A Windham woman has founded a statewide quarterly publication dedicated to canine culture in Maine.

A Windham woman has launched a new dog-themed magazine geared toward a statewide audience.

Amelia Small, 28, a real estate agent and office manager who works full time in Portland, published the first issue of FIDO on July 1. Billed as “Maine’s Guide to All Things Dog,” the glossy, 84-page, full-color quarterly features nearly 20 contributors and is on sale for $4.50 at dog-related retailers and groomers across the state.

The name of the magazine is an acronym for “the Fundamentals and Improvement of Dog Ownership.” According to Small, the goal of FIDO is to “bring you all there is to know about life and living with dogs in our great state of Maine.”

The first issue includes a variety of features, including guides to dog-friendly events, beaches, snacks, canine car travel, boating tips, tips on how to solve annoying dog behaviors, advice on preparing your dog for a boarding experience, and classified ads of dogs available for adoption or foster homes. Articles include “Grieving Your Pet,” “Bride’s Best Friend,” and “Should We Adopt a Second Dog.” As of late August, Small said she had sold about 400 of the 500 copies she printed.

Small began soliciting contributions for the first issue in March. Since then, she has distributed the magazine to dog retailers across the state and at dog events, such as Pet Rock in the Park in Portland.

“I was very persistent in contacting people and going to local events or local shops to introduce myself,” she said.

Small was born and raised in South Portland, and received a bachelor’s degree in web and graphic design from the Art Institute of Arizona in 2009. She works for Greentree Realty and Schneider Property Management in Portland, and lives with her husband, Brandon, and their five dogs on Mountain View Road in North Windham.

Although Small does not have prior experience in publishing, FIDO’s paid part-time advertising specialist, Whitney Thurston of Bucksport, also works full time as a sales administrator for Brooklin-based WoodenBoat Magazine. Small said she does not have any publishing mentors.

“I had a vision of what I was trying to accomplish, and just went for it,” she said.

FIDO has a statewide orientation and a strong focus on education, as well as on dogs that need a home, she said. Two of Small’s five dogs are rescues. Small rescued Taysia, a pit bull and Shar Pei brindle mix, on the side of a road in Phoenix, Ariz., in 2007. In late August, Small adopted Millie, a terrier mix, from the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society.

“I wanted to educate local dog owners not only about how to better take care of their dog, but local dog events, dog-friendly spots in Maine, beaches, hotels, restaurants, and also local dog services, trainers, groomers,” Small said. “People need to be more educated about dogs, in general – dogs that need to be rescued, dogs that really need a home. Anyone can go and buy a puppy from a store, but there are a lot of dogs that are maybe a little bit older but they need care and need a home and want a loving family.”

Small said she is not concerned about potential problems relating to advertising rescue dogs in a quarterly magazine.

“Unfortunately, those dogs are the harder-to-adopt dogs, which is why they’re in there,” Small said. “They’ve kind of been around for a while already. I think having that exposure, even if say I put out a magazine and they’re adopted the next day – someone calling about that dog could potentially adopt a different dog if that dog’s already gone.”

Susan Richardson, the president of Lucky Pup Rescue in Kennebunk, said that FIDO fills a gap.

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “I think it’s a great resource to have in the Maine area. There are a lot of dog magazines out there, but they don’t address issues that we have in Maine such as etiquette on the beach with your dogs, or where is a good place to take your dog off leash.”

Richardson said that FIDO will also help dogs living at animal rescues, especially rural rescues, find homes.

“In some areas of the country you have a lot of shelters, or the rescues are based in a facility. But in Maine you have a lot of rescues that are foster-based only,” she said. “It’s harder to publicize those dogs and it’s a little bit harder for people to meet the dogs because they’re spread out in sometimes rural areas so it’s not like you can go to one location and see a bunch of dogs.”

In the first issue, Kirsten Mininni, a volunteer with Lucky Pup Rescue, wrote a story about her adopted Chihuahua, Bingo, in “Success Story: Bingo.”

“Having Bingo has certainly been a challenge for us, as it requires a lot of management, i.e., we can’t just have him loose with everyone,” Mininni wrote. “He is not bad with them but he is just a little intense. I believe that [is] due to his condition of having some neurological deficits he is not able to react and behave as a typical pack member, he does not comprehend correction when all he wants is to have fun. ‘Fun’ should be Bingo’s middle name. He is always happy, always curious and wanting to please. He quite simply loves everyone he meets.”

To Small, FIDO will help Maine’s various dog institutions, such as Lucky Pup Rescue, get the word out about their operations. Most of the contributors are professional dog specialists, she said.

“They are pet store owners, groomers, veterinarians, trainers. All articles are locally (produced), they’re all Maine people, and specialize in dogs,” Small said.

Eventually, Small said, she would like to see FIDO become a household name in Maine. She would also like to publish other dog-themed magazines across New England.

The fall issue of FIDO will be published on Oct. 1, and willnbe available across the state at locations such as the Animal House, the Whole Dog Market, Two Salty Dogs, The Loyal Biscuit Co., Fish & Bone and Mutty Paws dog day care.

Small is giving 20 percent of her proceeds to local dog shelters and rescues.

“Another big part of the magazine and why I decided to make it, is because I wanted a way to give back to the community,” she said.

Amelia Small of Windham, the founder and publisher of FIDO magazine, hangs out in front of Sebago Lake with her husband and their dogs, from left, Toby, Tito, Millie, Diesel and Taysia. The first issue of FIDO, a statewide magazine devoted to dogs, came out on July 1. Staff photo by Ezra SilkAmelia Small of Windham, the founder and publisher of FIDO magazine, and her husband, Brandon, watch Diesel, a 1½-year-old Old English bulldog and English mastiff mix, walk along a dock on Sebago Lake. Small, who recently published the first issue of the dog-themed magazine, holds Millie and is petting Toby. Staff photo by Ezra SilkThe first issue of FIDO, a dog-focused magazine published by Amelia Small of Windham, features a cover photo of Muffin, a 15-year-old Pekingese.