Happy New Year!

 Happy New Year to all of our wonderful customers!

We hope your 2013 will be a year of health, peace, 

and many reasons to bark for joy.

Departure Gate Goodbyes

Here is our wonderful customer Tucker, posing in his pirate costume a few Halloweens ago.
It struck me today, when we were saying goodbye to family departing for home, that one of the special comforts of our dog family members is that they never will set sail and leave us behind.


We are always so thrilled to have out-of-town family come to visit us, but there is that inevitably sad flyaway day at the end of every visit. Today was their time to leave for home.

Outside the SeaTac Airport terminal there were grandparents hugging their grandchildren one last time before departure, friends helping with luggage, and all the last look, last wave, trickle of tears sadness that parting inspires. When we returned home, that empty-house, post-holiday letdown that follows a warm holiday visit seemed to settle in around us.

Another of life's moments that makes us grateful one more time for our dogs, who never tire of their familiar surroundings and the home routines. They won't be growing up and going away to college or setting out to explore the world, not hardly. Their idea of home is where we are, and we are grateful to have them here with us every day.

good news

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/blind-dog-abby-finds-her-way-home-in-depths-of-alaskan-winter-8431589.html

It's always nice to read a dog story with a happy ending! The capabability of this blind dog reminded me of our dear Toby.

We had the privilege of adopting this ten-year-old dog when his best friend passed away at the age of 82. Here is Toby showing off a top quality bouncy ball we sell. No matter how many takes we needed for a promo picture, he would always oblige.

Here he served as a model to show how much hair can be removed with the swivel pin rake comb.

That's his winter undercoat on the right,

removed with this terrific grooming tool.

 

 

 

Here he is retrieving a water toy we sold a few  years back.

 

 

Only a few short weeks after we took him in he was diagnosed with Diabetes. Not a shot lover,

I got over my needle phobia and managed to inject him with insulin twice a day for the next five years, until he passed away. From the first injection given with my shaky, uncertain hands, he held still for the procedure with gracious dignity. It seemed as though he knew the shots were helping him.

 

A few years after the initial diagnosis he became blind, but it never seemed to phase him. He still made his daily tour of the dog park every day, with that air of authority affected by upper level managers and airline pilots. He wasn't one to play with the other dogs, preferring instead to canvas the area, checking on everything like an overseer.

 

 

Being a working dog, he was adaptable, yet knew to follow his own instincts

and trust in his own judgment. Blindness never slowed him down, and he always moved with the smooth herding stride described as having "great economy of motion."

 

Efficient, confident, and always ready to work, he was kind of a bossy dog, who would bark with irritation when family members didn't assemble at the dinner table immediately when called.

 

We didn't have sheep to herd, so he willingly put up with his modeling assignments for

 the family business. It's been five years since his passing and we still miss that boy.

 

 

Valentine's Day Dog Gear

Well, it's clear that we heart dogs here at Dog City Dime Store. Today we began adding some colorful Valentine's Day leashes, collars, and toys.

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Of course dogs don't just show their affection on Valentine's Day.

It's pretty much a year-round attitude for our furry friends.

So these fun and colorful items are for Valentine's Day

and any day.

Dogs believe in showing their emotions.

If they could choose their clothes, they'd undoubtedly

select one of these -

 

 

 

 

These conversationheart collars, just like the

retro candy, are so sweet!

 But that's not all, as they say on television. There's more in the store!

 

 

 Just look in our Valentine's Day category

 to find something perfect for your sweet dog.

A beautiful Husky who lives on the eastern coast of Scotland with her wonderful mom, Ann.

Wishing everyone a warm and relaxing Christmas

and dreams of peace.

Lady Diamond, a lovely Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and her family

enjoy a favorite version of Silent Night here

Gifts for Dogs, Gifts from Dogs

I'm wondering if any of you not only give your dog gifts on Christmas, but give gifts from them to others? If this seems like nutty anthropomorphizing, just move on to another blog.

 For the rest of you, I'm really curious.

Sometimes my dogs have had to give gifts as pay back for things that they destroyed, or other times as a thank you for dogsitting. Then there is the groomer who puts up with a little guy who hates to have his feet touched, (much less shaved), and simply another excuse to give a small and silly gift to someone in the family it's from the dog.


