Keep Austin Dog Friendly

Pups Give back at Paggi House Dec. 12, Pawliday at the Driskill & Gingerbread Doghouse making at Austin TerrierDec. 11

2011-12-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

Lucy Gives Back

Pup’s 1st birthday celebration benefitting Austin Pets Alive!

WHAT: Paggi House General Manager, Derick Wagle, is welcoming all pet lovers to celebrate his dog Lucy’s first birthday with a pup-tastic happy hour that’s sure to make tails wag. Benefiting Austin Pets Alive, Paggi House will be unleashing happy hour food specials as well as complimentary eggnog and cider to give back to the very organization that saved Lucy’s life a few short months ago. Pups are invited too, so bring your pal and help celebrate Lucy.

WHEN: Monday, December 12

5pm-7pm

WHERE: Paggi House

200 Lee Barton Drive

Austin, TX 78704

TICKETS: $10 at the door or pre-pay online at http://lucygivesback.eventbrite.com

WEB: www.paggihouse.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Annual Pawliday Party at the Driskill

When: 12/11/2011

1 p.m. - 3 p.m.Mezzanine

As winner of Animal Fair magazine's most "pet friendly hotel," the Driskill doesn't forget about your special family member during the holidays. This fundraising event for Austin Pets Alive! is presented in conjunction with Lofty Dog. Activities include a Green Carpet Dog Walk fashion show with MC Nolan Cruz from Mutts & Masters radio talk show, photos with Santa, Blessing of the Pets and special goodies for all. Austin Pets Alive! will have several foster dogs on site, all in need of a home for the holidays. For the masters, a cash bar on our famous Sixth Street balcony features Salty Dogs, Pink Poodles, Poinsetters, Greyhounds and other appropriately named cocktails.

$10 fee per pet to benefit Austin Pets Alive!
Rules of Entry

Valet Parking Information for the Annual Pawliday Party
Guests joining us will receive validated valet parking for $10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An Evening of Gingerbread Doghouse Making at Austin Terrier

EVENT DATE/TIME

Dec 11, 2011
4:00 pm until 7:00 pm

DESCRIPTION

Graham crackers, icing and gum drops on top, if I eat anymore I think I might pop! Join us and create a Gingerbread Doghouse to take home at the Austin Terrier Sunday, December 11th at 4PM. Supplies will be provided.

COST

FREE

LOCATION

Austin Terrier
3435 Greystone Drive
Austin, TX

View map »

ADDITIONAL INFO

Sponsor	Austin Terrier
Phone	512-369-3751
Contact name	Austin Terrier Team
Contact email	jrd@austinterrier.com
Website	http://www.austinterrier.com

Why I Show Dogs in Sports

2011-12-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

I wrote this post almost 2 years ago right after @MousetheDog earned his 22nd and 23rd titles, but I never found the right time to post it. I truly feel that some of the more valuable lessons I've learned came from dog showing. @MousetheDog was my first dog, and he was a spectacular and exceptionally well-tempered and forgiving creature. I'm so lucky that he tolerated all my mistakes.
Now that he's nearing the end of his competitive career, I'm starting this process over again with another teammate. The goal of this post isn't to encourage others to start showing their dogs, but to remind myself of all the lessons I've learned over the last decade. I'm going to use these lessons as I start off with my new partner in canine (I love puns), @VestaTheDog. @MousetheDog's new job will be to teach her all that he knows, and Basil's new job will be to keep our new little tyke in line.

The Roman Reign Posse, in a shark.
I love my dogs. It doesn't take long for someone to realize that I'm borderline-dog-show person. The only way I get to stay on the sane side is by being equally immersed in other activities. This blog post isn't entirely about dogs, it is most much about what I've learned through showing dogs. I've showed, trained, handled, and judged (not in all activities) dogs in conformation, weight pull, drafting, rally, herding, water rescue, packing, and obedience. Needless to say, I was exposed to many different breeds and many different types of dog owners. And the politics in the dog world is tremendous. The movie, Best in Show was a severe understatement of what really goes on at dog shows. Dog show politics makes any other type of politics (including governmental) look like a walk in the park on a sunny day when the birds are chirping. I heard that horse show politics are worse, but I'll avoid that for the time being.

Showing dogs has made me a more patient and understanding person. Showing dogs can be the ultimate test of persistence, and it can frustrate you to no end. After all, the essence of handling a dog in the show ring is that you and the dog have to work together like a team. That's right. That animal that would rather hump your leg is supposed to do what you ask. Furthermore, that dog doesn't speak English. I tend to laugh when people complain about their students or their employees. At least human students and employees speak English (or another spoken language) and can be reasoned with in some logical fashion. A dog cannot. A dog does not care to learn your way of communication nor does the dog really care about what you want.

"Mom, I don't speak English. I speak dog."

Motivating the unmotivated: Mouse wakes up in the morning with a few things on his mind: I want to pee, I want to poop, I want to eat cat poop, and I want to find something to gnaw. While he didn't tell me that himself, I'm just going to guess that is what's on his mind. Dogs are not motivated to do what humans want them to do in general, and it certainly is true for some activities like competitive obedience. Some of the exercises in competitive obedience are pretty unnatural for a dog in the wild (ex. sitting perfectly still for one minute, heeling with precision, or retrieving an object with a jump in between). Teaching a dog that doesn't speak your language to be motivated to perform unnatural exercises in unpredictable environments is a pretty big feat. To do that requires a great deal of creativity in communication and motivation.

One thing that you'll learn in showing dogs is that the handler is wrong 99.99995% of the time. Let's just round that up to 100% of the time. I've learned in dog shows that I'm always wrong. Everything that doesn't go as planned is my fault. Either I gave the wrong hand signal, or maybe I set up dog up to miss a turn, or maybe I didn't proof my dog for a certain distraction, or I got flustered and made my dog misjudge my commands - it is always my fault. Being wrong in dog shows all the time makes taking responsibility for being wrong in other realms so much easier. I'll say it now. I'm human, and like all humans, I'm wrong from time to time. I try not to be wrong, and I try to fix my wrongs. But I'm pretty sure I'll mess up here and there.

There are more microcultures in dog shows than there are in the Center for Disease Control. I tried to break down all the groups, but that list just got out of control. There are at least 30 or more microcultures, and learning to navigate all these different microcultures is a challenge. But however it makes drives home the point that in order to work with all these groups of people with completely different attitudes, one must truly understand them and their motivations. This becomes even more important when companies try to market to these different groups. Marketing plans are not always generalizable.

Showing dogs has taught me deal with arbitrary rules and regulations. Dog show can be rules are pretty silly an useless. In a particular draft dog test, a dog can fail an entire test for moving their feet during the greet a stranger exercise. Yes, a dog could simply fail for shuffling their feet. Seems silly, but rules are rules. In competitive obedience, the handler is only allowed to give the dog one command. No where in practical life would you only give a dog a single command, but again, those are the rules. In dog shows, changing rules and regulations takes years, and by the time a rule has been changed, your dog has passed prime show time. I typically follow rules I don't agree with, but as is life.

"I like to eat cupcakes."
There is no one way, and there's no "expert." All dog are different, and all handlers are different. I don't believe there's a single one and only way to train a dog as I don't believe there's only one way to market or to use social media. Also, in dog training, I don't believe in experts. While there are many people who are extremely knowledgeable and highly experienced that I look to for mentorship, those people are always learning and changing their techniques. They do not claim to be experts, but they do claim to keep learning. I hope that I'll keep learning my entire life, and if I ever call myself an expert, someone please kick me.

Through showing dogs, it is nearly impossible to embarrass me. Let's just say that my lovely dog, Mouse, was a character, and he had embarrassed me in the ring to no end. From picking up a a piece of a mop and frolicking about the ring in his cart in front of the entire national club members to jumping a ring to pee on a tree, I'm not embarrassed anymore. Mouse is a dog, and he does things that dogs do. Life goes on, no matter how foolish your dog makes you look at a dog show.

