animals

As the weather gets colder, short-haired and smaller dogs often need an extra layer of protection if they're going to be outside for an extended period of time. Patch and Scott's Dog Coats are some of the most stylish we have seen. They are made out of water-repellent Italian canvas and trimmed with soft, washable leather at the neck and waistband. For warmth, the lining is lambswool. The coats are well-shaped and, unlike some of the boxy coats from other manufacturers, they have a sleek and flattering outline. The coats come in two sizes and with either chocolate or tan leather accents. Price: £149.

In the 1930's, Dr. Seuss Geisel, most often known simply as Dr. Seuss, set about to turn some of his sketched animals into 3D artworks and used parts from real animals to make his fantastic ones. The collection was known as the Unorthodox Collection of Taxidermy and acquired most of the parts it used from the Forest Park Zoo. The inventive animals include: a Kangaroo Bird, a Semi-Normal Green-Lidded Fawn, a Blue Green Abelard and an Andulovian Grackler, along with many others. Limited reproductions of these original works are now available. While they're not really recommended as a decoration for a child's room, they certainly make good conversation pieces elsewhere in the house.

Unfortunately, some of the pieces are already sold out, so if you want one to add to your collection, you should probably act quickly. A set of four creatures is $8,380, but others are sold individually.

[via boing boing]

Since dogs don't have to pay taxes on their Emmy swag, they probably constitute the only group of gift recipients from this year's awards that didn't have to think twice before playing with their new goodies. And they had a lot to play with because the value of the celebrity pet gift bags from the EXTRA Awards Lounge was about $1,200. The bags included an embroidered Brody Bag, Sushi Pups dog toys and an exclusive Year of Your Dog Tag from Bark Avenue Jewelers, in addition to loads more stuff. It may be a cliche to say it's a dog's life - but it's clearly true for the celebrity pets.

We've mentioned before that taxidermy is a surprisingly popular trend among city-dwellers apparently so desperate for contact with nature that they're content to put dead animals in their apartments. Of course, some refrain from using real animals, but Kate Moss has just bought into the trend with the purchase of a £4,000 piece called "To Every Seed his own Body" from British taxidermist Polly Morgan. The piece has a blue tit (a small bird) lying apparently dead on top of a prayer book, all under glass. It appears that the piece also has a tiny chandelier inside that can be lit via a cord strung through the bottom of the case.

Last week while reading the Wall Street Journal over coffee, I came upon a rather strange article declaring that taxidermy was on the rise in New York. Or rather, people were buying dead, stuffed animals to decorate their apartments, so business was booming for taxidermists. One woman, a 45-year old ad executive, said that the pair of stuffed deer heads she hung in her apartment's entryway gave "the apartment a feeling of warmth."

I see more negatives than positives from hanging dead animals - no matter how clean - in my living space, so if I wanted to get in on this trend, I'd go for a Wooden Deer Head instead. Hand carved from laminated basswood, the wall decoration is sleeker and less scary than the real thing - not to mention that there is a lower risk of insects taking up residence within and no musty odor to contend with. The antlers are removable for storage purposes and there is a keyhole hanger in the back. Price: $495.

The Pet Master is a PDA, not for pets but to organize them. Instead of cluttering up your calendar or PDA with the appointments and play dates for your pet, you can store them separately, along with important phone numbers, like the vet. It has plenty of information about both cats and dogs, so it's great for all pet owners. The Pet Master has an alarm that will remind you of any scheduled events, a built-in pet shopping list and health facts, a list of pet-friendly hotels for traveling and emergency numbers - all pet-related, of course. There is even a frame built into the case which will allow you to tuck in a photo of man's best friend. It's only $29.95 and, in addition to doing something good for you and your own pet, a portion of the proceeds from each sale is donated to an animal charity.

Pet toys and furniture can be a tough sell because they're not meant for human use. This may sound obvious, but we tend to have a lower tolerance for things that are not either use by us or there for our enjoyment. Cats are fun, but scratching posts and such often fail to coordinate with the decor of a room. If you are able to secure a piece of furniture that is made for your pet but can pass as art, it is nearly a must-have. The Cat Cocoon is just such an object. Made out of double wall corrugated cardboard, the cocoon has a streamlined, pleasing shape and doubles as both a scratching post and a cat bed. It has the added advantage of making your cat look incredibly cute when it peeps out from inside one of the laser-cut holes. Price: $290.

Whether chocolates have ever before been as cute as the Country Critter Collection from Moonstruck Chocolates is difficult to say, but there have certainly been none as lovingly crafted or as delicious. Each of these critters - there are six in all - is hand rolled and decorated with precision. The truffles may look like the perfect gift for a child, but the flavors are very adult. The duck and the lamb are both filled with extra-bittersweet ganache, while the chick is a cinnamon-almond truffle. The cow is a milk chocolate truffle and the turkey is mocha-flavored. The pig, last but not least, has a toffee truffle filling. Price $30.

Miniature versions of things are often very cute, so it's not a shock when people ohh and ahh over animals. Small size and human-like qualities , combined with dashing good looks, makes pets all the more endearing. This may be part of the reason that pets are often considered to be part of the family, and family members need to me taken care of. Would you make a family member sleep on a pillow in the corner? I think not. A small, cute family member needs a small, cute bed. Dog beds are not only designed to be comfortable for your pet, but to match the decor in your home. This Saigon Day Bed is the perfect example. It comes in hardwood espresso and cherry finishes and is elegant enough to look good in any home. The removable microsuede pillows (not included) come in 22 different color options. It's is just the right size for small dogs, or even a cat, if you can get him to sit still long enough to enjoy it. Price: $298.