Very different approach to SuperZoo this year!  This year Jane and Gay went with me to SuperZoo. We used an 11″ x 14″ map sent by one of my distributors, and I had an Excel list of all the vendors I wanted to see, and who had any deals for us.

Gay brought her Mom, Camille, and her sister Dana, from Dallas, TX, met up with them in Las Vegas.  Camille came to gamble, Dana came to visit with family, and Gay split her time between family and SuperZoo.  I took this snapshot of Jane and Gay on our way into the show.

At this point you can see they are typical middle-aged women, ready to go on a buying trip.  And then it happened, suddenly, totally unexpected ….. They saw dogs of all sizes and shapes, and just started squealing with delight, like little girls!  The rest of the day, and much of the rest of the show, was like trying to herd cats!  So, you won’t see many pictures of product, or even of my manufacturers … it’s mostly dogs, and more dogs …

This huge Great Dane was just outside the door, modelling a gorgeous collar….

I was able to get a few pics of products, like these prototypes from Tuffies Toys. I can’t wait until they are released for us to buy!

Dinosaurs!

Very soft fabric, yet tough enough to withstand aggressive chewers!

Very Tough toys!

We all fell in love with these toys!

And, yet, I felt like I was at an auto show when I got to this booth,
if you get my drift  ….

SuperZoo includes a grooming competition, so you often see dogs walking around with their owners after the competition … That threw Jane and Gay into a tizzy!

This Poodle loved showing off to us!

Unfortunately, all my hard work on the excel list was wasted because at some point during the first day, I lost the list! We still had the map to work from though.  We set a route, and  tried to stick with it.  Gay and Jane frequently got sidetracked by a dog, or an exhibit, or just plain shopping ….

Very large dog.. This ‘puppy’ weighed about 220 lbs.

You can see from Gay’s face, it’s all about the dogs!  She and Jane had that look of pure delight every time they saw a dog…. So, at the end of the first day, I circled the (very small) area on the map of the booths we had covered, and showed them how much we had to try to get through in the next 1 – 1/2 days.  That helped a little ….

Years ago we used to take our rolling suitcases to file all of our brochures, catalogs, and orders while we were at the show.  These days they don’t allow our rolling carriers, but one of the exhibitors passes out boxes on wheels, very similar to our rolling carriers. We headed there first to make sure they didn’t run out before we could get a couple.

Unfortunately, the box has “URINE OFF” plastered all over it.

Both Gay and Jane were embarrassed to be toting these boxes around …  But, once we started collecting all the paper, they understood why we needed these rolling boxes!   We would fill both boxes each day, take them back to the rooms, and filter out unnecessary papers, keeping in mind that we would have to pay our airline to take them home ….

Jane’s loot at the end of Day One. Our map is in the lower left corner.

Gay’s box was full of items for our fundraising event on 9/24!

In the evening we all went out to see the sights on a budget …. Dinner at the Paris buffet, then on to the fountains at the Bellagio.

Dana, Camille and Gay at the Bellagio fountains.

Jane and I at the Bellagio fountains.

Back to shopping the next day!  We visited one of my favorite booths, Pet Gear.

Oodles and oodles of strollers …..

And another dog!  This Poodle really was fantastic! The legs were shaped like calypso pants, and there was an octopus carved on it’s back end!

Wow is all I can say!

This dog turned heads as he/she walked by!

With all the dogs there, I had to get a pic of a Golden …

Our loot from the second day!

Items for the fundraiser…

Catalogs and brochures for us to peruse…

Gay’s donated items for our fundraiser!

Our last day of the show was a blur for me.  I was frantically trying to get through the most important part of the show, ‘Rodeo Drive’ where all the boutique products were! There weren’t many people there, so it was easier to make my way through the aisles. The last day some of the vendors allow cash and carry, so Gay and Jane were off shopping for their own dogs! I brought back a few toys for the store.  Gay, on the other hand, had to buy a VERY large suitcase to hold her toys, etc. to take home to her dogs.  Jane picked out collars and leashes (some for gifts) that easily fit into her suitcase.

Once again we found some great deals on beds. These bagel beds should be coming in the next week or so….

Big Fluffy bagel beds!

Meanwhile, Jane’s brother had flown in from VA to celebrate their Mom’s birthday, and he found us somehow!  He visited with Jane as he walked along with her. Jane’s parents arrived in Las Vegas later in the afternoon.