I wasn't dancing. Mouse and the sheep almost tripped me. That's pretty typical. Photo by Yvonne Schoeber.
I'm accustomed to failure and criticism. I fail because I try. I've been asked many times how I manage to do so well in so many areas. The answer is 1. Because I'm type A and 2. Because before there were many successes, there were many failures. @Jason talks about this many times This week in Startup, and I think that it is a common motto for many people who try many ventures. Failures are a learning experience. Every failure leads you closer to success. Criticism can be a hard pill to swallow, but I've found that people who give me constructive criticism do it because they care and want me to succeed. If I wasn't given ways to improve, I'd stagnate and stay the same. If you hadn't seen Randy Pausch's Last Lecture on criticism, do so now.

Support is critical. Dog people are extremely supportive. Check out this card my trainer sent me when Mouse earned his companion dog title (below). My trainers are pretty darn awesome. In my group of friends in the dog community, we all treat each other like family. Even with friends across the country, they know that I'm available anytime of the day (literally) if they need me, and they are available anytime I need them. I remember being woken up one morning at 5 am to a phone call demanding that I evacuate to Virginia due to Hurricane Rita. If I didn't leave now and drive up to them, them were going to come down to get me. That's how much they cared, and that's how supportive they were. Another friend I met through my breed club was so supportive that two days prior to his passing, he emailed to congratulate my dog and I on our recent achievements. He never let on that his cancer had severely worsened, and even when he was the one in need of support; he thought of me first.

With that said, showing dogs makes you really reprioritize your life. For the most part, many of my mentors in the dog show world are older, and when working with an older population, death is inevitable. I would hazard to guess that I've lost at least 25 friends in the dog show world in the last seven years. When some of your strongest supporters and wisest mentors pass, it makes you really rethink your life and how you spend your time. One of my biggest influencers passed away from a heart attack on the day I gave a lecture about finding your mentor. That was kind of rough, but it makes me care a whole bunch less about little things and more about people.

Also, dogs are earnest. You can't fool a dog. They can tell when you are nervous, upset, or tired as they can read body language much better than humans can. You're better off being honest because your dog will be.

Religious Services for Pets in Austin

2011-11-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

About a year ago (Dec. 2010), someone called me on Christmas Day. Their beloved pet was near the end of life, and the person wanted to take their pet somewhere for spiritual services. I researched a few places, and I came up with this list of places/people who may be open to providing those services for pets. This list may change as church policies change. I'm happy to edit this list. Just email me the changes at Jennie@ roman reign.com.

Bethany in Anderson Mill 10010 Anderson Mill Road Austin, TX 78750-2199 (512) 258-6017
Cristo Rey Catholic Church 2215 East 2nd Street Austin, TX 78702
(512) 477-1099
First United Methodist Church 500 East Pecan Street in downtown Pflugerville
St Louis King of France Catholic Church 7601 Burnet Road Austin, Texas 78757 (512) 454-2010
St. David Episcopal Church 301 East 8th Street Austin, TX 78701-3280
(512) 610-3500
@JosephHMoore

Pints for Pups @HopsandGrain Dec. 3rd

2011-11-18T16:19:00.001-08:00

PAWS Shelter and Humane Society Announces Fall Harvest Feast and Art Auction - Nov. 6th

2011-10-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

PAWS Shelter and Humane Society Announces Fall Harvest Feast and Art Auction
Enjoy a magnificent Mediterranean menu paired with locally crafted wine and beer, plus have an opportunity to bid on enchanting art from local artists, while helping local homeless and abandoned animals

Dripping Springs, Texas – October 18, 2011 – Enjoy a magnificent Mediterranean feast, and have an opportunity to bid on enchanting art from local artists, at the Fall Harvest Feast on Sunday, November 6, 2011, from 3pm – 6-pm at Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm. All proceeds benefit PAWS Shelter and Humane Society, a no kill animal shelter. PAWS has been able to serve our local communities since 1986 thanks to funds raised at events like this.

The Fall Harvest Feast will feature a mouth-watering menu prepared by Sibby Barrett at her Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm, located between Dripping Springs and Blanco. The exclusive Hill Country retreat is lauded nationally for its culinary creations and stunning setting. Sibby, who is currently featured in the October issue of "Edible Austin," will be using local and seasonal ingredients to pair perfectly with locally crafted beer and wine from Real Ale Brewing and Bell Springs Winery. The art auction will feature a stellar line-up of original art and limited editions.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.fallharvestfeast.com, email pawsevents@gmail.com, or call Beverly Cambron at (512) 673-0072.

The Fall Harvest Feast MenuTapas and Prosecco Pairings
House Made Focaccia with Harvest Grapes, Rosemary and Sea Salt
Sumptuous Antipasto and Salad Board
Gorgonzola Pasta
Pork and Chicken Braciole with Prosciutto and Provolone
Shrimp Limoncello
Pomegranate Fig Olive Tapenade Crostini
Italian Dessert Display
Cookies ~ Gelatos ~ Fresh Fruit Tarts

About PAWS Shelter and Humane SocietyThis year, PAWS Shelter and Humane Society, Hays County's only no-kill shelter for dogs and cats, celebrates its 25th Anniversary. PAWS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to caring for, protecting, and finding quality homes for abandoned and neglected animals. PAWS initiatives include aiding in the reduction of pet overpopulation, providing community education for the mutual benefit of animals and people, and the life-changing “Cell Dog” and “Visiting Pets” programs. For more information visit www.pawsshelter.org.

Dogtoberfest. Oct. 22, 10 am - 4pm

2011-10-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

Dogtoberfest is an Austin based, non-profit organization, created for the purpose of instilling awareness about Dog rescue, as well as raising much needed moneys for local dog rescue organizations. We have an annual event at The Domain, which includes a silent auction, Canine Costume Contest, pet related demonstrations and fun for all! Last year approximately 2,500 people and their canine companions attended this one day event and we expect many more in 2011!!

Mark your calendars now for Saturday, October 22, 10 am 'til 4 pm at the Domain in North Austin.

The following 8 local rescue groups will benefit from Dogtoberfest 2011:

Austin Boxer Rescue - Austin Dog Rescue - Austin Sheltie Rescue

Central Texas Dachshund Rescue - Heart of Texas Lab Rescue

Hound Rescue - Lifelong Friends Pet Adoptions - WeeRescue

Green Gala for Austin Animal Center and the Corgi Celebration in Buda,

2011-10-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

We've got two great events coming up: The Green Gala for the Austin Animal Center and the Corgi Celebration in Buda, TX.

On Saturday, October 22, 2011, Friends of Town Lake Animal Center will celebrate the new Austin Animal Center with Green Gala 2011. Friends of Town Lake Animal Center is hosting the Green Gala to help raise funds to purchase veterinary equipment, and to support future shelter needs such as spay/neuter vouchers, vaccination clinics, adoption drives – even dog treats!

After 50 years at the Town Lake location, the animal center will move this fall to a new, LEED Silver-certified facility. The theme for the gala emphasizes all the green aspects of the new animal shelter – keeping it local and uniquely Austin.

· Music will be supplied by The Hot Club of Cowtown, whose members not only live here in Austin but also adopted their dog Eva from Town Lake Animal Center (she might even make an appearance at the party!).

· Food, locally sourced and locally grown,will be served by Catering with a Twist, on biodegradable and recyclable dishes. Desserts by Whole Foods and Walton’s Fancy and Staple.

· Beverages are local, too, with Republic Tequila, Enchanted Rock Vodka, Live Oak Brewing Company, Paula’s Texas Spirits, Aliseoand Texas Tea all pitching in.

· The silent auction will feature special items from locally owned businesses and local artisans.

The Gala will be held on the grounds of the new Animal Center at 7201 Levander Loop.Tickets are on sale now. The cost is $75(Gala only)/$125(Gala and Sponsor Cocktail Hour) per person. Tickets may be purchased online at www.greengala2011.com.

Details

What: The Green Gala 2011 Benefiting the New Austin Animal Center

Who: Sponsored by Friends of Town Lake Animal Center

When: Saturday, October 22, 2011

• 6– 7 pm: Sponsor Cocktail Hour

• 7– 10 pm: Gala

Where: The New Austin Animal Center on The Betty Dunkerley Campus

7201 Levander Loop

Austin, TX 78721

Websites: Green Gala – http://www.greengala2011.com

Friends of TLAC - http://www.friendsoftlac.org/

New Austin Animal Center - http://www.friendsoftlac.org/newlocation.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 2011 Corgi Celebration will treat its visitors – human and canine – to a royal celebration of the breed. In its 9^th year, the October 29 event includes entertainment such as a rescue parade, silent auction, and costume contest. Public performance demonstrations offer education and information about dog sports and activities such as agility, herding, obedience, pet therapy, rally and tracking. In addition, the event offers Herding Instinct Testing (sanctioned by PWCCA) and AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing.

