Dog Fashion Week Does it Again

Designers brace for the second annual NY Pet Fashion Week

Pet Fashion Week strikes again, scheduled for an August 2007 launch in New York City. Last year's show made more than a few big name stylists turn their heads and look down to take account of the impact our furry fashionistas are making. Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Juicy Couture, and Kiehl's are in the works of getting involved with the upcoming canine couture extravaganza, having already created pooch apparel lines this spring. Ralph Lauren came out with a canine cashmere sweater, Juicy Couture with a line of signature doggy sweats and rumor has it that Adidas may be jumping on board to introduce a line of four-legged footwear. With big name involvement stirring up the style industry, there's no telling how far and wide pet fashion will spread this season.

Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, anticipates pet expenditures to burgeon to $52.4 billion by 2009. Pet Fashion Week 2007 expects equally large growth, estimating participation by over 120 vendors. Representing the Mecca of canine fashion and displaying the hottest in what's haute, this is not an event to be missed by industry buffs or canine enthusiasts. Once again in August dogs will take over the catwalk for a week of fashion, fun and fur.

Click here to get all the details.

Photo found on Flickr

Tags: pet fashion week, new york, fashion

Bye Bye Superbowl, Hello Puppybowl

Something is different about Superbowl Sunday; the players are furry and of the pooch persuasion, the half time show is run by acrobatic cats, and the tailgate party goers will be indulging in bones rather than beer.

This year, half time is hound time as Animal Planet kicks off their 3rd annual Puppybowl. The Puppybowl III premiers Sunday February 4, 2007 on Animal Planet and features the best in four legged football.

Charitable as well as entertaining, the Puppybowl stars canines rescued by Animal Rescue League and other local shelters in the Washington D.C. area. With the help of Animal Planet, these pigskin playing pups have a chance of adoption to a loving home. In addition, the Animal Planet website directs viewers to its sister service, PETFINDER.COM, "the best resource for finding adoptable pets." Through the related sites, perspective pet parents can obtain useful information about adopting a hound of their own.

Click here to watch clips from last years festivities.

Tags: super bowl, animal planet, puppybowl

Fido Gets Fit

Exercise gadgets go to the dogs

Is your pooch packing on the pounds? We know, it's winter and it's hard to motivate and step outside on frosty mornings for a little aerobic exercise. But remember, if Bowzer is like most, his day is pretty domestic and there's not a lot of room to roam in the home. Your pup needs to move; for the sake of his health, well being and behavior.

The Dog Walker Treadmill may have the solution for pet parents pressed for time. Weighing in at about 3 feet and 25 lbs, this workout equipment offers an indoor exercise alternative. Don't let the Dog Walker's small size fool you, this quadruped tread is making major blows in the fight against canine obesity. Now your furry friend can hop on and run to his heart's content any time of day. The Dog Walker simulates natural running and lets your pup go at his own pace and carry on for as long as he pleases. This cool canine gadget is complete with remote control speed adjustment from 0 to 3 mph, safety guard rail, and light compact design...and the whole package isn't that heavy on your wallet; the Dog Walker totals just over $130 dollars.

Photo thanks to Popgadget.net
Tags: Treadmill, dog, animal

Talk with the Animals

Do you converse with your canine? Do you think your pet is psychic? Don't worry, you're in good company. Our fascination with four legged family members spans far and wide. Even celebrities can't resist the temptation to talk to their furry friends. It seems normal enough, but how about when the dogs talk back?

Pete Townshend, guitarist of The Who, parles with his pooch and claims that his dog has the ability to predict the future. Townshend was quoted as saying, "I believe my dogs talk to me. One of the dogs told me it was going to snow this week."

Earlier this year we heard of Barbara Walters, who claimed her Havanese dog, Cha-Cha, spoke directly to her to say, "I love you." Co-hosts on "The View" had a field day with the idea that a pup professed his love, but how strange is it?

Thousands of Americans believe their pets have the ability to communicate and even act as clairvoyants. Check out this website devoted to documenting people's paranormal experiences with domestic animals. While you're cruising the site, scroll down to test your pet's psychic abilities and read their horoscope.