Arlo is a dog with a love for the frivolous, silly, and dramatic. When it comes to giving gifts, however, he selects the same practical item for everyone in the family. Last year it was chap stick, this year it will be small sewing kits. (Seriously, what are you going to do when you're on a business trip and a button pops off that white shirt just before an important presentation.)

 

He loves giving things like sticky rollers, flares,  and duct tape (or duck tape if you prefer). Practical and useful, these seem the unlikely choice of the boy who walks on his hind legs like a circus dog and dances in twirling circles just to entertain us. It's becoming a tradition, though, and people are starting to look forward to his useful presents.

 

Hannah, on the other hand, is by nature practical, sensible, and down-to-earth.

 

Her gifts, however, do not favor the practical, utilitarian items.

She typically gives small gifts that are special food treats, (knowing well how enjoyable these little tidbits can be.) Hannah also loves to chew (twigs, small bits of cardboard, etc.) so this year she'll be giving a variety of flavored chewing gum to everyone at our Christmas party. Her small presents will be packs of Extra Dessert Delights Sugarless Gum (the favorite of all the school-age kids we know). These gum flavors include: Lemon Square, Rainbow Sherbet, Mint Chocolate Chip, Key Lime Pie, Orange Creme Pop, Apple Pie, Strawbery Shortcake, and Root Beer Float. The appealing photographs on each package give these colorful little giftlets extra charm. Look here to see them.

So, just wondering if anyone out there knows any gift-giving dogs. I'm guessing we're probably all in that category of fools who not only talk to our dogs but find a voice that seems to suit them and occasionally answer on their behalf.

 

The beauty of it is that even elegant dogs like Madeline, and serious working dogs like  Toby, all put up with our silliness with patience and understanding.

 

The point is, to have fun and enjoy our dogs and their gifts

of companionship and unconditional love that they give so freely.

 

Besides, who wouldn't appreciate some chewing gum and a small sewing kit?

It's Cold Outside!

This time of year our dogs get that, "Mom, it's cold out there!" look on their faces when it's time to go outside. It's not going to get warmer any time soon, so this week we're adding some gorgeous sweaters and coats to our winter wear, starting with this fun and colorful polka dot sweater.

Black makes the perfect background color for those pink, lime, raspberry, white, and royal blue dots.

Soft and comfortable, this will give your dog some stylish warmth in the cold days ahead.

Mystery Shopper

This is sort of a celebrity sighting post. With all the cute and charming dogs that shop with us, it may surprise you to know that not all of our customers are dogs. We have had rabbits, and ferrets, and cats shop with us. And recently, shopping in our store was a fantastic feline.


 Meet Archibald. A marvelous Sphynx Cat with the photographic genius of a high fashion model.

I love the way the texture of this sweater and the furrows of his forehead play off each other.

This lovely fellow looks like a living work of art.
 

The Sphynx cat allows us to admire the pure form of the cat, whose animated architecture is often obscured by a fluffy coat. What a truly elegant animal we have shopping the racks at Dog City Dime Store!

Thank you, beautiful Archibald, for modeling this sweater with such calm grace. 

We are delighted to have you shop with us. 

Clearly, Archibald finds the warmth of a classic cable turtleneck quite favorable in the chilly days of winter. His owner reports that he enjoys wearing this size Small blue speckled Dublin Knit Sweater frequently.

Here is a video clip about this rare and fascinating breed of cat.

Lucky Dogs, Worthy Dogs

Our favorite thing about keeping an online store is meeting all the great pets and their families. One of our recent new customers, shown right here resting in his cozy sherpa bed, is Miller.

Miller is enjoying a permanent home with a lovely young couple who not only care for him, but have hearts that reach out to other homeless, abandoned, and sick animals in need. It is so inspiring to connect with people who care enough for dogs that they do foster work and support their local shelters.

Here is Miller meeting a foster dog Named Jericha. I'm sure he's reassuring her that there are

fine people in this world, and she, too, will soon find a loving home.

