February 29, 2008The fight against puppy mills continuesPlease read Donna Alvis-Banks' story about VA PAWS, a New River Valley-based group that was instrumental in saving dogs from the Bland and Carroll County puppy mills in 2007. Think very seriously about where you get your next dog. Yes, the puppies at a pet store look cute and yes, it would be great if every pup had a home, and yes, the pet store might even make you a deal on the price. 
But buying a dog at a pet store supports the puppy mill industry. And it could result in heartache for your family when you fall in love with a puppy only to find it has serious emotional or health problems, like little Foxy Stella, the puppy referred to in the article. The American Kennel Club opposes the bill described below the photo with the story. They fear it will impede on the rights of responsible breeders. What do you think? Should the legislature strictly limit the number of dogs a breeder can have at one time? Will this bill be the solution to the puppy mill problem? Or will it only drive it underground with even less oversight than it has now? If nobody's buying, there’s no profit in breeding, so is the only real solution to the problem of puppy mills consumer boycotts? (Photo by Justin Cook, The Roanoke Times) Go green!Roanoke's annual St. Patrick's Day parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 15 at noon. Look for many local breed rescues, like the Dalmatian Rescue of Southwest Virginia, the Great Dane rescue and my personal favorite, Star City Greyhound Adoptions, to march in the parade. If you see a pooch you like in the greyhound group, let me know and I can probably hook you up. However, the beautiful hound in the emerald green Happy Wag jacket already has a loving home. February 28, 2008There's something about MaryAn editor forwarded this letter and picture to me today: My name is Judy and most of my friends already know what a dog lover I am. I work full time and like most of you who do, spare time is limited to “essential errands and must-do-projects”. That’s what I thought until I happened upon the Humane Society of Montgomery County several months ago. I’d heard about their great work with such limited means and thought I’d just drop off a few items they have on their wish list. Well, I did indeed drop off a few items and took a quick tour of their facilities and met their family of dogs of cats. One look at those animals and reading the brief history on each of their cages was quite a wakeup call. Some of those dogs have been there for 2 or 3 years. Little Joey has been there since 2004 and she runs the show – just ask her! Some of these dogs can be seen on the HSMC’s Web site, although not all are listed there. The HSMC is a non-profit organization that is fully funded by community donations. No money is provided by federal, state, or county governments. 
It is a no-kill shelter filled with beautiful, well-cared for dogs. Each dog has their own little bed and their cages are filled with toys and treats. The staff at the shelter has done a wonderful job and these dogs and cats are their family. Unfortunately, space is limited. What I thought would be a one-shot deal instead has brought me back time and time again, no matter how hard I tried to tell myself I have more important things to do. I go as often as I can with rawhides or toys; the dogs eagerly grab them. All except for one – Mary. Pet photo of the weekHappy Wag blog reader Kim sent me this picture of her pooch, Cali. 
"Here, she is anxiously awaiting the treat I had in my hand to get her to sit still long enough to have her picture taken! She is a 4-year old mixed breed we adopted from Mexico. As you can see, her cute little face is what makes my sister Lindsey melt whenever she visits!!" Aunt Lindsey Nair, a fellow Roanoke Times blogger, said of Cali: "She's a sweet baby. One of only two dogs I know right now that I would gladly dognap." Send me those photos of your cuddly critters. I will try to feature at least one a week. Send me those photosI am shamelessly stealing an idea from fellow blogger Lindsey Nair and asking you to send me your favorite snapshot of your happy critters. The Happy Wag is all about creating a sharing community for pet parents and the four-leggers who rule their lives. What better way to create that community than sharing pics or even video files? February 27, 2008Little but mightyThere's an old saying that it isn't the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog, that matters. (It's a metaphor, not a statement supporting dog fighting. Don't hate.) Apparently, a pint-sized hero in Utah proved that old saying to be true. 
