Ben, a Home for Life dog who was blinded by abuse but now lives happily at the sanctuary.

By Meredeth Barzen

At 7 a.m. on Sunday, November 22, before shopping hours commence, the Mall of America will be taken over by hounds and their humans at the first annual Doggone Early Dog Walk, benefiting Home for Life Animal Sanctuary. Dog owners will be able to walk ’til they drop (or at least until they get to the refreshments table) to support the animals that Home for Life cares for and the community outreach programs it organizes.

Sponsored by yours truly and a host of other big names* in the Twin Cities dog world, the walk kicks off “The Art of the Dog,” Home for Life’s holiday display of dog statues and doghouses designed and adorned by local artists. For example, Jessie Marianiello of Stray Dog Arts will be creating a MoMDA—Museum of Modern Dog Art—doghouse, which will feature painted portraits of Marni Hughes’s and Keith Marler’s dogs from FOX 9 News. “This is a house for dogs with a refined sense of taste and an appreciation for art,” Marianiello says.

A decorated Art of the Dog statue from holidays past.

If you see a work of art that tickles your fancy, proceeds from the sale will benefit Home for Life. And given the talent that’s working on these pieces, chances are you will.

But back to the main event—walkers will be able to get Fido’s photo taken with Santa; enter contests for oldest, youngest, smallest, biggest, best-dressed and most owner-resembling dog and meet some of the Home for Life pooches and FOX 9 Morning News’ M.A. Rosko, the Grand Marshal of the dog walk.

M.A. Rosko with Munter, one of her two dogs.

Registration is $25 per four-legged accompanied by up to two two-leggeds. Each additional human is $25 and kids walk for free. Don’t miss this historic opportunity—this is the first-ever large-scale indoor dog walk—to support Home for Life, a truly compassionate organization that provides lifetime care to dogs and cats who have special needs and can’t find a traditional home.

You can build your own Doggone Early Dog Walk fundraising page here to e-mail others about the event and collect money for Home for Life. Or, if you’re just not an early bird and need to sleep in that Sunday, you can still support Home for Life by making a general donation here.

*In alphabetical order: Aloha Pet Care & Dog Training, Bark Busters, Bone Adventure, DoodyCalls, Fetch Delivers, Lena Swanson (animal communicator), MadDog Delivers, Pampered Pooch Playground, Personalized Pooch, Petcurean Pet Nutrition, Pets Are Inn, Sarah Beth Photography, Stray Dog Arts, and Stunt Puppy.

Yum!

Looking for something to do this weekend? Here’s an idea: Sample, shop and explore everything about home entertaining at “The Affair.” You’ll find multiple stages, luxury food, wine, chocolate, fashions for home and host, plus—and here’s where we fit in—fabulous ideas for holiday gift giving.

Sidewalk Dog is sharing booth 547 with a few especially charming pooches* and some of our beloved Directory members: The Canine Coach, bark+biscuit, Well Pet Foods, Bone Adventure, Stray Dog Arts, Pampered Pooch Playground and Sarah Beth Photography. Come see us for great holiday gift ideas for all the dog lovers in your life!

The event takes place this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Purchase tickets in advance online or at Kowalski’s Markets, Panera Bread and Gaviidae Common. (Tickets are $25 in advance/$30 at the door.)

*Eloise the Mini Aussie, Cosi the French Bulldog and Toast the Rat Terrier will all be making appearances this weekend. Special thanks to their parents.

By Meredeth Barzen

What’s more comforting than a dog? When you’re tired, upset or sick, is there anything better than a warm, unconditionally loving pile of fur cuddling up next to you?

Jerry, the Ronald McDonald House's "House Dog."

Comfort is never in short supply at the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Upper Midwest (RMH) in Minneapolis. The organization  aims to “create a home-away-from-home for families with children living with life-threatening illnesses,” according to its Web site, and Jerry—a 3-year-old labradoodle and the RMH “House Dog“—does his fair share of that work.

Jerry helps out where he can—which is almost everywhere. “He has a great temperament with the families and kids and is hypo-allergenic, which is a great fit for the 48 families staying with us,” says Josh Williams, an RMH staffer. He was generously donated to the House in 2006 at our annual Fam Glam Gala and has been a full-time staff member ever since. He works a regular 9-to-5 work day and then goes home with one of our staff members. He pops in quite frequently on the weekends as well and makes appearances at Chuck & Don’s Pet Food Outlet (they graciously donate all Jerry’s food and toys) about 15 times a year. He’s our little rockstar!”

Jerry provides his patented pillow service.

Jerry’s next celebrity appearance at Chuck & Don’s is scheduled for Friday, October 23 from 5–6:00 p.m. at the Northfield/Dundas location. Last winter, Chuck & Don’s collected almost $9,000 in cash donations for RMH from the sale of plush “Jerry” toys at its stores. The pet food purveyor also participates in RMH’s popular pop tab fundraising program.

