Fall Issue of CityDog Arrives Next Tuesday!

Meet Sunny, our handsome model gracing the fall cover! Sunny's mom won the highest bid for Sunny to be on the cover, helping to raise money for a great cause at this year's Homeward Pet Adoption Center's annual auction! Seattle pet photographer Bev Sparks donated her time and talent to the shoot, which took place on a beautiful "sunny" day at Luther Burbank Park on the shores of Lake Washington.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the fall issue, arriving next week! We've packed it full with fun things for you to do with your dog in the West. Or, click here to subscribe today!

They're here! Photos from the CityDog Cover Dog Model Search at Kirkland Uncorked!

They're here...the gorgeous mugs of all of the cover dog contestants from Kirkland Uncorked! Click here to check them out. All of the dogs will be featured in the winter issue of CityDog Magazine, but only one will grace the cover! As always, I highly recommend viewing them as a slideshow to get the full effect!

Photos shot by the very talented J. Nichole Smith of Dane + Dane Studios.

Doggone Good Photos from the Muttmazing Race and South Lake Union Block Party!

I told you there'd be more activity on the CityDog Blog now that the fall issue is off to the printer! Click here to check out "doggie" photos from this month's Muttmazing Race and South Lake Union Block Party!

Sorry it's been so quiet at the CityDog Blog. The final page of the fall issue was sent to the printer today...whew! With that, expect to see more activity in the next day or so -- I'll be uploading photos from the Kirkland Uncorked and Thriftway cover dog model searches (over 200 contestants total!) as well as announcing the winners from the second annual Muttmazing Race.

In the meantime (or any other time), on the right you will see a link to "My Other Blog" at NWsource.com's Pet Dish. Check it out!

Woof!
Brandie Ahlgren
CityDog Magazine

The results are in from NWsource.com's Best Pet Pics Unleashed! On Friday, August 8, the contestants turned out to strut the catwalk at the South Lake Union Block Party and yours truly had the difficult task of judging the photos, along with Dave Figueroa from Scraps Dog Bakery and Monica Fischer from NWsource.com. Believe me, it wasn't easy! Check out all of the photos and the winners here.

And, stay tuned...we'll be announcing the winners from the second annual Muttmazing Race soon!

Woof!
Brandie Ahlgren
CityDog Magazine

Perfect excuse to play hookie tomorrow!

We have the perfect excuse for you to cut out of work early tomorrow! At noon, head on down with your pooch to the Muttmazing Race! Compete with your furry, four-legged teammate in a variety of fun challenges for a chance to win great prizes and raise money for the Seattle Animal Shelter's Help the Animals Fund.

Challenges include: finding a hidden treat; bobbing for tennis balls; tricks for treats, and more! The event is all day and only the challenges are timed, so in between quench your thirst in the beer garden with your best bud, check out vendor booths, sample foods from South Lake Union neighborhood restaurants, hang out in the special dog area, and listen to live music -- all as part of the South Lake Union Block Party.

For more information, visit http://www.muttmazingrace.com/.

See you there!

Photos courtesy of Vulcan Real Estate.

Yay! Geoff Carter with NWsource.com thinks this Friday's South Lake Union Block Party is Muttmazing!

CityDog at PCC!

CityDog Magazine is pleased to announce we are now available at PCC Natural Markets! For store locations in the greater Seattle area, please click here.

Woof!
CityDog Magazine

One Week Until Muttmazing Race!

The countdown is here to the second annual Muttmazing Race, hosted by CityDog Magazine!

The Muttmazing Race kicks off at the rockin' South Lake Union Block Party, Friday, August 8 from noon to 7 p.m.

Compete with your furry, four-legged teammate in a variety of fun challenges for a chance to win great prizes and raise money for the Seattle Animal Shelter's Help the Animals Fund.

All dogs are welcome... little dogs, big dogs, three-legged dogs, funny looking dogs (you get the idea). Challenges might include: licking peanut butter off a spoon; finding a hidden treat in a bin of squeaky toys; bobbing for tennis balls; learning a new trick; or maneuvering a short maze. Challenges are designed to be fun first, challenging second.

Only the challenges are timed, so in between quench your thirst in the beer garden with your best bud, check out vendor booths, sample foods from South Lake Union neighborhood restaurants, hang out in the special dog area, and listen to live music -- all as part of the South Lake Union Block Party. The festivities end with the top finalists from NWsource.com's Best Pet Pics strutting their stuff down the catwalk plus an outdoor movie screening of Juno. And it's all dog friendly!

To pre-register for the Muttmazing Race, please click here.

Our Muttmazing Race Sponsors: Downtown Dog Lounge, Pooper Trooper, Spawz Dog, Dog Is Good, Scraps Dog Bakery, Healing Place for Animals, Urban Beast, All the Best, Wellness, Fetch!, Blue Buffalo and Natura Pet Products.

Vote for Your CityDog TopDogs!

Once a year, CityDog Magazine features your TopDog picks of the West. Yes, this is our annual "Best Of...," and it's totally about dogs. We pick the categories, you pick your favorites and then we feature them in the magazine. Tell us your favorite dog park, pet store, toy, treat, veterinarian, doggy day care and more!

Click here to nominate your TopDog pick in each category and submit it to us no later than August 8, 2008. Your opinion is important to us, so we want your vote. Once the ballots are in, we will tally the votes, nominate a TopDog in each category and announce the winners in the fall issue of CityDog Magazine hot-off-the-press and on newsstands the first week of September.

Feel free to forward the ballot to all of your dog loving friends and colleagues, so they can vote too! Thank you for voting.

