High School Car Show
by Maralyn Fink
On Wednesday I attended the car show at the High School. It was a beautiful sunny evening to be out and about.
There were many cars to be viewed and a lot that brought back memories from the ole days, especially the 50s and 60s.
Music was furnished by a band, and 50/50 raffle tickets were sold as well as some prizes. The SJHS Cheer Team were offering food items as well. It was a well attended event with adults and kids alike.
Meet Country Critters Pet Grooming
by Maralyn Fink
Country Critters Pet Grooming was opened on December 5, 2016 by Erin Keyser. She is the Owner/Groomer at the salon.
Erin graduated from the Michigan School of Canine Cosmetology in 2003. She has been in the field for over 14 years. She has had experience working in a veterinary clinic as a groomer for over 8 years. Erin also attended college majoring in Veterinary Technology. This has been a life long dream of hers. Also note that she is certified in Pet CPR and First Aid. She lives in St Johns with her husband and two sons, plus 2 dogs and a cat.
There is over 40 years combined experience in the salon. There are four groomers employed there. Hours are Monday 11-7, Tuesday-Friday 8-4 and Saturday by appointment.
Stop in at 800 S. US 27 in the Southgate Plaza.
A Look Back – Altar Society
by Barry Clark Bauer
Left to right: Arleta Schafer, Bertine Thelen, Ann Marie Slamka. Next is Dianne George, Cindy Vitek, Lorraine Kudwa, Joan Miller, and Barb Minarik.
This photo was taken in 1974 and shows the Altar Society officers of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Johns.
The Altar Society provides many services including cleaning the Sanctuary, holding Rummage Sales, maintaining the outside flower beds, and decorating the Church, just to name a few.
Bennie and Jessie’s Pet Info – How Do Dogs Find Their Way Home?
Courtesy of Dr. Wailani Sung
There are plenty of amazing stories about how certain dogs are able to find their way back home after being lost on a trip or after wandering away.
How do they do that? Do dogs have a good sense of direction like some people do? Do they navigate by watching the stars like sailors in the past, or have an internal compass? Are they in tune to the magnetic fields of the earth?
Although there is no research on the homing ability of dogs, there is speculation that dogs most likely rely on two of their five dog senses: their sight and sense of smell.
Dog Sense of Smell and Scent Markers
The dog sense of smell is more highly developed compared to a human’s sense of smell. Dogs have more olfactory neurons than humans—about 220 million to 2 billion, versus the measly 12 to 40 million that humans have.
Every time you take your dog on a walk in your neighborhood, he gets more familiarized with the sights, sounds and smells distinctive to your house and the streets around you. And every time your dog takes a step, he leaves behind a distinct scent from his paw pads. Each of these scent deposits that your dog leaves behind creates a bigger chemical signal that essentially says, “Rex was here.”
If he travels the same paths over and over again, he renews the scent markers on his trail and probably picks up other scent markers that other people and animals leave behind, which may help with his orientation.
Dog Visual Acuity and Visual Markers
On your walks, you may have noticed that your dog does not walk with his nose directly on the ground the entire time. Although there are a ton of lovely aromas for his sensitive nose to pick up, he may also be looking around, doing some visual orientation.
This helps dogs create a mental map of their visual surroundings. Research on wolves has indicated that they use visual landmarks to help guide their way around their territory. Researchers have also found that some wolves have taken shortcuts to get from one point to another.
Even though a dog’s visual acuity is about 3 to 4 times worse than humans, they can still recognize and remember visual cues that they may find meaningful.
When I walk my dog down my street after exploring our local neighborhood, he perks up as he gets closer to our house. When I have dropped the dog leash, he has gotten right up to the front door on his own. If I try to walk past the house when he is tired and he wants to go inside, he has pulled back on the leash to indicate where he wanted to go—home.
What does my dog clue in on? Does he recognize the sight of the house or the smells that our feet and his paws have left behind? It is probably a combination of both.
Maximize Your Chances of Your Dog Finding His Way Home
After extolling the marvelous senses our dogs have, let’s not forget that, in reality, many pets get lost each year that never make it home. Whether they were picked up by other people, suffered a tragic accident on their way back or are unable to orient themselves through their dog senses, the chances of them making it back home safe are low. The best chance you have of reuniting with your dog if he ever gets lost is by making sure he has a microchip and a dog ID tag and collar.
Letters – Support the arts
Why support the arts?
Simply put, the arts are essential to the proper functioning of our society. The arts continue to demonstrate their ability to provide categorical evidence of their impact on social issues that concern virtually every facet of American society.
The arts are especially important for our children. Students with an arts rich education
1) Have better grade point averages
2) Score better on standardized tests in reading and math
3) Have lower dropout rates.
Funding for arts education programs in schools is being cut back or eliminated.
