Pets

Should Dogs Wear Fur?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — May 10th 2009 at 6:01PM

There just seems to be something wrong about a fur coat for a dog, an animal that nature has already provided with a coat of its own. But for small dog without a thick winter coat of its own there is the chinchilla fur coat from Tails and Company. There are plenty of fake fur dog coats on the market but this coat is real chinchilla with a price tag that might be higher than what it cost to buy your purebred pup, $1,700. As the description on the website says, "or the person who has it all, we are sure that you don't have this." But is there something fundamentally hypocritical about draping an animal in another animal?

[Thanks, Angie!]

Should Dogs Wear Fur?
That's disgusting.	257 (72.0%)
That's adorable.	100 (28.0%)

Tags: chinchilla fur, ChinchillaFur, coat, dog, pet

Pet Airways - World's First Pet Only Airline

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) — Apr 29th 2009 at 8:02PM

Traveling across the country with your pet has often left owners with only less than appealing options. Either stow Fido in the cargo hold of a plane or drive across the country with Fifi in a carrier. Finally, pet travel has a first class option with Pet Airways. Your precious animal can stay in the main cabin of a pet-only airline, without their owners, for just $149 and up! Fly them from coast-to-coast through the chosen inaugural cities of New York, Washington DC/Baltimore, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. Simply drop your pet at the airport Pet Lounge, where they will be cared for up to 72 hours in advance of the flight, track your pet's progress through Pet Airways' online system, and pick up your furry friend at the destination's Pet Lounge.This innovative airline will launch July 2009.

[via The Informed Traveler]

Tags: pet airways, pet travel, PetAirways, PetTravel

The Weizhi Pet Collection

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Apr 26th 2009 at 3:01PM

Your dog is an integral part of the family, there's no doubt about that, so it's no wonder people are always looking for new and fun ways to treat their pets to some luxury and show off their little personalities. The Weizhi Pet Collection features collars and leads for dogs of exotic skins like snake, ostrich, and crocodile along with accents of pure silver and jeweled hardware. Weizhi was founded by designer Zhoucheng Shi and is based in Japan, with offices in Los Angeles. $3000

Gallery: Weizhi Pet Collection

Tags: dog, dog collar, DogCollar, dogs, pet, pets, weizhi

Attractive, High-End, Cardboard Cat Scratchers? Yes!

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Apr 11th 2009 at 3:02PM

I'm always on the lookout for interesting, functional products that (I hope) my cats will like and that won't make my home look junky. I recently found these cool corrugated cardboard cat scratchers at Design Public. Created primarily with recycled materials and with water-based glue, the scratchers/loungers are non-toxic and 100% recyclable. Several are from Elizabeth Paige Smith, others are from Marmalade Pet Care. See the gallery for the different styles and prices (from $35 - $320).

Gallery: Attractive, High-End Cardboard Cat Scratchers

Marmalade Pet Care Cheeky Chaise Cat Bed

Marmalade Pet Care Wall Flower Scratcher

Elizabeth Paige Smith Prrrounge Chaise lounge

Tags: cat, cat bed, cat beds, cat scratcher, cat scratchers, CatBed, CatBeds, cats, CatScratcher, CatScratchers, Design Public, DesignPublic, Elizabeth Paige Smith, ElizabethPaigeSmith, Marmalade Pet Care, MarmaladePetCare, pet, pets

Purrplex Cat Condo

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Mar 29th 2009 at 2:02PM

Here's a classy and simple cat condo by Purrplex that looks nice and should keep your cat happy too. It's like a 1-BR home for your feline friend -- bathroom, bedroom, dining room and pantry, all in one. Constructed of high-density plastic laminate on high-density 3/4" particle board, Purrplex's surface is countertop grade laminate that withstands moisture. Cats enter through two ports in the left side. The lower leads to the sleeping area, the upper to the litter box area and then another jump up to the dining area. The pantry has one adjustable shelf. Comes in Wilsonart Antique White, Black or Wild Cherry. Dimensions: 30.75" W x 22" D x 34.5" H. $314.95; also available -- different cushions ($19.95). Free shipping!

[Thanks, Raeann]

Gallery: Purrplex Cat Condo

Tags: cat, cat condo, cat furniture, CatCondo, CatFurniture, cats, decor, pet, pet furniture, PetFurniture, pets, Purrplex

Urban Dreams Pet Bed

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Mar 21st 2009 at 10:02AM

For pampered pets in modern homes there is this luxury pet bed. The Urban Dreams bed from UDX Designs is made of curved birch wood accented with a stainless steel plate. It sells for $845 in the large size when stained dark brown or $805 plain. For truly fancy pets you thrown in a faux fur throw for $145. The company also sells pillow feather beds and luxurious little fabric catnip pillows for fancy felines.

