and perfect for a holiday treat. To get your order of Wilderness Tasty Toppers by Blue Buffalo, go to www.chewy.com or call 1-800-67-CHEWY.


Because we like to be truthful and honest with all of our customers, we ask that bloggers who receive free samples and other goodies from us in exchange for a product review, acknowledge in any related comment or post that you received the product free of charge. We also ask that any non-opinion, factual claims you make about the product be truthful and consistent with the product information sheets provided to you or found on the manufacturer’s website. We encourage you to share your honest experience and opinion with your readers and we will never direct, alter or edit your content in any way
 

Cat Nutrition 101

Adopting a new cat or kitten is a very exciting thing to do for many families. It involves a lot of decision making. Will the cat be allowed in the bed? On the kitchen counter? What type of interactive cat toys will we buy? Are we using cardboard scratchers on the floor, or will we get a big cat tree, or both? And: what will the cat eat?

That last question can take a lot of time to answer. Information on the Internet varies widely, and separating the science from the marketing can sometimes be a real struggle. With that in mind, we decided to consult an expert: Berkeley Humane’s Medical Director Jena Valdez, DVM. She is a highly experienced veterinarian who worked at the San Francisco SPCA before coming to Berkeley Humane. She also renders her services to the Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) that provides free vet care in Native American communities and serves on the Veterinary Medical Advisory Board for Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) in San Francisco. She is a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and is very interested in the dietary needs of cats. She also has three wonderful pets: cats Simon and Mietze, and dog Oscar. 

The questions we asked of Dr. Valdez are intended to help cat owners figure out optimal nutrition for their feline family members. However, it is good to keep in mind that all cats are a little different. If your choice of food does not agree with your cat, please consult your veterinarian. In the mean time, settle in for some tasty morsels of high quality information:

Dr. Valdez with Mietze - Jen C Photography

There are three main types of cat food:

Dry food is convenient to give (i.e. can be left in an auto feeder), but it can be difficult to control portions and is typically higher in carbs than other types of food

Wet food is higher in protein and moisture content, but some people are turned off by the smell and some cats won’t eat food once it’s dried out. It can also be more expensive than dry food

Raw food is high in protein, but has potential for shedding Salmonella and other pathogens that can be passed to humans. This is why it is not recommended in households with immunocompromised people or children.  Because of these concerns both the American Veterinary Medical Association and the CDC recommend against feeding raw diets, and some pet insurance companies will not cover animals on raw food diets. 

Here’s a link to the AVMA’s statement. Some animals have benefitted from raw diets (specifically those with food allergies), but it is difficult to recommend these when other novel protein commercial diets exist and don’t pose the same health risks. 

Dr. Valdez with Simon - Jen C Photography

For a healthy juvenile or adult cat, I typically recommend canned food because it’s high in protein and high in water content. As obligate carnivores, meaning that cats have to eat meat, cats are metabolically built to process proteins better than carbs, and higher protein diets usually help with weight management. The increased water content in wet cat food can help maintain kidney and urinary tract health.

Cats form their preferences about food early in life, and those who weren’t exposed to wet food as kittens may not like wet food as an adult. For those cats, I would recommend a high protein dry food with strict portion control. 

Obesity is a major concern for cats, and in many cases, wet food can help with weight loss. Again, the high protein content fits well with their metabolism, and the increased water content can help keep them feeling full longer. There are also dry prescription diets that can help with weight management. Typically, portion control is the most important part of weight management, regardless of the type of food you use.

Cats can develop issues similar to human type 2 diabetics: their bodies produce a certain amount of insulin, and when their size/weight exceeds what their body can produce, they can become diabetic. There are other causes of diabetes as well (i.e. pancreatitis), but obesity is a major risk factor for cats. That is why weight management is important. Other conditions such as arthritis and respiratory disease all also exacerbated by obesity.

When buying cat food, it pays to take a good look at the label. Most labels include info about protein, carbs, fiber and calorie content. Analyzing these four factors can help a guardian evaluate the nutritional content of foods. Here is a link to the AAFCO website, which provides the requirements for all pet food labels. The ingredients on a cat food label are listed in order of their predominance by weight, so a food with chicken listed first would have more chicken than other products. 

Cat food labels will provide caloric content. For cats, most nutritionists recommend approximately 180-200 kcal for per day. These needs can change based upon activity and other health conditions, but this is generally a good starting point. Guardians should consult with their veterinarian about what is ideal for their cat.

