Editor's Notes... Jamboree Fun! 21 New Rattitude members plus family and friends were fortunate enough to attend the 2009 Southeast Rat Terrier Jamboree in Sweetwater, Tenn. last month. What a great time! If you missed it, all I can say is you've GOT to get there next year. Enjoy the stories and photos below. Welcome New Members Our New Rattitude family continues to grow! We'd like to welcome the following new members. Thanks for joining our team! Barbara Hill, Montana Paula Swan, Ohio Lindy Darovic, Illinios Cathy Conrad, California Dana Olness, North Carolina Heidee Vansant, Alabama The Shelter Challenge New Rattitude is again participating in the Shelter Challenge, sponsored by The Animal Rescue Site and Petfinder.com, and we need your votes every day to help us win!   To vote, go to http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge. In the lavender box, type "New Rattitude" for shelter name, then "GA" for state. Then click the search button. Although we have six different Petfinder regions, we need to concentrate all of our votes on ONE shelter, so we've chosen the Georgia region. Each computer may vote once per day. The contest runs through July 26. We need your votes every day to win. Let your animal-loving family, friends, and neighbors know!

					Jammin'! Tales from the 2009 Southeast Rat Terrier Jamboree by Janell Brown and Levecke Mas On Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25, the sleepy little town of Sweetwater in eastern Tennessee became the temporary home to a veritable herd of little spotted dogs. For the fourth year in a row, members of the Southeast Rat Terriers Yahoo group sponsored the Southeast Rat Terrier Jamboree and over 100 people, with at least that many dogs, from all over the country made the trek to Sweetwater to join in the fun. The states represented included Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. The event was held at the Sweetwater KOA campground, and the admission price of just $3 per person plus the donation of an item for the New Rattitude fundraising raffle bought attendees two "Jam"-packed days of activities. With competitive events, games, cookouts, and a huge raffle full of goodies, a grand time was had by humans and canines alike.  Friday Meet and Greet Friday was a day for meeting and greeting. Many folks knew one another only through Internet rat terrier chat groups and forums and were actually meeting in person for the first time. For others, the day was a much anticipated reunion of old friends and the opportunity to make new ones. The ratties (and a few non-rattie siblings) enjoyed hours of playtime as they ran and wrestled off-leash on the large, fenced Jam field. Friday afternoon Jaime and Neil Restorff and the dynamic duo of Oscar and Satch demonstrated the sport of flyball. They wowed the crowd with their skill and expertise, and the fact that the dogs' favorite toy was a 5-gallon plastic bucket, which was used to encourage them to race back to the starting line. At the end of the day, Jamboree organizers hosted a free cookout, and everyone gathered in the large picnic pavilion for burgers, hotdogs, salads, and lots of desserts. Saturday Games Saturday was a day of doggy events, full of excitement and hilarious mishaps. Many of the well-mannered pooches took part in the rally obedience competition, while others demonstrated their skills on the agility course. Most exciting of all was the rat terrier racing, where the dogs vied for the title of fastest rattie. During one fun moment, Baby, Jessica Mannon's special needs girl, who raced in her little cart, was running along when Paula Nowak's Curly, also racing, jumped over a few lanes to join her and see what all the excitement was about on that side of the course. New Rattitude members were well represented in the winners' circles of the day. The talented team of Terry Beale and her foster Savannah took third place in the agility competition. Debbie Collins and her rattie Tex took third in Rally Obedience. And Jaime and Neil Restorff took first and third with their dogs Oscar and Satch in the terrier races for the 12"-and-over division. CongRATS to all! Fundraising! The New Rattitude board of directors hosted lunch on Saturday. In true community spirit, folks dropped off apples, bananas, grapes, salads, and a pie to add to the menu. Director Connie Hendsbee's husband, Bob, donated pulled pork for the tasty barbecue sandwiches. Other volunteers from New Rattitude brought delicious home-baked brownies and cookies. A total of 72 lunches were sold, we had a lot fun, AND we made a profit of $375.30. Thanks so much to everyone who was a part of this FUNdraising