{"id":6157,"date":"2019-10-17T20:57:06","date_gmt":"2019-10-18T00:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/?p=6157"},"modified":"2019-10-17T20:57:06","modified_gmt":"2019-10-18T00:57:06","slug":"features-86","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=6157","title":{"rendered":"Features"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Not So Spooky Concert a hit<\/strong><br \/>\nby Maralyn Fink<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lAnL2IU9wAY\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I attended the Not So Spooky Concert at the Depot on Thursday evening.<\/p>\n<p>This group is the Mid-Michigan Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jill Boots.<\/p>\n<p>A nice turnout came to enjoy the sounds and music that were presented.<\/p>\n<p>Treats were handed out for everyone and kids came in costume. It was enjoyed by all attending.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>The Wilson Center presents Fifties Favorites<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/singers.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"285\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6160\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Hear the stylings of twelve unique vocalists and the talented Grand Band: from the tunes of American Bandstand to The Sound of Music, Singers on the Grand will salute the 1950s with pop, jazz, Broadway and inspirational songs.<\/p>\n<p>The event will take place at the Wilson Center Auditorium 101 W. Cass Street in St. Johns, Michigan on November 9, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>General admission is $12. Please call 1-800-838-3006 to reserve tickets or visit the online event at <a href=\"http:\/\/sotg.bpt.me\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">sotg.bpt.me<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Letters<\/strong> \u2013 Thanks for costumes<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/costume.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"304\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6161\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Thank you to all who have generously donated great Halloween costumes for children.<\/p>\n<p>There is still time to donate. Items may be dropped off at our CASA Office located at 306 E. Elm Street in St. Johns.<\/p>\n<p>We so appreciate the wonderful support!<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The Voice for Clinton County&#8217;s Children<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Maralyn&#8217;s Pet Corner<\/strong> &#8211; What to Do When Your Dog Runs Away From You<br \/>\ncourtesy of Monica Weymouth<\/p>\n<p>It can happen so fast. One minute, you\u2019re on your regular evening walk, and suddenly, your dog runs away to chase after a squirrel. Or perhaps you left the back door open, just this once, and your pup takes off running in a flash after a delivery truck.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s every pet parent\u2019s worst nightmare, and in the moment, it can be nearly impossible to know what to do. We with these tips from the experts, you\u2019ll know exactly what to do in the moment to get your dog back safe and sound.<\/p>\n<p><em>First Things First: Don\u2019t Chase<\/em><\/p>\n<p>It may go against every instinct you have, but it\u2019s important not to chase a dog running away. With very few exceptions, most of us can\u2019t outrun our four-legged friends. If your dog is afraid, you won\u2019t catch him, and if he thinks he\u2019s playing a game, you\u2019ll only make things worse. \u201cChasing is never a good idea,\u201d says Dr. Ellen Lindell, a Connecticut-based veterinary behaviorist.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Dr. Lindell recommends turning the game of chase around and convincing your dog to run after you. \u201cGetting the dog to chase you can be fun for the dog,\u201d she says. \u201cTry running with a toy or treat, or even getting into your car if your dog likes to travel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Remain Calm and Positive When Your Dog Runs Away<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Again, you have to work against your instincts. Although you\u2019ll want to scream and yell for your dog, resist the urge and try to keep a cool head. You don\u2019t want to add to the excitement or fear your dog is experiencing or make him think that you\u2019re angry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s counter-intuitive, but you want to stay calm and try not to panic,\u201d says Melanie Cerone, a Pennsylvania-based certified professional dog trainer. \u201cDon\u2019t scream or yell for the dog. Call him in your happy voice and make kissy noises while you turn, as if you\u2019re going in the opposite direction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If your dog fears he\u2019ll be in trouble once he returns, he\u2019s less likely to rush back, so now\u2019s the time to break out your best, \u201cWho\u2019s a good boy?!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Use Your Recall Word<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Ideally, long before you have a dog running away, you\u2019ll have trained your pup to respond to an emergency recall word. This is a word or phrase that cues him to immediately return to your side, regardless of the stimuli around him. Although teaching a recall word is an involved process, it\u2019s well worth the time, and there are a few secrets.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen dogs respond to their recall word, you reward them big time,\u201d says Cerone. \u201cYou have to make it worth their while to do what you want them to do. Use a super high-value food that your dog doesn\u2019t get any other time. If he knows something absolutely fabulous will happen when he responds, such as bacon, he\u2019ll choose you over what he\u2019s chasing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When selecting a recall word, go with something short and snappy that you rarely say in everyday conversation, advises Cerone. \u201cCome,\u201d for example, is too common of a word and will lose its sense of urgency. \u201cBacon,\u201d however, might be a good contender\u2014it\u2019s not likely to get worn out, and your dog may already associate it with something delicious.<\/p>\n<p><em>Stop the Action<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Having your dog run back to you is ideal. But this requires him to stop and reroute, which can be complicated. For a simpler approach, consider instructing him to stop and lie down. \u201cOne of the best skills to teach is a fast lie down,\u201d says Dr. Lindell. \u201cIt\u2019s easier for a dog to drop than to turn around and run back to a person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In fact, it could help to bring everyone down to ground level. Dr. Lindell recommends sitting down quickly yourself, then pretending to play with a toy to entice your dog to come check things out.<\/p>\n<p><em>Prevent Future Run-Offs<\/em><\/p>\n<p>As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. While it\u2019s impossible to prevent all emergencies, there are some steps you can take to make it less likely that your dog runs away.<\/p>\n<p>Cerone says, unless you have a rock-solid recall word, it is best to never have your dog off-leash in an area that\u2019s not confined. Stick to enclosed dog parks if there\u2019s any chance your BFF will choose a squirrel over you.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also important to know your dog and extra important to make sure your fence is secure and your doors are shut tightly. The same goes for dogs who are not yet spayed or neutered\u2014not even bacon will deter them from trying to meet up with a mate.<\/p>\n<p>As always, ensure that your dog\u2019s ID tags and microchip are up to date. If, worst case scenario, he keeps running, you want him to be able to get home as quickly and easily as possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not So Spooky Concert a hit by Maralyn Fink I attended the Not So Spooky Concert at the Depot on Thursday evening. This group is the Mid-Michigan Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jill Boots. A nice turnout came to enjoy the sounds and music that were presented. Treats were handed out for everyone and kids came <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=6157\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6157\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}