From the Chairman

I want to thank all of our volunteers who participated in all the recent adoption shows. We have adopted out several dogs in the first couple of weeks of January. However, we have been overwhelmed with so many calls asking for our help in taking additional dogs on that we have had to finally shut the doors and say "no more". We are full. Very very full. As most of you know, this is extremely hard for me to do.

Unfortunately, this is not a good time. Most of you know that April 1st is the deadline date that the neighbor gave one of our primary fosters to "get the dog population down". Therefore, during this very difficult time, please contact us through our web site, and we will strive to suggest other alternatives for dog placements.

Our primary foster has finally been given the green light to use the vacant land behind her home. This means she has been given the go-ahead to remove the dead trees, leaves, shrubs etc so that a fence can be installed. But to do this, she will need some help.

Does anybody know of someone that removes this kind of mess from land? It will be costly if we just go to the Yellow Pages and get a stranger to do the job.

Our foster will also need a surveyor. Does anybody know of someone who does this kind of work? Last, but not least, she will need fencing.

There is also a need for vinyl flooring to put in the basement area so that an organized place can be made just for the dogs.

Without these things happening and in the very near future, I am afraid that the number of dogs we can save will become few.

Please take a moment to think about all the above needs and if you have ideas, please let us know.

Thank you.

Debbie Reitz,
Chairman, OBG, Inc.

What Fostering is All About

Oldies But Goodies Cocker Rescue, Inc. (OBG) desperately needs volunteers to foster rescued cockers in the Washington DC metro area.

As we become better known in the mid Atlantic region, more people turn to us as an alternative to shelters, and more shelters call us when a dog's time is up. But, in order to save the lives of dogs who have been cast off by previous owners, and to allow perfectly good cockers to live out their full lives, we need more help.

We need more foster volunteers

OBG, Inc. strives to re-socialize abandoned cockers by placing them in a loving home environment while attempting to find the dog a permanent home We do not cage our rescued dogs, nor do we kennel them.

This is quite different from what most shelters provide when a dog is taken in off the streets Most shelters cage the dogs and hop somebody comes to adopt OBG believes the caged shelter approach only compounds the fears and disruptive forces that the cocker might already have undergone by being abandoned by his/her original owner.

Instead, OBG foster volunteers open their own homes to rescued cockers.

This process is not easy. Working to re-socialize an abused dog is not for every one! It exposes a whole family including your other pets, to an unknown animal that, due to its previous situation, might pose real challenges to your normal family life.

Over a 1-4 month period, a fostered cocker regains its trust and confidence in people. Each foster learns more about the positive and, yes, even negative, traits of a particular dog so that when it does come time to adopt the dog to another family, the prospective adopter has a better idea of this dog's personality.

This rescue technique saved more than one hundred cocker spaniels in 1998, and even more in 1999.

There is joy when a rescued cocker finds a new home, but the foster volunteer also experiences a sense of loss.

continued inside

What Fostering Is All About

continued from page 1

Simply put, fostering means commitment to an animal that one day will leave your home to go° to another family. But because of your efforts as a foster' the dog will have a new life at a good, loving, permanent home.

What does a foster volunteer do?

A foster keeps the rescued dog in his or her home for a temporary period, generally 1 week to 4 months, and cares for it as if it were your own. The rescued dog is bathed, groomed, fed, given medical attention as necessary, and, most importantly, played with and given the love and attention that it may never have experienced before

When the foster volunteer and Debbie Reitz, our cocker rescue leader, agree that the dog is adoptable, the cocker is brought to our adoption shows and is also advertised on our rescue website.

And here's the good news: for each foster that you keep, OBG provides you with free dog food and pays all medical costs of the rescued cocker, if needed.

What's in it for you? Certainly, commitment and dedication are needed to save a rescued dog's life, but there is also the great satisfaction that, through your efforts, a life that might have been destroyed will now be saved.

Please contact us online at debbiet@cockerspanielrescue.com or telephone us at 703-533-2373 and leave a message. A volunteer will contact you.

Become a foster volunteer today

Help us save just one more rescued cocker. You'll be glad you did, and you'll find the experience very rewarding.

Needed: Volunteers to Help with Home Checks.

If you've adopted a dog from OBG, you know what a home check entails. OUT team of fosters and show staffers need help with this very necessary part of the adoption process. If you would be willing to spare a half hour of your time once in awhile to to a homecheck in your neighborhood or municipality, please let us know.