lunch. In another NR fundraiser, people could buy chances at $1 per ticket to guess the number of balls filling a soft-sided dog crate. The Restorffs donated the balls of all sizes, and only Jaime knew the total number in the crate. The very last ticket sold went to Ricky McIntyre from N.C. and his rattie Kirby. NR member Levecke Mas encouraged Ricky to pick up the crate, feel the weight, and have a good look inside. Unfortunately, Ricky picked up the crate by the support bar that ran across the top and SNAP, the bar broke under the weight of all those balls! Dumbstruck, Ricky and Levecke just stared at each other with their mouths open. Ricky offered to pay for the crate, but Levecke told him his only option was to win, since the prize was the crate and all the balls. The contest was closed moments later, and the total number of balls in the crate was announced--214. Ricky’s guess was 198, the closest of all the entries. He WAS the winner! Once again Levecke and Ricky stood with mouths agape. Once the shock was over, Ricky donated half the balls to NR member Sherri Chatterton for her to use at her local shelter. The New Rattitude ReTail Shop booth was another popular spot for Jamboree goers. Members of the fundraising committee offered a little of everything, from T-shirts and hats to dog toys. Member Marla Knight had her booth for Selah's Bags set up next door and donated $2 to NR for each handmade bag she sold. Another NR booth offered a microchip clinic at a cost of just $20 per dog. The main event of the day was the huge raffle that the Jamboree organizers put together to benefit New Rattitude.  All morning, volunteers had gathered the donations from the Jamboree’s attendees and created over 100 different groupings of baskets and goodies to be raffled off. Tickets were sold for $1 each, but a "stretch" of tickets could be purchased for $20 by finding a person with long arms and seeing how many tickets could be stretched from fingertip to fingertip. George, a SE Rat Terrier group member, had the record-setting stretch with 41 tickets, and New Rattitude foster parent Neil Restorff was a close second with 40. Raffle participants placed their tickets in numbered bags for each of the items they wanted to try to win. With so many items being raffled off, it seemed that everyone went home with something great. Paula Nowak announced the winners as the names were drawn and kept things interesting by urging the winners to demonstrate their excitement--including a request that Floridian winner Connie Hendsbee do a "flamingo dance" before she claimed her prize. At the end of the day, the SE Rat Terriers group presented New Rattitude's treasurer, Sue Kangas, with the raffle proceeds--over $1,000! After Hours At the end of each day, many people and dogs retired to the Magnuson hotel, which had 27 rooms booked with Jamboree participants. With all of these rooms grouped on one side of the building, there was always a joyful ruckus in the parking lot as people walked their dogs and socialized while the dogs sniffed butts and renewed acquaintances from the day. Groups of Jam-goers met for breakfast every morning, usually at a nearby diner, and again for dinner Saturday night. Wisconsin funny woman, Jaime Restorff, and her straight man, Neil, hosted two evenings of fun around their campfire at the KOA campground. Jaime and Neil had brought a collection of delicious Wisconsin cheeses for all to sample, and no one was allowed to leave without eating some cheese! Even Sue Kangas’ dog Rusty enjoyed his fair share of the bacon cheddar. New Rattitude members, SE Rat Terrier members, folks from other rescue groups, and people camping at the KOA who just stopped by to see what was going on--all sat around the fire, under the Tennessee stars, telling stories and….eating cheese!   Everyone had an amazing time at the Jamboree, and the dogs had a blast as well. It was truly a sight to see all those little spotted ratties running around in one place. If you missed this year's event, make sure you save the last full weekend in April for the 2010 Jamboree. It is a weekend that every rat terrier lover should attend. Photos (top to bottom): 1) Paula Nowak (GA) and the "welcoming committee." 2) Terry Beale (GA) and foster Savannah. 3) Sue Kangas (MI) and Nancy Breedlove (MI) in the ReTail Shop booth. 4) Sherri Chatterton (NC) and Tigger. 5) The Washington crew--Kathy Young, Levecke Mas, and Janell Brown. 6) Shannon Bayless (GA). 7) Jessica Mannon's dog, Baby, racing with Paula's Curly. 8) Neil Restorff (WI) carves up the cheese. 9) Sue Kangas accepts the raffle proceeds. Check out the Jamboree web site for many more photos!

