Safe Humane Chicago’sLifetime Bonds ProgramIn Action Labs are big in the service dog arena. A good friend of mine and owner of a gorgeous black lab named Finn, told me about an organization she’s involved with who takes lab pups, specially selected, and has prisoners train them to become military dogs and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder service dogs for veterans. The program is called Puppies Behind Bars, and it’s amazing. My husband and I attended their annual fundraising gala last fall, and got to see, firsthand, the veterans these dogs are helping and the woman who… [Continue Reading]

Sophie is one lucky girl. With her mom working in the pet world, she gets to try some truly fun and amazing products. PawNosh (pronounced like panache, but with a “paw”) is one. I came across the PawNosh Cubby Bowl while I was researching pet bowls for a story I did on Bark and Swagger. It immediately grabbed my attention, because it looked so substantial and it’s a great shade of blue. I decided to reach out to the company to get more information. What I found is pretty cool. The PawNosh Cubby Bowl is a post-consumer recycled glass dog… [Continue Reading]

Tango tabledat Westminster Woke up bright and early Monday morning, excited to cover the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno Westminster competition at the Pier. This was their first time competing at Westminster; the breed had just been added last year by the AKC. And, with Sophie being a little Podengo herself, I was over the moon about supporting the breed. David Frei, the Director of Communications for theWestminster Kennel Club, was kind enough to give me a media pass to cover the event for Bark and Swagger, and I wasn’t going to miss it for the world! When… [Continue Reading]

Terry St Angelo & Aspenin Cheryl Keninger Friday started a whirlwind of pre-Westminster events and all manner of fur friend fun. So, I didn’t want to miss Jennifer Bartok and Celebrity Catwalk’s  2nd Annual Couture Paws for a Cause Brunch on Sunday at The Spot Experience in Chelsea. The event brings attention to New York’s homeless animals and benefits Rescuzilla. I figured it was a small enough environment to take Sophie, as she gets anxious in large spaces with lots people and animals, so off we went to meet my friend, Lauren Darr of International Association… [Continue Reading]

Hangin’Sophie, Potter & Tango Today was such an exciting day for us! If you don’t know by now, Sophie is a Portuguese Podengo Pequeno and, this year, the Podengo Pequeno makes its debut competing at Westminster. That, in and of itself, is exciting, and Bark and Swagger will be there to cover the Podengo competition and the Hound Group results. This may sound silly, but there’s only one other Podengo I know of in all of New York City, and Sophie and I haven’t been able to connect with Norman (that’s his name), although we’ve tried.… [Continue Reading]

  Marie Antoinette DressReplica by Roni Penberthy It was a sight to behold! Hundreds of dog fashion lovers and their four-legged friends descended upon the 18th floor of the Hotel Pennsylvania Friday night to showcase pet fashion, rescue dogs and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the New York Pet Fashion Show. With this year’s theme The Crown Jewels of Fashion and Rescue, participants arrived in dazzling displays of royal regalia and designers crafted stunning creations harkening back to the Victorian era. Ornamentation, a key aspect to Victorian dress, ruled, with crystal and gem-encrusted treasures rocking… [Continue Reading]

  Evenings hanging in my Pupsaver Petite. Now, I can go everywhere with mom!   ** THIS POST WAS UPDATED ON DECEMBER 8, 2017 ** This is such an important topic, I’ve updated a 2014 post with fresh info. I am not an affiliate of Pupsaver; I’m a big fan of the product and the family who created it. Bark Bites for those on the go. The full scoop below. * Statistics show that driving with a dog unrestrained is dangerous and causes more accidents. In some states, it is illegal. * An unrestrained 10-pound dog in… [Continue Reading]

Everything’s gone extreme, from sports and vacations to the weather. So it’s no surprise that extreme dog grooming has become one of the newest trends gaining popularity around the world. There are competitions for it; runway shows celebrating it. When I see a dog who’s been sculpted or dyed, I can appreciate it as a piece of art, but I wonder if it bothers the pup or is unhealthy for it. So I decided to find out from the experts. I approached celebrity groomer, Jorge Bendersky, who judged the first modern creative grooming competition called “Creative Runway,”  and prominent emergency… [Continue Reading]