PetSugar

Dear Poll: Would You Pass on Puppy Love?

DearSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:00:00 PST

There's no denying that your first relationship is equally as exciting as it is terrifying, but I don't know many people who would turn down the initial infatuation you feel when you meet someone you really like. According to Dr. Malcolm Brynin of the University of Essex, however, it's that "puppy love" that actually damages future, more mature relationships. Since intense love creatures unrealistic goals, he feels:

If you had a very passionate first relationship and allow that feeling to become your benchmark for a relationship dynamic, then it becomes inevitable that future, more adult partnerships will seem boring and a disappointment.

I happen to think we all learn something from each relationship, even those idealistic puppy love ones. But tell me, do you agree with Dr. Brynin when he says, "In an ideal world, you would wake up already in your second relationship"?

Source

Six- and 7-Year-Old German Kids Set Out to Elope in Africa

LilSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:00:53 PST

I'm pretty sure this surpasses the term puppy love. A couple of German children decided to skip doodling each other's names on their notebooks and set out to elope in Africa. And, they weren't about to skimp on any details. After devising a plan while their families celebrated New Year's Eve together, the kids packed all the marriage and honeymoon must haves - sunglasses, swimming trunks, a lilo, and a sibling!

One report said:

The pair identified as Mika and Anna-Lena "are very much in love and decided to get married in Africa where it is warm, taking with them as a witness Anna-Lena's little sister, aged five," police spokesman Holger Jureczko told AFP.

The tykes took off while their parents slept and boarded a nearby tram en route to a central station where the tots could connect with another train to the airport. There, a security guard got suspicious and contacted police, who alerted the lovebirds' parents.

Source

Puppy Love: Upstaged

PetSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:00:14 PST

In the latest installment of Puppy Love, the relationship between cute dogs and, well, finding a new relationship is up for debate. While some people use dogs to get digits, others (like one of the stars of this short) think it's "such a lame and expected gimmick." Before telling me how you feel, watch the situation play itself out in the video below.

Super-Cute Video: Dogs and the Women Who Love Them (featuring Famke Janssen and Licorice!)

PetSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:30:40 PDT

With a name like Puppy Love, what's not to like? The scripted anthology of 10 short films discusses dog lovers and the people who love them . . . or in this case, don't love them so much. The first film features "Maya" (Famke Janssen) and her cutie pie we recognize as Licorice (playing a pooch named "Owen") – plus very vocal friends sharing opinions on just what's coming between her and her relationships with men.

Eeks! Now I've been called pet-obsessed by many – hello, it's my job! – so I can relate to this feeble defense and adoration for the handsome smooshy. I can't wait to see what's up next!

Buzz Blabber: We're Counting the Days to The Dark Knight Rises

Maggie Pehanick — Sun, 06 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

Last week we learned that Ian Somerhalder has his eye on the part of Christian Grey in the big-screen adaption of Fifty Shades of Grey. This week, it looks like he's got some competition, fellow member of the TV undead, Alexander Skarsgard. Rumors about the casting piqued your interest, and we were curious to hear what you had to say on the Ian vs. Alexander debate of 2012. Other topics that got you talking were the photos of the new lucky (or unlucky, depending on how the new season pans out) suitors vying for The Bachelorette's attention and the eerie third trailer for The Dark Knight Rises.

The new trailer for The Dark Knight Rises might be the best one yet

"I love it! I really like how Chris Nolan keeps every detail on secret. Can't wait to see it!" - Christie0010
"Wow, the suspense is killing me! Nolan is brilliant!" - gd101
"I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt and he so reminds me of Heath Ledger, wonder if I'm the only one who feels this way." - jaan_black

To see how guys felt about 50 Shades of Grey and more, just

Alexander Skarsgard as Christian Grey is a novel idea - or is it?

"If you read the description of the character, Alexander fits it perfectly. With the exception of his age, he could easily be Christian. His True Blood experience would give him an edge over the competition. Nudity? Check. Sexy? Check. Dark? Check. Smart? Check. Universal are you listening?" - pbartteacher
"Sorry, but I just don't see him as Christian. Ian is perfect for the part. Tousled hair, dark, smoldering stare - this is Ian, not Alex. I love him in True Blood, but here I say no." - emiad
"Yes please! I can absolutely see that. Give his hair some reddish tint, and um . . . yum. I may need to re-read now, just to cast it and watch it play out in my head. Girls, quit picking out cute, sweet looking boys with no fire. Christian has dark and evil inside him, with a puppy dog side that can get brought out. Christian needs real fire in him." - Cassie2645926

New Bachelorette Emily Maynard has quite the selection of suitors

"Yikes! I'm hoping it's just a bad picture for some of these guys." - likethedirection
"None of them look particularly clever. Let's hope they at least have a sense of humor." - noonehere
"Arie sure is cute!" - Angelica

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

It's a Puppy Party! Sarai's Four-Leg-Friendly First Birthday

Kate Stahl — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:56:35 PDT

Bow wow indeed! You don't have to have a pet dog at home to love them - but it certainly helps for the pictures! This first birthday party, thrown at Modern Cookie in Marin, CA, by A Little Savvy Event wowed us with its sweet paper goods, cute puppy-inspired cakes, and awesome gift bags that were stocked with faux fur hats! Puppy power!

