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
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.
Here's a bumper bed for your special family member that you can feel good about, ecologically-speaking. Covered in organic cotton twill, free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers, it's filled with a comfy, cozy stuffing and is made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, which diverts more than 25 tons of plastic bottles from landfills every year. The bed features a center, removable pillow that can also be used separately inside crates or the car. It's a great option for allergic, sensitive, or orthopedic pets. Made in the U.S.A., machine washable. A portion of sale proceeds are donated. Sizes S - XL; $76.95 - $178.95.
Most of the companies that offer charms shaped like pets offer just the most popular breeds but Meche goes the extra mile. Their dog charms cover all current AKC breeds and they have begun working on the cats, starting with the most popular. The pieces are three dimensional and free standing. They can be ordered in 14K white or yellow gold and customized with diamond collars and eyes and finished with custom colors.
Posh Paws is an idea put into motion by Cantoni furniture store and inspired by a small polyethylene dog originally created by designer Eero Aarnio as part of his children's collection. The Posh Paws version takes the original dog, adds in a few local and national celebrity designers, and comes up with an entire line of adorable and unique puppy toys (toys that are puppies, not toys for puppies) that are up for sale to benefit various charities in the name of animal rescue and helping stray pets find permanent homes. My favorite is this one by Zsofia Mezey Koppani.
We've covered bottled water for dogs before and apparently the trend is really taking off because now we're doing it again. Aqua Pure Breed is bottled mountain water for dogs that not only provides hydration but is also available in 4 different formulas to more personally meet your dog's healthy drinking needs. And Aqua Pure Breed promotes not only healthy drinking water for your pet but an overall healthy and active lifestyle by offering "Active Dog Guides" for major cities and they started the No Dog Left Behind program which encourages people to include their pet dogs into more areas of their lives. You can order online and get about a month's supply of water for $59.95.
The Animal Rescue Site has harnessed the immense power of the Internet and put it to use for a good cause. The site features a button that visitors can click as many times as they want to provide much needed food to the millions of animals in shelters across the US. The food is payed for by sponsors that advertise on the site, and it's distributed by volunteers. So, next time you're bored at work... click away! Like most charities The Animal Rescue Site has an online gift store, except this one is more like and online gift mall, I was blown away by how much cool stuff they have (jewelry, cute clothing, home and garden supplies and pet accessories and much more), I put the shopping link in my favorites, I will definitely check back next time I'm buying a gift! If you're going to be shopping online it feels good to know you aren't just fueling the mass consumerism lifestyle, when a portion of the money goes to a good cause it makes shopping so much more enjoyable! Plus I can justify spending more knowing the proceeds go to animals!
It's not easy to find cutesy stuff for large dogs, I have a 65 pound mutt, so adorable sweaters aren't an option, neither are name brand carriers. I was excited to find this Swarovski retractable lead, it's covered with shimmering crystals and available in a nice assortment of colors. Walk your big pooch in style and be the talk of the dog park! Available online, prices range from $160 (dogs under 20 pounds) to $280 (larger breeds).
Most pet crates don't look so nice in the home, with their plastic casing, metal gates and colors that don't always match the decor. Unless you want to keep your pet and his or her crate in the basement, there's an alternative, if you have a woody decor. The Pet Crate End Table from Improvements Catalog is solid pine with a chestnut color, and doubles as an end table. It comes in two sizes and is priced a bit more than many of the basic plastic and metal models found at a conventional pet goods site, such as Doctors Foster and Smith, but certainly is nicer looking as well as multi-functional.
Because the crate looks more like furniture than, well, a crate, you can easily set it up in the living room, den or bedroom. The pivoting block "lock" keeps the door closed. The description states that the crate also is a good place for a kitty litter box. And I bet my 3-year-old nephew would enjoy hiding in there too.
Large Pet Crate End Table, 25" x 36" x 30" tall, $259.99; Medium Pet Crate End Table, 21" x 30" x 24" tall, $199.99. See the gallery below for some of the other attractive pet products available from Improvements Catalog.
