I just got word about a great event that’s worth barking about. If you live in, or near, the Bay Area (CA) you won’t want to miss out.

Scurrying around the Bay Area looking for fun this weekend? Then why not stop by the 3rd Annual Bay Area Pet Fair and Adoptathon in San Rafael! Held at the Marin Center on September 6th and 7th, the fair is the largest dog-friendly event of its kind in Northern California.

This year, Dogster is not only a proud supporter of the event, but is a sponsor of The Other Dog Show, a fun, cutting edge, spectacular event that’s dog years ahead of its time. Come hang out with us and watch cool adoptable and adopted canines compete for titles such as Most MuttaliciousBest Lap Dog and Best Non-Dog! The Other Dog Show takes place at 1:00 p.m. on both days of the fair.

You’ll also enjoy-

A variety of pet-oriented products and services, both in the Exhibit Building and on the Fairgrounds

Multiple venues offering demonstrations, performances and expert presentations, including The Muttley Crew canine athletes; animal nutrition, massage and whole energy wellness; police K-9 demos; small animal care; and many others

A Kids Pavilion with opportunities for youngsters to learn from humane educators, interact with animals and get their faces painted by Popo the Clown

Interactive opportunities for your dog, including bobbing for hot dogs, recall through distractions, tricks and an agility course

The largest multi-agency adoption event in California, with approximately 40 regional agencies bringing adoptable dogs, cats, rabbit, birds, guinea pigs and more!

Super furriendly humans from Dogster HQ in San Francisco will be present on both days, so if you’re in the area, by all means come by and give us a woof! For more information about the fair, head on over to their website! See you there!

In Berlin (GE),  if you hear someone complaining the bus service is going to the dogs you’ll be surprised to learn it actually is.  There is a doggy day care, located in Beelitz, that offers a shuttle service for their furry clients.  If you’re too busy in the morning to drop your little furball off, don’t worry, the bus from the Pfoetchenhotel (Paw Hotel) will provide pick-up.

Six dogs boarded the bus aimed at helping working pet-owners on its first full day in operation on Monday, at a cost of 15 euros ($22) per passenger, the operators said.

If you think this is like the old yellow school bus you rode when you were a child you’re in for a big surpise.  The air-conditioned bus with cabins for the dogs comes complete with blankets and music. “The owners were really enthusiastic,” a spokeswoman for the Pfoetchenhotel (Paw Hotel) said.

Once at their destination, they can play, eat or relax in special hotel rooms before embarking on their trip home. The bus can take up to 20 dogs and runs 5 days a week.

Forget the dogs…where can I sign up?

There’s a growing trend among dog owners in the US, doggy day camp.  More and more pet owners are putting Fluffy or Fido in day camp to keep them from being lonely during the day when no one is around. Only five years ago you would have been hard pressed to find one of these camps, now it’ turning into a booming industry.

“It’s a recent phenomenon, and it’s grown so quickly that we’re just beginning to track it,” said Joe Lyman, chief executive officer of Pet Care Services Association, formerly known as the American Boarding Kennel Association in Colorado Springs, Colo. The recent name change came about because even the term “kennel” has gone out of fashion.  More pet owners seek lodging that comes with more amenities.

Going to camp doesn’t come cheap, with an average price of $25 a day or $40 for an overnight stay.  Statistics show more people are putting off having children which may lead to an increased amount of spending on their dogs.  Or, are more people treating their dogs like children?

Amy Popp, 31, lives in Warren but works in Novi as a marketing expert, and she worries that her four-legged children will be bored or lonely without her. She admits the camps might sound overly indulgent. She also uses a webcam the camp provides to keep an eye on her dogs during the day, when she is at her desk.

“Before I got my first dog, I would have said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ” she said. But in the three years she has been using Camp Bow Wow, first in Troy and now in Commerce, “I have never second-guessed my decision. They will be coming here as long as they are able.”

Perhaps the reason behind the trend is simply that people love their dogs and consider them part of the family.  I know that’s how Lisa and I feel about Bo, Copper, and Logan.

