'Marley & Me' Movie: Looking Forward to It?

I am an unabashed lover of "Marley & Me," the book, and I cannot wait for "Marley & Me," the movie, opening Christmas Day. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are inspired casting, and how can you possibly go wrong with a cute puppy and a cute dog playing Marley, the el-destructo yellow Lab, at different ages?

My favorite line of the trailer: "That is evil with a dog face." My favorite scene? Marley runs away and Owen Wilson says, "Whose DOG is that?" Isn't that a universal experience?

Pets Often Bring Us the Comfort We Need

When times were difficult as a kid or as a young adult, I had a tendency to turn to animals for comfort. I would cozy up on the floor with Nosy, our collie, or Wendy, our calico cat, or snuggle on the couch with Petey, my shelter rescue who was part terrier, part Dalmatian, part whippet, and all unconditional love.

There was something comforting about those pets and many others over the years. They never asked what was wrong or how they could help, they were just there. Animals, and especially pets, seem to have an instinct about what we need from them.

During these turbulent economic times, when nothing is guaranteed, many pet owners will seek – and find – comfort from their dogs and cats and horses. I remember how Petey would sleep with me and stand erect on the side of the bed and bark in defense of me if anyone entered my room. She was my protector, and I was hers.

Animal shelters and rescues say they are inundated by people who are surrendering their pets because they no longer can afford to take care of them. Choices are so difficult today.

I'm going to make a counter-argument: Now, more than ever, you can't afford to let them leave your life. This holiday season, be good to those you love, including the pets who never ask for much in return except a scratch of the neck or a walk around the block.

Ever Seen a Monkey Sneeze?

Dave said this video would be end up on YouTube - and he was right. So, here is Sherman the Monkey ... sneezing.

Salute the Loofa Dog (and Win It)

I am an unrepentant lover of all things Loofa. The camouflage-wearing Loofa Dog, found at Concord Pet, might be my all-time favorite. Multipet International, which makes the successful line of toys - complete with squeaker - is donating a portion of its proceeds to Support Our Troops.

I love the yellow ribbon on the Loofa Dog's belly.

I'll give this Loofa Dog away to anyone who gives me a reason why their dog would love it. I'll pick one winner at random from all those who enter. Post on this blog or e-mail me at pets@delawareonline.com The deadline for entries is midnight Dec. 12.

Meet Our Pets Cover Model

Several judges and friends of Delaware Pets picked Annabelle Grace, a five-pound Pomeranian who turns 5 in January, as our cover model for the December issue. Here she is with her human companion, Deanna Pedicone of Newark.

Annabelle is a natural in front of the camera, and I asked photographer Robert Craig to get a couple of extra shots of Deanna and Annabelle. You'll have to wait for the magazine to see the actual cover shot.

Annabelle is a great story. She is a therapy dog with Paws for People - she reads each week with kids at Woodlawn Library. Deanna says "Goodnight Moon" is Annabelle's favorite book and the kids know that reading it to her helps her calm down at the beginning of the library sessions.

Annabelle also volunteers at CERTS, a day program for people with significant disabilities.

Deanna reports that Annabelle also has flown on planes (she has a carrying case that fits under the seat), has lots of great outfits (notice the red sweater she's wearing in this photo) and knows when her Christmas presents have arrived and are hanging in her Christmas stocking. "She sits and stares at it," Deanna says.

The next issue of Delaware Pets will reach pet stores, vets' offices, groomers and other pet-related businesses in early December.

Could Billy From Delaware Be the Obama Dog?

Patrick Carroll, director of development at the Delaware Humane Association, has a pitch for Barack and Michelle Obama: Adopt Billy for your daughters.

Billy is a curly-haired Labradoodle that meets many of the criteria for the puppy that Sasha and Malia were promised if Dad won the election. He also would fulfill Michelle Obama's wish to adopt from a shelter. Plus, he does come from the home state of the vice president-elect, who rumor has it, also has a Labradoodle.

Billy is just over a year old, so that fits the puppy criteria - or close enough, and with Malia's allergies, the president-elect says the First Family-to-be is looking for a hypoallergenic pooch.

Billy certainly looks cute enough, but news reports say Malia is leaning toward a goldendoodle, a cross between a poodle and a golden retriever.

"We think that they should adopt from DHA, since the VP is from Delaware," Patrick says.

Which breed do you recommend for the Obamas?

I'm Back .. and Thanks for Holiday Model Entries

For all of those who sent in photos of your dogs to be considered as a our Christmas model for Delaware Pets, I am sorting through and narrowing the 50 entries, and should be choosing a canine cover boy or girl this coming week.

