Nama "Stay" - Puppies & Kittens Strike Yoga Poses For 2011 Calendars.

above: Prince does the Adho Mukha Vrkhasana, or handstand

How do you top Dogs and Cats doing yoga? Why with puppies and kittens striking the enlightened poses, of course.



After great success with his Yoga Dogs and Yoga Cats calendars in 2009 and 2010, Texas photographer Dan Borris has come out with Yoga Puppies and Kitten calendars for 2011.


The 2011 Yoga Puppies Calendar:

Some of the puppies from the 2011 Calendar:

above: Liza does the Virasana, or hero pose

above: Kerrigan does the Ardha-Chandrasana, or half-moon pose

above: Pansy does the Bitilasana, or cat-cow variation

The 2011 Yoga Kittens Calendar:

Some of the kittens from the 2011 calendar:

above: Candy also does the Virasana, or hero pose

above: Miles does the Dhyana, or self-inquiry pose

above: Randy does the Vyaghrasana, or tiger pose variation

above: Skittles does the Urdhva Dhanurasana, or backbend preparation

The Yoga Dogs 2011 calendar, shown below, will be in stock soon.




above: The 2010 Yoga Dogs and Yoga cats were bestsellers.

About:
Five years ago photographer Dan Borris came across his first Yoga Dog. Otis was a two-year-old English Bull Terrier who loved to do yoga with his friend Joy. Joy would be practicing her yoga in the mornings while Otis wandered around her legs, stopping now and again to lick her face as she did a headstand. Slowly but surely Otis began to imitate Joy. At first he tried out simple poses, ones that came naturally to him like Downward and Upward Dog. As time went on Otis's poses became more and more complex, until finally he began his own practice. While Otis himself wasn't captured on film, he did lead Dan on his path to finding other four-legged Yogis.

The original two-legged Yogis discovered poses by observing and imitating the movement of animals. Now the practice has come full circle and it's the dogs that are imitating us! You can see the absolute delight they take in their yoga and when they practice you can feel their profound concentration.



You can buy the 12 " x 12" calendars directly from their site, but pssst! they are cheaper at the links below:



thanks to Dan Borris and The Guardian for the images

Doggy Style. Picking Up Poo With Aplomb.

The ultimate gift for cosmopolitan dog lovers. Dog poo bags, designed by jungeschachtel, are the most stylish, hygienic and environmentally friendly way to pick up that stinky stuff your canine leaves behind.



The packaging is beautifully designed - both the box in which the bags are packaged as well as the individual bags:




Each box contains 16 bags, two of each design shown below:




Super easy to use, the bags are 100% biodegradable:



The idea for dog poo bags was born out of their passion for dogs and design. The daily walks with Cuno, the agency's dog (shown in the picture at the top of the post at 3 months old), served as a source of inspiration.



Dog poo bags are sold on designspray or directly from jungeschachtel here.

Seriously Cute Cable Management from Copenhagen. Meet Woofy.

Earlier this week I wrote a post about cable management and charging stations, but little did I know that one of the cutest forms of cable management was about to hit the market; Woofy for Normann Copenhagen.





Okay, actually I did know it was about to hit the market, only I forgot until I received the invite to the extremely cool launch party in Denmark (see below) for Woofy in black:



Woofy comes in white, this new black edition is a limited release only:


Woofy was designed by Gabriel Nigro (shown below with Woofy) and is made of hardened plastic.


He’s cute, smart and doesn’t bite – normann copenhagen presents your new friend…

Introducing Woofy, our new addition to the normann family. Woofy is a cable container dog with many good qualities, designed by Gabriel Nigro. Woofy is your new friend and a personalised way to conceal cables.

The story of Woofy is one of experiences, of pleasure and love of design. Woofy’s Dad is Gabriel Nigro and the idea for Woofy came about during a visit to one of Gabriel’s friends, who happened to have cables lying around all over his flat. On the way home, Gabriel began drawing, and by the time he was finished Woofy was born.

Woofy never needs to be walked, fed or trained. His fur is smooth and he doesn’t cause allergies or wet the floor. Woofy can conceal your cables in his tummy and he will always be there when you need him.