What Miller doesn't know yet is that he will soon have a permanent friend coming to live with his family. She is this enthusiastic pup, awaiting her final placement while a health issue is being cleared up.

 
Mom and Dad, meanwhile, are sorting through baby name books deciding just what to call their new girl. I don't have a name suggestion for her, but I can think of lots of adjectives: lucky, worthy, blessed, and beautiful for sure.

If only all the dogs needing homes were fortunate enough to find a loving home with a family of big-hearted dog people like Miller has. In an imperfect world we can so hope.

Roll Crimson Tide

I just had to share this fun article by Paul Flannery about our Southern football fans - particularly the University of Alabama crowd.

We have so many wonderful customers who cheer for Alabama.

Of course we supply their dogs with lots of great gear. After all, you wouldn't want to be
in Alabama without some pretty serious fan wear.

So with a promising new coach and some terrific players, Crimson Tide fans have a lot to look forward to this year and next.

Anyway, I hope you like the article, and I have just a few words for our Alabama fan customers - Thank you so much for shopping with us and ROLL TIDE!

California Carolers

Here is a happy group - our California customers: Taylor, Kobe, and Missy. Notice that these good friends decided to dress alike in their holiday sweater and scarf sets. They remind me of a group of happy carolers.

Dog love the fun of getting together with friends as much as we do. Of course it's extra nice when there are platters of delicious goodies to eat and happy people all around. Unlike kids, who can be cued to smile for the picture, dogs express their true emotions. No question about the good spirits in this group of good buddies. They are neighbors who enjoy spending time together.

Now we understand that Missy can get a little bossy and Kobe can be shy, but Taylor (the little guy on the left) knows all this. His friends get along because they let each other know when they need a little space or just don't want to share that toy.

It's all about reading body language, respecting others, and being honest about what you're feeling in dog culture. Judging from the genuine smiles in this group, I think these dogs have something to teach us all.

Dog Christmas Dreams

Ever wonder what a dog dreams about this time of year?

Here is our precious customer Bella, sacked out in her fashionable red raincoat.

Shhhhhh...She knows Christmas is coming soon.


       Dozing off, she hears jingle bells...

Is that someone ringing the doorbells to go out in the yard?

No, everyone's asleep. That couldn't be it.



She wakes up and sees a fleeting image at the window-

"Is that you, Donner...Blitzen?"

In a moment, he was gone.

Were all those toys just a dream as well?

We'll never know, I guess, as Bella's back to sleep,

dreaming Christmas dreams.

May all your Christmas wishes come true!

Dog Toys

The monkeys are all packing up to go to their new homes. Customers are telling us that they are stashing the toys for Christmas, sometimes unwrapping them clandestinely in order to escape the eyes and ears of their savvy pets.

This Santa has no stuffing. Perfect if you have one of those dogs that has to eviscerate every toy before it's considered properly unwrapped. Lots of squeak and fun to toss and drag around, just no trails of fluff to gather up from all over the floor.

These little cuties are sold separately, but would make a charming set. We know that some of our four-legged customers are collectors, and like to keep a bin of favorite buddies.

In our own family, we've noticed that the "keeper of the toys" tends to be the pack leader, or dominant sibling. Isn't it great how two sister dogs understand perfectly that younger Sis can have no toys in her bed, while older Sis settles in like a hen on a half a dozen little fuzzy toys in hers. Dog behaviorists advise us to resist the impulse to even things out, as interfering with the puppy pecking order is when the real trouble begins. The girls are perfectly happy with an arrangement that works for them. When it's playtime, they share and share alike.

Some Toys, like this singing Santa and Elf are only allowed out for only a limited amount of time in our home.

Our slightly obsessive Border Collie-Lab mix just has to play their songs over and over and over and over again. He never quite understands how we get crazy from the repetition of his singular playlist.

I guess that beats the throwaway mentality that some kids get when there are just too many gifts to play with. 

The Toy Story toys would love our dogs. They love their buddies no less when their cute plush

 faces are disfigured from being gnawed and their bodies are reduced to a bag of rags.  After all the fun they've had together, they probably love them even more.

The culture of dogs -

 there's always something to learn from it.