I'm not big on crating my little Maltese (and she's not big on being crated!) but there are always those times when it's just in her best interests to be confined, whether she likes it or not. Dog crates are typically ugly functional things, but the people over at Go!PetDesign have come up with a slightly less atrocious version of this small dog staple. The eiCrate has an artistic round shape, with a cute little round door and accessories like a fitted cover and half-moon shaped doggie cushion to add even more style. It still has a typical crate's metal framework, but then some things just can't be avoided. $495 - $750
I have to warn you this charity may bring a tear to your eye. Dogsindanger.com is an award winning website that was started by dog lovers Alex Aliksanyan and Brenda Bush. The site features various dogs in shelters that are on doggie death row. Their mission is to get as many of these dogs adopted before their time runs out, and to raise awareness about the numbers of dogs that are put to sleep in shelters every day. As of today dogsindanger.com has saved 4366 dogs. Their website is both educational and user friendly, with a search feature that allows prospective "parents" to search by breed or zip code to find potential pups. Online petitions, and a free newsletter are also available on the site. It's a common misconception that shelters only have large breeds, or old dogs...not true, shelters have dogs of all sizes and all ages. Please check out dogsindanger.com before you head to the pet store, and help spread the word, there's a loveable dog, in a shelter near you, that's patiently waiting.
I'm not sure if it's the saturated adult health and fitness industry or the booming pet products trend, but something has encouraged the creation and launch of Fortifido, bottled vitamin water for dogs. Fortifido touts benefits like healthier bones, skin, and joints, (plus of course better breath) and comes in several different flavors including spearmint, peanut butter, and parsley (parsley???).
When it comes to water for dogs of course there's some controversy over bottled water versus plain old-fashioned tap water, but even if bottled dog water is something you would buy I think everybody can see it's mostly just a marketing scheme to make money. Despite that, though, I'll admit that it might be fun when I'm out exercising to whip out both a water bottle just for me and another one for my dog...
She'll be trying "parsley" first (and probably just once!).
If you're an animal lover you probably have at least one cat or dog, if not several. And whether you're into mixed breeds from the local animal shelter or purebreds worthy of showing, pretty much all pet owners think their little baby is the most beautiful and unique of all. And although that may be true (I've got 3 unique sweeties of my own) there is something to be said for which kinds of cats and dogs really are the most unique, or in this case, the most rare. When it comes to rare breeds different experts have different opinions, but regardless who you ask certain names keep popping up.
The rarest cat breeds seem to be the Sokoke, the Egyptian Mau, and the Ashera. Of those the Ashera is the most expensive($20,000+), the Sokoke the most exotic (from the wilds of Africa), and the Egyptian Mau has the coolest history (lived with the Egyptians).
As for dog breeds, the one that keeps popping up on all the 'rare' lists is the Lundehund, or Norwegian Puffin Dog. Bred originally by the Vikings to hunt Puffins its most unique characteristic is its incredible flexibility in the joints. Other rare breeds include Otterhounds (about 350 in the US) and Stabyhounds (about 100 in the US).
Dog lovers around the world have the 11th and 12th of next month marked on their calendars -- the dates of the Westminster Kennel Club's 132nd All-Breed Dog Show. But that's not the only big canine-related event set to happen that week. In New York at Bonhams several dog collars that used to belong to the Duke of Windsor will go up for auction. The auction is set to coordinate with the dog show, and 5 leather collars that were worn by the Duke and Duchess' pug dogs will be going up for sale and are expected to go for as much as $3000. One collar even has a tag that reads "I belong to the Duke of Windsor." How quaint.
A Valentine's Box for your dog. It does strike me as a little over the top, but then what's life without the simple pleasure of indulging others? And if there was ever anybody worth indulging it's that little (or big) companion that sticks by you no matter what -- ignoring your bad moods and loving you unconditionally. The box contains an assortment of dog-friendly chocolate-looking treats made of organic ingredients (not chocolate) and a big bouncy strawberry chew toy that's made of recycled materials. It's so pretty it looks almost as fun to give as it will be for Fido to get! $29.95