Leave a message on the Cocker Hotline, 703-533-2373. A volunteer will get back to you with details.

Good Reasons to Use a Leash

reprinted from Rescuer's Record the newsletter of the Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League Summer 1999

1. It's the easiest way to protect your pet from accidental injury.

Every year, countless pets are killed or seriously injured because they were hit by cars, accidentally poisoned, or got into fights with other animals. These risks can be greatly reduced or eliminated by keeping your dog on a leash.

2. It will protect your pet from becoming lost.

Each day, animal shelters receive reports of lost or stolen pets. Nobody thinks that it's going to happen to their pet, but it does. Keeping your dog on a leash can prevent this heartbreak.

3. It will improve your relations between you and your neighbors.

Not everyone understands about having their flowers dug up and their lawn "marked". An unrestrained dog

4. It will protect your pet's health.

Animals that are running loose can come into contact with all manners of serious illnesses. Rabies, distemper, parvo virus, internal and external parasites are all potential risks. Keeping your dog leashed will reduce the number of animals mat it comes into contact with, and reduce risks of contracting disease.

5. It's the best way to prevent dog bites.

Nobody likes to minks that his or her dog will bite someone, but it does happen. Even a well-trained, friendly dog could bite if it feels threatened. And, if your dog does bite, YOU are legally responsible.

6. It makes your pet feel more secure.

Being on a leash, in close proximity to its owner, is a comforting feeling for your pet. The leash provides an emotional as well as physical link between the two of you.

7. It's the law

How to Avoid Being Bitten

reprinted from The Humane Society of the United States

• Never approach a strange dog, particularly one who's confined or restrained. Don't pet a dog, even your own dog, without first letting him/her see and sniff you
• Avoid running past a dog or turning your back on a dog and running away. A dog natural instinct is to chase and catch fleeing prey.
• Unless you know the dog very well, don't disturb a dog who is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
• Use caution with strange dogs. Always assume that a strange dog may see you as an intruder or a threat.

What should I do if I think a dog may attack?

• Never scream and run. If you do, you will probably trigger the dog's chase response and increase your chances of being attacked. Try to remain motionless until the dog leaves, then back away slowly until the dog is out of sight.
• More than 60% of bits victims are children. Teach them to remain motionless when they are approached by a strange dog.
• If you allow a strange dog to sniff you, in most cases the dog will have when It decides you aren't a threat.
• Avoid direct eye contact with the dog; staring into a dog's eyes is perceived by the dog as an act of aggression and dominance and will only challenge the dog to attack.
• In a loud and low voice, tell the dog to "GO HOME".
• If the dog does attack, "feed" it your jacket, purse or anything that can come between you and the dog.
  

Sam Regains Sight

adapted from on article appearing in the
Nov. 11, 1999 issue of the Chantilly Times

Five-year-old Sam has spent most of his life being passed around from home to home. To make matters worse, the tan and white cocker spaniel was almost completely blind from cataracts when his last owners decided to give him up.

Sam's fate didn't look so good. Most dogs older than five are unadoptable, especially a blind dog. Luckily for Sarn, Oldies But Goodies stepped in and gave Sam a foster home and raised money for surgery that gave him back his sight.

"Nothing could keep him down, even when he was blind," said Debbie Davenport, Sam's foster mother. Sam shared Davenport's home with her two cocker spaniels while he recovered from surgery and awaited a permanent home.

Davenport's love for the breed is what gave her the idea to raise funds for Sam's eye surgery through the OBG website. Within ONE WEEK, enough money was donated by cocker spaniel lovers around the United States for Sam to have the surgery.

"He acts much younger now. Now when he is outside, he wants to chase every bird or squirrel he sees," Davenport said of Sam's quick recovery.

Davenport said this was the first time the organization had raised money for a specific cause, and that she was surprised at the success of the idea

Sam has been tossed around, and I think he has been mistreated. He has been down a hard road," Davenport said. But despite Sam's troubled past, Davenport describes him as "an affectionate and loyal dog that she would love to keep" if she didn't already have two cocker spaniels of her own.

Editor's Note:

Sam's story didn't end with the Times write-up. A few weeks after the above was published, Cinderella Sam DID get to go to the ball after all. Sam is now the proud "owner" of a new family which includes cocker brothers. And best yet, Sam has brought them into the OBG fold. Sam's new mom has become one of our volunteers. You might meet her at one of our adoption shows in the near future.