Photo found on flickr
Technorati tags: The Who, Barbara Walters, Psychic, "the view"

Pet Fashion Meets Paris Hilton

Miss Hilton: Socialite. Fashionista. Designer?

The heiress to the Hilton fortune is constantly making waves with her lavish lifestyle. But we will resist talking about cocktail party mishaps, DUI's, or celebrity quarrels... the topic of the day is doggy design. A front runner in the fashion scene, Paris Hilton now tries her hand at canine couture. The 25 year old heiress has long since been spotted with Tinkerbell, the world's richest Teacup Chihuahua, slung under one arm and dripping in designer doggy gear.

Hilton has put pet fashion in the forefront of our pop culture's subconscious, opening the gates for a slew of celebrities and big name labels to follow. It only makes sense that the Simple Life star would get directly involved in the trends she helped create. Little Lily launched on Monday and will be available in stores in the next coming months. Thanks Paris, for bringing attention to our furry friends!

Photo found on Flickr

Technorati tag: "Paris Hilton"

A Humble Doggy Domicile

Chow down on this... Charlene Grayson of Blossom Valley, an extreme canine enthusiast, has erected an $80,000 abode for her precious pooches. A proud parent of six Chow Chows, Grayson has spared no expense in converting this doghouse into a pooch palace. The doggy domicile boasts calming earth tone color schemes, elegant decor, six separate sleeping quarters and a flat screen TV permanently tuned to Animal Planet.

Grayson was inspired to create what neighbors refer to as the "Chow Mahal" in 1999 when a piece of land behind her property became available for sale. Charlene and husband quickly snatched up the real estate and designed the custom made doghouse, or should we say mansion.

Charlene reports spending most of her time in the Chow Mahal along with her furry friends. She quotes, "They're just the best companions in the world . . . My husband and I joke that the more we know about people, the more we love our dogs." The couple is currently undergoing construction to build a new Chow Mahal on their new property in Scottsdale, Arizona.

A Brew for Bowzer

Ever care to share a brew with Bowzer? Well now you can thanks to Terrie Berenden of Amsterdam, the recent creator of Kwispelbier, a.k.a. "the beer for your best friend." Kwispelbier, dutch for "wagging tail" is not really a beer at all but rather a non alchoholic concoction of reduced beef broth and malt. Meaning unless you're a hardcore meat lover, you may still opt for a Heineken at a quarter of the price. Kwispelbier retails in Europe for around $3.00 a bottle, but can be found domestically under the name Happy Tail Ale from Dog Star Brewing.

What inspired Berenden to create the canine cocktail? She comments, "Once a year we go to Austria to hunt with our dogs, and at the end of the day we sit on the verandah and drink a beer. So we thought, my dog also has earned it."

Canines on the Computer

Dogs dominating the online social scene

It's likely that your furry friend may be the most popular online persona in your household. Online social networking sites for four-legged pets make it possible for canines to make connections with other local dogs. Dogster and Catster.com, pet social forums modeled after human social networking sites like Friendster and Myspace are growing in popularity and numbers. The quadruped sites include all the perks of the biped forums; boasting user profiles, contacts and special interest groups.

Booming in popularity, Dogster.com reports having over 300,000 members and serving 20 million page views last month alone. Company revenues are also skyrocketing with the two sites pulling in six-figure monthly revenues through marketing and advertising campaigns.

Dogster and Catster launched at an extremely opportune time, with nearly 63 percent of American households harboring one or more animals. Pet owners, it’s time to get involved. Check out the respective sites at:
www.Dogster.com
www.Catster.com

Photo found on Flickr

Doggy Decor

New Trends in Home Design


Since when does canine furniture have to be quarantined in a separate room or corner of the house? New innovations in doggy décor make it easy to blend human with hound pieces.