According to a story in the Salt Lake Tribune, Hercules, a Yorkiepoo, defended his territory by scaring off a would-be burglar last Saturday. Apparently someone broke into a condo in Orem, Utah, filched a purse from the kitchen counter and was on his or her way through the home when Hercules, clearly living up to his name, barked his tiny head off and awakened his sleeping family. The startled perpetrator dropped the handbag and scurried away with nothing. Good job, little guy. I am quite convinced that my two dogs, each between 65- and 70-pounds of pure muscle, would happily show a robber where we keep the good jewelry if offered a belly rub and a few cookies. Perhaps we need to get a pocket pooch to watch over us. (iStock photo) Happy tails from terrible stormsAfter all the tragic stories from Arkansas in the wake of the tornadoes earlier this month, here's are a couple of stories with happy endings Tim and Katresa Harris suffered more than damage to their Gassville, Ark. home on Feb. 5; their dog Pongo, 9-year-old basset hound/blue heeler mix, went missing when the tornadoes hit. For three weeks, the Harris family has left food out for the dog at their uninhabitable home, hoping the pooch would show up. They also posted flyers and checked with the local animal shelters. Pongo was one of at least 30 animals in Baxter County, Ark. that was reported missing after the tornadoes. Yesterday, Pongo found his way back to his dog house, hungry but otherwise healthy. His family said they never gave up on him. Michelle Aaron and her family were not at home when the storms hit; when they returned they found their fence and their dog house toppled. Their 10-month-old golden retreiver, Brady, was lost. Aaron posted a message about Brady on a Web site for lost pets. Another user who had found Brady and taken him to a shelter let Aaron know where to claim her dog. February 26, 2008Spay Day USA Photo ContestIn honor of Spay Day USA, the Humane Society of the United States is sponsoring a photo contest. Submit a digital photo of your pet along with a very short narrative about how this special sweetie has improved your life. When you submit your entry, you can make a list of up to 10 e-mail addresses of family, friends and co-workers who can be notified to vote for your pets. 
(This is not the photo I submitted of my pooches. I swear I am not soliciting votes here, just wanted to give you an example.) After your entry is accepted, you will get an e-mail with a URL you can forward to more friends and family to stump for votes. Only one vote per e-mail address is allowed, so no stuffing the ballot box. The entry with the best photo and story combination will be determined by a panel of celebrity judges that includes Patrick McDonnell, the creator of the daily newspaper cartoon, MUTTS, and dog trainer and author Tamar Geller. And what goodies await the grand prize winner? Prizes include a studio session with Amanda Jones, a nationally renowned and amazingly gifted pet photographer, a selection of Nature’s Miracle stain-removing products, a GPS pet locator, a shopping spree at the HSUS’s online store and, the best of all, a $5,000 grant to a non-profit organization that participates in Spay Day USA. Another 35 runners-up, as determined by the judges, will also get an assortment of prizes, and the 500 top vote-getters will also win a prize from Nature’s Miracle. Winners will be selected by March 19. If you enter, post a comment with your pet's photo URL. February 25, 2008Mutts in the moviesDid you stay up late last night to watch the Academy Awards? Yeah, neither did I. One of the drawbacks of getting older is you can't stay up late and still make it to work the next morning. Well, while we are still in the mood to talk about movies, let's chat about our favorite pet movies. The Web site writers claimed to have watched dozens of movies to come up with their top ten choices. I would suggest they try another Blockbuster, join NetFlix, whatever, because these movies seemed like odd choices to me. Either I am too young or too old to have seen more than half of these movies, and of the ones I have seen, only one, "Best in Show," was a memorable film and would make my top ten list. It's a relatively new site; you have to join it to vote for your favorite film. It only has 156 members, and only seven had voted before I cast my ballot. Singlehandedly, I put "Best in Show" in first place. 
