Pawsh Photos with Santa!

The "Photos with Santa" event was a huge success and helped raise over $300 for the Animal Rescue League of Boston! Thanks to everyone who participated. Click on the photo below to see all the great shots from Sunday.

And a special thank you to Fred Levy the photographer and Santa (a.k.a. Nancy's brother, Jeff) for donating their time in the spirit of the holidays. If you would like to purchase more prints please contact Fred directly through his website: http://www.fredlevyart.com.

That is a cute dog...but Balki missed the contest.

Halloween Bash Photos now on Flickr!

The photos are posted on Flickr! Just CLICK HERE to view and download your pup's photo from the event. Your $10 donation to the Animal Rescue League of Boston earned you the electronic copy of the photo as well as a 4" x 6" print. Stop by Pawsh anytime to pick up your print.

Thanks again to Christine Fuchs of Tassels Pet Photography for donating her time and talent. The photos are awesome. Here's one of my favorites....Norman the Pug as Darth Vader. But he is a pug named Norman so I can't take him seriously at all!

Halloween Bash at Pawsh

Can We Talk?

Joan Rivers made an appearance at the Comedy Connection in Boston today and before taking the stage she met with some shelter dogs from the Animal Rescue League for a photo-op. Those three dogs named Max, Daisy and Boo Boo were decked out in apparel and Halloween costumes from Pawsh!

Article with photo from the Boston Herald Inside Track.

Video courtesy of the Comedy Connection:



Thanks Joan!

MSPCA Walk For Animals is Sunday!

This Sunday you can help raise money for thousands of sick, injured, abused and neglected animals in Massachusetts. Please stop by or support someone you know who is taking part in the walk. You can also support the Pawsh sponsored team, the Bob Barkers, by CLICKING HERE.

WHEN: Sunday, September 13th, 2009 (11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
WHERE: Boston Common

CLICK HERE for Walk for Animals website

Wow, that is really cute.

Pawsh in the Boston Globe....

CLICK HERE for the article.

Ice cream and charity mix quite well!

An enormous thank you to everyone that attended last night's Ice Cream Party at Pawsh. We had a great turnout (over 60 people with their dogs) and perfect ice cream eating weather. J.P. Licks was extremely generous in donating all of the people and doggie ice cream for the party.

Together we raised just over $500 for the Animal Rescue League of Boston. That money will help ensure that many homeless animals receive the medical care they need, as well as a chance to be adopted into a caring home.

I will post photos soon, just wanted to let everyone know how much we appreciate your participation at the event and your continued patronage at Pawsh!

Chester has impressive aim.

Pabst Gets the Blue Ribbon

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new world's ugliest dog! His name is Pabst and he is a boxer mix. Frankly, I don't think he's that ugly. Especially when you compare him to the 2006 champ, Gus:

First Aid Event @ Pawsh

A huge "thank you" to Back Bay Vet's Dr. Beth Waisburd for speaking to us for over an hour tonight about a variety of helpful pet first aid tips. Over 35 Pawsh customers were in attendance and Balki was kind enough to let Dr. Waisburd demonstrate some first aid techniques on him. We learned about everything from heimlich maneuver to heat stroke to seizures.

Dr. Waisburd mentioned the articles on the Dr. Foster & Smith Website as a useful resource for learning about common pet health issues and remedies. But she stressed that first aid should be used only as a first response to an emergency and should always be followed up by a visit to your vet.

Calling All Thespian Greyhounds

Your greyhound could be famous! The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is in search of greyhounds with acting chops to appear in The Comedy of Errors this summer.

One dog is needed each night and will be required to walk across the stage on a leash, accompanied by an actor. The Comedy of Errors will be performed July 31 to August 16 at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common. Performances take place Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m.

Interested greyhound owners should call 617-426-0863 or check THIS LINK for more information.

Awesome Dog Friday

Gotta love CNN and their dog stories.

Happy Travelling!

Memorial Day is almost here and with the downturn in the economy it seems many people are simplifying their vacation plans and bringing their pets along for the ride. Here are some travel tips and pet friendly rental spots across the country to help make your summer vacations fun for the whole family.

• **GREAT SITE** All-In-One Dog Travel Site (BringFido.com)
  
• Airline Travel Info Website (PetFlight.com)
  
• Flying with your dog tips (Atlanta Examiner)
• Pet Friendly Vacation Rentals (PetVR.com)

Michael Vick was released from prison today...

Let's hope there's no NFL in his future. He already had an opportunity that only one in a million people can ever achieve and he blew it. Not only that, but he hurt & killed innocent animals. Does he deserve a second chance? Yes. Does he deserve another stint as a potential role model? No.

Here's a clip from CNN featuring updates on the Vick pitbulls as well as a photo of Jack showing off his new "I Hate Michael Vick" t-shirt.