The focus of Corgi Celebration is education and support for future Corgi owners and fanciers. We champion this wonderful dog breed, and actively support rescue efforts for Corgis and other dogs.

Since 2003, Corgi Celebration participants have raised over $27,000 to celebrate the breed and support Texas-based Corgi rescue programs. Proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to Corgis and Critters N.E.T. Rescue, Inc., which is committed to helping Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Cardigan Welsh Corgis, and their mixes.

By royal proclamation, all Corgi fanciers and Corgis – with or without tails – are invited to attend! The Celebration takes place at 902 Canyon Wren Drive, Buda, Texas, 78610. Volunteers are welcome.

For more information about the event, visit: www.corgicelebration.com

EVENT CONTACT:

Jaime Bragg, Event Chair
overcorgis@austin.rr.com

Teeny’s Friends End of Summer Pawty - Sept. 24

2011-09-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

Teeny’s Friends End of Summer Pawty

Date: Saturday, September 24

Time: 1 pm to 5 pm

Location: Southpaws Playschool, 2324B South Lamar, 78704

All small breed dogs welcome! All activities are indoors and air-conditioned.

Goody bags—door prizes—dog cookies—chillin’ station—treasure dig—

Beauty Pawlor by Dirty Dog—demonstrations by Austin Doga and Wright Vibes Animal Massage

Admission: one dog toy or $5.

All proceeds will benefit Teeny’s Friends, a non-profit group that collects toys for shelter dogs. Keeping shelter dogs mentally stimulated and soothed helps the dogs to be more adoptable.

The group that has the most dogs in attendance wins a free party from Southpaws Playschool!

Zoom Room® Austin Rings in One-Year Anniversary

2011-07-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

Austin, TX – July 18, 2011 – Zoom Room®, the indoor agility training center and canine social club, is celebrating one year of success in Austin this month. The local business plans to commemorate their first year by hosting an all-day event on Friday, July 29, which will feature a tricks contest for the talented four-legged family members to strut their stuff, a Doggy Disco® party from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., including food, drinks, disco lights and music, and free agility lessons and promotions on top-of-the-line dog retail products and training classes.

Zoom Room Austin is located at 7739 Northcross Drive, Suite H, Austin, Texas. All donations received during the day’s event will benefit Austin Dog Alliance, a non-profit organization focused on improving the health and well being of individuals and families through programs that incorporate the powerful connection between dogs and humans. Those planning to attend the event are encouraged to RSVP in advance for the free agility classes and the Doggy Disco in order to secure a spot.

Mutts and Martinis July 13th

2011-06-29T06:28:00.000-07:00



	Join Metrodog for a fun even for the dogs and humans!

	Date: Wednesday, July 13th, 7-9pm at MetroDog at the Domain Animal Trustees of Austin will be the local dog group sponsor and a portion of the proceeds will go directly to them! IPI Treats will be setting up a BUFFET of treats for the 4 legged crazies! Jade Williams, from downtown Dirty Dog, will offer nail trims and teeth cleaning for a suggested donation of $5 that will go directly to Animals Trustees! Russell's Bistro will be providing snacks and sweets for the humans and Republic Tequila will be supplying drinks!

	Facebook invite here. https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=217153228318749

k9 Karnival - May14th

2011-05-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

K9 Karnival - Saturday, May 14th Noon - 4 PM

LOCATION and MAP to the K9 Karnival

Hyde Park High School (Quarries Campus - Mopac/Braker)

Please join us for an afternoon of fun activities for the entire family! Adults, Kids & K9's. Enjoy the day while helping Austin Dog Rescue raise funds for their foster home and adoption programs! More detail coming soon to your inbox and on our website.

LIVE MUSIC by The Rhythm Dawgs
Family Photo Portraits
Candid Photo Ops during the event
Puppy Kissing Booth
Games and Activities for You and your Dog
Scavenger Hunt
Face Painting for Kids
Fur Art for K9’s
Memory Paw Prints in Clay
Moon Walk
Agility Fun Run
Pet products and discounts
Food and Drinks
Rescue and Education Booths providing Demo's
Event T-shirts
AND MUCH MORE!

Entry into the Karnival is FREE! Cash donations are requested/required for some activities or purchase a VIP Paw-Pass to ALL of the events and activities listed above! The first 25 people that purchase a Paw Pass receives a coupon for a FREE M Bella Gelato!

ANNUAL ADOPTION REUNION
We will also be celebrating our "almost" 4th year of successful adoptions and we do this by inviting ALL ADOPTED ADR DOGS (over 700 to date!) and their FAMILIES to come enjoy the festivities and reconnect with ADR! Being the small, foster home-based organization we are, our volunteers love to see how happy their once homeless dogs are now that they've found their forever homes! For every dog that is adopted... TWO are SAVED and we THANK YOU for adopting!

ADDRESS to Hyde Park High School (Quarries Campus)
11400 North Mopac Expressway
Austin, TX 78759
NOTE: USE MAPQUEST ONLY - NOT Google Maps!
Directions and detailed ma p

Pawberry Fields Forever @HouseWine - May 28th

2011-05-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Come Together and join Party Animals on a Magical Mystery Tour as we celebrate the start of summer and benefit Austin Dog Rescue. With A Little Help From My Friends we'll Twist and Shout on Saturday, May 28th from 3:30 - 5:30pm. Baby You Can Drive My Car or take a ride on a Yellow Submarine Across The Universe to House Wine. We hope you'll join us All Together Now!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148068401925986

10% of all proceeds from House Wine during the event will be donated to Austin Dog Rescue.

We'll have some real treats for your pup provided by It's Pawsitively Irresistible!

Midtown Groom and Board will be at the event offering peticures, paw-rubs, temporary tattoos and canine massage!! And have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets to win Midtown gift certificates and baskets with proceeds going to Austin Dog Rescue!

Teeny's Friends will also be at the event hosting a Dog Toy Drive - make sure and bring a toy for this wonderful organization that donates toys to needy dogs.

Tap your paw to some Beatles tunes by the lovely Maggie and the Sauce.

We don't want your pooch to be parched while you're enjoying a glass of Sexy Sadie Sangria. M Bella Gelato will be selling Doggy Gelato at our event!

Old Stage Park's New Dog Off Leash Area Grand Opening - May 13th

2011-05-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

There's a new dog park in town, and this one is having a party. Attend the Old Stage Park's New Dog Off Leash Area Grand Opening on Friday, May 13th!

Doggie Day out with @GoogleATX at Norwood Estates Dog Park April 16

2011-04-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Date: Sat. 04/16 | 1:00PM - Sat. 04/16 @ Norwood Estates Dog Park. Before we hit the dog days of summer, bring your pooch for Doggie Day Out with Google Places in the Norwood Estates Dog Park! While us humans chat about how to rate and review your favorite local businesses using Google Places, our pups can mingle in this fully-fenced, leash-free dog park. Show the Google Places app on your Smartphone for a free Places dog bandana (while supplies last)! We'll be at the park (1009 Edgecliff Terrace, Austin, TX 78704) from 1-3pm, just look for our Austin Community Manager, Whitney, in a red Google hat. Friendly, well-behaved dogs only, please. :)

12th Annual Lyndon Lambert Memorial Easter Pet Parade - April 23

2011-04-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

THE HOTEL SAN JOSE AND JO’S COFFEE ANNOUNCE THE 12^TH ANNUAL LYNDON LAMBERT MEMORIAL EASTER PET PARADE COSTUME CONTEST, BENEFIT AND FAIR

Saturday, April 23, 2011

March 30, 2011 - (AUSTIN, TEXAS) – The Hotel San Jose and Jo’s Coffee announced today the 12^th Annual Lyndon Lambert Easter Pet Parade, Benefit and Fair - a celebration of family, friends and of course our favorite furry friends. The pet parade will benefit Austin Pets Alive! (www.austinpetsalive.org) and pay tribute to animal lover Lyndon Lambert (http://georgesf.com/).

