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North's Big Adventure: Day Ten

PetSugar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:40:51 -0800

Home at last! Although I am extra happy to have my lil' fella back home after ten days away, North seemed to have other ideas about this morning's end to his wild adventure at Wag Hotel. When I arrived to pick him up, I could hear him before I could see him . . . wheezing, snorting, and pulling to enter the lobby area. Although he gave me his typical welcome back greeting of a quick glance, the oh-it's-just-mama realization, and the look for more interesting people present, he was squirming out of my arms for final kisses as the staff members (and North) seemed genuinely sad about his departure. After coming in the apartment and reacquainting his nose with every nook and cranny, he curled up in his bed where he has been snoring for the last eight hours. Overall, he seems well adjusted and, I bet after his long sleep today, tomorrow he'll be back to normal, nosy North.

To see some of my favorite features of Wag Hotel, read more.

Play spaces. In addition to their indoor play area and a pool, pups can take a walk on their rooftop lawn seen above. With drainage, Astroturf, toys, and, of course, fencing, it's a great safe place for play. North must have had a great time during his daily adventures because he slept in his carseat the entire way home!
Cleanliness. Keeping (and staying) clean and healthy is key at Wag Hotel. In addition to a complimentary bath and brushing during his stay, the facility offers puppy "facials" and massages – in a spotless and modern environment. They have advanced air exchange systems, separate kitchen areas for serving and cleaning food dishes (to prevent contamination or germ spreading), and easy-to-clean epoxy coated floors. As an additional touch, they provide beds for pooches during their stays – and remove and wash it each day to make sure they are only snuggling on the cleanest of materials.

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North's Big Adventure: Day Five

PetSugar — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 11:30:28 -0800

Do you miss hearing about North? I sure wished I knew how he was doing so I gave San Francisco's Wag Hotel a call yesterday to check in. My crazy pup is playing with their number two group – good for dogs that aren't super active. Hmmm, I wonder if my little fella has already mellowed from his normal, constant spastic state in my five day absence . . . and I wonder if this could possibly continue when I return?! Doubtful. He's usually as active as they come so maybe he's getting an extra good workout there and, either way, I'm glad that he loves his puppy playtime with whichever group he's in. They also told me that he has a big appetite (duh!) which must mean he has already eaten the baggie of snacks I left and that he's "super duper sweet" (double duh!) – I wonder if they're tired of slobbery North kisses yet! No matter what, it sounds like he is enjoying himself as much as I am!

North's Big Adventure: Day One

PetSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:00:37 -0800

This will be the very first Christmas I have spent without North . . . in fact, I miss him already and I haven't even left town yet! I'm spending the holidays in Turks and Caicos with my parents and, because of the islands' quarantine laws, my little fella cannot come along. Sad. After checking out my options, I've decided to put him up at San Francisco's Wag Hotel while I'm gone. I took a tour of their facilities (and recorded this video), provided all his shot records, and dropped him off this morning. I've socialized my little one quite a bit (he always gets top marks for energy on his daycare report cards) so I know he'll enjoy his stay at this new facility. When we arrived there today, he was so busy giving kisses to everyone in the lobby and retail area, I couldn't even record him or give him a cuddly farewell. He already seems to be a big hit but, little do they know, his love and affection won't stop after I walk out. I'll keep you posted on his pawgress . . .

Kitty Digs Her Claws Into $1,200 Dog: In the LINK of an Eye!

PetSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:45:59 -0800

Cats can get a kick and scratch out of The Company of Pets - moderncat
Spray the bottom of kitty's box with Pam and other litter solutions - Paw Nation
World's fastest man adopts cheetah 'Lightning Bolt' but not as a pet - Yahoo! News
Francesca and Sharkey explore their stone yard - The Daily Wag
Did Spot Charcuterie Chicken breast get four paws up? - Haute or Not?
Kandi Burress rescues a stray named Sweetie - People Pets
Pups in Taipei can swim and frolic in a new hotel at $14 a day - Dogster

Doggie Wears USS Enterprise With Beer Can Boosters: In the LINK of an Eye!

PetSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:35:22 -0700

Boldly go where no dog should go, wear what no dog should wear - Wag Reflex
Franny and Sharkey are beachcombers - The Daily Wag
Homer's Odyssey stars a black cat - with no eyes - moderncat
Bright bear uses a ladder to escape a skate park! - Paw Nation
How to stop your pooch from herding people! - Dog Time
Teeny turtles will soon check out of this beach hotel - People Pets

Source: popurls.com

"Boston Terror" Chronicles: North Vs. TubNub (and Microfiber Towel)

PetSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:50:00 -0700

Although I like to think North is pretty neutral to bath time, his pals at Wag Hotel tell me he loved the hydromassage he got on his last stay. In an attempt to recreate that at home, I tested out the FURminator TubNub ($13) on my pooch. A rubbery tool with nubs to massage a pet, work in the shampoo, and stimulate hair follicles during bath time, North seemed to enjoy this easy massage and it left my other hand free to hold him steady.

I finished up his bath time with this Microfiber Towel ($18) - pretty and green, it was barely damp after I dried him off! Check out the products up close, and see how well they cleaned North's fur below!

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Four Chloes, Six Delgados But Only One Papi!

PetSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:00:56 -0700

I totally enjoyed Beverly Hills Chihuahua (did you?) – so here's a tail-waggingly good tale about one of the film's heroes, the lovable and macho Papi. The bat-eared Chihuahua mix named Rusco was rescued for the part from the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter by a trainer who's now the pup's proud parent, too.The lil guy was a fast learner (just like another rescue-turned-star pooch I remember) able to quickly acclimate to a role in front of lights, cameras and action. His fave rewards during the learning process . . . steak and a stuffed, squeaky flower named "Daisy May." Ahh, tough life.

Find out about the furry costars of Rusco . . . errrr, Papi . . . when you read more.

First up there, there was the fabulously dressed Chloe, played by a Chihuahua named Angel; she made her big screen debut along with her three body doubles . . . you know for her bloated days. Next, the world-weary Delgado, my personal fave. Although only one pooch (named Samson!) was the German Shepherd face seen on screen, the physical role called for five others to help out with stunts including two more rescues. Lastly, the film's villain, El Diablo was played by a two-year-old Doberman Pinscher all the way from Hungary – Arad was originally trained as a protection dog but quickly adapted to this movie star role and lifestyle.

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Big woofs to all the other pups involved – like the 50 Chihuahuas seen in the desert canyon scene also coming from local shelters – and stay tuned as both Angel and Samson will be seen in upcoming flick Hotel for Dogs.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Do Tell: Speakerphone + Pets Equals . . .

PetSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:30:38 -0700

Though North now spends my mini vacays at Pet Camp or Wag Hotel, when I lived in NYC, I'd usually just bring him up to my parents' house to stay with Gamma and Gampa. The first time I left him was on a long trip to London, and I called often (and I mean often) to check up.

One day my mother put me on speakerphone to talk directly to North – I guess my silly pup ran all around the room from the phone and to the door looking for me! I haven't had the chance to try it since then, have you? If so, how do your furry friends react to familiar voices coming from the speaker?
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Send a Pooch Packing for Summer Camp?

PetSugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:00:08 -0700

Besides Wag Hotel, I know I've mentioned before how much I adore Pet Camp here in SF where North stays when I leave town. And after reading the current issue of Modern Dog Magazine, I want to send him to a real pet camp now, too!

The Double Dog Ranch was featured in this season's issue of MDM, and I can't get enough of the happy pooch pics on their website! A real summer camp for dogs, where your pup can run around acres of land with his new summer camp friends, sleep on heated outdoor cabins, and even take in a training class to brush up on obedience. With Southern California and Northern Oregon locations, I only wish there was one closer to me so North could take part! Ahh, memories of my own summer camp days rush back as we speak!

If you had a pet camp near you, would you send your pup while you were on vacay?

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Do You Leave Music on For Your Pets?

PetSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:00:10 -0700

Not only are pets great companions, we now know what good therapy having a pet can be. Petting our furry friends, or even just watching our fishies swim around their tank can lower our blood pressure and reduce the risk of a heart attack. But as much as pets benefit humans, I can't help but wonder how we can help them in return. I know from experience that pets can get stressed and anxious too, showing it by tearing up your couch cushions, or ripping to shreds their fave toy in five seconds flat. Now, a recent report says there's an easy way to return all the healthful favors.

A study conducted in 2000 shows that the sounds of a harp aid in lowering the blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety in pets that were recouping at a Florida vet hospital, leading us to believe that classical music could be as calming to Fido as it is to humans.

While I don't personally leave tunes on for North to chill to while I'm at work, he does get treated to the soothing classical sounds when he's staying at our fave Pet Camp and at our local Wag Hotel. Now I just might add a few classical tunes to our road trip soundtrack! Until then, I'm curious to know: do any of you leave music on for your pets while you're out?

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