pet connection

OK, everyone, please quit sending us a link to this story about the apparent effort of animal-rights activists to “neuter” the statue of a service dog in Sacramento’s Capitol Park.

It’s a joke. A spoof. A satire. Honest.

Go to the Web site and check on “About Us.” (Actually, that’s always a good idea before you forward something along.)

On the other hand … the story does note that Sacramento is a “testicle-free zone.” The place is lousy with politicians, so … maybe there’s a ring of truth here, after all.

Every week for more than a year, I’ve driven a new SUV, van, hatchback, wagon, truck or crossover to review as a vehicle for dogs for our DogCars.com site.

There have been some wonderful dog cars in all categories, from the fun and economical Suzuki Forenza wagon ($16K and packed with features, plus a responsive and comfortable drive) to the big trucks like the Ford150 King Ranch Edition (Cowgirl up!) to the oh-so darling Mini Cooper S (more room than you’d think) to the best dog car ever (so far), the Honda Element.

This week, though, I’ve been living large: A Mercedes GL450. The Big Mercedes SUV. And yes, it’s a pretty darn good dog car, if you really want to put muddy retrievers in an $80K vehicle. The review will go up on DogCars.com pretty soon. In the meantime, just look.

And imagine, because after noon today, that’s all I’ll be doing. My week with luxury is over, and they’re bringing me another car to drive. No more having the proprietor of a jewelry store pop his head out at five minutes to closing when you park in front (to go to the restaurant next door) and ask: “Would you like us to stay open for you? It’s no problem at all!”

That never happens with my own Plymouth minivan!

Oh well. But then, no dirty looks from people who think you’re not only driving a massive, Earth-screwing SUV, but the most expensive one you could find. And no dirty looks from the people who want to know why you have one, and they don’t.

Now I’ll just be back to people giving me dirty looks for not washing my 10-year-old minivan, ever. Ahhh, real life at last!

***

In other DogCars.com news, I got help. Keith Turner, a former newspaper auto editor and syndicated auto columnist, is joining the DogCars.com team, along with Kim Campbell Thornton, one of our bloggers here and the pet-care columnist for MSNBC.com. Keith will be helping me with industry contacts, editing content and managing the readers forum. Kim is already reviewing products for traveling dogs.

We’re tweaking the site now, and it’ll be packed with new features by Sept. 1.

The help of Kim and Keith could not be better timed, since Dr. Becker and I have contracts for two new books on the way and — yes! — I’ll soon by up to my eyeballs in book writing again. Good thing I like the work, because there’s sure plenty of it.

Steve Breen of the San Diego Union-Tribune has a great one, starring … Lassie!

Here’s the link (thanks Susan!).

As I’ve written about previously, I got a little cocky with my darling young cat, Clara, letting her hang out on the deck with me in the evenings — until she shot 20-odd feet up a tree. She’s now completely an indoor cat, which she was before except for sitting out with me in the evenings.

That was my second pet scare of the summer. A couple months earlier, my caique parrot, Eddie, had walked out the front door while I was unloading groceries. (His wings are clipped, but he can still move quickly!) I didn’t even realize he was missing for an hour. Fortunately, he and I play a call-and-response game several times a day, so to find him I just stepped outside and whistled. He whistled back. We kept this up until I located him up a bay tree nearby.

I finally got him back — here’s the story — but it was a wake-up call to be a lot more careful with open doors and windows. Yes, I know better.

Sometimes, though, you’ve just got a critter who’s too determined and smart to stay where you put him.  Like this citron cockatoo featured on Diana Guerrero’s excellent blog, Ark Animal Answers.  Perfect (if obvious) name for this bird: Houdini.

The video will put a smile on your face for a Monday. Go watch.

To the right is link to CanineKisses.com. It’s a page we put together for fun, and with the idea of maybe getting a book out of the pictures (with the owners’ permission to use the images, of course!)

But … it just hasn’t taken off the way we hoped it would.  We’d like to know why.

Check out the site, and tell us what works, what doesn’t what you’d like to see, and so on.

I have a meeting with Black Dog (our fearless Web guys) tomorrow to talk over some ideas, and I’d like to have as many as possible

Leave your suggestions in the comments, or drop us a line.

Thanks!