Thanks for the outpouring, and I wanted to give a special shout-out to Paco, the Phillies fan (left). I'm sure he enjoyed the World Series celebration. And, yes, Stacy Kleitz of Wilmington, Paco is one of the cutest dogs I've ever meet, but the competition for dog model glory is tough.

I apologize for the delay in deciding on the model, but I've been away for several weeks on medical leave. I donated a kidney to my sister at a Washington hospital, and she - and one used kidney - are both doing wonderfully.

Stay tuned for a holiday model winner.

Delaware Humane's 2009 Calendar on Sale Now

Our friends at the Delaware Humane Association have their 2009 calendar available for sale. Come on, it's cute - it's always cute - and it helps the shelter raise money.

The calendar ($11) features animals adopted from the shelter, so lots of happy faces and stories. If you need the calendar shipped, add $2 to the cost. To pick up a calendar, stop by Delaware Humane at 701 A St. in Wilmington.

Seeking Dog Model for Holiday Photo

We need a dog model who embraces the holidays for a photo shoot for Delaware Pets.

If your pooch is enthusiastic for the holidays - as Yvonne Nichols and her dog Reese were a couple of years ago at the Elsmere Holiday Parade - e-mail a photo of your dog to pets@delawareonline.com, and make sure to include your name, your dog's name, your address and a daytime contact number.

We'll choose one dog - and its human companion - to participate in the photo shoot in the next few weeks, and will compile the photos into a photo gallery on www.delawareonline.com/pets.

Two Beautiful Brittanys

In the current issue of Delaware Pets, we feature the Delaware Chapter of the American Brittany Rescue. Diane, who works in Newark, sent us a photo of one of the adoptees, her dog Darby, and these words:

"Darby (liver and white Brittany) was adopted through American Brittany Rescue. Sierra (orange and white brittany) was purchased through a breeder."

Plus, I'm going to borrow Diane's signatures from her e-mail, because each is so true:

"Some of us learn forgiveness by studying the lives of saints. And some of us keep dogs." ~ Charles Gusewelle

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France

Twin Baby Moose, Mom and a Sprinkler

Sometimes, sometimes, you just need to sit back and watch a 4-minute video of twin baby moose, their mom and how they enjoy a sprinkler outside a home in Alaska. All set to the music of Alison Krauss' "When You Say Nothing at All."

Enjoy the beauty of family.

How Myrtle Helped Me Find Grace

I remember the first pet I ever lost. Her name was Myrtle and she was a little painted turtle.

One of my brothers and I had put her in the toilet to watch her swim. I turned my head to yell a question to Mom in the next room. Instead of her response, I heard the sound of disaster: My 6-year-old brother had pushed down the toilet's handle, and Myrtle was swirling away from my reach. Through my sobbing, I heard him tell Mom that he wanted to see if Myrtle could reach the ocean. Neither of us understood that our house was hooked up to a septic tank.

Mom hugged me and brushed away my 5-year-old tears, and taught my brother and me something we could understand: We needed to love our pets every day because we would live longer than they would. We didn't exactly understand why, but we accepted her explanation. She anticipated our next question: "Yes, Myrtle is in turtle heaven."

Alex Guillen, one of our summer reporting interns, writes in the fall issue of Delaware Pets about that unfortunate reality -- how parents must prepare their children for the day when Fluffy or Nemo or Buddy winds up in their specific heaven. On the day we lost Myrtle, Mom said a few words, and we bowed our heads and prayed for a turtle.

It was a lesson in grace and humility, and as I've lost pets as a teen and later as an adult, it was the solace to which I always returned.

Golden Retriever Nurses Tiger Cubs

Yep, you read the headline correctly. This golden does nurse tiger cubs at a Kansas zoo, and she even licks them. It's amazing how adaptable and welcoming one animal can be to another - in the right circumstances.

Maybe, as people, we could learn a little from them.

What's the most unusual interaction you've seen between different types of animals?

Coming in Delaware Pets: What Dreams May Come

The next issue of Delaware Pets, which should start hitting stores and other pet places beginning late next week, will feature a cover story on whether pets, especially dogs, dream.

Reporter robin brown has found out some interesting details about what happens when pooches like little Cooper, the Bichon puppy of Nicole Gravino of Newark, take a snooze. Look for her story and a photo gallery of other sleeping dogs at www.delawareonline.com/pets

Go to Sleep Little Boxers

Do you have puppies that won't settle down at night? This man has these boxers completely wrangled.

Look for when they start to stir and he has to start singing again. Very sweet.

Do you sing to your pets? Does it affect them this way or does something else happen?

We Really Are Lucky

My friend Jean ran across the quote about animals that she had once seen hanging at the Talleyville vet clinic and e-mailed it to me.

"We are so lucky to have the animals. What act of goodness did we as humans once commit to deserve such kindness from God?"

