“You’ll laugh, you’ll howl, you’ll practically wag with pleasure….Bo is truly the voice of his doggy generation” – Dr. Marty Becker

“Witty commentary and hilarious observations.”—Dog Living

“A real treat. Bo is so distinctively adorable and funny, that no other dog will be able to follow in his pawsteps”- Tracie Hotchner

Let’s get this clear right away: I’m a dog.

I’m 1′10″ and weigh 63 lbs, and although I’m a mutt on the outside, I’m a purebred on the inside. My good nature comes from the Golden Retriever side of the family, while my stubbornness is clearly from my Chowchow bloodlines. I’ve got Rastafarian ears, a black tongue for licking, and paws that should be on a dog twice my size.

I type 60 words a minute.

My name is Bo, and this is my story.

From shelter dog reject to beloved pet and popular doggie blogger, Bo Hoefinger’s life has been anything but ordinary.

Join this incorrigible canine as he welcomes us into his life, complete with his wacky “parents,” a constipated feline housemate, and chipmunk warfare. Bad to the Bone is an unforgettable, laugh-out-loud tale of love and loyalty that reveals the true heart of a modern American family.

A frequent contributor to local fence post 12, Bo continues his nonprofit work with the Beneath the Fence Society. In his spare time he dabbles in knocking over garbage pails, barking uncontrollably, and generally being a helpful force around the house.

He lives in Atlanta.

Grab a copy of BAD TO THE BONE for yourself and then a few for your dog loving friends. Can you think of a better gift for a dog lover than a book written by a dog? The holidays will be here before you know it and Bo thinks every dog in America, and beyond, should wake up x-mas morning to find a copy of his book in their stocking. It also works well as a gift for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, Bo doesn’t discriminate against any breed or holiday.

Bo’s book is now available, you can order online at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, BooksaMillion.com, indieBound.org, borders.com, or your favorite retailer. Spread the word to all your pup pals so they can get themselves a copy of the first memoir written by a dog ever published in non-fiction.

A big thank you goes out to the fine folks at Dogster HQ’s for all their support and help. A note of gratitude to all the Dogsters out there who believed in us and wanted to see a book written through a dog’s eyes, it’s you guys that helped make this happen.

Thank you to all!

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

Since this is a dog blog, a couple times a month our boy Bo (woof!) thought it would be nice to get the news through a dog’s eyes. When Bo decides to share his thoughts you’ll always see the tag Bo Knows. Okay Bo, take it from here…..

Let’s be honest with each other. Work sucks.

Do you know of any dogs that actually enjoy their jobs? Sure Rufus may look like he enjoys snatching a biscuit from his nose, but he ain’t having any fun. Sunshine rolling over for a treat? A blow to her self esteem.

Maybe the trick to happy employment is to do something non-traditional?

The following article explores that idea, highlighting one dog’s pursuit of a career less smelled…

These days, Dillon is working like a dog at Kimpton’s Hotel Burnham. You won’t hear him bitching about it though.

The 4-year-old bulldog is the new director of pet relations, serving as ambassador for pets at the hotel at 1 W. Washington. Stationed in the hotel’s living room, Dillon greets travelers, poses for photos with guests and helps provide treats to traveling pets. “We’re die-hard about our pets,” spokeswoman Jennifer Navarro said.

Dillon got the gig by following his owner, new general manager Duncan Clements, to the hotel from Dallas, where the bulldog served in pet relations at Kimpton’s Hotel Lumen.

Regardless of career, it all comes down to who you know rather than what you know. Woof!

* Pic courtesy Sun-Times News Group

he funniest dog blog, written by a dog, on the internet. Commentary on the latest animal news stories of the day. Read a chapter from my upcoming book, BAD TO THE BONE.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

An investigation by the Humane Society has discovered some disturbing facts about the puppies sold at Petland stores.  While the pet giant claims to only get puppies from reputable breeders the facts show otherwise.  The Humane Society goes so far as to allege that Petland supports puppy mills.

According to a report by the Humane Society of the United States, many stores of the Ohio-based Petland Inc. pet store chain support puppy mills while telling customers the dogs come only from good breeders.

The animal protection group made the charge at a Washington, D.C. news conference, saying it conducted an eight-month investigation of the chain headquartered in Chillicothe in southwest Ohio.

Petland Inc. did not return repeated calls from CBS News seeking comment on the report. But in a message posted on the company Web site, Petland said the company does not support substandard breeding facilities and provides each store with humane care guidelines developed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While Petland has stated prior that the Humane Society reports surface every year around holiday time, the same time as their fundraisers.  Implying they are using “sensationalism” to help raise funds for their cause.

If you look at the facts found in the investigation it’s very hard to dispute the allegations. The Humane Society said investigators visited 35 breeders and brokers that sold puppies to Petland stores.
As well as reviewing hundreds of additional interstate import records from other breeders.

