National Walk Your Pet Month

January is National Walk Your Pet Month! Yes, it might be a little cold out there but your pooch will appreciate the time. Think of the benefits for you too, get the heart rate going, burn some calories form all of that holiday eating! If you don't have an area to walk in feel free to come to our Dog Park! Best Friends offers day passes and yearly membership. Here's to a great new year with all of our furry friends.

January Camp Calendar

Watch the blog for upcoming camp projects and prizes. You can help vote for the winners!

January 4Th: Mai Tai Monday! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 5Th: New Year New Beginning! Tell us your resolutions, prizes for those that follow them!

January 6Th: Celebrate Me Day! Tell is your birthday so we can celebrate on that day. $3.00 Bakery Treat

January 7Th: Winter Wonders! Snowflake project. $3.00 Ice Cream Treat

January 8Th: Buried Treasures Day! Find the hidden treats in camp.

January 11Th: Mai Tai Mondays! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 12Th: Snow Bunny Day! Cutest pose wins a prize. Skiing dog project

January 13Th: Paws For A Cause! Donate your unwanted dog toys and beds to Young At Heart and Tails Of Hope Rescues. $3.00 Treat Surprise

January 14Th: Will You Be Ours? Invitation Project

January 15Th: Super Star Day! Show us your talent.....you may be the next camper of the month! $3.00 Turkey Treat


January 18Th: Mai Tai Monday! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 19Th: Resolutions Rewarded! Did you stick to your resolutions? Prizes awarded. $3.00 Party Treat

January 20Th: Think Spring! flower power project

January 21st: Wild and Wacky Day! paw print mural. $3.00 crazy dog dessert

January 22nd: Rubber Ducky Your My Friend! Bubbles in group. 20% off grooming booked today

January 25Th: Mai Tai Mondays! $3.00 Doggie Smoothies

January 26Th: Teddy Bear Tuesday! Bear project. $3.00 Bear treats

January 27Th: Retail Therapy! shopping spree in the store. small group trips.

January 28Th: Toy Day Thursday! What is Your favorite toy? If yours is picked you can be a winner, and pose on the blog for the next Fun Stuff Fridays post!

January 29Th: Chicken Dance! Best trick contest. $3.00 chicken lunch

Kinder Care Pet Day

Thank You to all of our friends at Kinder Care in Vernon Hills. We had the pleasure of visiting them today to go over pet safety! We brought Bailey, an Australian Shepherd. Bailey loved all of the attention he got from everyone. He especially loved the treats. We worked on how to properly approach a dog that we do not know, the right way to feed a dog a treat, the right way to play ball with your dog, what to do if we see a stray dog, and how to pet a dog. Thank You again to all of my new friends, I hope you all enjoy your goody bags from Best Friends Pet Care! Bailey sends you all a big kiss!

Retail Sale!

IT'S HERE! OUR HALF OFF RETAIL SALE IS ON THROUGH JANUARY 6TH!

Everything from cool toys, beds, rawhides, and even treats. Sale does exclude Frontline and food. Don't forget our location does offer delivery to certain areas!

Season's Greetings

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM BEST FRIENDS!

Some of our friends that helped make our season bright...

Shayna, Siki, Appolo, and Maisy!

Purina Animal All Stars: Faith The Dog

click on above picture to view video from Purina Animal All Stars

Here is some more on Faith. Such an inspiration to us all.

Fun Stuff Fridays... Personalized Purses at Bagettes.com

We have all seen the cute cosmetic bags with a dog on them, the wallets with paw prints. How about a purse, or wallet with your own pets photo! Bagettes.com has got the market cornered on this one! They have everything from wallets to cosmetic bags. They will upload any picture onto them. I ordered the diaper bag for a friend with her kids picture on it. Excellent quality fabric, and the picture turns out great.

"2 Legged Dog Gives Others Faith" Sun Times

Click on this photo to read one of the most amazing stories I have read in a long, long while. Not only am I amazed with this dogs ability, I am amazed with the sincere love these owners have for their dog. It takes a really special person to help a dog like this overcome his obstacles. All the best to Faith and her family. It is a story like this that really makes you appreciate the small things!

Henlee... December's Boarder Of The Month

This is Henlee, he is our December Boarder of the month. Henlee is a long time best friend to us, he has been coming to Best Friends since he was a toddler! He is now the bright age of 13. We love you Henlee, thanks for all of your love over the years!

Help Homeless Pets Enjoy The Holidays

Pets are the latest victim of the recession. During the past year, as more families have lost jobs and struggled to make ends meet, animal shelters across the country have seen a huge upsurge in homeless animals. Shelters and rescue groups have been overwhelmed with dogs and cats being given up by families who just can't afford to care for them. For the shelters, already coping with donations due to the economy, the problem is enormous: how to feed and shelter all these newly homeless pets.

