This year’s James Beard Awards, known as the “Oscars of the Food World,” were held on May 7th, and presented by Food Network’s Alton Brown. The foundation has been honoring the top chefs in the industry since 1990; past winners include famed restaurateurs and chefs such as; Mario Batali, Michael Symon, David Chang, Jean George Vongerrichten, and Thomas Keller.

The James Beard Awards winner’s 2012 include; Outstanding Wine Program: No. 9 Park – Boston, Best Chef: Michael Anthony – Gramercy Tavern, New York City, Outstanding Restaurant: Boulevard – San Francisco, Humanitarian of the Year: Charlie Trotter’s – Chicago, Outstanding Chef: Daniel Humm, Eleven – Madison Park, New York City.

He was probably the best-fed dog in canine history. He never ate dog food from a can or a bag.  The house steward cooked his meals for him every day.  Of course, if your owner was one of the greatest culinary figures in American history, you would turn your nose up at processed dog food, too.  His name was Percy and he was a chunky pug owned by the late epicurean giant, James Beard, author of 22 cookbooks, food writer and cooking teacher – often referred to as the “Father of American Gastronomy” and “The Father of American Cuisine.”

Percy’s spirit lives at the historic James Beard House located at 167 West 12th Street in the heart of Greenwich Village in New York City.  This is where Mr. Beard lived, worked and entertained culinary figures from the legendary Julia Child to aspiring young chefs who are now stars in their own right.  The James Beard Foundation, which is headquartered in this four-story town home, is a not-for-profit organization established in 1986 after Beard’s death to support and promote the culinary arts.  Today the Foundation has more than 4,500 members throughout the United States.  Each spring it holds the prestigious annual James Beard Awards, which are the highest honors any culinary professional can attain.

The Foundation has given away more than one million dollars in scholarships to aspiring culinary students.  The James Beard House is considered the Carnegie Hall of fine dining; to receive an invitation to cook at the Beard House is, indeed, an honor for any chef.  The James Beard House holds nearly 20 events each month featuring chefs and wines from around the world.  For one price, a guest can enjoy a multi-course menu paired with fine wines and meet the artists who prepared the meal.  It is a different show every night at The James Beard House where the chefs are the performers and the audience ‘eats’ it all – literally.

Percy the pug lived in this house during Jim Beard’s later years.  Clayton Triplette was Beard’s longtime house steward, a position he still holds today.  “One day I came to work and there was Mr. Percy at the head of the stairs. Someone had given the dog to Mr. Beard as a gift,” says Triplette.  “At first Mr. Beard was concerned because he thought I didn’t like dogs, but I grabbed Percy and gave him a big hug.”

Triplette was in charge of preparing Percy’s daily meals. “His favorite dish was chopped carrots and miniature meatballs,” says Triplette.  Beard was careful not to indulge Percy with restaurant leftovers.  However, according to Triplette, Beard’s companion, Gino Coffaci, slipped him hot dogs (without the bun), filet mignon and chopped livers from time to time.

Percy had the run of Beard’s house and would sit next to Beard on a small ottoman, which Triplette had covered with a special fabric.  Percy slept with James Beard in his ‘tomato-soup-red’ bedroom with a giant mirror over the bed.  Yes, Mr. Beard was as colorful in his lifestyle as he was about food!  Today, Beard’s bedroom and upstairs living quarters are filled with mementos from cookbooks to photographs, and it is still painted ‘tomato-soup-red’ thanks to an extensive renovation effort undertaken by The James Beard Foundation to preserve  The Beard House. Members and guests dine in Beard’s bedroom and salon, which seat around 60.

James Beard was famous for wearing bow ties, and for special dining occasions, Percy would don a bow tie, too.  According to Triplette, Percy even had his own version of a tuxedo.  The relationship between man and dog had its ups and downs, however.  Percy would become jealous when Beard went out on the town without him and would jump on his master’s bed and wet the pillow.  Because Beard relied on a cane, it was often difficult for him to walk Percy outside the townhouse.  A friend gave Beard a plastic fire hydrant to place in his landscaped garden for Percy to use.

Beard died in 1985, and Percy followed his master a few years later.  Today he is remembered in photographs taken with Beard and is mentioned in two biographies written about James Beard.  Percy became the mascot for The James Beard Foundation.  A few years ago the Foundation created a “Percy Bag” for event leftovers.  The canvas tote bag as well as T-shirts with Percy dressed in a trademark Beard bowtie can be purchased at The James Beard House.

