Welcome to K9 Kamp Summer Session 2014 #Giveaway!

Welcome back Kampers! We can't believe it's already time for the summer session of K9 Kamp, the virtual camp you can enjoy with your pup from anywhere!

We're so excited to share lots of big news today.

First, of course, is that it's the opening day of K9 Kamp and we have one HUGE giveaway, chock full of items to help make playtime fun for you and your pup!

Be sure to read down to learn more about each item in the giveaway below. And then enter for a chance to win on the giveaway widget at the bottom of this post.

And, don't forget the theme for this session of K9 Kamp is

Backyard Fun & Fitness Games!

We can't wait to see all the fun games you all play. And if you don't have a backyard, there's still plenty of fun to be had right outside your front door.


My next bit of news is that I'm so excited to share that I'm now officially certified as a K9 Fit Club Trainer! That means I've passed the K9 Fit Club certification and will start teaching classes in the Atlanta area soon!

It's all a natural progression of the fun and fitness we already enjoy with the pups in our lives. Only now,  you can take your dog with you to work out … and they get some exercise and bonding time too!

If you're in Atlanta and interested in classes, please let me know and I'll get you more details.

And you'll likely see some of our K9 Fit Club exercises show up in our upcoming posts!

The Biggest Ever K9 Kamp Giveaway!

Our generous K9 Kamp supporters have provided the best Prize Pack ever to help you enjoy your backyard games even after K9 Kamp is over.  Here's a look at what one lucky K9 Kamper can win!

Backyard play 

As you know we love to train and compete in agility. But even if you never have aspirations to compete, agility is a great way to bond with your dog and you both get exercise too! I also find it helps improve memory as you learn the patterns of various courses. To get started, we love The Kyjen Dog Agility Starter Kit, donated to our K9 Kamp prize pack by Petco.  

The kit includes six weave poles, a jump, a short tunnel, pause box, start/finish line, and it even comes with a stop watch and three award ribbons!  

Conditioning for your pup

In order to enjoy the fun and games in life to the fullest, it'll benefit any pup to work on balance, strength and endurance.  Exercises on the  K9FITbone help to develop strength, endurance, proprioception (body awareness), balance and flexibility. And besides, we think it looks cool too!

The K9FITvest dog fitness vest helps to improve strength, speed, performance and body awareness. Both the K9FITvest and K9FITbone are being contributed to the prize pack by DogTread.

Hydration

Rocco loves to drink out of his fountain and we hope your dog will do, because hydration is so important to help keep your pup healthy and fit. The Drinkwell Pagoda Fountain is made from porcelain and continuously recirculates 70 ounces of fresh, filtered water. It's easy to clean and looks great in your home! 

The upper and lower dishes provide two drinking areas for pets, and the patented dual free-falling streams aerate the water for freshness, which encourages your pet to drink more. Thanks to PetSafe for providing the Pagoda Fountain to our prize pack.

Yummies for your pup

From our pals at Jones Natural Chews, this center bone is marrow filled, with meaty bits clinging to it, dipped in natural liquid smoke before being slow baked to perfection. The 7" Center Bone is in the top 10 of dog favorites and is perfect for medium to large dogs, or more aggressive chewers. 

All Jones Natural Chews are made in the USA.

After a job well done, every good dog deserves a cookie. Smart Cookee is adding one package of its 100% All Natural Omega Dog Treats to the K9 Kamp prize pack. All Smart Cookee treats are corn, wheat, soy and gluten free and made in the USA.

What to wear for both you and your pup! 

Donated by Collarific Dog Bandanas, these clever bandanas slide over your pet's collar. The reversible bandanas include a fully lined collar channel with reinforced seams for extra durability. Collarific specializes in designs suitable for large dogs, and their "Ruff Rating" helps you choose the right fabric style. 

And finally, just for you… this woof worthy pendant from For Love of a Dog is perfect for any dog lover!  A handmade porcelain dog bone proclaims WOOF and dangles from an artisan lamp work floral bead in shades of carmel, brown and tan.

Hand wire wrapped with silver jeweler's wire with a silver bale. Perfect to wear on your own necklace, cord or ribbon. Length is 2 1/2 inches.




Special thanks to all our prize pack contributors: Petco, PetSafe, DogTread, For Love of a Dog, Jones Natural Chews and Smart Cookee.  The prize pack is valued at over $350! Wow! That's a whole lot of backyard fun and fitness for one lucky pup and human!