For my money, "As Good as It Gets" was the best film in recent memory featuring a dog. Little Verdell, a Brussels griffon, was as much of a star of the film as perennially-cool Jack Nicholson. I also have a soft spot for Mr. Jinx in the "Meet the Parents" movies and the hillbilly hounds in "A Christmas Story." What's your favorite film featuring a furry four-legger? (Photo: Tri-Star Films, 1997) Spay Day USATomorrow is Spay Day USA, a program of the Humane Society of the United States. Events are scheduled all over the country to encourage people to stop littering by getting their pets spayed and neutered. Spay Day USA takes place each year on the last Tuesday of February. Created by the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) in 1995, Spay Day USA became a program of the HSUS when it combined operations with DDAL in 2006. Many animal welfare organizations plan month-long events and campaigns to promote sterilization for pets. According to the HSUS Web site, Spay Day USA participants spayed or neutered an estimated 1,387,000 animals in the last 13 years. A female cat can give birth to 18 kittens each year and a female dog can give birth to 20 puppies each year, and let’s not even speculate the number of babies an unaltered male can create. So needless to say, sterilization campaigns like Spay Day USA have prevented millions of births of unplanned and potentially homeless animals, helped millions of people afford to keep their pets safe and healthy, and saved millions of taxpayers' dollars. February 24, 2008A new home for NubsHere's a link to a great story from the Associated Press about Nubs, a stray desert dog who found a friend in Marine Maj. Brian Dennis. The determined soldier pulled off a logistical miracle to save the dog and send him safely to the U.S. 
Dennis found Nubs while on patrol in the Anbar province. He named the shepherd mix Nubs because someone had sliced off the dog's ears. Nubs proved to have soldier-like survival skills. Even after Dennis followed orders and left the dog in the desert, Nubs tracked the Marine to his base 65 miles away. Dennis then fought through a cluster of red tape and paperwork to get his dog to San Diego via a sympathic vet in Jordan. The pooch arrived on Friday, where he will stay with a friend until Dennis can join him when his tour is finished in March. (Photo: Associated Press/Maj. Brian Dennis) February 23, 2008Video of the weekThe essence of real humor is that the joke should be based on truth. For those of us who love greyhounds, this is hilarous. February 22, 2008Cats are the new aspirinAccording to a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota, having a kitty in your life could make you less likely to die of a cardiovascular disease, but this same protective effect does not extend to those who share their lives only with dogs. A WebMD news report said, compared with cat owners, people who never had a pet cat were 40 percent more likely to die of a heart attack and 30 percent more likely to die of any cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart failure, and chronic heart disease. The study results were presented this week at the International Stroke Conference in New Orleans. 
So should you head to the shelter and adopt a cat as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle? I would say yes, as long as you like kitties. I would also recommend adopting two cats, because two are always better than one. However, you must remember that you are not the owner of the cats; you are their employees. Do good work and they will reward you with life-saving purrs and chin-rubbings. Chubby puppy?
Obesity causes serious health risks for dogs as much as it does for people. I worry a little about my dogs, since greyhounds have a propensity for joint problems and even a little extra weight can make that risk much higher. Still, I am guilty of giving them too many snacks and scraps from the table; they both LOVE pizza crust, and I spoil them rotten. Check out Body Assessment Rating for Canines (BARC) and see if you have paws for concern. FYI- to Roanoke and NRV readers: there is a search engine on the site to help you locate a vet in your area that specializes in obesity issues. I put in a few Roanoke and Christiansburg zips and it found no matches. Nevertheless, I am sure your vet can help you determine the best diet for your pooch. February 21, 2008Music to a dog's earWhile perusing other pet-related Web sites yesterday, I found a link to this video from YouTube. This was produced by the New Zealand SPCA, and features a tune that only dogs can hear. It's a Christmas song, but every day for a good dog is like Christmas, so that shouldn't matter. I tried playing this for my dogs last night. No reaction whatsoever. Nothing, nada, squat. They even seemed slightly annoyed that I called them away from a good nap to hang out with me in my home office. Maybe it's a greyhound thing. Anyway, I read that some dogs have a violent reaction to this, so keep your hand on the mouse poised to hit "stop" if you decide to play it for your pooch. 
