Sunday is a special day for members of the Sacramento Itty Bitty Dog group – it’s when the “Itty Bitty” dogs come out to play at Carmichael Canine Corral.   One hundred eighty dogs and their owners make up the group which started in May 2008. The group meets about twice a month at the park for an afternoon of play.     To be considered “Itty Bitty,” dogs must be 12 pounds or smaller. Organizer of the group, Joan Lutz, said most of the dogs are rescue dogs.  It’s not just the dogs who enjoy the socialization, though, the owners enjoy spending afternoons discussing anything dog-related: nutrition, product recalls, doggy fashion and dog-sitting. It’s not uncommon to see a doggy manicu

Sweet little Noah! This four-year-old Jack Russell Terrier mix is a bundle of energy but also a lot of fun! He is perfectly content playing fetch, and will gladly bring the ball back to you if you want to keep playing! He is affectionate and a big people lover. Noah also gets along with other dogs. If he sounds like he might be a good match for your family, come pay him a visit today!

Zoie is a sweet, energetic Hound mix that loves nothing more then being outside and playing! She is young (only a year and nine-months-old) and is very intelligent-so she has a lot of potential for training and positive reinforcement! Zoie is a really playful and loving girl, who's 'happy place' is being outside playing fetch.  She knows her and name and sits on command...already a great little buddy in the making! Zoie would do best in an active home with an experienced owner who is often home to run, play and explore the world with her. She should do fine with older children at home but no cats please! Other dogs should be OK. She's looking for a place to call home, come pay her a visi

Meet Rufus & Emma! Rufus (male) is about five-years-old and Emma (female) is four-years-old, but they are the BEST of friends! Both are Bassett Hounds mixes and are a mandatory dual adoption, which means they must go home together. So if you're looking for two little buddies to join your family, they are a great catch! The price for these dogs is $150 for both (As the second dog is half-priced on dual adoptions). They love to play outside, ride in cars and just hang out with their people friends. Come pay them a visit and see what a sweet pair they are. Www.sspca.org

Q. I am trying to get my affairs in order and I am concerned about what will happen to my three dogs should I die or become incapacitated. Can I leave money in a will or trust for my dog's care? Suzy A. You cannot leave money or other kinds of property directly to your dogs because the law says that animals are property. I know most people that have pets consider them to be family members, but the law sees it differently, therefore your pets cannot be a beneficiary in a will. There are a number of things you can do to make sure your pets are provided for when you can no longer care for them. You can choose a new owner for your dogs and make it a legally binding decision by including it

Such a great duo! Samuel and Jackson are both eight-year-old black Labrador mixes looking for a new family to curl up to. While they are not a mandatory dual adoption, it is recommended that they stay together, because they are the BEST of friends! They both enjoy long walks and playing ball, while also laying around and hanging out with their people friends. Both dogs would prefer dog-friendly homes that have older children. Their ages qualify them both for our ‘Seniors for Seniors Adoption Program’ which waives the adoption fees to an adopter over the age of sixty. Do Samuel and Jackson seem like a great match for your family and lifestyle? Check them out online at www.sspca.org.  

Q: I have a 9 month old Lab-Pit mix I adopted three months ago from the shelter. He’s a really sweet dog and plays well with my neighbor’s dog, also a lab mix. We live near a fenced-in dog park and I’d really love to take him so he can socialize with more dogs, but a couple friends have had really bad experiences at dog parks and I’m nervous about going. Any advice? A: Great question! Dog professionals are all over the place on the question of dog parks. Depending on whom you ask, dog parks are the highlight of your dog’s day or the ideal setting for trauma, injury and lawsuits. I personally enjoy exercising and socializing my clients’ and my own dogs at the dog park, but I also know it’s

With the New Year just around the corner, resolutions weigh heavy on the minds of most people. At the Sacramento SPCA, we figured that these same concerns might be occupying the thoughts of some of our animal friends. So, we took a random poll of the more than 400 dogs, cats, rabbits and even a couple of rats at our shelter and this is what we discovered: • Four out of five dogs feel the need to exercise more • Walking was the number one exercise of choice, with fetch coming in as a close second • 65% of all animals surveyed are interested in pursuing healthier eating habits • A whopping 96% of the cats surveyed vowed to get more sleep in the coming year • 78% of dogs were determined to l

MacHiko is a beautiful, ten-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback looking for a friend to enjoy long walks and some quiet time with! She has a very sweet and gentle personality and she also has a big heart! MacHiko will do best in a low activity home with an experienced dog owner. She would probably do very well with older children and seems to do well with other dogs so another dog(s) at home should be fine. She is eligible for our Senior Companionship program where adoption fees are waived for adopters 60+ years adopting an animal over five-years- old.   *Don't forget about our Holiday Adoption Promo "Home for the Holidays" going on NOW at the Sacramento SPCA and other participating Sacramento s

As dog lovers we tend to be extremely tolerant of what some might perceive as “unmannerly” behavior by our dogs. We’re used to our bulldog’s habit of smooshing his face (and sometimes-droolly mouth) up against our leg to say “welcome home.” We don’t mind when our yorkie jumps into our lap as we settle on the couch. And when our exuberant golden thrusts her nose “south of the border” we understand that she’s just reacquainting herself with us after a long day. While these normal dog behaviors might be no big deal on a regular day, imagine a gathering in your home for a special occasion (not to stress you out, but the holidays are here) and suddenly your dog is embarrassing you all over the