Support Pro-Arts Representatives
Review the Congressional Arts Report Card which grades all current Members of Congress on their support for the arts.
The Clinton County Arts Council is a non-profit organization. Through memberships and donations, we strive to promote the arts and art culture in Clinton County.
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – How to Groom Long-Haired Guinea Pigs
Courtesy of LisaBeth Weber
When it comes to small pets, many people opt for the cute and adorable guinea pig. Popular as a first pet, guinea pigs are typically good with children. There are many types of guinea pigs, but among the more unique looking varieties are the long-haired guinea pig breeds. The most common of these types of guinea pigs are the Abyssinian, coronet, Peruvian, silkie and texel.
Some of the more exotic breeds, like long-haired guinea pigs, started making an appearance in the 16th century when European traders brought them to France.
Melinda Wolff-Foster, owner of The Pines Pet Pampering in Joshua, Texas, has a background working with exotic pets, including long-haired guinea pigs. The most common breeds she sees are Abyssinian and Peruvian. Dr. Kimberly Mickley, DVM at Quakertown Vet Clinic in Pennsylvania, also sees mostly Abyssinian guinea pigs and Peruvian guinea pigs at her practice.
Types of Long-Haired Guinea Pig Coats
Each of the long-haired guinea pig breeds have their own special look to their coat. One very noticeable characteristic of the Abyssinian guinea pig is their rosettes, or “cowlicks.” The texel guinea pig has “wavy” or “curly” hair, while the silkies, Peruvians and coronets tend to have long, flowing coats. The Peruvian variety occasionally has cowlicks, and the silkie breed coat doesn’t cover the face.
Maintenance for Long-Haired Guinea Pigs
Dr. Mickley’s most important advice is to keep them as clean as possible by establishing proper guinea pig grooming routines. Here are some tips for the experts on how to groom long-haired guinea pigs.
General Coat Care
Owning a long-haired guinea pig does require a bigger commitment than their short-haired counterparts. Their manes are beautiful, but can be a challenge to maintain.
“They require careful daily combing with a stainless steel comb,” says Wolff-Foster, “along with regular, professional grooming so their coat, skin and nails remain in good condition.” A comb like the Resco professional combination comb can be used for combing your long-haired guinea pig’s coat.
Wolff-Foster recommends a four- to six-week schedule for professional grooming if the pet owner is diligent about daily combing. A wire brush isn’t recommended as it can irritate the skin, but a bristle brush can be gently used as a finishing touch.
There’s no sugarcoating the fact that guinea pig bedding can get tangled up in the longer hair, and that their longer hair can adhere to their litter as well as urine and fecal material. Dr. Mickley says some owners will very carefully try to trim the fur so it doesn’t drag as much on the bottom of the guinea pig cage or in the bedding.
Bathing Do’s and Don’ts
Dr. Mickley notes that when deciding whether to get a long-haired guinea pig, you should take into consideration that they are inherently messier than short-haired guinea pigs and will need to be cleaned often. This can be done at home if the pet parents understand safe handling, especially in the tub or sink.
Known for holistic pet care and volunteering her grooming skills at a local animal shelter to encourage more adoptions, Wolff-Foster uses a coconut surfactant-based shampoo, like the Earthbath Hypo-Allergenic dog and cat shampoo, to bathe guinea pigs, and doesn’t use any conditioners or leave-in products, since most guinea pigs also clean themselves.
Wolff-Foster recommends placing the guinea pig on a folded towel in the basin of the tub or sink during baths to help them to feel secure and avoid any slipping issues. Holding them gently with one hand while bathing with the other will prevent sudden jumps that can cause an accidental fall. She says that you should never use a grooming “loop” around a guinea pig’s neck. After bathing, it’s important to clean and dry both sides of the ear flaps, but never use a cotton swab inside the ear.
She doesn’t recommend using blow dryers, but suggests providing a warm, quiet space for them to air-dry and then combing to remove any loose hairs.
Deciding if a Long-Haired Guinea Pig Is the Right Pet for You
Dr. Sari Kanfer, DVM at the Exotic Animal Veterinary Center in Pasadena, California, thinks that long-haired guinea pigs are calmer than other breeds and enjoy being groomed. “They make wonderful pets for parents to share with children. They’re sweet, gentle and great for people that enjoy doting on their pet.”
They’re higher maintenance, though, and are best for people who understand their grooming requirements. Guinea pig cages need to be kept clean, and the daily diet consists of dark, leafy greens, timothy hay, fresh water, fresh vegetables, a minimal amount of pellets and supplemental vitamin C.
Before deciding on a long-haired guinea pig as a pet, make sure you are knowledgeable about their needs and are comfortable with weekly at-home grooming and safe handling. Do your research in advance so you can properly welcome to your newfound four-legged family member (the kind you don’t have to take for a walk).