					New Items in the New Rattitude ReTail Shop New Rattitude T-shirts Now Available! Our one-of-a-kind New Rattitude T-shirts, introduced at the Jam, are now available in the ReTail Shop! These are great shirts! 100% pre-shrunk jersey cotton short-sleeved shirts in a "natural" color, priced at just $10.00 each, and available in sizes small to 2XL. Order yours today! Bottle Buddies, Skinneeez Animals and More! Your dog will be entertained by the crinkle of the recycled, replaceable water bottle inside the Bottle Buddies toys. Freeze water in a capped bottle (toy comes with uncapped bottle) before inserting and your dog will have a cool toy for hot weather. Available in three characters: cow, dog, and pig. The Skinneeez stuffingless plush toys are sure to be another favorite. Rattie tested and approved (read Frodo and Janell's review below). We have the skunk, raccoon and squirrel available. The Monster Pull toy will prove a challenge for even the toughest of terriers. Four layers of ballistic nylon under the tough plush exterior provide the ultimate durability. Throw it, catch it, swing it, tug it--dogs love it! Visit the New Rattitude ReTail Shop for these and other great items, including apparel, jewelry and charms, great gifts and other fun stuff!

					Vacationing With Your Rattie By Debbie Collins The summer vacation season is here! And who better to take with you on your travels than your furry four-legged friend? Many ratties love to travel, most will benefit from the various exposures to new and exciting things, and all desire nothing more than to be with their family, no matter where that takes them. Planning and Preparations Traveling with your dog involves more than simply loading it in the car and taking off. Before you venture out, take the time to prepare. If you plan ahead and make the right arrangements, traveling with your rattie can be worry-free and loads of fun. The first thing to do is to decide where to go. Plan activities that your dog enjoys and will be able to do with you--hiking, camping, picnicking, boating, swimming, outdoor events, etc. Always check ahead to make sure that dogs are allowed at the places you plan to visit. The internet is an excellent tool to find dog-friendly locations, activities, hotels, and campgrounds. Make a list of veterinary clinics along the route and at your destination. In the event of an illness or injury, this list may help save your dog’s life. And be sure that your dog is always wearing tags with his identification and your name and cell phone number. Don’t have just your home phone number on the tags, as you are traveling and will not be home to answer the phone. The Trip An automobile is usually the best way to travel with dogs, but a long road trip should not be a dog’s introduction to riding in the car. If your dog is not accustomed to car rides, start with frequent, short trips to destinations that are fun or rewarding, such as a dog park or a pet store where he’ll get treats. Make these short trips enjoyable and fun. Automobile safety is an important consideration. A dog can be seriously injured or killed in a sudden stop or wreck. A crate is an excellent way to keep your dog safe in the car. Another safe method is the use of a harness/seat belt combination. Plan to stop every three to five hours for exercise, potty breaks, and drinks of water. Don’t stop for your dog just to relieve itself; take a walk to expend some energy. Keep items such as a leash, water bowl, bottle of water, treats, a couple of toys, and poop bags within easy reach for each stop. Also, don’t forget to pack any medicines, medical records, and a first aid kit. For an extensive list of items to include in a first aid kit, consult paw-rescue.org. Lodging The two most common choices for overnight stays are hotels and campgrounds. Many of the same preparations apply to any accommodations you opt for: find out in advance which hotels/motels or campgrounds allow dogs and know if any restrictions apply such as weight limit or number of dogs. An internet search of “dog-friendly hotels” will generate a long list of sites that specifically list hotels that welcome pets, such as www.bringfido.com and www.DogFriendly.com. Hotel Safety Upon arrival, leave your pet in the car a few minutes while you “police” the hotel room. Get down on your dog’s level and check under every bed and piece of furniture for items that could be harmful, like insect/rodent poisons and food or items left by former guests. This is vital, as many dogs have become ill or died from ingesting items from hotel room floors. Campground Safety Upon arrival, inspect the campsite. Common things found on sites include cigarette butts, chicken or steak bones, old food, and nails. A fire pit is a general catch-all for peoples’ trash, so grab a stick and sift through the ashes. You can be assured that most dogs will. Travel Etiquette Whenever your dog travels with you, be sure that you and your canine companion respect other vacationers, staff, and property. Keep in mind that one bad experience with a dog may prompt management to refuse to allow any future pets and can ruin the opportunities available to all pet owners. Try to keep your dog as quiet as possible, don’t leave it unattended in a hotel room, and ALWAYS pick up your dog’s poop! Traveling with your dog can be fun and a rewarding experience for both your family and your dog! Happy travels!

