NWsource | Pet Dish

A shot at fame for your totally dirty dog

Lisa Wogan — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:44:44 -0700

Writing on one of our rare sunny days, I find myself thrilled with the prospect of rain. Not because I miss the rain, but because with rain comes mud and with mud comes the chance for my dog -- or yours -- to become a Lees Carpet spokes-pet, win prizes including a year's supply of dog food and new carpet, and raise money for the Seattle-based Delta Society.

Commit random acts of kindness -- all year long

Lisa Wogan — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:05:05 -0700

Since Monday, the Seattle Animal Shelter has been promoting Be Kind to Animals Week. I love the sentiment and admire the work of the Seattle Animal Shelter. I have a major soft spot for them, since that's where I found my dog Lulu. In the spirit of the thing, the Shelter suggests excellent actions such as encouraging family and friends to spay or neuter their pets, creating spaces for wildlife, reporting animal abuse or neglect, volunteering at your local animal shelter and speaking out on the importance of respecting animals.

Catch the pug bug

Lisa Wogan — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:12:05 -0700

I've always kind of wondered about pug passion. As much as I am an equal opportunity dog lover, the bug-eyed, plate-faced pugs have never really captured my fancy. I say this with trepidation since I know they've pretty much cornered most-favored status among Seattle's canine bantam weights.

Frisky business in Shoreline

Lisa Wogan — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:34:17 -0700

My step-aunt had an enormous tiger cat named Rhombus. He pounced like a cat and landed like an elephant. If Rhombus was in the running, I know he'd prevail in the Monster Cat category at the Average Joe Cat Show this Saturday. But Rhombus hung up his extra large collar years ago, so all you "big-boned" kitty contenders out there have a chance.

No more scratching that Itchmo

Lisa Wogan — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:27:01 -0700

First, things slowed down at Itchmo.com, eventually posts ground to a halt and then the URL went kerflooey. Itchmo is/was a pet-flavored Web site, created in Seattle, that we loved here at NWsource. It was loaded with helpful dog and cat news and information, especially during the pet-food recall when it became a go-to resource.

At first, I figured the folks at the keyboard had taken a holiday. I mean bloggers have lives, too, you now. Then, when the site went dark, I did what everyone does: Googled.

Enjoy a daily radio bird bath

Lisa Wogan — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:25:31 -0700

If you listen to KPLU (88.5 FM) in the morning, you know all about the nature oasis at 8:58 a.m. If you don't, set your alarm. Backed by sounds such as chirping Barn Swallows and the drilling of a Williamson's Sapsucker, the honey-voiced Frank Corrado narrates two-minute digests about wild birds. The BirdNote vignettes are packed with intriguing tidbits served up with surprising poetry.

Give and take dog advice at Friday night's Mutt Mixer

Lisa Wogan — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:15:39 -0700

I'm always looking for good dog advice -- the kind you hear from smart friends who aren't trained in canine behavior but seem to get what dogs are about. Maybe it's some vestigial wolf gene, but I've met accountants, nurses, all sorts of folks with non-dog day-jobs, who can out-whisper The Dog Whisperer.

Shrinking Fido's carbon paw print

Lisa Wogan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:41:47 -0700

A couple months ago, I plucked a business card for Seattle Green Dogs off the bulletin board at Top Pot Doughnuts. I was there for, um, a cup of black coffee. I dropped the card in my pocket, and there it lived until I discovered it a week after Earth Day (when I had failed to join the blogging hordes with an eco-greenie-themed message).

A Phoenix -- well, Parrot, really -- rises from the ashes

Lisa Wogan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:21:57 -0700

I'm beginning to feel like a bird brain. By that, I mean, I have been learning so much about the Seattle bird scene, I'm fairly busting with it. (I should say that the pejorative term "bird brain" needs to be under serious reconsideration as science learns how sophisticated that tiny processor actually is.)

Good news for soon-to-be-lost pets

Lisa Wogan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:38:06 -0700

Among the items on the auction block this Saturday at the Seattle Humane Society's Tuxes and Tails event will be the chance to spend a day on the trail with famed pet detective Kat Albrecht.