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By april, September 29, 2010

PELHAMS DOG FUN PARK

NEWSLETTER NO. 9

SEPTEMBER 2010

Hello again everyone,

I hope you all enjoyed your summer holidays and are ready to get your dogs back into shape.

I have attached the schedule for the next round of dog obedience classes to this newsletter so please have a look and check which class you are in. If you cannot make classes please let me know so that I can offer your place to someone else.

As before the classes will be 5 euros per week for 6 weeks payable in advance (total 30 euros). Please come along and pay ASAP to secure your place as you know the classes have proved very popular and I am trying to keep the numbers down in each class. Places that have not been secured by 9th October will be offered to someone else.

Please make sure that you are on time for your classes as I will be starting promptly at the allocated time as I have a lot of classes to fit in. There will be a kiosk selling cakes, sandwiches burgers etc. with tables and chairs by the office. Can you please wait there with our dog on lead until you are called.

Again, please make sure that one gate is closed before the second gate is opened as we will be getting quite congested at that time and we don’t want any escapees. Also can I please ask everyone to clean up after your dogs, thank you.

Those attending classes please make sure that you practice at least 10 – 15 minutes every day; you cannot expect your dog to become fully trained in one hour per week. I am training you to train your dog!!!

REMEMBER – your dog needs exercise please bring him to the park at least once a week to run around and socialise. If you cannot bring him yourself we can organise a pick up and drop off for you.

From now until 8th October we are open from

• 5 – 8 p.m. Tuesday – Friday and
• 4 – 8 p.m. at weekends when we will have the kiosk available for refreshments.

As from Wednesday 13th October we will resume winter hours which will be as follows:-

• Monday & Tuesday – closed.
• Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday – classes from 9 – 1.30 – Dog Park open from 2 p.m.

Last but not least, our End of Summer BBQ is on Saturday 9th October. Doors are open from 3 p.m. (Dog Park free) and food will be served from 6 p.m. There will be starters, main course and dessert, a disco, bar area, seating and lighting.

Tickets are on sale from the office €15.00 for adults and €10 for children under 12. Under 5,’s go free.

Please come along and support us, we are hoping to have a lot of fun. Those who attended the Pig Roast will remember it was a great success and this time we are hoping to do even better.

If anyone would like to donate raffle prizes please let me know as this was also a great success last time around.

Many thanks,

MARLON

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By april, September 11, 2010

PELHAMS DOG FUN PARK

NEWSLETTER NO. 8

AUGUST 2010

Hello everyone!

Well, summer is slowly coming to a close and I am looking forward to the winter when the climate is so much better for the dogs.
We are celebrating the end of Summer 2010 with a BBQ on 9th October. As you know the Pig Roast was a great success so I decided to organise another similar event. This time we have caterers coming in to take some of the strain. Gates will open at 3 p.m. with food being served from 6. We have floodlighting as the nights will be drawing in by then. There will be a choice of  different meats with salad potatoes etc. and starters and desert.
There will also be a disco and bar.
As with the last event if anyone would like to donate raffle prizes that would be very much appreciated.
Tickets are on sale now from the dog school. They are 15 euros each for adults and 10 euros for kids under 12. Under 5s go free.
Tickets are limited to 175 so it will be first come first served. Please come along and support your club. The dog park will, of course, be free that day.
Please state your preference for beef or chicken when purchasing your ticket and keep the ticket to hand into the chef for your food on the day.

I am doing a 6 part TV series starting some time in October so if anyone wants to put up a banner before then and the BBQ you will be sure to get some good advertising for your company or organisation.
Fees for the dog pool are going to have to go up to 5 euros per dog as the water bowser which I have delivered every 2 weeks to change the water has now trebled in price!
If you want to continue to bring your own refreshments to the park for the time you are welcome to do so until I can finally get a kiosk organised.
Classes are going to start at the end of October/beginning November. These will be on Saturday and Sunday mornings as before with one class on a Wednesday morning and one on a Thursday morning.
As I have about a hundred people waiting for classes I am going to grade the dogs according to age, size and ability. We will be texting/emailing people shortly to let them know which classes they will be in.
All new members starting classes please ensure that you practice what you learn during classes for at least 15 minutes each day. REMEMBER I am training YOU to train your dog. Do not expect your dog to become fully trained in just 45 minutes per week.
We are now fully booked for boarding until the end of the year so book early for 2011.
The monthly draw winner for August is Member No. 221
Good news from Geoff and Nadia whose dog Sierra was hit by a car. She is now on her way to a full recovery and will be a regular back at the dog park shortly.
I have been contacted by someone who is looking for a new home for two one year old border collies so if anyone is interested or knows of anyone who might be interested please let me know.
Thanks to Arthur for making my father welcome on his birthday last week and organising another great meal in Terrazza Restaurant, Spinola Bay where dogs are also welcome.
If anyone is looking for cheap flights to Holland please contact Leo of Principessa Tours premium member of Pelhams Dog School!!!

