Late gift excuses for the holidays

Excuses, excuses (we've got 'em for you!)

For years many have worked on the perfect late gift excuse. We've decided to share a few of our favorites that ought to buy you a little time.

1 - My dog ate my credit card.
2 - Gift wrap related injury...I don't want to talk about it.
3 - The sleigh wouldn't start.
4 - Ran out of reindeer feed.
5 - Grandma had holiday cookie baking emergency.
6 - Had to wait around for fireman to get cat out of Christmas tree.

As you can see, we love a great excuse. We have asked our customers to send us their best excuses and we got some good ones! We'd love to hear from you too! Send your excuses to blog@barkerandmeowsky.com

All of us at barker & meowsky wish you the happiest of the howlidays!

Here they are, great excuses from our dear customers:

Dog wet on the tree and shorted out the electricity.
Angy M.

I got stuck in the blood pressure machine at Walmart!
Jennifer P.

My dog buried my credit card.
Susan B.

Thought home was broken into...realized later that it was Santa Claus!
Annette L.

I ran out of tape to wrap gifts, all the stores were sold out. Tried to use superglue and glued my fingers together.
Angela B.

I went to too many ugly Christmas sweater parties and was too traumatized to shop.
Tara P.

Let sleeping dogs lie...

What does a dog dream of? Flying like Superdog across fields of squirrels, stopping to sniff a floating fire hydrant every once in a while? Does he dream of turning the tables on his human masters, fomenting a revolution where all domestic animals rise up like in an Orwellian farce? Maybe he dreams of being in a bathtub full of greenies, or of a creature with a looped body and the head of a rooster? Does she dream of showing up late to take an obedience training test? Naked? With no No. 2 pencils? Well let her sleep in peace!

Check out "Dog Having a Bad Dream II" to watch the facial expressions. Then check out the noises in "Dog Crying in Sleep" to listen to people laugh at the dog's anxiety dream.

Hew was just a regular black lab. Now he's "Skeeter, J.D."

Baylor University in Waco, Texas, awarded an honorary law degree on Saturday to Skeeter the black lab. Skeeter served as a companion to law student, now graduate, Amy Jones since she became a quadriplegic in a skiing accident. The Houston Chronicle reports that Skeeter who attended classes with Amy would sometimes growl to underscore a professor's point. This paw firm is ready to put Skeeter on retainer immediately to settle some of our, um, beagle issues. A dog doesn't need to pass the bar to wear a Superdog ID tag, so we'd suggest one if you're looking for the right gift for any awesome dog you know and love.

Kitty mutters to self while drinking

Why is kitty acting like grandpa at Thanksgiving dinner? We don't have the answers, but we can't stop watching this video. Awwww. But we have to say, "Don't try this at home!" Kitty shouldn't have milk. If you want to give kitty a delicious treat so good that may or may not make him talk to himself, try some Wild Alaskan Salmon.

"A Howl Of A Good Time" - Our 5th annual Halloween extrav-O-ganza!

Thanks for coming out and making this Barker & Meowsky event a howlin' good time! You guys are beautiful. But don't take my word for it. Look at your pictures! (Click for a closer look.)

Obama: "a mutt like me" - the presidential dog hunt continues

At his first press conference as President Elect, Barack Obama took questions on many topics, and thankfully addressed the one most important to this humble blogger's heart. Who will be chosen to fill the seat of First Doggie? When asked this question by a brave reporter Obama answered,

"We have two criteria that have to be reconciled."

New Chief of Staff appointee Rahm Emanuel giggled in the background at the President Elect's earnestness. We frankly do not see what is so funny. This is important to us, and we demand an apology from Mr. Emanuel. Unaware of the chuckling behind him, Obama continued in earnest,

"One is that [cutie-patootie 10-year-old daughter] Malia is allergic. So it has to be hypoallergenic. There are a number of breeds that are hypo-allergenic. On the other hand, our preference would be to get a shelter dog, but obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts, like me."

Although there isn't really such a thing as an allergen-free dog there are many wonderful dogs out there who are shown to be hypoallergenic, or to be less likey to cause an allergic reaction.

We'll keep you posted when it's time to break out the T-bone Treats and Catnip Cigars to celebrate the new presidential puppy.

Happy Father's Day from barker & meowsky

We think a great day for Dad would include some nice weather, fun at the old ballpark, something sizzling on the grill and, of course, a good game of fetch with friends and family. Here are a few great ideas for spending some time with dear old Dad on his day.

'Que it up!

This Father's day, many a Pop will don a "Kiss the Cook" apron and head out into the yard with a heaping plate of "delicious". Despite what your dog may tell you, not everything grilled is pup-approved - here are some great ideas for the four-leggers at the barbecue:

The best part of a barbecue is all the delicious bite-sized appetizers and sides - we recommend "Carnivore Kisses" which come in three delicious flavors; chicken (all white meat), kobe beef and even bison. Guaranteed to result in kisses from your favorite carnivore.

Both man and beast love to wash down a hot-off-the grill steak with a cold one. With our new bakery treats, Pop and his pup can share a steak and a "Pawbst" at the family cookout!

Take a Walk

Better than a boring old necktie, why not get his favorite hiking companion a new outfit that reflects Dad's personal style?

For the outdoor sports enthusiast we recommend the "Great Outdoors" collection featuring camouflage, canoes, fish, ducks and even campfires. The "Surfdog" collection for the Beach Boy who never grew up, or for Daddy's little girl, check out the new "Layla" collars.

Play Ball

Throw the ball around, play some fetch, do some retrieving already! Dad's faithful friend will be happy to play ball with some of our favorite new toys. Check out the Tux, the Zisc and of course our favorite arm-saver, the Chuckit!

Grab Some Couch Time

What could be more rewarding than back-to-back baseball games and maybe a few hours spent in blissful slumber on a Sunday afternoon? As long as the dog is allowed on the couch, not too much! For the shocking few whose fur-bearing friends are forbidden from couch surfing, a pillow in the likeness of Dad's best pal is the perfect gift. Check out our newest breeds of pillows, Dad'll love 'em!

For the Man who has Everything

Browse our latest selection of stylish baseball hats. Whether your Dad is a weekend warrior, a sports enthusiast or a little more... laid back, we have a cap that's sure to be just his style.

While many Dads aren't big on "the decorating", we're sure he'd love a "Headstrong Hound" print from the "Pub Pup" series. One of our favorites declares, "All hail the scented trail that leads us to a pint of ale."

What's Happening

barker & meowsky cordially invite you to join us for our annual Tasteful Art on the Avenues, an evening showcasing the art and cuisine of local artists and restaurants. Friday June 13th 5:30-8pm. Artwork will be on display at over twenty Lincoln Park boutiques on Armitage Avenue, Halsted and Webster.

Your donation of $10 benefits Children's MemorialHospital. barker & meowsky is proud to host Matthew Owens, a Chicago area muralist specializing in Pet Portraiture. Matthew likes to say that "these are portraits of your animal the way you see them first thing in the morning as you open your eyes." The Twisted Lizard will be providing guests with a delicious taste of southwest cuisine! It has been said that The Twisted Lizard has "the best margaritas in town". Yum!

Dad will love to show off his well-behaved pooch on June 20th for Take Your Dog to Work Day, but this holiday is for Moms as well. We suggest a bath, a nice new collar and an all natural beef chew (to keep them busy). Now, get to work!