From Now On "Like" us on Facebook!

From now on we will be continuing our blog posts on our New Facebook Page!  "Like" us at http://facebook.com/bestfriendscarmel.com

Thanksgiving is Around the Corner!

We are starting to book up for Thanksgiving, so call and make your pet's reservation today! 

And while your pet boards with us, sign him/her up for a Holdiay Meal.  We will be roasting a turkey so your best friend doesn't miss out on the holiday festivities!!

DDC 'Howl'-O-Ween Party!

Join us in Doggy Daycamp and Play and Stay on October 22nd for a fun-filled day to celebrate Halloween! We hope to see everyone there!

PET OF THE WEEK

IZZY HUSTON

Hi! My name is Izzy and I am the new addition to the Huston family! My Mom and Dad boarded their other two pugs, Cassie and Cocoa, at Best Friends in Carmel, but sadly they are no longer with us. So, they got me!! I am only a year old, but I am the most passive, docile, sweet, loving pug ever (and I smell really good, too)!

I absolutely LOVE to give kisses, and to sit in your lap during cuddletime. I'm not sure what to make of this boarding thing because it's my first time here, but so far it seems like a really nice place! Everyone here loves me--I hope I get to come back and play very soon!

In Memoriam~~Fancy Kudinova

"FANCY-GIRL"

We at Best Friends Carmel were saddened to learn that our dear friend Fancy passed away a few days ago. She belonged to Olga, our former groomer, who is now working at the Best Friends Disney location. During her time at Best Friends Carmel, she was always a favorite of all the staff, and was always happy to give kisses in exchange for "cookies." She loved to watch the kitties in Kitty City on her way home at night, she never complained and she always had a wag of her tail for anyone that passed by. She was eleven years old, but still full of energy. She will be greatly missed, and our thoughts go out to Olga, Ken and the rest of their family :-(

Castleton Square Mall Dog and Cat Expo

Attention all animal lovers!  The Dog and Cat Expo is a special event that will feature a variety of exhibitors, pet rescue groups, a fund raiser benefiting the Hamilton County Humane Society and Indiana's very own celebrity canine Rockin' Rory and owner Tony Hoard!  Rockin' Rory and Tony Hoard will perform some of their high- flying, disc catching tricks that helped them reach the semifinals of NBC's hit show America's Got Talent! 

So come on out to Castleton Square Mall on Saturday, September 25th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and enjoy a day of fun and entertainment!

PET OF THE WEEK

MAX STANT

Hi! My name is Max, and I am a 2-year old German Short-Haired Pointer/Beagle mix who loves coming to Best Friends Carmel! (OK, in all fairness, I love pretty much anything---dogs, people, treats, baths--you name it)! Whenever I come, my owner enrolls me in Play and Stay, where I sleep in a big indoor/outdoor suite at night, and play all day long in Doggy Camp the rest of the time! I always have a smile for whomever comes to see me, and I especially love to give kisses! I'm just an all-around happy guy, as you can see!  :-)

Carmel Dog Day Afternoon

Join Best Friends Pet Care in Carmel on Saturday, September 19th from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m., and we participate in the Annual Dog Day Afternoon in the heart of Carmel's Arts and Design district! This is a dog-friendly event sponsored by, and benefiting the Humane Society of Hamilton County. 100% of the proceeds will be used for the continued care of unwanted, abused or neglected pets in Hamilton County. It will be held at the intersection of Rangeline Road and Main Street

There will be a wide range of vendor booths to visit, as well as fun activities for the whole family, including pooch paw painting, microchipping, dog agility training and fashion for both humans and pets! Attendees bringing their pet will be responsible for the actions of their own dogs. Registration required the day of the event or by downloading the filling out the online registration. For more information, visit http://www.carmeldogdayafternoon.com/ or call Danielle Beck at the Humane Society for Hamilton County at (317) 219-3324.

Be sure to stop by the Best Friends table for a chance to win a Pampered Pooch getaway weekend, as well as lots of other valuable prizes and coupons! We hope to see everyone there!

"Bark"tacular Fall Retail Event!