- Douglas Copeland

It's Time for Dog Chaining to End

I don't really understand why people chain their dogs. I guess it stems from a basic worry that the dogs will run away, but if that's the concern, build a fence.

On our small Wisconsin farm, we had dogs and cats, and chickens and cows. Every creature had the run of the farm, except the cows, and they would get out through the occasional hole in the fence. Dad believed that animals - like people - should be free. He also didn't believe that dogs or cats should be in the house, although he caved on the dog front as he got older.

Tammi Grimes of Altoona, Pa., founder of Dogs Deserve Better, a national rescue and advocacy group, fights the chaining of dogs. In April, she brought her message to Delaware's Week for the Animals.

Grimes' motivation comes from her childhood. Her family's Labrador retriever ran free, she remembers, but their beagle, Maggie, was chained.

"The chained one really made me sad," she says. "Just watching her all the time."

Grimes used those memories and an interest in animal issues to push for changes to dog chaining laws state by state. Already, California and Texas have put time limits on chaining, and Pennsylvania is close on similar legislation, she said.

"The chances of getting a full ban is pretty small," Grimes says of her state-by-state push. Breeders and hunters generally oppose a total ban. So states, including Pennsylvania, consider limiting the practice. California has a three-hour time limit; Texas' ban is from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Last year, Grimes said, 14 states had anti-chaining bills introduced, but animal advocates in Delaware, decided to push other issues.

Marleen Oetzel, adoption coordinator for Lost and Found Dog Rescue in New Castle, wants to raise awareness and money as part of the nationwide Chain-Off 2008. Oetzel will be chained to a doghouse at Carey's Foreign & Domestic Repair in Georgetown for 24 hours starting at 10 a.m. June 28. She also will be chained to a doghouse for two 12-hour stints July 5-6 at Faithful Friends near Wilmington.

The idea is to draw attention to the issue and make people aware of the cruelty of chaining dogs. Animal activists hope to raise $4,000 to donate to Dogs Deserve Better to further Grimes' efforts. They also will have a petition for Delaware residents to sign.

In 2008, we shouldn't think that chaining an animal - any animal - has a place in our state.

Win a Copy of 'Marley & Me'

"Marley & Me," written by former Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan, is one of my favorite books. Period.

Be forewarned: Get the tissues ready, because I cried so hard when I was finishing it on a flight that the flight attendant asked me what was wrong.

It's subtitled, "Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog." That would be Marley, who didn't seem all that different than a lot of yellow Labs - and other dogs - I've known. In an interview last year with Delaware Pets, Grogan answered the question about whether lovable Marley really was the world's worst dog.

"I always called him the worst dog with a little bit of a wink," he told writer Claire Bushey. "The short answer is, I don't think Marley's anywhere near the worst dog. He may have been the most hyper dog in the world, but he had a good heart, and he gave us nothing but love and commitment through his whole life."

"Marley & Me" is more than just a story about a puppy named for a reggae star with feet too big for his little body. And it's more than an account of a family growing as their pooch turns into a goofy, mischievious and clumsy 97-pound powerhouse.

At its heart, "Marley & Me" is really a love story. A love story involving a couple, whose family grew to include three children, and who endured heartbreak, multiple jobs, many moves and all that life throws at them. All told through the prism of a incorrigible dog who was kicked out of obedience class, but who also was so intensely loyal that he put his head in the lap of his mistress after a painful miscarriage, stood guard over each Grogan baby and raced to the defense of a stabbing victim.

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of "Marley & Me," now out in paperback, e-mail pets@delawareonline with your favorite story of something goofy that your dog (or cat or other pet) has done. Please include your name, the pet's name, a photo of the pet (optional) and a daytime contact number. We'll turn the "goofy stories" into a story for Delaware Pets, and we'll choose two entries at random to receive a paperback copy of "Marley & Me." Please send your entries by June 20.

If books aren't your thing, "Marley & Me" also is being turned into a movie starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. It's expected in theaters around Christmas. Pack more tissues.

The Obama Parrot

This is Smokey, the Barack Obama-loving parrot, who says - what else? - "Yes, we can" when he sees Obama on CNN.

If your parrot say "Go McCain" or "Hil-a-ry," there's got to be 15 minutes of fame for you, too.

Seeking a Sunglasses-Wearing Dog Model and Owner

For the next issue of Delaware Pets, which comes out in early June, freelance writer Denise Morrison Yearian has a very practical story about how to protect your dog from summer's sun and heat.

One of the dangers is heatstroke. Another is sunburn.

"This is particularly true for short, light- or white-coated animals or hairless breeds," says Dr. Daniel Morris, dermatology specialist at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine. "The most vulnerable areas are the tips of the ears, noses, eyelids and underbellies-places where little or no hair grows."

