He Did It!!!!!!!

YAY!! My favorite contestant, Artist, won last night on Groomer Has It. He was the underdog with the positive energy and great sense of humor. I'm so glad he took the title. I'll be looking for his new grooming van driving around L.A.

Congrats, Artist!!!!

Hmmm, maybe Little Edie should apply for Nemo's job for next season.......

Which Groomer Has It?

Have you been watching "Groomer Has It" on Animal Planet? I gotta say, I was a bit bored in the beginning and a lot of the contestants really bugged but I stuck it out. My favorites were always Jasper and Artist cause I just loved their personalities.

I am so happy that Artist is now in the top two with the ego-maniacal Jonathan. My vote is for Artist. Go Artist!! You can tune in Saturday night on Animal Planet to catch the final episode. Click here for more details.

Can Your Dog Play Dead??

Little Edie has mastered the "sit" and "down" commands. I've been trying to teach her how to play dead. I happened to find this video on youtube. Not sure who this guy is but I'm gonna try his technique and see if Edie can learn.

Stay tuned....hopefully I'll have a video of her doing the full routine for you soon.

An Estimated 17 million U.S. Dogs Are Overweight

Not my Little Edie of course. At 10 pounds she's right on for her breed. However, millions of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese, according to animal experts.

Up to 40 percent, or 17 million dogs, are carrying excess weight which could cause future health problems, but many of their owners are not even aware of it.

"What we've found in talking with dog owners is that it's difficult for them to see the reality that their own pet may be overweight or obese, instead of just chubby or fluffy," said Lisa Peterson of the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.

"Studies are indicating that there are approximately 17 million dogs out there that may be overweight or obese. It is a troubling statistic that dogs are gaining weight, just as humans are," she added in an interview.

While an extra 10 pounds on a man or woman can be a bit uncomfortable and mean loosening the belt or a bigger dress size, for a normal 40-pound dog the excess could put it 25 percent over its ideal weight.

To help dog owners identify their overweight canines, the AKC is urging owners to check their dog's weight through the Web site www.stopcanineobesity.com. Up to 4,000 veterinarians across the United States are participating in the program to raise awareness of the problem, according to Peterson.

"About 30 percent of dog owners may not even know their dogs are overweight so this is a great way to start a conversation about their dog's weight," she said. The main cause of obesity in dogs, as in humans, is overeating and insufficient exercise.

Neutering, hormonal disorders and slow metabolism can also cause dogs to pile on the pounds. Canine middle-age spread usually occurs by about the age of five or six years old.

Certain breeds including Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Collies, Shelties, Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, Labradors and Golden Retrievers are prone to excess weight. Like humans, overweight dogs are more at risk of developing heart or respiratory disease, joint problems, arthritis and diabetes.

And The Winner Is.....

A Florida dog named Gus captured the hearts and votes of judges tonight at the 20th Annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma. Rescued from a bad home and now suffering from skin cancer, Gus’ story was compelling, but he won based on his looks. A Chinese-Crested, he has no hair, only three legs (one amputated because of the skin tumor) and is missing an eye lost to a tomcat in a cat fight. Despite his trials, he is well loved by mother and daughter owners Jeanenne and Janey Teed.

Twelve dogs vied for the title of the World’s Ugliest Dog. Entrants came from Florida to New Jersey to Arizona to Petaluma. The contest has four levels of competition. Winners are chosen from both the Pedigree class and the Mutt class. Those winners then compete against each other to become the 2008 Ugly Dog winner Gus won the pedigree class and went up against Reggie who had just won the Mutt Class.

Winning that competition gave Gus the 2008 title, but then he had to meet the Ring of Champions, which included winners from past years’ contests. That’s where Gus met former champions Elwood (the 2007 winner), Archie (the 2006 winner) and Rascal (the 2002 winner). Gus takes home two trophies and $1,600 in prize money. In the past few years, winners have been dogs that have been abandoned or neglected before being adopted by people who love dogs and usually have several dogs whom they have rescued.

Gus was adopted by Jeanenne and her 16-year-old daughter Janey through word of mouth after they discovered he was being kept in a crate in the garage of someone’s home. Said Jeanenne, “I’m just in shock. We came so far and are so happy that we can put the winnings towards Gus’ radiation treatment. We’re just thrilled.”

Animal Planet shot the contest for a show to be released next October. Animal Planet’s host Beth Ostrosky joined emcee Brent Farris of KZST radio to interview the dogs, their owners, and award the trophies to a standing room only participatory audience.. This is one of the most popular events at the Sonoma-Marin Fair.

Summer is Here....

In case you couldn't judge by the weather in LA, summer has arrived! Summer solstice occurred Friday night making Saturday the first day of summer. I did a little research on what solstice is all about.....

Solstices occur twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most oriented toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to reach its northernmost and southernmost extremes. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, its apparent movement north or south comes to a standstill.

