Month: November 2013

Here is our offer: Shop with any one of the businesses listed below, through February 1, 2014. Keep your receipts, then mail (snail or email) copies of your receipts to The New Barker by February 10, 2014. The individual who visited the highest number of these businesses to either shop, dine and/or utilize their services between November 30, 2013 through February 1, 2014 will win a Free Weekend Getaway at one of our Florida Dog Friendly resorts. Be sure to let each business you visit, call or email that The New Barker sent you, and watch what happens.

Snail mail copies of receipts to The New Barker, Post Office Box 258, Dunedin, FL 34697. Email copies of receipts to info@thenewbarker.com. Business websites are listed at http://www.TheNewBarker.com/BarkOuts.html and http://www.TheNewBarker.com/VeterinaryAdvisoryBoard.htm

Did you know that non-profit organizations such as our shelters and rescue groups receive an average of 250% more support from small, locally-owned business owners than from the large, national businesses? It’s true – we’ve witnessed it firsthand from the following businesses:

BOUTIQUES & STORES

• Animal House Pet Center – St. Petersburg – 727.328.0503
• Doggie Door (The) – Winter Park – 407.644.2969
• Dog Mania & Cats – Dade City – 866.315.8744
• Fluffy Puppies Dog Boutique & Grooming – Clearwater – 727.446.7999
• Green K9 (The) – Mount Dora – Boutique, Boarding, Daycare, Grooming – 352.729.6172
• Groovy Cats & Dogs – Tampa – A health food store for dogs and cats – 813.265.1333
• One Lucky Dog Boutique & Grooming – St. Petersburg – 727.527.5825
• Paw Paws Pet Boutique – Madeira Beach – 727.329.8789
• Pawsitively Posh Pooch Classy Cats Too – St. Petersburg – Boutique, Grooming, Yappy Hour – 727.892.9303
• Pet Food Warehouse – St. Petersburg – 727.521.6191
• Pet Supplies Plus – Pinellas Park – 727.541.1199 & Clearwater – 727.726.5544
• Royal Pets Market & Resort – Tampa – 813.448.6744
• Wet Noses Boutique & Grooming – Sarasota – 941.388.DOGS

 VETERINARIANS

• Animal Hospital of Dunedin – 727.733.9351
• Care Animal Hospital of Seminole – 727.954.3994
• Country Oaks Animal Hospital & Boarding – Palm Harbor – 727.785.6524
•  Central Animal Hospital, St. Petersburg – 727.521.3518
• Davis Island Animal Clinic – 813.251.4384
• Gulfport Veterinarian – 727.384.4413
•  Medicine River Animal Hospital – Madeira Beach – 727.299.9029
• Metzler Veterinary Hospital – Clearwater – 727.669.7221
•  Tampa Bay K9 Rehabilitation – Restoring injured, post-surgical & debilitated dogs to healthier, more active lifestyles. 727.521.3518.
•  Urgent Pet Care of South Tampa – After hours emergency vet care – 813.289.4086

DAYCARE – BOARDING – GROOMING – TRAINING

• A Very Important Pet – Boarding, Daycare, Grooming, Training – 727.446.6700
• Canine Co. Dog Training – Obedience training, Pet Sitting – 813.200.4202
• Celestial Custom Dog Service – Obedience training, Pet Sitting – 813.389.4760
• Lucky Dog Daycare – Tampa – Boarding, Daycare, Grooming, Training – 813.258.DOGS (3647)
• Pasadena Pet Motel – South Pasadena – Boarding, Daycare, Grooming, Training – 727.345.2852
• Petstyles by Jennifer – Dunedin – Grooming – 727.736.2468
• Pilar’s Pet Resort – Tampa/Ybor City – 813.857.6768
• St. Pete K9 – Personal protection, Behavior Modification, Professional Obedience Training – 727.744.5914 Serving all of Florida.
• Tampa Bay Area Pet Grooming Academy – Looking for a new career? Grooming is one of the fastest growing professions, and the demand is high for good groomers. Call Shan at 813.805.0030

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

• Laura Allen Studios – Professional pet photography – 727.584.5040
• Photography by Danette – Professional pet photographer – 727.386.9738
•  Tina VaLant – Professional photographer – http://www.HaveDog.com

BUSINESS SERVICES

• Advantage Pest Control – eco-and-pet-friendly pest control for home and lawn. 727.322.3202
• Air Animal – the safer way to transport your pets across the country or around the world. 813.879.3210
• APSCO Appliances – 727.797.4434
• Curlew Hills Pet Cemetery – Palm Harbor – 727.789.2000
• F.I.D.O. Dog Liability Ins. – Orlando – Florida dog bite insurance for homeowners – serving all of Florida – http://www.dogbitequote.com
• Mastro Subaru – Tampa and Orlando – http://www.MastroSubaru.com
• Pet Friendly Pinellas Apartments – No breed or size restrictions – 727.785.1028
• Pinch Penny Press – Get all of your printing needs done here – 727.327.7468
• Your Dog’s Diner – Ingredients for homemade treats and gravy – 813.949.1345