To help illustrate the story, we're looking for a dog model who wears Doggles or some kind of sunglasses - and his or her owner - who can come to The News Journal's offices on Basin Road (Del. 141) near New Castle by the middle of next week for a photo shoot.

If you are interested, please e-mail pets@delawareonline.com with info about your dog and your contact information. And if you have it, attach a photo of your pooch wearing his or her Doggles or sunglasses. Please put "dog model" in the subject line.

I'll contact someone as soon as possible, and post when we have our willing model.

E-mail Us Your Sleeping Dogs

Erica Tierney of Claymont sent in several photos of 5-month-old Darley. This is one of her favorites: "This is how she curled up in my lap and fell asleep the day we brought her home."

Is there anything cuter than a sleeping puppy? They seem so oblivious to the whole new world around them.

We need your photos of your dog asleep or falling asleep for a story that reporter robin brown is working on. She's exploring whether dogs dream and exactly how they do sleep. Do they have the deep REM sleep that humans have, for starters? We'll include many of the photos in a photo gallery, too, on www.delawareonline.com/pets.

Please e-mail your photos to pets@delawareonline.com, write "sleeping dogs" in the subject line and include your name, the dog's name, which city you live in, a few details about the photo and a daytime contact number.

Tippy and Polly and the Parade

First, my video and post-production skills leave something to be desired - I can't even figure out how to get the video turned the right way - but turn your head to the side so you can see Tippy Longstocking, a rat terrier, pulling Polly Pocket, a long-haired chihuahua, in a wagon during the Delaware City Pet Parade.

The dogs belong to Patty Barber of Delaware City, who was so very sweet. She says she knew Tippy was a strong puller when she used to pull Patty while she was on roller skates.

The dogs also had on great T-shirts that said, "Bee Kind to Our Earth."

They were one of the hits of the parade.

Most Original at the Pet Parade

Charles Baulk Jr., a patient care technician at Christiana Care, carried the medical theme with his three miniature Australian shepherds all the way to first place for most original costume at Saturday's Delaware Ciy Pet Parade.

Baulk dressed up (from left) Alyssa, Mya and Kiah as doctor, patient and nurse. The combo won over the three judges, and Baulk, of Newark, went home $100 richer.

Now, that's what you call a good bedside manner.

Met My First Dalmadora

I met my first Dalmadora - a combination of a black Lab and a Dalmatian - at Saturday's Delaware City Pet Parade. I had put my camera away and we were hustling to get home, so I didn't get a photo or even the name of the people who had the dog.

If you have a Dalmadora, can you e-mail me a photo of your dog to pets@delawareonline.com? I'll replace the photo above and include some info about your pooch.

Fun at the Delaware City Pet Parade

My sister and I took in the Delaware City Pet Parade on Saturday - and so did plenty of others. Among those we met along Clinton Street - before, during and after the parade - were Teal Oberholtzer of Smyrna and Drake, his yellow Lab, all dressed up for baseball season.

What made Drake's outfit - in addition to the pants (with a belt) and a great-looking ball cap - were the batting glove sticking out of his right back pocket and the stirrup socks. So, major league! Drake and Teal won for funniest costume.

After the parade, we talked with the Rogers family and met Reese, a 1-year-old female pug dressed as a Hula girl. The dog belonged to William Rogers of Elkton, Md. William's mother says he saved his money to buy the dog from a breeder in Lancaster, Pa. The outfit came from Build-a-Bear. And we can report that Reese (pronounced ree-cee) didn't mind at all. Love that grass skirt! Reese and William won second place for funniest costume.

Photo of the Day: All Cute Dogs

How's that for some cute dogs? Five of them! Love the crook of their heads.

Kate, who is an animal rescue transporter, Best Friends Animal Society ambassador, Washington Animal Rescue League volunteer and Georgetown Delaware SPCA volunteer, sent me this via e-mail.

Her cute pack, as she calls her four Jack Russells and one Labrador, is (from left): Buster, Shadow (who has since passed away) Jackson, Addison and Katie.

Do You Worry About Sunburned Pets?

With the sunny and hot weather apparently directly in front of us, it's a good time to consider how summer affects our pets, especially dogs, who spend time outdoors.

Denise Morrison Yearian, one of our freelance writers, is working on that very story for the next issue of Delaware Pets. She's found plenty of pet owners who deal with the heat side of summer. What she needs is someone who has to worry about their dogs (or other pets) - because of light-colored or thin-coated fur - having problems with sunburn.

If you pet has been sunburned or you worry about it, please e-mail contact info to me at pets@delawareonline.com, and I'll get Denise in touch with you.

Thanks for the help - and the insight.

Wilmington Kennel Club Dog Shows This Weekend

It's a little taste of Westminster in our backyard.