Best wishes,

MARLON

Pelham says:

To walk me off lead I must first be able to walk properly to heel.

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By april, August 17, 2010

PELHAMS DOG FUN PARK

NEWSLETTER NO. 7

JULY 2010

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying the summer and not suffering too much in the heat.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support, I think the dogs have been enjoying the dog pool and its been nice sitting somewhere a bit cooler on these summer evenings and watching the dogs play.  Thanks to everyone who has been bringing some well needed refreshments

The field is being sprayed every Saturday morning for Sandfly but do still ensure that your dogs are all also still wearing their sandfly collars.

During the summerI have been concentrating on one to one sessions for owners that have specific problems with their dogs as it is too hot for group classes and we have been very busy.  If anybody wants to book any of these sessions give me a call on 99449644 but give me plenty of notice as I have to try and fit everyone in in the mornings.

The next BBQ will be held on 9^th October.  This will be similar to last time with raffles, a disco bar etc. but we are getting caterers in so that we have a bit more time to talk to everyone.  We are going to open at 3pm with food being served at 6pm.  We are going to have lighting so will be able stay open a bit later this time.

The next round of group obedience classes will now start after the BBQ from 16^th October and we will publish the timetable in the next newsletter.

As mentioned  in the last Newsletter we are very full so far as Boarding is concerned so if you are going away and want to use this service make sure you book early.  We only board the dogs of members so that we are familiar with the dogs before they come.  We also we ask that you fill in a Dog Boarding Form and pay a 50% deposit on booking.  The form can be downloaded from our website www.pelhamdogtraining.com or collected from the office.

As the dogs stay with us in our home when not at the park it is essential that the dogs are house trained and used to staying indoors and sleeping with the family.  This is not a service for dogs that are used living in a yard.  Prices are as follows:-

• Large dogs:                           20 euros per night
• Puppies:                                 20 euros per night
• Small dogs                             15 euros per night

Please note that the daily rate is chargeable for the day of pick up and the day of collection.  All food should be provided by the owner and the dogs can, of course, bring any bedding, toys etc. that they are used to having at home.

Summer opening hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 6 – 9 p.m.  We have decided to close on Fridays from now on as Fridays have proved to be very quiet.

Please note that we will be shut from Friday 13^th to Monday 16^th August for the Santa Maria Feast.  Re-opening on Tuesday 17^th.

The monthly draw winner for June is Member No. 200

As you may know, Luke, my trainee, took his first class this month and did very well, especially with the added pressure of the press turning up in the middle to take photographs.  I hope you all saw our latest  article in The Independent this week.

Luke will be taking his first exams later this month, both theory and practical so can we have some more volunteers please for his next class.

I am sure Luke will do very well but wish him luck when you see him.

Lastly a quick big thanks to Mario Spiteri (and Sooty) for donating us a generator.

Apologies once again for the late sending of this newsletter but better late than never!!

Well its been short and sweet this month but don’t forget to keep reading so you can keep up with events – more next month.

Best wishes,

MARLON

Pelham says:

Don’t forget – take me for a swim, it’s great exercise and it cools me down!

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By april, July 10, 2010

PELHAMS DOG FUN PARK

NEWSLETTER NO. 6

JUNE 2010

Hello everyone, summer is here!

The dog swimming pool is will be open on Tuesday 13^th July 2010. I hope members don’t mind, I am charging a fee of 2 euros per dog for the use of this for as long as you are at the park.  This fee is to cover the running costs.  Every other week I am getting a water bowser in to fill the pool with new fresh water.  I have a proper filterisation system on the pool and am not going to use sea water.

There will be no chlorine used in the pool, we are using a special anti-bacterial solution suitable for dogs.

I believe every dog can swim.  I have made it low enough so you walk your dog up the steps, down the steps and along to teach him to swim.  If you want to get in with your dog to help him – that’s fine with me.  This is a great exercise for every muscle of your dogs body.  If your dog has had an injury this is excellent rehabilitation.