What did get a very positive reaction from my two hounds was the top track of the CD "Songs to Make Dogs Happy." The tune is titled "Squeaky-Deakey!" and my pair of pups perked up their ears and then tried in vain to find the squeaker toy they heard in the song. The CD was produced by the Laurel Canyon Animal Company under the guidance of Dr. Kim Ogden, an animal communicator. My dogs, reminding me of a certain "American Idol" judge, got bored with the rest of the CD pretty quicky, but "Squeaky-Deakey!" is a four-paws-up, solid gold hit for them. If you play this video for your dogs, post a comment on the reaction you get. And if you buy this CD, post a review here, too. February 20, 2008www.lolcat.comAnother Web site dedicated to captioned photos of cats. Funny stuff, and a perfect way to waste time at work.
Microchip reunites kitty with familyAs you have probably figured out by now, I am a big fan of microchips for pets. And there is at least one family in Albuquerque, N.M. that is very glad they got their kitty chipped. 
Apparently a little black-and-white kitty named Miko ran off when her family fled their house during a fire in December. Weeks later, Miko turned up at an animal shelter in Pueblo, Colo., more than 200 miles from her home. Her collar was gone, but her microchip pointed her home. Having your house catch fire is upsetting, to say the least. To lose a pet in the chaos is even worse. But luckily this story had a happy ending. I have read some articles about research that may link microchips to a higher rate of cancer . I discussed this with our vet before we got our cats chipped, and while he agreed there may be some minimal risk, the far greater risk to our kitties health and safety would be to get lost and not be able to get home. Have you had your pets microchipped? istock.photo February 19, 2008Beagles by the numbers
In case you wondered what criteria that Westminster judge was using when he sized up Uno, the Best in Show winner, here's a handy little graphic on breed standard for beagles. Just keep in mind that even if your pooches are not perfect in physical dimensions, they are still completely loveable. The tipping point in Uno's victory was attributed to the judge thinking he was "a merry little hound." Show us that smileDaily dental care is just part of a normal routine for most of us, but if you are like me, you may not have made it a daily habit for your pets. 
February is National Pet Dental Health Month, or so I became aware via a press release. Immediately I felt pretty guilty because the biggest effort I have put into taking care of my dogs' teeth is buying Greenies. And I have never done anything about my kitties' pearly whites. Not once, not ever. So, if you're a dentally-negligent pet parent like me but want to do better by your critters', here are a few tips I found while surfing the net on this topic: • Take your pet to the vet for a checkup: Your doc can help you draft a plan for your pets' dental health. • Begin a dental health routine at home: A good brushing is the best way to clean teeth. No toothpaste necessary, the friction of brushing should help remove the crud. If your pet absolutely refuses to cooperate with your brushing plan, ask your vet to recommend a food that can help remove plaque and tartar. • Schedule regular dental checkups: Don't wait for a problem. To get in the habit, try to call for your pet’s dental appointment the same day you call to make your teeth cleaning appointment with your dentist (bet the pooch will get in first!) Remember, healthy teeth will help your pet live longer and live better. FYI- I recently interviewed a local pet parent about her Berger Picards, a rare French shepherd breed. As her three happy canines were showering me in puppy kisses, I noticed they had teeth that looked like an ad for Crest whitening strips and nice, sweet breath. I asked her what she did to keep her pooches' teeth in such good condition. She told me that she buys beef ribs, cuts them into single-bone servings, and freezes them. She feeds the frozen “bone-cicles” to her dogs, and she said the friction from chewing the hard bones whisks the plaque and tartar away. February 18, 2008Big loveI got this e-mail over the weekend. If you or anyone you know has a sturdy couch and is looking for a great big sweetie to fill it, we may have found your match: 