Source: Allyson Wiley for A Little Savvy Event

Happy National Pet Day! 13 Ways to Save Bucks on Fido

Emily Co — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:47:58 PDT

The cost of raising a dog is extremely high. In fact, if you look at rates to fly with your dog on airplanes, it's sometimes almost equivalent to what we humans are paying for a plane ticket. And it all adds up - you end up spending a never-ending amount of cash on toys, crates, flea medication, checkups, and the list goes on. However, many think the high costs of raising a dog are totally worth it. To reduce the costs of what you think is a necessary expense, here are some tips on saving money on your new dog:

Adopt a Doggie: If you're not too picky about the breeds, getting your dog from a shelter is cheaper than spending over a thousand for a purebred puppy from a breeder. Further, many of the pets have already been vaccinated and spayed or neutered, which will definitely save you money in vet bills.
Pick a Responsible Breeder: If you have your heart set on a pooch from a breeder, make sure you do your homework lest you end up with a sick dog from a puppy mill. Do research online to see what qualities a responsible breeder has, and go take a look at the dog and inspect the environment it's being raised in. Ask for references from sources like the breeder's vet, ask to see the dog's parents (if they are around) and quiz her on how she raises her dogs. Here are more questions to ask a prospective breeder.
Costco For Pets or Buy Online: Check to see if there is a warehouse superstore for pet supplies in your area. For example, Pet Club in the Bay Area gives great discounts if you buy in bulk - great for buying items in bulk such as urine pads, cleaning solvent, and poop bags. Another option is to see if you can find better deals online - Four Paws wee wee pads are available on Amazon at a 55 percent discount, so be sure to look around online for great bargains.
Neuter or Spay at the ASPCA: Spaying or neutering your dog can be extremely pricey. Check out your local ASPCA for cheaper prices on the surgery. To compare prices, I called a local vet that quoted me a hefty $800 for a small breed puppy, while the ASPCA in San Francisco quoted me $225. However, after asking around, my friend told me about an even better deal at another ASPCA, located a little further away in Oakland, CA, which charged $100 to spay/neuter. Be sure to check out the prices of the different clinics, even if they are under the same organization. The local Humane Society clinics were even cheaper so you might want to check out their prices as well. Lesson to learn: always shop around for pet health services.
Housebreak Your Dog: If you train your dog to "go" outside of your house, you don't have to waste money buying expensive pee pads and you'll be using less cleaning solvent for the messes that accidentally spill from the pad to the floor.

For more tips to saving on Fido, read after the jump.

Link Time - Why You and Your Guy Should Adopt a Puppy

Annie Scudder — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:40:31 PDT

7 reasons to adopt a puppy with your partner - YourTango
10 things to love about Spring - CollegeCandy
The 22 books every woman needs to read - TheFrisky
Tips for strengthening your relationship - Betty Confidential
Girls pose with their American Girl lookalikes - Huffington Post
Not your average wedding photos - theBERRY
Fifty Shades of Grey gets a movie deal - BuzzSugar
The top reasons Don Draper would make a terrible boyfriend - Em & Lo
Jennifer Lawrence is not too "big boned" to play Katniss Everdeen - The Jane Dough
Seven deadly sins of the 1960s - Good Men Project

Drew Barrymore Embraces Brights For Another Romantic Parisian Day With Will

Molly Goodson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:49:37 PDT

Drew Barrymore bundled up, but stood out in bright blue pants for a walk around Paris with fiancé Will Kopelman today. It's the second afternoon in a row of sightseeing in France for Will and Drew, who arrived in the city of lights earlier this week. Even before visiting one of the most romantic spots in the world, it's already been a love-filled 2012 for the happy couple. Drew and Will announced their engagement in January, and there have been rumblings of pregnancy rumors in recent weeks. Drew has yet to address any of those stories, but she and Will did already add to the family when they adopted a puppy a couple months back.

Pippa's Perfectly Purple Party

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:43:07 PST

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Darcy Miller, celebrations expert and editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings. Having just thrown her daughter's third birthday, Darcy shares the original - and sweet! - way she planned the entire party around the birthday girl's favorite color.

In our house, birthdays are not only a celebration, but also a fun activity for us to do as a family. We always start with the theme (of course it is a negotiation at times), but we end up with fun celebration that we enjoy organizing together. We have done everything from a Daisy Party for my oldest daughter Daisy's first birthday to Pajama Parties and Puppy Parties. This year, for my youngest daughter Pippa's third birthday, her sisters decided she should have a purple party since it's her favorite color. I will admit, although I love lavender, I can't say purple is my favorite color - but purple it was! As you might have already guessed, everything from the favors to the play dough stations was purple. There was purple icing on the cake and purple bouncy balls tossed around the room. I even set up a reading station featuring purple-themed books like Harold and the Purple Crayon on a purple blanket. At Martha Stewart Weddings, we love to start with a palette, and monochromatic is a color theme we've returned to over the years.