When & Where: The parade will kick-off at 12pm on Saturday, April 23 at the corner of Congress and Annie Street and end at Jo’s Coffee on 1300 South Congress.

What: Bring your finest pet costume, the judging will begin promptly after the parade and top awards for the best dressed pets include a night at the Hotel San Jose, Jo’s gift cards, trophies, and more!

How: Pets can be preregistered at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress. Registration is $10 in advance and $15 the day of the parade. Registration starts April 4 forms will be available online at http://joscoffee.com/ or at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress.

Spectators welcome as well!

Hotel San Jose & Jo’s Coffee

1300 South Congress Avenue

Austin, Texas 78704

512-444-3800 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 512-444-3800 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

www.joscoffee.com

Something wild at Mary Moore Searight Park

2011-03-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

BEWARE: GRAPHIC PHOTO BELOW! Scroll down at your own risk.

Mary Moore Searight is a relatively new park, and I've been enjoying. Aside from the occasional person who doesn't pick up their dog(s) poop (I think I know who it is), this has been quite an enjoyable park. Until today. @Mousethedog and @Beezthedog stayed on the main trail exploring. And then I saw it. I dead carcass. I'm not sure what animal it was, but I was very sure that it was dead.

Here's what I saw:

Fairly decent sized rib cage with a small narrow pelvis. Picture below with my shoe for size comparison.
White and brown fur, dense and about 3 inches long.
The organs were in the middle of the trail about 20 feet away.
There were furry/bloody parts scattered in the woods for about 50 feet.

I'm don't know what it was or what killed it. I do know that it appears to be dangerous. I've heard of coyote sightings at Walnut Creek Park, and owners can never be too careful. A coyote could easily snatch a small dog. Please be careful when taking your dogs out for a stroll.

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTO.

Woof Gang Bakery opens March 12, 2011

2011-02-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

Woof Gang Bakery Austin is set to open at 10am on March 12, 2011.

WGB will give the first 25 dogs on Opening day free treats for a year. One lucky dog will get free food for one year and a couple of special dogs will get free treats and toys for life!

Woof Gang Bakery specializes in healthy, natural pet foods and treats, fresh-baked gourmet dog treats, socially-conscious pet products. The store offers a variety of fun, fuzzy, floatable and tough toys, as well as fashionable accessories, collars and leads, and a wide range of grooming products.

Woof Gang Bakery Austin
1204 N. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78703

2011 Strut Your Mutt Dog Show and Spring Rescue Bazaar!

2011-02-21T07:01:00.000-08:00

Join your hosts, The Pet Studio and The Humane Society of Williamson County for the 2011 Strut Your Mutt Dog Show and Spring Rescue Bazaar!

The Dog Show will boast a variety of mutts strutting their stuff to win great prizes!
Categories include: Best All Over Mutt, Best Groom, Best Dog Trick, Cutest Little Dog (45lbs -) and Cutest Big Dog (45lbs +).
Pre-Registration is $10.00 per mutt or $15.00 at the door! Register now at www.petstudioart.com/strutyourmutt.php !

Sunday April 10th, 2011
Time: 12:00pm - 6:00pm
10930 E. Crystal Falls Pkwy
Leander, TX 78641

The Spring Rescue Bazaar starts at 12pm and runs to 6pm.
Come join us for this fun-filled day of Training Demonstrations, Lots of Vendor Shopping and Fun, Silent Auction, Raffle Prizes, Delicious Food and of course Pet Adoptions through HSWC!

Whether you are looking for a fun, pet friendly way to spend your day or considering adding a new member to your family, this free, family-oriented event is a great way to spend your Sunday afternoon!

Visit our event web page and Register Your Mutt at:
http://www.petstudioart.com/strutyourmutt.php

Videos of Mouse and Basil

2011-02-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

I've developed a liking for making videos, and what better subjects than my own puppies. Enjoy!

Mouse and Basil play with jumps and retrieves

Mouse and Basil play in the snow, Feb. 4, 2011

Weight Pull Jan. 15-16th

2011-01-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

The IWPA Weight pull will be on Jan. 15-16th at SouthPaws Playschool, 2324 South Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX.

If you are interested in the IWPA sanctioned weight pull competition (Saturday and Sunday), weigh in will be at 7:30am. Pulling starts at 8:00am. Weigh in NOT required for novice rounds. You may enter any of the novice rounds up to the time it begins (8am). Please see www.iwpa.net for specific rules in the competitive rounds. Novice teams should be treated like training rounds.

Weight pull general info:

Any dog can participate and earn a title through IWPA for weight pulling.

What's the fee? Free for spectators. $10 for novice rounds - enter when you get there. Consider novice rounds a training session and a chance to see if your dog enjoys it. I will have harnesses for you to use. Most dogs take to a harness quickly. $25 for competition rounds.

What can my dog get out of weight pulling? Physical activity, confidence building, socializing, and improving their relationship with you.

What do I need to train my dog to do before then for weight pull? The come or recall command. Your dog should have basic control.

What's the most weight a dog has ever pulled? The most I've seen is 50000 lbs. Most dogs in healthy condition can pull 10x their body weight without any additional physical training.

When do I enter? On the day of the event. Novice can enter any time before the round begins. Professional/competition rounds must be entered and weighed in before the start of the pull.

Who can participate? Anyone and any breed. No registry or club membership required.

What should I bring? Your dog on leash and yourself. Camping chair and crate if desired. I will have harnesses available for dogs 20 lbs to 160 lbs.

My dog is small. Is there anything for us to do? Yes! Even the "little" ones can weight pull. There have been Jack Russells and Italian Greyhounds that pull with success!

Take a Pittie Home for the Holidays (Nov. 27th) and Scamps & Scoundrels (Dec. 4th)

2010-11-24T17:10:00.000-08:00

There's two events right around the corner: Take a Pittie Home for the Holidays (Nov. 27th) and Scamps & Scoundrels (Dec. 4th). Hope ya enjoy and have a great holiday!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scamps and Scoundrels: An Urban Dog Challenge

Downtown Austin Goes to the Dogs

One of the first things people comment on about Austin is its amazing dog community. It boasts over 13 off-leash parks and on any given day at any given patio, you will see a dog or two at their owner’s feet enjoying a day on the town.

With that in mind, Blair Smith and Alesha Mathews of Dirty Dog (www.dirty-dog.com) have long dreamed of having an event for dogs and their owners in which they could do an activity together while checking out some of Austin’s favorite dog-friendly businesses. The only problem was time: they didn’t have any to plan an event of this size by themselves. So they reached out to their friends for help. Sarah Wolf (www.sarahkwolf.com) and Beth Bellanti (www.bellantibranding.com) didn’t hesitate to jump on board to bring this dream to fruition.

From this dynamic group has come Scamps and Scoundrels: An Urban Dog Challenge benefitting Austin Pets Alive (www.austinpetsalive.org). On December 4^th, registered teams of one dog and 1-4 humans will figure out clues to local, downtown dog-friendly businesses. Once there, the teams will be required to complete a fun task before moving on to the next location. When all tasks are complete, the teams will travel to the new Austin Pets Alive! building to check in to the finish line and join a HUGE party awaiting them.

Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) was founded in 1997 as a private-sector support organization working with government entities, other nonprofits and the public to stop the killing of Austin’s adoptable dogs and cats. In 2008, APA embarked on a bold and aggressive initiative to create an Animal Resource Center, and in September of 2010 that dream became a reality—they opened their building on Manchaca and South Lamar. APA! hopes to take on the 7,000+ animals that our city shelter is killing each year and give them a better chance at survival. Since 2008, APA has saved over 4000 from the euthanasia list at TLAC!

The party will feature some of the amazing sponsors that have signed on in support: Tito’s Vodka, Sweet Leaf Tea, Republic Tequila, Uncle Billy’s, Amy’s Ice Cream and a “drool-worthy” silent auction featuring many, many more. While there, guests will be able to tour the incredible new facility that APA calls home. The group has been astounded at the response from the local business community as well as the local dog community. Everyone is really excited about this upcoming “tail waggin’ good time”. And of course, well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome!

