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