The Wilmington Kennel Club hosts its annual dog shows Friday (starting at 9 a.m.) and Saturday (starting at 8:30 a.m.) at Lums Pond State Park near Glasgow. Best in Show winners are crowned each day late in the afternoon, but judging goes on all day, each day in 14 different rings.

It's great to see the more than 1,500 dogs compete, first by breed, then by category and, at the end of the day, for Best in Show. Many of the dogs just seem to know how to "work the ring" and the judges.

It's also fun to see all of the variety of breeds, some of which you don't get to see very often. My favorite rarities are Bouvier Des Flandres (absolutely beautiful dogs) and Komondoroks (they look like dust mops with off-white dreadlocks). And the dog handlers and owners are some of the nicest people outside of the ring, too. Most are happy to have you pet their dogs and will tell you plenty about them.

If you go, dog show organizers ask that you leave your own dogs at home. They can distract the dogs that are competing, or cause a ruckus outside of the rings. Leave the pooches at home, and just come to marvel and to learn.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and kids 6 and older, and free for kids 5 and younger. The shows take place near the campground entrance for the park on Del. 71. Bring a chair if you plan to stay for a while, and concessions and pet vendors will be on site.

A portion of the proceeds will go to support the New Castle County K-9 Unit, and Saturday's schedule will include a demonstration by that unit during the noon lunch break.

A Pet-Loving Designer

After Sunday's 5K walk, we made the rounds of the tables at the pet fair at Killens Pond State Park. One of the nicest people there was Catherine Hefferan, a graphic designer who does all things pets under her business, Cathulu! Cards and Gifts. You can see - and shop - her work on Cafe Press. Or e-mail her at rummah2001@hotmail.com.

The great baseball jersey she has on in the photo - love the simple idea and the artwork - is $16.99 on her site. T-shirts go from $8.99 to $26.99 for a hoodie. And one of my favorite items is the Cat Journal ($9.49), featuring a big gray cat on the cover playing with a purple ball of yarn. Don't tell me your cat's antics - or yours - couldn't easily fill the journal's 160 pages.

Meet Nero the Great

One of those happy (I think he was happy?!?) to be at Sunday's Furry Scurry at Killens Pond was Nero, the Great Dane puppy of Larry and Cris Rhoads of Harrington.

Larry says Nero is just 9 months old and weighs 130 pounds. Nero's dad weighed 180, so at least in his genes, there is room to grow.

We saw Nero later on the 5K walk and he did appear to be enjoying himself, and exercising those great long legs.

Great Turnout for Furry Scurry

The weather was cooperative for Sunday morning's Furry Scurry, a 5K run/walk fundraiser for the Kent County SPCA at Killens Pond State Park near Felton. More than 300 people signed up to participate, including the Garrisons (Lisa and John, above) and their sons, Noah and Leon, who participated in the Kiddie K (Noah finished first!).

The Garrisons of Milton brought dogs Serena (a Pekingnese mix), Dorry (a pug) and Jazzy (a Doberman) to the festivities.

After the run/walk, pet vendors, pet agencies, nonprofits and rescue groups set up for a fair in the park. The event is one of the first in the Delaware Week for the Animals. I ran into Patricia Haddock, one of the organizers of the week, and says there are more than 50 events across the state throughout the week. She says she is particularly pleased with the variety of events and the national speakers who will be here.

Check out the week's Web site to find something that is right for you.

Watch here for more from Sunday's Furry Scurry and the pet fair.

Photo of the Day: Puppies

Are those two great faces, or what? Wyatt e-mailed this photo of Drake and Remy, a couple of book-end-matching 3-month-old Labs.

If you have a cute photo of your dog - or any other pet - e-mail it to pets@delawareonline.com and we'll give it a boost here or in a photo gallery for everyone to see.

Thanks for the great photo, Wyatt.

A Week Just for the Animals

I loved this photo shoot of little Brad Olin of Clayton and his dog Doozer. We used one of the photos on the cover of the latest issue of Delaware Pets, and here, you get another one. It's emblematic of the relationship that we all will be celebrating during Delaware's first Week for the Animals, starting Saturday and running through April 27.

There are events that criss-cross the state. Fun things like Sunday's Furry Scurry at Killens Pond State Park - an event I'm attending - and serious ones like Nathan Winograd's April 27 workshop on how to create a no-kill Delaware.

Just find your event - new ones seem to be added every day- and celebrate all that is true and good about the animals we share our lives with.

A Mexican Cat Dance

That's Pork Chop enjoying, OK, not enjoying an oversized sombrero. By the way, we have the same sombrero at home that a stuffed grizzly bear sits on. (Don't even ask!)