The term solstice can also be used in a wider sense, as the date (day) that such a passage happens. The solstices, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. In some languages they are considered to start or separate the seasons; in others they are considered to be centre points (in English, in the Northern hemisphere, for example, the period around the June solstice is known as midsummer, and Midsummer's Day is 24 June, about three days after the solstice itself).

Similarly 25 December is the start of the Christmas celebration, which was a Pagan festival in pre-Christian times, and is the day the sun begins to return back to the northern hemisphere.

If you want more info go here. Otherwise, grab a cool drink and enjoy this hot summer day!!!

Frosty The Snowman.....

I know it's one of the hottest days of the year so I thought I'd give you something cool to think about. A couple of Christmas' ago Joe bought Frank a Frosty the Snowman doll that lights up, shakes and sings. He thought Frank would love it but knew he would want to rip the thing to shreds like he did with all his stuffed animals. Nope. Not this stuffed animal. Frank was scared of it. The minute it went on he would turn around and walk away with his head down.

Frosty was put away and forgotten until he was found during the move. We decided to try it on Peete and lo and behold.....the complete opposite reaction. Peete is fascinated with Frosty. It's hours of fun for him. The other day Joe said he turned it on by himself (you have to squeeze Frosty's foot to get him going). Here's a little video of Peete and Frosty......

What If ???

My New Idol

Have you seen the Sex and The City movie? If so, you saw Samantha's new dog, the one that humps everything. Well, I found out this "New Yorkie's" name is Gidget and she has her own blog! And you all thought I was crazy. See......dreams do come true. You all just wait. Edie is next......

http://www.gidgetgormley.com/

The Big Reveal!!

Weeks have gone by. The stitches are out. The tape is gone. The cones are gone. The daily ritual of cleaning and applying powder is over. And now.....as promised.....here is the new and improved Peete with his grown-up Doberman ears. Isn't he the most handsome boy??

(Not So) Rich Bitch....

Trouble, the dog that got $12 million in Leona Helmsley's will, have to live off $2 million for the rest of her days. Ruff life! The New York Post reports that a New York judge reduced the dog's inheritance and gave $10 million to charity – and worked out a deal to give her grandkids $6 million each. When Leona died last August, she left the pair out of her will, but left Trouble the dog a big chunk of change.

A Very Sad Story To Report.....

A street-sweeping truck roaring down a Bronx street sucked up a dog and killed her as her owner held the leash. Ginger, center, a Boston terrier, was killed by a street-sweeping truck in the Bronx on Thursday.

Robert Machin said he had just finished walking his two Boston terriers and was about to put them into his car when the truck appeared Thursday morning. The retired transit worker said he was suddenly whipped around and saw one of the dogs, Ginger, being swallowed by the sweeper's round bristles.

"I went berserk at that moment because I couldn't believe what had occurred," he said Saturday.

Machin said he yelled at the driver to stop, but the truck kept going. He and friends chased the truck for 2 ½ blocks before catching up with it. Ginger's slight body was later pulled from the sweeper. The city Department of Sanitation called the death "a rare and unfortunate accident."
A heartbroken Machin questioned whether the driver was observing proper procedures, saying the truck seemed to barreling through the street at an unsafe speed.

The heartbroken Machin, 57, choked up as he described losing Ginger. With his children grown, he said, "These two dogs, they're my life."

Happy Fathers Day!!!

To all the dads out there! I'm taking Edie and heading out to spend the day with my dad. See you tomorrow!

They Can't BEAR To Be Apart.....

As far as lifelong friendships go, Muschi thinks her large and loveable friend Maeuschen is the cat's pyjamas. The feline, which struck up the unlikely friendship with the 40-year-old Asian bear eight years ago, now can't bear to be apart from her friend. In fact, the pair are so close that zookeepers at Berlin Zoo had to reunite them after Muschi, or 'pussy' in German, pined for Maeuschen - 'little mouse' - after they were separated.

The pair were split up last October when the bear was locked in a cage while her living space was enlarged. The distraught cat soon caught the attention of zoo keepers after she remained sitting outside the bear's cage pining for her friend. This week, keepers took the unusual step of allowing the feline into the cage with her shaggy-haired pal.

'They greeted each other and had a cuddle and now they're happy,' said Heiner Kloes, a member of the zoo's management board. 'The cat has a real fan club, mostly among our older, regular visitors.' But where Muschi, a normal black domestic cat, came from remains a mystery. 'She appeared from nowhere in 2000 and we decided to leave them together because they got on so well,' Mr Kloes said.

'They sunbathed together and shared meals of raw meat, dead mice, fruit and bread.' The enlarged enclosure will reopen in the spring.

Flower Power

Nana B. sent me these amazing pictures of dogs made out of flowers! They are so realistic, aren't they?

The Unicorn of Tuscany

A roe deer with a single horn in the middle of its head has found fame as the "Unicorn" of Tuscany. The 10-month-old deer was born in captivity at the Centre of Natural Sciences, a nature reserve near Prato.