And Oldies But Goodies, along with Sarn and foster mom Debbie, want to send out a heartfelt thanks to each and every kind soul who opened up their hearts and wallets and donated to Sam's cause. Sam's world is brighter because of you.

Chantilly Times story written by Brooke Nelson

Concluding paragraph and
copy editing by Kathi Alexander

Introducing Sam's Cocker Angel ...
Debbie Davenport

I learned of Oldies but Goodies three years ago when I lost my cocker spaniel "Casey" to cancer at age 12. I was heart broken and the only thing that kept me going for six months after he died was searching the website looking at all the dogs every day that desperately needed homes.

In June 1997, I came to the adoption show and fell in love with Dudley, who joined myself, my husband and our other cocker, Stanley, as part of our family.

I knew there were so many dogs that needed homes so I did not want to go to a breeder but help those in need, which has been the best decision I have ever made.

Last April, I received the "Cody Letter" which was a plea for help from OBG. When I read the letter, I could not stop the tears from flowing and I had to start doing more to help. Ever since, I have been helping at adoption shows, coordinating volunteers for the shows, transporting dogs from shelters or to homes, and conducted some home checks. I have now fostered three different dogs, which doesn't seem like much, but has made a great difference in their lives.

The first dog wasn't doing well in the foster home with many dogs, so I took her in and she was placed in a permanent home within a week.

The second dog, Sam, was in foster care for a year going totally blind. We raised the money for his surgery and I fostered him through his recovery. (See opposite article.) He now has a wonderful home and can see. Because of Sam's fundraising effort, I even found myself on Channel 9 WUSA's Saturday morning news broadcast!

Third, I fostered Bert, who had been tied to a tree with no food or water, and came into the local SPCA weighing 10 pounds. I got him last December to foster. He needed extra TLC, and he got it with us. Bert has also found himself a forever home.

So, you see, even if you can't take in a lot of dogs yourself£, or foster year-round, just the few lives you do touch will make all the difference.

Debbie Davenport,
OBG volunteer coordinator and part-time foster

Meet Sam!
OBG's darling, "new eyes" and all!

Why Is Fido Fat? Answers to Common Questions

How prevalent is obesity in dogs?

"Obesity is probably the No. 1 health problem among dogs," says James Sokolowski, DVM, Ph.D., director of the Quaker Pet Nutrition Center (Barrington, IL)

As many as four out of every 10 dogs that veterinarians see in their practices are overweight, according to Dr. Colin Burrows, associate professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Florida (Gainesville).

"The canine obesity problem is one which is sad -- and so unnecessary," Burrows says.

What are the primary causes of obesity in dogs?

Burrows and Sokolowski agree that the root of the problem is overfeeding coupled with lack of exercise.

"Overfeeding is the most common form of malnutrition we see in pets today. Many owners equate food with love. Consequently, they 'love' their pets to the point of obesity. What they don't understand is that there are serious health consequences associated with being overweight, ones which can dramatically affect the pet's life span and life style," Burrows explains.

"Dogs are overweight because they overeat and/or get too little exercise," Sokolowski says. "But the owner determines what the dog eats and establishes the exercise routine. Most dogs I know can't open the refrigerator or chase a Frisbee by themselves. The owner must realize that the responsibility lies squarely on him or her to feed the dog correctly and encourage him to exercise."

How can one tell if a dog is overweight?

"It's really quite simple. Feel along your dog's sides with your fingers. If you can't feel your dog's ribs by applying a small amount of pressure, the animal is probably overweight. A dog is considered obese, or severely overweight, if it is 10% to 15% over its ideal weight," Sokolowski says.

"Insurance companies have been tracking statistics on the impact of being overweight on human health for years, as part of their business. Regrettably, we have no firm data on the overweight dog and the problems it experiences. Discussions with other veterinarians, however, confirm the problems associated with obesity are widespread," Burrows says.

"We see additional stress on the dog's skeleton, muscles and ligaments. This is a terrible problem for dogs, especially older ones, with arthritis and/or hip dysplasia We know, too, from recent research findings that dogs fed high levels of fat have a tendency to develop breast cancer as they age. As with humans, canine obesity is also associated with such conditions as impaired breathing functions, digestive disturbances, increased surgical risks, impaired liver functions, heat intolerances, and possibly skin problems."

Sokolowski agrees. "Overweight dogs have a far greater potential for medical problems such as high blood pressure, increased risk of diabetes and cancer, severe joint and locomotion problems, lowered resistance to disease, congestive heart disease, heart and respiratory complications, impaired reproduction, increased problems delivering puppies, increased surgical risk, interference with diagnostic procedures," he says.