Unfortunately, we don't have a cat to wear (or not wear) our sombrero.

What's the funniest thing your cat will (or won't) do? Post here or e-mail me at pets@delawareonline.com.

Photo of the Day: Marmaduke?

Is that Marmaduke poking out his head on Thursday at Battery Park in Old New Castle?

Nope, that's Montego, a 2-year-old Great Dane who was enjoying the sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. Montego is owned by Karin Roseman of Greenville who, along with her mother, Silvya Horn, was walking her two dogs, Montego and Fitzgerald, at the park. Roseman was using her mother's car, because Montego likes to ride with his head sticking out through the sunroof.

Hmmm ... just like Marmaduke.

Petey and Me

I remember the day I picked out Petey at the shelter in Little Rock, Ark. One thing was clear to me: I needed her and she needed me. She was so small that she almost fit in one hand.

Weeks later, I took her to the vet to be spayed. He declared her part terrier, part whippet and part Dalmatian. I declared her my furry companion.

We were inseparable. She slept in my bed - just as much or as little as I did. She walked me in the mornings and the evenings. She raced into the house and back down the hallway when I came home. She romped all over our favorite bark park. She ate with me - I had people food; she had Science Diet.

Eventually, she grew into a 45-pound watch dog who meant business with strangers, especially men. She would stand in a defensive posture, barking, at any man whom she deemed the least bit suspicious. The only guy she ever warmed up to was my future husband, who fed Petey when I was away on business. Petey and I called him "the food guy."

When Petey died years ago, a little of my heart died with her.

I suppose that sense of loss is indicative of the emotional connections we have with the pets who share our lives. It's also at the core of the celebration that is Delaware's Week for the Animals from April 19-27. I'm happy to shine an extra light on this week, and I encourage you to find an event or two that will be meaningful to you - and your favorite pet.

Look for all sorts of details about the week and what you can do be a part of it in a special bonus issue of Delaware Pets, arriving in pet stores, vets' offices and groomers' shops later this week.

Faith, the Amazing Two-Legged Dog

If you saw Sunday's News Journal, you might have read about Faith, the two-legged dog. What's even more amazing is to see her in action.

Seeking Wonderful Quote at Talleyville Vet Clinic

My friend Jean, who used to live in Wilmington with her partner Dan and her beagle Joe, is trying to track down a quote that was hanging in the Talleyville Vet Clinic. Dan even called the clinic, but no one there remembered it. Maybe someone else will. Here's what she e-mailed me:

"In the early part of the decade, Talleyville Vet Clinic had a wonderful quote in a frame in the waiting area. It posed a rhetorical question of what wonderful act we humans had committed in our history to have been blessed with the animals in return. That's all I recall of it. I have searched and searched and cannot find the quotation anywhere. Does anyone remember it?"

Post it here it you remember what it was, or e-mail me at jfredel@delawareonline.com.

Thanks!

A Real Peep Show

I got this in an e-mail from a friend and just loved it. What does it have to do with animals? Well, the Peeps are in bunny and chick shapes, for starters. And they sure are having fun, for another thing.

Just enjoy. My favorite details are the pasties on the one bunny and the tin dollar bills stuck in the G-strings.

Celebrate Your Pets With Us

Meet Brad and his dog Doozer. They are the perfect symbol for how so many people feel about pets and animals in their lives.

Delaware will celebrate it's first Week for the Animals from April 19-27, all coordinated by Patricia Haddock of Georgetown, who is the Mid-Atlantic Regional team leader for Best Friends Network, a national group which works to support the bonds between humans and creatures. During the week, a variety of animal-related events - from an adoption fair, to a walk at the beach, from lectures and workshops, to a party at the pound - are all meant to celebrate that special connection.

As part of the event, Delaware Pets wants to celebrate your connections to your pets and other animals. E-mail us photos of your favorite animal - from a pet dog, cat, snake, mouse or bird, to a cow or sheep on the farm, or even a backyard squirrel - to pets@delawareonline.com.

Include your name, the animal's name (if it has one) and a contact number in case we have any questions. We would love to have photos of you with your favorite pet or animal, so identify any humans in the photos, too.

We will include as many photos as possible in a special April issue of Delaware Pets and at www.delawareonline.com/pets.

For more information on the week, go to the week's Web site.

Celebrate Your Pet

Patricia Haddock took an idea - and with a lot of hard work and help from others who care about animals - is well on her way to making the first Delaware Week for the Animals a reality from April 19-27. That's Patricia in her Georgetown home with two of her dogs, Basil (left) and Jetty.

Patricia is the Mid-Atlantic Regional team leader for Best Friends Network, a national group which works to support the bonds between humans and creatures. During the week, a variety of animal-related events - from an adoption fair, to a walk at the beach, from lectures and workshops, to a party at the pound - are all meant to celebrate that special connection.