Many interior designers believe that quadruped and biped furniture can coexist by using dog furniture that mimics styles and themes present in the home. Take for example the ottoman-like dog house pictured in the upper left. The quilted leather number is a revamped rendition inspired by ancient Turkish Court traditions. Through the use of artful decorations and accessories, canine furniture can be functional as well as fashionable.

Browse through the Beds and More section on Signafur.com for hound accessories to meet all your home décor needs.

Photo thanks to Gainesville.com

A Cross Country Trip to Help Hefty Hounds

Hill's Petfit Mobile Tour

Is your pooch a bit pudgy? If so, you're not alone. There are about 48 million overweight dogs and cats living in the United States alone -- a startling 35 percent of the entire pet population. While a little extra meat on the bones may not seem such a big deal to the average biped, just a few extra pounds on a pooch can be detrimental to his overall health. A recent report by Hill's Pet Nutrition finds that, "just five extra pounds on a medium size breed like a Beagle is the equivalent of nearly 25 pounds on an average woman."

A healthy diet and regular exercise routine is essential to managing your pet's wellness. Not sure whether or not your furry friend should loose a few? Find out by taking him to the Hill's PetFit Mobile for a free weight and diet assessment. Catch the doggy diet caravan on the following dates:

* San Francisco, CA (January 19 through February 11)
* Los Angeles, CA (February 14 through March 4)
* Phoenix, AZ (March 9 through March 31)
* Washington, DC (April 7 through April 29)
* New York, NY (May 2 through May 22)
* Chicago, IL (May 26 through June 16)

Visit www.petfit.com for more information.

Photo found on Flickr

Space Age Fashion

Canine Couture Gets Cosmic

January 16, 2007 – Berlin, Germany.
Four fashion forward pups strut down the runway showing off their new space age threads. NASA, more universally known for Mars exploration and placing men on the moon, has now tried their hand at canine couture. The pooches pictured are sporting the new "outlast technology," designed to comfortably withstand extreme fluctuations in temperature.

The new products were previewed yesterday in Berlin, Germany at the 'Home-Animals and Plants 2007' fair. The new releases signify the growing popularity and market for canine fashion; domestically, internationally and now possibly, inter-galactically.

Thanks NASA, for making the future so fashionable!
Photo thanks to the Associated Press

Labrador Crowned Most Popular Pup

Yorkie tails in a close second

For the sixteenth consecutive year, the Labrador retriever has been named the most popular U.S. pure breed. The announcement was made yesterday by the American Kennel Club after officials tallied 2006 dog owner registration data. However, after nearly two decades of undisputed victory, the Labrador may have a little competition in next year's running. And when we say little, we mean petite. The Yorkshire Terrier trotted in with second place this year, marking the first time in 67 years that a toy breed has stolen the runner up position.

What’s the reason for the recent trend? Several factors must be taken in account; smaller living quarters, metropolitan apartment-dwelling dog enthusiasts, celebrity pet appeal, and of course the fact that a Lab won’t fit in a dainty designer purse.

Did your dog make the top ten list? Here are the final standings:
At No. 3 was the German Shepherd, followed by the Golden Retriever, Beagle, Dachshund, Boxer, Poodle, Shih Tzu and Miniature Schnauzer.

Photo thanks to Reuters

Celebrity Dish

Jennifer Love Hewitt, a shrink, and a spaniel

Jennifer Love Hewitt, star of the hit show 'Ghost Whisperer', put her pooch on anti-depressants this week upon the recommendation of a pet therapist. Charlie, a King Charles spaniel, was taken to the doggy doctor after strange behavior surfaced.
Love Hewitt remarks that Charlie was licking "intensely." Charlie's veterinarian determined the behavior to be signs of an anxiety disorder and prescribed Prozac for the pooch.

Hewitt recalls, "She started doing this weird, like, intense licking thing, where she would, like, lick the air... and she's got an anxiety disorder, so they put her on Prozac…now she's as happy as ever."