While the dogs are cooling in the pool, I have had a freezer installed with cold drinks on sale to cool down their owners.

I know that the weather is turning very hot now, but we do need our members to continue to support this dog club during the summer months to keep it open.  Hopefully, with the advent of the dog pool and some cold drinks on sale this should be a good incentive to keep you coming.

The field is being sprayed every Saturday morning for Sandfly but do still ensure that your dogs are all also wearing their sandfly collars.

I hope everyone that took part in the classes enjoyed them, don’t forget to sign up for the next course which will be starting at the end of September.  I hope you have all learned something and carry on practising during the summer months.  It takes a long time and plenty of patience to train a dog so please try and practice 15 minutes per day.  I can see that every class I take has made big improvements and I hope you can see that yourselves.

Due to the heat there won’t be any group classes during the summer months but I will be concentrating on one to one sessions for owners that have specific problems with their dogs.  If anybody wants to book any of these sessions give me a call on 99449644.

We had hoped to arrange a BBQ in July but because of  the heat a lot of our members advised us to wait until September/October so we will let you know what date we have decided on nearer the time.

We have had a lot of enquiries about boarding and are now very full so you must book early if you want to use this service.  We only board the dogs of members so that we are familiar with the dogs before they come and we ask that you fill in a Dog Boarding Form and pay a 50% deposit on booking.  The form can be downloaded from our website www.pelhamdogtraining.com or collected from the office.

As the dogs stay with us in our home when not at the park it is essential that the dogs are house trained and used to staying indoors and sleeping with the family.  This is not a service for dogs that are used to living in a yard.  Prices are as follows:-

Large dogs:                           20 euros per night

Puppies:                               20 euros per night

Small dogs                            15 euros per night

Please note that the daily rate is chargeable for the day of pick up and the day of collection.  All food should be provided by the owner and the dogs can, of course, bring any bedding, toys etc. that they are used to having at home.

As there are no classes during the summer we are going to open the park from 6 p.m. till 10 p.m. every evening (closed on Mondays) during July and August as any earlier is just too hot.

We hope Geoff and Nadia’s dog Sierra is recovering well after her accident.  Sierra was a regular visitor to the park and we hope to see her up and about again soon, she is a lovely dog andwe miss her a lot.

On the subject of injured dogs.  As you all know Valerie helped us a lot at the Pig Roast.  Valerie’s dog Missie was poisoned recently and was close to death but is now recovering well.  Again, we wish Missie well and hope she has a speedy recovery.

Valerie is looking for a home for Missie as she is frightened that this may happen again.  Missie is a one year old Golden Labrador, she is very good natured and well trained (at Pelhams Dog School).  So let me know if you think you could help.

I was not previously aware of this but legally in Malta your dog should be registered with the Police every year at a cost of 2.33 euros.  The reason for this is that if anyone makes a complaint against your dog or you need to make a complaint about another dog the Police have the dog’s details on record.  I only found this out this week as one of our members had a complaint made against them and as the dog wasn’t registered the owner had to pay a fine.

In England we have to buy a dog licence for our dogs, but I wasn’t aware of this law over here.  However, I thought it worth while bringing it to everyone’s attention.

The monthly draw winner for June is Member No. 28.

Some people are still opening two gates at the same time.  PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CLOSE THE FIRST GATE BEFORE OPENING THE SECOND.  If you meet a friend entering the park as you are leaving have a chat outside the park not between the gates!!!!!!

If you would like to have a look at some of the pictures of the Pig Roast they are now on our website.  www.pelhamdogtraining.com Click on events, then click on Pig Roast.

Many thanks to Jenny and Bruce (Roo) for providing us with the generator – we now have power!!!!

A big thank you to Sylvester (and Dora) for donating the water tank to the school.  This will certainly make life a lot easier for us.

Thanks also to Arthur and Zoe (Bobby and Alfie) for helping us arrange a plumber for the pool and for donating a jar of coffee biscuits etc.

FINALLY, PLEASE NOTE WE WILL NOT BE OPEN THIS SUNDAY EVENING – 11^th JULY – AS I WILL BE WATCHING THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP FINAL

And lastly, apologies for the late sending of this newsletter but I wanted to make sure the pool would definitely be open before sending.

That’s all folks.

Best wishes,

MARLON

Pelham says:

Don’t forget – take me for a swim, it’s great exercise and it cools me down!