I'm back!!!!!

It's been a while my furry friends. Honestly, after the death of my Bebe, I lost inspiration to write. She truly was the sweetest companion and I just didn't think I would ever love another pet the way I did her. I'm sure for those that have lost a family pet, you understand how you just don't want to expose your kids and heck yourself to that kind of heart break again.

Bebe, RIP my love.

Time went by and my husband and kids would try to convince me we needed another pet. I thought no way, no matter how many pounds they visited, I was unmoveable. Then earlier this year, when we made the decision to move away from the city, my husband sat me down and said look "I'd feel more comfortable if we had a dog that would at least bark if someone was at the door. We're moving away from the protection of a secured building with cameras." In March we brought home Gunner, a pitbull, who has not only changed my opinion of the breed, but also made me fall completely and utterly in love.

Gunner

So, I am back and inspired, not just about the amazing life of pampered pets but also about how they can change your life.

Announcing Your Newest Furry Baby

As part of my 9 to 5 job, I recently attended a Special Events tradeshow in Los Angeles. One of the vendors there was a great little stationary company called tiny*prints. They gave me some samples of their work and I was really impressed. I made a note to myself to look up their Web site when I returned to the office. While perusing through their site, I came upon a really cute idea, pet announcements. Why not announce your new kitty or pooch the same way you would any other new member of the family? I decided to do some research on the Web and quickly found out that there is a whole corner of the stationary market dedicated to this concept. Am I the last to figure this out? Anyhow, I decided to dedicate my search to find the best of the breed, so to speak. Other than tiny*prints, that really has a fantastic selection, there is also Paper Shouts, which has a really colorful assortment of products, and by far my favorite the Pawprints Pet Announcement kit, which I found on Rock Star Pooch's Web site. With the Pawprints Pet Announcement kit, you can create and display a print of your pet's paw alongside a photograph. The kit also includes envelopes, so you can send your announcement to family and friends.

Haute Chewin'

On a recent shopping trip I came across an adorable plush toy for our bulldog Bebe. It was a zebra striped high-heeled shaped plush toy with the words “Manalo Barknik” stitched across the top. Needless to say, it has become her favorite toy thanks to the little squeak noise it makes when she chews on it. Made by a company called HAUTE DIGGITY DOG, I had to start researching what other fanciful creations these cool originators had.

HAUTE DIGGITY DOG, the brainchild of fellow animal lovers Pamela Reeder and Victoria Dauernheim, offers a successful line of popular parody dog toys, unique collars, carry bags and dog accessories. They have a huge celebrity following and have been a featured item in gift bags to nominees and presenters at the Oscars and Emmy Awards, additionally they have been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America and CBS Early Show.

With parodies to famed fashion houses such as Chanel, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade and Tiffany & Co., their products have quickly gone from a fun idea to a must have item for any fashionista pup. If you love the Sex and the City movie, then you will adore such featured items as a Cosmuttpolitan, a New York City Taxi, a Pawda bag and even a Sarah Jessica Barker from their Puparazzi Pup collection. In September of 2008, they will be releasing a “Yappy Hour Cocktail Party Collection,” which I am sure will be filled with takeoffs on favorite two-legged cocktail creations.

HAUTE DIGGITY DOG is also committed to saving abandoned and abused animals through their Help a Dog Play Another Day program. Each sale of their Puparazzi Pups Toy Line has been donated to “no kill” animal shelters such as the Irvine Animal Shelter, Baja Animal Sanctuary and Much Love Animal Rescue. If the cute products didn’t have you, this commendable effort alone should make you want to go out and support this incredible company.