We finished the show, and had a late flight back to Portland, so Jane and I headed to see the sights, while Gay went off to find her Mom (who did well gambling, by the way!). Dana had flown out early in the morning.  Jane had never been to Las Vegas, so we took a cab to the Venetian, planning to walk the Strip as far as we could back toward our hotel.

I told Jane about the people who pose as statues, as I pointed this gentlemen out.  She couldn’t see him; I’m sure she thought he was a real statue…. I turned her toward him, and pointed directly at him.  That was the only way she realized he was a person, not a statue!

We walked along the Strip back to Paris, where we caught a cab, got our luggage, and headed to the airport.

Come into the store to see the new toys, food and treats we got at the show!  We found Smart Dog jerky treats, sourced and manufactured in the U.S. from human grade meats,  Bionic Rubber toys (not in the store yet), Invincible Geckos, and more!

We brainstormed what to do for our 5th anniversary – we have done so many events through the years…. We decided to have an old fashioned birthday party, and give you the gifts!  I started at the beginning of June by sending out a $10 gift certificate to everyone on our email list.   I contacted as many vendors, distributors, and reps as I could, requesting goodies for our scavenger hunt, and prizes for our contests.  We received SO MANY great items for both our scavenger hunt and contest prizes, that we were able to give door prizes, too!

I was concerned because we were a little short handed before and during the party.  I should have known better than to worry!  We had LOTS of help getting ready for the party, and at the party, too!  Wendy and her new baby, Elsa, stopped by on Friday to help get ready …

Wendy and Elsa work on Friday to help prepare for the party.

They wrapped gift baskets, helped put out scavenger hunt items, move furniture and fixtures around, and more!

Gift baskets for contest prizes!

These are our door prizes!

Fridays are usually busy days for us, since we get one of our main food orders that day, and we have lots of customers coming in, too!  We also had lots of well wishers, and it was fun to hear their memories of our first encounters, and what they found to be their favorite part of PetUtopia. We would love to hear more of your memories of these last 5 years, too! Just add your comments below this post!

Yum!

On Saturday, Florence, Cheryl, Meg, and Deb all came to help with the party!

Thanks to you ladies, I could relax and enjoy the fun!

A special thanks to Deb for most of the pics you will see in this post.

A few people stopped by before the party started to say hi, since they couldn’t attend the party.

Gloria stops by to say hi before the festivities begin.

I was going to wear this fabulous tee on party day, but it was Cheryl who suggested that we all wear them. We got a quick pic before the festivities got started.

I love these Grateful Dog tees!
Deb, Jane, Margie, Florence, and Cheryl.

Florence greeted everyone with a raffle ticket.

Get ready to party!

Sydney, the Jack Russell Terrier, sniffs, Lucy, the Parsons Russell Terrier.

Sandra from Natura joined us, passing out samples and items for our scavenger hunt.

Randi and Rowdy

We started off with contests: shortest and tallest dogs, shortest and longest tails, shortest and longest legs, best costume, best kisser, best trick, and best singer.

Contestants start lining up for measurements.

Holly, the Rat Terrier, won shortest tail without any competition!

Sheena and Kharma wait for their turn at the contests.

Bella says “Why are you coming at me with that measuring tape, Auntie Margie?”

Sheena’s not too excited about having her tail measured either!

Spirit patiently waits for his tail to measured.

Siobhan is nervous about competing for the shortest dog, so Shamus calms her down.

This is big baby’s first party.

The Doxies won the shortest leg contest…

and best singer!

Freeway, the darker Greyhound, won the longest leg contest ….

and tallest dog contest.

Competition started heating up for best kisser and best costume! When I saw Sharon, from Custom Canine, come in with her Frenchie family all decked out in gorgeous costumes, I thought they would be a ‘shoo in’….

Sharon’s Frenchie family dressed in their best for the contest!

But the crowd loved Zahra in her wig, bonnet, sunglasses, & sundress!

We had a lot of best kissers in the crowd!

Siobhan gives her Mom the winning kiss.

Bella says she’s not into public displays of affection today…

… unless it’s with babies! Bella visits with Issac.

Marley gives her Mom a big kiss!

This pup was already getting tired ….

And our winner is ….

Siobhan! (Her brother was happy to share the glory!)
She also won the shortest dog contest!

