Holiday pet gifts are a festive way to show your critters how much they mean to you

If you're making your list and checking it twice, don't forget the sometimes naughty, but always nice, four-legged members of your family. You might think that purchasing a gift for a pet is a bit extravagant these days, but there are plenty of affordable, practical presents to put under the tree for your pug or Persian. And, if you have a few animal lovers on your list -- and who doesn't? -- then you've come to the right place. We've discovered some great gift ideas for them, too.

To read more, click here.

2009 CityDogs Calendar Sneak Peek: September

Meet our calendar dog for the month of September, Railey, a gorgeous boxer and best friend to store proprietor Mark Smith of Railey's Leash & Treat, located in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.

'Tis the season for a holiday portrait with your hound

'Tis the season for giving and with so many worthy causes, it's difficult to choose. Why not combine your love of animals with a holiday portrait of your favorite four-legged pal? Here are some upcoming dog-friendly holiday events to shop, play, mix, mingle, get a holiday portrait and give back -- all at the same time!

Pet Photos with Santa at Dooley's Dog House, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 1421 Market St., Kirkland. Bring your companion(s) in for a holiday photo and lots of fun. Photos are $20 with half of the proceeds going to Homeward Pet Adoption Center. Call Dooley's Dog House at 425-889-2200 for more information or to reserve your pet's sitting with Santa.

Holiday Passport to 2200, Dec. 5, 6 and 7, noon-6 p.m., South Lake Union. Come celebrate the holidays with your pooch in South Lake Union. Benefitting the Seattle Humane Society, the shops at 2200 will come alive with festive holiday music, tasty food and beverage samples, and holiday-themed photos for pets and their people with renowned Seattle pet photographer Bev Sparks (noon-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday). Several pets will be available for on-the-spot adoption. Get your 2200 holiday passport stamped for the chance to win great prizes. Visit discoverslu.com for more information.

Holiday Portraits at Lucky Dog Outfitters, Dec. 7, Tacoma. Do you have some animal lovers to check off your holiday shopping list? Swing by Lucky Dog Outfitters (3411 Sixth Ave., # B, Tacoma) for some gift buying, and bring your four-legged friend along for a photo with Seattle pet photographer J. Nichole Smith. For more information, call Lucky Dog Outfitters at 253-761-4486.

CityDog Magazine Yappy Howlidays Party, Dec. 10, 6-8 p.m. CityDog's much-anticipated, annual holiday party is right around the corner and you and your four-legged friends are invited to join the festivities at the W Hotel Seattle (1112 Fourth Ave.) for cocktails, holiday treats and pet portraits with Seattle pet photographer J. Nichole Smith of Dane + Dane Studios. For more info, visit yappyhowlidays.com.

Holiday Portraits at Next to Nature, Dec. 13, West Seattle (4543 California Ave. S.W.). Stop in at Next to Nature in the West Seattle Junction to pick up some toys and treats and a holiday photo with photographer J. Nichole Smith. Photo packages vary in price, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to help animals. For more information, call Next to Nature at 206-935-1134.

Photo by J. Nichole Smith, Dane + Dane Studios

2009 CityDogs Calendar Sneak Peek: August

Meet Autumn and Cayenne, our calendar dogs for the month of August! Autumn and Cayenne attended one of our cover dog model searches and although they didn't win, we thought they would be perfect for our Fall 2007 cover! So, you never know...by attending a CityDog event, your dog(s) may receive a "call back" to grace one of our covers.

And, speaking of CityDog events, mark your calendar for the fourth annual CityDog Yappy Howlidays party, December 10, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the swanky W Hotel Seattle!

To order your 2009 CityDogs Calendar, click here.

2009 CityDogs Calendar Sneak Peek: July

July is all about fun in the sun and this month's calendar dogs had a blast at the CityDog photo shoot for a dog-friendly backyard barbecue article. Chef John Howie of Seastar was even there with his dog Bella to fire up some delicious treats on the grill for humans and canines alike!

To order your 2009 CityDogs calendar or get a head start on your holiday gift buying online, click here and we'll take care of the rest!

You can also fill out and mail or fax this form, if you prefer.

Woof! CityDog Magazine

It's here! The special, holiday issue of CityDog Magazine, hot-off-the-press! We've packed it with great gift ideas for the dogs and dog lovers in your life, along with places to shop, stay and play. If you don't already subscribe, what are you waiting for? Subscribe today or give the gift that has tails wagging by clicking here.

Cover Dog Cohen in the News!

Cohen, our cover dog model search winner is getting some "press" on the West Seattle Blog and the West Seattle Thriftway Web site. Check 'em out!

Puppy Cam

Don't ask me why...but this is addictive! Watching puppies on a live puppy-cam. As I write this, the six shibu inu puppies are sleeping, but even that's a heck of a lot of fun to watch!

Click here to check 'em out.

Meet Wheeler, Dealer and Maxx...our calendar dogs for the month of June. Frenchie puppies, Wheeler and Dealer, graced the cover of CityDog Magazine's summer 2007 issue.

The 2009 CityDogs Calendar arrives tomorrow! We had a lot of fun putting it together and hope you enjoy it too -- especially looking through the hundreds of photos from our cover dog model searches! Click here to order today.

2009 CityDogs Calendar Sneak Peek: May

Meet Jessie Mei, our calendar girl for the month of May. Jessie was also our very first cover dog model search winner, gracing the Spring 2007 cover of CityDog Magazine.

Our 2008 CityDog Cover Dog Winner!

Drumroll, please...The winner of our 2008 cover dog model search is Cohen! It was a tight race, but Cohen came out on top of the pack, with a slight lead over his fellow cover dog competitors: Django, Jasper, Ritmo and Finnigan (see below). Alas, there can only be one winner, but because we think all dogs are cover dogs, we're including all of the contestants in the winter issue of CityDog Magazine -- all 450 of them! Plus, every contestant is featured in the 2009 CityDogs Calendar, arriving from the printer tomorrow! To order your calendar, click here. If you already ordered a calendar, it will be in the mail tomorrow.

Woof!
Brandie Ahlgren, founder
CityDog Magazine

Mark Your Calendar for the Fourth Annual CityDog Yappy Howlidays Party

It's never too early to mark your social calendar, especially during the busy holiday season! So, be sure to save the date for CityDog Magazine's fourth annual Yappy Howlidays party at the swanky and dog-friendly W Hotel Seattle , December 10, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Mix and mingle with fellow dog lovers, pose with your pal for a holiday portrait, enjoy specialty cocktails and hors d'oeurvres -- all in the swank surroundings of the W Hotel Seattle.

For more information, visit yappyhowlidays.com.

For more upcoming holiday events, be sure to pick up a copy of our hot-off-the-press, special holiday issue, availabel in pet stores and on newsstands next week! Or, subscribe here to receive CityDog -- the magazine about life and living with dogs in the West -- all year long!

Sneak Peek: Special Holiday Issue of CityDog!

It's official...as of today, the last page of the special, holiday issue of CityDog is at the printer! We've packed it with great gift ideas, dog-friendly winter escapes in the West, places to stay, shop and play in downtown Seattle, Portland and San Francisco, and much more! We're really proud of this issue and hope you enjoy it too!

If you don't already subscribe to CityDog, the magazine about life and living with dogs in the West, we invite you to do so here!

Woof!
Brandie Ahlgren, founder & editor
CityDog Magazine