For more information, team registration and to RSVP to the after-party:

Event website: http://scampsandscoundrels.tumblr.com

Sarah Wolf: sarah@sarahkwolf.com, 979.575.2757

Blair Smith: info@dirty-dog.com, 512.413.3711

All-Breed Weight Pull Dec. 4-5th

2010-11-24T15:40:00.000-08:00

The IWPA Weight pull will be on Dec. 4th-5th at SouthPaws Playschool, 2324 South Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX.

If you are interested in the IWPA sanctioned weight pull competition (Saturday and Sunday), weigh in will be at 10:00am. Pulling starts at 10:30. Weigh in NOT required for novice rounds. You may enter any of the novice rounds up to the time it begins (10:30). Please see www.iwpa.net for specific rules in the competitive rounds. Novice teams should be treated like training rounds.

Weight pull general info:

Any dog can participate and earn a title through IWPA for weight pulling.

What's the fee? Free for spectators. $10 for novice rounds - enter when you get there. Consider novice rounds a training session and a chance to see if your dog enjoys it. I will have harnesses for you to use. Most dogs take to a harness quickly. $25 for competition rounds.

What can my dog get out of weight pulling? Physical activity, confidence building, socializing, and improving their relationship with you.

What do I need to train my dog to do before then for weight pull? The come or recall command. Your dog should have basic control.

What's the most weight a dog has ever pulled? The most I've seen is 50000 lbs. Most dogs in healthy condition can pull 10x their body weight without any additional physical training.

When do I enter? On the day of the event. Novice can enter any time before the round begins. Professional/competition rounds must be entered and weighed in before the start of the pull.

Who can participate? Anyone and any breed. No registry or club membership required.

What should I bring? Your dog on leash and yourself. Camping chair and crate if desired. I will have harnesses available for dogs 20 lbs to 160 lbs.

My dog is small. Is there anything for us to do? Yes! Even the "little" ones can weight pull. There have been Jack Russells and Italian Greyhounds that pull with success!

Fur Festival for the Animal Trustees of Austin - November 14th

2010-11-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

2010 FUR FESTIVAL BENEFITS ANIMAL TRUSTEES OF AUSTIN

Donations from the free event will benefit the pet wellness nonprofit

L Style G Style presents the first annual Fur Festival Benefit and fundraiser. Featured activities will include a holiday pet photo booth, nutritional talks with a pet health expert, medicinal compound information, paw clippings, training tips, raffle items, giveaways, retail items for purchase, car display and massages. This event is free to the public. All donations will benefit Animal Trustees of Austin. Pets are welcome but must remain leashed for the duration of the event. Water for pets and a lawn rest area will be provided. Pet waste services to be provided by Dog Duty. www.furfestivalbenefit.com

WHERE: L Style G Style headquarters parking Lot

1412 Collier St. Building B

Austin, TX 78704

WHEN: Sunday, November 14

1:00pm-5:00pm

Austin Barkitecture and Gypsy Picnic on Nov. 6th!

2010-11-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

There are two fun dog friendly events going on this weekend. While I'll won't be able to make either, you can have some fun for me. Make sure you keep your dogs on leash.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barkitecture 2010

Join us for a great, free family-friendly event! The silent auctions for 27 one of a kind designer dog houses begin at noon (see schedule below) so come early to check them out and place your bids. Free parking will be available in the City Hall parking garage until 5pm.

SCHEDULE OF BARKITECTURE 2010 EVENTS

Noon-4:00pm	Dog House Silent Auction
1:00pm-2:00pm	PhotoBooth by Annie Ray
2:30pm	Fashound Show
4:30pm	Awards ceremony at Design Within Reach
4:00pm -6:00pm	Barkitecture after-party at Design Within Reach

If you plan to participate in the silent auction, please read the following information:

Bid sheets will be placed next to the dog houses. There will also be a silent auction table outside the Lofty Dog store with Lofty Dog, Planet Dog, and 2nd Street gift baskets, photo shoots by Nicole Mlakar-Livingston, dog toys from Doggles, and more!
All opening bids begin at $250 and are increased in $50 increments.
The auction closes at exactly 4pm. The highest bidder wins.
Winners can come to the information booth in the City Hall block to pay by cash, check, or PayPal.
Winners not in attendance will by notified by phone by 4:30pm and payment can be made via PayPal.
It is the responsibility of the buyer and builder of the dog house to coordinate pick-up and delivery of the dog house. All houses must be removed no later than 6pm.

Can't come to the event but would like to make a contribution? Proceeds from the event and donations go to Animal Lovers of Austin, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization that will distribute funds to Blue Dog Rescue, Austin Pets Alive, Austin Dog Rescue, and Wee Rescue.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We need volunteers to help before and during the event. There are three shifts available (9am-12pm, 12pm-3pm, and 3pm-5pm). If you're interested, please call Veronique at 512.476.5050.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival

More Than 30 Trailers Announced for Inaugural Event

Austin isn’t just the “Capital of Live Music” anymore…we’re also the capital of Trailer Food. Paying tribute to the culinary craze that’s been tickling taste-buds all over the country, C3 Presents is rolling out over 30 of Austin’s finest mobile meal makers for the first-ever Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival at Auditorium Shores on November 6. A fun–and funky–celebration of our thriving street food scene, this one-day event will gather the cream of the trailer crop in one convenient location, allowing attendees to easily sample from dozens of vendors instead of having to trek all around town. In addition to excellent eats, Gypsy Picnic will be serving up tasty tunes all day from the music stage with a showcase of local music. Best of all, admission to the event is free to the public.

Not only will our rambling restaurants reach thousands of hungry new customers, they’ll also have the chance to compete for belly-pleasing bragging rights in the Gypsy Picnic Trailer Cook-off. A panel of expert judges has been pulled together to conduct blind tastings to select the very best bites in a variety of categories, and the public will get their chance to weigh in with an overall Fan Favorite.

Down at the Gypsy Picnic even the pickiest palate will find something to savor with fast fare from all over the world. From gourmet cheeseburgers and Texas Czech to Asian Fusion, Moroccan, Mexican and everything in between, the Gypsy Picnic features a diverse array of fine food. Picnic gourmands will find local legends like Torchy’s Tacos, The Mighty Cone, Chi’Lantro BBQ, and The Best Wurst, in addition to food scene up-and-comers like The Flying Carpet and The Peached Tortilla. One thing’s for sure: no matter what windows people end up ordering at, they’re going to go home impressed.

Since the Gypsy Picnic is all about connecting communities, family, and friends to food and fun, our website helps take that experience a few steps further. At GypsyPicnic.com, food-lovers can select the trailers they want to try out, see how many other people have selected that vendor and share “menus" with their Facebook friends.

Here’s the full list of Gypsy Picnic food vendors, including trailers and trucks from every area of Austin:

86 THIS
Bananarchy
Chi'Lantro BBQ
Colibri Cuisine
Conscious Cravings
Coolhaus
Cutie Pies
Elixer Coffee
Gourdough's - Big Fat Donuts
Hat Creek Burger Co.
Holy Cacao
Izzoz Tacos
Juan Pelota Coffee Truck
Kate's Southern Comfort
Kronic Krave Arepas
Man Bites Dog
mmmpanadas
Patika Coffee
Pick up Stixx
Royito's Hot Sauce Streamer
Short Bus Subs
SugarShackBBQ
The Best Wurst
The Flying Carpet
The Jalopy: Rotisserie and Press
the Mighty Cone
the peached tortilla
The ZubikHouse
Torchy's Tacos
Turf N Surf Po’ Boy

For the latest news as the event approaches, stay tuned to www.GypsyPicnic.com.

New Off Leash Nature Trail at Mary Moore Searight Park Fundraising Event

2010-10-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

The brand new Off Leash Nature Trail at Mary Moore Searight Park off Slaughter Lane will open soon. The Friends of Mary Moore Searight Park and Austin Parks Foundation have been working on this project for the past two years. The project is almost complete, but the group is in need of some funding to complete the final stages by the end of the year. In order to accomplish this, they are holding a fund raising event at the end of the month.