As part of the event, Delaware Pets wants to celebrate your connections to your pets and other animals. E-mail us photos of your favorite animal - from a pet dog, cat, snake, mouse or bird, to a cow or sheep on the farm, or even a backyard squirrel - to pets@delawareonline.com.

Include your name, the animal's name (if it has one) and a contact number in case we have any questions. We would love to have photos of you with your favorite pet or animal, so identify any humans in the photos, too. We'll include as many photos as possible in a special April issue of Delaware Pets and at www.delawareonline.com/pets.

For more information on the week, go to www.delawareanimalweek.org

'Marley's' Movie and More From John Grogan

Get your tissues ready. They're making a movie based on "Marley & Me."

It's one of my favorite books about dogs and relationships. Shoot, it's one of my favorite books. Period.

The movie, starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, starts filming March 10. The plan is to get the story about the bad-behaving Lab and the people who loved him into theaters around Christmas.

In an interview with Delaware Pets, "Marley" author John Grogan said he thought he might have the grist for a book when he told his stories about "this totally over the top, bigger than life character" at cocktail parties and people thought they were hilarious. Grogan told writer Claire Bushey that what helped "Marley" sell more than 3 milion copies was something a little more complicated than funny stories about a bad-behaving dog.

"It's a love story about a couple and about their journey through life, growing up as a couple into responsible adults and parents."

And I loved Grogan's answer to the question about whether Marley really was the worst dog in the world.

"I always called him the worst dog with a little bit of a wink," he said. "The short answer is, I don't think Marley's anywhere near the worst dog. He may have been the most hyper dog in the world, but he had a good heart, and he gave us nothing but love and commitment through his whole life."

Napoleon Meets Obama

You absolutely never know where you might meet people with their pets.

I ran into Kristina Silvasy of Middletown, who brought along Napoleon, a 2-year-old Yorkie, at the Barack Obama rally in downtown Wilmington.

"Everybody needs support, even from little animals," she joked about why Napoleon tagged along.

Silvasy was there with her husband and 15-year-old son, who were away finding coffee at a Dunkin' Donuts.

"We were coming to see what [Obama] had to say," she said. Sbe brought Napoleon along on the sunny Sunday afternoon for socialization.

Where have you taken your dogs or other pets for socialization?

A Wilmington Video

This really doesn't have anything to do with pets, but I loved this video - and thought you would, too.

The sites start at about 1:15 in, so stay with it. Love that Todd - he's got potential.

Fluffy Is Back Home

Fluffy, the 7-year-old beautiful cat of a friend of mine, is back home. He literally had been holed up under their neighbor's shed, and she and her family tried everything to coax him out. Among their techniques first, to find, and, later, to recover their beloved Fluff:

* Called local shelters to see if they had a cat matching his description.
* Posted fliers around the neighborhood and took out an ad in The News Journal.
* Bought a Havahart humane trap, which was baited with a trail of sardines and catnip, and they used a pillowcase inside to lure him with the smell. They even had a glowstick loaded on the top so they could see if it had been activated.
* Put another cat, Frisk, in a harness and took him out to the shed to try to draw him out.
* Used their video camera, which has a night-vision feature, to see their back yard in the dark.

You get the idea that these people really love Fluff, don't you?

Finally, the humane trap worked, and Fluff was brought back inside their house, where he promptly hid under the bed. Since then, he has reacclimated and has been checked by a vet. A warm ear was nothing and blood work will check for any liver abnormalities because of dehydration. All of which pales in comparison to these thoughts from my friend:

"He spent the night on my pillow, waking me up all night for rubs and kisses which I was happy to dispense."

Fluff is lucky, indeed.

Fluffy the Gray Cat Missing Near Brennan Estates

The cat of a friend of mine is missing. She offers these details:

"Our cat Fluffy is missing. He got out of the house on Friday 1/25/08. He should be around the Clear Creek/Brennan Estates area in Bear off Rt 896. He is a fluffy gray cat, maybe 12 lbs, 7 yo with Fluffy gray fur and a bushy tail. He is timid and would run if chased. ... We are offering a reward for his return."

If you have seen any cat in this area that meets this description, e-mail me at pets@delawareonline.com, and I'll forward the info to her.

Thanks for being the eyes for someone who is so worried.

Another Victim of the Subprime Mortgage Crisis

A fellow editor sent me this news nugget about one of the unintended consequences of the subprime mortgage crisis. It breaks my heart that so many people are losing their homes - and having to give up their pets as well.

