Twas The Night Before Westminster

Rufus, in his cap, in Central Park

Twas the Night Before Westminster

By Rufus

Twas the night before Westminster, when all through the hotel

All the creatures were stirring, yes even a Xolo

But dad in his skivvies and I in my cap

Tried to settle our brains for a good Midtown nap

When out in the lobby there arose such a clatter

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter

Away to the door I flew like a flash

Dad opened it up and and to the lobby I ran to make a big splash

The flash bulbs from the paparazzi, you know

Gave the luster of mid-day to the critters below

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But a Miniature Poodle and one of those new breeds, on the name I'm not clear

And then, in a twinkling, I heard from the front desk

The prancing and pawing of my great nemesis

As I drew in my head and was turning around

Through the revolving door arrived that Pekingese with a bound

He was wearing lots of fur, but no head and no foot

Looked like a mess and just wouldn't stay put

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had something to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work

And filled the seats at the Garden, yes it really does irk

And laying his paw aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the podium he rose.

And in the Group Ring at Westminster

Our cousin Gigi, just 21 months old, from California killed it in the Non-Sporting Group at Westminster.

Rufus at Westminster

Deep Acres' Rufus was among the Tibetan Terriers lucky enough to show at Westminster this year. Rufus is fifth in line.

Sit, Stay, Accept

The Academy might not recognize dog actors, but don’t you worry; in Hollywood, every thespian will be celebrated.

The nominations for Dog News Daily’s first annual Golden Collar Awards were announced on Wednesday, and Uggie swept, picking up nods for his work in “The Artist” and “Water for Elephants.” (He also took part in the nominations; there is nothing this little guy won’t do.) Other contenders for best dog in a theatrical film include Cosmo, the Jack Russell from “Beginners”; Hummer, the smiling Pomeranian from “Young Adult”; and Denver as Skeletor in “50/50.”

There’s a foreign film category, too; the Bagger hasn’t seen it but our money’s on Koko from “Red Dog,” an Australian film that seems to be about an inspirational mutt and Josh Lucas in an undershirt. The Golden Collars also acknowledge TV and reality shows, but not commercials – though if they did, the Bagger would nominate this.

The Golden Collar Awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on Feb 13, at a dog-friendly hotel.

Take Your Dog to Brunch

2nd Annual Puppy Love Poetry Contest

Love is in the air, and Bark Magazine is thrilled to be back with their second annual Puppy Love poetry contest—Roses are red, Violets are blue. Write a sweet poem of what your dog means to you.

Enter The Bark’s Puppy Love Poetry Contest on Facebook by leaving a poetic comment on their wall. You can finish the classic doggerel, “Roses are red, Violets are blue,” or even better, take poetic license and pen a canine Valentine in your very own style. They will award special prizes to their favorites.

The contest ends February 14th, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST

Baby It's Cold Outside

Roxie in Knit Cap by Aunt Joyce

Love Bruin

Suddie,
Have been meaning to check in for ages. Time just flies by. Bruin is doing great and is such an integral part of the family that we cannot remember what it was like before he was in our lives. The kids constantly tell us how lucky they feel to have such a wonderful guy.


He snowshoes with me every weekend in Vermont and is an excellent hiker...literally running over the snow and through the woods up the mountain. He loves the boat in the summer and enjoys lots of walks with his many canine friends. We have started a trend in our town, with many other families getting Tibetans because they are so taken with Bruin.

Can't thank you enough for a wonderful addition to our family...he enriches us every day.

Hope you are well.
Deb

Things Every Dog Should Know

Does your dog know its own name?

“I am often amazed at how many animals do not know their names,” said Lauren Henry, one of three veteran dog trainers interviewed by Sue Manning of The Associated Press in an article on commands, behaviors or skills that every dog should know. The trainers — Ms. Henry, co-owner of Talented Animals, with offices in California and Oregon; Jamie Van Wye, founder of the social “petworking” club Zoom Room; and Ron Davis of Camarillo, Calif., known for his work with Tillman the skateboarding bulldog — were asked for five or six things they thought every dog should not only be familiar with but respond immediately to in urgent situations.

“Teaching a dog to wait at a door when it’s being opened or wait in the vehicle when you open a car door and not bolt out is definitely critical for safety,” said Henry. “Stay is important, but most people don’t get the stay well enough trained that they should ever trust it in a critical situation. A leash is much safer than relying on a stay.”

Van Wye also thinks teaching “wait is better than stay. Wait is like a pause button. I’m saying: ‘Stop moving. You can go when I release you.’ It’s good for in and out of doorways, in and out of cars so they don’t run into traffic, if you put their food down. Stay is a more formal command. Wait is hold on a second.”

Others on the list included leave it, go to bed, pay attention, let’s go, play well with others and swim. To learn more, read the full article, “Trainers Offer Basic Commands That Will Help Dogs Be Safe, Become Better Pets."