Enter the Best Friends Angel Tree collection for homeless pets. For the ninth consecutive year, Best Friends Pet Care locations across the country are partnering with local shelters to ensure that homeless pets have much more needed food and supplies.

The Angel Tree Program was created in 2000 to help local shelters and rescue groups provide for the homeless pets in their care. Last year more than $25,000 worth of food, toys, treats, and pet care products were donated to 80 shelters and rescue organizations across the country.

You can visit or call any of our locations to make a donation to the Angel Tree.

Happy Holidays to all!

Wagging In A Winter Wonderland...Purina

This is Captain one of our guests here at Best Friends. He loves the holiday season because of all the fun snow he can play in!

Can you imagine an automatic doggie water fountain, a $5000 luxury doghouse, a heated bed. Toby would be in heaven! Well he might just be at home with all of that if he wins! Petcentric, the website hosted by Purina pet food has a really cool holiday contest going on. "Wagging in a Winter Wonderland". They are asking people to submit a picture of their pet along with a short essay on what the perfect holiday season would be like according to your pet. Let's see according to Toby instead of holiday lights on everyone's trees they would have biscuits hanging. We would not have regular candy canes in the house only the peanut butter flavored rawhide candy canes. I know I will be sending Toby's picture in, everyone gets posted on the website even if you do not win. They have some really nice prizes some even including a round trip vacation for you and your pet! Have fun, may the best pet win!

"Nubs The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle"

Click on this photo to read a heartwarming story of Nubs and his new dad!

The Today Show even had Nubs and his dad on a recent episode in November. To read more about the book "Nubs The True Story Of A Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle" you can go to the publishers web site or your local book store. A great read for the holiday season!

Holiday Pampering For Your Pet

Let the kids have the holidays off this year!

Bring your furry friend to Best Friends grooming salon for a holiday makeover. From a relaxing bath to a remoisture treatment to help with that winter dryness. We even offer the shedicure which will help reduce your holiday stress. You won't have to vacuum as much hair, the shedicure if done regularly helps reduce shedding. If your friend has never been to us before you get $10 off your first salon service with us. We also offer grooming discounts to those who come every month! With the holidays around the corner, space is booking up fast, call today to schedule an appointment. (847) 634-9444

Purina Animal All Stars, Pet Elephant Video

Click on this cute picture to view video of this family's new pet!

We have had everything from monkeys, to pigs board with us at Best Friends in the past. I definitly can say we have never had an elephant. Would be fun though, he is pretty cute!

GoDogGo Ball Launcher

photo from ActiveDogToys.com

This week for Fun Stuff Friday we are showcasing the GoDogGo Ball Launcher. While it is a little expensive for Toby to play with I still felt it worth mentioning. The idea behind this cool interactive toy is wonderful. A toy for the ultimate "ball dog". This toy has a remote control for the owner so all you have to do is hit a button and the launcher will throw the ball. There is even an adjuster to adjust the length that the ball travels. No more sore pitching arms if you have this toy! Quite a neat little gadget!

"A Good Dog"

photo courtesy of Jon Katz, Bedlam Farm.com

"These dogs, and animals are my reason for being, my reason for doing what I do." Not a direct quote, but everything this man does or writes of is based on that exact thought. Jon Katz is the new author on my book shelf at home. Toby and I have read all of his books and I admit even followed him on Facebook for a little bit! (He also has an online photo journal, which has some beautiful photography.) My love for his writings started when I read
"A Good Dog". This was a story of Orson a Border Collie and the unique ways he changed Jon's life. That had me hooked, from there Toby and I were nonstop reading machines!
"The Dogs of Bedlam Farm" was his next good read as far as I was concerned. I think you get which direction I am heading here as far as the type of books he writes! Jon now lives on
Bedlam Farm and has an online journal of his daily life on the farm with his dogs and his animals. He really is a fascinating individual. It is nice to take a step back from a busy day and really appreciate the love and innocence and animal can bring to your life.

Santa Pictures

photo courtesy of the Sun Times, dogs are Bailey and Brutus.

Do you have the cutes picture ever of Santa and your pet? Send it in to the Sun Times Newspaper and have it posted!

Champion For The Animals

Do you know someone in your community that has gone above and beyond to help the animals? Chicagoland Tails Magazine is asking for your contributions. The winner will be posted in their spring publication.

Paw Nation Tweets

Paw Nation Tweets

December Camper Of The Month

This is the loveable Rocky. He is our camper of the month at Best Friends Dog Camp. We love you Rocky, thanks for always putting a smile on our face!