Membership to The James Beard Foundation is open to both culinary professionals as well as “aficionados” of fine food and beverage.  In addition to receiving special invitations, and discounts to Foundation events, members receive Beard House Magazine, a glossy, bi-monthly filled with profiles of chefs, food news and recipes, and a Beard House Calendar listing Foundation events.

For more information on The James Beard Awards winners visit: 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards.

For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy and Lucky Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!

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       Lucky consoles Oscar Nuñez star of The Office after he bombed at the Betty White Friar’s Roast, but he made up for it and was the bomb at the after party where he had everyone rolling over with laughter.

A-list celebrities and mega stars, two and four legged, turned out in force Wednesday for The Friars Club Roast of entertainment royalty and animal advocate legend – Betty White! Attendees included; Uggie, Lucky, Barbara Walters, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, Bethenny Frankel, Regis Philbin, Matt Lauer, Joy Behar, Victor Garber, Liza Minnelli, and Valerie Harper who were just a few of the notables that gathered at the Sheraton hotel in midtown Manhattan.

The dogs were fed better than there human counterparts with Nature’s Variety supreme all natural raw food station! As usual we spent our afternoon with the underdog of the roast – The Office‘s Oscar Nunez – - yes he bombed! Lucky was there with open paws to console this wounded actor!

Lucky hung out with Carol of Blog Paws!

Oscar Nuñez of The Office knows who loves and appreciates an underdog!

The Artist‘s Uggie and The Underdog Lucky reunite at the Nature’s Variety Dog Food Station!

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“All trees have bark. All dogs bark. Therefore, all dogs are trees.”

                                                    Anonymous

Dogs, humans, and all earthly breathing creatures, can’t live without trees. Trees create cleaner oxygen, and without oxygen in the air, we would all be kaput! Since dogs inhale and bark out into the air, and trees create the air dogs breathe, they are united and one! Trees have bark, dogs have bark, so let’s stop pussy footing around, and save both!

The Funniest Dog photo - Dogs in line for the toilet tree!

Every single cell in a canine’s furry body needs oxygen. Here’s the barking new; dogs (and you) inhale oxygen gas, and then exhale carbon dioxide. Trees take over and absorb the carbon dioxide from the air through the leaves, turn it into sugar, and make it a special treat (tree food), then release gases not used back into the air. Busy trees keeping us all purring!

We owe a great deal of appreciation and support to our leafed defenders – the trees. Dogs and pet parents can’t survive in an environment with purely carbon dioxide air. Simply, we would roll over and die! So the next time you walk your dog, and it leans in to mark a standing tree, remember they have a special bond, they both bark. And as a society that often takes much for granted, we should do everything we can to save and rescue both trees that give life, and animals that give love…

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Black dog sniffing a path of bubbles!

You see it everywhere — on street corners, in the pantry, among cornstalks in cornfields, in the snow, ruffling through the garbage, even in thin air.  In all these places and so many more, we find dogs and their companion noses, searching, seeking, something.  Dogs are always following their buzzing noses, and there is something alluring about their dedication to scent.  They are so committed to whatever little surprise they may find at the end of their snouts’ journey (and according to them, hopefully the little surprise is either meat or another animal).

It’s not necessarily a shocker.  And there’s a pretty straightforward reason for dogs’ compulsion for sniffing: biology.  As opposed to humans, whose principle sense is that of sight, dogs rely far less on their weak vision (being red-green colorblind is only the beginning of their eye issues…) and far more on their keen sense of smell.  And when I say keen, I mean KEEN.  The area of the brain that registers smell is roughly 40 times larger in a dog than in a human.  Humans have around 5 million scent detectors. Hounds, on the other hand, have 300 million.

The sense of smell is incredibly helpful for dogs, whose traditional tactics for self-sufficiency involve hunting.  Humans can’t always SEE the squirrel hiding behind the group of flowers, but the dogs can always smell it.  Dogs are indeed highly capable of discerning movement with their eyes, despite their poor vision.  But this capability is relatively unhelpful, compared to the power of their noses, which are somewhere between 100,000 and 1,000,000 times more sensitive to smell than the human nose.