We had an 8 way tie for winner of best trick, so I asked Cheryl to pick one so we could get a winner.

Rocky had a whole routine, so Cheryl chose him as the winner!

Once the contests were over, we started the scavenger hunt!  The hunt is the highlight of the party!  We hide items in plain sight ….. This year, we also added a $50 PetUtopia gift certificate, sitting out in plain sight for one lucky person to find!

The hunt is on!

Toni was a brave woman, hunting with her foot in a cast, and her arm in a brace!

This is a good time to have your glasses!

You’re are getting warmer! Lots of items are sitting there waiting to be found!

We have so much fun with the scavenger hunt!

She loves her ‘ride’!

Griffy and his Mom join the party!

“Let’s see, where could this one be??”

Bella is exhausted from all the hunting!

As usual, Sydney is ready for more!

It gets a little wild ‘n crazy during the scavenger hunt!

Rocky and his Mom are strategizing on where to look next.

Ruth Anne and Beamer finish up!

Karen and her Doxies, Gracie and Noodles, found the gift certificate!
Congratulations!

Bella says “It’s time to kick back and relax – pet me, pls!”

Kathy and Spirit finish up their scavenger hunt form …

Florence checks the forms as people wrap up their hunt!

What a couple of cuties!

Hope and her Mom Angela discuss kitty food.

Linda looks pretty sporty in her cap!

Debi and Viva visit with another guest.
Debi facilitates our small dog playtime!

Bogart says “AWWW, geez, Mom, do I hafta hang with Sis and her friend?
I wanna go give BIG kisses!”

Molly has her hands full – everyone is headed in a different direction!

Rowdy’s read for treats!

Susie’s Mom had to work today, so they arrive later ….

Echo waits patiently for refreshements!

Time for refreshments!

Take a break with a soda!

Let’s call out the door prizes!

Linda selects the new Fromm dry food!

Monica wins a small dog carrier stuffed with goodies!

Kathy selects a gift basket!

Lauree wins a basket, too!

Jean selects a comfy West Paw bed for Marley!

Meg chooses a bag full of kitty food, toys, treats and litter!

A great gift basket with a very cute frame!

A boy’s gift basket!

Another great kitty basket!

Karen and Romeo select a bag of Fromm’s dry food!

Mickie also selects a bag of Fromm’s dry food!

Molly picks a tee!

An Earthbath tee!

Whew!  It’s been a long day, and so much fun! Even the inflatable dog that was riding on top of the van waited until the end of the party to fly off!

A special thanks to our suppliers for the great goodies they sent us for the party!

Jane and I left Portland about 7ish on Friday morning, arriving at the Tulalip Casino Resort in Marysville about 12ish…. just in time for lunch! We had a fabulous lunch, compliments of IPS, and met Jennifer from Hip Hound! Then we visited with every manufacturer at the show, and found some fabulous new products – I hope you will love them, too!

One of the best reasons to go to these trade shows is to meet face to face with people you have been talking to on the phone and via email!  I already knew Keya and Neda Khorami, Lori, and our wonderful driver, Mike, but I had not met the many other people I talk to on a sometimes daily basis.  Let me introduce some of them to you…

Our thanks to Key and Neda of IPS for their gracious hospitality!

Aubrey and Kim helped us get started.

Lori, our IPS Rep, introduced us to some of the manufacturer’s reps.

B, in Customer Service, is a jewel.

Mary, from Finance, was at the IPS booth with B.

Aren’t these guys cute? I had to write them in on my order, so I hope we get them!

We met the Grizzly Rep, who was from Ashland!

We are SO excited about Fromm Family Pet Foods!

One new product that we LOVED was the dog beds from Dog Gone Good Beds ….

because they are comfortable, repel fluids, and are SO easy to clean!
The man in the picture above is pouring water on the bed, and it rolls right off!

Wool toys at a reasonable price!

We met Dr. Harvey, of Great Life foods!

Jane and I attended many of the seminars, learning about the new pet foods, beds, and more.

Some healthy new treats we are bringing in!

A new, reasonble priced shampoo from Isle of the Dogs ….

New toys …..

Retractable leashes from 26 Bars and a Band….

and Paul Frank accessories ….

Doug, from Natura gave us reusable bags for our scavenger hunt at our 5th Anniversary party!

