Move over Rudolph!

Brrrr, it sure is chilly these days, even in sunny California! I guess I need to explain my absence in posting for the past few months... first of all the dog I had reserved was canceled due to health issues found when she got spayed. Then I changed jobs in mid-Oct. without taking any breaks and I've just been working my butt off! But good news, I've been approved by a local breeder to adopt a puppy from her upcoming litter to be born in late Dec./early Jan.!! While my Coton de Tulear breed will be too big for this kind of attire, with the Christmas parties and festivities along the way, how about dressing up your lil' pup as Santa this year? Cute dog jacket in red and white are on sale at Trendy Puppy for only $14. Move over Rudolph, the pooches are driving the sled this year!

Burberry Dog Collection

Apologies for the lapse in posting, I had a wonderful week in Santa Fe minus my laptop - pure bliss and liberating for sure! So here's a continuation of some high-end designer gear from the Sept. New York Pet Fashion Week.

Now that October is around the corner, don't you love those gorgeous chunky sweaters you're starting to see in boutiques everywhere? Well the pet collections are on top of their game too! This Burberry doggie sweater ($255) will surely keep your pampered pooch warm this winter, and would be a perfect compliment to your Burberry coat if you own one! It's knit a bit loosely so your dog feels cozy and comfy and will never go out of style as it's the trad Burberry design. Care to fetch one? They're only available in select Burberry boutiques so you'll need to inquire directly to see which location carries this in stock:1-866-589-0499 (open 24/7.)

NY Pet Fashion Week Report - Hermès

Fall is the time for new designer collections and magazines get bulky with tons of new designer glam, yum!

Recently, pampered pooches are following the trend and now have their own runway show; the NY Pet Fashion Week. Aside from the "dog-walk" it includes awards for high design in the pet industry, and an exhibition of the best in “fragrances, grooming products, bedding, and toys.” I'll be featuring some uber-glam items from some of my favorite brands for a few days so stay tuned!! Window shopping is always free and maybe my doggie can audition for the next runway show :-) If she can be a Super Model doggie she can afford to pay for her own designer glam. But first I'll need to have her practice her dog-walk :-) Know a good trainer?

Hermès

Ahhh, the beauty and sophistication of Hermès! I love this gorgeous blue as it reminds me of the beautiful beach in South France. Accented with the signature Hermes silver buckle, this collar and leash is to-die-for. Hermès was founded in 1837 as a saddlery company and gradually evolved into what it is today. They've transferred their knowledge of making saddles and reigns for horses into making collars and leashes for dogs. The dog collar and leash are made of rough togo leather in blue jean color, the collar comes with a Hermès lock which can be engraved with the name of the dog as well as owners contact information. The leash comes in standard sizes, whilst the collar must be custom made in order to perfectly fit the dog.

Leather dog leash, $550, leather dog collar, $550, both Hermès, visit usa.hermes.com or the NY Madison Ave. flagship store to order.

Keep em' busy! Puzzles for Dogs

My friend and I were exchanging info on how to keep your dog busy and we saw this doggie puzzle at a pet shop the other day. It's a plush toy and comes in a few different styles and sizes. You're supposed to put the plush animals inside and your dog pulls them out and becomes "fascinated"!!! Really??? I'm not sure if the dog has a preference over squirrels or bees, but it sure is cute and I'm tempted to get one :-) They sell for $10.99 + up online and I imagine I'll have more fun than my dog!

Doggielicious fave site sale!

A stylish online dog retailer, GW Little, is having a one day sale! On Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 1) you can get 10% off at checkout if you use coupon code: LAZYDOG. Time to stock up for your doggie! The Teddy Hoodie for small dogs are totally adorable and on sale. These pink corduroy hoodies, lined and trimmed in luxurious faux fur, also feature a pocket with a removable squeaking teddy bear to stay with them wherever they roam. Button hole for harness attachment too! Awww, so cute!

Lead Me!

"Mommy, mommy, it's time for my walk!! Arf, arf!"

I've come across a few of these Avant Garde retractable dog leashes in some pet boutiques and bumped into a design that I just couldn't resist. The handle is very well designed and ergonomically easy to hold, and the retractable leash locks with a click. Five stars for a well-designed, yet very practical doggie lead for $39. My small lead extends up to 9 ft. and holds up to 14 lbs. (I think they have larger sizes too.) The black nylon lead matches any collar or harness design, and is also nice in the rainy weather.

I bought the pink Prep design, but they have more macho designs like Rambo shown here. Go to the 26barsandaband.com website to check the designs and shop! You can get a 15% off coupon if you sign up on their site.