Christmas Boarding

Book online and save $5.00!  Is your pet new to Best Friends?  If so their first night with us is complimentary! 

Holiday Boarding Savings

Heroic Pet Contest

The AARP Magazine has a really cool contest going on now through January 2010.  The Most Heroic Pet Contest.   They are looking to hear about your heroic pet.  Pets that have significantly improved or saved someone's life.  If you think your pet is the one you can go onto their website and send your information in.  The winner will receive a $1000 gift card to an online pet store, and will have their story published in the magazine!  Good Luck!

Fun Stuff Fridays...The Relax mat

This is the ultimate bed blanket! It does not collect hair like every other blanket out there. I Love it! Zentek introduced it's new blanket this fall the Relax Mat. It unfortunatly does not have any cushion like a typical bed does, but you can place this blanket over top of your pets exsisting bed. The Relax Mat has a special tempature regulating Comfortemp liner. It will keep your pet warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Angel Tree For Dogs

Help us help other families have a bright and happy holiday season.  This year Best Friends Pet Care will have their Angel Tree in the lobby to support Tails Of Hope Pet Rescue and Young At Heart Pet Rescue.  For Tails Of Hope we will be taking monetary donations to purchase walks, playtimes, baths, and other activities.  We foster dogs for Tails Of Hope here in our kennel, while they are awaiting a forever home.  The money raised will go to provide those dogs with fun activities while they are here!  For Young At Heart we will be taking donations to help them purchase food for Nina's Pet Food Pantry.  Young at Heart helps stock local pet food pantrys in the area.  For more information please call (847) 634-9444.

The Coveroo

This weeks feature on Fun Stuff Friday is not neccesarily for your pet, more or less it honors your love for your pet. You can now have your pets actual picture imprinted on a cover for your cell phone. Coveroo.com has many different designs to choose from. They have standard colored breed pictures to black and white. You can even send in an actual picture of your pet.

Holiday Charity Event

Holiday Pictures

Pledge Fabric Sweeper

Fun Stuff Fridays is a little late because I was enjoying the Family Pet Expo at Navy Pier this weekend! Beautiful weekend and a great event. I saw plenty of cool things I will be sharing with you throughout the next few weeks. This week I will make mention of the Pledge Fabric Sweeper. This is the best thing I have seen in a long while. It is disposable, only lasts for about a month or so, depending on where you shop it is right around $5.00. Well worth every dollar spent. With Toby being a Border Collie you can imagine the hair I have on the couch! Pledge had a booth at the expo this weekend and they were kind enough to pass on some samples to us. I tried it out and LOVE it! Toby loves it too, I normally do not allow him on the bed all the time because of his hair. Can't use that excuse any more!

Local Pet Food Pantry Needs Your Help

Help us help others in need. Best Friends Pet Care together with Young At Heart Pet Rescue is gathering food to supply Nina's Pet Food Pantry. Nina's is a area in the local food pantry that is dedicated to dogs and cats. This is a great way to help struggling families stay together with their pets. To see more about the beginnings of Nina's you can visit Young At Hearts web site, or read this latest article in The New York Times. You will be missed Nina, thank you to your parents for helping get this wonderful program started!

Veteran's Day For Pets

Veteran's Day is a day that is set aside once a year for us to spend time honoring our soldiers. The men and women for whom without we would not have what we have today. For a group based out of South Carolina, NetPets, every day is a day of honoring soldiers. Honoring them in a way few others can. NetPets is a non-profit organization that has arranged foster homes for 12,000 military pets since 2001! From dogs to cats, fish to reptiles, even spiders and crabs. Guardian Angels For Soldiers' Pets is another organization that does the same line of work that NetPets does. Canine Corps based out of Pennsylvania provides in-house boarding for soldier's pets left behind. The men and women who fight for our freedom are thought of each and everyday by millions of people. From well wishes, care packages, and fund raising concerts for the soldier's families. It is nice to know there are other people out there thinking of their pet's also. To some of our soldiers their pets are all they have, the piece of mind knowing they are cared for while they are away has to be a absolutely wonderful feeling. Unconditional love. For more information on how you can help please visit the above mentioned websites, or ZooToo.com. Some information from this post was retrieved from a nicely written article by Amy Lieberman on ZooToo.com

Weekends On A Wednesday

This weekend you can come visit us at the Great American Pet Expo at Navy Pier. It will be held both Saturday and Sunday.

Tails of Hope will be hosting their weekly Adoption Day at Best Friends in Prairie View Sunday the 15Th, from 3-5pm

Chihuahua's Rock Meet Up will have their November meet-up here in our camp room at 2pm on Sunday the 22NDhttp://www.meetup.com/Chihuahuas-Rock-Meetup-Group/.

