yes, as you’ve probably heard, spot will be closing in the coming weeks. but it’s all good, and we’ve got plans for great new things, so we’ll miss spot as much as you will, but there’s also an important development in the story that we think will make our customers and the whole neighborhood very happy:
Wylie Wagg is planning to move into our Franklin Road location in mid-May, continuing to provide Clarendon with the best pet destination in the DC area. this will be their 4th shop, and it’s exciting on so many levels. first, the Wylie Wagg team has been wonderful to work with throughout the transition and planning period. we know you’ll love Wylie Wagg and we know Wylie Wagg already loves Clarendon.
so, join us in welcoming Wylie Wagg to Franklin Road, to Clarendon, and to Arlington. we’ll keep you updated on the changes as the planning moves forward. and become a fan on Wylie Wagg’s facebook page.
this story speaks for itself. a rescue shetland pony has a new valentine. and, of course, it’s…a labrador retriever? so, as one blog put it, the cutest animal on earth falls in love with the second cutest animal on earth. you have to watch this…
check out our facebook page for lots of great information about spot specials, quotable pups, and pet-related activities. but be sure to check out our facebook ‘fan’ photos, now including some awesome uploaded pics from the recent snowstorms. we invite all our friends, fans, and customers to upload and share your pet pics any time. but now’s your chance to see what the dogs of spot were up to when they were dealing with 20″ – 30″ of snow… they were mostly – you guessed it – having fun!
we all fell for the shiba inu puppies, version 1.0. well, the batch of puppies have arrived, and they’re as cute as the first bunch — and maybe even more media-savvy! check them out. we have to believe that any new shiba inu live video streams means american productivity will drop by 20%, as people get addicted to these playful pups…
we have a couple of links here. the first is to a wonderful series of dog-related stories in the NY Times, collectively called ‘puppy diaries’. we recommend you check them all out.
but, in addition, they offer a flickr feed of pics and videos featuring writer jill abramson’s new dog, scout. enjoy one of the videos here, but check out the whole collection on flickr!
this dog is pretty phenomenal. it’s a little unfortunate that on British television, the goal of a talent show is not actually to feature the person or pup on stage. apparently the goal is to show countless reaction shots from judges and ‘hosts’, so you miss half the tricks. but even at that, what you see here is amazing.
actually, we’re not sure who comes up with all these special months (October was adopt a shelter pet month, as named by the ASPCA), but this is a good idea. and at the ASPCA website, they list the top 10 best reasons for adopting an older pet. if you’re thinking about a pet adoption, these are good rules to keep in mind.
a couple of the rules from the ASPCA site: 8. They Enjoy Easy Livin’
Couch potato, know thyself! Please consider a canine retiree rather than a high-energy young dog who will run you ragged. Not that older dogs don’t require any exercise—they do—but they’re not going to need, or want, to run a marathon every day.
9. Save a Life, Be a Hero
At shelters, older dogs are often the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. Saving an animal’s life offers an unparalleled emotional return on your investment, and you’ll feel the rewards every day you spend together.
this story from WTOP radio’s website tells us that researchers and veterinarians are looking closely at new products to calm stressed-out pets. many of these products include pheromones among their ingredients, and in some cases the results are promising. but check with your vet first. we’re sure there’s another shoe to drop with this story, where we’ll hear about very happy pups who figured out a way to get a double dose.
an excerpt: The most studied cat product is Feliway, a spray available through vets and at pet stores under the brand Comfort Zone, can be sprayed on surfaces where cats rub their cheeks. It also comes as a diffuser you plug into an electrical socket.
Research shows puppies in training classes that wore pheromone-releasing collars were better socialized and adapted faster to new situations.
The most researched dog product is DAP, or Dog Appeasing Pheromone. It is a synthetic version of a substance that mother dogs use to calm pets. It’s also sold under the brand Comfort Zone and through veterinarians and comes as a spray, a diffuser or a collar.
according to this article in the NY Times (registration may be req’d), there is a patchwork of providers and charities helping pet shelters feed the animals they save. especially in no-kill shelters, the costs can be a challenge. but it’s heartening to see the number of people who want to help, and the creative ideas they come up with to make sure these animals have the food and nutrition they need.
an excerpt: Some of the food-pantry programs encourage or even require pet owners to spay or neuter their pets. Spay and Neuter Kansas City is one group that makes pet altering a requirement. Gloria Harris, pet outreach program manager, said the organization provides low-cost spaying and neutering services for low-income pet owners. If there is not enough money to feed a pet, there probably is not enough for a litter of puppies or kittens, she said.
In October, the organization held its “doggy food raiser,” collecting 12,000 pounds of the 20,000 pounds of food it will distribute this year, Ms. Harris said.
Part of the campaign was tied to the Kansas City Chiefs-Philadelphia Eagles National Football League game this season. Fans were asked to pledge a bag of dog food every time the Chiefs sacked Philadelphia’s quarterback, Michael Vick. Although the quarterback was sacked only once, 500 pounds of food was collected.
yes, as you’ve probably heard, spot will be closing in the coming weeks. 
but it’s all good, and we’ve got plans for great new things, so we’ll miss spot as much as you will, but there’s also an important development in the story that we think will make our customers and the whole neighborhood very happy:
actually, we’re not sure who comes up with all these special months (October was adopt a shelter pet month, as named by the ASPCA), but this is a good idea. and 