					Furever Home We are proud to announce that 20 more New Rattitude ratties have found their furever homes. CongRATulations to all, and to the new adopters, WELCOME to the New Rattitude family! Sapphy - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Debra and Allen Boice Nemo - Fostered by Robin Woods, adopted by Maeve Carroll Sally Ride - Fostered by Janell Brown, adopted by Margaret Flieger Abby - Fostered by Janell Brown, adopted by Carl and Carmen Smith Savannah - Fostered by Terry Beale, adopted by Catherine Mestas Pippy - Fostered by Michelle Harris, adopted by Kim Streeter Sebastian - Fostered by Jessica Mannon, adopted by Jessica Mannon Bannister - Fostered by Nancy Breedlove, adopted by Angela Weitzel Stratus - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Gerald Powell Jay Jay - Fostered by Crystal Vostad, adopted by Donald Herrington Emie - Fostered by LellyLea Clarke-Johnson, adopted by Gail Calta Angel Bunnie - Fostered by Sharon Smith, adopted by Sharon Smith Ivan - Fostered by Bethany Adams, adopted by Gail Calta Bodhi - Fostered by Nadia Chiodini, adopted by Tim Timmons Maggie - Fostered by Jodi Cotner, adopted by Rebecca Robertson Bonita - Fostered by Connie Hendsbee, adopted by Ruth Price Maxx - Fostered by Di Cosentini, adopted by Laurie Inman Fiesta - Fostered by Debbie Collins, adopted by Terri DeGrande Vidalia - Fostered by Terry Beale, adopted by Deidre La Rue Foxy - Fostered by Debbie Collins, adopted by Elizabeth Adams In The Clinic Gus is only 11 months old and has already endured heartworm treatment. As if that weren't bad enough, he also needed surgery for a badly broken hip, apparently suffered before Animal Control picked him up as a stray. The FHO (Femoral Head Ostectomy) involves removing the ball part of the leg bone within the hip socket to alleviate his pain and allow him to move and sit naturally. New Rattitude needs to raise $450 to pay for Gus's surgery. Can you help us? Dogs in the Canine Clinic have incurred vet bills which will not be covered by their adoption fees. If you can help, please visit the link above to read about these dogs and consider a donation to help us cover these costs. Canine Clinic donors are listed on our Donor Recognition board. We appreciate every dollar...without the help of our supporters, we would not be able to rescue these ratties with medical needs.

