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I won this toy in a raffle and am most excited. I knew the dog would love it. I didn’t know just how fast she’d conquer it.
This video was taken on day two of having the toy.

Posted on Flickr.com

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A certain veterinarian I know has a real soft spot for Brian from Family Guy. He recalls every Brian joke to me with a laugh whenever I run into him. And I laugh too because I also really enjoy Brian’s antics. Even if he is the character we anthropomorphize the most, Brian still manages to find dead birds, have separation anxiety, and go trash diving. How do you feel about Brian and his jokes? You can see more of him on Hulu, Adult Swim, or even join his Facebook page.

Photo of Jett loving Brian from theotakugirl @ Flickr

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It was nice to leave the city for a weekend. It was especially nice to find a drool-worthy line of dog toys: Dog Smart by Nina Ottosson.

Friends in Madison, WI brought me to a shop called Bad Dog Frida where they prominently displayed the different dog puzzles that I am now obsessing over as we try to come up with more ways to keep our pooch entertained indoors in the winter.

The toys all involve hiding treats under or inside a movable part. The dog has to figure out how to rat the treats out of the toy. Some pieces can be picked up by mouth, moved with the nose, or hit with the paw. The idea is that you train your dog how to find the treats and then praise for the right behaviors. If you are trying to teach your dog only to use the nose and not the paws, you may have to work at it, but it will be a fun exercise for the both of you.

Some of Ottosson’s Dog Smart toys are plastic and some are wooden. I really like the look of the wooden ones, and plan on getting one very soon for the dog and perhaps another for the cats at the shelter. What a great way to combat cage craziness or household boredom. (I didn’t buy yet because I didn’t want to pay to check a second bag on the plane!)

The toy I did pick up was the HI.Q. linkable pipe toy. She is already loving her new red toy because it is designed to be flipped, chewed, dropped, carried, and it hasn’t fallen apart while the treats keep trickling out.
Now I am considering buying the interlocking ball to make it more challenging for her. These puzzling toys are the only successful kind in our house with a 9-year-old dog who yearns for playing. She is no longer comfortable gnawing on a hard bone for long periods of time. Although some of the toys may be a little costly ($21-55 dollars for the Dog Smart toys and $14-15 for the HI-Q toys), I think it they are worthwhile and if they fall out of favor with our dog, I can donate them to other bored dogs.

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Probably not the best way to carry your pet, but it made me look. Unfortunately, the rat was eaten by a snake, according to the comments. Also, probably not the best place to put your snake food.

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Crafty people know how to make useful, fun things. To me, cooking is the crafting that people do even if they don’t consider it being crafty. Cooking is akin to crafting because both things can result in something useful. A good meal is used for nurishment (and maybe some stress relief). A good handcrafted good is used to keep comfortable, adorn, or even entertain.

The benefits of making your own pet goods are many. You might save money. You will spend time on your projects, at home, where your pets prefer you to be. You will take pride in seeing your cozy pet in a new bed. Bonding through play with your pet using a handcrafted toy is priceless.

I made Cat Dancers for holiday gifts this year. With the $6 fleece blankets and under $1 plastic dowel rods, I made 10 toys and still have fabric for 10-20 more. I secured the fabric with wire through the end of the dowels. Since I socialize cats, why not make lots of toys to give to the rescue? The photo above shows my pile of supplies to make more cat toys. I also have saved Fresh Direct boxes for making cardboard scratching pads. Crafting and hide-and-seek with the dog are ways for me to get through the cold winter while staying sane.

Why not try to make your cat a ladder, habitat, perch, scratching pad or cat dancer? Find design inspiration here.

Your dog might appreciate the warmth of a new jacket and you will save a lot of money by shopping around for the materials. Craft Magazine Issue #10 has patterns for the Country Gent Tweed Coat and DIY leather dog collar. If you subscribe, you can get digital access to all the craft archives. You might also be inspired by Splatgirl’s Denim Jacket for her dog, Pupcake.

If you have some old socks that you don’t want, you could make a Rotta the Hutt toy or a Sock Fish toy.

If you are more technical, you can try the RFID pet food access control system project from Make Magazine.

Since any pillow-like item gets a higher price tag as soon as it in marketed “for pets”, you might want to try making your own pet beds. Knit a place to burrow, sew a donut, reuse an old suitcase (just make sure it stays open!), or make a washable cover and buy a big, cheap pillow, either way your pet will thank you.

If you want to pay homage to a pet no longer in your home, the No Sew Portrait is a fitting tribute and a constructive way to say thanks for all the good memories.

Of course, you have to remember that cats and dogs can really get down with their toys so double tie your knots and make everything as durable as possible. Avoid the googly eyes and small parts. Use non-toxic adhesives. Get handmade toys out only when you want to play, and avoid unsupervised play to keep your pets safe.

Happy Crafting!

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Can you believe I get paid to watch this?!

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A fantastic gift for a pet lover is a work of art that includes a beloved pet. Here is a list of local artists who will take your dog, cat, bird, office fish, or reptile perhaps, and subject them to immortalization:

Laurence Richardson at the PLP Gallery makes both pet and wildlife portraits with a sketchy, ethereal aesthetic. (497 St. Johns Place, Brooklyn, 646-234-0922)

Kate Williamson makes cartoonish, line drawn watercolor sketches of your pets. (917-566-1650)

Jodi Whitsell’s vibrant, fun paintings can be found in a few local veterinary offices.

A favorite in the West Village, Mimi Vang Olsen has done work for the Humane Society of NY and private works. (The Pet Portrait Painter at 545 Hudson Street , NYC, 212-675-5410)

Dan Nelken does some elegant photography in his Manhattan studio. (43 West 27th Street, #7R, NYC, 917-747-3384)

Delaney Ann McDonough has a charming portfolio of commissioned works in oil.

Etsy.com, a great source for finding local artists and handmade goods, lists a couple of local artists:

• Kate Black makes custom mixed media works (collage and drawing).
• Alpha Portraits come in three different sizes.

The only dog art gallery in NYC, the William Secord Gallery, has three fine artists who do works on commission.

And for a little surrealism in your pet portraits, you shouldn’t miss Rachelle Oatman. Seriously, check out this link to her NY dog. It is worth a look.

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One year ago, NYCityPets had a post about how to make your pet a star. As an update, here is a link for the Dog Actors Guild that helps link companies looking for dog talent with your (well-trained) pets!
The DAG asks: “Is your dog cute, talented, or both?” If your response is the latter, and you have $25 to spare, sign your pooch up and let us know if you get any work.

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Nat Hendricks, resident of Boerum Hill, showed his gallery of cell phone photos at the Atlantic Artwalk this past weekend. What a fun idea, and of course it was the dog photo that drew people in to have a peek. Thanks for sharing, Nat.

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Do you use Flickr.com for photos? We love it because you can categorize anything with tags there. If you want NYCityPets to find photos of your pets, just tag them with nycitypets! It is also helpful to tag with your zip code too, so we can figure out just where you are in NYC.

(Jupiter the dog from misa212’s flickr page and Bella from andybeach’s flickr set of Prospect Park Dogs Go there for more doggie fun!)

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