If anyone is interested, post a comment with your e-mail address and I will pass it on to the foster parents' liason. February 15, 2008The Puddles/Panchito plot plods alongThe case of the purloined pooch continued this week, with the former mayor of a small town in Texas, now an accused dog-napper, making public statements about the plight of Puddles/Panchito to the national media. In case you missed an earlier blog entry on this topic,Grace Saenz-Lopez, once the mayor of Alice, Texas, is now facing a possible prison term for telling her neighbors, for whom she was dog-sitting, that their Shih Tzu had died while they were on vacation, while the pooch was really on his own little vacation at the mayor's twin sister's ranch. Saenz-Lopez made public statements on NBC's "Today" show and to other national media that she felt the dog was in imminent danger and she was acting in the pup's best interests to keep him from his family. She also didn't like his name, and changed it from Puddles to Panchito. Rudy Gutierrez and Shelly Cavasos, Puddles' original owners, said they knew the dog was sick when they left him with Saenz-Lopez, but they denied neglecting or mistreating him. This story gets more bizarre. Allegedly the former mayor, when being questioned by television reporters, tried to pass herself off as her own twin sister until one reporter tripped her up. As I said in the original entry, this situation is tricky if the former mayor really believed that the dog was not being properly cared for, but the mistreatment didn't rise to the level of legal neglect. I could see feeling frustrated and maybe even doing something drastic if I couldn't lawfully ensure a dog got the help it needed. But I do agree with her lawyer, who was quoted in The New York Times as saying "[she] could have handled it better." What do you think? If you saw the interviews on television, whom do you find more credible, the mayor or her neighbors? And who thinks this story has Lifetime movie written all over it? February 14, 2008Is your pup a Top Dog?This is from the CBS Web site: "Calling all talented dogs! CBS is looking for the most extraordinary teams of dogs and owners across the nation to compete for the title of "America's top dog." From purebreds to mutts, show dogs to stunt dogs, Pugs to Great Danes and agility dogs to dogs who dance the Tango - we want all types of talented canines. The winning team will walk away with bragging rights and a significant cash prize!" You can download the 18-page application here. Sorry for the late notice, but I just learned about this from a Dogster e-mail sent to me yesterday and the deadline to apply is tomorrow, Feb. 15. You will need to send non-returnable photos and videos of you and your dog. Apparently interviews for this show are going on through February and there will be a second interview scheduled, for those who make it through the first round, in March. Taping will be in April and May in Los Angeles for the chosen contestants. You have to be able to travel at your own expense to the first interview at a "to be determined" location. So if this is something you want to do, you have to do it quickly. If being a reality star is not your dream, but you want to share cute videos of you and your pets with the world at large, you can send them here to The Happy Wag and we'll do what we can to get them posted. Good luck! February 13, 2008Uno lives up to his name
He is like the Eli Manning of pooches. From what I could see on the live televised event, the little scenthound roo-led the ring like a rock star as he howled his way into the hearts of the Madison Square Garden crowd, getting the longest and loudest crowd reaction. [Note to self: try to get travel to the Westminster show for live, on-the-scene coverage of the event added to next year's blogger travel budget. Ha. Sometimes the jokes here are just for me.] Uno topped Deuce, an Australian shepherd, a gorgeous Weimaraner, two Continental-cut poodles, a silky Sealyham terrier and a beautiful Akita to take the title. I was glad to see so many popular pets in the Best in Show ring. Drive through any neighborhood and you will see Aussie shepherds, Weimaraners and, of course, beagles, running around backyards. This year, the everyday dog had his day. One other Westminster story of note: Patty Hearst, the infamous heiress who dominated headlines in the 1970s when she was kidnapped, showed her French bulldog and won a ribbon at the show. (AP Photo/Pete Kramer) February 12, 2008Uno is number one houndUno, a 15-inch beagle, took top honors in the Hound Group at last night's Westminster Kennel Club show. A beagle has never won a Westminster Best in Show title, so little Uno is a real underdog. At my house, we were of course cheering for the greyhound, but alas, she didn't even make the short list. But as far as I am concerned, the two best greyhounds in America were sleeping on our couches while we watched the show. 
