This month's Spotlight on Rescue group is REGAP (Retired Greyhound As Pets) of Illinois. 

Check them out at https://regapgreyhounds.org/

April is Adopt a Greyhound month!

Every year in the overly competitive sport of greyhound racing, hundreds of dogs are "retired" because they are either too slow or have been injured. That's where groups like REGAP come into play. REGAP is a non profit, greyhound adoption group, founded with the goal of finding these retired athletes homes once their racing careers have ended. These are perfectly healthy dogs with a lot of years left and a lot of love to give.


The group is based in Mendota, Illinois but has representatives in several cities around the state who conduct "Meet & Greets" at local pet stores and participate in local events to promote greyhound adoption. Volunteers bring their own personal pets so people can meet a greyhound up close and personal. Adoptable dogs are at the kennel in Mendota and must be seen there and can be viewed online at https://regapgreyhounds.org/available-greys/



They are billed as the second fastest land mammal in the world, second only behind the cheetah. Don't let that scare you into thinking that you will need acres to allow them to run. They also have the nickname of "45 MPH Couch Potato"! They are quiet, mild mannered and actually make great apartment dogs. You do have to commit to not allowing them off leash except in a fully enclosed area. The adoption process is pretty easy but you will have to make 2 trips to the kennel in Mendota as they do not do on the spot adoptions. You can find the adoption process here: https://regapgreyhounds.org/adoption-process/

A Special Thanks to Cheryl Carroll, from REGAP, for providing this information.

Please follow us and REGAP on facebook for upcoming events here at Tails To Remember and to see when REGAP will be here for a meet and greet!

Your feet Hurt...What about your dog's?

You’re on your feet all day long, after walking all day, they hurt and are sore.  You take your shower, trim your nails, rub your feet and suddenly it hits you….What about Fido?  He has 4 feet, his nails are thick and long and he has no shoes for protection from salt, gravel or anything sharp.  Here are some tips for foot care for your dogs from Dames and Sires Beauty Spa.

Dog’s nails grow quickly and if left untrimmed for too long, can give them difficulty with traction, let alone causing severe pain, which could lead to medical issues, like walking irregular, which can lead to skeletal problems.  “Nails typically should be trimmed every two to four weeks, and we highly recommend filing,” says Michelle Michael from Dames and Sires Beauty Spa.

Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know there was a difference or even an option, neither did I, but the ladies at Dames and Sires have explained and showed me the differences.

Trimming-Trimming is basically is cutting off the sharp, long tips and making the nails shorter again, while avoiding cutting the quick, which is the blood vessel supply and the nerve in your dogs nail.

Filing-Filing follows trimming, and is done with a filer. “It allows us to get closer to the quick, making the nail as short as possible, without causing pain or bleeding of the nail.  It also helps the quick recede, making it possible for us to get the nails shorter in subsequent visits.  It also smoothes the rough edges of the nail after trimming,” says Michelle.

Long nails cause many issues such as allowing the quick to grow with the nail, which if left untrimmed for too long of a time can make the nail become frail and easy to fracture, and in some cases allow the quick to grow to the total length of the nail, making trimming both dangerous and painful.  (Remember, there’s a blood vessel and nerve in it.)  It is important to not try to trim a long nail short all at once, as it will take time for the quick to recede.

Trimming the hair in the paw pad area can help your dog feel better too.  The hair traps dirt, debris, burrs and many other unwanted objects which can not only make your house dirty and muddy, but can cause other problems for your dog.

Also make sure you check their paw pads, even though the pads are a thick, tough skin, they still can become cut from sharp objects like rocks or salt, they can also become irritated from chemicals in yards, ice melt and a variety of other conditions.

To help prevent these things from occurring, we recommend a regular grooming schedule for your dog.

Although the basic treatment packages include nail trimming and removal of paw pad hair,  the groomers  at Dames & Sires Beauty Spa also offer nail filing, paw butter and/or  Paw Spaw treatments as an add on service.  Call them at 217-361-5733 to ask about their new amazing Spaw treatments which include soaking their paws in a luxurious, anti-fungal and anti-septic fizzy treatment, trimming, filing and Paw Butter to lock in moisture.

Samantha Hudgins owns and operates Dames and Sires Beauty Spa, located at Tails to Remember in Springfield, IL.  Michelle Michael has been an Academy Instructor and groomer for many years.  Together, Sam and Michelle have over 28 years of experience in grooming a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs.  

Dames and Sires Beauty Spa is available for all your pet grooming needs, they are now open Tuesday-Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and can be contacted by calling 217-361-5733 or by
booking online at DamesandSires.com.

They are located at Tails to Remember Pet Services, 3036 Peoria Road, Springfield, IL 62702.