Most people know that dogs are sniffers. But what people typically don’t know is the importance of the wet nose.  Ever wonder why your dog’s nose is always wet?  This too plays a useful role, for the humidity allows dogs to minutely detect the direction of the wind that delivers a scent.  In other words, dogs not only smell very well, but they have the built-in capacity to know exactly where the smell is coming from. Read: hunters.

Imagine what the experience of extreme smell sensitivity must be like for a dog in a world complicated with thousands of smells.  For humans, the majority of them go undetected. And thankfully so, considering how bewildering it must to take them all in at once.  But dogs love to smell, so the problem is a good one.  Dogs have an extreme attraction to certain smells, in particular, like meat, other dogs, other animals in general, excrement, humans, raw food, and road kill.  Basically anything that was once or is still alive, and certainly anything strong enough that it makes even a human’s ears stick up.  The prevalence of meat/animals/humans makes sense, though, as dogs have always first used their noses as a means to find food.  Once again – hunters…

Dr. Bruce Fogle, D.V.M, Ph.D., notes, “Odors have a powerful influence on both the behavior and the physiology of the dog.”  Smell is involved in so much of a dog’s experience, ranging from its everyday survival to the way it behaves (hence our dogs bark for some people at the door but not others, depending on whose scent they recognize).  Their capacity for fragrance is inextricably bound to the rest of its life.  For dogs, smell is not everything (but what would they be without loving parents?!), it’s darn close to being everything.  The nose is essential, and every dog nose it.

For the Best that Pet Lifestyle has to offer follow Wendy and Lucky Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!

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 Hec-lin Designs for Dogs by Roberto Negrin is a canine couture line showcasing elegant gowns for dogs and their pet parents. Negrin was inspired to design by his Poodle, Hec-lin, after his dog won a design costume contest in New York City. When Negrin designed a Pope Costume for Karen Biehl and her dog Eli worn at Animal Fair Media’s annual Halloween Canine Costume Party, the press went crazy and Negrin’s design company took off! The rest as they say is canine couture history!

Animal Fair Media’s Wendy Diamond met up with Roberto Negrin as he designed her stunning pink gown, and Lucky’s outfit for Lucky’s Fairy Tail Bridal Shower this week!

WD:  What inspired you to become a doggie clothes designer?

RN:  My Poodle Hec-lin and my love of fashion. We wanted to participate in a beauty pageant for dogs, and since we weren’t t able to afford something that matched our taste so I asked my mom to make it. She doesn’t care for dogs much but she has amazing sewing skills. She designed an outfit that was runner up for the crown!

As time passed we started going to more dog-related events.  I wanted my dog to look her absolute best, so I convinced my mother to teach me how to use the sewing machine. People started to ask me who made her clothing and when I told them I was doing it myself the people started to place orders with me.

One special event that was instrumental in getting my name out there as a pet fashion designer was the Animal Fair Media Halloween Costume Party. I designed a Pope Costume for Karen Biehl and her dog Eli; the press went crazy and my unexpected business started. In NYC due to the season changes we dress up our dogs and my job is make the dogs clothes as fun as possible.

WD:  Which high-profile global dog do you desire to dress?

RN:  I would say the presidential dog; “Bo”. I dream of meeting Obama and I think dressing Bo would give me a better chance. But deep inside me I believe every dog deserves to get dressed up and have a loving home.

WD:  If you were to compare yourself to an iconic fashion designer, who would it be?

RN:  I would say the flavor and color palettes of Oscar de la Renta mixed with the architectural elements of Alexander McQueen.

WD:  What four legged animals now reside in your couture doghouse?

RN:  I have four rescue dogs; Hec-lin a 5-year- old toy Poodle. She’s my first dog and a great inspiration.  She was left in a vet clinic in Queens when she was only three weeks young with health problems. We prevented them from putting her down. We provided Hec-lin with therapy for three months and now she’s a professional health dog model.

My DJ is four-year-old Chihuahua, given to me by a friend. Since that day he never left and has a permanent place in my heart and home. Sweet Abby is a three-year-old Yorkie/mix, who was on sale to support her mom’s knee surgery. And Athena is a one and a half year old Chihuahua I adopted from a Canadian animal rescue group.  She originally had a respiratory illness and hypoglycemia, and now is healthier than ever.

WD:  Do you specifically design and dress up all your dogs?

