Dog-Friendly Brooklyn Halloween Celebrations & Pet Safety (INFOGRAPHIC)

Halloween is just a few days away! Add some glitter to your dog’s costume and get a head start on the festivities with these events taking place over the weekend.

The 15th ANNUAL GREAT PUPKIN @ Fort Greene Park

Saturday, October 26th (rain date 10/27)

Registration at 11am, contest at 12pm

This 15th annual tradition in Fort Greene Park will have Photographer Christopher Franko, actress/activist Rosie Perez, and Gothamist Executive Editor Jen Chung as judges. Expect amazing costumes and equally great prizes.

HOWL-O-WEEN & MUTTSQUERADE PARADE

Sunday, October 28^th  1pm – 3pm
Brooklyn Heights Promenade Remsen Street entrance

It’s time for our favorite doggie costume parade and contest along the Promenade where each year the costumes get more creative. Entrants compete for glory and fabulous prizes – all for animal charity. The event brings a colorful assortment of neighborhood regulars, dog lovers, cross dressers and children of all ages. Register @ Perfect Paws Inc. 102 Hicks Street—All entries receive a fun filled goodie doggie bag!

Here’s a new event we just learned about in case you want to venture into Manhattan.

 SEE PAWS

Saturday, October 26th at 2:00pm

South Street Seaport 

The South Street Seaport is hosting its first-ever Halloween Costume competition for dogs and their owners! People and pets have a chance to win great prizes from some of the contest sponsors, including BarkBox, The Salty Paw, Downtown Magazine, Paws on Pine and FiDi Families. Upload a picture of your furry companion to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SEEPAWS to be entered to participate.

Courtesy of http://www.theuncommondog,com

Third Annual Brooklyn Basset Hound Meetup

Sunday October 27th marks the third annual meeting of the Basset Hounds in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. A couple of  years ago a few local basset hound owners decided to gather the hounds together and the North Park Slope Basset Association was formed. 

The first year, six Bassets attended. The following year it grew to 15 Bassets. Who knows how many will be there this year! Basset hounds are not they typical “city dog”- you don’t see many of them, so as an owner of  three year old Higgins, I get really excited when I see one in the area. The idea of seeing a group of them together is just pure silliness that must be experienced.

Bassets make people smile. I often think, “if I only had a dollar for every time someone smiles at Higgins as we’re walking”. There were lots of smiles last year and I’m sure there will be just as many this year. Come see the Bassets this Sunday! Visit the North Park Slope Basset Association Facebook page for more details.

Guest Post by Kerry Geise, a basset lover for life who lives in Park Slope with husband Jim and dog Higgins. Follow Kerry on Twitter and Instagram @kerrygeise where you’ll be flooded with pictures of Higgins and other basset friends.

 

Brooklyn Dog News Fall 2013

Did you know there was a recent string of robberies in Brooklyn committed by a dog walker? Have you heard about a new fitness program in Prospect Park for you and Fido? If this is news to you, it’s time to catch up on Brooklyn dog headlines. Keep reading for the scoop on recent dog news in Brooklyn.

 Fitness for Fido 

Go Fetch Run is a new fitness program created for you and Fido. It’s just like baby bootcamp but with your dog. People and their pets go to Prospect Park five days a week for a workout featuring cardio and strength training, which incorporates dogs. See these fit pets and people in action on Brooklyn News 12.

Photo by Chris Ozer

Dog Walker Busted for Burglary   

A Brooklyn dog walker was caught stealing from the homes of the dogs he walked. According to the New York Post, the walker stole nearly $190,000 worth of jewelry and trinkets from clients. The incidents were reported in five DUMBO condos. I wonder if this was the same dog walker busted for stealing in my building.

Cross Court and Pacific with Care

RIP Mambo, the poor puppy who was killed after being hit by a car while crossing Pacific Street at Court. The Brooklyn Eagle reports on this dangerous intersection that is subject to heavy traffic, poor sight lines and double-parked trucks. While the intersection does not meet federal guidelines for a traffic signal, Councilmember Steven Levin has created a petition to add one. Sign it today!  

Brooklyn Eagle photo by Trudy Whitman shows heavy traffic, poor sight lines and double-parked trucks at Court and Pacific.

Vinegar Hill Vets Expand to Brooklyn Heights

Brooklyn Heights Veterinary Group, a satellite clinic of Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group, is slated to open November 1st. The new clinic is located at 10 Columbia Place and will be available for scheduled and walk-in appointments Monday through Saturday.

