WAG

From the desk of Bay Woof Editor Mindy Toomay

It's been a long, wet winter, which doesn't much bother our canine pals. They seem to like having muddy muzzles!

For us people, it's another matter. Wet and cold = discomfort and inconvenience. Now that spring is in evidence, life's routines - like those daily outings with our dogs - will be easier. We'll be out enjoying the weather together, rather than merely tolerating it.

Perfect timing, then, for announcing Bay Woof's Beast of the Bay Awards winners. You can learn about the dog-friendly people, places, and things our voters named as their favorites. There are lots of awesome destinations in the bunch, from Pt. Isabel on the Richmond shoreline (Best Dog Park), to Berkeley's Seaview Trail (Best View with a Dog), to the Duboce Cafè in San Francisco (Best Canine Coffeehouse).

As for the people who made the list, we can only marvel at the abundance of exceptional dog professionals in the Bay Area. Some of those praised by our voters were unknown to us - like Jesse Freidin (Best Dog Photographer), whose stunning black-and-white dog photos so perfectly capture the canine spirit. Others are old friends, like the folks at Sirius Dog Training (Best Training Class). Its founder and esteemed Bay Woof columnist, Ian Dunbar, has been leading the pack in positive-methods puppy classes for decades.

Best Bay Area dog "things" extolled by voters include the free treats at Pugnacious Pet Provisions on Solano Ave. in Berkeley and Ana Poe's hand-crafted Paco Collars.

Deserving special mention here is the organization voted Best Rescue Group: Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. Its founder, Sherri Franklin, thinks older dogs who wind up in shelters need and deserve extra help getting adopted. Our readers obviously agree. Senior dog rescue, and Muttville's efforts specifically, received the most votes as Best Canine Cause.

There is more to this issue than the BOTB winners: Read about the National Search Dog Foundation's human-canine teams that saved lives after the earthquake in Haiti. A closer-to-home tragedy is addressed in our Ask Dr. Dog column. There will come a time for most dog guardians when we must make life-or-death decisions about our pets. Dr. Erin Adkins article can help prepare you for that dreaded day.

On a happier note, if you want to jog into spring with Spot, check out trainer Jaime Niedermeier's advice. And if you could use a strong shot of good news, the East Bay SPCA's "Teaching Love and Compassion" program will provide it.

Next month will bring you our annual dog-friendly travel issue, specifically focused on Santa Cruz County. Maria Goodavage, author of the Dog Lover's Companion books series, will reveal her favorite spots so your weekend trip is unforgettable. Don't miss it!

In closing, a thousand thanks to our readers, advertisers, and contributors for another fantastic year. As of this month, Bay Woof is 3!

Now, get out and enjoy our great local canine-friendly jaunts and haunts,

~ Mindy Toomay, Editor