CNN VIDEO (CLICK HERE)

Greyhound Event at Pawsh

Pawsh was host to a bunch of adorable greyhounds yesterday for the Greyhound Welfare rescue group's open house.

Greyhound Welfare is a rescue and placement group comprised of unpaid volunteers whose goal is to place ex-racing greyhounds in loving homes. They are a 100% foster home group, which means that all the greyhounds live in real homes until they are placed.

We hope you all find forever homes soon!!

Helpful How-To's

It's spring and that means it's time to freshen up everything from your home to your dog's habits. Here are a few extremely helpful sites I found that offer advice and instructions on a wide variety of pet peeves.

HealthyPet.com (FAQ on topics such as behavior, general health, diseases, dog care, diet, skin problems, amd more)

eHow.com (General training and tricks)

Chanel #21

Oldest living dog? Everyone knows Chanel the dachsund owns the title. She just turned 21 (147 to us) and wears dog goggles to protect her cataracts. Here's a New York Post article and a video showing Chanel in all her glory.

They should do a Golden Girls re-make with Chanel as the family dog. I would watch...but would anyone else? GO HERE if you're curious for more facts about aging in dogs.

Doga. Would you pay for this?

$15 to $25 for a doga class (that's yoga with your dog)? A recent article in the New York Times shed some light on this new fad that involves meditating and stretching with your dog. Basically you use your dog as an extra weight to improve stretches.

Balki would probably be willing to partake in some doga, if he just completed the Boston Marathon route and had been administered the proper sedatives. The New York Times seems to think this is newsworthy but I'm thinking it's a bust.

Pawsh was on the news!

Channel 7 News was cool enough to send a camera to our Spring Open dogHouse back on April 2nd and put together this piece for their broadcast the next day. Some of the dogs seen in the video are Marta, Penny and Sophie.

All rise for...."Bo" Obama

"Bo" the six-month old Portuguese water dog is in house, the White House. He is a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy and his wife to Sasha and Malia Obama. Here's a photo and some more official info on the Obama family addition. I feel bad for whoever is in charge of clean-up and furniture repair!



WHITE HOUSE BLOG PAGE

AKC SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL DOG SITE

What's up dog? Harvard wants to know.

Cure for the Mondays

Put your face close to the computer screen and CLICK HERE.

Pawsh's Spring Open dogHouse was a big success!

That's Pretzel the Dachsund. His parents were the lucky winners of the raffle for two tickets to Fenway for a Yankees vs. Red Sox game! Thanks to everyone for taking part in all the activities last night...as a result of your generosity we were able to raise $250 for the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

The event was featured on the Channel 7 news last night at 10PM and this morning at 5AM. Whether your lucky dog had a photo taken, a paw read or a back massaged, it was all for a great cause and definitely a night to remember. Balki is still sleeping this one off!

Here's a BLOG POST by Li, the photographer at the event, featuring amazing shots of some very photogenic pups.

A Very Talented Pet Photographer

A big thank you to Li for stopping by the store today to show us some of her amazing photographs. She will be the photographer for our grand re-opening event in April (details coming soon).

Here's a link to her site and a photo Li took of Balki ...very impressive stuff...but it doesn't hurt that Balki works it pretty hard for the camera. If you're looking for a special portrait of your precious pet...look no further than Fat Orange Cat.

http://www.fatorangecatstudio.com/

The new grooming tub at Pawsh is up and running!

Balki "volunteered" to be the first dog bathed in the new dog tub at Pawsh. This is a big upgrade from his usual bathtub...our kitchen sink! Full service grooming is just around the corner!

Q: What do Pres. Obama and Oprah have in common?

A: They're both getting new rescue dogs!

The Obamas have decided to rescue a Portuguese Water Dog sometime in April. The dog is a gift to Malia and Sasha for the long presidential campaign that forced their parents to travel frequently. They chose the PWD because the breed has a corded poodle-type coat and does not shed much...a must for Malia's allergies.

Oprah lost two cocker spaniels last year, Sophie and Solomon. Her new addition is a puppy cocker name Sadie that she and Stedman adopted this past Sunday at the PAWS shelter on Chicago.

FUNNY FRIDAY VIDEO

Balki moves his legs in his sleep like he's walking in his dreams but he's never built up enough steam to run into a wall!

If you're thinking about adopting a dog....

There are pros and cons to all topics and the debate between adopting a dog and buying a pure bred puppy from a breeder is no exception. My stance on the issue? If you are committed to giving your dog the care, attention and love he/she needs I don't care where you find your dog....AS LONG AS IT'S NOT FROM A PUPPY MILL!!

Obviously saving a dog from a crowded shelter carries a ton of merit and our next dog will most likely be a rescue. But we don't regret researching a reputable breeder and paying for Balki as a puppy. I was never allowed to have a dog growing up due to my parents' allergies and a lot of travel. When the situation was finally perfect for Nancy and I to get a dog we did our homework and prepared for our new addition. I'm not sure I would have been as focused if I had gone to a shelter and picked up a dog that same day.

