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And the 2009 World's Ugliest Dog Is . . .

PetSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:59:01 -0700

Another Petaluma scorcher for this year's Ugly Dog Contest! The 2009 champ was a new face who won me over with his pronounced underbite, which he uses like a scoop to get the food in at mealtime. Ha. Even though the last several years have featured lil pups like the late Gus, this time a big pup's top dog.

Four-year-old Pabst and his owner, Miles Egstad, came from Citrus Heights, CA - the Boxer mix was super sweet, loved the shade, and seemed to be rather sleepy before his turn on stage. Resting up for his time in the sun, I bet. We got a glimpse of Pabst, blue ribbon and all, so see one more cute pic (and hear what his owner had to say about the win) when you read more.

On the recognition: "This breed is not known for being ugly like the Chinese Crested. He's so ugly, he's adorable."

On the prize: "He's definitely getting a filet mignon, maybe not tonight, but he will. And getting his teeth cleaned, look at them!"

Congrats to Pabst and Miles and stay tuned for more Ugly Dog coverage next week!

Do Tell: What's Your Favorite Pet-Friendly Hotel?

PetSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:00:21 -0700

When LilPeaPod came back from her adventure with Samson at the Worldwide Fido Awards, she told us all about the great staff at the Le Merigot – where she stayed while filming the show. I know some hotels have a "Pet-Friendly" policy, but aren't too friendly when you check in. Thankfully, that wasn't the case when she arrived:

I was very impressed with the staff of the Le Merigot Hotel in Santa Monica, who went out of their way to make us feel comfortable, and treated Samson like a king – it was definitely all about him while we were there. Our hostess at the hotel café even brought Samson some ice to chew on to cool him down in the heat! Needless to say, if we ever need a place to stay in Santa Monica, we'll be heading back to the Le Merigot.

I've stayed at a few W hotels (and North loved the doormen at the one in our old NYC neighborhood), where do you like to stay when traveling with your pet?

Shop Spotlight: North's at Pet Camp!

PetSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:10:33 -0700

I've alluded to my fave home-away-from-home for my lil guy in other posts, but I've never taken the time to explain why I love it so much. First off, North's practically a celebripup at Pet Camp – I think his hyperactivity must be pretty impossible to forget! I always feel comfortable dropping him off there and I know he's having a blast.What's he doing you ask? He's scampering on artificial turf with a playground that rivals many parks for two-legged kids with slides, tunnels, and other equipment for him to explore. There's both a group and individual yards for friendly or friendless days on over 6,000 square feet of outdoor fun!

To find out what special treats they offer read more.

Once dogs get back inside, there are plenty of add-ons for your most pampered pal – VIP playtime, swimming sessions, Yappy Hour (cold doggie beer served in a frosted bowl with a bully stick), and Bizzie Bones (PB frozen Kong). North's favorite is something called a pupsicle – it's a homemade recipe similar to this one except theirs has bananas, too. Mmmm.

While I'm spending the weekend celebrating a friend's birthday in Portland, I know North is off having a great time, too! They'll be composting his poop to generate electricity, treating him well, and snapping his photo – I hope to see his next Camper Cameos when I get back!

Surf's Up, Dogs!

PetSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:30:10 -0700

That's right! Not only is this pooch on a surfboard, he's actually part of the biggest surfing competition for dogs that happened over the weekend. Learn all about this event – and see more adoro pictures – in this slideshow.

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Behind-the-Scenes Video from the 2008 Ugliest Dog Contest!

PetSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:30:31 -0700

I loved chatting with the charming contestants – and their peculiar pets – at the 2008 World's Ugliest Dog Competition. I was so excited to see the pooches that I nearly forgot all the other fair fun! From ferris wheels to funnel cake, there were plenty of things to keep me occupied 'til showtime. See the Sonoma-Marin Fair through my eyes . . . leading up to Gus's big moment in the sun! Enjoy!

Out and About: Santa Barbara's Big Dog Parade

PetSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:00:39 -0700

Of all the wild events offered across the country, I've always wanted to attend the Santa Barbara Dog Parade and Canine Festival! Held on the first weekend of June of each year, it's one of the largest dog parades in the country bringing animal lovers and families from all over the U.S. to southern California to show off their stuff. All the pictures make it look like a blast!

Proceeds from this annual event go towards the Big Dog Foundation, a non-profit that has helped raise millions of dollars for dog-friendly charities like search-and-rescue teams and animal sanctuaries. Lucky for us, Renees3 brought B-Bop and doggie BFF, Qi to this event earlier this month, adorably dressed as Mark Anthony and Cleopatra – and shared her pictures with us! Check them out, and let me know about any fun canine festivals in your area, too.

To see the rest of the images, read more

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Shop Spotlight: Babies SF

PetSugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:00:12 -0700

One of Santa's little helpers at this year's Petchitecture event was Michael Cunningham, owner of one of my fave pet shops here in the city, Babies. He donated tons of tasty treats to please the furry guests, and buckets of goodies for the silent auction that brought in much needed funds for the Pets are Wonderful Support (PAWS), a volunteer-based organization that provides for the comprehensive needs of companion animals for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS, other disabling illnesses, and senior citizens. Since I dig his store (and his big heart), I thought I would give you a tour at Babies' brand new location at Laguna and Linden in the hip Hayes Valley area of San Francisco.