"Forget about the lost furnishings and finances, the most pitiful victims of the subprime mortgage crisis rocking the United States are the family pets. Shelters across the country have seen sharp upticks inthe number of people giving up their pets in recent months because they have been forced out of their homes. And - more tragically - neighbors, police and foreclosure agents are finding increasing numbers of pets left to fend for themselves in abandoned homes."

If someone you know finds themselves in this position, please counsel them that the responsible thing to do is to take their pet to a shelter or a rescue group.

Delaware's Top Dogs in 2007

Delaware's top dog in 2007? Make it a retriever, a Labrador retriever. That's Karen and Pete Potocki, of Bear, with their dogs Duke, a Lab, and Lucky, a terrier mix in May at Glasgow Park in a photo taken by Matthew Jonas.

Each year, the American Kennel Club comes out with the top dog breeds for the country, and also by state and city. I thought Delaware's top spot would go to a retriever, but thought it would be the golden, not the Lab.

Anything on the list surprise you? Delawareans love their pugs (a personal fave) and Pomeranians more than they do in the rest of the country. America as a whole has a bigger thing for shih tzu and bulldogs (first time on the top 10 for this great looking dog) than we do here.

If you have a dog on the Delaware list, e-mail a photo to me at pets@delawareonline.com and I'll post it here or in a photo gallery. Include your name and which city you live in and the dog's name.

DELAWARE'S TOP 10
1. Retrievers (Labrador)
2. Beagles
3. Retrievers (golden)
4. German shepherds
5. Boxers
6. Poodles
7. Yorkshire terriers
8. Pugs
9. Pomeranians
10. Dachshunds

U.S. TOP 10
1. Retrievers (Labrador)
2. Yorkshire terriers
3. German shepherds
4. Retrievers (golden)
5. Beagles
6. Boxers
7. Dachshunds
8. Poodles
9. Shih tzu
10. Bulldogs

What Is It about Dogs and Wine?

I posted recently about the Dog Lovers Wine Club, a boutique winery in California that puts real dogs on the labels and shares the proceeds with animal groups. The downside: Residents of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey - 26 other states - can't be members. You have to live in a state in which it's legal to receive wine shipments. So find someone in New York or Ohio or Wisconsin who will accept orders for you.

For the rest of us without connections, we have options:

I loved Jim Jim's shiraz ($10.99 and found at Cochran Liquors in Middletown), with a great dog illustration on the label and the screw top. This might be a very good weekend to indulge with a glass or two.

Readers mentioned that Jim Jim also makes a chardonnay and a merlot, and that Red Bicyclette has a little white dog chasing a baguette-carrying man on a red bike.

A reporter from Newsday on Long Island says at a kennel-club holiday party that he/she attended last month, the most-coveted grab-bag gift was a doggie-decorated bottle of Australian chardonnay called Jealous Bitch. Has anyone seen this one locally?

If you need a decanter, check out the selection at Whiskazz and Pawzz in Hockessin. Very cute.

And if wine isn't your thing, one reader reported that Spanish Peaks Brewing Co. makes Black Dog ales that come with "the cutest black paw prints on the bottle caps." The black Lab on the label is Chug, the dog of the company's founder. The company's Web site says it is distributed in Delaware. Where has anyone seen it?

Any other wines or beers with a dog (or cat) theme that you'd recommend?

The Miracle of Pet Oxygen Masks

If you think pet oxygen masks are some unnecessary frill, tell that to the family of this cat who was saved during a fire in Smyrna.

Pets are members of the family. It's that simple. And some concerned animal lovers are doing everything they can to supply Delaware's first responders with equipment to help save pets.

Cheryl Costello of the Wilmington Kennel Club, who has been so instrumental in equipping New Castle County fire companies, sent me a note about this recent save:

"Just wanted you to know that there was another save/assist where an animal mask was used here in Delaware - really is wonderful."

Wonderful doesn't begin to describe it.

Cheryl also let me know that the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Delaware Firefighters placed an order for another 40 sets of pet oxygen masks - small, medium and large - as that group tries to get a set on each firetruck, ambulance or emergency vehicle through its Adopt-a-Truck program.

If you're interested in adopting a station or company, or firetruck or emergency vehicle, call Phyllis Roby at 945-6634 or e-mail her at saveourpets@yahoo.com

Photo of the Day

If this doesn't make your day, nothing will.

Meet Miso (he's the pug) and Arman (his little companion), both 3 years old, in this great photo taken by News Journal photographer Bob Herbert. They won Best in Show and Best Lookalike - they both wore stripes - at the Hometown Pet Show on Tuesday in Bethany Beach. Arman is the son of Jen and Larry Lee of Wilmington.

Congratulations to all.

Puppy and the Mirror

This reminds me of that old "I Love Lucy" bit with Harpo Marx. This puppy is amazing with how he/she sticks with it. And love the ending.

How are your dogs or cats around mirrors?