Remember to enter for a chance to win on the giveaway widget at the bottom of this post!

Some final K9 Kamp details

Kamp runs from June 27 -  July 18 with the K9Kampfire Blog Hop on July 25. That's where you'll link up your posts about your own backyard fun and fitness games.  As always, K9 Kamp will run alongside FitDog Friday, so you can feel free to post about your games at anytime during the Kamp session!

Your K9 Kamp coaches are Peggy's Pet Place, SlimDoggy and us! So be sure to check out our co-coaches to see what kinds of ideas they have for backyard games.

And, if you'd like to post a photo of your K9 Kamp activities just tag it with hashtag #K9Kamp so we'll be sure to see it! Insider hint: If you post it on Instagram and tag it #K9Kamp, we'll feature your photos here on a K9Kamp slideshow!

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.

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Snow Zombies vs. Snow Zoomies #AtlantaSnow

Zombie Rocco

Sometimes Zoomies can lead to Zombies, and in Atlanta yesterday that was unfortunately for some… all too true.

If you were lucky enough to be at home when the snow started falling, it was a fun event for dogs and people too. But our hearts go out to all the folks who were stranded on the streets, schools and businesses last night.

Ironically, our pals -- Garth Riley (the dog) and Kona at K9Karryall -- found that Zoomies autocorrects to Zombies!

Bring on the Zombies… I mean Zoomies!



Check out the rest of our pals at the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop!

Help us fight cancer with Puppy Up! Atlanta Walk Nov. 3

Even if you're not in Atlanta, you can join us in the fight against cancer. Here's how!

For Atlanta folks

In Atlanta, you can join the Puppy Up! walk to help raise funds for cancer research. The walk is organized by 2 Million Dogs, a national nonprofit organization that funds comparative oncology research benefiting both pets and people.

Date: November 3, 2013

Time: 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: Jim Miller Park Marietta, GA

Preregistration by October 30 is $20 per person; free for kids 14 and under. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Registration the day of the walk is $25 per person. Participants may bring up to two dogs each. All dogs must be four months or older, up to date on vaccinations and must be on a 6-foot or shorter leash (no retractable leashes). Water for dogs and waste bags will be provided.

You can register to walk here.

For folks outside of Atlanta area

Please consider making a donation on our fundraising page. Rocco and I will be walking in memory of Cosmo Havanese who lost his battle with lung cancer late last year. Remember, no donation is too small (or too large!). We are thankful for anything our pals can do to help in the fight against canine cancers.

You can also check here for a walk in your area.

Some recent 2 Million Dogs projects

The organization donated $80,000 for a comparative oncology study of mammary tumors at Princeton University in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. The project treats shelter dogs with mammary tumors and then studies tissues to understand how breast cancer metastasizes in women.

More recently, 2 Million Dogs contributed $20,000 to fund a study on osteosarcoma (bone cancer) at MIT and Harvard’s Broad Institute, which is studying eleven breeds disproportionately affected by osteosarcoma.

2 Million Dogs is also providing $80,000 to Animal Medical Center of New York to study transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), the most common type of bladder cancer veterinarians diagnose, and a difficult cancer to treat.

Please help us help fight cancers in canines and people too!

BarkWorld Expo 2013: Packing Tips, Atlanta Dog Walks and a contest!

This will be my fourth BarkWorld conference
and Rocco's first. Ask us a question about
BarkWorld, we just might know the answer!

Tomorrow we're heading up the road to BarkWorld Expo, the social media and blogger conference that's located in our hometown of Atlanta!

I've attended every BarkWorld since the conference began in 2010,  so here are a few tips on what to bring and what to do while you're here.

7 Must-Pack Items:

1. Business Cards -- There will be plenty of networking opportunities with fellow bloggers and sponsors so don't miss this opportunity to share information and stay in touch! 
2. Camera -- This is a photo opportunity like you've never seen before! If you like to photograph pets, you'll be in heaven! Don't forget to take group shots of your blogger buddies, the fun pet signage and your favorite pet goodies.
3. Smart phone and laptop or iPad -- Keep your smart phone handy for quick pics and videos so you can share them immediately via Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. It's fun to follow the action live (use #BarkWorld) via social media for both conference attendees and those who are following from home.    And don't forget all your power cords and chargers!
4. Large expandable suitcase -- Blogger conferences are notorious for having great swag and BarkWorld is no exception! Bring a LARGE suitcase and don't fill it. Then, open the expandable section for all your swag! 
5. Sweater or layering pieces -- This summer has been cooler and wetter than normal, expect mid 80s during the day and 70s at night with some rain and lots of humidity. Bring layering pieces for air-conditioned hotel rooms and comfy shoes.  
6.  Your pet's food, treats and toys -- In addition to making sure your pet is comfortable with their pet carrier, you'll want to bring their familiar food, treats and toys. That'll make them feel right at home and help prevent upset stomachs!
7. Pet accessories -- Don't forget food bowls, leash, poo bags, medications or anything else that's specific to your pet's needs!

Taken earlier this year, Rocco is a social media
 early adopter ! He's 11 months old now and
all grown up! Come say hello when you see us!

Where to find us at BarkWorld

Rocco and I hope to meet a lot of old pals and new ones at BarkWorld, so please come up and say hello!

We'll be spending some time helping out in the Pruven booth, so look for us there or just out and about!

Here's a sneak peak how to win some great products from Pruven!

During BarkWorld, tweet your biggest cleaning pet peeves to @PruvenPets using #PruvenPooches for a chance to win a pack of their amazing pet products!


For some great dog walks in and around Atlanta, check out these links. 

The 1.2-mile Piedmont Center nature trail is closest to the BarkWorld host hotel. It's a hidden gem that meanders behind an office complex about a mile walk from the Westin. Click here for walking directions.


Chastain Park also has a nice path around the park and is about 2.8 miles from the hotel.  Click here for driving directions.

Lenox Park has some walking paths around a pond and fountain and is about 1.5 miles away. Click here for driving directions.

These are all about 3-7 miles from the Westin in Buckhead so you'll need to drive to get there.

A Walk Through Lullwater Park
Dog Walk on Freedom Parkway Trail
A Stroll Through Winn Park
A Walk Through Piedmont Park Expansion
A Walk Through Piedmont Park

This one's further out, about an 1.5 hours from Atlanta in the North Georgia mountains:
Hike Woody Gap with Dogs

For some more helpful blog conference and travel tips with pets, check out these:

How to Prepare Your Dog for a Long Plane Flight

Travel Bag Comfort for You and Your Pet
A Walk Through BarkWorld Expo 2012

See you at BarkWorld! If you're coming, let me know in the comments below!

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*.

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!

Meetup for a Dog Walk on Freedom Parkway Trail

Rocco's ready to blaze a trail on our group dog walk Sunday

If you're looking for a fun activity to do with your dog and other dog lovers, check out the dog activity groups on meetup.com. This past weekend, Rocco and I went on our first walk with the Mongrels Mania group.  If you're in the Atlanta area, check them out! They plan lots of fun dog-friendly events.

This particular walk meandered along the Freedom Parkway Trail in Atlanta. We covered about six miles, roundtrip from Candler Park to the Jefferson Street Bridge near downtown Atlanta.

Rocco quickly made friends with the other fur pals in the group.

And he immediately connected with another Havanese!

There are plenty of interesting things to see along the route.

We worked our way over to the Jefferson Street bridge where we enjoyed the view of the Atlanta skyline.

And stopped by the Carter Center on the way back. Rocco enjoys the fountains!

Around the back of the Carter Center we found a beautiful duck pond with a view of the city.

The dogs and people had a terrific time.  To find a dog-friendly Meetup near you, go to meetup.com and search for "dog" or any interest of your choice near your city. You'll find all sorts of activities for all types of dogs.

Do you have a favorite Meetup group?

A Walk Through BarkWorld Expo 2012

Cosmo and I hang with Ruff and Mews, the Petco mascots!

We're back from BarkWorld Expo and there's so much to tell -- from parties to educational sessions to visiting with exhibitors and meeting with friends old and new. We've attended every BarkWorld since it began in 2010, and they just keep getting better each year. 

If you haven't yet heard of BarkWorld, it's a special kind of social media conference for pet-related businesses, social influencers and pet owners. So whether you want to learn more about blogging or other forms of social media, connect with social influencers or learn about the latest in technology or lifestyle as it relates to pet owners, there's plenty to take in! 

And don't let the silly photo, above, fool you! While there's plenty of fun at BarkWorld, it's also serious business for pet companies, animal rescue organizations and anyone who wants to connect with pet owners and pet-related businesses. 