What are your thoughts about the dog show? Love it? Hate it? Rant and rave right here. February 11, 2008There's only oneThere is at least one dog show staged most weekends somewhere in America, and you can watch reruns of dog shows every Saturday morning on Animal Planet (a guilty pleasure, I completely confess.) But my dear, when it comes to real prestige, honor and tradition, there is only one. The 132 annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show starts today. You can draw the parallel to other iconic events in sports and pop culture: It's like the Kentucky Derby, the Indianapolis 500, the Oscars, the Bryant Park Fashion Week for purebred show dogs and the people who pamper them. Show here and you have reached the summit. And only one of 2,500 dogs of 169 breeds and varieties will be named Best in Show. The Hound, Terrier, Non-Sporting and Herding breeds and varieties will be judged today, with the breed champs vying for the group title tonight. The Sporting, Working, and Toy breeds and varieties will be judged on Tuesday, with group finalists competing on Tuesday evening. The Best In Show will named from the group champions on Tuesday evening. Tonight's group competitions will be televised live on USA Network at 8 p.m. and continued on CNBC from 9 until 11 p.m. Tuesdays' groups and the Best In Show competition will be televised live Tuesday on USA Network at 8 p.m. Four breeds will be making their Westminster debut this year: the Tibetan Mastiff in the Working group, the Swedish Vallhund and the Beauceron in the Herding group, and the Plott in the Hound group. 
Here in Southwest Virginia, you are most likely to run into a Plott hound, as they make great hunting dogs. The Swedish Vallhund reminds me of a Corgi dressed up like a German Shepherd Dog. The Beauceron sports that Doberman/ Rottie sleek, athletic style. But the Tibetan Mastiff, the puppy pictured here, looks like the kind of pooch you want to be your best buddy on a cold winter night, a firm but fluffy cuddle pal. Sit and stay tuned. February 8, 2008Your furry ValentineDo you have a treasured photo of you and your first furry love, that special pet that will forever wag a tail or purr in your heart? Share it with the ASPCA and you could win a nice little prize pack in its "My Furry Valentine" contest. According to the Web site, the ASPCA is looking for "your best shot of your best bud—maybe it was your childhood pooch, or the first four-legged member of your current family. You know, that special furry someone who opened up your heart and helped you earn a lifetime membership as a doting pet parent." Click here for all the rules, regulations and instructions. I wish I had a picture of Sparky, the beautiful little black-and-white spaniel who was part of my family when I was a kid. She loved me no matter how much I childishly complained about having to fill her water dish and food bowl. She would follow me everywhere, but never demanded anything of me. She would let me bury my face in her soft, doggy-scented fur and cry when the people of the world let me down. And she was the kind of buddy who would patiently sit with me for hours, listening to all my far-fetched stories and closely guarded secrets, and I knew she would never bark a word to anyone. She's the reason I love dogs. Who was the special critter that sparked your love of pets? February 7, 2008No dog left behindOne of the editors here at the newspaper forwarded this press release to me last week: 
“Beverly Hills, CA- Everyone thinks their dog is bright. Now there's a way to test whether your pooch is really a genius. The PoochIQ.com Dog Intelligence Kit is a first-of-it's-kind testing system that quantifies a dog's intelligence with proven accuracy. Using the latest techniques for evaluating dog intelligence, the PoochIQ.com Kit tests a dog's memory, persistence, problem solving and reasoning skills. After completing 15 fun-to-perform exercises, dogs are given an intelligence score between 55-150 on the PoochIQ scale, which is similar to the human IQ scale. Across the world, people are finding out if their dog is a "K9 Einstein" or "Doggy Dunce". Once they take the test, they can upload pictures of their dogs on PoochIQ.com's sister site BrightPup.com (http://www.BrightPup.com) and brag about their doggie genius. Oh sure, like any parent, you will brag if your little darling gets high marks. But what if your poodle's performance leaves a little to be desired? What if your terrier has test anxiety? What if your dog is, well, dumb? You love the big sweetie anyway, right? The quiz, by the way, costs $79.99 and according to the Web site, more than 5,300 pet parents have put their dogs to the test. I am not sure I want to know how well my happy hounds would do on a standardized test. Dexter actually flunked out of greyhound racing school, and so he's now a pet. I think that was a pretty smart move on his part. What do you think? If cost were not an object, would you test your pooch’s IQ or would you rather not know? February 6, 2008Other people's poochesTwo items caught my attention while Web surfing last night. Grace Saenz-Lopez, now the former mayor of Alice, Texas, offered to keep her neighbors’ Shih Tzu, Puddles, while the family was out of town, and then allegedly told the family the dog died while in her care. 
