somerville dog: a weblog

Strummer is the only excuse I need to take a walk, but in order to get the inertial member of our pack moving, sometimes we need to dangle a proverbial carrot in front of his nose. On Sunday the carrot was Kickass Cupcakes in Davis Square (378 Highland Avenue).

I asked the friendly young man at the counter to recommend their most kickass cupcake. With only a momentary concession to individual tastes, he recommended the limited-edition Green Monster, which had already attracted my attention with its dark-green frosting and "Made with Sam Adams Cream Stout" label.

Another kickass thing about Kickass Cupcakes: they're dog-friendly: They make Carob Peanut Butter Pupcakes, and they put out fresh water for dogs.

Putting a bowl of fresh water out for dogs is such a neighborly thing for a local business to do. It's not surprising that the owner of Kickass Cupcakes, Sara Ross, is a dog owner. She and her husband own two rottweilers.

Welcome to Somerville, Kickass Cupcakes, and thank you for helping to make Somerville more dog-friendly!

Posted by Michèle at 5:08 PM
Categories: Dogs and Business, Somerville, Somerville Dogs
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Every year since 2005, Somerville dog owners have walked our dogs in the City's Memorial Day Parade to honor our veterans.

The weather was perfect last year! Finn's owner, Leah, took pictures of the dogs while we were waiting in the queue to start the parade at City Hall. Finn is enjoying the breeze!

Last year was the first year that som|dog organized a group of people to wait with their dogs in Davis Square and file in to the Parade so that there would be fresh dogs to walk in the second half of the parade.

The previous year had been so hot! Even though we had extra water in the "waggin' wagon", by the time we got to Davis Square, the dogs were too tired to go on. Three Somerville dog owners remained in the parade (without their dogs) and carried the som|dog banner to Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Here's Dunkin with his owner, Haley, waiting in the Parade queue before getting under way in 2006.

2005 was the first year that Somerville Dog Owners walked in the parade. That was before we had the waggin' wagon and before we had the idea to arrange for reinforcements to join us in Davis Square. Fortunately, we had a beautiful day, as you can see in this picture taken by Jessica, who owns the Lotte, a greyhound (not pictured).

The Somerville Dog Owners Group welcomes all dogs that enjoy the company of other dogs, that are licensed and up-to-date on vaccinations, that walk well on a loose leash and that are in good physical condition to walk in the Memorial Day Parade this year. You can start the parade with us at City Hall or you can join us when we get to Davis Square.

For more information and to walk your dog in the Memorial Day Parade with the Somerville Dog Owners Group, please contact Michele at somdog * AT * somervilledog.com; 617-290-9107.

Posted by Michèle at 9:02 AM
Categories: Events, Friends of somerville dog, Somerville, Somerville Dogs
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I got a Flip Video camera for my birthday!

I had a lot of fun putting together this amateur video of Strummer meeting and greeting and socializing with other dogs at the Off-Leash Recreational Area at Nunziato Field here in Somerville. My analysis of the dogs' behavior reflects my personal observations as an attentive pet owner.

Posted by Michèle at 10:41 PM
Categories: Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Safety Around Dogs, Somerville, Somerville Dogs, Strummer
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In Londonderry, NH, Winston, a miniature pinscher/chihuahua pulled his owner out of danger from a falling branch in an ice storm. ("Rescued pooch hailed a hero during ice storm" by Julie Huss, Derry News Online) Winston was adopted less than a month ago from All Dog Rescue. He was fostered here in Somerville, MA!

Check out the fine raincoat Winston is wearing: it was made by the owner of Fonzie, a Chinese Crested and Somerville dog!

Posted by Michèle at 6:08 PM
Categories: Dogs in the News, Somerville Dogs, United States
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The Gobshites, acousticelticore band beloved to Harpoon Brewery's Brewstock and those who celebrated the summer birthday of the owner of Somerville dogs, Granby and Chloe, are playing a pet-friendly show Saturday, September 9, to benefit the Mansfield Animal Shelter: the 11th Annual Celebration of Animals.

The 11th Annual Celebration of Animals takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, September 9, in the South Common, South Main Street, Mansfield, MA (map). Acousiticelticore by the Gobshites from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Leashed dogs welcome!

Posted by Michèle at 12:41 PM
Categories: Events, Massachusetts, Somerville Dogs
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Dogs helping dogs

Your dog can help the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina. Donations are still needed!

Pet Spa, 669 Somerville Avenue, Somerville MA is sponsoring a Doggie Costume Contest to benefit Noah?s Wish, Saturday afternoon, October 29th at 1:00.

A minimum donation of $10 is suggested to enter your dog in the contest.

More pictures from Pet Spa's 2004 Costume Contest (Right click and select "View Image" to see larger pictures):

Posted by Michèle at 10:01 AM
Categories: Events, Somerville, Somerville Dogs, United States
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"It's a good story. . . . It's man's best friend doing the right thing."

People's safest bet is still to own a functioning smoke detector, but an alert dog can be helpful, too, [Fire Chief Kevin] Kelleher said.

Continue reading "Somerville Fire Dog" »

Posted by Michèle at 12:35 AM
Categories: Dogs in the News, Somerville, Somerville Dogs
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Eight Somerville Dogs walked with twenty-two human companions comprising team somervilledog.com in the twenty-fourth annual MSPCA-Angell Walk for Animals on a chilly but sunny Sunday morning, October 17, in Boston Common. Somervilledog.com thanks the people and dogs that walked on our team, everyone who bought team T-shirts, our top (and only) corporate sponsor, Pet Spa, and our co-workers, friends and families for their generous contributions to support MSPCA-Angell!

As Yukon's human companion explained, when I apologized for the team's getting separated when the Walk began at 10:00, "once the walk started, we just started walking. That's what he likes to do and it was his day!"

Team somervilledog.com (from left to right) Shannon with Cinder (a Lab/Pointer mix), Peter (from Blue Hill, ME), Genevieve, Stuart with King (a Greyhound), Adrienne, and Michele with Strummer (a Standard Poodle). Not pictured are Deborah and Rob and their two children with their dog Anna (a Husky/Shepherd mix); David and Nora with Austin (a Pomeranian); Janice with her dog Patsy (a Shepherd mix) and her nieces with their Corgi, Winnie (from Lexington); and Michael with Yukon. The following Somerville dogs had to stay home but were with us in spirit: three-legged Dash, Stu's second Greyhound, who is recovering from chemotherapy; Rosie, Genevieve's Pit Bull, whom she adopted last month from a shelter in Rhode Island and who is still getting used to being a beloved pet; and Willy, a Miniature Poodle whom Adrienne adopted last year and who was recently treated at Angell for heart problems.

Yukon (Siberian Husky) and teammates meet and greet.

Strummer: "I thought this was supposed to be a Walk for Animals."

A team member checks out some early Halloween costumes.

UPDATE 31 October 2004: Added the Team somervilledog.com picture.

Posted by Michèle at 9:51 PM
Categories: Events, Friends of somerville dog, Massachusetts, Somerville Dogs
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