4 December 2019

14 Arts & Culture

Furry fun for a fantastic cause

Boston terrier and pug dog rescue group holds monthly playgroup open to all

GRACE PAIZEN, STAFF

Although the U of M brings in dogs from time to time as a student mental health initiative, there is a largely unknown way in which students can interact with furry friends on a monthly basis. The Boston Terrier and Pug Rescue of Southern Manitoba (BTPRSM) holds monthly

dog playgroups where you can interact with dogs of the pushed-in-face variety — many of whom will gladly sit in your lap for a while —while supporting a good cause.

Jessica Klym, president of the BTPRSM, said the playgroups only cost $5 per family and that the

rescue provides water for the dogs and “snacks and refreshments for the humans.”

Founded in 2009, the BTPRSM was started because Klym and the other founding members felt there was a need for a Boston terrier and pug specific rescue. These two breeds

in particular needed all the special medical attention they required for their unique medical needs — flatfaced dogs often have breathing problems and purebreds are prone to severe allergies.

“There was a demand for it,” Klym said. “There was a lot of people looking for these breeds, but they weren’t quite sure where to go, and how to find them and we thought, ‘Well, if there’s dogs that need help, let’s start a rescue and focus on these two breeds and help them find their forever homes.’”

The BTPRSM takes in dogs that are either surrendered by families that can no longer care for them, or are strays. Its initiative is to get the dogs healthy, sort out any of

“If there’s dogs that need help, let’s start a rescue and focus on these two breeds and help them find their forever homes”

— Jessica Klym, BTPRSM

president

the dogs’ behavioural issues — if needed — and then find the dogs forever families.

Though the rescue is Boston terrier and pug specific, Klym said it doesn’t discriminate.

“We have taken in all sizes and shapes of dogs from your small little chihuahua to the largest dog we’ve probably taken in was a mastiff cross,” she said.

There is also a subdivision of the rescue — the Manitoba Basset Hound Rescue — that was established in 2013 when one of Klym’s friends reached out to the BTPRSM to rehabilitate a rescued basset hound.

“There was definitely demand for a basset rescue in Manitoba,” Klym said, “and we were the ones that championed it and said ‘let’s take on basset hounds.’”

All of the money raised by the BTPRSM goes directly to the vet care of rescues, specialized diets — as some dogs have allergies or sensitive stomachs — and specialized medications.

“Other dogs are in our long-term care program, that require medications daily, and they’re usually quite pricey,” Klym said.

In order to raise funds to rehabilitate the rescued pooches, the BTPRSM does everything from cash calendars to chocolate bar sales.

“The most popular is probably our […] wine raffle,” Klym said, “we have people donate wine and then we sell tickets and we have a first, second and third prize and the winners win bottles of wine.”

However, BTPRSM’s biggest even of the year is at the Manitoba Pet Expo, held annually at the beginning of June.

“That is probably our largest fundraiser of the year,” Klym said, “just because it brings in so many people and that’s also the same time we hold the wine raffle, so that is a good time of the year for us for funds coming in.”

As for the dogs, the BTPRSM holds its monthly playgroups indoors through the winter months at doggy day camps, and at outdoor dog parks in the summer months.

Klym said the BTPRSM asks that families bring only their wellbehaved and well-socialized dogs that are up to date on their vaccines to the playgroups. But if your dog is shy, there is a smaller cordoned-off area if your dog needs time to transition into the bigger play area.

“It’s an hour and a half of some fun time just to sit and watch dogs play and interact,” Klym said.

“We look forward to having anybody come out.”

The next BTPRSM playgroup is Dec. 15 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. at the Thomas Ave. location of Sprockett’s Doggy Day Camp. For more information on the BTPRSM, go to bostonpugrescuemb.com or check out their Facebook page.

Speed and strength the keys to WHL success

Teen rookie Carson Lambos excelling in faster game thanks to training

ISAIAH WAGNER, STAFF

The game of hockey is evolving, and the training of players has evolved with it.

It is becoming a game that requires more speed and skill, rather than just brute strength. The typical hockey player used to be described as big, tough and toothless, but this has now morphed into fast, finesse and flash.

With the top players in hockey

being Connor McDavid, Nathan Mackinnon and Sidney Crosby, the importance of speed in particular is paramount.

Just ask 16-year-old Winnipegborn defenceman Carson Lambos.

Lambos is currently a rookie defenceman for the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Taken second overall in the 2018 WHL bantam draft, expectations

were high for the local blueliner, and early on he is having an exceptional season. Lambos gives credit for this to his previous teammates.

“Taking the step into the WHL was made possible because I have been able to play with some really experienced players,” Lambos said.

“Learning from those guys made the step up so much smoother.”

Lambos’s game has developed quickly over the course of his short junior hockey career because of his skating, skill and strength.

The game of hockey is played at a fast pace and being an exceptional skater will help you in different situations, something the rookie defenceman believes is extremely important.