The fund raising festivities is this Saturday October 30^th from 12 to 5 at the Mary Moore Searight Park Pavilion; 907 W. Slaughter Lane . There will be a costume contest, silent auction, photo booth, and lots of pet related vendors.

Support the park by joining it, getting the word out, and donating to the cause.

How Not to Socialize Your Dog

2010-10-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

If you were a parent of a human toddler, would you take your child to a group of older kids that beat him or her up while you stood idly by? After expressing fear, would you let the older kids beat your child up again? Would you then reward your child for showing fear? That's essentially what I saw this past weekend.

An off-leash boxer was romping around the area at a dog-friendly event. A young woman had a pyrenees mix puppy on a leash that looked to be about four to six months old. The off-leash boxer attacked the puppy on three separate occasions, leaving the puppy yelping and screaming for 30 seconds. The owner never protected the puppy from the boxer nor did the owner walk the puppy away from the boxer. On two occasions, she walked the puppy up to the offending boxer. At the end of the event, the puppy refused to follow the owner and cowered everywhere it went. She stopped, petted the dog, and coddled it when showed fear. This is a dog that is going to develop severe behavioral issues in the future. The other owner praised his boxer as well.

The owner essentially put the puppy in a situation where it would be attacked, and then instead of teaching it to be confident through leadership, she coddled it. I politely warned the woman that she was teaching her dog to be fearful, but she wouldn't have any of it. She insisted that her cowering puppy was outgoing. Unfortunately, it is difficult for many people to view their beloved pet(s)' behavior in an objective manner, and it was very obvious that the puppy no longer trusted her judgment. In my opinion, the owners of both dogs handled the situation improperly. Both dogs were praised for undesirable behaviors.
I have articles on how to socialize, but this one is how to NOT socialize. Socializing isn't just spending time in the presence of others, socializing means having positive social interactions and learning how to interact. Here's some basics on socializing your dog.

DON'T just let your dog play freely with other dogs. Dogs are dogs. They will fight on occasion. They will pick up bad behaviors. DON'T think that your dog won't come home with only germs from the dog park. They'll probably also bring home some unwanted behaviors due to social learning. DO supervise your dog during play.
DON'T assume that other dogs are friendly. Like people, some dogs are just big mean jerks that want to pick fights. DO know the other dogs before you let yours play or get beat up.
DON'T think that all dogs have to get along. DON'T walk your dog up to an aggressive dog. If another dog is being a big meanie, just walk your dog away. DO avoid fights.
DON'T coddle your dog. Coddling your dog (babying/praising/petting when your dog exhibits fear or anxiety) only encourages those behaviors. DO ignore fear and anxiety, and DO reward confident and active behavior.
DON'T assume that other dog owners are watching their dogs. Other owners probably aren't watching their own dogs. Most of the time, they are socializing amongst themselves. DO watch your dog and other dogs.

Dogtoberfest Austin - Oct.23

2010-10-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Dogtoberfest benefits eight Austin area rescue groups. Check out the fun events going on, and take some fun pictures too!

Date: Saturday, Oct. 23rd.
Time: 11- 4 pm
Location: The Domain, Austin,TX

KXAN presents the Dogtoberfest Canine Costume Contest

KXAN's Jim Spencer will emcee this year's Canine Costume Contest. Categories include:

Wackiest
Best Owner/Dog duo
Best Group (2 or more dogs)
Favorite Movie Character

Prizes will be awarded for each category as well as one for Best in Show. It's free to enter!

This is a photo of Jim with Gwen, one of his beloved Miniature Schnauzers.

The photo was taken by our favorite photographer, Nicole Mlakar-Livingston.

Dog Portraits

The Neiman Marcus photo booth is back again this year. For a $5 donation, we will capture your 4-legged family members photo in front of a custom back drop.

Additionally Nicole Mlakar-Livingston will be photographing the day's happenings as she roams througout The Domain. After the event, we'll post a link to her website where you can view the photos and order them from her directly. Nicole has come to be known as one of Austin's premier photographers.

Silent Auction

Throughout the day, items from Domain vendors as well as many truly "Austin" businesses will be available for bidding at our annual Silent Auction. The Silent Auction is the main fundraiser for Dogtoberfest, so please visit often & bid bid bid!

Demonstration Station Schedule:

11 - 11:30 Fit Dog Austin

11:30 - 12 McCormicks & Schmicks

12 - 12:30 Texas Hearing & Service Dogs

12:30 - 1 Canine Sports Rehabilitation and Conditioning

1 - 1:30 Fit Dog Austin

1:30 - 2 Flemings Cooking Demonstration - Making jerky for your best friend

2 - 3 APD K-9 Unit

3 - 3:30 Wiener Dog Races

3:30 KXAN Canine Costume Contest

Canine Sports Rehab and Conditioning

Austin's own Sandra Hudson will speak about the benefits of post-operative rehabilitation, as well as non-surgical treatments available for your best friend.

Weiner Dog Races

You've heard about them, and maybe even seen them. This will be your chance to be part of the first annual Weiner Dog Races at Dogtoberfest. Central Texas Dachsund Rescue will organize & put on the races. Stop by the CTDR booth starting at 10 am to register. Slots will be limited, so don't wait!!!

Learn about Canine Wellness at SouthPaws Playschool - October is National Pet Wellness Month

2010-09-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

In celebration of National Pet Wellness Month, Southpaws Playschool, a local canine daycare, is hosting a Canine Wellness Series at 2324B South Lamar Boulevard. The series is scheduled for three consecutive

Thursday evenings in October (October 14^th, 21^st and 28^th). The event will begin each evening at 7 p.m.

"Canine wellness is about so much more than a once a year veterinary visit. A dog's level of wellness affects every aspect of his life," said Tim Smith, owner of Southpaws Playschool. The speakers in our Canine Wellness Series will address ways to enhance a dog's health through nutrition, alternative therapies and positive physical, mental and emotional stimulation, in addition to comprehensive veterinary care."
The goal of this series is to encourage dog owners to take a more active role in managing their dogs' health and wellness. Participants will receive handouts, reference lists and product samples that will enable them to enhance their dogs' lives and longevity.

"Both pet owners and canine professionals will learn something new," said Smith. "This series is an entertaining, educational, and social event for everyone with a compassion for the dogs in their care."

Reservations are required. Admission is $20.00 for all three sessions (paid in advance) or $10.00 per session paid at the door. All proceeds from the Canine Wellness Series benefit the Southpaws Playschool Foster Dog Program and the Austin & Travis County Pet Food Bank.

For more information about the Canine Wellness Series, dog owners can contact SonyaWilson at 512-440-7529. Additional information is available and reservations can be made at the Southpaws Playschool website - www.southpawsplayschool.com.

Dogtoberfest with Blue Dog Rescue - Oct. 3rd, 11am - 8 pm

2010-09-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

Come help Blue Dog celebrate 10 YEARS of finding great dogs great homes.

The day starts with the Blue Dog Birthday Walk downtown at 9am.
The walk starts at Republic Square Park, heads down fourth to Congress to 11th, then Guadalupe and back to the park.

The party continues at The Ghost Room, 304 West 4th right next door to Republic Square Park. We kick off the party with The Austin Flea at 11am.
Local artists and funkmeisters will feature their goodies for an always good time.

At 12pm Dogtoberfest will officially be under way with live music, bountiful beverages, birthday cake, silent auction and more!

Updated with the music lineup:

Music Line Up:
12-12:30 - Amy Annelle
12:45-1:15 - Susan Gibson
1:30-2:00- Sally Allen
2:15-2:45 - Mark Viator & Susan Maxey
3:00-3:30 - Miranda Dodson
3:45-4:15 -Hilary York
4:30-5:00 - Lee Barber & Scrappy Jud Newcomb
5:15-5:45 - Charlie Hurtin' & The Hecklers
6:00-6:30 - Graham Wilkinson
6:45-7:15 - Boxcar Preachers
7:15-7:40 close silent auction
7:40-8:15 - The Astronaut Suit

Take the dogs to enjoy Oktoberfest at North by NorthWest

2010-09-30T07:58:00.000-07:00

Join NXNW for an Austin tradition! The annual Oktoberfest is back for its ninth year and is aimed to be fun for all ages. While the music of local bands Oma and the Oompahs and Sauerkrauts fill the air, Chef George will prepare traditional German cuisine to enjoy with special NXNW-crafted brew. The dates are: October 16, 2010, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and October 17, 2010, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

NXNW encourages attendees to donate $2 at the door. All Oktoberfest festivities will benefit three independent nonprofits: the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas, Pet Pals of Central Texas and Central Texas Dachshund Rescue.