RN:  Yeah, all my dogs enjoy dressing up, from a simple dress to the most elaborate costumes with masks, head pieces, and shoes. They also have their own modeling careers, and have been featured on TV, and in magazines, books and calendars. They might just be rescue dogs and not AKC materials, but they are my soul and keep my motor running…

WD:  Are they your design muses?

RN:  My dogs are my furry muses, I get so creatively inspired by nature when we go for long walks.

To see Wendy & Lucky Diamond in an original Roberto Negrin design at Lucky’s Fairy Tail Bridal Shower visit: Lucky’s Fairy Tail Bridal Shower – Tea, Tails & Tiffany’s!:

Lucky and Wendy Diamond in their Custom Designs

For more information on Hec-lin Couture for Dogs by Roberto Negrin visit:  WWW.HEC-LIN.COM

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BARKING  NEWS  – Church bells are RINGING  for Lucky Diamond – she’s getting married!  The bigger news?  She’s still searching for the puppy love of her life.  Right now, we’re doing a major pet hunt to find the perfect match for Lucky, a loving animalto take her paw in holy mutt-imony.

Lucky is getting married!

Lucky, a beautiful Maltese rescued by Wendy in 1999, is a top-of-the-line, take-no-prisoners, to-be-seen-with dog.  Her life story is an incredible one — from the streets to the shag rugs, she has managed to constantly attract love and affection.  She’s in the Guinness Book of World Records, after all!  She has been rocked in the arms of lucky celebrities all over the world and has the photographs to prove it: Bill Clinton, Sting, Rosie O’Donnell, Betty White, Snoop Dogg, and so many more! Her entire life has been dedicated to helping her fellow underdogs promoting animal rescue and welfare!   But maybe there comes a time in every dog’s life when it is time to settle down…

Lucky has some thoughts about her perfect companion, though is flexible and open to persuasion.  Is she looking for a kind, strong, male counterpart – or only interested in bitches?  A tall Golden blonde hunky retriever or a multicultural manly mutt?  Is Lucky looking for a pure-bred?  An award winning show animal?  A shelter animal looking for a loving home? A city slicker dog who can contribute gossip and style, or a country outdoor cat providing fresh air, quiet nights and warmth?  Maybe she’s looking for a yappy breed catering to intellectual conversation?  YOU TELL US!

Lucky doesn’t want wedding gifts but requests that you sponsor a dog (or cat) at your Local Humane Society by donating.  Lucky has been diagnosed with spleen cancer and was given three months to a year to live, so getting married is on her bucket list! She wants nothing more than her groom to carry on her lifelong legacy of advocacy for the underdog!

To enter the contest, just like  Wendy and Lucky Diamond Animal Fair on Facebook, post a photo of your pet’s name with a caption, breed, and where you found the animal and why Lucky should marry your pet on the page! Lucky is searching for her soul mate to carry on her legacy of animal adoption and rescue. The more philanthropic and heartwarming your pet’s story is – the more Likes you’ll receive for your “Likeable Story!”  So get all your pet’s fans to like your photo so that your pet can be apart of the fairyTAIL wedding of the century! The Ten most (liked) eligible pets will be picked as final contenders, and the nine runner ups that court Lucky will be invited to the wedding as her guests. Tickets will also be available with all donations going to Lucky’s favorite charity.  Lucky will sniff out the winner and her nose will know who the lucky groom is!  The decision will be announced on Animal Fair and on Facebook June 28, 2012 (two weeks in advance of the July 12th wedding).

*Winners will have to provide for their own transportation. Accommodations are donated by the Jumeirah Essex House Hotel. July 12, 2012 is the wedding date at the Fabulous pet friendly Jumeirah Essex House Hotel!  The winner will be given a wedding gift to keep personally from us at Animal Fair valued at $2,000.00.

Tickets are limited! If you are interested in attending Lucky’s Fairy Tale Wedding, reserve yours today!

For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy and Lucky Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!

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It was tea for two (and the four legged set) at Kimpton’s pet-friendly Muse Hotel with Ginger, the hotel’s Director of Pet Relations dog hosting Lucky’s FairyTail Bridal Shower.

Lucky's FairyTail Bridal Shower!

The entire room décor was a stunning light blue and soft white Tea, Tails & Tiffany’s theme. Honest Kitchen dog tea was served with Pupcakes made by the hotel’s chef. TLC’s DC Cupcakes sisters; Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis sent Tiffany blue icing cupcakes for the ladies on two feet!