Jerry cuddles up with a friend at the House—she's holding one of the "Jerry" toys sold by Chuck & Don's.

Chuck & Don’s isn’t the only local pet-related business jumping on the Jerry bandwagon. In 2008, local pet photographer Patrick Nau took a very handsome portrait of Jerry, and last winter, local artist Amy Brazil unveiled her painting of Jerry’s lovable mug. “I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Ronald McDonald House this spring, and I was amazed at what I saw and how Jerry was a blessing to the children staying there,” Brazil said at the time of the unveiling. “As I was visiting, I met a young girl going through chemotherapy, and her mom said to me, ‘Seeing Jerry is the one time each day I know she’s genuinely happy.’ This dog brings smiles to these kids’ faces amidst all they are going through.”

Local artist Amy Brazil's painting of Jerry.

“A typical day in Jerry’s world is made up of playing with kids, napping, listening to troubles, getting his head scratched and visiting people all around the House—he is a true social-butterfly,” Jerry’s page on the RMH Web site says. “Social butterfly” is no overstatement—he even has his own Facebook page. But Jerry’s primary purpose, like so many pets, is to be a comfort: “His gift is something no doctor, medicine, or treatment can offer—putting a feeling of home into the House.”

By Meredeth Barzen

September has arrived, and we all know what that means: Woofstock is coming! On Saturday, September 19, all of Linden Hills (a neighborhood that needs no officially sanctioned holiday to go dog-crazy, but appreciates it anyway) will be swarmed with pooches and their people taking in tons of doggie-centric events, vendors and contests.

Sadie the Wonderdoodle can speak from firsthand experience to say that Linden Hills is pretty dog-friendly all year round: Many of the main drag’s businesses—like Clancey’s Meats, Bayers Do it Best Hardware, Coffee & Tea Ltd. and Wonderment—not only let dogs in their stores, but reward pups for their owners’ great sign-reading skills with biscuits and belly rubs. For Woofstock, these businesses are stocking up on treats and celebrating the day with things like doggie corsages, hats for the annual Pooches Promenade, and special sales and events.

This dog is not so sure about its custom-made hat from Wonderment--but hey, the owner likes it!

These businesses are also playing sponsor for a grand four-legged scavenger hunt, where dog owners go to certain stores to sniff out a huge, golden bone. Everyone who completes the task is entered to win prizes.

We’re most excited about the Wash-a-thon and Coffee Tasting in the Sebastian Joe’s parking lot from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., sponsored by Pampered Pooch Playground, K9-Connection and yours truly, Sidewalk Dog. For a $5 suggested donation to People for Parks, the event’s beneficiary, you can have your filthy friend primped and pampered in a warm-water dog wash while you sample Sebastian Joe’s coffee.

New to the festival this year is an exciting agility demonstration put on by the folks at C&E Dog Training Center. They’re bringing their super-agile animals with them and will be showing off their skills in the Sebastian Joe’s parking lot between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Also new this year is Fresh Air Training’s Pint-Sized Play, where small dogs can romp with their similar-sized peers. Wild Rumpus bookstore (where cats and chickens reign supreme) will have a contest to see who has the most well-read dog—just snap a photo of your pooch inspired by your favorite dog in literature and bring it to the store for a chance to win a prize. And to set a soundtrack to the festivities, Trish Painter (who has a CD of dog-inspired songs) and the Linden Hills House of Music’s Rock Camp for Dads will be serenading us dog-lovers.

One of Woofstock’s perennial favorites, the dog tricks contest, will be hosted by FOX 9’s Juli Jay—and this is the first year the judges will be looking for “average” dog tricks like a fast-sit, a high-jump, a cute booty-wiggle, resemblance to owner or even being just plain old.

Some of the festivities (like the Wash-a-thon) benefit People for Parks, a nonprofit that funds projects to improve Minneapolis’ stellar park system. Or, you can help them out directly by buying an engraved paver (in tribute to anyone you love, animal or human) that will live in front of the Lake Harriet Bandshell—they’ll be exhibiting at Woofstock, so be sure to pay them a visit.

We’ll see you there!

When artist Jessie Marianiello adopted her Chesapeake mix Louis from the Animal Humane Society a couple years ago, her heart was “turned inside out, for good.”  So much so, that she was inspired to create Stray Dog Arts.

So what did this incredibly talented artist and rescue dog mom decide to do? Give back, big-time, through a fundraising project and upcoming art exhibition called “Animals of AHS.”

