Category: News
New Jet Blue fees for traveling dogs
Just when we thought our travel budget had been stretched to the max (ouch! those gas prices are killing us at the pump), we've learned that one of the reliable value airlines is jacking up the price to take Jack Russells, pugs, Chihuahuas and all other dogs along for the ride. Jet Blue is now charging $100 for dogs to fly (double from the old $50 rate). This news hit us hard. We already feel taken advantage of when we pony up $2 for a soda (no more freebies) and $15 for our luggage. These extra fees add up and may force us to swap our beach vacation for a week-off at home.
Take your dog to work day June 20 2008
Ginger the spoiled big city Sheltie here, with sunglasses on, barkin' up a storm for the 2008 Take Your Dog to Work Day. My human writes profiles of charter yachts, and yes, I have had drinks on the aftdeck of a megayacht in New York harbor. But Take Your Dog to Work Day is decidely not all about the foie gras dog biscuits and the Marilyn Monroe doggy dresses, delightful as those luxuries may be. No. Take Your Dog to Work Day is all about the love. If as a dog you love your human, you will humor her by acting like it's tons of fun to go to work with her on this day. Who knows? You might even get to sniff some good butt, if other humans bring their dogs along. I probably shouldn't talk that way but it's my nostalgie de la boue coming out, darling! For more info, you can peruse a great write-up on TYDTWD by that inimitable K-9 journalist and Pampered Puppy Staff Writer Scott Rose. I have insider info saying that he carries the day's newspaper in his teeth, giving it up to his Sheltie to read.
Florida Dog Magazine
Ginger the spoiled big city Sheltie reporting. I was miffed last winter when I had to miss Westminster because my human dragged me along for a yacht charter in Florida. But there's a silver lining in every cloud, and boy did I ever find it this time around. The 220' vessel on which I traveled was so luxurious that it had aboard all the back issues of Florida Dog Magazine. I love the advice column Perfectly Frank, written by a Schnauzer. And the fashion coverage is consistently a wowzer. Pawpurrazzi photos of the hottest Florida K-9 happenings make me feel that extra touch of glam. And I just had to wag my tail when I read my Houndscope and learned that this summer'll be great for training humans. Get your Homo sapiens to show you this swellegant publication today!
Pampered pooch: the movie!
It's been five years since Legally Blonde 2 - five years since a truly pampered pooch got a starring role in a Hollywood film. That's just too long, in our opinion, but thankfully the powers that be at the movie studios are gearing up for the September 2008 release of a live action film called, and we kid you not: Beverly Hills Chihuahua. It's a little tale of an over-the-top pampered pooch (our favorite kind!) who gets lost while on vacation in Mexico. (We're thinking Home Alone 2 crossed with Legally Blonde, yes?) The film is packed full of recognizable celebs, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Selma Hayek, Drew Barrymore (who narrates for the Chi), Edward James Olmos, Piper Perabo, Andy Garcia, George Lopez, Cheech Marin and more. For more information about the film including two adorable screenshots from the film featuring the wee Chi, check out IMDB's page on the film. This is one post-summer release we'll be watching closely, so stay tuned!
Sharon Montrose: blogger
One of our all-time favorite pet photographers, Sharon Montrose (of Dogtionary, French Bulldogs: Lightweights Littermates and Carryons: Traveling Chihuahuas fame), has now joined the rarified air of the "blogosphere" and has her own blog! Based on what we've seen so far, expect little intros into her personal thoughts and opinions (including Prince, who is cool - we agree) as well as really, really amazing pooch photography. Yum. The teeny tiny OHHHH so cute Frenchie in her Puppies in Hand post had us awwww-ing for ages. And seriously: Rows of Puppies. Doesn't it just break your heart?
Dog training for NYC pups *
* This is a paid sponsored post.
With all the delicious coats and sweaters, fine tooled leather collars and leashes, crystal dog bowls and more that you're collecting around your house, it's easy to forget that our pups are, indeed (perish the thought!) animals, and they need to be taught how to behave appropriately both in our homes and in the world around us. And that's never more true than in Manhattan, where there are more than a quarter of a million dogs taking up residence - that's an awful lot of dogs for a small island! Luckily, help is available from Petaholics. Trained by Steve Diller, one of the top dog trainers in the country, Petaholics offers several different training programs based on positive reinforcement to help your dog succeed. In-home private lessons (including the whole family!) can be a godsend, but they also have more social programs as well: puppy playgroups, where your dog is supervised by a dog trainer and taught how to socialize, and also group classes with a focus on basic commands such as Sit, Down (essential for those mid-to-large sized dogs!), Stay, Come, Heel, and most importantly for their digestive health, Leave It. Petaholics also offers phone consultations and pre-puppy counselling for newbies to the dog-eat-dog world of puppy ownership.
Canine Celebrity awards *
* This is a paid sponsored post.