Photo thanks to Celebrity Dog Blog

Animals Inspire Art

Puppy love through the ages

Think puppy love is a relatively new phenomenon marked by designer dog attire and day trips to the doggy spa? Well, we beg to differ. Our culture's connection to dogs dates way back. See for yourself at Feathers, Fins, and Furs, a new multimedia exhibit created by the students of John Hopkins University. Curator of the museum, Catherine Rogers Arthur offers, "This is an opportunity to view Homewood in a different way and imagine the nonhuman family members that trotted the halls and scratched the furniture."

The exhibit uncovers early America's relationship with domestic pets through a collection of antique art pieces. Examining the artwork provides valuable insights into the roots of American pet-parent relations. Many of our modern day practices stem from century old traditions. Arthur comments, "We found evidence of dogs eating off of utilitarian stoneware like kitchen crockery — not dog bowls."

Feathers, Fins, and Furs can be seen at Homewood House, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore through March 11, 2007.

Photo thanks to the Examiner

Canine Concept Car

Doggy Trends for 2007

Get ready; soon it will be time to once again update your canine conscious lifestyle. New pooch friendly product innovations make it easy to say goodbye to annoyance ridden road trips with Fido. Allow us to introduce Honda's new canine concept car, the WOW (Wonderful Open-Hearted Wagon), designed to create the most enjoyable driving experience for pet and parent alike.

The WOW features pop down crates in the dashboard area with adjustable climate control making this the most sophisticated pet carrier we've seen. The inner cabin boasts a hardwood front to back panel walk through section so that your pooch can move freely throughout the vehicle. Additional pooch conscious considerations include a lower center of gravity for a more stable and steady ride and an integrated ventilation system to keep pets cool when they are alone in the car.

Click here to check out more pet fashion trends for 2007

Photo thanks to the Toronto Star

Nature Vs. Nurture

Looks like a horse, acts like a hound

Reminiscent of an age old fairy tale, this is the story of a pony who thinks he's a pup. Rory the foal was brought to the Essex Horse and Pony Sanctuary after his mother rejected him at just one day old. His fragile condition and size made it difficult to raise him around the other horses, so he spent his early days with a pack of Labrador retrievers.

Sanctuary manager Sue Allery reports, "Because he was so small he slept in the office on a duvet and the dogs and cats curled up with him." Consorting with the canines led Rory to harbor a few unusual habits—drinking milk out of a dog bowl and playing fetch frisbee. "He even started picking up twigs and sticks for us to throw," Allery comments.

This begs the question: Which is more influential, nature or nurture? If you have a group of mixed animals with strange habits, Signafur encourages you to share your stories here!

Photo thanks to the Metro

Can Your Dog Do This?

The Astonishing Counting Canine

Meet Sir Dave Golden Boy, mathematical genius extraordinaire. To the naked eye Sir Dave looks like an ordinary golden retriever: four paws, wagging tail, wet nose. But appearances are deceiving because this Golden Boy would rather do your homework than eat it.

Sir Dave solves mathematical problems with the greatest of ease. From square roots to subtraction to long division, this dog does it all. Dave's owner, Frank Ferris, discovered his hound's hidden talent at the tender age of 5 and began cultivating his calculating skills. Now at age 7, Sir Dave has been featured on "The Tonight Show with David Letterman" to show off his skills.

How is it done? Ferris writes a problem on the dry erase board and extends his hand. Sir Dave calculates the equation and taps his paw with the numerical answer. Skeptical? We were too, but there seems to be no slight of hand, or paw, involved in this routine, just an exceptional canine mind.

Photo thanks to Herald & Review

Drugs for Dogs

This Week in Canine Wellness

Slentrol, the first veterinary-approved drug to treat canine obesity has been deemed safe and effective by the FDA. The drug, released late last week by Pfizer Animal Health is the first of its kind on the US market.

At home, domestic pet obesity looms large, with 40 percent of American dogs overweight—a shocking figure amounting to nearly 17 million pups. Dr. Claudia A. Kirk of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee attributes the obesity epidemic to the idea that, “in our culture, we often equate food with love - without being aware of potential adverse health consequences. For both pet owners and veterinarians trying to manage a dog's weight, these habits can be a source of genuine frustration."

