Seen in the Scottsdale Great Indoors: Man carrying Pomerian mix in the housewares area.

Called Great Indoors: “Can I bring my dog to your store?” “Yes,” the clerk enthusiastically replied.

Great Indoors is now just one more place on our list of Places to Take Your Dog in Metro Phoenix.

Do you know of any others? Go ahead and tell us!

Today is the first day of the Year of the Dragon, which supposedly is going to provide us all with a lot of excitement and passion because that is what Dragon people are like.

Not at all like “Dog people”, who are considered to be honest, loyal (of course) and may be just a little lazy and stubborn. I got this from a place mat  from a restaurant at the Chinese Cultural Center at 44^th and Washington streets

But you can just click here to find if you are a dog, dragon or one of the other symbols of the Chinese zodiac.

When Star Wars Geeks and Dog Lovers meet….. “The Bark Side VW Commercial Teaser for Super Bowl — thanks to the House of Monte for sending it our way.

Sigh…. I am not going to tell you what The Beagle just ate.

Let’s just say that it was in a glass bottle with a metal cap and she used her doggie teeth as a bottle opener. It was a first and now I know she is capable of that miraculous feat as well as many others.

I will keep an eye on her and make some rice to keep on hand if her stomach starts acting up. I am also going to comfort myself with reading about other troublesome dogs chronicled at the Hambone Awards.

The Hambone Award is named in honor of a VPI-insured dog that got stuck in a refrigerator and ate an entire Thanksgiving ham while waiting for someone to find him. The dog was eventually found, with a licked-clean ham bone and a mild case of hypothermia.

And now, I am also going to make sure the refrigerator door is absolutely, positively shut.

Dear Hallmark:

I have been a faithful Hallmark customer and I am hoping you can help me out with this small request. I have looked for a card expressing a particular sentiment but have so far been unable to find one. I need a card that says something like:

Sorry my dog peed on your bathroom rug (again).

If you have a card like this in stock or could whip one up, that would be terrific.

Signed,

Jodie Snyder
Gold Crown Member #8250q5q0qt7

What do you get when you put ten dogs together like Gracie, Bo, Maggie, Sedona, Caesar and Star?

A terrific time.

Maricopa County has a Tails on the Trails program at Usery Park. It is a guided hike through a lush desert setting. Leashed dogs are welcome and it’s a great time for all. It gets your dog out of the house and lets you meet fellow dog lovers.

Mark Troester and Lynn Neakrans give some terrific practical information at the beginning of the hike about keeping your dog hydrated and controlled on the trails.

Dogs of all sizes are welcome. Today, there were Beagles, Retrievers, and mixed breeds on this Beginner, one-mile hike. And everyone got along great. “At first, all the dogs are trying to sort themselves out in the pack but it always works,’’ says Lynn.

The next Tails on the Trails program is Jan. 28 at Usery Park; it’s three miles.

You know what’s unsettling?

Waking up after your fabulous holiday house party and walking barefoot to get a cup of coffee and stepping on a damp spot on the carpet.

How did the spot get there? Bad accident-prone guest? Bad accident-prone dog? No one is fessing up.

Here’s how I deal with stains of unknown origins in the carpet: Club soda. I blot the area as much as possible. Pour club soda onto the spot and just keep blotting. It’s also good for dog throw-up as well.

Many of my friends report success with products designed specifically for dog urine. I like club soda because it’s also good in cocktails – what a nice coincidence.