					A Match Made in Sweetwater The Story of Miss Mary and Reggie Roving canine correspondent Jessee gives us a dog’s-eye view of her trip with her mom from Maryland to Tennessee. By Kathy Puckett and Jessee It all started a week before we got into the fast machine that makes me shake, when mom kept tapping on something called a laptop, a word I’ll never understand because I think all respectable laps should contain dogs. Sometimes she would read aloud to me...something about a stray dog living on borrowed time in a Luray, Virginia shelter...name of Kip...near the Interstate that goes to Tennessee...maybe someone at Jamboree would take him home…or not. I knew something was up because Mom got all nice with Dad and asked if we had room for one more for just a short time till she could arrange a flight to a mom named Janell in Washington state. Huh? Was she talking about another dog? “Here we go again!” I thought. “I’m going to have to teach a new pup the rules of the pack.” One evening, a mom who smelled vaguely familiar arrived at our door. Wait, I knew her! She’s the one who adopted that jumping little princess dog, Bella, from our pack. I liked her for doing that because Bella was always in my face wanting to play and thinking SHE had first place in Mom’s lap. I barked, as I spotted Bella charging up the driveway. “You ready?” asked the lady. “Almost, Mary” said Mom. “Just let me grab Jessee’s crate.” CRATE!! Did she mean that prison that she almost never makes me use? Before I knew it, she had thrust me into a prison-cage next to that sassy Bella in the fast machine. My heart sank. We were going on a trip, and I started to shake. Shaking makes me sleepy, and the next thing I knew, it was dark and we were stopping. Then all of us went into a place with beds, and even though this did not smell like home, I was too tired to care. I fell right asleep. Next morning, we piled back into the fast machine, and before I had stopped shaking, the machine stopped, too. My prison was pushed over a little closer to Bella’s, and a new one was shoved in next to mine. “Come on, Kip,” said Mom, as a rather bony-looking fellow jumped into the prison next door. He sat quietly, looking straight ahead all respectful-like. I appreciate that in a male. We’d save our sniffing for later. Soon I was fast asleep again. I don’t know how long we were in the fast machine, but when the sun moved to the other side of the sky, we stopped again. Mom and Miss Mary got all three of us dogs out and walked us around. I was amazed to realize that annoying little Bella wasn’t up in my face. She was calmly walking next to Kip. “He’s such a nice dog,” observed Miss Mary. “Yes,” agreed Mom. “I hope Janell will be able to find a good home for him. One thing’s for sure, though. He needs a new name. There’s already a Kip.”   “Well, whatever name he gets, it needs to embody his regal bearing,” said Miss Mary. Ok, she’d lost me there. We walked into another one of those strange-smelling rooms, and Miss Mary fixed our bowls. The dog formerly known as Kip waited for us girls to be served, and then he wolfed down his meal. Whoa, that boy was hungry! Then he sat down and leaned against Miss Mary’s legs. “Hey!” I remember Mom laughing, “you’re forgetting who rescued you!” “He really is a sweet boy,” said Miss Mary. “Bella seems to like him.” Next morning, we went to a big field with lots of other dogs. We were allowed to run and play without leashes. It was SO much fun! Bella hung around the new dog, which was just fine with me. We played games and Mom talked to Miss Janell. I heard Miss Janell say it was a shame she couldn’t take the new dog on the plane back home, and Mom said she didn’t mind keeping him till they could figure out a plan. Mom and Miss Mary won lots of prizes at the raffle. Miss Mary won TWO dog beds--one was all froufrou pink--perfect for Bella, but the other was definitely for a boy. Why did she want two beds? Later that evening, as Miss Mary was putting the leash on Bella to take her for a walk, the new dog sat quietly and gave Miss Mary “the look.” (It’s something we dogs know about, and I’m sworn to secrecy on it.) Miss Mary said, “Oh, do you want to come, too?” Bingo! Next morning, we were piled back into our prison-cages to head back home. I heard Mom and Miss Mary talking about a name for the new dog. “How about Duke?” asked mom. “Duke’s nice,” said Miss Mary without sounding like she meant it. After a while, Mom said, “What about Reginald?” “His full name could be Sir Reginald of Sweetwater,“ she added with a mock British accent. “Reginald…I like it!” mused Bella’s mom. “It’s perfect...Reggie…”   A bit later, Miss Mary said to mom, “Would you mind keeping Reggie before arranging for his flight? I need to do some thinking. I’d like my son to meet him.” “Oh?” said Mom, as she winked at me from the rearview mirror. “No problem.” Epilogue: Mary’s application to adopt Reggie was approved right before we went to press. Reggie has his bags packed!

					Volunteer Spotlight - NR Board of Directors By Sue Kangas The New Rattitude membership held its very first election for board of directors in March. Per our bylaws, in this initial election, all seven seats on the board were open. The new directors are: Bethany Adams, Terry Beale, Susan Beard, Debbie Collins, Connie Hendsbee, Sue Kangas, and Levecke Mas. Meet your New Rattitude board of directors. Bethany Adams – Westland, Michigan I’m known in family circles as "the crazy dog rescue lady with those terriers," and I suppose that sums things up fairly well. Along with Jeff, my spouse, we have four family terriers and a rotating door for fosters. We've been involved with rescue and fostering for about ten years and have focused specifically on ratties for about the past two. When New Rattitude formed, I was fortunate enough to jump in with both feet from the start as webmaster, along with several other small roles. This opportunity has truly enriched my life, giving me an opportunity to use the skills I have to help this breed that we so love. New Rattitude has such a strong membership base, and as a team we are really making a difference in the lives of these dogs. It is an honor to work with so many dedicated rattie lovers with the same goal. While you probably won't see me very often in person, I am almost always available if you need to reach me via email or telephone. Terry Beale – Atlanta, Georgia The Beale household consists of Terry, hubby Gary, teens Scott (18) and Holly (16), one personal dog (pitbull/RT mix), and one cat. In the five years we've been involved with dog rescue, we have fostered 88 dogs plus temporarily housed and transported an unknown number of others. Fostering started as something our family could do to help make a difference in the world and give us an "activity" we could do together. But it quickly became my passion because of the joy it gives my heart--not only rescuing and sharing love with the dogs themselves, but also from helping the families whose lives are changed upon finding and adopting their canine soul mates. And I truly value the strong friendships formed with others who share this passion! Susan Beard –  Creston, North Carolina My husband Harry and I live on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina, which we share with an assortment of critters including our four dogs, three of whom are ratties. My daughter, Kim, and hubby also live on the farm and all of my grandkids have fur or feathers. I've always loved animals and shared my life with many, but my passion for dogs (and rescue) really began just eight years ago with my first rat terrier, Lucy. Funny how a rattie can change your life like that. I've been a member of New Rattitude since its inception last August, volunteering as the ReHome Program manager and the editor of 'Tude News. It is an honor to be able serve on the board of this most amazing organization. Debbie Collins – Helena, Alabama My husband Rick and I live in a house we built ourselves in rural Alabama. With our kids grown and gone, our rattie Tex is now our only "kid" living with us, along with the ever-changing roster of foster ratties. We fell in love with the rat terrier breed when we adopted our first rescue rattie Beener in December 2000. I became involved in rat terrier rescue in June 2006 as a "temporary" foster parent, but that temporary status quickly changed to permanent during the time we had foster No. 2. Being involved in rescue has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done, and I'm honored to be able to serve on the board of such a wonderful organization alongside such fine, dedicated volunteers. Connie Hendsbee – Sebastian, Florida My husband, Bob, and I got our first rat terrier 11 years ago, and I clearly remember remarking to him that this breed was so great that we could fill the house with them. That may have been a premonition, because when we retired six years later, that’s exactly what we did. Currently we have six fosters. Our sons live nearby, and they help with the fosters, cat-testing them and taking them for a few days to get them used to different houses to prepare them for adoption. They also help by transporting and doing home visits.  Fostering is a total family affair. I have the best job with NR--adoption manager. I work with all the foster parents and an awesome applications team. I’m also the Florida state coordinator and love networking with other rescues to save ratties. The gratification of watching a “problem” foster morph into a wonderful companion dog, the pure pleasure of working with an ace applications team, and the honor of being in an organization with compassionate, hard-working, selfless volunteers makes for a very satisfying retirement. Sue Kangas – DeWitt, Michigan My family consists of husband,Brian, two sons, Erik (21) and Daniel (19), and our third “son,” rat terrier Rusty (6). The Kangas family has been rat terrier owners/lovers since we got our first rat terrier in November 1997. I have been involved in rat terrier rescue since January 2005, but the satisfaction and enjoyment I get out of volunteering for New Rattitude is second to none. I am the organization’s treasurer, a responsibility I take very seriously. Protection of our financial resources is essential for the long-term viability and success of New Rattitude. I also feel it’s important to keep our precious members happy, so I’m dedicated to timely reimbursement of vet bills and open communication via e-mail and phone. Please feel free to contact me anytime! Levecke Mas – Seattle, Washington I live in Seattle with my hubby, Charlie, and our daughters, Leila (15) and Emma (13). We have two rattie boys, Nik  (5) and Sam (9). Our senior chi, Wally, passed on recently. All were rescued dogs. I began volunteering for New Rattitude when it was formed last August, and our whole family loves to help out with NR work. It is such a pleasure to read a post about a dog in need, read all the ways we team up to pull together a rescue, and watch the foster dog move through our system until we read its wonderful follow-up story when its  "pawgress" report is posted.

