In the words of famed naturalist John Muir, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” Mother Nature heals us all.
If you’ve ever had (or currently have) an ailment or impairment of the body, you know that the trouble may seem compounded by the restriction of movement. On the other hand, taking a walk in the woods clears the head and heart, looking at the ocean expands the mind and the lungs, playing with your friends in the out-of-doors seemingly adds years of longevity. When you can’t do these things you may feel shut-in, shut-down, depressed and sick, and it’s no different for the four-legged contingent.
We San Francisco Bay Area dog guardians – and our dogs – will be heading towards a lot of sickness if the Golden Gate National Recreation Area gets their way: GGNRA intends to cut the current off-leash areas by 90%, virtually eliminating coastal access to dogs. That means Crissy Field, Ft. Funston, Ft. Point, Pt. Reyes, and many other coastal parks will no longer be available for all area residents – unless we can successfully fight for shared space and permanently defeat the GGNRA’s latest proposals. See SFDOG’s Sally Stephens’ report on this critical issue, and get involved, before we’re doomed to city park over-crowding and lots of sickness.
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Health and happiness are invariably intertwined, for humans and canines alike. In this, our annual Canine Health and Wellness issue, we celebrate the health of our faithful companions and commune on ways to keep our pups in the pink.
Dr. Mike Barlia of PETS Referral Center in Berkeley shares his Life-Saving Tips for what to do in case of an emergency, Joni Kamlet gives us some great information about the benefit of supplements to the canine diet, and the good folks at Scout’s House offer some tips for choosing a canine rehab facility. For the “other kinds” of healing, you may be interested in Aimee Rancer’s article about Pet Psychics here (if you didn’t already feel the vibe).
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The monthly contributors to our humble rag are some of the best in their respective fields, and we’re lucky to have them write for us. Good Dog! is from Maureen Backman this month. She writes about fear and your dog. Ask Dr. Dog, from Dr. Erin Troy, explains why Pulsed Signal Therapy isn’t just hocus-pocus. Shelter Zone, from the Humane Society of the North Bay, touts the health benefits of walking dogs for a good cause.
This month, Kelly Gorman Dunbar’s regular column, The Monthly Woof, is about keeping your training sessions fun, for better results. And the one and only Mr. Smarty Pants, who is celebrating his 25th anniversary in print, has more nibblets for you to digest.
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Of course, everyone knows this is the month of All Hallows Eve, and our calendar is chock-full o’treats and places to take your hairy, costumed pal – check it out here. And speaking of special events, there are a few in particular that you don’t want to miss: SF/SPCA’s 145th Anniversary Carnival on Friday and Saturday, October 4-5, where live entertainment, food, cocktails (on Friday) and a pet costume contest will celebrate the great work they’ve done over more than a decade; Pet Food Express’ Bay Area Pet Fair at the Marin County Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, October 5-6, where literally hundreds of animals will be adopted and lots of fun will be had; and SF Animal Care and Control’s Pet Pride Day in Golden Gate Park, October 27. The Pet Pride Day program is inserted into this month’s issue – take a peek at what’s planned for their special 20th anniversary Pet Pride festivities.
Speaking of Pet Food Express, please see the article for more information about the Bay Area Pet Fair and the good work done by these great people.
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This month we say goodbye to managing editor Deborah Hirsch, who has decided to spend more time with her own four-footed pal, Demimonde, in her home town of Palm Springs. Deb was a great help to Bay Woof this past year and she’ll be missed. Read her farewell to Bay Woof readers at here.
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