To each his own....just take good care of your dog and they will take good care of you. Oh yeah, the point of this post, here's a good article on adopting a shelter dog: Rescue a dog, save a life, gain a friend

Westminster...I almost forgot!

We've been a bit distracted with trying to get the store in order over the past two weeks but I have to acknowledge the recent winner of the Westminster Dog Show, a 10-year-old Sussex Spaniel named Stump. Great name!

I'm amazed a senior dog was in good enough shape to enter the contest let-alone win it but he's a great specimen and very deserving. Better luck next year to the Boston Terriers!

Here's a clip about Stump:

Animal World Radio: Thanks for the Shout-Out

Valentine's Day 2009 marked the expansion of Pawsh to the first floor of 31 Gloucester Street. You no longer need to take the back stairs to get to the store! Thank you for your patience during our renovations. Our grooming services are coming soon, we hope they will commence in mid-March.

A big thank you as well to Deb Silke for plugging Pawsh on her radio show, "Animal World" this afternoon on 1120AM WBNW. Deb is the Director of the Pet Wellness Resource Center which promotes optimal health and happiness for your pet via holistic consulting in person or over the phone.

A lab made in a lab.....

It's nice to know that over the years these owners have donated more money to the Humane Society than they spent to clone their beloved dog but I can't help thinking there are some "scientists" in Korea pretend swimming in a bed full of cash right now. I'm willing to bet they "cloned" Lancelot with a local breeder and kept the extra $154,000 for themselves.

AKC's top 10 breeds of 2008 (USA and Boston)

Yesterday the AKC released it's top 10 list of purebred dogs compiled from their registrations in 2008. Below are the lists for both the U.S.A. and the city of Boston.

The labrador retriever came in first for the 18th year in a row, and more than twice as many Labs were registered with the AKC than any other breed last year.

UNITED STATES
---------------------
1. Labrador retriever
2. Yorkshire terrier
3. German shepherd
4. Golden retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Bulldog
9. Poodle
10. Shih tzu


BOSTON
------------
1. Labrador Retriever
2. German Shepherd Dog
3. Bulldog
4. Golden Retriever
5. Yorkshire Terrier **
6. Boxer
7. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
8. Dachshund ***
9. Beagle
10. Boston Terrier/Pug ****

* Registration data pulled from Boston zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service
** Tied for 4th
*** Tied for 7th
**** Tied for 9th

"The Bulldog’s popularity grew nationally as well as in Boston, rising from sixth most popular breed to third place," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "Also noteworthy, the Boston Terrier, named after the city, and affectionately called the (American Gentleman) tied with the Pug and Beagle for ninth place."

As I write this post the temperature in Boston is a bitter 15 degrees (but it feels like 4 degrees with the windchill...thanks weather.com). Balki was a trooper this morning and made the walk to the store in his boots, tshirt and puffy coat.

If your dog is having trouble battling the elements this winter, here's an article from Tails Magazine that offers some pointers on how to keep them as warm as possible while outside.

And here's a photo of Isla, the Cairn Terrier, in her brand spanking new Epiks boots from Gooby.

You may have seen Mickey Rourke's Golden Globe acceptance speech last night for best actor but if you haven't, here's an excerpt:

"I'd like to thank all my dogs, the ones that are here and the ones that aren't here any more because sometimes when a man's alone that's all you got is your dog and they meant the world to me."

How great is that? I'm going to see the movie just because of that quote...doesn't hurt that it has received great reviews so far too!

Rourke even brought Loki, his 16 year old chihuahua/terrier cross, with him to the Venice Film Festival red carpet ceremony because she was getting so old that he wanted to spend every last minute he could with her. Wow.

How did "Balki" not make the list?

Better luck next year, Rover. The top 10 dog names of 2008 have been announced by Veterinary Pet Insurance, a pet health insurance provider. The list was compiled from their database of more than 450,000 insured pets. They also discovered that some of the most popular dog and cat names also rank among the Social Security Administration's most popular baby names. Drumroll please....

10. Chloe
9. Sophie
8. Daisy
7. Maggie
6. Buddy
5. Lucy
4. Molly
3. Bella
2. Bailey
1. Max

2009 and we all still hate Michael Vick....

Our best selling dog t-shirt at Pawsh since we opened in October is the "I Hate Michael Vick" shirt. And no dog has worn it better than Sophie, the Bullmastiff. She's one of the sweetest dogs in Boston but she gets her point across with her new shirt.

In related news, Sport Illustrated ran an article on the status of some of the 51 pit bulls rescued from Michael Vick's Bad Newz Kennels. It's a sad story but a needed reminder for why this t-shirt was made.