					Grooming Your Rat Terrier Adding Fun and Training to the Mix By Nadia Chiodini Does your rat terrier hide under the bed when you pull out the nail clippers? Negative reactions to grooming routines can make one want to forgo the activity altogether, especially since ratties with their short, smooth coats, tend to be fairly low maintenacne. Nevertheless, some care is required to maintain any dog's good health and olfactory charm. If you combine your dog’s regular grooming activities with the training tips in this article, you can make the experience more pleasant for both you and your dog. My rat terriers’ grooming routine begins with cleaning the ears. I use a scissors-handled surgical clamp called a hemostat to hold a cotton ball saturated with wintergreen alcohol and then I gently rub the interior of the ear till the cotton comes out clean. If you’re not sure how far to penetrate the ear opening, ask your vet to show you. While you’re cleaning, praise your dog for allowing you to apply the alcohol. Next I like to do the nails. If your dog is prone to bite on these occasions, use a muzzle. There are a variety of trimming and grinding devices available these days, but I prefer to use professional clippers. If your dog's nails are white, it is easier to locate the quick--that red line of sensitive flesh that runs down the dog’s nail towards the tip. With black nails, look under the nail to find where the quick ends and cut just in front of that. If you can’t see where the quick ends, just clip off tiny bits of nail at a time and have some styptic powder to put on the nail if if begins to bleed. To finish the nails, I file them with a regular diamond-embedded nail file. This is a good time to work on a sit-stay. Remember, if you use lots of praise, you’ll reassure your dog that it’s doing the right thing. Now comes the fun part--the bath! Before we discuss the hows, let’s consider how often. Generally, you need to bathe your rattie only when it gets dirty after a romp in the mud or when it develops an odor that you don’t care for. For some folks, this might not be more than once or twice a year, if that! But there are some good reasons to bathe your dog more often. If your dog has allergies to grasses or other plants, regular bathing can help remove those irritants. Also consider more frequent bathing if your dog sits on your furniture or sleeps in your bed or if someone in the family has mild allergy to pet dander. Where to bathe depends on your dog’s behavior and size. If it isn’t likely to jump, you can bath your smaller rattie in the kitchen sink or a laundry room tub. You can also buy a raised dog bath and then, there’s the old standby--the bathroom tub. Wherever you bathe your dog, place a rubber mat on the bottom to give it a firm footing and help it feel more secure. Before you begin, line up all the supplies you’re going to need--cotton balls, shampoo, possibly a conditioner, a plastic pitcher, if needed, and lots of towels. And dress for the job--face it, you’re going to get wet. Check the temperature of the water flow--it should be lukewarm--before you place your dog in the tub and place cotton in each ear to prevent water from entering the ear canal. Stand-stay is a good command to use while the dog is in the tub and you’re wetting it down and lathering up the fur with a good quality dog shampoo. I like to use Coat Handler brand shampoo and leave-in conditioner, available at one of my favorite sources for grooming supplies, www.petedge.com. The shampoo, which has whitening properties, rinses out easily, and the conditioner can help to soothe and improve the condition of your dog’s skin. Whatever brand you use, be sure to use a tearless shampoo on the head and around the eyes. If your dog has a skin problem, ask your vet for suggestions on the type of shampoo to use. Take your time with the shampooing and use it as an opportunity for a nice massage. The better you scrub the more your dog should like the bath. One of the most important things to do is rinse ALL the soap out of your dog's skin and coat. Leftover soap is a major cause of skin problems. Rinse, rinse, rinse and when you feel you have done an excellent job, do it again. Follow up with leave-in conditioner if you choose to use it. Then rub your hands over your dog’s coat from head to tail to remove as much water as possible before you bundle up your pooch in towels and lavish it with praise for a job well done. After the bath, remove the cotton from the ears and squeeze a few drops of alcohol from a clean alcohol-soaked cotton ball into each ear canal.  Wipe out with dry cotton and allow your dog to shake its head to remove any remaining liquid in the ear canals. If the weather is warm enough, your rattie can air dry, but if it is chilly, dry with a human blow dryer on a low setting. Once your dog is completely dry, you can give it a brushing if you want. Since rat terriers tend to shed, I like to use the FurBuster by Bamboo. Brushing is a great time to work on stand-stay, sit-stay, down-stand and turn around. Oh, and let’s not forget come! Whenever you’re grooming your rattie, keep things happy and carefree.  Be firm if you have to, but stay positive. Don't forget lots of praising and lots of love. The one time I hand out a treat is at the very end of the bath. I’ll have my rattie sit and tell it, "This is for you being such a very good dog." For questions about grooming or any other aspect of rattie life, get the answers on the New Rattitude forum.