HOTEL/B&Bs

• Heron Cay B&B – Mount Dora – 352.383.4050
• Hotel Indigo – http://www.HotelIndigo.com/Florida
• Steinhatchee Landing Resort – http://www.SteinhatcheeLanding.com – 352.498.3513
• The Chart House Suites – The only dog-friendly hotel on Clearwater Beach – 727.449.8007
• TradeWinds Island Resorts – St. Pete Beach – http://www.JustLetGo.com/fido

RESTAURANTS

• Cafe Americano – Sarasota – 941.365.1026
• Cappuccino’s Cafe & Wine Bar – Dunedin – 727.738.8009
• Columbia Restaurants – Ybor City, Riverwalk Tampa, Sarasota, St. Augustine, Celebration, Clearwater Beach
• Ferg’s Sports Bar& Grill – St. Petersburg – 727.822.4562
• Flying Dog Cafe – Sarasota – 941.359.9788
• Gaspar’s Grotto – Ybor City – 813.248.5900
• Sea Sea Riders – Dunedin – 727.734.1445
• Tangelo’s – Gulfport – 727.894.1695
• The Brown Boxer – Madeira Beach – 727.391.1704; Clearwater Beach – 727.441.6000; Clearwater – 727.799.3000
• Wildflower Cafe – Clearwater – 727.447.4497

Why are we advocating shopping local? When we shop local, more of that money spent stays within our own communities. A business transaction with an independent, locally-owned business guarantees that significantly more of our money will be used to make purchases from other local businesses. The New Barker dog magazine is a local, family-owned and operated business. We are supported by our advertisers, many of whom are also local, family-owned businesses.

Yesterday was a little dicey, weather-wise, for all of the Florida dog-friendly events. We woke up to the sound of pounding rain on the roof and immediately thought of Dox-A-Palooza that was to take place in Lakeland. No worries, though, as loyal friends and lovers of Dachshund Adoption Rescue & Education (DAREtoRescue.com) came from all over to support the 8th annual event. Representing The New Barker, Puck the Wonderful Wiener Dog, gave it his all during the Wiener Dog Races.

In Cocoa Beach, thunder and lightning kept our rover reporter Tina Valant out of the sky. As the official photDOGrapher for the Florida International Dog Surfing Championship, Tina was scheduled to go up in a helicopter to catch an eagle eye’s view. After the stormy weather subsided, dogs hit the surf with their boards, hanging 20 and breaking records. Stay connected to The New Barker dog magazine blog and Facebook page for a preview of photos.

We took a small break from working on the winter edition of The New Barker dog magazine to visit Dunedin’s 50th Annual Art Harvest. It was just supposed to be a little R&R stroll to clear the head, so we weren’t equipped with a notebook or camera. And what happens every time we travel without a camera? Thank goodness for the ole iPhone.

Dog and art lovers, if you are out and about today (Sunday) check out this show. The art, jewelry, photography, pottery, sculpture and more are really all just beautiful work. Our picks of the day were, of course, dog-themed. First, we visited with Tampa artist Michael Vistia, whose background is in Realism. He combines his talent with the Contemporary style of artist Alexander Dimou. Their Art Harvest gallery is just an explosion of color, with dogs as the main subject.

Our next oooh-ahh moment was with John Whipple. The former Nickelodeon artist works in oils, acrylics, charcoal on paper, wood and sheet metal. The exhibit includes his popular hand painted sculptures, many of them known as Misfits, consisting of cast resin and found objects. Stop in and say hello. We loved this piece, titled Dinner Guest. Any dog lover will relate to the subject matter.

Pug, Yorkie and Georgia Bulldog fans will enjoy the black and white photography of Phyllis Frankenfield. Her “Unique Letter” series, showcases her photographic eye and creative sense of humor. Another photographer, Lee-Margaret Borland from Jacksonville, featured some fun dog images, including Teasing Terriers and Dog Tired.

New Smyrna Beach artist, Kim Kaiser was wowing dog lovers with her acrylic portraits of dogs. Her canvas? Antique truck doors. Really a fun exhibit.

 

We were happy to run into Palm Harbor artist, Joyce Curvin whose paper mache dog sculptures will just make anyone happy.

We met Dubhan, a Shetland Sheepdog at Pam Fox’s display of precious jewelry and boxes. She travels the art show circuit with the sweet dog, who is an old hat at meeting and greeting people. Pam told us that Dubhan means “black and white’ in Celtic.

One more artist, whose work was just fascinating, is from Lakeland. Do not miss Stephen Koury’s display of contemporary wildlife art. You will think you are looking at big game photography. His attention to detail is beautiful.

It’s going to be a beautiful day here in Florida for dogs and their humans. Enjoy it, with one extra hour to spare. If you do happen to visit Art Harvest, there is plenty of food and beverage on site at Highlander Park, site of the Dunedin Fine Art Center at 1143 Michigan Boulevard. Need another fix of dogs? While in Dunedin, visit the Pinehurst Pub today between 2p and 5p for the Dunedin Doggie Rescue monthly dog wash. It’s how this group raises money to help pay for vet bills, while caring for their foster dogs. This will probably be the last dog wash of the season until 2014. The pub is at 1270 San Christopher Drive, not far from Art Harvest. Remember to dog responsibly.