“The most important skill to work on is the skating,” Lambos said.

“Everybody at this level [is a] fast and strong skater so in order to have success you have to be able to skate with the pace of play at this level. Things like defending, gap control and joining the rush on offence gets easier the better you skate.”

Being a faster, stronger skater

A leisurely stroll up the mountain

Bisons beat up on Cascades to end 2019

JASON PCHAJEK, STAFF

There was a resounding call of “Timber” over the weekend as the U of M Bisons basketball clubs cut down the visiting University of the Fraser Valley Cascades. The men’s club came away with the weekend sweep, while the women earned a split.

Men’s basketball

The U of M started the weekend in dominant fashion, with a solid opening half helping to bury the Cascades in a 93-86 win.

The game got off to a roaring start for the herd — who outscored the Cascades 20-15 in the first quarter

— only improving on the lead with a 26-17 second quarter to take a 46-32 lead into the half.

Coming out of the break, UFV threw everything they had at the U of M. The visitors shot 50 per cent from field-goal range and 60 per cent from three-point range in the third quarter, but the U of M kept its offence rolling with 23 points to keep things tight.

The Cascades put up 28 points in the third quarter, and the Bisons countered and kept the edge 69-60 entering the fourth quarter. UFV again outscored the U of M — this time 26-24 — but the herd held on for the 93-86 win.

UFV made a stand in game two of the weekend Saturday, but a strong fourth quarter from the U of M swung the game back in an 80-74 Bisons win.

The Cascades held a slim edge in the first half, outshooting the Bisons and building a slight 39-37 edge when the buzzer sounded. UFV looked to pull away in the third, with a Parm Bains jumper giving the club an 11-point lead before the U of M responded.

The herd cut down the lead to five at the end of the quarter and turned up the heat in the fourth. A James Wagner jumper made it 73-72

gives the player the most important tool to be able to play the game at the highest level.

This speed is nothing, though, without the skill to actually play a position effectively. Skill gives the player the ability to make plays at top

“Things like defending, gap control and joining the rush on offence gets easier the better you skate” — Carson Lambos, Winnipeg Ice defender

speed, and the faster the game, the more skill is required. This includes shooting and stick handling, both vital in order to produce goals.

With 11 points — four goals and

seven assists — through 20 games with the Ice this season, Lambos has shown he has the skill to go along with his speed. Those 11 points leave Lambos tied for eighth in team scoring and second among Ice defenders — even better considering his status as a rookie.

With his development and production, the Winnipegger is building toward a strong placement when NHL clubs come calling. Lambos is currently ranked 13th overall for the 2021 NHL entry draft

The transition to the WHL can be difficult for any player. Coming into the league at age 16, rookies are often faced with young men — some as old as 21 — who are more physically developed than they are, so hitting the gym and bulking up was important for Lambos.

“Getting stronger in the gym is really important,” Lambos said.

“Playing against some older guys, working out helps me physically battle and compete with them. Power from skating and lots of conditioning comes from the gym.”

Cascades, Jaskarn Bajwa sank a free throw and the Bisons then sank eight straight free throws to claim the win.

Women’s basketball

A tight match turned into a romp Friday as the Bisons kept rolling while the UFV offence stalled in a 78-63 win for the herd.

The Bisons took an early lead and the Cascades kept pace, not allowing the Bisons to pull away

Things started well for both sides in the opening quarter. Manitoba took an early lead and the Cascades kept pace, not allowing the Bisons to pull away. A pair of Deanna Tuchscherer free-throws tied the game 13-13 and UFV built a lead of its own, but a late layup by Keziah Brothers tied things back up at 20-20.

In the second quarter, the Cascades started to fall, but the club’s shots toward the hoop did not follow suit.

UFV went 4-15 from the field and missed all five three-pointer attempts to muster only eight points in the quarter. Meanwhile, the U of M seized the opportunity and built

a 33-28 lead heading into halftime. Coming out of the break, things only got worse for the visitors. The Cascades again failed to sink a three in the third quarter and shot just 29.41 per cent from the field, while the U of M was lights-out, going 75 per cent from beyond the arc and 71.43 per cent within it.

The Bisons outscored the Cascades 26-19 in the third quarter to take a 59-47 lead, eventually walking off the court with the win.

However, Saturday was less than ideal for the herd, as UFV stormed back to split the weekend with a 76-65 win.

It was the home side holding the edge early Saturday, with the U of M up 33-32 at halftime. The Cascades outscored the Bisons 17-15 in the third quarter to take back the lead, then buried them in the fourth.

Deidre Bartlett sank a shot from range to give Manitoba a 58-57 lead, but Fraser Valley went on a 10-point run to open up the gap again. Emma Thompson had a three of her own late, but UFV again squashed the moment with a run to end the game with the win.

Following the holiday break, the Bisons will be back on the court Jan. 3 and 4 in Edmonton, Alta., to face the MacEwan University Griffins.