[via Cool Hunting]

Tags: dog bed, DogBed, eyecandy, pet bed, PetBed, pets

Mija Dog Beds by Wowbow

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Mar 6th 2009 at 3:02PM

Mija Dog Beds, manufactured by Wowbow and offered through the Swedish online store PID.se, offer a clean-lined, more modern look than many traditional pet beds. Crafted from 10mm thick acrylic and furnished with luxury faux suede cushions filled with shredded memory foam, the line is from London-based designer and dog owner Kim Bull, who got tired of dog beds emblazoned in plaids or paw prints. The bed comes in small (8,332 SEK = $911, in today's exchange rate), medium (9,723 SEK = $1,062), and large (12,505 SEK = $1,366) and in different colors.

Gallery: Mija Dog Beds by Wowbow

Tags: Dog, Dogs, Mija, pet, pet bed, pet beds, pet furniture, PetBed, PetBeds, PetFurniture, pets, Wowbow

Swarovski Crystal-Encrusted Cat Flap

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) — Mar 5th 2009 at 4:02PM

Finally, some bling for cats! UK pet door manufacturer Doors4Paws now offers a Swarovski crystal-encrusted cat flap decorated with more than 1,000 crystals. The Hertfordshire-based firm sells a number of standard designs as well. Sarah Gildersleeve, Doors4Paws co-owner, told The Daily Mail, "We've already received a barrage of calls, and people are requesting all sorts of individual designs -- from getting their cat's name painted on the top to the crystals. ... At the end of the day, they're a bit of fun. There's so much doom and gloom these days. We want to put a smile on people's faces." £1,000, or about $1,407, based on today's exchange rate. Not yet available on the company's site, but check back -- the company seems to be just getting going.

Tags: cat, cat door, cat flap, CatDoor, CatFlap, pet bling, PetBling, pets, Swarovski, Swarovski crystals, SwarovskiCrystals

Enormous, Expensive Victorian Dog House

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Feb 22nd 2009 at 2:02PM

The title of this post does a good job at explaining exactly what this product is: it's a very large, very pricey house for your dog. I would argue that it's really more of a kennel because it has both a 6' x 8' fence-enclosed play area with a separate sleeping nook that's actually the dog house. The exterior is Victorian-themed with gables, gingerbread trim, and darling little shutters on the windows. Be careful if you have kids -- they'll probably want to take it over as a playhouse! $4,300

Via Bornrich

Tags: dog, dog house, DogHouse, dogs, pet, pets

Florida Couple Pays $150,000 for Cloned Dog

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Jan 29th 2009 at 6:01PM

A couple in Boca Raton, Florida, just took ownership of their new puppy, which just happens to be a clone of their old yellow lab, Sir Lancelot, who died last year. The couple had Lancelot's DNA frozen 6 years ago, and then paid $150,000 to have the dog brought back to life as a clone. It's the first time the procedure has been performed commercially.

I love my Maltese, but I don't think I would ever choose to have her cloned. I don't think I could ever look at the clone and not get a weird feeling! Someday I'll have to find some other way to cherish her memory.

Tags: clone, cloned, cloning, dog, lancelot, sir lancelot, SirLancelot

Ceramic and Platinum Travel Suitcase for Dogs

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Dec 21st 2008 at 11:02AM

A pet carrier for people who don't want to necessarily look like they're carrying a pet, this Ceramic Travel Doghouse looks more like a suitcase than a carrier. I like its crisp contemporary design, but can't help but wonder about two things: I don't see any openings other than the door, is there really enough airflow? And being made of ceramic and platinum, how much does the darn thing weigh?

I have to admit that as pet carriers go this one does have style appeal. Designed by Marco Morosini for Bosa, €670.

Via Bornrich

Tags: dog, dog house, DogHouse, dogs, pet, pets, suitcase, travel

Lux Q & A: Amy Harris, Creator of "Puppy Love" on L Studio

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) — Nov 15th 2008 at 11:02AM

Puppy love is in the air. It's in the White House (or will be soon enough), it's on the big screen, and now it's online in the new original series from Sex & the City writer-producer Amy B. Harris.

Hosted by Lexus's just-launched L Studio, home to original films, interviews and musings on everything from high heels to desk design, Puppy Love is all about New Yorkers and their dogs -- dogs who might be gay, dogs who warrant more attention than their owners, dogs as stand-in boyfriends (in Famke Janssen's case, a boyfriend who doesn't let a real man get in the way).