I get a lot of samples and brochures when I go to trade shows.  This time I requested items for our Anniversary party – items for the scavenger hunt, and for prizes for our contests!  Here are a couple of pics of the loot we collected!

Prizes for our party!

Brochures, ingredient lists, specifications….

We finished writing our orders just before dinner. We joined Mary, Aubrey, Angel and his wife for a fabulous dinner and drinks hosted by IPS.

Mary, Aubrey, and Jane enjoy a Bay Breeze before dinner.

Jane joined the others for a brief time after dinner. I was exhausted and headed up to our room. Speaking of the room, it was very nice, and quiet!  Here are a few pics of it ….

Elegant with a Native American motif…

The bathroom ….

Jane loved the soft towels …..

We heard about the showers at dinner!

It was a very productive trip! We met a lot of wonderful people, learned about new products, got to touch and feel products that we want to bring into the store, and we were well cared for at the resort!  It was a beautiful day when we finally hit the the road for home….

I wish we could have spent a little time in Seattle!

Mt. Rainier looked so close we could touch it!

]]> http://petutopia.com/2011/06/06/june-3-2011-petutopias-visit-to-a-distributors-trade-show/feed/ 2 MVR IMG_1445_1 IMG_1446_1 IMG_1444_1 IMG_1447_1 IMG_1453_1 IMG_1454_1 IMG_1448_1 IMG_1450_1 IMG_1455_1 IMG_1457_1 IMG_1456_1 IMG_1458_1 IMG_1461_1 IMG_1462_1 IMG_1463_1 IMG_1464_1 IMG_1467_1 IMG_1468_1 IMG_1459_1 IMG_1473_1 IMG_1474_1 IMG_1469_1 IMG_1443_1 IMG_1442_1 IMG_1440_1 IMG_1470_1 IMG_1480_1 IMG_1487_1 http://petutopia.com/2011/05/25/may-14-2011-oregon-humane-societys-doggie-dash/ http://petutopia.com/2011/05/25/may-14-2011-oregon-humane-societys-doggie-dash/#comments Thu, 26 May 2011 03:17:43 +0000 funinpetutopia http://funinpetutopia.wordpress.com/?p=2583 Continue reading →]]> Thanks to everyone who made the 2011 Doggie Dash such a success! OHS raised over $315,000, and more donations are coming in each day!  We always enjoy this event – it’s well organized and the entire day is full of fun!

Ed and I set up the PetUtopia booth on Friday evening, then Jane and I arrived at 5 am to load the booth. Gay and Deb arrived at 7 am to help in the booth, and Deb brought a coffee for me, just in time!

We had to be ready early because we had visitors by 7 am. People and their dogs come early for the run, and the pancake breakfast!  Over 6000 people and over 3000 dogs participated.

Our “Grateful Dog” tee shirts helped us wake up with a smile!

We brought along some of Gay’s fabulous purses!

So many of our friends came to support OHS! Laura, from STAM’s said half of the folks who visited her booth were friends of PetUtopia!  A few of our friends who stopped by to visit are pictured below.

Glennis, and her Mom Nancy left Eddie at home, and got in some “girls only” time!
Here they meet Abby.

Glennis brought a friend, another Eurasian and her Mom….

Our friends at Equerry’s joined the party!  Their booth was next to ours!

Deb and Bella took a break from helping us at the booth to enter the contests!

Ralph and Jigsaw had their own team!

Rowdy and Gracie dashed with Mom and Dad….
Rowdy had surgery on his nasal passages earlier this year, so he could dash better than ever!

Molly and that studly Bogart stop by to say hi!

Lauree, Zarah, and the rest of the family stopped by to say hi -
Lauree’s the one who introduced me to Equerry’s products like Spunk!

Adorable Elvis brought his Mom, Kristin.

Lee and Julia followed a little later -
Lee flew in from the East Coast just in time to dash with Elvis and Kristin!

Rocky did a few tricks for his Mom, Patricia before the Dash began.

All those people and dogs in the background are leaving the starting line.
People were starting for almost an hour!

After the dash the tiny dogs were tired, so we helped them find just the right fit in front carriers.

Another cutie enjoys a front carrier.

This tiny old-timer was glad to hitch a ride!

These folks took the short route, and finished a little earlier …

This big puppy cooled down after a long walk….

Miss Kelly and Freeway brought their Mom, Gail.