Outside Detroit, MI in the Commerce Township camp Bow Wow opened in late July and is the second facility for owners Ann and Bob Roth; they also operate Camp Bow Wow in Troy, where as many as 40 or 50 dogs come to play each day.

“We have a lot of dual-income families, with people working longer hours in this economy,” said Ann Roth, as 15-year-old Nick, a long-haired dachshund, followed her about the main office. He is a “special needs” dog because of his age so he’s been given the run of the office. “People love their dogs, and they see them as part of the family and want to treat them that way.”

What do you think of doggy day camp, is it a  trend or here to stay?  If you’ve sent your dog to camp we’d love to hear about your experience. Give me a bark back.

Most of us don’t want to think about the time after we die and what will happen to those we leave behind. I mean of course our dogs and cats. But if you have pets its part of your job to think ahead and make sure you have a plan in place to care for them if you go to the Rainbow Bridge before them.

Thanks to Eddie Essig for barking in this reminder and this link to this excellent article on how to make sure your furfamily is cared for.

I don’t know if you happened to see this announcement about Noelle’s Mom, but it sparked my thought process:

This poor Dogster Mom suddenly passed away in her sleep at the young age of 47, and left behind 3 furkids with no one to care for them, thus giving them an uncertain future. What a scary thought!! In Snoop Dogs, along with the fun, I try hard to discuss important issues also, so I made this post concerning the matter:

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And now for some news about cats and adoption…

Thanks to The Associated Press for this article.

A personality test for your cat
By LINDA LOMBARDI
For The Associated Press
Wed May 14

It happens to all of us. You fall in love with someone’s looks… but then he’s not quite what you expected. Even, sometimes, if he’s a cat.

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How scary for this family! I’m so glad Callie has made it home.

Thanks to the Associated Press for this article.

Man who claimed dog was imposter reunited with right pooch

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. (AP) — Ken Griggs finally brought the right dog home. More than two weeks after the Lake Oswego man claimed a boarding kennel returned the wrong dog after spring break, he and his family were reunited with their black Labrador named Callie.

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Are you looking for a new home? Have pets? Then you may find the PeoplewithPets site to be a real timesaver!

PeopleWithPets has listings of rental properties and hotels that accept pets. How cool is this? When I first moved to St. Louis I remember how hard it was to find a first home with my pack then, coonhound Reba and Weimaraner Nigel. How happy do you think most landlords were to see US coming? 90 pounds of Weimaraner, 65 pounds of coonhound and well, uh, me. Not exactly a landlords dream, I bet.

Here’s some information from the site:

Our goal at PeopleWithPets.com is to ease the burden of finding rental housing or hotel accommodations that will allow your dog, cat or other animals. We started in a few metro cities: Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Orlando, Jacksonville and Raleigh-Durham. We have since then expanded to include the entire United States with pet friendly places to call home. If you find an apartment from our site, please tell them you found them on PeopleWithPets.com so we can continue to provide this FREE service to you. Happy home hunting for you and your best friends!

Thanks to the Telegraph.co.uk for this article.

RSPCA warns of pill-popping dog culture
By Jasper Copping
Last Updated: 08/03/2008

Growing numbers of pets are being put on drugs for depression, aggression and other mental health problems, animal welfare groups warn.

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Thanks to the Telegraph.co.uk for this article.

Travelodge to give Crufts dogs their own beds
By Sophie Borland
Last Updated 06/03/2008

Dogs travelling to Crufts will be able to maximise on their beauty sleep as the hotel chain Travelodge will be giving them their very own beds.

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I’ve always wanted to visit Vermont and now I have some place I MUST visit!

Thanks to the San Jose Mercury News for this article.

Chapel in Vermont for Dog-Lovers
By JOHN CURRAN Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 02/19/2008

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt.—Degas had his ballerinas, Monet his water lilies. For Stephen Huneck, inspiration comes on four legs—its teeth dug into a stick, or tugging on a piece of rope, or playing on a beach.

The eclectic Vermont folk artist, who started out whittling wooden sculptures of dogs and now specializes in dog-themed furniture, woodcut paintings and children’s books, has carved out a unique niche with his whimsical reproductions of Labrador retrievers and other dogs.

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