Northern Virginia Dog Blog Your Source for Canine Information and Fun!

Do you get irate about the way some of your neighbors manage or treat their dogs? We know we do. From dogs left outside alone in the rain for too long (as occurred in our neighborhood Monday. Yes, we telephoned our neighbor and left a gentle reminder on their voice mail) to dogs who are tethered to dogs who get hit for barking, we sometimes feel as though there's no end to the lack of responsibility, at the very least, of some people when it...

... and you know what that means here on the Northern Virginia Dog Blog: we start planning for NEXT weekend!  Fortunately, there are two great dog-friendly events to take our canine companions to: -- the 8th Annual Dog-tober Day and Barkers Bash, sponsored by Arlington County, this coming Saturday, October 2.   This afternoon of doggie fun and games, which includes a most novel dog show, will be held at Lacey Woods Park at 1200 N. George...

We're still marveling over OK Go's video performance of the band's song "White Knuckles." Now, from People Pets and New York magazine, come two accounts of just how much time and effort went into putting the now-viral video together.  Among the highlights: -- The video took more than a year of planning and well over 100 attempts to produce the final product. --  The non-human members of the cast consisted of a dozen trained dogs (many...

Today's edition of The Washington Post contains an article by Steve Hendrix that no dog owner should miss. The article describes the tension between dog people and non-dog people over whether dogs should be welcome at public places that aren't specifically dog oriented.  That tension rose after a D.C. police officer shot a dog he believed posed a threat during last week's street fair in Adams-Morgan. On the one hand, says Hendrix, are dog...

On last week's installment of Bravo's The Real Housewives of D.C., cast member Lynda Erkiletian consulted a dog trainer named "Dawn" (who, as it turns out, is the same trainer who schooled First Dog Bo Obama) about whether to add another dog to her family now that Erkiletian has moved from the District to McLean. In the exchange, "Dawn" noted that her training methods are mainly positive reinforcement. But just what is positive reinforcement,...

Rescue leagues, shelters, and other charities do important work:  educating pet owners about responsible ownership, providing veterinary care to needy animals, providing free or low-cost spaying and neutering, and  finding loving homes for the animals in their care. Now you can do your part to help them succeed — by voting your favorites as they compete for grants they can use to support these activities. Four Northern Virginia Dog...

We dare you to watch this video of OK Go performing their song "White Knuckles" and not smile. You may even laugh out loud (we certainly did). ...

Here at the Northern Virginia Dog Blog, we are all about picking up our dogs' poop from the sidewalk, our own yards, and/or just about anywhere else, and putting the bagged poop in the trash. By doing so, of course, we keep that poop from entering our sewer systems and watersheds, thus helping to reduce water pollution. But wouldn't it be great if somehow we could put that poop to some use? Amazingly, a dog park in Cambridge, MA, has done...

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This coming weekend's forecast for glorious weather makes it a great opportunity for people and pooches to enjoy the great outdoors. Northern Virginia dogs and their people are lucky in that regard: the region abounds with dog parks. At their best, dog parks provide our four-legged friends not only with opportunities to blow off some steam, but also to socialize with other dogs.  Such socializing opportunities can, in many instances,...