Dylan’s Candy Bar filled the table with sparkling blue and white crystal rock, chocolate and gumballs candy (a big NO for the dogs). There were entertaining Sniffany dog toys for all! The celebrating canines mingled and barked on the floor while drinking water with their own Pupcakes. The ladies sat at the elegant long table, sipped tea, ate finger sandwiches, and the Les Compagnons wine kept flowing.

We preferred to have Tea on the floor with the dogs!

The guests of honor Wendy and Lucky Diamond shined in elegant pink dresses designed by Roberto Negrin. The charming guests arrived with their dogs dressed to the nines (yes, the dogs too!) including; Dylan Lauren, Loreen Arbus, Harriet Rose Katz, Camilla Webster, Valerie Diker, Tamsen Fadal, Jessica Abo, Dina Fanai, Kim Mcall, Ericka Nelson , Valerie Fontaine Kempner and the fabulous Anne Marie Karash and Rebecca Myers from the Humane Society of New York.

The dogs had so much that Dylan Lauren’s dog Jersey stripped Lucky of her pink hat and chewed it to bits!  Glad that’s all he took off the bride-to-be.  Lucky’s not one to strip – after all it wasn’t her bachelorette party!

The Humane Society of New York brought Dylan a Dachshund/mix and Hope a Terrier/mix to the event; both are dogs up for adoption! Instead of gifts Lucky requested that all her guests sponsor a dog (or cat) at the Humane Society of New York!

Check here to see more photos of the fabulous shower!

Lucky’s bridal shower was in honor of her upcoming summer nuptials at the fabulous and pet-friendly Jumeirah Essex House on Central Park, July 12^th, 2012.

Lucky thanks everyone who catered and attended her Fairy Tail Bridal Shower; it was a high tea she will forever remember!

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Ed Begley and his dog Bernie go green!

Celebrate Earth Day with Ed Begley!  TV and movie actor, environmental and animal advocate, Ed Begley, Jr. can be seen riding his bicycle everywhere in Hollywood (his personal version of recycling) while practicing the green mission motto; “take action yourself”!

Begley has starred in movies such as; the Seth Rogan/Judd Apatow hit film, Pineapple Express, as well as many Christopher Guest films, including; A Mighty Wind, Best In Show, and For Your Consideration. Other film credits Begley can be proud of include; Batman Forever, The Accidental Tourist and The In-Laws. His television credits include; Gary Unmarried, Recount with Kevin Spacey, Tom Wilkinson and Laura Dern, and recurring roles on Six Feet Under, Arrested Development and Boston Legal.

His environmental community work has earned him prestigious awards from; the California League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Coalition for Clean Air, Heal the Bay and the Santa Monica Baykeeper. Begley has lent his time and support to over 18 environmental organizations including; the Environmental Media Association, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Thoreau Institute,  Earth Communications Office, Tree People and Friends of the Earth, among many others.

Begley lives in a self-sufficient solar powered home near Los Angeles with his wife Rachelle, young daughter, and their adopted dog, Bernie. He created his own natural green product line called; Begley’s Earth Responsible Products and supports “greening your pet”. Animal Fair Media’s Wendy Diamond recently met with Begley to find out all the healthy details.

WD:  Ed, what do you feel is important when you have a dog and how to keep your home green?

EB:   One of the most important things you have to do with your dogs, with your other children, and if you will, your homosapein children, any of your kids.  You don’t wanna have a lot of toxics around; you don’t wanna have any toxics around. Eliminate all that stuff.  Many years ago, I started with all this green stuff back in 1970, and started using all biodegradable soaps and detergents, using vinegar, water, baking soda, stuff that was very cheap too!  This can be very cost effective so you wanna get all that stuff out from under your sink, out from your home, don’t put it on your carpet, don’t put it on your floor, cause what do dogs do? What do cats do? They lick the floor, they clean themselves, and their paws are constantly in it. So if you have a bunch of toxic elements around, they’re gonna get sick from it, guaranteed.

WD: Do you feel that vinegar and water actually cleans as well as green products?

EB: Yeah, vinegar and water cleans good for somebody on a strict budget, but it smells like vinegar, and a lot of people don’t want that vinegar smell. There are other products, Seventh Generation makes some wonderful products and the IVA, line of non toxic cleaning products, are very very good! But you don’t have to get mine, any of the good non toxic cleaning products that are out there, at a place like Whole Foods or online.

