Behind the Scenes Craziness!

It's a beautiful, sunny day in Vancouver! I'm not sure whether we ought to be embarrassed at our lack of snow, or smug about how gorgeous it is here. Cherry trees, sunlight, Olympic venues opening up all over the place... But even more exciting?

We're proofing our Spring Issue! Everything is, of course, going swimmingly well (haha), and it looks great! We're all super excited about this one, and we're sure you will be too.

An important note! If you live in the New York area and want to attend next week's SkyBark shindig, make sure to check out Connie's blog at www.moderndogmagazine.com for more details!

Vancouver buzzes with Olympic fever...

The Winter Olympics are almost here! Our hometown Vancouver has undergone a pretty big facelift for this event and we are hoping it's going to be as much as it has been a pain in the neck! It's time to start showing your team spirit! We found these cute Vancouver hoodies at Barking Babies that are our Fav Find of the week. Check 'em out at: http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/favefind

Making way for 2010...

MD's Top Dog shares her New Year's Resolution:

"Happy New Year!
December 31, 2009
As 2009 comes to a close and the New Year ready to dawn, it's customary to reflect on the year's experiences- both the good and the bad - and then make some resolutions for the upcoming year. Having recently read a book on applying the practices of Feng Shui (pronounced Fung-shway), to increase abundance in one's life, I decided that my first resolution would be putting some of the principles outlined in that book into practice (if you'd like to read Wikipedia's definition of Feng Shui click here). As many a busy person can testify it's very easy to accumulate stuff that you intend to deal with later and after a while, you don't even see it. Upon standing back and looking at the stacks of papers, boxes and "stuff" piled up in my office I realized that my build-up of clutter was breaking one of the most basic laws of Feng Shui (clutter blocks the flow of auspicious energy and in basic terms, if energy gets stuck, nothing new can come in). Soooo, I've been very busy today, getting rid of junk, sorting through piles of paper, recycling and generally clearing and beautifying my work space. As a result, I feel more organized and ready to dig into some new projects next week. I'm also going to de-clutter my house... it's actually quite fun once you get started.
Have fun deciding on your own resolutions for 2010 and on behalf of all of us at Modern Dog I wish you good health, happiness, love and the fulfillment of all your goals.

Connie Wilson"

To read more blog entries from our publisher, go to: http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/blogs/connie

$5 Gift subscriptions!

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Ken and Barbie's doggie problems!

Maybe they're cat people?

Barbie and Ken are worse at keeping their dogs than Jon and Kate. Only days after Mattel announced the projected March launch of Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken (“Sugar” is the moniker of the adorable white dog on the other end of Ken’s pink leash), they have abruptly cancelled the product with no explanation. Perhaps they got cold feet after Ken’s high-fashion apparel, toy dog, and name drew criticism and mockery from the online community. Either way, this is not the first time Mattel has had problems giving their dolls some canine companionship. A few years ago, they launched a Barbie play set that included Tanner, a Golden Retriever, who would “eat” dog food and, a short while later, poop on the floor. Luckily for Barbie, she had a magnetic pooper scooper to clean up the mess. It wasn’t so lucky for the children, however, as the magnets posed a choking hazard, resulting in a product recall. Sugar Daddy Ken had been intended for adult collectors but, despite the fact that his dog does not make little magnetic messes, he won’t be hitting the shelves.

Check out the picture at: http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/ken-and-barbie-s-d og-problems/7345

Winter Olympics in Vancouver

Thinking of going to the Winter Olympics in Beautiful British Columbia? Bring Fido along! Vancouver is a super-pet-friendly city. You can't turn the corner with Fido without having a local gush all over your dog. It's also Modern Dog's home turf! Check out our favorite dog-friendly places in the city: http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/cityguides/vancouver-bc

