German Village Halloween Pet Parade

This past Saturday was the annual Halloween Pet Parade in German Villgage. It was a pretty big turn out. Hot Dog in the City, Saffron, did not attend because she was feeling a little under the weather. Her canine sis Simone went in her place as "Miss October".

We saw friends, Sydney and Bourbon there, as well as a number of other pups who've been to the shop who weren't as cooperative about having their picture taken.

Gresso's had their Pups on the Patio Halloween costume contest last night and it rained. Booo!

This Saturday as part of the Short North Highball Halloween, there will be a pet parade on High St.. It starts at 5:30pm.. Look for Saffron or Simone all dolled up and strutting their stuff!

Halloween and Your Dog.

I love Halloween. I always have. Loved going out as a kid (and young teen) and I still dress up every year. Last year I was Reagan from the Exorcist and this year I'm going as Medusa. But, this post isn't about me. It's about our dogs.
Some dogs do like clothes. So a costume for them may not be a big deal. But, then you get the dog who freezes in their tracks and doesn't move until the sweater comes off. So, a Halloween costume may not be a great idea for them. Costumes on people can be a scary thing for dogs too. Seeing one of their family members dressed as a pirate with a sword and an eye patch is enough to send some dogs flying under the bed. Remember that scene from E.T.? So, here's some tips on how to make my favorite holiday a little easier on your pets...
Well, I touched on the first point--costumes. Use discretion in dressing up your dog. Maybe try one piece of the ensemble at a time. If they show signs of anxiety or fear, don't press it. Taking a dog trick-or-treating can be regrettable as well. Some fearful dogs can become aggressive, so maybe leave the dog at home.
If you're staying at home with your dog and the sound of the doorbell drives them nuts, hang outside with your candy and a warm coat or blanket. On my street, everyone sits outside anyway, exchanging candy and making ourselves nauseous (that's part of Halloween right?). Most of us know that chocolate and other candies (esp. ones made with Xylitol) are bad for animals, but make sure your kids know too. If you can't be outside, restrict your dog's access to the front door and make sure their I.D. is current just in case. Halloween is kind of like July 4th--dogs get scared and when they're scared, they run. Keep a TV on or music--something to drown out the squealing kids and make them feel more comfortable.
The one thing that always upsets me about Halloween is the fact that some people do bad things to animals, for whatever dimented reason. Working at a Vet. hospital, I've seen it with cats mostly. But please don't leave your pets unattended on or around Halloween. I won't go into details, just keep them inside.
And lastly...Fire bad. Candles or jack-o-lanterns and wagging tails do not mix.
Have a great Halloween! Send me some pics and I'll post them.

Rosie and Wellington!

TOY SALE!

Yes, it's that time of year again. The holidays are right around the corner--can you believe it?!?! Get a head start on your shopping (we know we're not the only ones who buy gifts for our pets!) at Lots to Wag About. All toys are 20% off during the month of October.
We have toys for major chewers, plush toys for dogs who can actually keep a toy for more than 5 minutes including organic, recycled and toys made in the U.S.. We have toys for tuggers, slobberers and fetchers too. We also have some great cat toys--flashing ones, shaking ones, catnip ones of course, and ones that make noises like field mice.
Come on in and find the perfect toy for your perfect (or not so much) pet. We want to help you find the RIGHT toy that will last and make your pet happy.

Chicago trade show and NEW STUFF!

Oh boy, there was a lot of new products to peruse this past weekend at the Backers show in Chicago! Some impressive things make from recycled materials which I'm looking to bring into the shop. I love the interactive toys--ya' know things to keep bored dogs from tearing up the house (or is that just my dogs?) and I liked the Canine Genius line quite a bit. So I've got a lot of materials to go through this week to decide what new items we'll be bringing in. If there's anything in particular anyone would like to see, let me know!

I wasn't supposed to take pictures there, but I couldn't resist this cat. His name is Tony (yes, I said Tony) and he just hung out in his stroller, like you would think a cool cat named Tony would do.