If you want to determine if your cat is at a healthy weight, you can check their body score. There are two types of body condition scores, one is based on a scale of 1-9, and the other is 1-5. Either can be useful for assessing body condition. 

                                       

There are not necessarily ‘good’ or ‘bad’ ingredients in cat food. For guardians who are trying to use wet food for weight management, I typically recommend staying away from foods with lots of gravy or sauce – these are usually thickened with starches (carbs), and can change the nutritional profile of a food. Pates are usually a better fit for these cases

Most veterinary nutritionists agree that terms like 'grain-free', 'organic', 'human grade' and 'no by-products' are more likely related to public relations and marketing, rather than based upon true science. No definitive research has emerged yet about the efficacy of these types of diets

Meal feeding is recommended over free feeding, as portion control can be difficult with free feeding. Feeding your cat twice each day is ideal. If your cat remains hungry or gets hungry between meals, you can try the following: if you’re feeding wet food, you can add additional water to help them feel full longer. With dry food, you can consider using an auto feeder to provide a small portion of the daily food allowance in between the morning and evening feedings, or really early in the morning (for instance if they wake you up :) )

If your cat continues to chew on things, you could use puzzle feeders like the Tricky Treat (the kind that dispense food when rolled around). They can be a great enrichment option for cats. Cats typically aren't "chewers" like dogs, so continued chewing on inappropriate objects can sometimes indicate an underlying GI problem or boredom. Environmental enrichment is a better option than chew toys. I don't recommend bones for cats or dogs as they can splinter and get lodged in the esophagus or intestines. Cooked bones are more likely to splinter than raw bones. None of the veterinary dentists that I've consulted have been comfortable with rawhides for cats.

If you care about your cat’s dental health, wet food remains a good cat food option. Most veterinary dentists agree that cats' teeth are adapted for shearing meat off of bones, and aren't really designed for chewing - the theory that dry food helps keep teeth clean is mostly a myth. Most cats will swallow kibble in large chunks, rather than grind it down as dogs do. (If you have you ever seen cat puke, you'll notice that it often mostly formed kibble).  Genetics play more of a role in dental health than anything else. A lot of dentists do recommend canned food over dry because of the carbohydrate content - the sticky stuff that starts plaque is full of carbs, so high protein diets provide fewer building blocks for plaque. There are some dental products which have been shown to have some efficacy, and I usually direct clients to the VOHC website [link www.vohc.org] for a list of those products.

The other famous cat treat, milk, can actually cause diarrhea.

If your cat ever eats something that it shouldn’t, take him/her to a veterinarian immediately. There are no home remedies that are proven to effectively induce vomiting, and time can be of the essence when dealing with ingestion of toxins.

If you want to learn more, or get more in-depth information, this link has a ton of great info about nutrition. 

Dr. Valdez with Oscar the dog - Jen C Photography

Thank you so much, Dr. Valdez! You’ve given us all something to think about. Next time we find ourselves in the cat food aisle, we’ll know what to look for! We thank you on behalf of our cats and kittens.

Going Home: Mischa

Welcome back to Woof Wednesday, everyone! Today we are introducing a loving adopter/adoptee pair who cannot stand to leave each others' side for more than a moment.

Mischa used to be named Marianne Favro after a NBC newscaster as part of a Berkeley Humane and NBC collaboration (a partnership we are happy to say will return for 2016's Bark and Meow Around the Block celebration). Let's see how this special dog is doing with her new family!

 

"She is doing great! We are attached by the hip - today I had to leave her in her crate for 3 hours and it was the longest 3 hours of my life... She did great though. I left a Kong, a bone, and one of her favorite new stuffed animals, Possum, in the crate with her.

Now we are in the backyard and she is still working on her bone! I took her on a long run this morning and we were both exhausted after.

I left a message for a check up visit at the Montclair Veterinary Hospital today. I will also call tomorrow.

I am unable to take her to the basic obedience class on Thursday unfortunately because I work late those nights. Would you suggest I find a basic obedience class elsewhere that works better with my schedule? I would love to get her into training as soon as possible!"

 

Thank you, Maya, for sharing with us and providing so many toys for Mischa! This bundle of energy is definitely having the time of her life.

A check up is always a good idea to keep your dog healthy. As for basic obedience class, there are indeed other training classes outside of Berkeley Humane though we offer a tremendous range of classes. See our impressive list of training class options here or get in touch with our certified trainer to talk about other options!

