The Roanoker - March/April 2015 - 48

and the trails up Mill Mountain right outside the
front door; and he already knows he wants to take
me the long way," says Steve.
The background: Bear is a direct descendant of the
Beyers' previous big dog, Maxx. We were blessed with
his love and loyalty until the age of 10.
Best trick: Can already sit on command and does 360
spins each morning asking for breakfast
Favorite toys: Any toy that squeaks! Bear also loves
fetching any sort of ball. He especially enjoys when
we get down on the floor and play with him, he
actually jumps into our arms after retrieving and
cozies in for a big hug!

Tali is an expert at finding treats, on her own schedule of course.

The Beyers' Best Doggie Advice: Be prepared to
give them a lot of love and attention. It's really not
much different from raising children! Invest the time
required to raise a happy, healthy, friendly dog. Keep
an eye on what they put in their mouths.

Favorite Inside Place: whichever piece of furniture you
would least want to receive an application of cat fur.
The background: Tali is a rescue, located through
Petfinder.com; a great resource because you can locate
pets anywhere in the country. She and four siblings
were found at four weeks in a dumpster. Only three
survived. They were fostered by Cat's Cradle of the
Shenandoah Valley in Harrisonburg. The kittens were
fed with a dropper until they were healthy. I saw that
face and spiky kitten fur and knew I had to call about
adopting her. A call on a Friday night was followed
by a trip north the next day. The organization checks
references to assure their pets are going to a good
home, so you do have to wait a couple of days to take
your pet home. Two friends went along; Sue ended
up adopting a full-grown cat.
Best trick: Well, cats don't do tricks, unless it serves
their desires, but the best one is "Hide & Seek" with
the pet sitter. I am lucky to have a great next-door
neighbor and friend who is happy to pet sit for me
when I travel. After almost having a heart attack
when she couldn't find Tali anywhere one day, she
started hiding treats whenever she came over, often
in unexpected places (inside candles, etc.) Tali never
saw Sue hide the treats, but always found them all.
Favorite treat: Temptations Dentabites Chicken flavor
or Greenies from PetSmart.
The Best Cat Advice: Socialize your new kitten with
family members and friends on a regular basis. Your
cat will learn to be friendly and not fearful of much -
except the vacuum cleaner.

BEAR
Breed, age: Black, Labrador Retriever, 13 weeks .
Master of: Steve and Linda Beyer
Got his shots at: Cave Spring Veterinary Clinic , Linda
says, "they are a friendly and caring staff"
What keeps our puppy happy: "Bear loves being
outside! Especially walks around the neighborhood

48 MARCH/APRIL 2015

Griz is known for tricks including treat-on-nose balancing.

GRIZZLY
Breed, age: English Chocolate Lab, 6 years
Master of: Caroline McKean & Chad Corbett
Got his vaccinations at: Roanoke Animal Hospital.
Favorite place outside: In the snow! Aside from that
anywhere there is mud or water - the Roanoke River,
our family farm in West Virginia, Smith Mountain
Lake, and our swimming pool.
The background: Grizzly is from Bellingham,
Washington, and we got him when we lived in Seattle.
Chad wanted a dog that looked like a bear, hence the
name. When Chad picked him up, the snow was so
deep, the puppies had burrowed tunnels.
Best trick: Stand on his hind legs, turn in a circle and
balance a treat on his nose - all at the same time! Can
also surf; he learned with us, when we lived in Hawaii.
Favorite treat: Blue Buffalo Salmon Biscuits from
Nature's Emporium or Tractor Supply.
THE

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The Roanoker - March/April 2015

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