While the best medicine for canine wellbeing is still a healthy diet and exercise, Slentrol offers an additional tool to combat canine obesity on a chemical level.

For more details, click here

Rover's Road Trip

The story of a cross country canine

Meet Daisy, a 12 pound 2-year old rat terrier who recently completed a 2,600 mile journey from Colorado to Tennessee and back again.
Daisy's owner, Vonda Lundstrum, reported the precious pooch missing back in April of 2006 after discovering a hole under the property fence where the tiny pup must have escaped. For months Daisy's owners hoped for the safe return of their four legged friend.

Christmas Day, nearly nine months later—1600 miles away in Knoxville, Tennessee, Tracie Crass spotted a matted fur ball trotting down the street in front of her house. Crass took the dog in, suspecting it belonged to a neighbor. With Daisy's identification tag still intact, Crass contacted the rightful owners and with the help of Knoxville's Young-Williams Animal Center, had the cross country canine flown back home.

Vonda Lundstrum, overcome with joy upon her reunion, commented, "The kindness of people gives you a reason to believe…It's the best Christmas present."

Photo found on Flickr

Canine Celebrity Art Project

The Grammy's Go to the Dogs

Artist David Hevel uses dog sculptures to represent his latest creative project, "Diva Hound Smack Down at the Grammy's," scheduled to open at the end of the month at the Byron C. Cohen Gallery of Kansas City. The piece uses model replicas of several breed types to make playful caricatures of the stars. Speaking of the picture in the upper left, Hevel offers, "I’m making a hairless Chinese dog that’s supposed to be Barry Manilow."

Hevel's inspiration for this show is a culmination of sheer interest in exotic animals and slight mockery of this year's Grammy Awards ceremony. Among his other celebrity muses in past shows are Tyra Banks as a giraffe, Brittney Spears as a baboon and Mariah Carey portrayed as a goat.

Click here for all the details

Photo thanks to the Kansas City Star

Technorati Tags: art, celebrity news

Canine Kindergarten

Class begins now

Gina Hayes, a 4 year dog training veteran, has taken her love of obedience to a new level by opening a canine kindergarten of sorts. Here, puppies have a haven for learning simple commands and complex tricks. Hayes boasts that pooches in her class learn the basics in a matter of moments; mastering sitting within the first five minutes of class.

Does Hayes have any words of wisdom for pet parents embarking on a training program for their pup? Of course! Hayes offers, "Consistency in training a dog is extremely important. If you are not consistent they are very confused and they don't always know what you want. So sometimes you can ask them to come to you, but if you don't follow up on that all the time then sometimes they will come, sometimes they won't…consistency is very important."

New Years is the perfect time to begin a training program or to brush up on Bowzer's manners. Thanks Gina, for the inspiration!

Photo found on Flickr

Putting on the Ritz

The life of a privileged pup

Luxury accommodation, Ritz Carlton of Sarisota, Florida is quite literally putting on the Ritz for your pooch with a new service appropriately titled, "Privileged Pup." What exactly is included in this new form of puppy pampering? Imagine Fido starting his day with an in room full body massage to soothe his stress. Follow that with a gourmet organic doggy lunch consisting of homemade stew and designer water. Next indulge in a pup pedicure to make those paws shine!

Now you're beginning to get the picture, but there's more. Your pup will also be privy to brisk guided walks of the Ritz's environs. Then top the day off with a professional photo shoot and souvenir picture. Packages range between $130-$220 per day.

For more details, click here!

Photo found on Flickr

Pup Proverbs

A New Year's salute to our furry friends

This time we thought it would be fun to ring in the New Year with some canine cheer. At a time when actions are reflected upon and long term resolutions are made, let's not forget to recognize all the happiness our hounds bring on a daily basis. Start 2007 off with a howl with the following pup proverbs.

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. — Anonymous

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. — Josh Billings

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It’s the best deal man has ever made. — M. Acklam

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man. — Mark Twain

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. — Roger Caras

For more canine quotes click here

Photo found on Flickr