“We found very classic puppy mill condition,” the Humane Society’s Stephanie Shain told CBS News. “Dogs in small cages. These animals were living in those cages 24 hours a day, 365 days out of the year.”

In puppy mills, hundreds of breeding dogs are packed into cramped, barren cages with no socialization, exercise or human interaction, she said.

The stores investigated are perpetuating an abusive industry where dogs are treated like a cash crop instead of as pets, said Shain, director of the Humane Society’s campaign against puppy mills.

“They know that consumers won’t stand for the cruelty inherent in mass-breeding facilities, so they make outrageous claims to hide the reality that the dogs came from puppy mills,” Shain said.

Shain is right, now that consumers are aware of what goes on behind closed doors we will do anything in our power to stop it.  We, as dog lovers, have banded together to sign petitions and help change legislation.  The voice of 60 million dog owners can no longer be ignored, we will not allow it.

We are their voice, the only one they have. Take action by going to the Humane Society site where you can learn how to contact Petland’s corporate headquarters to express your concern for puppy mills and ask them to stop selling puppies.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

Times have been tough and foreclosures are at an all time high.  This recent phenomenon is not only effecting homeowners,  it’s leaving their furry companions at risk as well. The possibility of 2-4 million Americans facing the loss of their home equates to about 1 1/4 million companion animals potentially being homeless.

Eddie, one of my favorite newshounds, dug up a story on No Paws Left Behind. It’s an organization dedicated to becoming the voice of these pets.

No Paws Left Behind, Inc. is a focus driven not for profit organization, designed to bring awareness to all communities the silent victims of foreclosure who have no voice or rights to implement change. As a united front, we will restore moral obligations toward all pets that have the potential to be, or have been, left behind to suffer needlessly.

We further pledge to act as a support group for those who find foreclosure imminent and need help to find shelter for their beloved pets; be a resource for those who find or know of abandoned pets; and last, but by no means least, we must unite to end the needless suffering by creating a national movement targeting lawmakers to change the laws categorizing pets as personal property.

A big thanks to No Paws Left Behind who is trying to keep these pets from becoming throwaways.  If you want to donate a  $10, tax deductible, donation it will help keep these animals safe and will also get you a very cute gift.  There are four different gifts to choose from, no cheesy stuff, and all donations go to ensure that no paws are left behind.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

While most of us realize the impact on the families left behind when a loved one in the military is deployed,   many don’t think about the pets left behind.

NetPets, founded by Steve Albin and endorsed by the Department of Defense, matches people willing to care for pets to deploying service members in need of their generosity.

It’s easy to assume that there is always family or a friend to leave their beloved pet with,  but that’s not always the case.

“I had people tell me how service members called up for the first Gulf War had just three options: giving their pets away, putting them in shelters or abandoning them,” Albin said. “More than 25,000 pets were destroyed. What kind of way is that for us to repay the people who protect and serve us?”

Steve is right,  those men and women that are serving our country, the last thing they should be burdened with is worrying about who is going to care for their beloved pet.

So far, his free service has placed some 12,500 pets into foster homes since he began the project two days after the 9/11 attacks, Albin said by telephone last week from South Carolina.

Steve stated “He gets 20 to 50 calls a week in CONUS (continental United States), but that right now he had no one available in Europe.”

People wishing to help out can sign up by clicking the Military Pets Foster Project tab on the netpets.org homepage. The site contains a form establishing what kind of pets the potential foster home can accommodate.

We salute you Steve, for a job well done.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

Here’s an article on what’s being done to help family pets in the flooding that’s occurring in Iowa.

As the situation deteriorated, flood victims, many staying in hotels, shelters or cars, began dropping off pets at the college. Others, who had been forced to flee without their pets, began calling in with pleas for their animals to be rescued. Within days, what had started as a makeshift shelter had grown into a sprawling operation housing nearly 1,000 animals — dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, lizards, even a red-eared slider turtle — in three buildings.

With the influx of animals came an infusion of aid. Several national chain stores donated supplies. Veterinary technicians came from as far away as California to volunteer, and legions of veterinarians, groomers and even flood victims soon arrived at the shelter wanting to help.

It’s great to see people and organizations aiding those affected in the region. Also nice to see is that we are learning from past disasters.

One of the lessons driven home after Hurricane Katrina — in which an estimated 200,000 animals were displaced — was that some residents risked, and lost, their lives rather than leave a beloved pet behind.

“The biggest thing learned by everyone from Katrina is the importance of animals in people’s lives,” said Diane Webber, disaster preparedness director for the Humane Society of the United States. “They can’t be excluded from disaster planning and response. People aren’t going to function and they’re not going to evacuate if their animals aren’t provided for.”

Still, there’s much pain and sorrow inflicted by the persistent rains. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for many an owner-pet reunion in the near future.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere: