Newest IABCA International Puppy Champion!

Havanese Messi, second dog back in the red fur, took a Toy Dog Group 1 and went on to win Best in Show! 

This past weekend Rocco and I entered the IABCA Dog Show in Marietta, Ga.!  The International All Breed Canine Association (IABCA) hosts European style dog shows in the U.S. so that more Americans have the chance to experience this type of event without having to travel to Europe.

Some of the Toy Group competitors

What's cool about this event is that everyone entered gets a written evaluation from the judges and a rating number so you know exactly how your pup stacks up against the breed standard. And what's even cooler is that more than one dog per breed can get a top rating number, so you're really competing against the breed standard rather than against each other.

With four shows in one weekend -- two each day -- a dog can earn an International Title in just one weekend. An adult dog needs three top ratings (or qualifying scores)  to earn an International Title while a puppy can earn a National Title with three qualifying scores and an International Title with four qualifying scores.

And while the shows are not competition based, there still is a judging for Group and Best in Show winners to recognize the top dogs. But for less experienced dogs and handlers it's a great way to get lots of practice in just one weekend and have the opportunity to win a Title! 

Rocco's evaluations from the 6-9 month puppy class

Here's a look at Rocco's evaluations, above. The show was a great experience for us, and gave Rocco and I the chance to learn a lot inside and outside the show ring!

Rocco puts on his game face

Rocco was entered in the 6-9 month Puppy Class. And at barely six months of age, Rocco was one of the youngest eligible to win both a National and International Puppy Title.  So how did the young pup do?

Rocco shows what he's made of, while I help!

Rocco earned four qualifying scores, making him a National and International Puppy Champion! And even more importantly, we both had a great time, visiting with old friends and meeting some lovely pups!

Some photos of a few more dogs who made it to the championship ring.... all beautiful dogs!

To find an IABCA show near you, check out their calendar of events.

SqueeDogs: New Facebook game uses virtual pups to help real rescue animals

Just in time for National Puppy Day, SqueePlay, a new company focused on the creation of next generation Facebook games, announced that the company will raise funds for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) through its SqueeDogs Facebook video game.

Early release of SqueeDogs begins on Monday, and To Dog With Love readers can sign up now to be one of the first to play.

In SqueeDogs, the user plays as a doggy detective who goes on adventures through fantastical worlds, finding lost puppies and caring for them until they can be reunited with their owners.

In SqueeDogs, users customize their own Dogvatar 

When the game launches in April 2013, SqueeDogs players will be able to purchase in-game MSPCA branded virtual goods, such as the MSPCA doggie hat and sunglasses, to show their support for the organization. SqueePlay will also offer branded MSPCA toys and additional apparel and will give the MSPCA 100 percent of the profits on all SqueeDogs MSPCA branded virtual items.

The MSPCA is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine and provides direct hands-on care for thousands of animals each year. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement, and world-class veterinary care.

SqueePlay was founded by mother-son team Cerise Jacobs and Pirate Epstein who have several rescue dogs and cats of their own and wanted to do something to raise funds and bring attention to the need for animal adoption. SqueePlay's first game, SqueeDogs, will launch April 2013.

Enter Your Pup to Be the Face of Bark for Your Park

Enter your pup's photo by March 25 for a chance to be the face of  PetSafe's  Bark for Your Park!

PetSafe is looking for the cutest, most popular pups in America to serve as the furry faces of its annual Bark for Your Park contest. The company is asking pet owners across the country to submit photos of their dogs in a search for three precious pups whose likeness will be featured as the "hero dogs" on the Bark for Your Park contest website.

To enter, visit the PetSafe Facebook page and upload a photo of your dog. Entries will be accepted from March 11 - March 25, 2013 and America will vote on its favorite furry faces once per day from March 26-April 10. PetSafe will announce the winners on April 10.

Petsafe's third annual Bark for Your Park nationwide contest will launches on May 1. Bark for Your Park awards U.S. cities funding for local dog parks.

“PetSafe loves building dog parks, but more basic than that, we love dogs!” said Randy Boyd, president and CEO of PetSafe. “While every dog is a hero in the hearts of the families who love them, we’re in search of three of the most adorable, most beloved dogs as voted by America to serve as the faces of the 2013 Bark for Your Park contest.”

The top three pooches with the most votes will each be named a “Hero Dog” for the 2013 Bark for Your Park contest, and an illustration based on each winning dog’s image will be featured on the contest website, Facebook and other materials. The submitted winning photos of each dog with their names and stories will also be displayed on the PetSafe website.

Citizens and pet owners across the U.S. are also encouraged to start planning to nominate their city for the Bark for Your Park contest on www.petsafe.net starting May 1. This year, PetSafe has increased the prize money and will award a total of $200,000 in funding for communities to build off-leash dog parks.

Beltine Piper: The Atlanta Kitty Who Lives in a Pipe

Atlanta is noted for its cultural icons and attractions like Coca-Cola, CNN and the Georgia Aquarium.

And now, Atlanta has Beltine Piper. The kitty who lives in a pipe near Atlanta's Eastside Beltine Park has made big news this past week.

So on Saturday, Rocco and I set out to meet the kitty who has his own address on Atlanta's Eastside Trail.

This portion of the Beltline Trail runs from N. Highland to Monroe   

We found Piper's home just south of North Avenue and north of the skateboard park along the Eastside Trail.

Piper lives where the red line ends at the top of this map

Rocco checks out Piper's spread, below... not too shabby for a cat who lives in a pipe. He's got his own mailbox, plenty of bowls of food and water and a nice blankie in the pipe where he rests. 

Piper was sleeping when we came by. Maybe he'll give us a heartier greeting next time .... maybe if we bring some food. Right Piper?!

Piper also has all the requisite social media addresses. Not sure what all the fuss is about with that. We all know dogs and cats and furry critters have ruled the interwebs since the beginning of time, right?! Piper, where's your Pinterest and Instagram accounts? MOL! 

Piper's mailbox is loaded with mail, but what the kitty really wants is food! 

Like our new pal Piper says, "stay frisky my friends." And till next time, *pawbump*.

Wordless Wednesday: Me and My Shadow

Head on over to the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday blog hop to see what everyone else is up to!

Rocco Havanese tries out Brainy Bones Puzzle Toys #giveaway

Rocco tries out the Brainy Bones Tug-a-Bone

Brainy Bones come in three styles:
Tug-a-Bone, Whirl-a-Bone and Peek-a-Bone

We love interactive dog toys.  They provide a fun and stimulating way to put your pup's mind AND body to work. And for a young pup like Rocco, interactive toys help keep him busy -- and out of trouble --  so he'll grow and develop into the great dog I know he is!

So we were super excited to hear about a new interactive, treat-dispensing puzzle toy from Brainy Bones. We gave the Brainy Bones a test run recently and if you read all the way down, you can enter for a chance to win your own Brainy Bones!

First a look at some of the Brainy Bones features that we love:

• USA engineered and designed
• Constructed from pet-safe, highly durable recyclable rubber material
• Three styles present unique challenges that require skill, manipulation and thought

Even a young pup can benefit from the stimulation and lessons provided by Brainy Bones. Rocco began testing these out when he was four months old! 

Rocco tugs and pulls at the Tug-a-Bone until it starts to open

We started by filling the Brainy Bones with Rocco's puppy kibble. He enjoyed working at it with his mouth and paws to reach the prize inside!

It didn't take long for Rocco to solve the puzzle! My pup's a brainiac!

Rocco enjoys the prize inside! Fill it with treats, kibble or any other favorite goody. We also tried freezing one filled with canned dog food, providing even more long-lasting, tasty enjoyment! 

Take a look at Rocco in action!

Win your own Brainy Bones!

One lucky winner will win a Brainy Bones Whirl-a-Bone AND a Tug-a-Bone! Enter via Rafflecopter below. U.S. winners only. Giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m. ET on March 23. 

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Brainy Bones provided us with products to test and give away. The opinions expressed herein are entirely our own. 

Wordless Wednesday: Rocco Meets a Baby Goat

Last Saturday marked the season opening of the Green Market in Atlanta's Piedmont Park,  and one of the cheese vendors brought their baby goat!

This little baby goat is only a week and a half old, and already she's climbing... and bigger than Rocco!

Happy Wordless Wednesday! Let's see what everyone else is up to at the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop!

A Walk Through Lullwater Park

Rushing waters and an old grist mill are just some of the attractions at Lullwater Park

Lullwater Park is one of Atlanta's hidden gems. Located next to Emory's campus, we found it a lovely place for a dog walk with wooded trails, open fields, a lake and streams and all located just minutes from the city of Atlanta.

Rocco and I set out for the walk with one of our favorite Meetup Groups yesterday. Despite a blustery, cold morning, a few hardy souls came out and we enjoyed a terrific walk. Don't laugh Northern pals. It really was freezing here in Atlanta and we even saw a few snow flurries. Oh my!!

I used the Map My Dogwalk app to track our walk (map above). I love using this app for dog walks so you can see how far you go, especially useful when you're walking through parks and on trails. This walk mapped out at about 3 miles, though I forgot to start the app at the beginning of our walk.

We hit the trails and meandered over to Candler Lake.

It's a good spot for reflection and geese watching too!

Along the way we crossed a suspension bridge that rocks gently as you walk across it. It didn't seem to phase Rocco a bit. Could be good training for the agility teeter!

Across the bridge we explored the old grist mill.

Inside the mill, Rocco and some of the other pups posed for pictures!

The park has a main entrance on Clifton Road, and there's also a parking deck near the end of Starvine Way off of Clairmont Road. We started at the Starvine Way entrance and the parking was convenient with easy access to the park. 

If you're near Atlanta, we highly recommend this park for a lovely walk with or without dogs (though with is always better!). I suspect it will be spectacular in the spring!