WD: You’ve been living green since 1970 – do you have any medical issues now compared to other people?

EB: I’m 62-years-old, I’m a vegetarian and lived a pretty non toxic life since 1970.  So, I’m in pretty good shape.  I’ve been to my high school  reunion, whatever I’m doing, I think I’m gonna keep doing it!  You know, diet has a lot to do with it, exercise has a lot to do with it, but my generation is the first generation to get hit with so many toxic elements in day to day life.  You sleep on a polyurethane mattress; use all these nasty cleaning supplies that are on your carpet or your floor.  You clean up the sink with all this stuff, you go to the dry cleaners, you have per-chloroethylene that you breath in when your there, and it’s on your legs when you put our pants on.  You’re exposed to Ethylene dibromide, when you pump your gas. I’ll spare you the chemistry that you encounter everyday of your life, but it’s a lot.  And so the synergy of all those chemicals together can be very damaging to a lot of people.  Many people have chemical sensitivity, and I’ve been away from that kind of toxic chemistry for some time, and I feel very healthy, so something’s working right and same with my family. My family is in good health because we don’t have toxic elements in the home.

WD: What is your dog Bernie’s feeding diet?

EB: He likes a little bit of wet food on top of some dry food.  We get the best high quality stuff that they have; Castren Pollicis is a good brand, and other organic brands like Newman’s Own, they have these at Whole Foods. I just go and I try different ones, Nature’s Recipe, Bernie really likes that, this brand has good whole food in it; peas and carrots.

WD: How did you find Bernie, did you adopt him?

EB: My wife found him online, at a place called Bark n’ Bitches on Fairfax.

WD: Gotta love that name, tell us more.

EB:  She found this wonderful dog online. Bark n’ Bitches is one of those great places that finds out the day, usually April 2^nd,  when animals are set to be euthanized. Sadly our little angel Bernie was set to go on April 2^nd. At some point before noon on April 2^nd , Bark n’ Bitches and other wonderful places take these animals, and they keep them in a wonderful environment on Fairfax Ave, wherever they have room, and post the animals on their website, and send out e-mails to people like my wife, a wonderful sap like my wife.  We saw this dog needed a home, so we went and met this dog and we tried a few other dogs. We had another one that was very cute, looked a lot like Bernie, but was a real nipper, I mean draw blood nipper, drew blood a couple of times with my daughter and some friends.  So maybe this wasn’t the best dog for our lifestyle, and then we found Bernie and he’s a great dog, very good natured, does not nip.  Has one little issue we had to work on, he’s one of those dogs that likes to mark and go to the bathroom inside a bit.  But we worked with him in a kind and loving manner, and now he doesn’t do it anymore.  So Bernie’s the perfect dog now!

WD: How did you name him?

EB:  That was the name that they picked for him. I don’t know what his name was beforehand. Bernie is cute, intelligent, very smart, very good natured.  Who would drop this dog off at the pound?  Can we look in the records; was he rounded up without a collar?  They said somebody just dropped the dog off – I just couldn’t imagine somebody dropping this dog off.  Then when we saw that the dog was peeing around the house, we said “maybe that’s why”, somebody couldn’t deal with it.  We decided to deal with it, and had a training period that was nice and loving, and we got him to stop doing that.  Now he is, as has always been, a great dog.

WD: If Bernie was a celebrity, who would he be?

EB: Bernie.

WD: A green celebrity – not you?

EB: I think Bernie would be, Julia Louis Dreyfus. Cause he’s smart, he’s funny, and he’s very loving.  But wait, he’s a boy!

WD: Larry David?

EB: Larry David!  He’s a wonderful guy. Bernie wouldn’t mind being Larry David.  Who wouldn’t mind being Larry David? But Bernie’s not as funny as him. So I would say more like, Jason Alexander.  Okay you’re (looking at Bernie) Jason Alexander!

WD: With hair?

EB: With hair!

WD: Explain how you would protect a home from toxic cleaning products that can harm cats and dogs when they sniff and walk on floors, which can possibly cause cancer?

EB: I’ll tell you my opinion; we should protect our dogs, our cats, our human relationships, all our children, our loved ones, by not having all these toxic elements in the home.  Many times over the years I’ve been with other folks, we’ve gone out and protested a hazardous waste site with placards.  We don’t want this hazardous waste site near our home.  That’s a good mission, but what about the hazardous waste site that’s already in your home, the hazardous waste site that’s under your sink. Sadly a lot of people sadly have that kind of toxic chemistry right there in their home in the form of cleaning supplies, so you don’t wanna use the toxic floor cleaning products, you don’t wanna use the toxic carpet cleaning product.

