Have a Heart. Donate a Bed This Valentine's Day.

Attention all you West Coast Barkistas (and significant others of animal lovers): this Valentine's Day give a gift that gives back!

Journalist Lu Parker, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Bark Pet Photography, Shifting Gears for Paws, Colors in Bloom, YELP!, and Sporteve are joining forces for good this Valentine's Day! Their goal is to provide 140 dog beds to the deserving pups at the South LA Shelter. For a donation of $65 (the cost of a dog bed), you will receive a beautiful Valentine's Day Bouquet and card. Simply bring your receipt on 2/13 to either Sporteve or Peet's Coffee & Tea to pick up your thank you.

Seriously-- what a great cause that solves the problem of finding the perfect Valentine's Day gift, while making life better for pups in need. Kudos to all of those invovled. 

Visit DonateABed.Wordpress.com for more information.

Wags & Kisses,

The Barkistas

p.s. Even if you're not on the West Coast, we're pretty sure this is a gift that will go over well with any Valentine (HINT....).

Juicy Couture Cheetah Dog Bag Video Review

We are so excited to share with you our first-ever video review! We checked out the Juicy Couture Cheetah Dog Bag-- watch the video below, our check it out on our YouTube channel. This is our first attempt at ever doing anything like this, so we hope you enjoy!

So, just to recap:

Pros:

• Super cute fabric! 
• Straps that are long enough to comfortably carry the bag over your shoulder.
• Big enough for a small dog, travel pillow and blanket.

Cons:

• Didn't see the bag in stores-- had to purchase ours off of Ebay (though at the end of the day, you'll probably get a better deal there).
• Most likely not airline approved because the bag does not close totally.
• Zipper part of the bag sags unless you keep the straps totally taut. 

Overall, we're really pleased with our purchase and can't wait to take it out on the street. Not question: it's definitely going to be a conversation starter.

What do you think? Would you like to see more video reviews?

Wags & Kisses,

The Barkistas

#ThursdayBling is Fabuleash!

Ok. So I know we featured something from Henri Bendel last week for #ThursdayBling, but we stopped by the store this past weekend and HAD to feature this blinged out leash after seeing it in person. It is FABULEASH! Really, this picture doesn't do it justice. Though we're not talking Swarovski crystals here, the glass beads look diamond-esque in person.

Unfortunately, this adjective does not apply to the leash when taken in context with our budget… and thus we could only gaze lovingly at it in the store.

However, if you have a spare $298, you can pick up your Fabuleash from Henri Bendel in store or online. Send us a picture so that we can pretend it's ours? Please?

We also saw a version with pearls, but come on-- go bling or go home!

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

We Heart This...

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about the perfect present for our furry little Valentine (Paddington… of course…). As Paddy is the reigning heavy-weight toy destroyer of the tri-state area (you don't want to know what happened to last year's stuffed bunny toy), we're leaning towards something that isn't filled with fluff this time around.

 

Honestly, what says Valentine's Day more than faux fur and pink hearts? Perfect for the pooch that loves to snuggle, this cuddly Trundle bed converts into a teacup bed, travel mat or sleeping bag. While we're really partial to the pink hearts, you can also grab it in a variety of other patterns.

Pick yours up from Muttropolis for $60 (does not come with chew toy). Will you be sending your pup a Valentine this year?

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

Fact: Stuff in the city is expensive.

"I'm not taking off this hoodie until you do something about my hair!" -Paddy

Okay, so the above statement may hold true regardless of our geographical location due to Paddy's champagne and caviar tastes…but we were still kind of surprised that a visit to the salon for P costs more than it does for me. Really. Digest that for a second. It is more expensive for me to have my dog groomed than it is to visit a 5 star NYC salon. 

This makes me want to cry, and we apologize if it has made you tear up as well.

So while crunching numbers this weekend, the Barkistas had an idea--  how hard can it actually be to cut your dog's hair? 

Thus, we have decided to embark (harty-har-har) upon a fabulous adventure in doggy beauty! While are definitely going to be using scissors vs. electric clippers, and we'll leave the pawdicures to the professionals, we're going to give it a whirl! 

Though the stylist in this situation (aka me), is in the human beauty industry, we'd love any tips advice from seasoned at-home or professional groomers as we begin to mentally psych ourselves up while we wait for our scissors to be delivered.

Look forward to hearing from you!!

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

p.s. In all fairness, there are more affordable options in the city but they are either 1) not conveniently located to us or 2) places where we've had some questionable experiences or are concerned about the quality of care...

#ThursdayBling: Grooming Bling

 

Bling out your pup's blowout.

For the doggy who has ABSOLUTELY everything, we suggest the Henri Bendel's Swarovski Dog Brush. Featuring Swarovski stripes in the classic HB brown and white colors, and bristles that look like they could rival our beloved Mason Pearson, we're kind of obsessed with this indulgent grooming tool.

Apparently you can put a price on fabulousness, and that price just happens to be $98. Available from Henri Bendel.

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

Pet Flys Snuggle Bug

Fact: It is 18 degrees fahrenheit outside. 