The Dogs of Atlantic Antic 2013

It was another great year at the Atlantic Antic. The Sixpoint Antic Ale flowed, Mile End’s poutine was on point, and there was no line for Steve’s Key Lime Pie when it was time for dessert. Along with the crowds of people, there were lots of dogs who happily helped clean the streets as they trolled for scraps.  Laly couldn’t wait to get out the door as she followed the smell of street meat. Here are our favorite dogs from this year’s Atlantic Antic.

Dogs take over the streets before the big crowds appear.

Look closely and you’ll see this pooch sports a full-body mohawk.

This dog does the Antic in style.

Giant dogs getting Antic love.

This pup is helping spread the word about Positive Tails, a non-profit that helps pet owners pay for veterinary care.

Take Your Dog Hiking with Discover Outdoors

The dog days of summer are over but that doesn’t mean a pooch can’t have fun in the fall.  I’m looking forward to spending time outdoors in cooler weather and started researching dog-friendly ideas beyond a a day of apple picking.  I came across a company called Discover Outdoors that offers day trips from New York City. They have a few things I want to do that include a midnight hike and lake swim but what really caught my eye on their site was a series of dog-friendly hikes. That’s right, organized hiking for city dogs and their humans. Discover Outdoors currently offers three types of hiking trips for you and your pooch. There’s even a hike for people without furry friends that allows them hike with adoptable dogs.

Beginner Hike and Hound and Hike and Hound Pine Meadow

A four-mile hike for beginners and a six mile option for fit folks and dogs around a beautiful lake. The day trip includes transportation from Manhattan, lakeside lunch and time for dogs to swim.  The tail wagging day is for both large and smaller dogs, allowing them to explore trails, branches, roots and leaves that are so different from the concrete sidewalks of New York City.

Hike with Adoptable Dogs

Don’t have a dog but want to hike with one?  You can hike with an adoptable dog from non-profit shelter, Animal Haven and give these animals some much needed fresh air, exercise and love. The day begins at Animal Haven in Soho, where you’ll get a private volunteer orientation that counts as the first of two for certification as an Animal Haven volunteer. Next you’ll meet your new best friend and enjoy a day of beauty of nature, fresh air, and good exercise.

Prevent Dog Theft With The Safespot Locking Leash

As a dog owner, one of the most frightening things that can happen is the disappearance of our furry friends. More dogs are stolen per year than bicycles (2 million dogs vs. 1.5 million bikes). We’ve even started to see headlines about Brooklyn dogs being held for ransom. To help keep our pets safe, Michael Friedland, a Brooklyn inventor has created the Safespot Locking Leash.

The steel cable reinforced leash was designed for pet owners who run errands with their dogs. I cringe each time I see dogs tied to poles while their humans run into stores. This may seem normal to some people but it’s when dogs are in most danger of being stolen.  While you can’t get people to change their ways, you can hopefully get them to use a theft-proof leash for those times Fido must remain outside.

The Safespot Locking Leash is a fully adjustable collar and lead with a steel cabled core. This gives pet owners peace-of-mind on those short occasions they need to leave their dog unattended. The patented design securely locks canines to an immovable object when necessary or can be used as a daily walking leash without using the lock feature. Check out this video to see the leash in action.

To learn more about the SafeSpot Locking Leash we spoke with Michael Friedland.

Q: What inspired you to create the SafeSpot Locking Leash? 

 A: We’ve been selling our popular Pawz dog boots now for 7 plus years. The success of our disposable, rubber dog boots inspired us to look for other innovative product ideas that would make a difference to dogs and their humans. All dogs need at least one leash. So we started thinking about leashes. Since we don’t do ‘me too’ products, retractable were out of the question and there are many leashes available for all types of dogs and people. We came upon the idea of a locking leash from simple observation of the need here in Brooklyn. We have seen other product offerings that were bulky, impractical and often unsafe. These products never gained any traction. 

 Q: Have you personally been affected by pet theft? 

A: I have personally never had a dog stolen but almost everyone I know has a connection to stolen dog story.

 Q: Are there similar products on the market? If so, what makes SafeSpot different?