NXNW Oktoberfest will feature something for everyone: kids rides, face painting, artists’ booths, brewing demonstrations, and a balloon artist. On Sunday, there’s even an all-breed dog costume contest at 2:30 p.m. and a Weiner dog costume contest at 3 p.m. for the four-legged friends!

Frost Celebrates Community with Pet Food Drive

2010-09-08T17:28:00.001-07:00

Austin, TX – August 26, 2010 – In honor of the Mueller Community and Frost’s first anniversary there, Frost is generously hosting a celebration on Saturday, September 25, benefiting Animal Trustees of Austin and Austin Humane Society. The Austin community is invited to join these organizations from 9 am - 1 pm at the Mueller Financial Center, 1200 Barbara Jordon Blvd.

Starting Tuesday, September 7, Frost will run a donation drive collecting wish list items and pet food for both non-profit organizations leading up to the celebration on September 25. People interested in donating items and pet food can drop them off at the Frost Mueller Financial Center. Frost will match food donations pound for pound.

Come join in the fun as the Mueller Frost branch celebrates its first anniversary with a donation presentation to the animal welfare community. The community event will feature a petting zoo, home cooking from Hoover’s restaurant, on-site animal adoptions and other fun surprises. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information on this event and the donation drive contact:

Ken Gates

Sr. Vice President

Frost Mueller Financial Center
512-473-4616

ken.gates@frostbank.com

Kevin Farr

Communications Manager

Animal Trustees of Austin

512-371-1965

kevin@animaltrustees.org

Misty Valenta

Community Outreach Coordinator

Austin Humane Society

(512) 646-PETS

MValenta@austinhumanesociety.org

Dogtopia of Austin Hosts Annual Charity Dog Wash to Support Working Canines

2010-07-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

Dogtopia, a full-service dog day care, spa and boutique, prides itself on being a place where pets are valued as family and where dogs enjoy endless playtime and spa treatments in a positive environment. Amy Nichols, president and founder of Dogtopia, began her campaign to raise awareness for military dogs, as well as working dogs of all kinds in July 2005. To accommodate the success of the campaign, she established a permanent charitable wing of her company called K-9 Support, where all dog wash donations in Austin will go toward.

On Sunday, July 18, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you're invited to bring your dog for a spa treatment. You (the human) will get to enjoy tasty nibbles, games, raffles, and other activities

Location:

Dogtopia of Austin

2105 RR 620 South
Building 1, Ste.101
Lakeway, TX 78734

http://www.dogdaycare.com/austin/

Bark in the Park, July 17th

2010-07-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

Want to spend a day playing with puppies and learning about responsible pet ownership? You won't want to miss Bark in the Park. With oodles of fun vendors to informational sessions, join other Austin dog owner at Zilker Park this weekend for mingling, learning, and chowing down picnic style. Information follows:

Bark in the Park Austin

The day-long gala benefits several local area  non-profit rescue organizations, while bringing awareness to education, outreach and accessibility within the Greater Austin canine community. Activities begin at 8:30, and ends at 3pm.

Location: Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater, Located in Zilker Park across from Barton Springs Pool.

Bark in the Park Austin attendees will enjoy panel discussions, demonstrations, product testing, shopping, contests, raffles and giveaways while they learn how to participate in local causes and support the local service providers and retailers in our area.

The day will kick off at 8:30 am with “Breakfast with the Beagles” – of course ALL dogs are welcome.
($5 donation)

The park area will feature:
Eco-Dog (fitness, eco-friendly products, clothing, demos, etc)
Wellness and Vet Care (food, Vets, general care, massage, alternative medicine)
Training and Behavior/Other Services (includes grooming, boarding, and individual services)
Retail & Rescue (retail shops, product sales other than food / treats, specialty… and rescue groups)

Attendees should pre-register online for a $10 fee. Check in at the registration table to receive your wristband and back pack.
•           Onsite registration is also available to receive the backpack or for breakfast, as quantities last.
•           Kids under 10 free.
•           Limited concession items will be available throughout the day. Picnics encouraged!

A silent auction will deliver a mix of art, jewelry and gift baskets which will go home with the highest bidders. Proceeds to benefit “Share.Care.Sandy.” project.

Bastille Day Celebrations that will make your tummy happy and poodle happy.

2010-07-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Bastille Day is tomorrow, which means tomorrow is full of celebrations. I've copied this post over from my Misohungry blog. Not only does it have fun food and drink events, but there's also a poodle parade at the AMOA!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peche on 4th Street is offering $2.50 St. Germain cocktails from open until close. If you haven't had St. Germain or been to Peche yet, you are missing out. Get there! Also, here's the blog post from the St. Germain Dinner at Fino.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mirabelle is also hosting a Bastille Day Dinner with some French wines for your inner wine fancier. Information follows.

Bastille Day Wine Dinner, Weds, July 14th, @ 7pm. $65 (inclusive of tip/tax) 346-7900
We had such a great response to Michael raiding the cellar for the All American Wine Dinner, that he has been sent down again to find French wines for the celebration of Bastille Day. And what a set of wines: a terrific French 100% pinot noir sparkler, something old (2001 Puligny Montrachet) , something new (New World style Bordeaux), his favorite score from the acclaimed 2007 Rhone vintage, and a little Sauternes to send everyone home sweet. Michael obtained these wines over the years and on futures, so take advantage of his purchasing prowess and enjoy this Bastille wine dinner at half the price of its value.

Mirabelle Restaurant
Bastille Day Wine Dinner
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 7:00pm

Reception
Truffled Brie Gougeres
(NV) Brut D’Argent Sparkling Rose

Menu
Pan roasted Monkfish with Crispy Shallots
Avruga Caviar-Chive Remoulade and Sauce Meuniere
2001 Puligny-Montrachet, Domaine Gerard Chavy

Butter Roasted Quail with Herb-Bread Stuffing
Green Peppercorn Sauce
2006 Chateau GRAND DESTIEU Grand Cru
(Saint-Émilion, 90 points Wine Spectator)

Boeuf Bourguignon ala Julia Child w/ Les Halles Frites
2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, MAS DE BOISLAUZON
(94 points. Robert Parker)

Dessert
Brillat-Savarin Crème Brulee with Pear & Apple Compote
2006 Sauternes, Chateau Roumieu-Lacoste

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Le Cordon Bleu is offering a four course French menu for just 17.89 on July 14th.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Austin Museum of Art is also throwing a Bastille Day Celebration, complete with a Poodle Parade.

July 14, 2010 from 5:30-9 pm
Austin Museum of Art-Downtown 823 Congress Ave at 9th Street
All proceeds benefit the AMOA’s exhibition and education programs
For everyone with a French flair for excitement…all ages!

Admission Tickets: $10-AMOA Members / $15-General Public
Join AMOA today and receive a free ticket benefit.

OOO-LA-LA! Party Features: Poodle Parade and Prize Promenade/French Music/"Picture Yourself in Paris" collaborative mural/food and wine on a sidewalk café/photograph opportunities/berets and other great souvenirs.

Poodle Prize Package:

Lunch for two at Chez Nous,
a 8x10 pet portrait and sitting by Robin Jackson Photography,
a gift basket from Lofty Dog, and a trophy designed by Carl McQueary.

Fourth of July with the Four-legged.

2010-07-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July can be a fun holiday for humans, but oftentimes a frightening and dangerous holiday for pets. With the noisy fireworks and parties, many pets are anxious and may break out of their crates, homes, or yards. Here's some links to helpful hints on how to keep your pet calm and safe.

Sacramento SPCA
ASPCA
Best Bullstick Dog Blog
Dumb Friends League

And if you're so inclined, Lakeway Spa and Resorts is having a pet parade at 11am. Check out the hotel's website here. Call for more details.