Talk about canine profiling: is it fair that there are People's Choice Awards, Oscars and Golden Globes, but not a single award that celebrates the fantabulousness of our furry friends? Thankfully, the folks at Happytails Canine Spa Line have cooked up a way to balance the scales. Enter the 2008 Canine Celebrity Awards! There are two categories for the awards: Best in Show (Photo) and Best in Show (Video). There will be not one, not two, but THREE winners chosen for each category. The prizes are sweet, too, and have our tails wagging: a vacation package valued at over $1000! (That's one HECK of a prize!) Your dog could be celebrating their win from any one of 29 world-class destinations. To enter the contest, submit your photos and videos (along with a short essay) on the Happytails web site (www.happytailsspa.com). What's more, the company is also offering a tie-in deal with their Celebrity Dog grooming pack (shown, right); 25% off if you enter code HTCCA08 during checkout. Good luck and good grooming to all!
New Disney pet facility
The resort responsible for so many children's smiles, is now expanding their vision to the dog world. That's right, according to Doggie News Walt Disney World has signed an agreement with Best Friends Pet Care to open a luxury pet resort in 2009. Doggie News reports, the new Florida facility will be providing "a full range of pet hospitality services including dog and cat boarding, day care and grooming service and doggy day camp." There are even ice cream treats earmarked for special canine guests. Now we don't have to worry about our dog missing a chance to lap up Disney Magic.
Modern Dog Magazine gift subscription
Buried in bones and squeaky squirrels? Maybe you're like us and you've made a pact with all your dog-loving friends to hold off on giving any more doggie toys. But here's the catch: you still want to celebrate the season and all the joy of being a pet parent. A gift subscription to Modern Dog Magazine is a perfect way to spread good cheer without littering the hallway with more playthings. This budget-friendly gift (just $5 for a year-long gift subscription!) will provide information and inspiration to your circle of dog friends. Fashion, nutrition, celebrity styles--it's all tucked into this glossy and glam magazine. And a gift card is a heck of a lot easier to wrap than a can of tennis balls.
Spanish dog magazine
Does your doggy like vestidos elegantes (elegant dresses)? Do you think of her as tu princesa (your princess)? Maybe you should be reading la revista Canino (Canino magazine). The publication has editorial offices in Barcelona; it is available online and in print. Don't miss downloading their advertising rates to see the adorable little white chihuahuita on the first page of the download. We just love what the publisher says "Aquellos a los que les gusta la moda más selecta, también hacen que su perro siga las últimas tendencias." People who keep up with the latest, coolest and hippest in fashion also see to it that their dogs don't look like Salvation Army cases. OK; so the translation isn't word for word; it gives you a darned good barkin' idea of what was meant. What more could a perro ask for than Canino magazine?
Car review site for dog owners
These guys don't care about horsepower, handling or GPS systems. At Dogcars.com they focus on how cars function and serve pets and the owners who shuttle their furry companions. They cover topics like storing gear and safe travel with pups in tow. From Acura to Volvo, they've studied tons of the latest models and given them a paw-rating system (the Volvo XC90 earns the highest rating of five paws). Researching a car purchase can be such a drag, so we also appreciate that the writing is punched up with humor and there are plenty of wag-worthy photos.
Satirical dog political action group
Have you ever said to yourself "The government is going to the dogs" and then realized that given the nature of the criminals in your government, that was an unpardonable insult to dogs? obeythepurebred.com is here for you. For breed after breed after breed, this woof woof bowwow political action group has what you need to conduct a poop-on-the-grassroots campaign, and win. We might complain that obeythepurebreed doesn't yet include Shelties. Yet their extensive Pug-related offerings make us want to wiggle our rumps, even if the government official we'd most like to pee on is most certainly not the mailman.
Dog poop cleaning directory
If your dog defecates, you might be interested in Pooperoni.com. The site lists companies from sea to pooping sea that come and get rid of the ^%#*!. A sample company on Long Island is MineSweepers Dog Waste Removal Service, LLC. They ask "Is your dog a pain in the grass?" Their site has a full explanation of "What we will doo for you." A poop removal service is listed in Casper, Wyoming, but there is so far none in Hawaii. Opportunity, therefore, knocks; somebody could doubtless start a great money-maker, shoveling the business in paradise. Funny that the Pooperoni list doesn't include Washington, D.C., as though there were nothing there in need of scooping.
Wine Lovers Dog Club supports needy dogs
It's a sad fact: there are millions of unwanted dogs languishing in shelters. While we can't be responsible for giving each of them a warm home, we always do our best to help out a good cause. That's why we were tickled to learn about a new fund raising program from the Dog Lovers Wine Club. Thanks to the club's "Bark Partners" program worthy organizations have a new way to raise cash. The club provides premium wines on a monthly (or bi-monthly) basis to its members. Each bottle of wine has a special label detailing the story of a shelter pet. With each new membership, the member selects a Bark Partner that will receive financial support. As each bottle ships, shelters and rescue organizations are reaping the rewards. And we think that's something to toast.
Doggy bubbly
We all know how dogs love to run after bubbles. That's why the Gazillion Fetch a Bubble machine is on doggy lips everywhere. The bubbles that come out of the machine actually have a chicken smell. We are too polite to say that if they had smelled like other dogs' rears, that would have gone over even better with the canine set. The product blows thousands of bubbles in a minute, and according to the company is suitable for indoor use.