Do you have a pet who was rescued by the Animal Humane Society? Or would you simply like a significant portion of your commission (20%) to be donated to the rescue efforts of AHS? If so, learn more here. And know that if you commission a portrait before July 31st, 2009, your painting will be included in the October 2009 public exhibition at Now Boarding, AHS’s new state-of-the-art doggie daycare and pet boarding facility located adjacent to MSP International Airport. (Stay tuned for information on the opening celebration and reception.)

Desi

Those looking for a more traditional photo of their pets might visit Patrick Nau of Patrick Nau Photography, who generally shoots indoors at his South Minneapolis studio. “I love to capture the dignity, playfulness, beauty and spirit of the dogs I photograph,” Nau says, and adds that he specializes in helping clients who would like to memorialize their pets with a beautiful photo.

Patrick Nau pet portraits.

Finally, Sarah Ernhart of Sarah Beth Photography aims a whimsical, modern lens at her furry subjects, staying away from what she calls the “arm around your golden retriever” shots. The award-winning photographer works best in her studio, but also shoots on location if it suits the client. “My style focuses on the animals themselves” Ernhart says, “and captures what you love best about them—their quirky expressions, their tricks, their soulful eyes.”

Sarah Beth photography.

So stop trying to maneuver Spot into a photogenic pose. Call up one of the area’s many talented pet photographers. It’ll be easier on both of you.

Jessie Marianiello has always taken her passions seriously and refined her knowledge of them through her higher education studies. But for this English Master’s Degree candidate, it’s the brush, which tells great stories about dogs, not the pen, that has all the power.

“I have always played with painting and even studied it, but I didn’t feel entirely comfortable as an artist. So I pursued a Master’s Degree in English, ” said Marianiello. In the meantime, something special happened.

While working at the garden shop in her neighborhood, Marianiello met many dogs. “They became my best friends, and everyone they belonged to became my best friends, too,” she said. “I had to paint them. Once I finally did, something clicked. I felt like I had come home. Dogs completely connected me to my style of painting like never before and my company, Stray Dog Arts was born.”

“I like painting portraits that tell a story. Dogs aren’t just dogs. They have big beings inside of them. I want my paintings to tell the story of who that being is,” said Marianiello.

Inspired by a trip to India a few years ago, she has begun developing a new idea to paint the stray dogs of India. Her hope is that her paintings will bring help and comfort to those animals. One day, she would also love to paint the dogs of Oprah Winfry and dog trainer, Tamar Geller.

Marianiello’s love of dogs doesn’t stop with the canvass. She and her husband are dog parents to two dogs: Anu, age 10, a husky/wolf mix and Louie, age 1, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. They all live together in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood of Minneapolis where Marianiello said she feels especially inspired by a balance of nature and city.

Marianiello’s work is now on display at Dunn Bros in Linden Hills through July where she is also offering 30% off of a portait through December 2008 (or while spots are available) for dogs who live, work or play in Linden Hills. She is also being featured in the July 2008 issue of local Edge Life magazine, the Fall 2008 issue of Modern Dog and August issue of Urban Animal out of Australia.

You can see her work now online at www.straydogarts.com.

We recently had the pleasure of meeting Twin Cities artist Mark Clements of Follow the Muse. (and equally talented wife, Daphnae). Clements has been transforming rocks into hand-carved stone sculptures, which are then stacked and connected together, invoking the art of rock balancing. He does many custom carvings that honor the pets in our lives.

Inspired by his dog, Wolfgang, a wired-haired dachshund, Clements uses rock canvasses to create custom-carved art that celebrates and memorializes pets. He begins by hand-sketching your animal, then uses the sketch to create a template, and then laser cuts the rock.

Mark is a multi-talented artist and what I love about his process is that it produces not your pet’s breed like so many cookie-cutter companies do, but rather your actual pet, carved in a lasting and beautiful way.

He pointed out something interesting — that “…most pet owners wait until their pets are near-death or have died to memorialize them. But there is no reason to wait. These sculptures are a great way to honor the animals in

your lives no matter how old they are.” We agree. For indoor or outdoor use,

these make great sculptures for gardens, design focal points and gifts.

You can see Clements’ work this summer at the Edina Art Fair May 30-June 1, or at the Mill City Farmers Market throughout the summer.

LEASHES

Stunt Puppy™. If you don’t think canine gear can be both functional and fashionable, then you haven’t seen Stunt Puppy’s collars, leashes, and accessories. Stunt Puppy website (use coupon code DISH for free shipping through December 31st), Urbanimal, BoneAdventure, Corazon, and Marathon Sports.

Dugen Clip. This is the leash that lets you go anywhere. Take your dog out on the town on all your errands knowing that you can secure them safely to anything from a tree to a street pole if they can’t come inside with you. Easily adjust the size. Where to buy: Dugen Clip website and 45 Degrees, Urbanimal, KBO Doggie Duds.