Abby and her Mom Gay wait to model in the Fashion Show.

Suzanne, from Lexi Dog, introduces Gay with Abby in her new harness, collar and beaded leash.

We gave Florence a break from booth duty this year, and she and all her kids
dashed along with Fay and Miko.

Cooper and Chloe brought their Mom and Dad, Gloria and Bob.

Chockula brought his Dad Mike to the Dash!

And, last, but not least, Sharon Peterson’s Grandbabies got a ride in this big wagon,
so their stylish Spring outfits from Custom Canine didn’t get rumpled.

Thanks to all of you who stopped by the booth!  We had a blast!

]]> http://petutopia.com/2011/05/25/may-14-2011-oregon-humane-societys-doggie-dash/feed/ 4 MVR IMG_1342_1 IMG_1343_1 IMG_1340 _11 IMG_1341_1 IMG_1344_1 IMG_1351_1 IMG_1353_1 IMG_1354_1 IMG_1357_11 IMG_1358_11 IMG_1359_1 IMG_1375_1 IMG_1362_1 IMG_1363_1 IMG_1364_1 IMG_1369_1 IMG_1380_1 IMG_1366_1 IMG_1367_1 IMG_1368_1 IMG_1370_1 IMG_1372_1 IMG_1374_1 IMG_1376_1 IMG_1377_1 IMG_1378_1 http://petutopia.com/2011/04/06/march-19-2011-pooches-on-the-green/ http://petutopia.com/2011/04/06/march-19-2011-pooches-on-the-green/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:09:34 +0000 funinpetutopia http://funinpetutopia.wordpress.com/?p=2559 Continue reading →]]> Ed and I set up the table at Pooches on the Green, but I had to be at the store that day.  My thanks to Cheryl and David for visiting with the folks who came by, and thanks to David for all the great photos below!

Kids and dogs, what better combination?

A happy dog dressed in the colors of the day!

Abby and her Mom, Gay, were there with Deaf Dogs of Oregon.

This little Irish man is winkin’ by golly!

He’s only here because he loves his Mom!

The Beaverton Police K9 Unit demonstrated their skills!
A K9 officer greets his fans after the demo….

This pooch is goin’ green for the Pooches on the Green!

An elegant, hip hugger costume!

Is this big baby wearing a kilt?

As you can see, dogs of all sizes enjoy the festivities.

Two Hot Dogs!

Judging must have been really hard with all these great costumes!

Yes, I’ll have meself a pint o’ ale, Darlin!

The rain held off during the festival, and it looks like everyone had a great time!

Nettie is ready to play!

Chiste is her with her Mom, Debi. She’s one of our shy dogs.

Teddy and Ginger are awake!

Teddy uses Mom for a perch, waiting to pounce on Ginger…

Frieda is a newcomer, and a little shy.

It’s pretty obvious who’s awake and who’s not in this pic!  I rally needed that cup of coffee!

Sweet Sophie

Zoey is another one of our shy dogs.

Ginger checks in with her Mom.

Sophie is being a good hostess, greeting all her guests.

Ginger is moving so fast her little legs are a blur….

Our Monday morning  playgroup (9:30 – 10:30 am)  is for small dogs, one year of age or older, up to 25 lbs. Feel free to bring your fur kid if he/she is known to get along well with other dogs of this size, is healthy (no communicable diseases), up-to-date on vaccines, and is one year old or older. $8 per session, or $40 for a package of 6 sessions. You can call the store to sign up, or just show up.

We clear out the front of the store, and set up a matted play area, with x-pens for barriers, so that Moms can hang out, visit with other pet parents, and supervise their fur kid’s activities while he/she socializes with other dogs their own size!

Debi Cole has been training dogs since she was 10 years old. Mentored by Lorraine Smith, Manager at Virginia Woof, and Kirsten Nielsen, PhD., Debi took over Kirsten’s Garden Home Recreation Center classes in 2003/2005. During that time, Debi also taught classes for the local Portland Community College and REI Sporting Goods, as well as working as a private dog trainer. Within that same timeframe, Debi held PUPPY PLAYTIME sessions at Barka-Lounge in SE Portland, and at Schroeder’s Den in Hillsboro.

