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Where on the Bed Do Your Pets Sleep?

PetSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:00:10 -0700

Awww, how cozy they look! Does this scene look familiar to you? If you share a bed with your pet, does the furry one have a fave snuggly spot? When I chatted with Bill from Greatest American Dog, he shared the sweet observation below:

I think the bond between Star and I was pretty tight when we got to California and I don't think you could make it any better. She slept in the bed with me all the time we were out there but when we got back home, Star had moved. She had always slept at the end of the bed, and now she moved up to right beside me on my side of the bed and that may be a little bit bigger bond.

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What Do You Know About the Brittany?

PetSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:30:44 -0700

I loved catching up with Bill who was sent home from Greatest American Dog on Wednesday with his beautiful Brittany, Star. What do you know about this breed? Test your knowledge about these pretty pooches below!

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Greatest American Dog Recap: My Dog Can Fly!

PetSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0700

First puppies and now an elephant?! For last night's episode of Greatest American Dog, the remaining humans (Travis, J.D., Bill, Laurie, and Teresa) had to get their pets (Presley, Galaxy, Star, Andrew, and Leroy) to sit in a circle as an elephant approached them, made tons of noise and flapped its ears, and eventually got close enough to pick up a banana placed nearby. It came down to a faceoff between Presley and Andrew, and the smallest pooch there (Laurie's Maltese) didn't move a muscle – wow! Next, it was a course finishing in a doggie zipline – that J.D. and Galaxy made look like a piece of cake – but, unfortunately, two dogs (Star and Andrew) wouldn't take that leap. In the end, the judges chose to send Bill and Star packing which made me sad 'cause I was totally pulling for them, but happy since I got to chat with him this morning. . . . and, yes, he's just as sweet on the phone as he looks on TV:

On meeting an elephant for the first time: You remember, we've got our back towards that elephant? I'm watching Star and saying "sit, stay, sit, stay" and her eyes are getting bigger and bigger and it's like one of us has got to move, I hope she tells me when I'm supposed to move! That was thrilling to me, just thrilling.

Learn what happens when Star meets the elephant for the second and third (?) time when you read more.

On meeting an elephant for the second time: Although she didn't win the challenge, later we were able to go over and visit with the elephant. Star actually ended up sitting on one of the elephant's feet and it was a positive atmosphere. They didn't want dogs to be afraid of big things running at them anymore. The elephant actually took its nose and smelled all over Star and she just sat and looked at it – I asked the guy what it was doing and he said the elephant's never seen a dog like Star so he's smelling and remembering so that, the next time he sees one, he'll know what that is.

On meeting an elephant for the third time: I feel comfortable now that if there's an elephant charging down the street here in Flint, TX, Star will sit right there and watch it go by.

On preparing for the zipline challenge: I got up there and worked with her during practice time. I shook the platform and the guys up there at the top said "don't shake this," but I banged and clanged up there for Star's benefit. I knew the wind might be blowing and it might shake so I wanted her to understand that everything's good and it's fine for your feet to move underneath you.

On doing the challenge: When she got to the edge in what you saw last night, there was one point where I actually thought she was going to jump. Then she said "nah, dogs ain't supposed to fly, my boy" and I read that. She was like "I'll sit right here and you figure it out, Bubba." I saw that expression but I spent a good 10 to 15 minutes trying to get her to jump off that.

On not jumping off: I appreciate her not jumping off that ledge. She was smarter than I thought because we work in some areas where it's high-rise parking garages and, maybe she then thinks it's OK to jump off something chasing a bird? I feel comfortable knowing she did the wise thing, she was wiser than me.

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The Scoop: House and Senate Pass PA's Puppy Mill Bill!

PetSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:00:42 -0700

Bow wowee! I'm super duper pleased to announce that both the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the "Puppy Mill Bill" in Pennsylvania yesterday! Affecting any commercial breeder selling or transferring more than 60 dogs per year, the main change in the approved bill is that owners get three years to comply with the long list of regulations to make their kennels more humane . . . as long as they've not already been found guilty of violating these rules.Clearing the House with votes of 183-7 and the Senate 49-1, Rep. James Casorio, D-Westmoreland, the bill's prime sponsor, said:

This is the day that we eliminate Pennsylvania's reputation as the puppy mill capital of the East. The mistreatment of thousands and thousands and thousands of dogs kept in deplorable and inhumane [conditions] will no longer stand.

