Skip to main content77 Pussies Aren’t for Pussies
It's not your cat. It's you. That's the hair-raising premise behind Richard Smith's catty bestseller,
($8.95, The Funny Bone, 617 SW Washington St., 241-0455). Perfect for any cat-lovin' spinster or feline fanatic on your list, this tell-all tome, which unearths the mind games our four-legged friends pull on their owners, is just another way to destroy what's left of an already fragile ego.
78 Fetch It, Bitch!
Tired of wading through all those coupons buried deep within the Sunday
just to find the ones for your pets? Well, wade no more. Solve that pesky problem with the
($10, available at gofetchbooks.com; Green Dog Pet Supply, 4605 NE Fremont St., 528-1800; Pets on Broadway, 2762 NE Broadway, 282-5824; and Dog Gone, 1215 NE Alberta St., 288-4462). You'll find loads of discounts on everything from pet sitting to people who will pick up the poop.
79 In-Vest-ment Dressing
Nothing says Oregon chic more than a rain vest from
. The red-and-white, fleece-lined
is the perfect fit for big dogs and will keep your fashionable pup warm on a cold winter night without cramping his style.
80 Think Outside the Can
After all the crap that's gone on with pet food this year, it's high time we treated our companions with treats, not tricks (as was the case when poison was found inside the bags of various large-scale pet-food suppliers).
are chicken-and-apple treats made with all-natural cage-free chicken breast, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate and vitamin E. It helps dogs maintain healthy connections when it comes to their hips and joints. So does Jamie Young's cookbook,
($14.95, Powell's City of Books)
Divided into the three guiding elements of doggie diets—cooked, raw and carnivore—the book contains hound-approved recipes (puppy porridge, anyone?) that might just have you licking your lips, too.
81 Cut to the Cute
Gag on the eggnog, or just grab a copy of Jennie Summers'
(
With nary a word in it, the tiny tome is full of nothing but warm and fuzzy images of our best friends. Whether or not it will kill you depends on how much "cute" you can take in one sitting.
82 Think Pink (Ribbons, That Is)
How can you and your pet fight breast (or prostate) cancer? By getting him or her one of
from Wag the Dog
For each Pink or Blue Ribbon Ringo ($9) or Pink Ribbon Buddy ($8) sold, Planet Dog donates at least 75 cents to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation or the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Now that's a present worth barking for!
83 Dog Bless This Mess
Looking for a cool—and non-embarrassing—gift for that schnauzer-obsessed CPA on your list? Well, nothing makes cleaning up taxing messes more fun than a
,
. While we'd be hard pressed to place it on our countertop, it's sure to beat giving your dog lover one more oven mitt in the shape of their favorite animal.
84 Don’t Be a Jerk-er
Tired of your dog walking you, instead of you walking your dog? Well, someone has finally devised an ergonomically correct pet-walking device called the
Like one of those resistance bands you use at the gym, this flexible rubber tubing delivers a force-inhibiting stretch that will lessen the stress you and your pet encounter on your daily outings and allow you to stop jerking them around—literally.
85 It’s Chewy and Jew-y!
Why should gentile pets get all the goodies? It's not just about what goes in the tummy at progressive pet-food supplier
236-6971). They also have gifts, including the purr-fect item for the Hebrew hound or kosher kitty. It's the
). A blue-and-white denizen of the deep with "gefilte" emblazoned on its side, this footlong plush dreidel alternative even says "oy vey!" when squeezed in the middle. Now, could it hurt for you to call your mother?
86 Every Dog Has His Book
Groucho Marx got it right: "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." That said, there's a ton of literature dedicated to the ruff-'n'-tumble world of pets and pet ownership. Here's just a few to choose from: For the person who considers their dog part of the family, Patricia McConnell's
(Powell's City of Books
delves into the deep bonds we make with our pets. In
little Alfie passes from puppyhood to full adulthood with his very own "bark" mitzvah. Written by Shari Cohen, the book includes a CD of children's songs created especially for the book by Cantor Marcelo Gindlin. And for those who need help with their pet's ultimate passing, pet-loss support expert Enid Traisman hands out copies of her
free of charge to grieving pet owners at DoveLewis Animal Hospital.
Gimme More
Lost in Translation:
"Blah, blah, meow?" Now you can finally discover what that look means with
by Michael Fertig ($7, Friends' Library Store, Multnomah County Library, 801 SW 10th Ave., 988-6762). Poor thing's been misunderstood for years.
Who Says Cows Aren’t Tuff?
Even if your puppy is a vegetarian, they can still have fun with "Bevo the Bull" ($31.99, Pet Loft, 6333 SW Macadam Ave., #104, 244-9538), one of the strongest plush toys on the market.
Slug Bug:
This Slug Family
, made by local company Trillium Artisans, includes a mommy slug and a baby slug filled with catnip.
WWeek 2015