With This Paw I Thee Wed?

Remember My Best Friend's Wedding, the movie where Julia Roberts and Dylan McDermott (or is it Dermot Mulroney?) promised to marry each other by the time they were 27 or some crap (they both looked not a day under 40)? That kind of scenario happens all the time. But what if your best friend is a dog? Do you marry your dog? Surely not. But...

A 29-year-old Ghanaian woman named Emily Mabou has done just that. I'd laugh if I thought I was laughing with her, but she's serious as a heart attack.

Is this what it's coming to now, ladies? Are we marrying our dogs? I'd maybe do it if it got me a spread in People magazine...

Thanks Jessica for the link

Cloning: Seeing Double

Do you have an extra $150,000 just lying around? Yeah, me neither. 

But that's what it'll cost you to clone your beloved dog when they move on from this cruel world. Laboratories in Korea are currently taking bids from dog owners, who supply their late pup's DNA, which is then implanted into a surrogate.

Sounds simple enough, but is it Playing God? Not to mention that for every dog cloned, another homeless pup will end up in a shelter. On the other side of the coin, how wonderful would it be to always know that you and your best friend never really have to part?

Take away the ridiculous price tag — would you clone your dog? I'd have to say I probably would — although I'd sleep with one eye open. Come on, Pet Sematary (it's the correct spelling, I Googled it!) anyone? I'll admit it, as soon as I heard about this awesomeness, I stopped throwing out those pesky pennies at the bottom of my purse and started rolling my change collection. I even asked my Dad for a loan (he said NO). I think I have about $36.79. I'm on my way!

I'll Love You Forever...Literally.

So everyone knows I have B's name tattooed on my arm (she inadvertently cuddles with it above), and I know a few other cool people who have done the same to honor their pup. As beautiful as I find B's face to be, I think her name is as far as I'll be able to take it because I can already hear my mother and her catchphrase: "What are you going to tell your children?"

But there are some dog owners who have more guts than me. Some of the best ones I've seen:

A face only an owner could love

A Corgi trifecta

DJ? Or McDonalds drive-thru manager?

Love the idea of a Polaroid

Who likes martinis? The dog or the owner? I'm confused.

Me in 2 years?

On a disturbing side note, while looking up photos of dog tattoos, I stumbled upon images of dogs WITH tattoos! What the fuck? I'm not sharing any of those, or the links, because it's disgusting, disturbing and I don't want to promote that shit. :(

Do you have a tattoo devoted to your dog? What's the story behind it?

Have Dog, Will Travel

I have serious separation anxiety when it comes to Bella. She, on the other hand, couldn't care less. If I don't take her with me when I travel, my entire trip is racked with guilt — and hourly phone calls to the wonderful friend who's babysitting, asking for proof-of-life photos.

But whenever I go home to Orlando (always at Christmas and usually in March when I get the SADs and can no longer stand the cold), I take B so she can see my parents/brother, unmake every bed in their house and sunbathe in the backyard (but not without SPF for the bald spots). 

The big problem with traveling with her is that I am in complete panic mode until we touch down in Orlando. Will Bella put up a fight when I put her in her travel bag? Will her sleepy-time pill wear off early? Will Bella chew her way out of her bag while I'm sleeping and terrify the old lady sitting next to me? How many time is that dog-hating flight attendant gonna give me the side eye? These have all been problems at some point in the last 5 years. 

Now, there's an easier, less stressful way to travel with your pets. I give you Pet Airways. Sure, it seems pricey ($199 for one-way travel between NYC and LA), but the regular airlines charge just as much — and make you keep the dog under your seat all cramped-like (unless it's more than 20lbs, and then it's banished to the baggage compartment). Not to mention they make you check your luggage and then charge you more. With Pet Airways, each pet gets its own "seat" complete with a "Pet Attendant" who routinely checks on them and takes them for potty breaks.

Would you fly Pet Airways? Is it worth the money? 

The Lady Will Have a Bowl of Water

There was once a time when I'd get angry anytime I saw some drunk fool with their dog propped up on a barstool. And then I became that person. Although I always made sure to keep myself at a two-drink minimum, there have been times I wasn't the most responsible dog mother (like the time I found Bella in the bathroom at HiFi, see above photo). Needless to say, we don't do that anymore.

But if you and your dog like to hit up the local watering holes, there are a lot of dog-friendly bars in NYC.

What do you think? Is it irresponsible for owners to bring their dogs to bars?

Sit. Stay. Blog. It's my first post!

After years of saying "I should write about what I know," I'm finally putting pen to paper, er, fingers to the keyboard. My objective with this blog is to share what anyone who knows me knows all too well — I freaking love my dog! (And if you've ever met Bella, you know it's hard NOT to). 

But it's not all about Bella. She's just the inspiration. It's about anything remotely cool that's going on in the dog kingdom (or is it genus?). I'm a sucker for dogs who adopt tigers when their moms abandon them, dogs rescued by soldiers in Iraq, dogs who can detect health problem in their owners and call 911, dogs who headbang. You get the picture.

But also, I want to hear your stories of puppy love and all that comes with it: pooping on the floor, peeing on the bathroom rugs, pooping on the kitchen counter, getting stuck behind the TV, etc. OK, maybe these are all my problems. Honestly, what dog jumps up on the kitchen counter just to poop?

Anyhoo, that's my questionably pathetic story. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy!

xo Kathleen