Volunteer Appreciation: Linda J.

December is a very special month for many of us. It is the core of the western holiday season and it can inspire us to feel gratitude for the good things of the year. At the same time, we can look ahead and set up some resolutions for the new year that is to come.

This volunteer appreciation post has a bit of everything that makes December so special. Its core goal is to show our gratitude to one of Berkeley Humane’s most amazing volunteers. It also has wise words for those of us who rank ‘volunteering’ (with Berkeley Humane) under our New Year’s resolutions..

With that said, we would like to introduce you all to Linda J. who has provided the content for this post by being submitting to a Skype call at 8 AM.

Linda's 'foster failure', the charming Gracie.

Linda is an experienced and long-term volunteer who does… well... almost everything. It was graduate school that led her to the Bay Area, and she has been here ever since. Her loyalty to Berkeley Humane is as steadfast: for twenty years or more, she has adopted all her pets from us, including her current bunch: little Gracie the dog (a foster failure: our favorite kind of failure) and the feline brothers Lewis and Morse.

And then, four to five years ago, when Linda was still working in healthcare administration, she started volunteering for the old PAWS program, which worked with seniors and people with disabilities to help them keep their pets. Thereafter, she started coming in once a week for a shift as a canine volunteer. When the practice she worked with was taken over by a larger company, she decided the time had come to retire. Her employer’s loss proved our gain, because soon Linda started taking on other duties alongside her work with Berkeley Humane’s dogs.

The famous duo Morse (black) and Lewis (white).

Currently she leads orientation sessions for new volunteers in the adoption center twice a month. She helps our volunteer manager with administrative tasks and regularly represents Berkeley Humane at special events, such as multi-day adoption events and the famous Solano Stroll. More down-to-earth work like doing laundry, making runs to BACS with overflow supplies, she does with a smile.

Over the years, Linda has seen how Berkeley Humane continues to develop its policy for recruiting and retaining volunteers. She really enjoys the amount of trust she has won and how much freedom to do her chosen work she gets in return. She has also noticed a continuous effort to improve communication with volunteers and ongoing gratitude from Berkeley Humane’s staff. Across the organization, she feels supported – people really make volunteers feel like a vital part of the organization. These last two years Berkeley Humane even organized a Holiday Party for all volunteers, where Linda was surprised with an award for her years of service!

Linda (right) receiving an award from board member Tamara Stanley.

When asked what it takes to be a good volunteer at Berkeley Humane, Linda said: “If you want to do it, you have what it takes.” She mentioned the extreme flexibility offered, where you can volunteer in a two-hour shift once a week, or come in as much as you want. There are even people who make volunteering a family activity: a great way to teach your child the basics of animal care and compassion is to become a parent-child volunteer team. It helps, she says, to be a good team player, to be communicative and ask questions and to take initiative where needed, but the quality you most need, is to be reliable. In return, you will get a lot of gratitude and you can deepen your understanding of animal welfare in a wide variety of ways.

Linda herself says that she has definitely learned a lot: from training in animal handling to getting better at understanding animal behavior, but also the human side of things: how incredibly hard it is on the staff to make tough decisions about animals, and how much it hurts to surrender an adopted animal because of an incompatibility with existing pets. At the same time she says that volunteering at Berkeley Humane has cemented her belief that what pets really want is to be loved. She has also become convinced her that there really is a home for every pet: no matter how eccentric or special, once an animal finds his or her family, it is clear to see that they truly belong together.

With that resounding conclusion, we wrap up our interview with Linda, Berkeley Humane’s truly invaluable volunteer. 

Linda: we are so grateful for all the things you do for the animals in our care, for your fellow volunteers and the assistance you render to our staff. You are amazing! We hope that your wise words will inspire many new volunteers to join the cause of getting more and more animals into families. 

Do you, dear reader, want to know more about volunteering at Berkeley Humane? Look here for more information. We hope to see you at our volunteer orientation soon!

Have a very grumpy day with Grumpy Cat!

It's a star-struck Feline Friday as we welcome one of our favorite cat stars back to the Bay Area!

Berkeley Humane is no stranger to the strange charms of Grumpy Cat, as she was our guest of honor at our Mobile Adoption Center's ribbon cutting ceremony.

Grumpy Cat overseeing the MAC ribbon cutting ceremony.