According to police reports, Puddles was actually alive and well. Saenz-Lopez reportedly renamed the pooch Panchito and kept him for herself. The ruse was discovered when someone spotted the purloined pup at a local dog groomer. Just to make the story more complicated, not to mention bizarre, Saenz-Lopez tried to stash the dog at the home of her identical twin sister to avoid returning him. In her resignation letter, the former mayor indicated she was acting in the best interests of Puddles/Panchito. February 5, 2008And they call it Puppy Love...
Tickets are now on sale for the 2008 Puppy Love Ball, the annual dinner fundraiser for the Roanoke Valley SPCA. The event takes place at The Hotel Roanoke on Saturday, April 5. This year's theme is "There's No Place Like Home." Entertainment will be provided by G.T. Swing. Tickets are $75 each and can be ordered online. Over 2,000 homeless animals pass through the doors of the RVSPCA each year, most into loving homes. Donations and fundraising events like this one make that happen, so you are dining and dancing for a very good cause. If any blog readers have attended this event, post a comment and let us know what you think.
February 4, 2008Congratulations Abigail and Jason TaylorCongratulations are in order for two honorees in yesterday's big sports spectaculars: Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl IV and that other event...the NFL's Super Bowl. Jack Russell Terrier pup Abigail ruled the field in yesterday's Puppy Bowl and was (almost) named Most Valuable Puppy Player by an online fan vote. The Web site said she was the second pick as a fan favorite, but she did win the PetsMart MVP award. 
Personally, I think she was unfairly penalized for unnecessary ruff-ness on a stuffie that looked suspiciously like the referee. Lighten up, ref. According to blog commenter Red Dog, Abigail is a Virginia pooch. I cannot confirm or deny that, since all the dogs are from shelters, but I can confirm she was very frisky and adorable. (By the way, this picture is NOT Abigail, but it is a Jack Russell terrier pup. I was unable to get a photo of the real Abigail.) The other deserving winner was Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins, who was awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which recognizes active players for excellence on the field and for dedication to community service. You may recall that Jason made a public service announcement in 2007 for the ASPCA speaking out against cruelty to animals. He is also involved with working with kids and youth programs in South Florida. So, congrats to Abigail for being a scene-stealing all-pro puppy player, and to JT for being an all-pro good guy. February 1, 2008Hair of the dog?
This blog entry is for Happy Wag readers aged 21 and up who happen to enjoy beer. I got this little tidbit out of an e-newsletter I get from the Wine Gourmet, the little spirit shop on Franklin Road, and it seemed timely since this is traditionally a beer-drinking weekend: Beer Tasting Friday- BoW Wow! We've Gone to the Dogs As always, we will have free samples of beer open to taste for those over 21 this Friday, Feb. 1 from 5 to 8 pm. In a whimsical turn this week, we'll be featuring a number of canine-themed brews: Just make sure you don't give your dogs any of the canine-inspired brews. Alcohol is very bad for dogs. If, however, you can train your pooch to fetch you a cold one from the fridge, I say congratulations, tell me how you did it, and send me a picture. |
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