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Dear Poll: Would You Pass on Puppy Love?

DearSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

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"?

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

LilSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:00:53 -0800

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.

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Puppy Love: Upstaged

PetSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:00:14 -0800

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 -0700

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!

New Puppy Alert! Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ross McCall

PetSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:30:26 -0700

Hooray for a smooshy – Mona is the new puppy of actress Jennifer Love Hewitt! She's already got a cav so this Boxer should have some fun company at home in LA. Now I've asked your opinion about Flexi leashes in general, but I thought this picture was especially interesting. See how her husband, Ross McCall, has a sturdy short leash attached to the retractable one? I've never seen that before but it seems a great safety precaution with a big or rambunctious dog. My friend Tracey sliced her hand open when she tried to grab a tight grip on a cord Flexi with her energetic Rottie mix, Jack, so I've seen first hand how dangerous it can be. Find out why I think they bought this in the first place (and how to copy this easy solution at home) when you read more.

Well, with more than one furry family member, this leash extension looks like a coupler made for walking multiple dogs with one leash. Just like the one I said would help Adam Brody walk those two pups, a connector used on its own protects hands from Flexi cuts and burns. The ones offered by SuperLeash come in several lengths from 12 to 48 inches ($8.50-$14.50) and have a chrome swivel clip at each end for easy attachments!

Flynet

25 Hot Pics From the Life on White Project

PetSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:30:35 -0800

When first hearing about the daunting task of the Life on White Project, aiming to photograph animals with a plain white background, I thought the posing process and sheer number was the trickiest part. That is, until I saw it included animals like lions and hippos and not just puppy dogs and kitty cats. The photographs are all truly stunning, some silly and others serious or straight to the point. Check out 25 lovely shots by Eric Isselée and his team of (human) assistants when you start this slideshow.

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What Should I do About My Neighbor's Mistreated Puppy?

DearSugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 13:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar--

I'm having a problem with my neighbors. They just got a puppy, and from what I see (and hear) they aren't taking very good care of it. For the past 2 weeks, I can hear it every morning at 4 or 5 in the morning, whining and crying because they just leave the poor thing tied up outside. Then when the man comes out, he yells and curses at the dog to "Shut the F** up!"

Not only is it annoying to be woken up every morning by the puppy's loud crying, but I get so angry while I'm in bed and want to run over there and save that poor dog.

I went to the police already, and they said "There's no law that says you have to bring your dog inside. If you have a noise complaint, call us when it's happening so an officer can go over and see for himself."

I was outraged. This poor puppy isn't getting the love and attention it needs. Some people just don't deserve to have pets. What can I do?

--I Can't Take it Anymore Anna

To see DEARSUGAR's answer, read more

Dear I Can't Take it Anymore Anna--

Your situation sounds awful. This makes me so mad - some people just don't deserve to have pets. Have you tried talking to your neighbors? If you are apprehensive about doing that (I would be), you could also leave a letter on their door telling them what you've seen and heard. Let them know you have contacted the police and if it continues, they're going to lose their dog (which sounds like it would probably be a good thing).

If you know in your heart that this dog is being mistreated, you must do everything you can to help the police understand the situation. Document every instance, call them when the dog is barking, and hopefully you will get through to a compassionate officer who is willing to help this poor animal. Research your neighborhood Animal Control Group and contact them ASAP. They deal with abused or neglected pets all the time, and could rescue the poor puppy from that unhealthy environment.

I completely sympathize with you; there is nothing worse than standing by and watching people mistreat animals that can't help themselves, so I hope this helps Anna.

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The Dark Side of Cute

TresSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Kittens in casts. Babies nudged to laugh every five seconds. Stuffed teddy bears left at killing-spree sites. We are so surrounded by the tyranny of cute that even multibillion-dollar corporations have cute names like "Google" and "Twitter," and the uncute business of insurance is represented in ads by a cute lizard with an English accent. (And yes, I too am guilty of spreading cuteness.)

What's up with the cute? Writer Jim Windolf has had enough and decided to try to get to the bottom of what he calls the "self-infantalization" of Americans. His conclusion? There's a dark, manipulative side to cute. If you want to know what it is, read more.

In Daniel Harris's book Cute, Quaint, Hungry, and Romantic, he says that there's a hidden sadism to our love of cute, citing the barrage of images of cats falling, puppies slamming into mirrors, and even babies trapped in high chairs being prodded to laugh.

"The process of conveying cuteness to the viewer disempowers its objects," he writes, "forcing them into ridiculous situations and making them appear more ignorant and vulnerable than they really are. Adorable things are often most adorable in the middle of a pratfall or a blunder." In other words, they are cute insofar as they are helpless, and we, conferrers of cute, are all-powerful.

Becoming cute, conversely, is one way of disarming opponents or critics. It's not incidental, argues Windolf, that the cult of cute in the US emerged during the Bush years, when "the American image went from that of protector to invader, from defender of human rights to aggressor on the lookout for loopholes in the Geneva Conventions." Cuteness then, according to this theory, "came about as some sort of correction, as a way for us to convince ourselves and our friends that we're not as bad as our recent national actions have made us seem." (It reminds me of smiley emoticons at the end of passive-aggressive email messages and instant messages. In this case, American cute is like a ginormous cultural smiley face emoticon tacked on the end of dubious actions telling our allies we're not all that bad.)

Windolf traces American cute back to Japan's kawaii culture, which got huge 10 years ago but actually emerged at the end of WWII after it was "humiliated and emasculated." If you're interested in political and cultural psychoanalysis, I suggest reading this long essay. But whatever you do, remember - ~~sometimes a cigar is just a cigar~~ sometimes a cute kitten isn't just a cute kitten.

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Product of the Day: Love 'n Licks Puppy

GiggleSugar — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 08:02:00 -0800

Christmas is right around the corner and the kids are itching for a dog- that they're just not gonna get. What to do? Let the Love 'N Licks Puppy come to your rescue! It's even better than a real dog:

"Love 'N Licks Puppies really respond to your love and care!...The more you rub their heads and tummies, the faster their tails wag, the more their hind leg kicks and the louder they bark. And ultimately, like all real, happy puppies, Love 'N Licks Puppies will give you a WET, LOVING LICK that you can actually feel and hear! SLUUURRP!"

Wait. Is it just me or does this sound more like a dirty, pervy pup? Watching the TV commercial only confirmed my suspicion.

Four Ways You Can Help Shelters (Other Than Donations)

PetSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:50:06 -0700

Acting as ambassador to the Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign, Hilary Swank gets cuddly with some cute puppies. What a tough job! The program already has over 3,400 shelters in 17 countries participating in their efforts - you can search by location to see if there's an establishment or breed rescue near you.

If your home is not needing another furry face despite the temptation, find four other ways you can help out - and see more pics of Hilary and the pooches - when you read more.

Dog walkers: Use extra time and get extra exercise by offering your talents as a dog walker on weekends or around your work schedule.
Foster homes: New kittens and puppies may need special one-on-one care so offer to help with the potty and litterbox training for a new babe - you may just fall in love in the process.
Cleaning staff: Someone's got to keep those kennels spotless - find out if you can help out either tidying up or bringing in supplies for weekend or holiday clean fests.
Adoption drives: See if the shelter is holding any special events where you could volunteer your time, playing with and showing off cute, available faces to potential owners.

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