WD: What exactly are in those toxic products?

EB: There are chlorinated hydrocarbons, there’s all kinds of stuff!  If it’s a chemical that you have trouble pronouncing, you might wanna steer clear of it.  You don’t really need ammonia to clean the floor; you can clean the floor without it and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Steer clear of those things, and stick with the more natural stuff.  Those products exist and they clean very well.  Plant based products, using citrus, pine, and other natural ingredients that are not as harmful, and the house gets very very clean.  Dish soap, hand soap, different things that you are encountering, your pets are encountering every day, you wanna have the non-toxic food and non-toxic cleaning supplies throughout your house, and guess what you’re all gonna be a lot healthier.

WD: Can you talk about the shampoo for dogs and the toxic ingredients versus the natural stuff?

EB: There comes a point with any wonderful dog, where you need to give the dog a bath, you want the dog to be clean. So when you do that what kind of product are you gonna use for that? There are toxic shampoos that exist with all kinds of chemicals that you wouldn’t want to encounter yourself, why put it on your pet? The toxins goes on their fur, on to their skin and it’s not good for them. They get rashes and you can tell when your dog is having a bad reaction to this stuff, so stick with the non toxic stuff that doesn’t have any of those hazardous chemicals.  Some people still think, oh it’s just for a dog, it’s not like it’s a person. Dogs have sensitive skin too and can get very sick, indeed by body weight, their even more susceptible to this stuff. You have to be very careful with what kind of cleaning supplies you use around the dog, and what kind of shampoos and other grooming aids you might use on a dog too.

WD: What are some of Bernie’s funny and crazy traits?

EB: Bernie is very funny – he’s like a little kangaroo! He can jump to a height that is incredible from just standing on the ground, he’s on all fours and suddenly he’ll leap up, like two times his height.  He’ll leap up to my shoulder level, I don’t know how he does it but he’s quite agile.

WD: Does he do it for a treat?

EB: He does it for entertainment, to get your attention, to impress you.  It’s the reason he does many things.

WD: Does he take after his father?

EB: No, he’s so gorgeous, he takes after Rachel.  He has the good looks that I don’t have.

WD: Is there anything else you want to add about pet-related green homes?

EB: No, I can’t think of anything else. You’ve touched on a lot of good stuff.

For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy and Lucky Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!

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Southern Belle-turned-Socialite Tinsley Mortimer is in-famous for her colorful fashion, high-society arm candy, and her three adorable puppies! When she’s not making a splash on Page 6, this It-girl is writing books, designing handbags for Japanese brand Samantha Thavasa, and starring in her own reality TV show, High Society. In spite of her busy schedule, Tinsley still finds time to volunteer and raise awareness for animal charities – and be a devoted mom to her four-legged babies. We caught up with Tinsley and her puppies for a chat about Chihuahuas, animal adoption, and the difference between Southern Dogs and their East Coast counterparts.

Tinsley Mortimer and her three Chihuahuas Bambi, Bella and Bebe

WD: Tons of dogs running around in your loft – How many do you have in here?

TM: Three – Bambi, Bella, and Bebe!

WD: You adopted Bambi from The Humane Society of New York. Was it puppy love at first sight?

TM: I had been volunteering for that shelter, so I knew I would eventually walk away with a new baby. Hence Bambi!

WD: Are you a Chihuahua woman?

TM: I am, and I always have been! I always wanted a small dog – and I had one before Paris Hilton.

WD: What inspired you to start adopting ?

TM: New York is still not a no-kill state, which is terrifying to me; I can’t imagine these babies not having home. I work with the American Humane Association’s Second Chance Fund, which rehabilitates abused animals and places them with responsible families, so they get another chance at a better life. I’m also a huge supporter of The Animal Medical Center, because I’m there all the time with Bella and they’ve helped her through so much. Initiatives like this are very important. I’ve done a lot of different charity work, but animal activism is really my passion, it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.

WD: Is there a difference between Southern Dogs and East Coast Dogs?