While I was there, I picked Michael's brain about some of the hottest trends of the upcoming summer season, his dog food of choice, and his fave celeb pets. To find out what he had to say, and to take a photo tour of the shop, just read more.

PS: What are the top three pet trends for the upcoming Summer season?
MC: For sure, anything "green" is popular, as well as sports themed products like shirts, collars and leashes, and toys. And pet parties are a big hit for the summer as well.

PS: In your opinion, what dog food can you buy that gives you the most bang for your buck, as well as being good for your pet?
MC: I would choose Canidae, since it's good for all life stages and, if you were going raw, I would choose Primal.

PS: Speaking of raw diets, how do you feel about them?
MC: It's a great idea for most pets, and I have seen it have miraculous results. But you do have to be a bit more organized and structured for it to work right!

PS: Do you have any favorite celebrity pets?
MC: We've actually helped out a number of celebrity pets in our store. My favorites include Finoula and Sabrina, Katie Lee and Billy Joel's pups. I also love Jane Fonda's pup Tulea, Hilary Swank's Karu and Salma Hayek's dog Diva, as well as Sophie, Oprah's dog. Chris Isaak, Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Chapman, Keith Richards and Amanda Brown's pets are so cute too. I guess all the pets that come in are my favorite!

You can find Michael at Babies, with his own two dachshund babies every day of the week at 534 Laguna Street in San Francisco.

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Thurman Murman Gets Pampered at K9 Loft!

PetSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:30:52 -0700

Only fitting so close to Mother's Day that we feature our fave celebrity (dog) mommy. R-Bils brought her very special pooch to a very special shop in LA yesterday, K9 Loft. Looks like her lil pup got groomed up nicely and even sports a new bandana on his scruffly neck. Learn about this facility (and see adoro piccys) when you read more.

K9 Loft is a one-stop destination in the Echo Park 'hood of LA for those pampered SoCal pooches. With everything from obedience training and full-service grooming (including dental hygiene!) to webcam-monitored daycare and outdoor excursions to Silver Lake Dog Park, lucky pups can come here for a pampering day . . . and moms can pick up some cute gear from their retail shop on the way out. Rachel seems to like bringing Thurman everywhere herself but, among K9 Loft's high-end services, they'd offer a car service to deliver him on those days when she couldn't break away from her busy life to get the lil man. Oh, and even I'm not too sure what kind of pup he is – other than absolutely adoro – maybe one day she'll choose to invest in the DNA testing they offer there as well.

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Flynet and Source

The Scoop: Santa Monica Squirrels Get Birth Controlled

PetSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:45:18 -0700

Lil squirrelly faces like this one are terrorizing the city of Santa Monica – in fact, there's such a population explosion in Palisades Park that the officials are taking a (thankfully) humane tactic to cut it down . . . birth control shots. It's only the second city in the state (Berkeley was the first) to administer GonaCon, an immuno-contraceptive developed by the US Department of Agriculture to help control the squirrel population. While it doesn't come cheap – costing $2 to $10 a shot – it has no side effects and is much better than the traditional population-control strategy . . . euthanasia. Find out a little bit more (with more pictures) when you read more.

"It's a cutting-edge approach," said Joe McGrath, the city's parks chief. "Pest control in general isn't usually very exciting or even controversial. That hasn't been the case with the squirrels." While my college years were filled with these cheeky creatures often coming into dorms and classrooms, it's been a while since I've been confronted with an overpopulation of squirrels – how about you?

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Source

What's Your Take: Beaver Family vs. City of Martinez?

PetSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:00:24 -0700

Making their home in a Northern California creek, this family of beavers have quickly become local celebrities. As cute and entertaining as they are for tourists and local schoolchildren, not everyone loves these furry creatures. Last Fall the city of Martinez actually had plans to kill the beavers and remove their mud-and-stick dams! That plan was publicly criticized by locals and a committee was formed – the Beavers in Alhambra Creek – with members presenting seven options for controlling the creatures who've been living it up in their new home for the last 18 months. Why are some people so anxious to remove the furry family? Find out more details when you read more.

Beavers are known for their big teeth so they can obvs do horrible damage if they chew through the $10 million of flood control work already completed in this Northern California town. Experts have already been called in, including Vermont-based wildlife biologist Skip Lisle, who installed a pipe through the dam to lower water levels to (hopefully) reduce flood risk. "If we can put a man on the moon, we can outsmart beavers. They're not very good at deductive reasoning," Lisle said. "They're very single-minded." Unfortunately their minds are to build, build, build, while officials can't continue to take down, take down, take down. Of the plans on the table, costs can range from $2,000 to upwards of $100,000 to safely keep the creatures in the creek. So what do you think – should eviction begin immediately, do beavers belong in the creek as much as the water does, or is this matter simply water under the bridge?