The Ultimate Diva Doggie Bed

I guess I'm on a Hollywood trek... here's a fitting doggie bed for your pampered pooch if you live in La La Land (a.k.a. Los Angeles.) Would your doggie like a Vintage Mink Sleigh Bed, or a divine Blue Toile Tuffett? What puzzles me is that both beds say "Hand Wash and Air Dry" ... well, I sure wouldn't try soaking this in my tub!

Goldendoodle

When my friend sent me this link about Perez Hilton's dog, Teddy, I couldn't resist investigating more on this adorable Goldendoodle breed.

http://perezhilton.com/2008-08-13-were-a-proud-poppa-2

Apparently, the Goldendoodle gets its name from its mixed heritage - golden retriever and poodle, duh! Goldendoodles are a hybrid dog, a first generation cross, and as such they exhibit hybrid vigour. This is a phenomenon in animal breeding referring to the fact that the first cross between two unrelated purebred lines is healthier and grows better than either parent line. Goldendoodles were first deliberately bred in North America as a larger version of the popular Cockapoo around the mid 1990s. Their non/light shedding coats and ability to live with families with allergies has made them very popular companions, just like the Cotons.

Teddy is featured in In Touch Weekly with Perez so I hear he's busy signing "pawtographs" these days. In Doggielympics Teddy Hilton certainly takes the Gold vs. Paris' dog :-)

Hugs!

On my quest for the perfect and safe seating for future outings, I came across an interesting "car seat" for dogs. The seat belt secures the plush "animal" onto your car seat, and your dog can cozily rest in the arms of a dog, frog, or monkey, whatever he/she fancies!! There's a clip to attach to the harness so your dog has limited mobility to jump around. I dunno if this is very safe or comfy, but I'll admit it's an irresistibly cute design. You can get it online at solutions.com if your doggie wants to be hugged!!

Doggie Day Care Shuttle

As I was surfing the web for dog walkers and doggie day care, why wouldn't our Silicon Valley pooches have the luxury of being delivered to their owners after play time like lil' kindergartners? Planet Pooch has a morning drop-off and evening delivery service, and every Thursday their shuttle will drive your dog pick up and deliver your dogs to areas to three locations: Foster City, Oracle and Mountain View (CA.) No extra charge for this service so it's a great deal if you work nearby and it's a hassle to get to Planet Pooch. So funny this reminded me of my school bus days, pretty cute and convenient! Honestly, I think their shuttles look better than our inter-campus shuttles, LOL.

Puppy bankets

Move over human babies, doggies have a right to be pampered too!

Modern Basics manufactures hip mod pillows, home and baby products and I found the perfect small fleece "Boo Blanket" for my doggie. Available in various designs and colors, these are so soft, easy to wash and comes in two size selections of small (24 x 24 inches) or large (30 x 40 inches.) I bought the pink Bubbles blanket to compliment the dark grey interior of my car seat, very nice contrast!

Is it snack time yet?

This cute little doggie treat holder "Biskit" can attach to your leash or anything that has a loop. So posh, it's a must-have for your daily walk! I ordered mine yesterday and chose pink to compliment my black Juicy Couture leash and collar set. What a diva doggie my Coton will be!! The clever design with a roll-over door provides easy access to your doggie's favorite treat. This is again from United Pets (an Italian brand) the same brand that I previously featured for the dry dog food / treat container. Well, luckily you don't need to treck all the way to Italy cuz it's imported to the U.S. Get it online at Rocco and Jezebel!!

Closet Space

So I guess Carrie Bradshaw isn't the only one who needs more closet space. Check out this Bon Amoire Closet ** made exclusively to house your dog's wardrobe! And the tiny little hangers are so chic, what else do we need to design for our little companions? Ah, that's right! I don't think I've seen any Manolos for dogs just yet....

**(The images are small, so click on Bon Amoire Closet above to go to the website to get a full view.)

Care for a swim?

With summer in full swing, I'm sure a lot of doggies are enjoying the beach and pool like us! The neat Fydo water-resistant dog collar by Teafco is definitely a must-buy if you're pooch is aiming to compete in the Doggie-lympics (is there such a thing??) It comes in tons of colors and there are no sharp studs or uncomfortable buckles to harm your dog. Further more the Fydo collars come complete with a smooth profile name tag that you can personalize with your pet’s name, license details and contact information. Get yours at Amazon.com for just $16.99!

Ciao Bella!

Allow me to introduce my friend Lisa's gorgeous Chihuahua, Bella!