					Product Review: Skinneeez Stuffing-free Plush Dog Toys By Janell Brown It may look like roadkill to you, but don't be surprised if it ends up being your terrier's favorite toy. The Skinneeez line by the company SPOT, are wonderful for both human and dog alike. Frodo, a toothsome rat terrier, and his human Janell will each explain their favorite points about these un-stuffed animals. Janell: I love the fact that there is no stuffing in these toys. I don't have to worry about Frodo eating the stuffing and best of all, I don't have to clean up the typical mess when he drags the stuffing all over the house. Frodo: It's quite disappointing to miss out on gutting these pesky critters. However because they are gutless, they are delightfully floppy and passive...sort of like a squirrel that has lost its will to live.   Janell: This is one of the only squeaky toys that my dogs will continue to play with after it has lost its squeaker. They flip them up in the air, play tug with them, and drag them around until only small bits of fur remain. Frodo: Again, this thing she calls a toy so closely simulates a dead rodent that even once it has lost its squeaky plea for mercy, it's still a prize. Rigor never sets in. It flops on like a fresh kill. The only thing that could make it better is the stink of decay. So there you have it. Frodo and Janell give Skinneeez toys a paw and thumbs up. The toys are available in regular length (23") or the smaller "Mini Skinneeez" which are about 12-15" long. All the Skinneeez animals have squeakers in both the head and the tail. Mini Skinneeez typically cost around $8 and the longer versions run from $11 to $14, depending on the type of animal. Try Them Out! For a limited time New Rattitude will have the Mini Skinneeez skunks, squirrels, and raccoons available for sale online in the ReTail store. Order yours today!

					Want to Get Involved? Join The Pack! Volunteer participation is critical to our success and our ability to save dogs. New Rattitude has many volunteer opportunities and ways that you can participate that involve as little or as much time as you wish to contribute: Fostering, transporting, adoption screening, fundraising, organizational tasks, shelter monitoring, public relations, newsletter, special events, and more. As a member of our team, you will always be treated with respect and your contributions appreciated. Volunteer education and training is ongoing, and support and advice willingly shared. If you are interested in joining our team, please fill out our online Volunteer Application! Donate Cash donations go directly to pay for veterinary expenses for our rescued dogs, including vaccinations, heartworm testing and treatment, spay/neuters, antibiotics, etc. Since we are an all-volunteer organization with virtually no overhead, 100% of your donation goes to care for the dogs. To donate, send check or money order to: New Rattitude, PO Box 14064, Lansing, MI 48901. Or donate via Paypal by sending a payment to: treasurer@newrattitude.org GoodSearch/GoodShop GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! Go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter New Rattitude as the charity you want to support.   GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's, and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting New Rattitude as your chosen cause.

					'Tude News Team Managing Editor: Susan Beard Copy Editor: Kathy Puckett Staff Writers: Janell Brown, Sherri Chatterton, Nadia Chiodini, Debbie Collins, Jodi Cotner, Norma Downing, Barbara Hill, Patti Jeffries, Sue Kangas, Jessica Mannon, Levecke Mas, Sharon Smith Webmaster/Archives: Bethany Adams 'Tude News is published monthly. Freelance submissions are welcome. To submit a story or story idea, please contact the Managing Editor at newsletter@newrattitude.org. Visit our archives to view previous issues of 'Tude News.