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It’s not every day you meet a professional pet party planner, so when Lisa Rodriguez from Party Animals in Austin, Texas email introduced herself and her partner, Eddie, I knew they had to be featured on Pawsh! Not only do this dynamic duo help others celebrate life with their beloved pets, but they go out of their way to make moments as special as possible for their own mixed breed fur-baby, Rugby. Life is about celebrating the big, the small and everything else in between. Here’s my interview with Lisa, brimming with all sorts of pet party tips!

What inspired you to start planning pet parties?
It just fell in our laps. Eddie said he wanted to start a business and he thought scooping poop could be pretty lucrative, but I put my foot down on that idea. So Eddie asked me what I’ve always wanted to do and my answer was to plan and market events. There are too many event planners, so I jokingly said, “We should just plan parties for pets!” We both had a giggle and then realized that it was a pretty unique idea. That day we came up with the name and logo and started working on our concept.

What is the most memorable pet party you have ever thrown?
Last spring we had a very special party for Chelsea. She was turning 14 and her ‘mommy’ wanted to have a shindig for her downtown doggy-diva early in case she didn’t make it to her birthday during the summer. It was wonderful, all her friends came over and we rented a really awesome venue that featured a doggy disco, extra treats and a mini agility lesson. It was definitely a heartfelt experience.

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What kind of canine food you serve at a shindig?
We work with different bakeries throughout the city and absolutely love It’s Pawsitively Irresistible. They offer pup-cakes, mutt muffins, lots of different flavors of treats and our favorite, Bentley’s pizza bites (little mini pizzas). We usually feature a canine buffet table, which is a whole lot of fun for both pets and their parents to visit!

What sort of activities do you plan for the guests (human and canine alike)?
We have lots of different options to choose from, including a Fido photo booth, bark-day boy/girl quiz cards, doggy musical chairs, doggy disco, mini agility courses, shopping parties, ‘spaw’ services and boot camp training.  It’s a hoot!

What is your favourite time of year to host a party and why?
The spring (aka now!) It’s a beautiful time of year in Austin and everyone’s so excited to be back out enjoying the warm weather.

Would you say your pup parties are nicer than your human celebrations?
Yes! We have been a part of a lot of other events including block parties, fundraisers, silent auctions and movie/music festivals. Our pet parties, however, are the TOP DOG! And our guests are the best to work with!

What is your biggest piece of advice for owners who would like to throw a pet party?
Just do it! Whether you hire someone or go the DIY route, it is such a great experience. I tell a lot of people, especially those that find it odd, that we all love a good party. Why not include our pets? It’s not just about your pet enjoying their special day, but also about you. Which is why using a pet party planner is awesome – no fuss!

Thank you Lisa for taking the time to chat with me and share your insights into pet party planning. If you’re now feeling inspired to throw a bash for your beloved pet be sure to take a peek at this dog-friendly Valentine’s Day party, this dog birthday party and this dog garden party for even more ideas!

I adore high-quality children’s books that encourage little ones to devour words with the same enthusiasm that the family dog uses to scarf down biscuits. Oh No, George! written and illustrated by Chris Haughton and published by Candlewick Press, is such a title. It tells the hilarious story of a well-intentioned pooch, George, who despite his best efforts always seems to find himself in terrible mischief and precarious situations… (keep reading for an exclusive peek inside this book!)

Dear George repeatedly finds himself face to face with a challenge — a piece of cake, a pesky cat, a tantalizing garbage bin — and although the promise to his owner of, “I’ll be good,” swirls in his mind, his doggy will-power begins to buckle.  What happens when a dog just can’t help himself? You’ll have to pick up this quirky book to find out! All I’ll say is that the outcomes are hilarious and you’ll be chuckling from cover to cover.

OH NO, GEORGE. Copyright © 2012 by Chris Haughton. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA on behalf of Walker Books, London.

Photo by Laura L. Benn

As you all know, spring has sprung and with the sight of new blooms peeking out from the soil and the feel of sunny warmth upon our skin comes a sudden urge to get out and about in the great outdoors as much as possible. Running is an extremely popular past-time and a wonderful way to workout, especially if you make your dog your jogging partner! I was thrilled to write an article about how to run with dogs for Canada’s only national running magazine, iRun. There is a lot to consider before lacing up one’s sneakers, clipping on the leash and heading out to run, so be sure to check out this article and make sure you’re prepared. Rory and I have a plan to start running together later this summer. Do you?

Photography by Emma Taylor

How many adorable furry faces do you see out and about as you journey throughout your day? Too many to count is my answer and also the inspiration behind a new regular feature here on the Pawsh blog.

Welcome to Pawsh Pictures, a column that will showcase original images capturing dogs from all over the world as they go about their busy days. Why, you might ask? Because the everyday moments are sometimes the most precious, memorable and sadly overlooked. I for one would like to see that change, preferring to attempt to embrace the moments that all too often pass us by in the pet world. Wouldn’t you?

Here today to help debut this column is photographer Emma Taylor. She happened upon a beautiful boxer named Surf, who is apparently a regular at the Sail and Anchor pub in Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia. Emma’s images beautifully showcase a dog’s patient wait for its special someone to return; something we owners usually don’t get to see as we’re busy shopping, ordering lattes or trying on a new sweater indoors. Keep reading to see the rest of Surf’s adorable antics!

Please feel free to let us know what you think about Pawsh Pictures as a regular feature here on Pawsh and stay tuned next week for the next installment! Thank you again Emma for your beautiful contribution!