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Anyone could have predicted that a dog named Chanel was destined to be a clothes horse…uh, hound. But there was no way to know that the little Long Island dachshund would live for 21 years and nab a place in Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest dog. Clad in spiffy red Doggles to shield her cataracts and a cheery citrus sweater to ward off chills– although there’s no evidence that she chose the color in honor of the ASPCA’s Go Orange photo contest, I’m sure Chanel wouldn’t mind giving the organization a plug — the spry pooch recently made the talk show circuit to celebrate her 21st birthday. As Meredith Vieira quipped to Matt Lauer on Today, now she can legally drink whisky out of the toilet bowl. (To see her appearance on the show, click here.)
Live long(er) and prosper, Chanel. You’re a role model for aging gracefully — and fashionably.
21 is the new 15
CATs for dogs?
Ok, this is going to be my last eyewear post. I don’t want you to think it’s an obsession. But I’m a sucker for working dogs — that’s right, Frankie; if I thought you were qualified for anything besides being charming, you’d be out earning your keep — and couldn’t resist reporting on the new search and rescue equipment detailed on the Petlenses website.
Outfitted for search and rescue detail
This industrious boxer is modeling a safety goggles and head-mounted camera combo being developed by Toronto’s Ryerson University for the Ontario Provincial Police Emergency Response Team. Based on the premise that dogs perform far better than robots when it comes to scrambling over rubble, this equipment — dubbed Canine Augmentation Technology (CAT) – is designed to provide video and audio feedback from unstable disaster sites.
All very inspirational – except for one thing: These dogs, who will bravely put themselves in harm’s way, are being decked out with CAT. How disrespectful is that? Why not Dog Augmentation Technology (DAT)? Canine Augmentation Equipment (CAE)? Canine Complementry Equipment (CCE)… and that’s just off the top of my head. Those Canadian scientists are either acronym challenged or have a twisted sense of humor. For shame!
UPDATE: Alert Twitterer Eric Von Meter (@wordmoxie) came up with a brilliant one: Practical Ocular Outfitting for Canine Helpers. Thanks, Eric.
Any others?
Also posted in Pet dressing Tagged Boxer dog, dog eyewear, Functional dog clothing, Petlenses, search and rescue dog, Toronto 1 Comment
Sunglasses, part 3 — Form & Function
Looking for an excuse to put cool shades on your pup?
- Dogs need protection against UVA, UVB and UVC rays, just like people do. Overexposure to the sun’s rays can create cataracts, photokeratitis, corneal adhesions and other really unpleasant conditions.
- Dogs need protection from getting stuff in their eyes, just like people do. If your dog likes to stick his head out the car window, walk along the beach when it’s windy…well, you get the picture.
But you can’t just go sticking any pair of sunglasses on your dog, at least not for more than photo ops. I’ve found two companies that fit the form plus function bill. Both of their websites explain more about the bad things that can happen if your dog’s eyes go unprotected — and the good things that can happen if they don’t.
Some Petlenses pups
A cool Doggles doggie
I haven’t yet gotten any product placement offers, but that doesn’t mean I’m not open to them. Little Frankie needs a pair of shades for an ad campaign we’re planning.
Also posted in Pet dressing Tagged dog fashion, dog sunglasses, Doggles, Greyhounds, Petlenses, protective eyewear 2 Comments
Sunglasses: fashion accessory or dog necessity? Part 1
Summer’s coming – in Tucson, it’s here already — so it’s time to consider eye wear.
Are pup sunglasses just an affectation, a means of eluding the doggerati? In the case of these two cool cats — I mean dogs — pictured below, it would seem so. Those shades don’t fit very snugly. Although the terrier’s hair might help anchor the eye wear, I suspect the sunglasses would still fall off at the slightest lowering of the head to catch a sniff.
from DogsWearingSunglasses.com
And then there’s the fact that the Beatnik dog is wearing a sweater, only required in cool climates. That pup is dressed for a poetry slam, not for a stroll in bright sunlight.
from DogsWearingSunglasses.com
But there are plenty of cases when sunglasses are far from mere accessories. Stay tuned for the next post.
Also posted in Pet dressing Tagged dog sunglasses, doggerati, dogs wearing sunglasses, summer dog attire Leave a comment
Of poodles and Portuguese water dogs
by Chad Ingraham
Poodles have gotten a bad rap. Not only were these super-smart pups once renowned as water-fowl retrievers, but their much maligned coifs were job related. The natural coats of standard “pudels” — German for “splashes in water” — are thick and water absorbent. To help the dogs move more swiftly through water, portions of fur were shaved, with the chest and vital organs left covered to protect them from the cold. A topknot allowed the owner to tie a strip of colored cloth to the head, the better to spot the speedy retriever from a distance.
And, I might add, poodles are hypoallergenic — at least as much as any dog can be.
But there’s no way the Obama family could have gotten a poodle. They’re frou frou. French. The “freedom fries” crowd would have had a field day. In contrast, there’s not much to say about PWDs — how many people had even heard of them pre-Bo? — or about the country they come from. Since the days of Henry the Navigator, Portugal has kept a pretty low profile. What’s not to like about fishing villages, sardines and Port?
To mark the end of April and to bookend my first post, of Bo, I’d like to share a picture of a tastefully coiffed and attired poodle who looks a bit like a certain presidential dog. You coulda been a contender, baby, if it wasn’t for anti-poodle prejudice.
Also posted in First Dog, Pet dressing Tagged Bo Obama, freedom fries, French, Henry the Navigator, Poodles, Port, Portugal, Portuguese water dog, retrievers, sardines 3 Comments
Germany’s finest: Dogs in blue (shoes)
Photo by Reuters
Photo by AP
Blame the Duesseldorf drunks — or thank them for their contribution to dog fashion.
In February, 2008, 20 police dogs in Germany were fitted with blue booties to protect their feet from the glass shards left by revelers on the cobblestone streets of Duesseldorf’s old town.
Most of the pups involved in the program were, naturally, German Shepherds, though some Belgian Shepherds were recruited too.
According to police spokesman Andre Hartwich, the shoes were modeled on a variety used by dogs for walking on ice in Alaska (I’m thinking we’re not talking Siberian huskies here). They’re made of woven plastic and cost 60 euros
Why blue? To match the human police uniforms, of course.
The dogs were given a month of training to get accustomed to their footwear.
Just wondering:
- Were the Belgian Shepherds only included as part of a dog diversity program?
- If the dogs do a good job on patrol, might they get promoted to detective status? If so, would they go undercover and have to forgo the footwear?
Also posted in Pet dressing Tagged Belgian shepherd, Blue dog shoes, Duesseldorf, German shepherd, Germany, pet detective 3 Comments
The adventure continues…
Frankie has been out of touch in recent weeks. I suspect he’s been spending too much time on the beach, not enough time selling Am I Boring My Dog. But as the final countdown to the book publication date begins (only 15 days left!), the dispatches have begun coming in again.
Who says terriers can't surf?
Okay, at least I spot the books tucked away with the beach ball. But what a little publicity hound!
I'm ready for my close up!
I’m glad to see he’s left Hawaii — Frankie, don’t even joke about spending your time there looking for the birth certificate – and has gotten back to the world book tour.
It was great while it lasted
But what’s this? A storm on the horizon?
No one can say I didn't come prepared!
This is pretty frightening! I’m glad I got these after the fact; I would have been terribly worried.
I'm a desert dog -- I hate this!
Oh, Frankie, I’m so relieved you’re okay!
Ah, blue skies again!
But where in the world are you?
Stay tuned…