When helping owners socialize their dogs, Debi uses her skill in observing dog body language to help owners determine the level of interaction that is right for their dog. Her philosophy is that each dog is unique; therefore treat him or her as individuals. Some dogs need more time, some need more reassurance, and some need to be held back. She does not always allow dogs to “work it out”, but guides the owner to help their dog benefit from the interactions in a way suitable for that particular dog or puppy. Debi does not always suggest eliminating the tension between dogs, however she does coach the owners to help the dogs interact appropriately.

Debi’s Favorite Quote: “A dog’s mental health, after all, depends to a large degree, on leadership: dogs get enormously distressed when they think no one is in charge.” “A Pack of Two” by Carolina Knapp

We plan to have play groups for puppies and Chihuahuas in the future months.  Please let me know if you would like a certain type of play group.

Now, on to the fun!  In both sessions we have had a few very shy dogs, and more than a few not so shy dogs…. Most of the shy dogs are warming up over time… Take Bella, the English Cocker, for example….

Bella started out in the safe zone behind her Mom’s chair  …

Then she ventured out to the side of the chair, where all the other ‘kids’ came and invited her to come out and play!

Then she slipped out to watch the others playing….

Griffy and Ginger came over with a personal invitation to play ….

She greeted the gang with a play bow!

Pretty soon she ventured out and was moving about ….

She even ran over to the other side of the room to visit with Debi.
Lulu, one of the other shy dogs, is to the right of Debbie.

It took a while for her to relax, but Bella came out to play!

Meanwhile, Teddy and Ginger are playing ….

And, Griffy, Nettie and Teddy are playing now!

Nettie, Griffy, Lulu, and Teddy mix it up!

Hmmmm, it looks like they are line dancing here …
Lulu and Zoey are still thinking about it ….

Nettie, Ginger, Griffy and Teddy are whipping themselves into a frenzy!

Debi keeps a close eye on these two boys – they were the last ones to
poop out at the first play date.

Griffy and Ginger playing

Sophie comes over to visit me.

Griffy, being a Schnauzer, loves to ‘box’….

All the strawberry blonds hang together…

Bella, Ginger, Griffy, Nettie an Teddy

Nettie assigns herself the guard dog duty so she can rest a minute.

Sophie finds a friend in Bella.

Nettie finally poops out.

The two blondies play quietly in the background,
while Ginger, Griffy and Teddy keep at it!

A newcomer has to be checked out thoroughly…

Even Zoey (foreground), who is very shy, comes out for a little while.

Everyone is getting a second wind …

Sophie is pooped….

Ginger, Griffy and Teddy are still going at it until the very end!

And, the best news is that together we raised $655 that day for Animal Aid’s dwindling food supply!  PetUtopia also donated $495 worth of premium pet food to the Animal Aid pet food pantry just prior to the party, so, the total value of the donations to Animal Aid was $1150!

Our thanks to Jennifer, of Alfie’s Grooming Salon, & Karen, of Bubbles n’ Bows Grooming Salon for the nail trims,  Allison, of Four Legged Family Massage Services, for the massages, and David, of One Brilliant Day, for the glam shots, and mosty of the other shots included here.  Thanks to the guitarists David and Ramon, Lorri, Sarah,  Sammi, Meghan from Spot Magazine, and to the Animal Aid volunteers Shannon, Elizabeth, and Virginia!  Everyone there helped make it a great day for Animal Aid!

Of course we have to get everything ready early in the morning. I am NOT a morning person, so every once in a while there’s a glitch in the program…

I am breaking up the ice with a pair of scissors.. not the smartest thing to do before I’m fully awake ….

because I wounded a soda can ….
oh well at least it wasn’t my own hand ….

Guests received trial size bags of Dogswell Nutrisca, Dogswell treat samples, and for the little 2 legged guests, Beverly Hills Chihuahua paper dolls, complete with a wardrobe!

Amy, one of our Reps, brought trial size bags of Go! and Now! pet foods, which were a big hit.

Amy sets up the Go! and Now! samples and trial size bags for the party.

Kay, from Stella & Chewy’s also joined us for the fun!  She’s always popular with her freeze dried goodies from S & C! I love to watch the dogs go gaga over her treats!  If you don’t believe me, here’s picture to prove it!

Rocky, one of our favorites party guys, struggles to get as CLOSE as he can to the Stella & Chewy’s treats!

Of course, Ed made his famous chocolate chip cookies, I made truffles from scratch, and we had other yummy goodies for people as well.   In the days leading up to the party, we had several calls from friends wanting to make sure that Ed was baking his cookies!

