Yes, We'll Miss the Barney Cam!

The White House just won't be the same ...

Meet Howser. Doggie Howser. Get it?

He's an adorable soft-coated wheaten terrier, one of the new students in the puppy kindergarten class at Smarty Paws. Trainer MaryKay Grahn has moved into her fantastic new indoor location in northwest Las Vegas. There's room for agility (we had our first class of the season Monday night) and obedience classes to take place at the same time. We enjoyed watching the younger pupils go through the basics.

Good TV or Doggie Abuse?

Squirting a dog in the face with lemon juice? To try and teach him to look angry on command? Seriously?!
Apparently, we weren't the only ones with mixed feelings about the television show "Greatest American Dog." In fact, we gave up watching just a few episode in, uncomfortable with some of the actions of the owners. It turns out we missed a particularly disturbing episode. Read more about it in the San Francisco Chronicle's excellent Your Whole Pet column.

Kittens Welcome at MIT!

In Episode #144 of The Petcast, we talked about a pet-friendly dorm in upstate New York. Turns out, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has also opened its doors to students' pets. Take minute for this terrific Boston Globe piece, and don't skip the video!

THE SWISS CAT CONTROVERSY

(Post By Steve)

In prepping for the March 8 set of "Petcast" episodes, I stumbled across a piece in the Telegraph in London about a movement to get the Swiss government to outlaw the import, export and trade of cat fur and garments. As it happened, Miles and I were en route to Switzerland for vacation the following week.

It seemed like a perfect piece for the New York Times. And it is! My piece on this odd matter runs in the April 1 editions of both the Times and the International Herald Tribune. And yes, this does make my vacation largely tax deductible. Yay.

In addition to that, I put together a 12-minute video interview as a special edition of The Petcast from our trip to SOS Chats, a 260-cat refuge in the far western mountains of Switzerland where we met Tomi Tomek. She operates the refuge, which is also her home, and has led the movement to get cat fur banned in Switzerland. On the video, Tomi shows us her place, explains the stories behind some of the cats and shows the cat furs she has purchased to prove to the media and politicians that such a trade actually exists.

You can view the video here:


(Sorry, it's too long, evidently, for YouTube. Boo.)

Here are some photos that Miles took while we were up there at the refuge. This is Tomi of SOS Chats...

They have a huge spread for the cats to frolick in...


And the cats have free reign over the outside and the inside...


This is probably my favorite shot. Yes, there's a dog. One dog. And 260 cats. Can you count how many cats are in this photo?


Tomi says she knows the names of each of them and their stories. Here she's being kissed by one as she sits in front of the well-organized medical records for the refuge.


Surprisingly, the place was NOT a stinking mess. It was very sanitary and orderly, probably because they use a LOT of this...


And to give you some idea of where this place was, look at the charming little train depot...


And this is the artsy shot of the village that I took...


In the process of this piece, I also got a tour of the Swiss Parliament in Bern from a prominent lawmaker. Still, there were limits and unauthorized persons, including journalists, can't enter the actual floor of the House chambers. But you can shoot a nice photo through the glass...


Or you can be escorted by a prominent lawmaker into the gallery where you can shoot a photo like this one...


As many readers know, I have a thing for capitals. Mostly state capitals, but I'm starting a national capital collection, too. Bern was the 14th capital I've been to so far. (Others are Sydney, Washington DC, Beijing, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Seoul.)

So, without further ado, here's the obligatory mug of me outside the capital building...


Peace out. And give a little something while you're at it to SOS Chats. They're performing miracles up there in the Swiss mountainside.

Four Paws, Two Wheels

There's good news for disabled dogs -- wheelchairs for pets are becoming more common, and affordable. Euthanasia is no longer the automatic answer for dogs who lose the use of their back legs, as spunky Max (see photo) demonstrates. One manufacturer, Eddie's Wheels of Shelbourne, Mass., has made custom carts for everything from a rabbit to a great dane. So, roll on, Max!