Nadia is a great lap cat, looking for a home to call her very own. She is a sweet, three-and-a-half-year old with a great personality! Nadia is very striking too, with great markings on her face and a beautiful coat. She is currently being kept in a community cat room where she enjoys the company of other felines. She will be your best friend if you pet and love her! *Don't miss our Home for the Holidays Adoption promo going on NOW through December 30th! All animals (including Nadia) are 75% off their usual adoption fees! www.sspca.org

Shivers is an outgoing, confident, and playful little Chihuahua mix! He is affectionate towards people and loves to snuggle up in his owner’s lap. He enjoys going for walks, and he walks well on a leash. Shivers is best suited for a somewhat active home. If he will be living in a home with children, he will do best in a home with older kids. Since he is seven-years-old, his age makes him eligible for our Seniors for Seniors Adoption Program. Any adopter over the age of sixty can have the adoptions fees waived.   **Home for the Holidays promotion going on NOW! All animal adoption fees are 75% off. That means Shivers (and other great dogs) are only $25 NOW through December 30th! Come on do

Q. I have a three year old Pomeranian/Bichon. She is overall a great dog, but I have a really hard time with her on walks. When she sees another dog she goes crazy and barks and whines. It's really loud and embarrassing. She is fine at the dog parks and doesn't act out, but when she can't go say hi, she freaks! She does this in the car too and it is really distracting. Help! What can I do?! A. It probably isn’t all that comforting to know, but there are many, many owners who share your frustration and embarrassment every single time they take their dog for a walk. You’d be surprised how many people walk their dogs at unusual hours – even drive to empty lots or out-of-the-way locations - t

Home for the Holidays? Yes please! Help us to find comfy beds and warm hearts for the critters here at the Sacramento SPCA. Going on NOW through December 30th, all animal adoption fees are 75% off! Visit any one of the participating Sacramento shelters: the Sacramento SPCA, Sacramento City Animal Care Services, the Sacramento County Animal Care & Regulation and Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary! The four participating shelters will take in over 35,000 animals (collectively) over the course of a year. Our goal for this adoption promotion is to see 1,000 animals find new homes this holiday season. Help us spread the word and make it happen! Please visit www.sspca.org to find out more information

Help us find Jada a home! Jada is a very sweet and calm six-and-a-half-year old American Staffordshire terrier mix. She is one of our long-time residents here at the Sacramento SPCA and we’re determined to find her a home this holiday season! She is great with people and will do well with older children and friendly dogs, however, NO CATS please! *Additional bonus!* Her age makes her eligible for our Seniors for Seniors Adoption promo. Any senior over the age of sixty can have the adoption fees waived!   ** Also join us on December 7th, (the first Wednesday of every month) for our Senior Vaccine Clinic!  FREE vaccines for seniors over the age of 60 who bring in their pets! This will be h

This eight-year-old Jack Russell Terrier mix is both sweet and friendly. He is fairly typical of his breed in that he is very smart, confident and independent, but he’s also a big lover! Positive reinforcement training would help him focus his energy and learn even more commands than he already knows. Mr. Smokey would do best in a somewhat active home with experienced adult owners (older kids and other dogs ok). He is eligible for our Senior for Senior Program in which adoption fees are waived for adopters who are at least sixty-years-old and adopting animals over the age of five.   *Join us on Black Friday and during the weekend for some very special adoption deals! All black (and mostly

Welcome to The Local Bark’s new column, “Ask the Trainer.” The training team at The Local Bark has been working with dogs and their owners for more than 10 years on issues ranging from basic obedience to severe behavioral problems. There is no single training style, philosophy, or tool that fits all dogs or all dog owners. Kristin Minnie, trainer and owner of The Local Bark, and I bring a variety of philosophies and experiences to each and every client. Our goal with this column is to be able to answer questions about dog-related issues – both common and uncommon – that will help dog owners not only have well-behaved dogs but also achieve a balanced, healthy relationship with them. At th

This cute and feisty little three-year-old is very fun to be around! She loves to play and be pet and is looking for a permanent place to call home. Penny can come off a little pushy with other cats, mainly because she wants all of the attention! She might do well with another companion, as she is learning to share the attention while she is here at the shelter. Visit her online at www.sspca.org.   **Join us on 11.11.11 for a very special adoption promo! We'll be open 11:11AM- 11:11PM and all animals are just $11.11! Enjoy shopping, food and family fun. This event only comes ONCE every 100 years; it's going to be a ONEderful day!  

Meet the newest addition to the Sacramento SPCA family! We like to call these little guys (and gals) the "Squash Bunch"- as they are all named after a different type of squash. This litter of eight, just turned eight-weeks-old and they are each ready to find their new families. These little ones are very sweet and are used to being held; they are also on the path to being litter-box trained! Rabbits require a little bit of daily cleanup and thrive best with daily, human interaction. They make excellent companions! Please visit us online at www.sspca.org. Current adoption fees for rabbits: $45* **Join us on Friday, November 11th for our 11.11.11 celebration, where we hope you'll find

Brody is an eight-year-old Pointer mix who loves to be outside, go for walks, play with toys, or all of the above! He is described as being “one of the best behaved dogs” at the shelter, so we know he will make a lucky family really happy! Also any potential adopter should take note: He is OK with cats but will prefer to be the only dog in your home.  Brody’s age qualifies him for our Senior Companionship Program: Any adopter over the age of sixty can have the adoption fees waived. Find out more online at www.sspca.org!