Local Fire Fighters Save Pets Life

In a recent article in the Daily Herald they spoke of a mini oxygen mask being used to help save a dog. Naperville firefighters not only helped save a family's home they helped to save their furry family member too! After performing CPR on the dog they used the mini oxygen mask to stabilize the pet before handing him over to the emergency vet. Best Friends is among many companies out there who worked hard at fundraising to equip local fire stations with special pet oxygen masks. Best Friends ran their "Cause For Paws" oxygen mask program about 4 years ago. With the help of local communities they were able to help many fire departments properly help pets in need.

Thanksgiving

We are booking up fast so call today to reserve your pets a room at Best Friends! We will even have a holiday turkey roast for all of our furry friends on Thanksgiving.

For all of our new best friends your first night with us is free! (first time boarding guests receive a complimentary first night of boarding)

Retired Greyhound

It is definitely not time for Molly to retire, but her new friend Arthur decided it was his time to retire and enjoy the finer things in life. A run in the dog park, relaxing on his new bed, cuddling with his mom! Arthur is a 4 year old retired Greyhound that Molly adopted from

Greyhounds Only Rescue. Arthur had been racing for almost 2 years, and according to him he did pretty well! Molly is one of our animal care technicians here at Best Friends so Arthur is lucky enough to get to come hang out at work every day. On lunch breaks he gets to play in Best Friends Dog Park and show off his excellent running skills! Welcome to the family Arthur!

Four Paws Dog Toys

This weeks spotlight is on Four Paws brand Rough and Rugged rope toys. These are Toby's favorite toy. They all have the rope so he and I can play tug, and they also have a hard solid rubber piece in the middle for his naughty days when he likes to chew. A few of the toys have a pimple design on the rubber, I add peanut butter to one side of those freeze it for an hour and he has a whole new treat!

Weekends on a Wednesday...

Toby and I did not see to much going on in the neighborhood this weekend. However it is suppose to be in the 60's Saturday and Sunday, a great time to play at Best Friend's Dog Park! You can purchase a daily pass if you like, or a yearly pass.

Perhaps you are looking for another furry best friend. Sunday from 3-6pm Tails of Hope pet rescue will have an adoption event in our main lobby.

November Guest of the Month

This is Rushbo and Anaaya our November boarding guests of the month. They have to be the cutest little kids I have seen in a long while. They are Victorian Bull Dogs, a newer breed here in the states. We get to love on them for two whole weeks, they are enrolled in our Board and Train Program while they are boarding.

November Camper of The Month

This is Kallie Barnett our November camper of the month. Kallie loves to play with anyone in camp. She is our social butterfly of the group. If she notices someone quietly resting she is the first to go over and encourage them to play chase with her on the jungle gym. We love you Kallie!

For more information on Best Friends Doggie Camp you can visit our website or call us at(847)634-9444

Brookfield Zoo animals enjoy Halloween treats :: Chicago Sun-Times :: Photo Gallery

Brookfield Zoo animals enjoy Halloween treats :: Chicago Sun-Times :: Photo Gallery

Eat Better Bowl

Toby and I will be away for the weekend so we thought we would post this today.



This weeks cool item is the EatBetter Bowl. I personally think it is a really neat looking bowl, but that is not the reason you want to buy it! This bowl is designed to help your pet eat slower, maximizing the health issues associated with fast paced eating. The bowl has a wishbone design in the center that creates and obstacle that prevents gulping or vacuuming behaviors.


We call that the "hoover behavior" at my house. Toby gets a special can of food each week, it is apparently really special because he can only taste it if he consumes the whole thing in under a minute! LOL.


You can enter to win one on the Tails Magazine website.

Weekends on a Wednesday.........

Join us at The Spooky Pooch Parade at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Saturday, October 31. 1pm-3pm

Chihuahua's Rock Halloween Party

Chihuahua's Rock Meet Up Group had their first meet-up at Best Friends Pet Care on Sunday. They had fun toys out to play with, and yummy treats for the dogs and owners! They held it the dog camp room so there was plenty of room to play and run. They even had a Halloween costume contest!

If you are interested in hosting your next meet-up at Best Friends, please call and schedule your date with our manager. We have plenty of large indoor and outdoor areas available.

(847) 634-9444

Chicago's Top Cat Contest

This is Winter, he is one of the cats that Young at Heart Pet Rescue has here at Best Friends, in the cat sanctuary. We think he is Chicago's coolest cat!

You have all heard the saying "cats are cool, and dogs drool". If you believe your cat is cool then this a contest for you. Sun Times Newspaper has a contest for Chicago's coolest cat. You can submit your cat's picture and a brief description and it will be posted on the website. At a later date they will vote to find out who the coolest cat really is.