Actors including Janssen, Ally Sheedy and Janel Moloney jumped to be part of the series once they heard Lexus would donate $50,000 to the ASPCA on their behalf.
In fact all the actors, writers and directors on the show donated their time to the project in support of the ASPCA.

I chatted with the show's creator, Amy B. Harris, about developing the show and working with her dog, Oscar, shown above.

How did you come to collaborate with L Studio on Puppy Love?
I thought the series would work best on the web, as it's a shorter form of storytelling. [Each episode hovers around the 10 minute mark.] L Studio was very generous with its donation to the ASPCA, and everyone said they loved working on the project, even the crew who loved their dogs, and my production partner who had just lost her dog and was excited to express her puppy love.

How has it been different to work on the web as opposed to television or the big screen?
I'm still trying to figure it out -- the medium is very interesting for me. I explain it by saying, there's no opening weekend. In film, you know exactly what the numbers are. With the web, people can find it whenever they want to, and I'm adjusting to that thought process. I kind of love it.

New York featured so prominently in Sex & the City. Does it do so again in Puppy Love?
I could have shot either in New York or LA, but it was very important for me to do it here. It's surprising in a place with no backyards that so many people have dogs. The city can become very anonymous, but having a dog, suddenly you know people by their first names. When I first got Oscar [who stars in two webisodes and is pictured above], I didn't speak to one neighbor. Now everyone's coming to talk to us when I'm walking him in my pajamas.

New episodes in the 10-part series are added to the site each Tuesday. And the finale? That's when we'll see Heidi Klum and her pup in a mockumentary of New York fashion week -- for dogs. Be sure to watch straight through to the end of every webisode -- one of the best parts of the series is the When Harry Met Sally-like post-show interviews asking the actors how they fell in love with their dogs.

Tags: aspca, charity, dogs, heidi klum, HeidiKlum, l studio, lexus, LStudio, puppy love, PuppyLove

A New Luxury Pet Hotel Opens in London

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Oct 25th 2008 at 4:02PM

Why should the human members of your family be the only ones who get to enjoy the perks of taking a vacation? In most cases when the family goes on vacation the pets are either left behind in an empty house or they're taken to a cramped and crowded boarding facility -- either way they pretty much just survive until the vacation is over and life returns to normal.

But what if you could take them to a luxury hotel of their own? Elmtree, in London, is offering just that service. Elmtree is a new luxury pet hotel that offers all the usual boarding amenities like individual kennels, accommodation of any special diet requirements, and daily walks, plus they also have an on-site grooming parlor, luxury pet bedding options (if you don't want to bring your own), exercise and play rooms, and even in-kennel web cams so you can keep constant tabs on your pet while you're away. Sounds like Fido and Frisky might actually have a good time! Prices start at £20/day for dogs and £12/day for cats.

Gallery: Elmtree Luxury Pet Hotel

Tags: cat, cats, dog, dogs, elmtree, hotel, hotels, london, luxury pet hotel, LuxuryPetHotel, pet hotel, pet sitter, PetHotel, pets, PetSitter, uk

A Pet Crate That You'll Love, Not Just Tolerate

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) — Oct 4th 2008 at 3:02PM

I'm all for treating my little Maltese to a good night's sleep in a comfy bed, but that doesn't mean I want a miniature princess canopy bed eating up my precious floorspace and looking all corny and over-the-top in the process. But these pet beds (or pet dens I should say) from Denhaus look like a nice way to keep both me and my dog happy. Created of polished fiberglass with smooth, shatterproof glass tops (to act as both a skylight for the pet and a tabletop for you) they're both a comfy place for your pet to relax and a stylish addition to your home's decor. They look more like a contemporary designer end table than a pet crate (which is awesome!) and come in your choice of 4 colors. $525-$565

Via boing boing

Gallery: Denhaus Luxury Pet Dens

Tags: cat, cats, den, den haus, DenHaus, dens, dog, dogs, home, pet, pet bed, pet beds, PetBed, PetBeds, pets

Barney's Bling, Matching Jewelry For Pets And People

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Sep 7th 2008 at 4:01PM

I've seen jewelry for pets that can be worn by people but Barney's Bling offers matching diamond pieces for both people and pets. The matching pieces feature dog bones and the Barney's Bling signature design, a heart paw print in 18K white gold and diamonds, worn on a 16" chain. The necklace and tag comes in two sizes big and little and sells for $4830 and $3150.

All jewelry is created and handcrafted in Los Angeles by Bridget Livingtston and her dedicated team (Barney is Bridget's Yorkie dog). Barney's Bling donates 10% of proceeds to Perfect Pet Rescue and Autism Speaks.

Gallery: Pet Bling

Tags: diamonds, dog collar, DogCollar, dogs, pets

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