Since there's just not enough time to mention all the great speakers and sessions, here's a look at the all-star speaker lineup with folks like Brent Herd from Twitter and Matt Meeker from Meetup.com.

Now, here's a look at some of the highlights from our perspective!

BarkWorld kicked off with a Howl-O-Ween party and pet costume contest on Thursday night sponsored by Atlanta Dog Spa. Rick Rockhill from Natural Balance played a brilliant emcee as the swashbuckling pirate, above! The pets were the real stars of this show, so check back on Halloween and we'll show you more pics of adorable pets!

The next day was filled with educational sessions and presentations, including a cooking demonstration by the fabulous Amy Burkert from Go Pet Friendly and Kim Clune from This One Wild Life. Kim and Amy whipped up some tasty dishes using Honest Kitchen and had no trouble attracting an attentive crowd...

Cosmo and canine pal Fabulous McGrady, above, wait for a taste test, and were not disappointed. 

Next, it was time for a quick break outside where Cosmo and Kona from K9Carryall see how their rides stack up to the new Ford Escape. I can't tell you how many times over the weekend I wished I had a handsfree tailgate like the one featured on the Escape.

Then, a quick meeting to compare notes with some great pals... it's Cosmo, Carma Poodale, Jasmine and Linus! Looks like a worthy representation of the Havanese - Poodle alliance! 

During one of our outdoor breaks we met Wendy Santee from SirMacandLadyAlley.com. What's really cool is that Wendy and Cosmo are both lung cancer survivors. We wish for continued good health for both of them.  

Wendy's pups Lady Alley, pup Jazzy Moon and Sir Mac look on during the photo shoot with their human and Cosmo!

We also were thrilled to meet Ginger Morgan from 2 Millon Dogs, the organization that is exploring the links between canine and companion animal cancers through comparative oncology research. One way to join in and help is to walk in one of the Puppy Up! Walks in a number of cities across the United States. Several walks will be happening next weekend, Nov. 3 and 4. To find one in your area, check here for the Puppy Up! Walk schedule.

Back inside the sessions continued. With so many good speakers, the most difficult part of BarkWorld was deciding which sessions to attend.  Above, Kate Benjamin from Modern Cat and Jaime Derringer from Dog Milk talk about trends in modern pet lifestyle products, like the one's they feature on their blogs. If you haven't already, check out their blogs for some of the hippest products around.

Seeing old friends is another reason we love to attend BarkWorld. Above, Eldad Hagar, the famous rescuer of animals, shows how he's always thinking of the animals. Before I could dig out Cosmo's water bowl, Eldad offered up his own glass of water. Cosmo quickly took him up on it. (Hope no one from the hotel is watching!) And, by the way, the food was as good as it looks. Big kudos to the Westin Hotel in Buckhead (Atlanta) for hosting and to Denise Quashie for organizing a fabulous conference.

Friday night, the networking continued with a fun "Block Party" sponsored by Petco, Iams/Eukanuba, PetCareRX and Nutrish.  Above, Cosmo, is surrounded by his pals Brett Chisolm from Life + Dog magazine, Kristine Tonks from Rescued Insanity, Kim Clune from This One Wild Life, Mel Hammonds from Fetching Images and photography for Life + Dog, Vicki Cook from Bunny's Blog and Amy Burkert from GoPetFriendly.com.

On Friday and Saturday there were two full days of sessions and networking, and we also enjoyed meeting all the sponsors in the exhibit area. Cosmo, above, uses his stroller to his advantage to get a leg up at the JW Pet booth! He's a blur because he was up on the table, checking out the toys in a jiffy!

Speaking of networking, we also enjoyed a special kind of "speed dating," thanks to BarkWorld, where bloggers met one-on-one with sponsors like Petco, PetCareRX.com, DogBFF.com, Iams, Eukanuba, Bayer, Apartment Guide, Natural Balance, Nutrish and Life+Dog magazine and more! 

Then, on Sunday morning, a small group of bloggers were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Georgia Aquarium, thanks to Apartment Guide! It was spectacular and we'll include more photos in a separate post! 

All-in-all, it was a fabulous conference, and with so much to offer, you could easily customize your experience to suit your own needs. I'm lucky to have this conference in my own hometown, but it's definitely worth the trip and it was such a nice hotel, it would've been nice to stay there. Maybe next year! 

Did you go to BarkWorld and what did you like the best! We're still recovering from all the fun!