POLKA DOT PUP OF THE MONTH - August 2008

Bailey
Breed: Golden Retriever
Location: Simi Valley, California
Age: 9 years old
Bailey loves the summer family trips to Tahoe, CA. Her favorite past time, standing guard on the beaches keeping an eye out for pets who are breaking the law.


If you would like your pet to be Polka Dot Pup of the Month, please send an email with a picture of your pet and a short description about what they love and any funny facts to polkadotpupblog@aol.com. The winner will appear in a posting on Polka Dot Pup, the everything dog blog!

Happy Hour Gone to the Dogs

Alright all you party animals, how about an event that blends cocktails with Cocker Spaniels? Instead of leaving your pup at home, have them tag along for a new trend in pet/owner socializing called Doggie Happy Hour.

Hotel Monaco Alexandria in historic Old Town Alexandria, VA offers pet lovers the oppurtunity to enjoy a drink and chat with other dog owners in the area. While owners get a chance to enjoy delicous drinks, the pets are welcome to complimentary gourmet doggie snacks and plenty of fresh water bowls.

To learn more about Hotel Monaco Alexandria's World Famous Doggie Happy Hour, visit www.doggiehappyhour.com. If you are heading to the DC area, check out Hotel Monaco Alexandria for dog friendly room rates.

Not in the Washington DC area? Create your own Doggie Happy Hour at home with these great products.

See more of my Dog's Guide to Wine and Dine list at ThisNext.

Ah Chee Wawa! Chihuahua Fever Hits Hollywood

Ah Chee Wawa!

These little dogs have come a long way from first hitting it big as the famous face for Taco Bell. Since than these pups have been stealing the hearts of animal lovers everywhere with their tini tiny features and large personalities.

On October 3, 2008, these pocket pooches will be taking the next big step towards worldwide dog domination with the Disney film Beverly Hills Chihuahua. With names like Drew Barrymore, Andy Garcia and George Lopez lending their vocals to these part animal part digitally generated pups, this film is sure to bring in packs of pup loving fans.

I am on the ropes regarding the storyline. This film does not follow the life of a normal house pet, instead you tag along with Chloe who is a pampered Chihuahua from Beverly Hills who somehow finds herself in the mean streets of Mexico.

Is it believable? I live an hour away from Hollywood and while it's not far from the truth (I have witnessed dressed up pups being rolled down the streets in strollers), the film definitely will appeal to Disney's younger viewers.

Click Beverly Hills Chihuahua to check out more about the film.

Pets On The Tube - Greatest American Dog

Barking mad could be the description for some of the cast on the new reality pet show Greatest American Dog. I caught my first glimpse of the pup friendly show that features dog and owner teams living and competing together in the chance to win a $250,000 cash prize and the title of GREATEST AMERICAN DOG.

The competitions maybe a little wacky (does passing an agility test really make your pet the Greatest American Dog and having an actual dog house the owners have to stay in?) but the full of personality pets leave you wanting more. A few personal favorites right off the bat, Tillman the Bulldog from Oxnard CA and Elvis the Russell Terrier from New York City.

To check out Greatest American Dog, tune into CBS on Thursdays, 8pm et/pt or visit their website at CBS.com. You can also meet the dogs at Dogster.com.

Do you love the show, have a team you are pulling for? We would love to hear about it! Send us your feedback at polkadotpupblog@aol.com.

Pups and Their Celeb Look-a-Likes

Every think your pet reminds you of someone or have you ever heard the phrase "pets look like their owners"? The pet loving people at petside.com put together a compelling list of pups and their celeb look-a-likes. The really cool thing is the pup pics are all from fans of the site. So, if you think your pet is the dog version of Britney Spears you can send in a picture and have it added to their slide show.

What do you think?
Here at Polka Dot Pup, our puppy correspondent Vixen has been linked with a number of look-a-like celebs. Tell us who you think her celeb look-a-like is and we will post the best match!



To check out the full list of Pet Celebrity Look-a-Likes, visit petside.com

SUMMER ESSENTIALS - Pet Travel Gear

Summer is finally here, the kids are out of school and it's time to hit the road!

The Polka Dot Pup crew is packed and ready to head up to Tahoe for a pet filled camping adventure but before shoving off we pulled together some of our pets favorite camping essentials. Who knew pet travel could be so easy!

See more of my Pet Travel Gear list at ThisNext.

POLKA DOT PRODUCT PICK - The Pooch IQ Test

Product Review:
The Pooch IQ Test

What you Get:

• 1 Pooch IQ Testing Booklet with 15 Exercises, Scoring Key, and Detailed IQ Explanations
• 1 Extra Tuff Rubber Cone Toy
• 1 5-Piece Plush Dog Puzzle
• 1 Big & Furry Squeaky Bone
• 1 Super-Bouncy Ball
• 1 Hide-a-Treat Testing Toy
• 1 Midnight Black Face Mask
• 3 Colorful Plastic Pup-Cups

Is your dog the head of the pack or the dunce of the litter? The Pooch IQ Test puts your pets intelligence level to the test with some hair raising exercises. Did someone say pup quiz?

When Vixen and I received our Pooch IQ Test in the mail, we were presently surprised to find a carry bag filled with goodies! We eagerly pulled out the Testing Booklet and began our 15 exercises that tested Vixen on her Learning for experience, Short-term memory, Persistence, Ability to see similarities, Problem-Solving skills, Reasoning skills, Instinctive intelligence and Obedience intelligence. Each exercise includes easy to follow descriptions, steps to follow, materials and scoring instructions. After you've made it through all 15 quizzes and all the scoring is complete, you tally up your pups points and check out their IQ description. Although it was a few days process, Vixen made it through with flying colors! So what was Vixen's final score? It looks like we have our very own Polka Dot Pup "Top of the Class" on our hands. She scored a 141 out of 150!

I love the fact that this kit came with so many cool toys that Vixen can use over and over, she particular loves the purple bone plush squeaker toy! Do be aware though that you may not make it through all of the quizzes in one sitting, some of the exercises are quicker to test than others and a few require extra materials than what is provided. The one reason I really "dig" this product is you really get a chance to play with your dog and learn more about them. No matter what their score, each pup deserves an A+ in my book.


To learn more about Pooch IQ, visit http://www.poochiq.com/