Are any particular breeds predisposed to obesity?

According to Burrows, several breeds have a tendency to become obese. Breeds showing the highest incidence of obesity include Labrador retrievers, beagles, Cairn terriers, Shetland sheepdogs, basset hounds, cocker spaniels, collies, and dachshunds.

"We don't know if these trends are hereditary or are related to the dogs being given richer foods and leading more sedentary lives," Burrows adds.

"Sometimes," Burrows says, "because neutering and spaying tend to diminish the pet's natural tendencies to wander. However, the benefits of neutering and spaying far outweigh the risks of obesity. Spayed females, for example, have been shown to have decreased risks for breast cancer.

Is there a typical pet owner who is likely to have an overweight pet?

"While there are no absolutes, it's been my experience -- and that of many of my colleagues -- that people who tend to lead active lives frequently have leaner pets. The dog which exercises less, gets frequent snacks or tempting 'people food' gets heavier as it ages," Burrows notes.

How do pet owners respond when veterinarians tell them that their pets are overweight?

"Many owners recognize that their pets are pudgy. Equating food with love, they admit to difficulties in refusing those 'begging eyes.' Other owners, however, become defensive when told that their pets are overweight. They describe their pets as 'happy' or 'bigboned' and see no reason for concern," Burrows says.

Many veterinarians will, according to Burrows, try to educate these pet owners about the harmful effects of obesity, suggesting that they initiate dietary restrictions for their pets. "They can temper the 'diet' message with information on some of the new low-calorie foods now available for dogs. Most pet owners don't have a problem with a pet diet if they realize that the dog won't feel hungry," he says.

How should the dog owner feed an overweight dog?

With his veterinarian's guidance, the owner should select an 'ideal' weight for the dog to reach and maintain, then establish a feeding schedule that will help achieve that weight, Sokolowski says. The diet program should include feeding the dog "recommended amounts of a nutritionally balanced, reduced calorie dog food."

He adds, "It's very important not to give in to [the] dog's begging. Do not feed it any table scraps. Weigh [the] dog once a week; after the first week or two of the diet, [the] dog should be gradually losing weight. If no weight loss is achieved after two weeks, cut back on the amount of dog food," Sokolowski says.

reprinted from Pet Age, Feb 1989

We're on the Internet! View the dogs we currently have available for adoption at the following web sites:

• Oldies But Goodies http://www.cockerspanielrescue.com
• Petfinder http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/VA05.html

and special thanks to other web sites that have given us links.

Cocker
Mailbox

"Buddy" has agreed to share his expertise on an things cocker- and rescue-related. Feel free to direct any questions you might have to "Cocker Mailbox, c/o OBG, P.O. Box 361 Newington, VA 22122-0361." You'll see your questions answered in upcoming issues of our newsletter.

Dear Buddy:

We got a copy of the OBG winter newsletter in the mail, and it said that donations to OBG are now tax deductible (retroactively). My family wasn't given a receipt for taxes when I was adopted Can you send us one?

Yours, Max

Dear Max:

We checked with our tax advisor, and here's what she had to say: "The $150 adoption fee is not tax deductible because the taxpayer receives a benefit in return, i.e., the adoption fee is less than or equivalent to the fair market value price that the taxpayer would otherwise pay to purchase a cocker from a breeder, pet store or other source."

So, Max, if your family wants to send us a donation, THAT is tax deductible to the full extent of the law, but your adoption fee isn't. Hope this helps.

Happy returns, Buddy

Name Our Newsletter

We'd like for the Summer 2000 issue of the OBG newsletter to sport a new masthead and name.

So, we are throwing it out to you, our readers. The Cocker Times? Beggin' Bits? What do you think it should be called?

Mail your submissions to

"OBG Newsletter Contest"
P.O. Box 361
Newington, VA 22122-0361

to arrive no later than April 15th, 2000. Winner receives an OBG T-shirt!!

Senior Spotlight

This has become our most popular feature. Is one of our "Oldies But Goodies" living in your house? Send us your story!

This month:

Dudley (formerly known as Mikey)

Always at the head of the pack in his foster home, "Mama Debbie" was hardly surprised to receive a packet in the mail from Mikey, now Dudley, another of OBG's spry seniors. Here's what he tells us of his new life:

Hi Mama Debbie!

