Learn From Your Dog

It was just a typical June day for me. I was babysitting for my usual family, and taking their dog to be groomed. Last summer, I walked in the door of Doggie Style and laid eyes on the cutest dog I had ever seen, so naturally I had to go pet him. I began playing and interacting with this 40-pound, 10 month old boxer/hound mix and immediately fell in love. He was under-weight and needed someone to save him. The way this whole thing played out seemed like fate. I was not even looking to get a dog, this just fell into my lap. I quickly texted my landlord and parents, hoping they would give me immediate approval on taking on the task of being a dog mom. Once I received their approval, I filled out an application, and went back later that day to take him home. The first week of owning Rocco, I experienced a plethora of emotions. At first I was nervous,  am I ready to take on the responsibility of owning a dog?  At the time, I was just a 20 year-old, full...

            Though my pup Marty can’t actually ask the questions later, he is always in to take advantage of the opportunities set in front of him. Whether it be springing outside for a game of catch, or jumping in the car for a quick ride to the grocery store – Marty is in. He is quick to get up and rise to the occasion, no matter if it is for a breath of fresh air, a snack, or just for company – he’s a rally-er.             I think that this is one of many lessons that we learn from our dogs. Though this is not the classic loyalty story, companionship dog tale, or unconditional love lesson, our dogs teach us to live in the moment too. Their undeniable excitement and willingness to jump at every opportunity shows motivation that everyone should have in life, whether it’s applying for that job that you think you may not get, taking the spontaneous trip across the world, or going on that blind-date...

Although I have always been a self-described “dog person,” most of my childhood was spent canine-less. My family had a golden retriever, Gracie, who died of cancer when I was just three. Gracie had been my parents’ first baby, and it took them a long, long time to get over her. They always talked about how she was a “once in a lifetime” type of dog—that one amazing dog that sticks out among the others. My dad claimed that most dog owners are usually lucky enough to have just one of these dogs in their lifetime. Therefore, he argued, they are extremely difficult to replace. But twelve years after Gracie's death, and after years of my brothers and I badgering my parents, they finally said yes to us getting another dog.  My mom contacted a golden retriever breeder who had just two puppies left from her latest litter—a boy and a girl. Having had such a good experience with Gracie, my mom was pretty sure she wanted the female. However, she wanted to go ...

Hey fellow pup lovers! Long time no post, but we are back! My name is Casey Saladino, and I have recently accepted an internship with Vizion Group PR working as the social media coordinator for the National Dog Show! (Check us out on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter) I want to dedicate my first post to my two dogs (naturally). Talli, named after Talladega Speedway, is a 10-year-old soon to be 11-year-old cheerful black Labrador. We got Talli when I was just 10-years-old. He was the lankiest pup you had ever seen, and only wanted to play. At the time, we had another dog, Indy, named after the Indianapolis 500 (do you see the theme yet?). Indy was 6-years-old when we got Talli, and Indy was the most mellow lab you’d ever meet. He was the dog that even if you were not a dog person (I couldn’t even imagine) you liked. He was practically a pillow for my little sister and me, who loved his bed and to sleep the day away. You can imagine what Indy thought when we brought an energetic, sprig...

One of the highly anticipated events during National Dog Show Month in Philadelphia is the theatrical adaptation The Perfect Dog . The family-friendly show is based off of John O’Hurely’s children’s book of the same name. He was inspired to write the book after an interaction with his young son back stage at the National Dog Show, where he was asked, “Who is the best dog?” The short story has become a huge hit for families with young children. Many copies of the book have been donated to the Ronald McDonald House to provide comfort and guidance to sick children.             John O’Hurley has been one of the faces of the National Dog Show since its debut in 2002. The dogs that he has met and interacted with have had a huge impact on his life. Through this story and theatrical performance, he hopes to spread some of the happiness that dogs have given him to other families. The show is a musical performance comprised of a cast of ...

On Sunday, October 16 th , I attended the first of many events during Philadelphia’s National Dog Show month, the annual National Dog Show Charity Walk. Having never attended anything like it before, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived. However, quickly upon my arrival, crowds of happy owners and excited dogs on leashes began to pour in. I was attending the event as a volunteer, working to help out wherever needed, but it was hard to concentrate when so many friendly animals kept walking up to me. It was hard to resist petting each and every dog, and I just wanted to give them all love and attention.             After experiencing the event for the first time, I can say that I am so impressed and elated that something like this goes on in my own community, and I am so disappointed that I never knew about it before. The four hour event was all about celebrating the wonderful canines in our lives, and making sure that the...

One day, I was walking out of work only to see that I had a missed call from my boss at my new internship. After assuming that we would be discussing logistics for my first day of work, I dialed him back, only to be surprised by our conversation. “I know you haven’t officially started yet, but I have an exciting assignment that I would like you to work on…” He began. Several minutes of discussion later, I hung up the phone with the realization that I would be taking on a task that could tremendously boost my portfolio. I had been offered the opportunity to interview David Frei, the host of the annual Thanksgiving Day Kennel Club Dog Show and one of the biggest names in the dog show world. Following our interview, I would be writing an article to be published in Hamptons Pet Magazine, including my own byline and picture. The realization that I would be taking on my very first big assignment made me nervous, anxious, and excited all at once. I felt so incredibly lucky to be ...