Although it's just the first step, it makes great strides in changing these horrible conditions and I hope an advancement for animal welfare that will one day (soon) prompt changes and policy consistency across the country.

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What Is the Most You've Ever Paid for Vet Services?

PetSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:00:23 -0700

Giggle tipped me off to a story the other day about a woman who spent nearly $12,000 dollars in reconstructive surgery on her cat after he was injured in a car accident. While I was stunned at the amount, I was not completely surprised.

How much is too much to spend on the health of your pet? I'm sure the answer may be "money is no object" but after reading her story, I was still very thankful that North and I have not encountered any catastrophic injuries that would literally break the bank to pay for. That's not to say that I haven't had some insane vet bills to deal with in my lifetime, but they were nowhere near the $12,000 dollar mark like in this story. What was the most that you've ever had to pay on a vet bill?

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New Product Alert! Bespoke Dog Accessories Collection

PetSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:10:27 -0700

Best known for his quality leather duffles and briefcases, Britain-based Bill Amberg expanded his business to include our furry friends, launching a new Bespoke dog accessories collection in London on Tuesday.

Including a chic bed, leather lead, and shearling-lined coat, there are no prices listed online yet, but I'm betting the hand-crafted, vegetable-dyed leather won't come too cheaply. Check out the shown off items in the gallery and let me know if anything catches your fancy in the comments below.

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The Scoop: Giuliana Rancic Gets the Millionth Cat!

PetSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:40:54 -0700

No, no Giuliana doesn't have 1 million cats . . . she received the millionth kitty adopted out as part of Morris’s Million Cat Rescue Campaign. I remember that orange tabby from 9Lives commercials when I was a kid, and now the "spokescat" is on a three-year mission to have 1 million shelter cats find happy homes (with the company making donations to local shelters with each food purchase, too).

Jason Kennedy, a fellow E! news host, worked with Morris and his team to convince Giuliana Rancic she was attending a store opening when instead he was going to present her with this grey-and-white kitten outside of the West LA Animal Care Center. It's the first "baby" of any kind to join her family with husband, Bill Rancic. Not only is the cat super adoro, I love seeing celebrities model good choices like shelter adoptions!

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Remembering Socks: Former First Cat Dies

PetSugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:22:42 -0800

You may recognize this feline as a former "first pet" - Socks joined the Clinton family for both terms in the White House. After they left in early 2001, the kitty took up residence in Hollywood, MD, with Bill Clinton's secretary, Betty Currie. The cat was nearly 18 and battling lung cancer when Currie confirmed Socks's death this evening, saying that she was "heartbroken." Follow Socks's story and start this slideshow of his big moments during the DC years. We'll miss you!

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Triumph Hurls Humorous Insults All Over D Pet Hotels

PetSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:40:09 -0700

Admittedly, I often check my pampered pup into a pooch hotel (when he can't come along) though not quite as fancy as the deluxe room at D Pet Hotels - it has a bigger bed and flat screen than my actual apartment. Nevertheless, when I get my bill, I still wonder how many features lil North truly appreciates (play group, most definitely; blueberry facial, probably not). So I can't help cracking up at Triumph's behind-the-scenes doggie take at this Hollywood resort - Be warned, there is cursing . . . but there's also a whole lot of funny.

Do Tell: Weigh In on Mandatory Spay/Neuter Laws

PetSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:05:06 -0700

Even if your furry friend is fixed, how do you feel about being told to do so not just by vets or animal behaviorists but by the government!? Last week, a statewide mandatory spay/neuter bill (SB 250) passed the California State Senate and is off to the Assembly to quite possibly become law.

In order to keep an unsterilized pet, you'd need a license or else your animal could be taken away from you. Now, I understand the needless death and overpopulation of shelter animals, but this seems a bit troublesome for lower-income families who would sterilize a pet, if not for the prohibitive procedure price. Do you think this bill is a good start . . . or does it do more harm than good?

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