There are times when robotic pets almost make sense ...

Like when your dog wakes up in the middle of the night. Right before he throws up. In your bed. But we're not quite ready to trade up to the T-1000 version just yet, although it looks like an interesting and useful alternative for some seniors.

Beagle is Numero Uno!

Whoever Uno's press agent is, he's worth his weight in solid-gold dog biscuits. Even before the seven group winners took the ring at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, all eyes were on "big beagle" Uno. He really is a perfect specimin, and we can't wait to talk all about it with Westminster announcer Michael LaFave. He'll be on "The Petcast" Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. PST. So, how did Uno celebrate becoming the first beagle ever to win Best in Show at the hallowed Madison Square Garden? By trying to eat a reporter's notebook.

Who says Kats don't like birds?

Guest host John Katsilometes proves them all wrong on Episode 131 of "The Petcast," which will soon be online. Our new friends Phil and Nicole stopped by the LV Rocks Studio with some feathered friends, including "Big Girl" (pictured right). Who knew these birds could be so charming? Big Girl was rescued from the street after becoming ill, and Phil kindly nursed her back to health. There's plenty of information online for people interested in owning pigeons as pets, and we encourage you to pause and take a closer look the next time you pass one in an urban settting.

Turn off "Idol" and break out the Kitty Dancer ...

So, what was most shocking about this terrific article on portly house cats? Perhaps the research showing as few as six extra pieces of kibble can turn kitty from tiger to tubby.

The Healing Power of Dogs

On Petcast Episode No. 130, which will be posted online soon, author Sharon Saxson talked about her new book "Paws and Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs." An interesting article about Saxon in the New York Times serves as a perfect intro to the upcoming show.

Leon 1, Archie 0

According to the American Kennel Club, bulldogs were more popular than miniature schnauzers in 2007. The bullies galumped their way into the Top 10 for the first time in decades, squeezing out the perennial favorite mini schnauzer. Far from complaining, Archie actually thinks this is good news for his breed. Less popular means less demand for puppies, and thus fewer puppy mill litters languishing pet stores and newspaper classifieds. Guest host Amy would probably agree that being popular isn't the greatest news for bulldogs, who already suffer a host of health problems that are only exacerbated by over-breeding. But we'll let her dog Leon enjoy his moment of triumph, anyway.

Dog = Fire Alarm

Maybe they should start stocking dogs in the fire prevention aisle at Home Depot? Once again, a dog alerted its owners to a house fire, saving at least one life. It's getting to be almost a routine story, as Emily and guest host Dayvid discussed in Episode No. 116. Laney (the black lab pictured right being hugged by a grateful owner) is our Heroic Pet of the Day.

Farewell, Tatiana

Following the fatal mauling of a 17-year-old visitor and the serious wounding of two of his friends, the San Francisco Zoo has construction teams working 'round the clock checking the enclosures of all its large animal exhibits. It turns out the 4-foot wall protecting the public from the polar bears was deemed to low by experts. The zoo also has allowed visitors to pay their respects to Tatiana, (pictured right) the 350-pound Siberian tiger shot and killed by police after the attack. The thought of someone being attacked by a polar bear in the middle of San Francisco would have been, at one time, an absurd scenario. But then who could have envisioned what took place Christmas Eve? Incidentally, we're hopeful additional witnesses will come forward to either support or disprove one woman's account that the young men may have been taunting the tiger.

Miss Congeniality!

Lovely little Gracie certainly earned the title during her recent visit to the Petcast Studio. Our friend Jeri Muntis, a local schnauzer owner and professional handler, joined us for Episode No. 124, which will be available online soon at www.thepetcast.com. While older sister Katie charmed Steve (and kept his lap warm), 9-week old Gracie showed us the beauty of natural, uncropped ears. Jeri's dogs have earned top honors in conformation, obedience and agility. Her oldest dog Steeler is Archie's half-brother.