TM: In the South, there’s a lot more space, so the dogs love to be outside and run around; my dogs sometimes get scared of the concrete jungle! New York dogs definitely love their city, but mine prefer to stay indoors. They love South Hampton and Palm Beach, though, because they have more space to play outside.

WD: Tell us about your new book Southern Charm (Simon & Schuster) – does your main character, Minty Davenport, have any pets?

TM: She get’s a little white Chihuahua named Miss Jelly Belly that her boyfriend adopts and gives to her. She’s very much modeled after my little princess, Bella.

WD: If your dogs were celebrities, who would they be?

TM: They all have very unique personalities, but I’d say Bella is  Britney Spears because she loves boys and loves to have all the attention.

Unfortunately, Tinsley’s beloved Bella passed away last week, but we’re sure her baby has found her way to greener pastures. Who knows; she could even be the pop star of puppy heaven! Be sure to check out Tinsley’s book, Southern Charm, to read more about the charmed life of her heroine Minty Davenport – and her glamorous pet. Southern Charm is at your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy today!

For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy and Lucky Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!

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Lucky Diamond in her  bridal shower outfit designed by Roberto Negrin.

Cheers! For a majority of festive event goers across the world, an animal bridal shower is an event honoring one thing: True Puppy Love. Throwing a pet’s bridal shower more often than not comes with a “To Do” list!

In It’s a Dog’s World, you can learn how to plan Yappy Hour®, Mutt Makeovers, Birthday Paw-ties, Bark Mitzvahs and a number of other canine parties, all encouraging a way to celebrate with your pets, but partying with your pets come with one warning – absolute no drinking for your dogs.

When planning a pet bridal shower, there are a few important steps to remember and incorporate.

Doggie Bridal Shower Theme

You can design your bridal shower invitations with his/her paw print on them, and coordinate the entire party room with doggie-themed table cloths, amenities, and flavors (treat favors for dogs and pet parents).

If you’re planning to serve food, make sure you have human-friendly and pet-friendly treats, such as canine cupcakes. So all your guests including pet parents and dogs have plenty to enjoy! Don’t forget water bowls for the furry four-legged partiers!

Send out your pet bridal shower invitations in advance, so all your guests, furry or not, have enough time to mark their calendars.

If your dog is comfortable having their picture taken, hire or designate a photographer to take photos of the proud pooch with her guests, this makes a memorable keepsake for you and your bridal shower guests.

Goodie bags are optional, but you might give a thankful doggie goodie bag with some fun memorable tokens of appreciation, including; doggie treats, a fun safe small toy, a gift certificate to a doggie boutique, or restaurant where both pet parents and dogs are welcomed.

Any bridal shower gifts that are given to your pet can be donated to a local dog shelter, or write on the invitation that you would prefer donations made to a local shelter in your pet’s name.

And don’t forget to bark out those thank you notes to all guests that spent the memorable day with you and your pet!

If you are serving adult alcoholic drinks to pet parents, don’t let your dog indulge no matter how much fun their having! The scary part is that dogs are sometimes attracted to alcoholic beverages in all forms and sadly, they can die after a single taste. In fact, hundreds of dogs do get sick and suffer death from alcohol ingestion each year.

If you indeed suspect your pet has slurped up some ale or an icy cocktail, look for the warning signs that include vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and lack of coordination. If your dog exhibits these signs after being in contact with alcohol, consult your vet immediately.

Certainly if you want to share the merriment of the festivities with your dog, including the old fashion drinking of beer, there is a way to bypass sickness if your dog desires to dip in! Pet product companies have already launched a number of pet-friendly, non-alcoholic beers.

Try these canine event drinks:

Bowser Beer Ale – a non-alcoholic beer high in protein, containing Glucosamine which essential for maintaining healthy joints.

Happy Tail Ale – a non alcoholic, non-carbonated beer with Vitamin E and Glucosamine to help promote healthy joints and a bright, shiny coat.

Going to events and parties with your pets is an animal lovers’ dream, but never risk your dog’s life for a thrill. Keep open alcoholic containers away from dogs (sometimes they can be attracted to the smell/taste) and be smart when you celebrate!

For doggie party cakes, cupcakes and treats visit: www.threedog.com

For party supplies for a pet events visit: www.puppyliciousnyc.com

For specially designed doggie invites visit: www.rory-mackay.com.

Lucky is getting married! If you want to enjoy a fairyTAIL wedding – come to Luckys!

For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy and Lucky Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!

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