Smile for the Camera!

We're used to this kind of grin after we whip up something special for dinner. Milo, it seems, this adorable goldendoodle, just likes to show those pearly whites!

Post Pet Writer's Conference

As I told you, I recently participated in the 4th Annual Pet Writer's Conference in New York, where I was pat of a panel called Authors on Writing. It was a fabulous event--next year 's plans are already in the works--and they sent me these photos from my time in the spotlight.

As always, one of the best parts is mingling with the dogs who are checking into Hotel Pennsylvania for Westminster! But the human company is equally as stimulating as these photos can attest.

Thanks to Charlotte Reed for putting on such a great event.

Uggie, Post Golden Collars

The Oscars are Sunday and you know who we think should be honored--not just with a golden collar but with a golden statue. You may have to content yourself with watching him steal the spotlight on the red carpet, but we hear he's been rehearsing with Billy Crystal.

Karyn Calabrese on Windy City

Karyn Calabrese, the Queen of Raw and Vegan food, was recently featured on Windy City Live in her hometown of Chicago. Too bad she couldn't bring her beloved poodle, Mitch along.

The benefits of raw eating speak for themselves. Karyn is in her sixties!

From Our Friends at Baxter & Birdie

Check out the great blog post from our friends at Baxter & Birdie and while you are there treat your pup to a new collar!

Lady & the Tramp

What more could you want? Two real life dogs, eating spaghetti and meatballs, recreating the animated scene from Disney's Lady and the Tramp. The Blue-Ray edition is being released this week but we fell in love with the real deal!

Bella!

Best in Show

So what does the winner of Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club eat? The answer, of course, is anything he wants. But here the winning pup, Pekingnese Malachy is chowing down on his preferred diet of chicken and rice.



As part of his day after rounds, Malachy had lunch at Sardis--after appearing on all the morning shows. Here he looks rather unfazed by the company. Wonder whether he preferred the steak there to his post-game meal?



We really have only one thing to say: have we got a cookbook for you!

My Funny Valentine?

Don't tell my golden Retrievers, Phoebe and Sam, but the odds of them winning Westminster are pretty slim. In fact, according to a Las Vegas odds maker, Johnny Avello, director of race and sports book operations at the Wynn Las Vegas, it is about 60-1. His pick: the Pekingese, at 6-1.

According to Vetstreet, the other top breeds with favorable odds are: Cocker Spaniel, Wirehaired Fox Terrier (Sabina will be very happy!), Affenpinscher, Smooth Coated Fox Terrier, Kuvasz and Whippet.

Be forewarned however, Avello did not pick last year's winner, Hickory, a Scottish Deerhound.

So I guess you will have to watch and see for yourself how accurate he is. Best in Show will be crowned tonight, still in time for Valentine's Day, on the USA network, around 11:00 PM.

Puppy Conan

Everyone seems to want to latch onto the popularity of the Puppy Bowl, especially the late night comedians. Here's Conan's take on it--pretty hilarious!

Latest Blog Review

This is one of the latest blog reviews we have received. This one is from Karen Watts, who also interviewed us for All Paws Pet Talk radio. We thank her for her kind words. Let us know if you agree by posting a review over on Amazon.

One of a Kind, Pretty and Delicious
Posted on February 6, 2012 by Karen
The Culinary Canine

by Kathryn Levy Feldman (writer), Sabina Louise Pierce (photographer)


I received this book, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen! It is “The Culinary Canine,” and what it is is a combination of beautiful and useful, and an all-around fun idea. I know, you’re thinking “what the heck is she talking about?”


This is a combination cookbook and coffee-table book, all recipes FOR dogs, all done by famous, award-winning chefs who happen to be dog lovers. These are chefs whose names you have heard, ones who you have likely seen on TV if you are a fan of any Chef shows, and the fun part is we get to learn more about the people, as well as get a recipe from each. The dogs range from large to small, purebred to rescue, omnivores to dogs with sensitive tummies, and have notes about how much to feed your dog, based on size, etc.


As the book was the concept of photographer Sabina Pierce – well, inspired by her dog Maddie – the books is also full on stunning photographs, showing these big name food folks in an entirely different light. I mean Georges Perrier – yes, the world-renowned French chef – was one of the first to be on board with the project. His Isabelle, a Bichon Frise who understand both French and English, gets her food prepared at the restaurant, and frozen in individual portions, and has never eaten commercial dog food. And why would she, right?


Anita Wu, who was quite the formidable opponent on Top Chef Masters, seems so much softer pictured with her two Maltese in the basket of her bicycle – and you can tell they are accustomed to such treatment, too!


The recipes are all well-presented, none of it seems to daunting or complex, and lots of it looks like something you might want to sample for yourself! I, sadly, have many food allergies, but so do the dogs of some of these chefs, and so I’m betting you could find a recipe that would work for your pooch, no matter its requirements!


Writer Kit Feldman makes the stories that accompany each recipe and photo spread engaging and fun, and the book makes the point early on that cooking for your dog is probably the least intimidating way to begin, as the dog will likely enjoy it, whether or not it comes out exactly right! Most of the recipes look like they would be tasty for humans, too!


I got to interview Kit and Sabina on the radio, and they were as fun as the book is! And, in case you were wondering, the dogs were harder to photograph than the people, but you’d never know it from the images in the book. I reccomend this for anyone with a dog, but especially for those with dogs who like being a little spoiled … (isn’t that all of them)? It’s not only interesting, but gorgeous to flip through, too. Leave it on your end table, and visitors will be jealous of your dog!

Sugar & Champage

Local Crusaders Against Animal Cruelty Honored at Sugar and Champagne Affair: MyFoxDC.com

Chef Todd Gray and his wife Ellen, the dynamic duo behind the sold-out event held on Feb 1 called Sugar & Champagne to benefit The Washington Humane Society got some great coverage from their local Fox News station.

Best Commercial Paws Down

Can you make out the melody of the Star Wars theme? Pretty remarkable considering these pups are not singing for their suppers but rather for a Volkswagen commercial to air during the super Bowl, when "all will be revealed!"

It's Back! The Puppy Bowl!

It's Back--the Puppy Bowl of course! While you are thinking about what munchies to prepare for dogs and humans for the big game (we think Cornelia's Vegan Treats work wonderfully), here's a preview of what goes into the making of the other great game, The Puppy Bowl over on Animal Planet.

Puppy Prognosticators

Jimmy Fallon has a foolproof way of picking the winner of the super bowl. Hint: It involves puppies and food and we think it is pretty adorable.

It's a Dog Fight!

When Blackie, the Doberman featured in his film Hugo, was snubbed by the Golden Collar awards for dogs in television and film, director Martin Scorsese launched a write in campaign to get his canine star nominated. Dog Daily News agreed to add Blackie to the category--going nose to nose with Uggie in The Artist--if it received more than 500 write-in nominations.

Word has it that over 400 nominations were received in the first 24 hours, so it is a pretty sure bet that Blackie will get her turn on the red carpet.

"How could she not be nominated?" Scorsese wrote in his letter. "Jack Russell terriers are small and cute. Dobermans are enormous and--handsome. More tellingly, Uggie plays a nice little mascot who does tricks and saves his master's life in one of the firms, while Blackie gives an uncompromising performance as a ferocious guard dog who terrorizes children."

The Culinary Canine is doing some lobbying of its own to try and get Kimpton Hotels, the site of the awards and the wonderful sponsors of our launch parties in three cities, to put a copy of the book in each gift bag. Maybe we should start our own write-in campaign.

Would you lend your support?