Thanksgiving

It's that lovely time of the year again when we put our busy schedules aside so that we can get together with friends and family over a special meal to celebrate our thankfulness for the year's blessings. As I reflect on my personal blessings not only do I give thanks for my own circle of loved ones, I also give thanks to you, our readers, writers and advertisers (and of course, your dogs), who through your commitment and contribution to Modern Dog have made it an incredibly successful publication. Without you, we certainly wouldn't have been able to reach these heights. I wish you all a joyful Thanksgiving weekend!
Since so many Thanksgiving dinners involve turkey, I thought it might be wise to provide this party survival tip: while you know to never give Poochie bones from the table, your dinner guests are another matter. Ensure your evening doesn't end with a trip to the vet -- inform them that cooked bones, particularly small ones, can splinter and the shards could cause choking as well as blockage or injury to your dog's gastro-intestinal tract. For other reminders of potential hazards to your furry friend, check out the ASPCA's Easy Tips For a Pet-Safe Holiday Season: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/a-poison-safe-h ome.html

The infamous Greyhound, a long time human friend. Here's- why...

It is 331 BC. Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia, has gotten himself into big trouble. During a battle with the Persians, his enthusiasm to lead his troops has drawn him so far forward that he finds himself deep within enemy lines and fighting for his life. To add to his problems, he now finds a huge war elephant bearing down on him, crushing soldiers beneath its feet at every stride as it charges. With enemy troops pressing him on all sides, Alexander can do little to avoid its attack.

Without hesitation, one of Alexander’s friends hurls himself at the elephant, wounding it so that its rider loses control and causing the big beast to rear and turn, thus creating a hole in the lines through which the king escapes. The friend, however, does not survive.

In the battle’s aftermath, Alexander orders a state funeral for his friend and, in gratitude, names a city after him: Peritas, his brave and loyal Greyhound.

The tall elegant hounds with incredible speed and big hearts have been capturing human affections for longer than just about any other breed of dog. References to Greyhounds in art and literature date back thousands of years, including a mention in the Bible. From Greek gods to Egyptian nobles, everyone wanted their picture painted with a sleek Greyhound at their side.

Read more about Greyhounds at: http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/breeds/greyhound

Plan Now For Stress Free Holidays

It's kind of funny how after we turn the clocks back one hour and Halloween has come and gone, it truly feels like Winter is just around the corner. Although many of us dread those long, dark and cold days, there's always the festive holiday season to look forward to. It's fun to get bundled up and go out for an evening walk and see the night's blackness pierced by strands of twinkling lights shrouding trees or outlining the contours of houses. And with time seemingly flashing by at lightning pace, there's a few things to think of now that will help you be ready for the holidays, one of which is booking your dog's reservation at your favourite boarding facility should you have to leave him behind when travelling to your holiday destination. And don't forget to make sure that his vaccinations are up to date ... any good facility will require proof of that. It's also not too early to start compiling a gift list for all the favourite dogs and dog people in your life. Our upcoming Winter issue is chock-full of ideas, or check out our online Gift A Day Holiday Showcase, where Modern Dog's advertisers have come up with some brilliant gift suggestions to assist you in your holiday shopping. Start planning now, it will get you into the spirit and help you enjoy the season stress-free!

http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/holiday-showcase/09/11/ 01/fine-art-photograph-light-ray-photography

Product Purchase Helps Foreclosure Pets

I really like the lightweight and waterproof polyester shopping bags from Envirosax. They roll up into a small tube and a snap closure keeps them that way until you're ready to use them. They come 5 bags to a pouch and the pouch isn't much bigger than the size of a small cosmetic bag, making it convenient to toss into your handbag so you'll always have carry-bags ready when you need them. What's even better though is that during the month of November Envirosax will donate $1 from the sale of every pouch to the ASPCA to help Foreclosure Pets. Foreclosure Pets is the term applied to the rising number of animals left behind to fend for themselves in empty foreclosed homes. When found, these pets are brought to local animal shelters often in desperate need of medical attention, but with dwindling donations, the shelters are having a difficult time covering medical costs, food and shelter. Help yourself while helping animals in need. For more info on Envirosax or to purchase a pouch, visit www.envirosax.com.