A: As far as I know, there are not any locking leashes on the market. There was one that I am aware of but the collar needed to be removed from the dog during the locking process, which was a very inelegant design. The Safespot Locking Leash on the other hand never has to be removed to lock, is adjustable to all neck sizes, and has a steel security cable running from handle to collar, which are lockable.

Q: What has consumer response been like to the product?  

A: The consumer response has been extraordinary. The Safespot won’t be available in stores until next month but me and others in the office are getting stopped on street about the leash. The truth is our dogs are pretty cute. My short hair Border Collie recsue, Wyatt, is the friendliest dog so he is a natural model and sales dog. His favorite spot in Brooklyn is swimming spot known as the Peninsula in Prospect Park. To see him diving into the lake is a picture of pure joy.

 Q: What does it take to get a product on the market from concept to execution? 

A: The Safespot was definitely the most complex product I have ever done. Conceived in house and designed in collaboration with our friends at A2 Design here in New York.  The entire process always takes longer than you expect but the guys at A2 are real pros and worked with us to create the perfect blend of form and function. It was important to  us that the product didn’t just work well but also that it be a simple and elegant design that people would want to use.

Q: What Brooklyn retailers carry the Safespot locking leash?

 A: In Brooklyn the Safespot will be available September 1st at Pawzdogboots.com and many independent pet shops. 

Lellebele’s Brooklyn Dog Life

There’s a new puppy in Cobble Hill and she’s damn cute. Her name is Lellebele and she has the same coloring as her human, Tennille. This pup rates rates high on the cuddleability scale and so far she’s well behaved. Actually, too well behaved for our taste because she makes Laly look like one naughty dog. We’ll fix that when she visits us and we let her climb up on the bed  and  eat people food. Here’s the scoop on Lelebelle and do say hello if you run into her in the neighborhood.

 

Name: Lellebel (also answers to “Monster”)

Breed: Australian Labradoodle

Sex: Female

Neighborhood: Cobble Hill

Personality: Curious, confident, and eager to make friends.

Hobbies: Tasting all the plants in Brooklyn.

Vocabulary: sit, down, stay, come, leave it and shake.

Favorite spot for walks: In the morning I like walking to Cobble Hill Park, sitting on my person and watching the people, and at night I can’t wait to walk to Brooklyn Bridge Park and get to the dog run!

Favorite Toy: A bright pink fox with a tennis ball body and and squeaky tail.

Pet Peeve: Leaving the dog park.

Fun fact: I was born in a speak easy in Pennsylvania.

Keep Your Dog Cool in the Heat Wave (Infographic)

Today was another hot one and it’s not getting cooler with temperatures remaining in the 90s over the next few days. During our evening walk, Laly quickly took care of business and dragged me back home where she happily chewed on ice cubes. Dogs are especially prone to heat stroke since they don’t sweat the way humans do to keep cool. While they can sweat through their paw pads, our furry friends rely on panting to regulate their body temperature. Be sure to take extra care during walks in the heat and make sure your home is comfortable for Fido while you’re at work. The folks at The Uncommon Dog have shared a fun infographic with tips to help keep your dog cool this summer.

Sean Casey Animal Rescue Benefit Dog Wash

If you’re looking for a fun way to beat the heat and volunteer for a good cause, sign up for the Sean Casey Animal Rescue Benefit Dog Wash. Event organizer, Brooklyn Bark is looking for volunteers and dirty dogs on July 13th and August 3rd. Your dog may not be too pleased about getting a bath but it’s for the greater good.  Sign up to volunteer today!  The event will also feature:

• Veterinary Minute Clinic by VERG veterinary partners

• Personalized trainer tips by Anthony, Calm Energy Dog Training

• Prize wheel by BarkBox

• Iced coffee, iced tea & cookies by FIDO

• Guest appearances by the Brooklyn Cyclones

Off-Leash Hours: F to 7th’s Premiere Episode

Does your award-winning  dog go to an exclusive doggie day care? Are they half way through reading Harry Potter and learning sign language? This crazy world exists in comedian Ingrid Jungermann’s new web series, ‘F to 7th’.  We recently discovered the hilarious first episode  titled ‘Off-Leash Hours’. It’s a take on Prospect Park’s off-leash hours and Brooklyn’s dog obsessed residents.  The episode features Michael Showalter and Isaiah Stokes one-upping each other about being the better dog owner while Jungermann’s character worries that she emasculates her dog. You’ll just have to watch the episode for yourself to have a good laugh.