Now through September 29th, take advantage of 50% OFF all toys, treats, leashes/collars, bedding, shampoos and more at Best Friends Carmel during our "Bark"tacular Retail Event! Everything is half-off (excluding Frontline) so hurry in to see us! We are located at 376 Gradle Drive, just west of Rangeline Toad in the heart of Carmel. Hurry--these prices won't last! 

Labor Day Play and Stay Fun!

Makeover of the Month

SOPHIE WILCOX

The groomers at Best Friends Carmel are the best! Look how pretty they made me look!

PETS Of THE WEEK

TY WILSON and TAFFY KELLER

Hello! We are Ty (that's me on the top) and Taffy, a Rat Terrier and a Golden Retriever, respectively, and we've been boarding at Best Friends Carmel for years and years! As you can see, I myself like to bring my horse with me whenever I come to stay--(he keeps me company in my indoor/outdoor suite) while Taffy here is always content and smiling at everyone! I also love my chicken strips (see below) and will pretty much do anything for one of them! It's ok though, because my Mom always gets me playtimes to walk off those extra calories! We love it here, and we know you will too!

Indiana State Chili Championship!

Enjoy chili?  Love dogs?  Then bring your whole family (and your appetites too!) and attend the Indiana State Chili Championship and support your four legged friends at the Hamilton County Humane Society! 

The championship will be held on September 18th at the Red Bridge Park, 697 W. Jackson St., Cicero, IN 46034


Admission is $5 to taste chili – children under 10 are free. Each paid admission gets 5 voting tickets for the People’s Choice Chili. Site opens to public and tasting begins at 12:00 noon.

For more information contact the Hamilton County Humane Society at hshc@hamiltonhumane.com

Free Microchipping Event

The Humane Society for Hamilton County will be hosting a microchipping event on September 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the new M&I Bank located at 14841 Greyhound Court (US 31 North in Carmel). The first 100 microchips will be free (limit 2 per family), with additional microchipping available for $30. There will also be refreshments and pet adoptions, so bring your pooch for a day of fun!

Save the Date~~September 19th Dog Day Festival!

Join Best Friends Pet Care in Carmel on Saturday, September 19th from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m., and we participate in the Annual Dog Day Afternoon in the heart of Carmel's Arts and Design district! This is a dog-friendly event sponsored by, and benefiting the Humane Society of Hamilton County. 100% of the proceeds will be used for the continued care of unwanted, abused or neglected pets in Hamilton County. It will be held at the intersection of Rangeline Road and Main Street

There will be a wide range of vendor booths to visit, as well as fun activities for the whole family, including pooch paw painting, microchipping, dog agility training and fashion for both humans and pets! Attendees bringing their pet will be responsible for the actions of their own dogs. Registration required the day of the event or by downloading the filling out the online registration.  For more information, visit http://www.carmeldogdayafternoon.com/ or call Danielle Beck at the Humane Society for Hamilton County at (317) 219-3324.

Be sure to stop by the Best Friends table for a chance to win a Pampered Pooch getaway weekend, as well as lots of other valuable prizes and coupons! We hope to see everyone there!

Play N Stay Fun!!!

Contact us today at http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/ to include your pup in all of the Play and Stay fun!

Fishers Community Car Show!!!

Join the Hamilton County Humane Society on Saturday, August 28, 2010 at the Lockhart Hummer Dealership on Highway 37 and 126th Street for the Fishers Community Car show!  This isn't just an event for the car fanatics- from the live music to the People's Choice Pet Show to the craft vendors- there will be many activities to entertain everyone! 

For those star pets wishing to participate in the pet show, start practicing your special talent or get your costumes ready to wow the crowd!  The People's Choice Pet Show is only $5 to register your pet and all proceeds go to help the homeless pets at the Hamilton County Humane Society.

Come on out for a day of fun for the whole family and support the HCHS at the same time!  This event will be held rain or shine with registration from 9am - noon and awards at 3p.m.

Donations are greatly appreciated and will be collected on site.  The HCHS asks for the following supplies:

liquid laundry detergent
bleach
canned puppy and kitty food
bath mats with rubber backing
covered litter boxes
stainless steel food and water bowls
55 gallon trash bags

For more information about this event or to find out how you can help the Hamilton County Humane Society, go to http://www.hamiltonhumane.com/

Welcome New Groomers!