KittyPalooza Party, Austin Java Photo Contest, and Zoom Room Opening

2010-06-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

The sun may be sweltering, but the fun with animals doesn't stop in Austin. We've got three fun parties for the dog and cat lover in you. First up is Kitty Palooza.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday, June 24, 2010 at The Mean-Eyed Cat Bar, 1621 West 5th Street, from 5pm 'til 8pm

Come on down and help us kick-off the four day intense cat adoption event that is KittyPalooza!

This party is dedicated to the memory of Miss Kitty, the official greeter and feral cat who lived at The Mean-Eyed Cat Bar for at least 14 years - we hope to make her proud by helping 100 cats and kittens find new homes during KittyPalooza. Stay after the party to enjoy Ray Cashman of Nashville (click here to visit his site) at The Mean-Eyed Cat Bar. No charge for the party and no cover for Ray Cashman. Guests will have the opportunity to sponsor a KittyKit - the bag of cat care products sent home with each new adopter.

KittyPalooza is Town Lake Animal Center's four-day intense adoption event with the goal of getting 100 cats and kittens to new homes. It's a high point in the summer push by TLAC and the Austin Humane Society to focus on cat adoptions.

Plenty of free parking! Watch a slide show of all the available fabulous felines - there may be a few kittens in a crate for you to pet but they'll be outside- if you're allergic, you can still come to the party! (since this is a bar, we must ask that all guests be at least 21 and have ID)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Austin Java's Dog Days of Summer Photo Contest

Lets celebrate summer and our dog-friendly establishment plus get some competitive spirit brewing, no pun intended!

To enter the contest, simply send us a picture of you and your dog or just your
pooch solo hanging out at any of our three Austin Java locations – be sure to
specify the location when you submit your photo(s). We will then choose the best
picture from each location and the winners will receive $30 in Austin Java money!
Submit your photos by at-replying us on Twitter (@AustinJava) or uploading
it as a fan photo to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AustinJava).
Happy summer – get creative, cute or spunky with your pup; let the picture wars
begin!

Austin Java’s three locations are located at 1206 Parkway (12th and Lamar),
1608 Barton Springs Road and 301 West Second Street. The contest will end on
July 12.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zoom Room comes to Austin!

Zoom Room's training facility, indoor dog park, and agility course is opening it's doors in Austin! Come enjoy their grand opening on July 10th (details pending)!

7739 Northcross Drive, Suite H

Austin, TX 78757

Phone/Fax: (877) 425-ZOOM

Contact the Austin Zoom Room

Dog Days Beer Social and Rachael Ray Nutrish

2010-06-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Black Star Coop'sDog Days BEER SOCIAL!

The weather is heating up and we’re hot and heavy into construction. Let’s get together and enjoy a cold one. Join us on Saturday, June 12 from 7-10 PM for an evening of good beer and good music shared with good people in a co-operative environment. Beer socials are events for member-owners to socialize and for future members to join the co-op. Click here for more information about this dog friendly beer social!

Rachael Ray is also launching a new food lined, Nutrish, and a new website, Mysheltersite.com. They are having a launch party for all canine rescue groups. See below and don't forget to RSVP!

Social Media has gone to the dogs!

2010-06-04T06:54:00.001-07:00

Social Media has gone to the dogs. After training, showing, handling, and judging dogs for eight years, social media and dogs have their similarities in concepts and behaviors. *Note: This post is mostly intended to be humorous. Don't be too offended. Also, Happy 8th Birthday to @Mousethedog!

1. Classical conditioning is an old dog training principle. Classical conditioning is simply the pairing and associating of two things. In Pavlov's case, his dog associated a bell with dog food which lead to drooling. Eventually, the dog would begin to drool with sound of the bell even in the absence of food. In dog training, the trainer should always be in a cheerful mood regardless of what the dog is doing (much easier said than done). The dog will associate the trainer with cheerfulness and other good things. If the trainer is always angry and upset, the dog will begin to associate the trainer with angry and upset feelings. It isn't hard to figure out why some dogs avoid their owners in this case.

If your Twitter voice and Facebook posts are always unhappy and angry, people will stop following you. You are a debbie downer, a stick in the mud, an angry cloud on a sunshiny day. On the other hand, if your Twitter voice and Facebook posts are always cheerful and happy, people might start to associate you with positive emotions, engage with you more, and tend to follow you. Classically condition people to like you, not to run away from you.

2. Everyone wants to chew on the new toys until it is broken. Dogs love to play with new toys until they are un-stuffed and shredded. Just give a group of dogs a fuzzy stuffed toy and check back in a few weeks to see if you can find the parts of the stuffed toy. This is the same thing with social media tools. Today, Twitter is big. It is so popular that it fail whales frequently. Everyone wants to play with Twitter, and now we've broken it. Tweets have gone missing. Twitter search is a joke. While the Twitter toy has lasted a couple of years so far, how much longer under social media gets a new toy? Other examples of broken toys include the iphone. AT&T's network (especially in San Francisco and Austin) just can't support iphone users anymore. Looks like the HTC Evo 4G is the new toy.

3. In dog training, like social media, there's not only one single right way to do things (many wrongs as well). There's countless numbers of dog training methods, and there are also countless numbers of social media strategies and tactics. Different methods for different dogs. My big dog doesn't respond well to repetition methods. He gets bored. However, my little dog loves doing the same exercise over and over again, especially when she is very confident about her performance. Different social media strategies for different audiences. In social media, hard selling or spamming on Twitter usually get you a kick in the pants. You'll probably also get blocked. However, hard selling or spamming in the adult website industry probably works considering how many wind up in my spam box.

4. In dogs, they all want to sniff the newbie's butt. Who's that new dog at the park? What's his story? Should I pee on him? In social media, we all tend to google and search for dirt on new users. Who's that new blogger? Has anyone ever met that newbie with only 3 followers? Before you get started in social media, be sure that you clean up your Facebook and Myspace (may it rest in peace) accounts. No one needs to find that photo of you doing a keg stand in your sister's bikini and high heels when sniffing your online butt.

5. Dogs breeds were developed with certain innate characteristics over hundreds of years. Border collies love to chase moving objects. Daschunds love to dig. Huskies love to pull. You can try to train them to not engage in those behaviors, but the dogs like to do what they like to do. Your audience has innate characteristics. They like what they like, and you can try to change it, but good luck. If psychologists knew how to consistently and reliably invoke attitude and behavior change, we would have put an end to drug abuse, unsafe sex practices, and unhealthy eating habits. We're still working on those.

6. Motivation. Dogs wake up in the morning wanting to pee on things, eat cat poop, slobber on the couch, and hump stuffed animals (maybe not in that order). They are dogs after all, and that's what they are motivated to do. Users wake up in the morning and look for interesting news, follow new users, and play Farmville. Face it. They don't wake up saying, "I would LOVE to spend my time writing a blog post about your product!" Dogs have different motivations than their handlers. Consumers have different motivations than businesses. While your business might have fans who like your products, they aren't as motivated as you are to stay afloat.

7. Be genuine. Dogs can smell a fake from a mile away. They can read your body language much better than humans can. Users can also smell a fake on social media as well. You can't put up a fake front for long. We'll call you out!

8. Dog training and social media never ends. I get asked frequently how long it took to train my dogs. My reply is, "It never ends." The notion that one can take a dog through few obedience courses and get a well-behaved dog is pretty far from the truth. Training a dog happens is a never ending process, especially if they are trained for performance activities. Training lasts a lifetime. Successful social media also never ends. I've been asked "How long do we have to use Twitter? When do we are we finished with social media?" The answer is: Unless your business or your internet presence ceases to exists, social media should not end. Social media tools may come and go, but hopefully the social part never ends.

Austin Pets Alive! Pet Prom 2010

2010-06-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again - time to deck yourself and your pets out in your best prom gear and join us at Torchy's Trailer Park.

Once again we will have a costume contest for the the pets. Entrance to the event is free and the fee to enter your pet into the costume contest is 10.00.

In addition to the costume contest, there will be live music from Little Mikey and the Soda Jerks (awesome Honky Tonk if I recall correctly from Sweet Barks Honky Tonk:) Plus games, food & beer (yay St Arnolds!), and a silent auction.

We hope to see you there!