Today, January 14th, is National Dress Up Your Pet Day. It's a pretty good time of the year for that, I think, because it's cold outside and some pets might need to dress up in coats to keep warm! Just for fun, I put a warm scarf on my doggie... see him over there in that picture? If you don't have a pet of your own, or your pet doesn't like to wear clothes (because some of them don't enjoy it!), read some books about pets that get dressed up instead — like Blue from Blue's Clue's, or Annie and her pet rabbit Snowball, who are friends with the famous Henry and Mudge. Happy reading!

More than 80 celebrities and all sorts of their pets are featured in this animal lover's book, Top Dogs and Their Pets. Photojournalist David Woo spent 4 years capturing the character of famous individuals with their pets in this collection of black and white masterpieces. You will enjoy how 107 Dogs, 8 Cats, assorted other animals and their famous owners all get together in one great book.

Make today special for your furry friends! Celebrate National Dog Day all day. If you have a dog, take some time to read them a story about a famous canine, or teach your dog some new tricks. If you don't have a dog at home, check out one of our puppets for Dog Day. Whatever way you celebrate, make sure you do something to honor our Best Friends.

After Cat 4 Hurricane Ike roared into Texas during 2008, the Bauer family moved their dogs to a nearby kennel while their yard fence was being repaired. Both dogs escaped. Hank was found but not Daizy. 10 months after the storm, the family was reunited.

An April, 2009 paper by the National Resources Defense Council found that certain flea and tick pet collars have such a high concentration of toxins that they may cause cancer and other health disorders. These chemicals are especially dangerous to young children who are more likely to ingest them than adults.
For natural alternatives to pet care, read Pets and the Planet by Carol Frischmann.

You love your pet. You care about the environment. Pets and the Planet helps you make informed decisions when it comes to involving your four-legged or feathered family members in your mission to leave less of a footprint on the planet. This book gives you all the information you need to understand sustainability as a pet owner and how to make the best choices for your pet and the environment.

If you are considering a new addition to your family, the library is a great place to start. We have many books available to help you select a pet for your family. The Animal Planet Pet Care series has books on dogs, cats, hamsters, birds, fish and even bugs as pets!

Now that Bo, the Obama family's new puppy has settled in at the White House, the time is right to look back at some of the former residents of the presidential home. White House Pets takes a look at the more than 400 pets that have lived there over the course of 200 years. Produced by Animal Planet,  the DVD is  a fascinating look at the bears, parrots, dogs, and cats that have roamed the halls of one of the most famous homes in history.

Jane Goodall is acclaimed for her work with chimpanzees, but her new video, When Animals Talk, looks at cross-species communication with a range of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, elephants and even rats.  The program explores some fascinating research on telepathy, and the mutual benefits that accrue when humans bond and partner 

Are you a dog person who loves to spoil your furry friend? The Three Dog Bakery is a fantastic gourmet treat shop for dogs! They use all-natural ingredients to make their adorable cookies and cakes, not to mention being very reasonably priced. With their added selection of toys, clothing, and just about every dog-related item you can imagine, they have something for everyone. I was just there over the weekend buying a personalized birthday cake for my dog.

Fiction

Choldenko, Gennifer. Notes from a Liar and Her Dog. Ant, stuck in a family that she does not like, copes by pretending that her "real" parents are coming to rescue her, by loving her dog Pistachio, by volunteering at the zoo, and by bending the truth and telling lies.