For a whole day Berkeley became Grumpytown, USA. Hundreds of Grumpytowners joined us and had their pictures taken with Grumpy Cat. Check out event photos on our Facebook page.

Everyone had a horrible time.

If you missed that opportunity, get excited (or get grumpy) -- Grumpy's back! Grumpy Cat will be at Madame Tussauds San Francisco Tuesday, December 8 from noon to 1 to celebrate the unveiling of her very own likeness.

Not only is Grumpy Cat Madame Tussauds' first ever cat figure, but also their first animatronic figure in 100 years! (You can even pet it.)

"This is truly an honor," a distinctly unimpressed Grumpy Cat told Madame Tussauds. "I hate it."

All  those who adopted from Berkeley Humane during November got a chance to win front-of-the-line tickets to meet this frowniest of felines, and adopters in December get a pair of Madame Tussauds attraction tickets.

If you want your own chance, check out the Facebook event. You might note that tickets to the photo line have been snapped up, but don't get grumpy about it! Everyone is welcome to join the line. (If you were at Berkeley Humane's Grumpy Cat event, you'll remember that everyone in line, ticket or no ticket, left with a photo. She might try to hide it, but that cat loves her fans.)

Berkeley Humane will be there with the MAC that Grumpy helped to open. See you there!

(And don't forget to visit us Friday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm!)

Indoor Activities To Entertain Your Dog Through Winter!

Now that it’s colder, the days are shorter, and the weather is (hopefully) getting wetter, it isn’t always as easy to take your dog out for all the exercise and activity it needs. If you’ve got a very active or young dog, this can be a big challenge. We’ve rounded up some ideas to keep your dog exercised and entertained while you keep your sanity!

The Usual Suspects: Tug and keep-away are games most of you probably play with your dogs. These can easily take place indoors and provide an outlet for all that energy as long as you play safely!

New Tricks: Most people know that teaching your dog new tricks is a great way to keep them entertained while bonding with them. But, you can add a more physical aspect to trick training by teaching them tricks like balancing on their hind legs, climbing over a bench, crawling through some chairs, or my favorite: helping you clean up their toys! These tricks will do more to tire them out physically, and can add a lot to their repertoire. We frequently offer tricks and special skills classes right here at Berkeley Humane!

DIY Treat Puzzles: Mental exercise is just as important for our pups as physical exercise, and treat puzzles can get expensive. You can easily make these with cardboard boxes or plastic water bottles and some tape! You can make them as complicated or as simple as you like (by putting a box inside of a box, using packing tape instead of scotch tape, etc…). You can fill these with any sort of treat your dog enjoys.

Nosework/Scent Games: You can use your dog's powerful nose and desire for food to activate his brain and body to search around your home for treats. You can start by playing the “Which Hand” game, which essentially is just holding a treat in one hand and letting your dog figure out which hand is holding the treat. There are many resources online for getting started: here’s an example of what nosework can look like! This game can be more mental than physical, but mental stimulation is just as important for many dogs as physical exercise. At Berkeley Humane, our certified professional trainer offers real scent work classes! Check out our Introduction to Nosework and Introduction to Odor training classes.

Flirt Pole: These are essentially giant cat toys for dogs! You can order one of these online or make one yourself - just don’t use elastic for the rope part; it can snap back and really hurt. These work great to tire dogs out and you can replace the toy on the end over and over with whatever you want.

Hide and Go Seek: You can hide yourself somewhere in your house and once you release your dog from a wait cue, it will come find you! If your dog is having some trouble, it can help to have some tasty high value treats hidden away in your pocket to get them started. After about 20-30 minutes of this, my high-energy young cattle dog is usually content to gnaw on some bones and relax. You can also do this with your dogs favorite toys!

Stairway Games: This is an option for adult dogs with a lot of energy that have stopped growing and developing in their joints and bones. If you’ve got some stairs inside and your dog is in good enough shape, you can incorporate them into a lot of other indoor activities. Playing fetch on the stairs and teaching them tricks that involve going up and down stairs is a great way to tire our your pup! For the least impact on their joints and better safety, you should start at the bottom of the steps. Don’t rush your dog as they come down the steps, as this could cause a fall or injury.

Take a Class: We offer a variety of classes here that will pep up your skills and get that puppy working! From nose work and performance tricks, to rally obedience and leash manners, there truly is something for everyone! Check out a full list of all our classes at www.berkeleyhumane.org/_classes to winterize your dog.