Although we were very sad to lose Ken and Olga to our Orlando, Florida location this past week, we welcome our new stylist Amanda Blackaby and our new bather Darren Blackaby! (Yes, they are related!)....Amanda previously worked at Best Friends from 1997 to 2002, and has been mobile grooming up until returning to us this past month. Darren has been both a grooming technician and an animal care technician with Best Friends Carmel for the past 10 years, but has started in our grooming salon full time as of August. They are currently accepting new clients, so call for an appointment today at (317) 848-7387! In the next 2 weeks, we will also welcome Crystal Tuttle as a stylist, and Sam Medley in the groom room as a bather as well...we hope everyone will make them feel welcome!  

Amanda Blackaby

Darren Blackaby

Big Dog/Fat Cat Festival this Weekend!

Saturday, August 14th 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Music ● Games ● Food ● Fun

At Perry Park (stop 11 between US 31 and Meridian St)

FREE ADMISSION

Have you adopted a Special Pet from Southside Animal Shelter or another rescue? Join us at Big Dog Fat Cat Festival to show off your pet at a special Adopted Pet Show! Categories include:

Swimsuit Competition

Look a Like (Owner & Pet)

Best Costume/Outfit

Best Sports Fan

Best in Show

Be sure to stop by the Best Friends Pet Care booth for a chance to win valuable prizes and coupons! Hope to see everyone there!

PET OF THE WEEK~~Brownie Hoel

Hi! My name is Brownie and I am a 9-year old Chocolate Lab whose tail never stops wagging :-) I'm getting up there in years, but I can still run with the best of them, and I absolutely love to give kisses and have my head scratched! Most of the day I like to sleep in my suite, but if someone visits me, I get right up and show them lots of love. I love to go for walks, but I enjoy my cuddletimes too! As you can see, I have a very sweet face and expressive eyes--once you meet me, you've got a friend for life! I have been coming to Best Friends in Carmel for a lot of years now, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Is Your Dog Afraid of Thunderstorms?

Summer can bring severe weather, and with all the thunderstorms we have had lately, we thought we would offer some helpful hints for those of you who have dogs that run for cover when it storms... (from http://www.aspca.org/ )

Any dog can develop a fear of thunderstorms, but herding breeds seem to be more susceptible to developing noise phobias. Age is another risk factor: dogs who are afraid of thunderstorms can become more distressed with each successive season, so it's smart to start working with your dog as soon as you notice his fearful behavior. If your adult dog suddenly seems afraid of storms, you should start with a visit to your vet to make sure the fear is not medically based.

For dogs with mild thunderstorm phobia, these tricks may get rid of the problem entirely:

• Let your dog take refuge inside. Storms aren't as loud and scary inside and this ensures he won't try to escape from the yard.
• Having some human company often calms panicked dogs. If he comes to you for security, it's perfectly fine to pet and reassure him.
• Try turning on some calming music, a TV, a radio or a fan to muffle storm noises. Shutting the drapes may also help if lightning frightens your dog.
• More active distractions, such as a stuffed Kong, scattered treats throughout the house or playing tug/fetch may help as well.

If your dog's quality of life is seriously affected by his fear of thunderstorms, consider speaking with a vet about anti-anxiety medications. Additionally, there are a number of products on the market that may help your dog remain calm during storms, including close-fitting body wraps, noise-reducing headphones and herbal remedies.

For more information, please visit http://www.aspca.org/.

Tongues-A-Waggin....

Welcome to the Jungle!

Join the Humane Society for Hamilton County on Saturday, July 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for their annual Welcome to the Jungle cat adoption event! There will be vendors, pet photos, a caricaturist, food and more! The Humane Society is located at 1721 Pleasant Street in Noblesville, next to the fairgrounds. The first 25 feline adoptions come with a $25 gift card, compliments of Pet Supplies Plus (limit one per family).

In Memoriam--Dawg Leonard

Dawg Leonard was without a doubt, a favorite here at Best Friends Carmel. His owner traveled extensively, so Dawg became almost our "resident" dog, boarding with us at least every week. He was a mild-mannered, sweet dog (unless food was involved!) and we lost him to cancer a few weeks ago. The kennel will not be the same without him--he will be greatly missed :-(