Bark-n-Biscuit has the best designer collars and leashes for dogs of all sizes. FREE SHIPPING AVAILABLE. Matching sets or mix-n-match in great colors. Retail for $28 and up. Where to buy: Bark-n-Biscuit website.

TREATS

Hound Street™
Looking for a unique gift for a hard-to-shop-for hound? Quit sniffing around and enroll the fastidious Fido in the Hound Street Treat-of-the-Month Club. Aptly named by size, The Jack Russell (for petite pooches), The Boxer (for medium mutts), and The Labrador (for biggish beasts) packages were created to put an end to what owner Lynn Johnson calls “treat boredom” by delighting furry members with a different treat package each month for an entire year. Where to buy: Hound Street website (15% off when you spend $20 or more through December 18th), Pet Chef Express, Andover Animal Hospital, and Armstrong Ranch Kennels.

Sojos has not only the high quality treats that are corn and wheat free, but also the loveliest packaging that requires little to no wrapping. The Kung Fu Fido brand is a box of fortune cookie treats for dogs with a real fortune in each one. And, Good Dog Treats in the cutest little boxes with handles. (Indie loves Blueberry Cobbler and Chicken Pot Pie the best.) Where to buy: Linden Hills Coop, Fetch Delivers, BoneAdventure, Whole Foods, Chuck and Don’s in Calhoun Village.

FASHION

WAHSSIE™. Fortunately for furry fashionistas everywhere there is new canine courtier in town: Winnie Tan Musser, owner of WAHSSIE™ Knine Fashion. Named after a pet name for her toy poodle Wah Wah (Chinese for “doll’), WAHSSIE offers everything from basic tees and spaghetti-strapped tanks to fleece hoodies and puffy vests. The versatile designer’s most unique collection, however, is composed of traditional Asian-style clothing including silk coats, Japanese kimonos and Chinese Cheongsam and Qi Pao dresses.  Where to buy: WAHSSIE website and 4 Paws Boutique.

Also, don’t miss Lulu and Luigi in St. Louis Park where their to die for dog sweaters are made of luxurious cashmere, tween and Italian
wool.

MONOGRAMMING/PERSONALIZATION

PillowGram™. PillowGram™ is the brainchild of Nancy Sundeen, dog mom to three Bernese Mountain Dogs who has a soft spot in her heart for pets. PillowGram allows you to personal a travel-sized pillow with custom embroidery. You can also chose from hundreds of themed fabrics. Great for a pet who is recovering from surgery, away at a pet sitters or just plain likes to put her head on a pillow.
Where to buy: PillowGram website.

Also check out Momento Inc. in St. Paul for artist Robin Getsug Taple’s gorgeous handmade pillows that can be personalized with photos of you and our pet, and InBeaute Photography in St. Paul where Wendy Blomseth has created a new line of photo totes and purses that can give you a lovely and practical way to “carry” your pet with you wherever you go.

CREATURE CARE

Stacy Lewis/Dancing Porcupine™. Is your best friend (or someone else’s) feeling particularly out of balance these days? Has it been a “ruff” year? Consider the gift of Stacy Lewis, “creature teacher,” author of the heartwarming book JAVA: The True Story of a Shelter Dog who Rescued a Woman and gifted practitioner of Tellington TTouch™, Shamanic Healing, and Animal Communication.  Where to buy/book: Dancing Porcupine website.

Also check out Janet Roper, just back from the American Music Awards, Janet is also an animal communicator as well as a violinist who can sooth your pet with 30 minutes or more of her heartwarming music.

For Dog Lovers

For dog lovers, there are so many great gift ideas that can make any pet parent’s life easier. Some of those interests include: gardening, shopping, vacationing, crafts, reading, shopping, dining out, sports and outdoor activities, renting movies.

Here are a few ideas:

House Cleaning. Give your friends a family a break from the fur and get them a gift certificate for house cleaning. Check out Nook and Cranny who specialize in pet homes and can care for your pet.

Yard Clean Up – Pet Yard Pick-Up, Scoopy Poo, ScoopWorks

Outdoor Gear - Socks, face warmers, hand warmers and anything to keep dog lovers warm during the extra time spent walking outside with their dogs. Check out 45 Degrees and Jake’s on St. Croix Life is Good Store, both in Stillwater (and both carry dog items, too).

Dog-Friendly Stores – Gift certificates where dog lovers can shop with their dogs. Corazon, Java J’s, Settergren’s Hardware, Bayers Do It Best Hardware, Rick Rack, Twiggs and Wonderment.
Photo Albums and Frames

Dog-friendly lodging: Gunflint Lodge in Grand Marais, Kah-Nee-Tah gallery and cottages in Lustsen and The Outing Lodge at Pine Point just outside of Stillwater and Turtle Creek Ranch in Prairie Farm, WI just one hour East of Stillwater.

Do you have a Minnesota-made holiday gift suggestion?  Post it here.