I'm going to the Nursing Home today to make some people laugh! And new mom Miranda tells me that soon, when I'm 13, I can have a "Bone Mitzvah" (that's doggie for Bar Mitzvah!), I really like living here and Miranda takes me many places. I've stopped itching alot and my hair is growing back on parts of my legs and stomach. I'm so happy that you took me from the ASPCA and let me stay with you for nine months with all the other guys! There are lots of kitties around here that I am making friends with and squirrels to chase!

Lots of Love, Dudley (aka Mikey)

Dudley's new mom reports that Dudley runs 1/2 mile at a cocker clip, visits the nursing home as a service project and rides in the car to go to work with her. Dudley's allergies are improving, thanks to a special diet and medicines.

Miranda and Dudley sent photographs to share:

8-2-99 : I'm sitting on my favorite rug.	8-21-99: I'm trying to make the Guinness Book of Doggie Records for the dog with the longest tongue! Or at best as long as my ears... I'm still training in this category."
8-14-99 This is a more formal pose. Miranda wanted to put a bow tie on me, but I told her that wouldn't me good for my reputation!"	8-21-99: I just HAVE to tell everyone who passes by this porch that I live here and am protecting this apartment. Now where is the part in the curtain, anyway?

Our Wish List

We are contacted regularly by those who ask "What can I do to help?"

Now that OBG, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax exempt organization, donations are deductible to the extent provided by law. What follows is a "wish list" of things we desperately need. Please consider them as you contemplate a donation to cocker rescue. And thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

1. Donate undeveloped land (or the cash to purchase it) to house rescued cockers.

OBG, Inc. seeks contributions or a generous person with a parcel of land that is currently not developed, who also is in need of a tax deduction. More room is desperately needed to house rescued dogs safely. Individual foster volunteers currently take in 1-2 rescued cockers and care for them, rehabilitate them, and re-socialize them prior to finding new adoptive homes for them. Even so, we need to examine whether we can develop a facility where many rescued dogs can be housed and staffed by one or more of our volunteers on a full-time basis. We do not cage our dogs and prefer a home environment for them, but large groups of cockers do make noise and this means locating a facility that is large enough to permit them to run and play safely, without causing problems to neighbors. A 5-acre parcel would make a wonderful donation. Please contact us if you or anyone you know has a parcel of land that could be donated somewhere in the northern Virginia area, preferably outside the Beltway.

2. Donate a laptop computer and portable printer for use during adoption shows.

We seek the means to permit potential adopters to see the full range of rescued cockers at any adoption show through the use of a portable laptop computer and printer. OBG has numerous rescued cockers, but unfortunately, we can't take them all with us to every adoption show. Many times, potential adopters describe unique circumstances that perfectly fits a particular rescued dog but due to space limitations at Petco or PetsMart, that dog isn't present. If we had a laptop computer available, potential adopters could visit dogs "online" while talking to the fosters in person. This might increase the number of adoptions of rescued cockers and thus permit other dogs to be saved as more homes are found for dogs already in our rescue system

3. Donations of money or dog supply related items

We are constantly in need of donated items that help support cocker spaniel rescue. This includes cash and in-kind pet related items such as: leashes, collars, toys, bedding, blankets, coupons from the newspaper, and crates that can be easily transported to house rescued cocker spaniels.

4. Foster volunteers to temporarily care for rescued cockers

Fosters need to be located in the Washington, DC area so they can bring their foster cocker to regularly scheduled adoption shows; they need to answer questions about the dog from

5. Administrative Volunteers

OBG, Inc. welcomes all volunteers who can assist with administrative, management skills, newsletter skills such as editing, typing, graphics, and journalism; website skills such as updating and maintaining a very active website; volunteers to transport dogs from shelters to foster homes or to/from the vet; volunteers to attend various adoption shows to watch over the rescued cockers and respond to questions from the public; skills in public speaking to further educate school children on the proper care of a pet; fund raising skills to further strengthen this organization financially; volunteers to groom and bathe dogs, as well as foster volunteers to care for the dogs in their private homes until a new adoptive family can be found; and/or volunteers to monitor and respond to public inquiries either through the phone or Internet. Volunteers are non-paid with this nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

Oldies But Goodies
Cocker Rescue, Inc.

P.O. Box 361 Newington, VA 22122-0361
703-533-2373

Newsletter design courtesy of: CockerCondo

e-mail: debbiet@cockerspanielrescue.com

Our Previous Newsletters

May 1999

Fall 1999

Winter 1999