Dimensions:
Width: 20 cm
Height: 33 cm
Length: 48 cm

Price: $200 USD

Woofy will be sold in stores and online here beginning the end of August 2007.



Normann Copenhagen

In Memoriam

Abbey

March 7, 1993 - May 12, 2007

As some of you know, my dearest friend and devoted canine companion of 10 years, Abbey, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last september. After pallative treatment of chemo and radiation in October, and several efforts at staving off infections with various antibiotics (and yet making sure she has a positive quality of life), at the age of 14, she is finally leaving me.

A jack russell terrier with tons of attitude who was smart as a whip and equally as beautiful, her absence will leave a hole in more lives than just my own.

Not everyone understands what the love of a dog can do for your life. I am thankful that I do. Abbey basically saved mine by coming into my world at a point when I was suffering from severe depression, a broken heart and was painfully lonely.

I never had any pets growing up. Well, okay, not entirely true. I did have some of those tiny turtles in a plastic bowl with a fake palm tree and a hamster named Cream Puff, but never knew what it was like to have a pet who curled up with you during an afternoon nap or lick your face in the morning to wake you. The birthday wish I made as I closed my eyes and blew out the candles from age 5 to age 16 was to have a dog.

I'm forever grateful to my friend Kim, who was Abbey's original mommy but whose life at the time was complicated and wasn't the best for raising a dog. She saw that I needed something to love and she generously let me adopt Abbey in 1998. Not once did she ever ask for Abbey back nor during her numerous and frequent visits over the following years, did she make me feel like Mommy #2. Because of her generosity, I had the wonderful unparalleled experience of having Abbey for 10 years.

Abbey and I drove across the country, just the two of us, twice. She was my partner in strange hotels and adventures in towns I'd previously never seen. The perfect road trip companion, she never wanted to change the radio and not once asked "Are we there yet?" She helped make every unfamiliar place comforting. She gave me strength to do things I'd never undertake alone.

I moved to Michigan for work in 2003 and returned in 2006. Part of what made that experience endurable and void of homesickness was Abbey. Wherever she was became home to me.

It will be hard to adjust to life without Abbey. In the past ten years there were very few nights she did not sleep tucked under the covers with me. More often than not, hers was the last face I saw before going to sleep and the first face I saw as I woke. But, like all living things, no matter how wonderful, she cannot grace the world forever.

She is being peacefully euthanized today in the comfort of her home, in the safety of my arms. And someday, someday I hope to see her again. To hold her, to let her nuzzle her snout in my neck and to give her kisses on the belly.

Until then I can happily say I have no regrets. None at all. I'm so happy that I spoiled her rotten, put her needs before mine, and spent every penny on everything from gourmet dog food, beautiful collars, the finest medical care and all those deposits for hotel rooms.

It was completely worth it.



Goodbye Sweet Abbey.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below are a few of my favorite pictures from the past ten years:


Abbey, 1999


"Abbeytude" 2000


Abbey, 2002


Portrait, 2002 photo by Jon Pearce


The perfect passenger, road trip 2003


Dec. 2005

Luxuriating in bed, 2006


Napping in a hotel in Sante Fe, 2006


March 2007


April, 2007


Yesterday: Abbey sleeping peacefully on the porch the last day before her death.

5 Star Hotels Have Gone To The Dogs: LA Dogworks

They say that all dogs go to heaven.
Well, here in LA it seems they can spend their life on this earth in heaven as well.


LA DOGWORKS is Los Angeles’ first exclusive dog Mecca. Our state-of-the-art, 7,500 square foot retreat boasts:

• 2,500 square foot indoor dog park


• exclusive spa treatments: aromatherapy and hydrotherapy




• dental hygiene

• grooming



• unique retail experience



• education

• training


• car service


• day care


• boarding


Recruiting leading industry professionals to create a pleasant and contemporary aesthetic; LA DOGWORKS is equipped with ultra-modern technology to ensure the highest level of health and safety for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

Our five-star membership resort, located in the heart of Hollywood, is an American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA) member, and has required all staff to become certified pet care technicians through the ABKA.



Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, our professionally trained and certified staff will be at your dog’s bark and call.

For additional information, click here.
(323) 461-5151