We were serenaded by guitarists David, and later Ramon …..

Hey, I hear there’s a party goin’ on here today!

Miss Muffett and her baby bro Bogart took turns visiting. Miss Muffett was all dolled up in her Valentine tee!

Miss Muffett is truly a Sweetie Pie!

How can you resist a face like this???

Baby Bro Bogart is also a Sweetie Pie, but he’s also manly, so he wore latigo for V Day.

Jennifer, from Alfie’s, and her Mom trimmed nails in the morning… Karen from Bubbles n Bows, trimmed nails in the afternoon.

David took all the glamour shots and many of the other pics for the party.

Ginger arrives for her appointment….

And here’s one of her glamour shots!

Abby, Mom and Alex, her 2 legged big sister celebrated with us!  We knew the Spa Day was a success when we saw Abby, who is usually really high energy, transform from her normal high energy self into the equivalent of  a sack of potatoes!

Abby at the beginning of her massage.

Abby after her massage. …She REALLY didn’t want to get up!

Glam shot of Abby and Alex

Abby greets another guest.

Jewel is truly just that, a gorgeous Jewel of a Shiba.   Here are a couple of her glam shots!

Precious little Jewel and her Mom Denise.

Happy girl!

Bella came in for her Spa appointment, but first she wanted a belly rub to get the day started off right… I was happy to oblige….

Bella says “Hold my pampering appointment, pls!”

We had a secluded spot screened off for the massages, but Bella chose to lay down right out in middle of it all!  Being the party girl that she is, she didn’t want to miss any of the fun!

Allison, from 4 Legged Family Services, offered massages.

Bella gets her massage while being serenaded by the guitarist.

Another very relaxed dog …. success!

Bella shares a thank you hug with Allison.

Jennifer and her Mom give Bella a Mani-pedi.
Now she’s ready for her close up, Mr. DeMille!

Bella in her pensive pose….

Jack’s first Valentine party!

Rowdy and Gracie in their V-Day outfits!

Freeway and Miss Kelly join in the fun!

Timmy came ready to party!

We had a mini-Papillon  party within a party!  We had at least 5 Papillons in attendance!

Max came with his Mom.

Eli came with his sister and Mom to the party!

They met up with Shamus and Siobhan and had so much to discuss!

Max says “Hey, these guys look familiar!”

Max and his Mom, Amber.

What a knockout!

Siobhan is such a happy girl!

Another before and after shot so you can see the results of the massages!

Before, a little concerned …

And, after …. relaxed and happy!

Tribble and his Dad, Dennis.

Rock Star!

Rocky’s Valentine kiss for his Mom, Patricia!

Our beloved Daisy Mae had a Spa Day, too!

Eddie and Glennis arrive!

Eddie

Glennis

Eddie and Glennis with Mom, Nancy.

Harley in his V-Day party collar with his Mom, Gloria

Scottie shows us his tricks!

Sharon, of Custom Canine, brought her crew and her new grandbabies! Everyone was dressed to the canines!  Esme came dressed in a red frilly gown, with tiny red flowers adorning her forehead. Satine came dressed in a gorgeous party dress sprinkled with hearts!

Sharon and her dogs are the Glam Queens of PetUtopia!

Esme wins the Glamour Girl award!

Satine in her Valentine dress, and little red bow!

Even the babies were dressed up for the party!

This absolutely gorgeous gray baby wears a flower in her hair!

Another of Sharon’s grandbabies!

Even my Teddy came to the party!

Allison has her hands full with this big guy!

And he loved it!

Whoohoo let’s party!

JP and Molly were the first to sign up for our Spa Day, and chose the last appointment of the day.  Molly’s a happy girl!

It’s official! PetUtopia won “TOP DOG” in Spot Magazine’s 2011 Best in the Biz contest!

PetUtopia won Top Dog for Best Boutique AND Best Neighborhood Pet Supply!  We also won second in Apparel (manufacturer Ruff Wear won first place!), and honorable mention in both Holistic Merchant and Pet Event!

Thank you for all your support, and for voting for us! Join us at our party on Saturday, 2/12, from 10 am – 5 pm,  as we celebrate the upcoming Valentine’s Day with a fundraiser for Animal Aid and our Best in the Biz awards!