FIDO Friendly visits Westminster 2011.wmv

FIDO Friendly magazine visits Westminster Kennel Club's 135th Annual Dog Show at Madison Square Garden February, 2011.

Sheba Westminster Dog Show Fan

Sheba, our Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, loves to watch the Westminster Dog Show or anything else that is dog related. This is what she does the whole time the show is on with the exception of getting a drink to cool down!

133rd Westminster Dog Show- Terrier Group (PART 4/6)

The Terrier Group breed judging during the 133rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Wallet-Friendly, Pet-Friendly Summer Getaways

Few would disagree that summer vacation engenders thoughts of unspoiled beaches, sparkling swimming pools, relaxing spas, and fine restaurants in every member of the family - except, perhaps, for those of the four-legged variety. The perfect summer day for Fido or Fluffy would likely include a helping of tasty treats, a relaxing grooming session, and a few hours worth of fetching and biting chew toys before catching some Z's in a comfy hotel room. Thanks to pet-friendly packages offered at various pet-friendly hotels in major cities like vibrant New York City, historic New Orleans and scenic San Francisco, your pet can have a "pawesome" experience without forcing you to break the bank. Below are a handful of pet-friendly properties offering loads of goodies just too good for your furry companions to pass up.

1. New York's Hotel Pennsylvania: As the host hotel for the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, New York's Hotel Pennsylvania is no stranger to four-legged guests. Conveniently within walking distance of the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, Times Square and the world-famous Broadway Theater District, the hotel offers a pet-friendly special that includes a comfortable guestroom for you and your pet, a welcome pet treat upon check-in, and a copy of Fido-Friendly Magazine. There is a limit of two dogs per room, but the hotel imposes no weight restrictions. Although New York is nicknamed "The City That Never Sleeps," your pet is likely to do otherwise once he or she sets foot in one of the hotel's relaxed guestrooms.

2. Affinia Chicago: Affinia's Jet Set Pets program is designed to help pets feel right at home. Among the services offered are grooming, daycare and boarding, local dog walking/sitting, dog treats, pet beds, pet psychics and pet taxis. Guests can take home a city-specific chew toy, Robbie Dawg tin of organic treats or Homemade Canine Confections, and water bowl designed for travel. Exotic animals or multiple pets are subject to approval by the hotel, and pets must be kept on a leash or inside a carrier while in public areas. Guests should confirm accommodations for their pets with the hotel one week prior to arrival.

3. Hotel Monteleone New Orleans: If your pet is friendly and sociable, he or she will be in good company at Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans. Sitting at the foot of Royal Street in the French Quarter, the historic property features pet-friendly floors where your pup or feline can mingle and play with other visiting pets. The hotel's Monte's Pet Package includes a mat for your pooch to rest comfortably on, monogrammed water and food bowls, waste bags, a chew toy, a bag of gourmet treats, and a city brochure. Guests are free to take these gifts home with them after their stay. Should you decide to take your pet for a walk, you're sure to stumble upon several pet-friendly attractions and restaurants set just minutes of the hotel. Among them are City Park, The Levy Dog Park, Mickey Markey Playground, Cafe Du Monde, Oak Street Cafe and La Thai Cuisine.

4. Ocean Park Resort Myrtle Beach: Certified by the "Pets Can Stay" program, Ocean Park Resort is a pet-friendly facility for small dogs. Accepted year round, pets must be on a leash in all public areas, are not permitted in pool areas, and may not exceed 20 pounds. Carriers are recommended in the event you must leave the pet (only one is allowed per accommodation) unattended in your guestroom. After cavorting with their four-legged friends, the kids - those under 18 stay free - can make a splash in one of the hotel's indoor or outdoor swimming pools.

5. The Powell Hotel San Francisco: The Powell Hotel, located in the heart of downtown San Francisco, combines historic charm with deluxe accommodations for you and your pet at no extra charge. Opened in 1908, the hotel evokes feelings of an earlier era with marble floors, ornate 20-foot ceilings and wrought-iron railings. While you marvel at the hotel's handsome features, your pup can enjoy welcome treats included in the hotel's pet-friendly package. The property's central downtown location puts you within minutes of Yerba Buena Gardens, a lovely spot for an afternoon walk with your pet, near the Museum of Modern Art and Moscone Convention Center.

If you're hankering to get away from it all summer, why not bring the furry ones along? Such pet-friendly hotels make purr-fect places for your furry friends to stretch their paws while you kick back and relax in front of the TV or watch the kids frolic in the pool. And with great service and fine amenities awaiting travelers, you can rest assured that both you and your pets will be well-pampered.

Getaroom.com provides travelers a state-of-the-art lodging website that offers them the key to the lowest hotel rates on the internet. Call our call center at 800-HOTELS-8 (800-468-3578) to receive the benefits of opaque pricing with rates that are 10 to 50 percent less than other sites.

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Off to Westminster

Sabine Wallet became a dog show handler quite by accident in 2007, but has practiced the technique of showing dogs to judges ever since. Now she takes the biggest stage with her own English springer spaniel, Kiera, at the Westminster Dog Show.

Rottweiler Dog Show...Ch.Aron Prometej,Ch.Iras Crni Lotos et

Champion rottweilers line up for BOB. India's top rottweilers competing in the ring.

Boxer Dog Breed Origin and History

Boxer Dog Origin

This breed originates from Germany and finds its early ancestor to be a mastiff type dog, the large Molossian Hound. Later, this dog evolved into what was called the Bullenbeisser. The Bullenbeiszer's roots go back to Belgium and these ancestors were known as great hunting and working dogs.

Originally used to hunt wild boar and later used for working with cattle these dogs eventually diverged into different types, the smaller of which were called the Brabanter Bullenbeiszer. After mixing with a forerunner of the English Bulldog, the dog became what is known today as the Boxer breed around the mid to late 19th century. The Boxer dog origin and history becomes well documented at that point as dog breed clubs were formed in Germany in the 1860s.

Boxer Dog Breed History

What we know of as the Boxer today can be traced to the 1830s when a breeder crossbred the Brabanter Bullenbeiszer with the English Bulldog, but the Boxer dog breed history really begins in the 1860s as breeders began to establish and develop guidelines for the breed. In 1895 the Boxer Club was formally formed and further improvements were made to the standards of the Boxer dog breed.

Although initially the Boxer dog breed was generally white, by 1925 white was not accepted as a proper color for the breed. In fact, the color of choice now is fawn and brindle and any dog with more than a third of its coat white will be disqualified in AKC events.

This dog breed came to the United States around the beginning of the 1900s but did not become a popular dog breed until the 1940s. The breed was first registered by the American Kennel Club in 1904 and the first Boxer Champion was recognized in 1915. In 1949 a famous Boxer dog, Bang Away, won Best in Show at the Westminster and went on to win 121 more Best in Shows over the course of six years.

Bang Away became a famous dog, appearing on the front of magazine such as Life and Esquire. Due to the success of this one dog, the breed became very popular in the United States at the time and continues to be one of the 10 most popular breeds as determined by the American Kennel Club.

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