Which is why we really wish WE could be toted around in a human version of the Pet Flys Snuggle Bug. This reversible faux fur Snuggle Bug includes a matching pillow and blanket, and is a bed, carrier AND car seat in one. With a 36" strap, it can be worn across the body or on the shoulder. Available in a variety of prints (we're partial to the snow leopard one), it holds a pooch up to 16 lbs. Alas.... there is no human-sized option...and thus it is time to bundle up as we head off to do errands.

Purchase your Snuggle Bug from GW Little.

Wags & Kisses,

The Barkista

(Image borrowed from GW Little's site.)

Barkworthy: Henri Bendel Bowls

Here at Barkzilla, we're more downtown than UES (aka Upper East Side), and we pretty much stick south of 42nd street. On the rare occasion when we stray uptown, one of our favorite stores is Henri Bendel. Seriously, it's like Disney World for fashionistas and Barkistas alike: headbands, jewelry, fun accessories, makeup…. it's probably a good thing we don't live closer.

In advance of planned visit this weekend, we headed over to their website to scope out the goods, and spied these darling dishes! Made in Portugal, this earthenware bowl features the iconic Henri Bendel brown and white colors adorned with a gold plated "dog tag". Definitely Barkista bark-worthy!

We assume they're probably available in store, but if there's no visit in your near future-- stop by their website to snag yours for $30.

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkista

#ThursdayBling: Fancy Feast?

For the pup who likes to dine all-fancy and stuff, we present Gaia & Gino's Wild Rock Water Bowl. Totally bling and questionably functional.

Spotted over at Modern Dog.

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

The Gift of Babble

Of course the most annoying toy ever is going to be the one that captivates our little Barkista….

We discovered the Pet Qwerks' Babble Ball under the the Christmas Tree, and it has brought joy like we've never seen before to our little Morkie. (So much so, that play time with the Babble Ball is a special reward for good behavior now.) 

 

Available in 3 different sizes, the ball makes over 20 hilarious different wisecracks or sounds at the slightest provocation. Seriously. We made the mistake of packing it loosely in a suitcase after the holidays which was thrown in the backseat of a car…. not a good idea.

We ate through one set of batteries already (Paddy literally played with the ball non-stop, all-day Christmas), but were really pleased with how easy it was to install new ones.

The only downside? We were gifted a medium ball (roughly tennis ball sized), which is a little too big for Paddy to pick up. Thus, she likes to chase the Babble Ball around the house like a soccer ball. Adorable? Yes. Good for our skirting boards/neighborly relations? Probably not so much.

Even though its incessant babble drives us a little batty, we're still kind of obsessed about it, if only because of the joy it brings to our pooch.

Available online from DogToys.com.

Wags & Kisses,

The Barkistas

Charles Schulz Once Said...

 

..."Happiness is a warm puppy," and now-- even if you don't have a warm puppy of your own, you too have a shot at experiencing happiness!

Even though we already have a squirmy, trouble-making pup of our own, we dig these Hot Dogs microwaveable pillows-- after all, real, live puppies don't always want to cuddle when you do. These pillows unfold to 4.5" x 10" x 11", and are lightly scented with lavender (or so we've heard). Point of this story: they're the perfect backup in case your dog, like Paddington frequently does, has scheduled conflicting plans for snuggle time.

If Schnauzers aren't your thing, there are a variety of brands available (we've seen Yellow Labs and Cocker Spaniels). Pick yours up from Amazon.com for $26.

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

p.s. How cute is the packaging?

The Power Collar: Every Barkista Should Have One

The Power Collar: every Barkista should have one.

While us humans are able to fill our wardrobes with power suits, power ties, power shoes (Louboutins, obvi!)... the power pickings are a little more slim for your pup.

Fortunately, company Vonderbitch is here to ensure your pooch is appropriately garbed for any dog park boardroom situation. Fashioned from 100% Italian leather and adorned with polished 23k gold plated stainless steel hardware, Vonderbitch offers its stylish leather collar in a variety of colors and textures. It can also be transformed into a human-wearable cuff (that is, if your pup can be convinced to let you borrow it).

Available directly from Vonderbitch for $150.

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

Icy #ThursdayBling

#ThursdayBling in 2011 with this gorgeous piece of "ice" for your pup. Seriously, do they make this in human sizes?

Pick up the CeCe Kent Miami Rhinestone Necklace directly from Haute Pup's website.

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas

Bone-jour to 2011!

Happy New Year Friends!

We took a break over the holidays, but now we're back with lots of fun new finds for the new year! Our first pick is inspired by the little trip we recently took to Paris-- check out this adorable "Mademoiselle" bowl set from Bijou Dog. We love the ultra-feminine pattern and the fact that the water bowl is designed with the dainty "Mademoiselle chien" in mind and features a smaller opening that holds your pup's "bangs" out of the water. The food bowl is also on the shallow side to accommodate petite diners.

In addition to bringing you and your pooch joy, Bijou Dog also donates a portion of their proceeds to a rotating group of charities which have included The Peninsula Humane Society, Paws with a Cause and the Delta Society.

PIck your dish up from Haute Pup ($50 for the set of two dishes).

Wags & Kisses,
The Barkistas