I'm pleased to announce I'm the new Pet Dish blogger at NWsource.com. For avid readers of Pet Dish, I'm sure you miss former NWsource pets columnist Lisa Wogan (I know I do), but I hope you enjoy my contribution. In these few short weeks since taking over the blog, it's been a lot of fun writing about the people, places and things that make life and living with dogs (and cats) in Seattle so great! Feel free to email me any story ideas you might have, particularly any upcoming events in the greater Seattle area.

Woof!

Brandie Ahlgren, founder & editor

CityDog Magazine

brandie@citydogmagazine.com

Here are some prelim shots from yesterday's CityDog cover dog model search at Kirkland Uncorked. Stay tuned for more to come! (Photos by J. Nichole Smith, dane + dane studios).

The CityDog booth before the chaos started!

This dog decided to let us know exactly what he thought about the cover dog model search!

All of the contestants lined up and ready for the catwalk (yes, the line wraps down and around the lake, with close to 150 dogs)!

The judges (back to front): Emily Rieman (photographer and owner of Best Friend Photography), Brandie Ahlgren (founder and editor of Seattle's own CityDog Magazine) and Paula Heddle (owner of Barkz pet store in Kirkland).

What a cutie pie!

Lots of dogs cooled off in the lake while waiting their turn to walk the catwalk.

Love the English bulldog! We had a few turn out for the model search including a tiny, little puppy!

This little guy was awesome! Mom's a groomer and a dog walker.

This pooch was gorgeous...and HUGE!

Awesome Doggles, dude!

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who turned out with their gorgeous pups for the third annual CityDog cover dog model search at Kirkland Uncorked! We had three times the number of dogs than expected and raised close to $1,500 for Pasado's Safe Haven. You rock Kirkland dog lovers!

We'll have photos posted soon and if you didn't make it to Kirkland Uncorked, we have three more cover dog model searches coming up:

• September 6th at PAWSwalk (to benefit PAWS)
  
  
• September 21st Fremont Oktoberfest (to benefit Reading With Rover)
  
  
• October 4th at FidoFest (to benefit the Seattle Humane Society)

In the meantime, join us on 08.08.08 at the CityDog Muttmazing Race to raise money for the Seattle Animal Shelter!

Woof!
Brandie Ahlgren, founder
CityDog Magazine

CityDog Event Reminder!

The third annual CityDog Cover Dog Model Search kicks off this Sunday, July 20th at Kirkland Uncorked!

Big dogs, little dogs, three-legged dogs, Heinz 57 dogs...ALL dogs are welcome to find their inner super model and try out to be on the cover of CityDog Magazine.

All in the name of fun and to raise money for animals, the winning pooch will be privy to a professional photo shoot with J. Nichole Smith of Dane + Dane Studios and featured on the cover of Seattle's own CityDog Magazine.

$10.00 per dog with all of the proceeds going to Pasado's Safe Haven.

When & Where: 1 P.M. Sunday, July 20th at Kirkland Uncorked (check-in at the CityDog booth between 11 A.M. and 12:30 P.M.).

To enter your dog in the third annual CityDog Cover Dog Model Contest, click here.

Who would've thought CityDog would be mentioned in a travel magazine? Certainly, not me. But, check out Budget Travel's blog and a mention about this weekend's Kirkland Uncorked and the CityDog Cover Model Search!

CityDog (er, me) was also quoted in an article for USA Weekend about letting your dogs sleep on the bed (yes, I'm guilty).

Photos from CityDog's 21st Birthday Pawty!

Dogs turned out in droves -- some wearing nothing but their birthday suits -- to celebrate CityDog's 21st birthday pawty (our third anniversary in dog years, that is) at the swanky W Hotel Seattle! Check out the full gallery here.

Photos by Amy Soper, dane + dane studios.

Greatest American Dog Not So Great?

Did you watch Greatest American Dog last Thursday on CBS? I did. While I mostly enjoyed it--particulary the first half when you get to know the dogs and their people (there are some laugh-out-loud moments)--in the second half, it gets a little weird. I mean dog lovers get a bad rap as it is (although, not as bad as cat lovers), so dressing up in costumes (people and dogs alike), doesn't really bode well for our reputation. Anyway, if you missed it, you can read my full review on Amazon.com here.

Thank you to everyone who attended CityDog's 21st birthday party (in dog years) lastnight at the W Hotel Seattle! It was a pleasure seeing all of the familiar faces, along with some new ones! Over 100 humans and 80 canines turned out for the festivities—from tiny Chihuahuas to giant mastiffs—all shapes and sizes were represented!

Check out the candid shots from the pawty here.

Proud pet owners have sent in their best shots to Seattle's own NWSource.com, and now it's time for you to choose the winners. Vote for your favorite pet photos in a variety of categories including Best Dog Pic (winning shot will appear in CityDog!), Best Display of Affection and Most Mischevious. You will automatically be entered into NWSource.com's weekly drawing for $150 to Scraps Dog Bakery. All winning photos also receive $150 to Scraps. Weekly winners will be randomly selected between July 7-28.

Then, grab your pet and watch top finalists strut their stuff down the catwalk at the star-studded awards ceremony. This free event will take place at the South Lake Union Block Party August 8. Before the show, enjoy fun challenges at CityDog's Muttmazing Race.

Muttmazing Race: Registration anytime between noon to 6 p.m., with the race wrapping up at 7 p.m. Winners will be announced on the main stage around 8:30 p.m.

Best Pet Pics Runway Show: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8, 2008, lawn outside the South Lake Union Discovery Center, Seattle.

Click here to vote now!

Wag Reflex: Amazon.com's new pet blog

Amazon.com has launched a new pet blog called Wag Reflex, which features regular posts from yours truly. Read my first blog: a review of Seattle author Garth Stein's new book The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Woof!
Brandie Ahlgren, founder & editor
CityDog Magazine