"Ciao! My name is Bella and I'm an energetic princess. My mommy loves to dress me in my cute sweaters, and I've gotta say my wardrobe is VOGUE! Just cuz I'm tiny, people tend to think I'm a frail little doggie, but let it be known, I do rule!! Giggle.

The other day my mommy thought I wanted a sibling and brought home, a Yorkie. Geesh those Yorkies have so much HAIR!!! She was sweet and all, but I knew I had to let everyone know that I'm the princess around here and there is no such thing as "second-in-line." But they kept petting her so I decided to retreat to my house and send my message. U see, I wouldn't mind a BF or a large dog, but having another petite breed around the house is a no, no!! I need to protect my VOGUE wardrobe and just don't believe in sharing. Can u imagine all that hair on my sweater and they'll definitely stretch, she is chubbier than me. I think she should rent her stuff from ELLE. She's more casual so I think it suits her. Anyhow, mommy and daddy got the message (hurray!) and I'm still an only child. Of course I can be nice and still do play dates if she promises to behave. See you again!"

Shaggedelic!

Who can deny that shaggy long haired dogs are cute! But behind the scenes there are great efforts to maintain the coat and the Coton breed is no different. Hearing experiences from various Coton owners, grooming and maintenance are a key component of a Coton ownership so the hair doesn't mat. Surfing around, I found a pretty concise pet care class in the bay area called "Kim's Basic Pet Care Class." In a 2 hr. session, you'll learn pretty much all the basics necessary.

[Course Agenda]
Nail clipping, ear care, brushing and de-matting. Proper bathing techniques, anal glands. Grooming products, including shampoos, conditioners, brushes, combs, mat breakers, and thinning scissors. Teeth, diet and supplements. Foxtails, burrs, and other irritants. Skin problems... and so much more!

I just took a cooking class at Draeger's on Friday and the best thing was the chef taught us wasn't so much the recipe but the quick side tips like how to determine if the grilled meet is rare, med. or well done by using the palm of your hand and fingers, taking the avocado pit off your knife, etc., etc. You see, even if you think you know the basics, its always good to keep learning.
I can't wait to take Kim's class on the pet basics, this should be fun!

Camouflage

If you're a mid-sized dog owner, thinking of upgrading the side table in your living room and can spend $525, here's the perfect new addition to your house!

The Den Haus pet crate is a furniture-disguised-crate that can seamlessly fit into your decor and not cause an eye sore of a typical pet crate. With the door closed, who would ever imagine that this is a dog crate? Of course you pay for the design, but it sure is a nice camouflage! I so want one....

Yappy Hour!

"It's Friday, crack open the beer and celebrate!!!!! Who said Happy Hour was just for humans? We deserve a Yappy Hour too, arf, arf! My Happy Tail Ale beer is made of artisan water, choice malted barley, all-natural beef drippings, fortified with Glucosamine and Vitamin E! The only downside is it isn't alcohol so it takes some courage to hit on the chicks in the bar. It's also not carbonated like the one my daddy drinks, but that's OK, I don't like to burp in front of those cute Yorkie puppies. Gotta run, see you at the bar tonight!

Love,

Kodi the mascot dog for Happy Tail Ale"

Paw-friendly Cleaning Product

I was roaming around my local pharmacy and came across a cleaning product sale. To my delight my favorite house-cleaning brand, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, has released a pet cleaning line! Mrs. Meyers is an awesome line, think Aveda for humans. It's organic, made with natural and organic oil and smells absolutely wonderful. I love their window cleaner, dish soaps so I'm confident their pet products won't disappoint! Surely your pet will appreciate that you're not using harsh chemicals to keep him or her tidy.

Can't find them in your local grocery store or pharmacy? No worries, they're on sale online till 7/27! Will you get the pet wipes, the oatmeal shampoo, or odor removing carpet cleaner?

Boo a.k.a. Snow White & Pal

OMG, I found out that Erica, a colleague at work owns a Coton!! How crazy is this since these breeds are so rare! Today Boo, Erica's darling Coton is guest blogging on Doggielicious. Welcome Boo!

"Arf, arf! Nice to meet you, I'm Pikaboo, a.k.a. “Boo”, a Coton de Tulear (left pic.)

When my mommy decided to get a dog, my grand mommy went all the way and did some serious digging to compare different breeds. They found out Cotons were incredibly cute, don't shed much and have very few health problems. Too good to be true! After learning that Cotons rock, they went on a quest to find me and I totally melted when mommy and grand mommy cuddled me for the first time. You know the warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you fall in love? I knew immediately that I belonged with them!!! Since then, I'm one happy camper with tons of energy and just love to socialize.

