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Back to School: What to Do With Your Pets?

summer dogIt’s back-to-school time, meaning busy schedules and cooler and shorter days as summer winds down—yet this is actually the hottest time of year for pet events across Long Island. Every weekend for the next eight to 10 weeks is packed with countless pet events already scheduled, and many other places scrambling to get their events up and running. In the past three and a half years of sending out the weekly Pet Events Newsletter, I can personally tell you that pet events are thriving beyond the local pet store.

Businesses that have nothing to do with the pet industry are throwing their hat into the ring and hosting their own pet events to draw in business to their locations. Several unique pet events coming up include Kent Animal Shelter’s (www.KentAnimalShelter.com) annual Wines & Canines at Martha Clara Vineyards. I mean, you’re helping the animal shelter, having a blast with your dog and drinking some wine afterwards? I am in! Another event, and very different than the rest, is A Journey Four Paws, in which Irene Rabinowitz and her dog Sydney will walk 70 miles over four days (Columbus Day weekend) to raise awareness and funds for a much-needed dog park in Selden and the Long Island chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. The journey will end in Montauk with a pet celebration and luncheon Monday, October 8, starting at 12:30 p.m. as Irene walks into town. Go to www.BarksnBubblesli.com and click on A Journey Four Paws to get involved!

Fall also brings us new pet businesses and new services from our local Long Island pet professionals. One of those professionals, Dr. Michel A. Selmer, of Advanced Animal Care Center (www.AdvancedCareForPets.com), is now offering supplementary holistic services, such as canine massage therapy, acupressure, exercise and canine rehabilitation. Deana Cappucci, a licensed veterinary technician (LVT) and new addition to the hospital staff, is a certified canine massage and rehabilitation practitioner. Says Dr. Selmer: “Deana will be providing these wonderful services in our newly designed 700-square foot addition to our hospital. Equipped with its own private entrance, our patients will be walking into a feng shui space designed for relaxation and tranquility for both the pet and their owner. We are thrilled to bring another holistic pet service, in addition to our many existing services, to our clients.”

In Home Pet Services, Inc. (IHPS), has a new location in Merrick to help families who might have gotten new pets this summer and need to get everyone back into a routine, including the family pet. IHPS of Merrick just opened their location September 3 and are already scheduling clients for dog walking, pet sitting and in-home pet boarding clients for the fall months. There are eight IHPS locations—to find an IHPS location near you, go to www.InHomePetServices.com.

While some pet owners view back to school as more time to spend with Buddy, not everyone takes advantage of available dog training classes. Doggie U K9 Academy offers to help keep Buddy’s training up to par with puppy kindergarten, obedience and rally, Sunday agility classes and more. In the rush of getting our two-legged kids back into their crazy busy schedules, we oftentimes leave Buddy out of the calculation. Consequently, a normally well-behaved dog can suddenly decide your shoes look very yummy. As the summer ends, all that activity your dog was accustomed to has now abruptly changed, so a dog-training or agility class will help your canine beat boredom, keep his mind active, and tire him out a little, too. For more information on Doggie U’s upcoming classes, call 631-968-7972 or go to www.DoggieUK9.com.

Nancy E. Hassel is the founder and president of Long Island Pet Professionals, LLC and the founder and editor-in-chief of www.LIPetPlace.com.