Dog Life

When life gives you dog poo, make organic fertilizer. At least that’s what NatureMill would have us do. And why not? Unlike traditional backyard composting, NatureMill’s pet-friendly composter (made from recycled and recyclable materials) requires next to no effort. Essentially, all you have to do is drop in the poo, along with any other organic materials, such as kitchen scraps like coffee grounds, dairy, veggie peelings, fish or meat.

We know all about the tempestuous romances and ill-fated marriages, her violet eyes, larger-than-life beauty and enormous diamonds-but who'd ‘a thunk that doggies were this girl's best friend?

Actress Virginia Madsen has spent most of her career playing girlfriends, femmes fatales and sexy blondes, but her recent role as a wine-savvy waitress in the low-budget film Sideways has boosted her career into high gear. With the role earning her a Best Supporting Actress award from the National Society of Film Critics, a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild award, and plenty of Oscar buzz, Sideways has turned Virginia’s world upside-down.

Your breed revealed!

Owners bring their dogs here to test the dogs' instinctual behaviour on scent trails and in underground tunnels leading to quarry. They want to see if little Angus and Heidi can still do what their doggie ancestors were bred to do as early as 55 B.C.: go to ground and get rid of fox, badger, river otters, and other vermin that were wreaking havoc on their owners' land. Dogs that do well here can go on to participate in Earthdog Tests, Canadian Kennel Club (CKC)-sanctioned, non-competitive events leading to the titles Junior Earthdog, Senior Earthdog, and Master Earthdog. British Columbia held the first Canadian Earthdog Tests in 2002 and the Sea to Sky Earthdog Club now sponsors two sets of testing events each year.

Chances are, the answer is yes.

If you want to cause a commotion in any psychology department or any other place where animal and human behaviour is studied, all that you have to do is to claim that your dog loves you. Skeptics, critics, and even some ardent supporters will pour out into the halls to argue the pros and cons of that statement.

Many of the uninitiated scoff at the thought of dancing with dogs and yes, there is undeniably an element of the ridiculous to the sport, what with the inter-species dance team, tux-and-tailstype matching outfits and song choices like "Putting on the Ritz," but, as any attendee will attest, there is something both compelling and strangely moving about the performances-not to mention supremely entertaining.

Let's face it, modern dog owners are just as guilty as first-time parents when it comes to rambling on and on about their "kids." And while a good poop horror story makes for conversational common ground at any canine-centric soiree, why not show your range? The following cocktail party cheat-sheet highlights dogs that have made a significant impact on our common culture. A few minutes studying this list and you'll soon prove that it's possible to impress even the finest pedigreed pooch (and his/her sexy owner) with your best trick: speak!

Dog Weddings