Adopt a Pet, Don't Buy!

Puppies are so adorable, cute, and cuddly. But lets face it, sooner or later all puppies grow up and turn into full-sized dogs. By adopting a grown, homeless dog, we'll surely miss out on a few months of soft puppy fur but we'll also skip the first year or two of razor-sharp teeth, shredded shoes, and pee-soaked floors. Hmm. Sounds like a pretty good trade off to me.

The Wag’s boys, Redd, Lincoln, and Claude are all rescues with different stories:

Redd was given up twice to the MCSPCA and we found each other when he was a wild two-year old who never learned how to walk on a leash. He stuck his nose through the chain-link cage and I broke the rules and stuck my fingers right back in to scratch his fuzzy cheek. He grumbled and fell asleep. Redd came to live with me the next day and has since become a huge people-lover, squirrel chaser, and perfect gentleman on his leash.

Lincoln is a bit of a different story. He was bred by an amateur just to make some cash. Stuck in a crate all day and night with his brother, he only ate what was leftover since he was the little guy. They pooped and peed where they slept and ate. When his breeder was evicted from his apartment, they had nowhere to live. We intervened and took him in, then found his brother a home the week before his bed would be ready at the shelter. Lincoln was scrawny fella with a monstrous head, protruding ribs, and skin issues from malnourishment. He’s a lovable beast of a dog who hates leashes, ate his own poop for the first six months, snores like an old sailor, and we wouldn’t want him any other way!

Claude, Link and Redd’s adopted cousin, is apparently the world's most perfect dog who knows all commands, never misbehaves, and has been a pleasure to his family since his adoption at two years old. He aims to please. A real brown-noser. A perfect foil to Link. Everything Link is, well, Claude is quite the opposite. From what I hear, Claude is so good that if has a bit of a queasy stomach, he holds it and waits at the door patiently to be let out onto the grass. Whatever, Claude. Butt-kisser. Link prefers just open his mouth to spew and get it all over with the moment it hits him. Good for you Claude, you really are a good boy!

Who knows where these dogs would have ended up and I sleep well at night knowing they’re safe and snoring with full chubby bellies after a day of chasing tennis balls and barking their heads off at the neighbors. These guys are the happiest they can be.

The point is, have a little patience. The perfect adoptable dog is out there -- there's even quite a few puppies. Take the time to visit a few shelters to find your best friend. You never know who you might find!

Weekly Wag Announces 1st Ever "Headlining Hound" Winner

The results are in!

Congratulations Sammy! You are crowned Weekly Wag's 1st Ever Headlining Hound!

After a long night of bickering, barking, and ballot recounting -- and no Milkbone breaks -- the Wag's staff finally came to a unanimous decision to crown our hound.

From homeless to Headlining Hound, Sammy the wire-haired terrier proved that with perserverance, anything is possible. His family dumped him alone in the country to fend for himself. He lived on stolen birdseed and grass until his new forever family found him and gave him a home.

Now our champion is full-bellied and famous. He spends his days napping, digging in the mud and goofing around with his two doggie siblings. What a life, Sammy!

We're anxiously waiting to hear a few words from Sammy himself about how he's dealing with his new fame and celebrity status. Hopefully he'll comment to the Weekly Wag soon!

The Weekly Wag staff wants to thank Bella, Sarge, Henley, Lola, Riley, Clyde, Zuzu, Bo, Hunter, and all the other contestants (and their people!) for submitting fabulous photos. We wish we didn't have to pick just one!

Super-Tough Dog Toys that Last

Toys in our house used to last years... when Redd was an only dog, that is. He had (please notice the past tense there) heirloom toys handed down from his Uncle Homer the black lab, who passed at the ripe old age of 17. Redd cuddled with soft little piggies, squeaky bunnies, fluffy monkeys, and everything else spongy and cute with never more than a tiny tear or maybe a missing eye.

Then came Lincoln. Ahh... Lincoln. The bulldog with jaws that fit around a regulation-sized soccer ball and rows of teeth something like a Great White Shark. Lincoln spends his afternoons sharpening his razors on wood, rocks, and metal fences so he can shred those puny little piggies in one quick bite.

What's the point of all this? Link needs super-tough toys. Kong bones barely last minutes after the frozen peanut butter is sucked out, and rope toys, well, rope toys require human assistance in backyard extraction the next morning -- something I'd like to eliminate from our morning routine altogether.

The best I've found? Fat Cat Inc. toys to the rescue! They make a bunch of tough toys, but two are superior over the rest -- the alligator and the snake. Link goes to town on them! It takes him a while, but he rips out the stuffingthen keeps the pelt like its a whole new toy. We have molted snake and alligator skin all over the house and he's never bored!

Thanks Fat Cat!