My playtime with Zoe, my grand mommy's Yorkie (right pic.) is a riot! She's a brunette, five years younger than me by human age, but since I'm "Snow White" I usually steal the show. You know what I mean, blondes have more fun ;-) When we're together, Zoe loves to follow me around and always wants my toy. Man, so much for lil' sisters! One thing we're always competing over is grand mommy time. I think it's a bit unfair cuz Zoe gets to live with her and I only get to see her once in a while. But oh well, lil' Zoe is too young to understand what "share" means, so I usually let it go.

I'm excited to learn that the owner of this blog is going to get a Coton and can't wait to meet my new pal. I'll need to connect with my new pal on dogster.com when she's adopted and show her how to upload her profile. Ooops, my Bowberry calendar alarm is telling me it's time for dinner so gotta run now! Zoe has the new iBone 3G so I'll have to check out Doggielicious blog on her gadget soon. She said she likes the widgets since they're very paw-friendly. TTYL!"

Peek-a-Boo!

Awwww, these are the cutest dry dog food containers on earth! The CROCK is an absolutely adorable creation by Italian super designer, Stefano Giovannoni. Now your dog won't be the only one in all smiles at feeding time!! BTW, if the name sounds familiar, yes, Giovannoni is also contracted by ALESSI, Italy's great kitchen/household item manufacturer (you can read about his other ALESSI kitchen items on my other blog: http://recommendthebest.blogspot.com/.) The $39 CROCK can store dry food, dogggie treats and the tail detaches as the spoon, LOL. Sure it won't hold a huge bag of food, but you can keep this container near the feeding station as a "handy" version (dimensions are 8.5" x 11.25".) I can't wait to get mine and since I can't decide which color, I think I'll order both!!!!

Simply Fido

I don't have my dog yet but every time I pass a pet store, I'm getting sucked in and spending tons of time checking out possible acquisitions for my new pal-to-be. I'm having the "expecting mommy" craves and in my case, it's not salty food but cravings for dog shops!!!!

Using Yelp, I've been listing top local doggie shops and the other day I spent an hour at Bowlicious doggie boutique in the Stanford Mall (Palo Alto, CA.) Unfortunately, I couldn't buy any of the cute clothes they had on sale as I don't know the exact size of my dog, but I walked away with a Simply Fido organic dog toy which is the most plush stuffed animal I've ever held. The all natural fabric toy uses an organic dye that is totally safe and harmless to your dog, this is totally smart! Lately with the China tot toy scare, this certainly caught my eye and I snatched up a petite lemon-yellow bunny that I'm sure my new companion will love. Boy do I spoil!

Doggie Play Date & Sirus Doggie Training

Last weekend was my debut at a Coton De Tulear Doggie play date! While I still don't own a Coton just yet, the owners who came with their Cotons were very friendly and nice. Here are pics from the 10 am play date at Crissy Fields in San Francisco. The dogs were unleashed and 25+ Cotons romped around in the sand like crazy, and they were sooooooo adorable! Someone was remarking that this is the first breed they've ever seen where the dogs are so friendly with each other and don't bark like crazy. Totally agree!

There are many doggie training classes available, but according to Gloria, the breeder who kindly invited me to the play date, the Sirus method seems to be the best. They have 19 training locations in the bay area and it's taught by Dr. Dunbar who taught the world's very first puppy class, so that his Alaskan Malamute puppy could attend school. In those days, puppies had to be 6 months or older, but in reality, puppies need to be trained much earlier. Sounds like humans! Click here for the Sirus Dog Training site.

I will be sure to enroll my doggie in this class and look forward to more tips and education from Gloria, she is sooooo nice!!!!

My "Coton" Cady!

I recently found out that my condo will change the "one cat" policy to a "one cat or one dog" policy and am just ecstatic!! I haven't had a pet since my beloved kitty passed away last Oct., and while I love him dearly and miss him much, I think it's time to look for a new companion. I was told that the dog policy will likely have many restrictions and naturally limit the size of the dog, probably just small sized breeds will be allowed. That's okay! I don't need an Alaskan Huskie since I don't own a sleigh.

So I started my due diligence to see what darling breeds I might consider, and came across this adorable Coton de Tulear breed. Don't you think they look like teddy bears??? How cute are they! The breed seems to be very friendly, funny and they're used to traveling. Ooooo, my heart is pretty set on this little munchkin!