While single-horned deers have been spotted before, this particular buck has a uniquely central horn, thought to be the result of a genetic flaw."This is a demonstration that the fabled unicorn, which we all know from icons and legends, probably was not just a fantasy."It was probably an animal like this one, with a natural anomaly," said Gilberto Tozzi, the director of the centre.Mr Tozzi added that the twin of the buck has two horns.The mother of the two deer was brought to the park several years ago after being hit by a car in the Apennine mountains.

The mythical unicorn was thought to have healing powers and was generally depicted as a horse with the cloven hooves of a goat or deer.The earliest mention of the beast was by the Greek historian Herodotus in the 5th century BC.In one notebook, Leonardo Da Vinci suggested unicorns could be captured using a virgin as bait.

"For the love it bears to fair maidens [the unicorn] forgets its ferocity and wildness and laying aside all fear it will go to a seated damsel and sleep in her lap, and thus the hunters take it," he wrote. Mr Tozzi said the Tuscan unicorn was also remarkably elusive. "Our deer might be aware that he is a little different. "He doesn't let himself be seen very often" he said. He advised visitors to "arm themselves with binoculars and a lot of patience."

Last year, a hunter in Elma, New York, photographed a stag with a third horn protruding from the front of its head.

In Memory of Audrey

Today marks the one year anniversary of Audrey's passing. I can't believe it has been an entire year. I still miss her so much and I think about her every single day......

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

The Latest You Tube Stars.....

What If ???

Pet Food Recall

Timberwolf has voluntarily recalled two formulas from their line of pet food due to customers reporting instances of dogs vomiting, diarrhea, and refusing to eat. Affected formulas include the Dakota Bison and Ocean Blue lines with the following "best by" dates printed on the bag:

Dakota Bison: best by date of February 12, 2009

Ocean Blue: best by date of February 20, 2009

Ocean Blue: best by date of March 8, 2009

If you have either of these affected formulas with the dates noted as above, you can simply take the bags back to the retailer you purchased them from for a refund or a store credit. If you're an online shopper, you'll want to contact Timberwolf Organics directly for your refund.

And The Next Heavyweight Champion Of The World Is....

Extreme Makeover....Doberman Edition

Peete has graduated from his 'training tape' ears to his 'cone' ears. Only a few weeks left until the big reveal!!!

Terrier Nation

When no one else is around Ginger secretly loves to play with Little Edie......

Pack Your Bags!!!

ARFDog makes taking your dog along for an adventure overnight so easy…and SO much fun! They have designed and packed the perfect getaway suitcase.

They found the perfect bowl for dining in, or al fresco; the tastiest and most portable treats to nibble; plush toys to show just what a world traveler you are, and the comfiest monogrammed bathrobe for after bath, or just for lounging around.

Added to these, they provide a wonderful throw to snuggle in. It can be the cover for a bed, a cozy chair, or even the floor. Anywhere it is placed; your dog will love lying on it. It’s even washable, in case you are sleeping in the great outdoors!

The suitcase itself is re-usable luggage that will come in handy any time the road beckons…or even if you’re just going to visit Aunt Sally.

You’ll be relieved to know that this Suitcase won’t encourage any dog to run away … they’ll just always be ready to get away!

Seeing Doberman Double

There's another Doberman in town. "Whaaaaat" you say? Yes, but don't worry. We didn't run out and get another Doberman. This Doberman belongs to our friend, Josue. His name is Tino and he's about a year and a half. Peete and Tino are friends and they are so cute together. We took the Dobermans and Little Edie for a walk and they had a great time. Little Edie looked like she had her two big bodyguards protecting her.

Here's a little video I shot of our adventure....

I See Dead People

A few yeas back Karen and I visited the ancient city of Pompeii which was buried under volcanic ash after a massive eruption in 79 AD. We were lucky enough to be spared a six hour walking tour with nothing but a map to guide us. We met a little Italian security guard who took us under his wing and gave us a private two hour guided tour.

We kept telling our tour guide that we wanted to see 'the dead people'. If you have ever seen documentaries or photos of Pompeii they always show the petrified dead people. He got so mad at us and told us that there was so much more to see in Pompeii. He was right. We saw the farmers market, the brothel, the amphitheatre and the remains of several homes. In the entry of one of the homes we saw the mosaic floor picture above. How's that for a "Beware of Dog" sign?!

After he showed us what a wonderful city Pompeii had been he finally took us to see the dead people. I felt bad for thinking that was all there was to this fascinating and once thriving City. On the way to see the dead people, he showed us these petrified animals.....

Apparently, the dog picture above was chained to his master's house and died while struggling to free himself. We finally saw the dead people too. Very sad and very humbling. We left that day hot, tired, covered in dust and reflective. It made me realize that even back then life was the same. It was all about love, family, friends, food, wine and pets....