New & Noteworthy

Announcing the DogWatch Cutest Puppy Contest Winners!

After weeks of overdosing on cuteness as we’ve perused the puppy pics you entered in our Cutest Puppy Contest, we’re happy to announce the 2011 DogWatch Cutest Puppy Contest Winners!
Read post »

Announcing DogWatch Puppy Month and the DogWatch Cutest Puppy Facebook Contest!

Golden pupHere at DogWatch Hidden Fences, June makes us think of one thing above all else: PUPPIES! Hence, we’re declaring June to be Puppy Month. This month, we’ll be highlighting all things puppy on both our Dog Tails Blog and our Facebook page. Keep an eye out for informative blog posts on important topics such as how to pick the right puppy for you, what you’ll need before you bring it home, and what to do once you’ve gotten it home, as well as puppy-related updates to our Facebook page!

To properly kick off DogWatch Puppy Month, we’d like to introduce our DogWatch Cutest Puppy Facebook Contest! If you’re anything like us, you LOVE a chance to show off that little ball of fluff that makes your heart melt, so here’s your chance! Read on for details on how to enter, as well as judging and results, and good luck!

DogWatch Cutest Puppy Contest Rules

How to enter:

1)      Post a photo of your puppy OR a puppy photo of your older dog to DogWatch’s wall on Facebook. Do not post your entry on your DogWatch Dealer’s Facebook page; only photos submitted to the main DogWatch Facebook page wall will be eligible to win. You may enter multiple puppies, but please only submit one photo per pet. Please make sure to include the following in the photo’s caption:

–          Puppy’s name, age, and breed (if known)

–          Any amusing anecdotes about your puppy that you’d like to share

2)      Share the link to your puppy’s picture with your friends and family and ask them to VOTE for your puppy (and ask them to share the link with their friends, too!)  To VOTE, they will need visit the DogWatch Facebook page, and then “Like” the picture of your puppy. Also, please encourage your friends to “Like” the DogWatch Facebook page so that they can see the results on the contest.

Judging and Results:

1)      The contest will run from Thursday, June 2nd to Thursday, June 30th. The winning puppy will be determined by the picture with the most “Likes” at the end of the contest, and will be announced on the DogWatch Hidden Fences Facebook page and Dog Tails blog on Wednesday, July 6th.

2)      The winning puppy will be profiled on the DogWatch Facebook Page, as well as our Dog Tails blog and will receive a dog-friendly gift from DogWatch!

3)      Contest is open to all Facebook users. DogWatch dealers and their families ARE eligible.

4)      DogWatch Inc. reserves the right to use entered photos in future online and printed materials.

If you have any questions about the contest, please contact Heidi.fence@dogwatch.com.

Thanks, and Happy Puppy Month!

– DogWatch Hidden Fences

Puppy photo by Heather Ruiz via Flickr

Bring On the Doggie Bling!

LucyIt’s a beautiful, sunny spring day and Lucy is strutting down Boston’s posh Commonwealth Avenue like she owns it. Her black hair is glistening in the mid-day sun, and crystals are sparking around her neck. All around her, people stop and stare as she strolls by, walking with all the poise and confidence of a top runway model. Lucy pauses for a moment and takes it all in; she’s high-fashion, and she knows it, and she loves the attention. So, who is this Lucy? An up-and-coming model? An about-to-be-discovered starlet? Guess again. Lucy (shown at right)  is a two year-old Chihuahua-Pug mix, and one of a growing number of posh puppies decked out in today’s newest canine fashion trend: “doggie bling.”

With celebs like Oprah, Jessica Simpson, and even Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner decking their pooches out in the finest jewels and couture brands, it’s no wonder we here at DogWatch Hidden Fences have been seeing a rise in the presence of bejeweled best friends. From Swarovski crystals to designer logos, today’s pooches have the chance to be more stylish than ever before.

High-end boutiques, couturiers, internet shops, and big-box pets stores alike are all carrying a large assortment of dazzling and trendy collars for your fashion-forward furry friend. A quick Google search for “doggie bling” turned up literally thousands of results. It would appear that what was once looked at as eccentric has, in fact, become “de mode.”

Dog Wearing Jewelled CollarIf your dog is already rocking a DogWatch collar (as all the coolest pets are these days!), not to worry; sleeker collar styles, like Coach’s signature logo collar, will fit just fine underneath it. You don’t need to limit yourself to collars, however; doggie bling exists in all manner of forms! There’s the sophistication of a Louis Vuitton logo leash, or perhaps a Gucci dog bag?

Not prepared to shell out hundreds of dollars for these designer dog items? Don’t worry, you are (definitely) not alone. If you want your Main Street pup to look like a Madison Avenue couture pooch without the hefty price tag, you can try one of these fun, affordable options. You can paint her nails with non-toxic puppy polish. (We hear Lucy prefers pink.) Many dog stores carry collars with faux jewels and unique designs that will make you dog stand out. For the crafty dog owner, adding a pendant charm to your pup’s collar or bedazzling a leash is another inexpensive way to keep up with the latest canine fashion trends.

Need some inspiration before embarking on your own “Project Runway”-style doggie fashion project? The Domestic diva herself, Martha Stewart, is the proud owner of two French bulldogs, and loves to create beautiful, charming and functional things for them. She regularly features dog- themed design projects on her website, ranging from simple – like fastening a silk flower to your dog’s collar – to challenging – like making a fleece-lined dog coat. Try them out, and you’ll be proud to answer back when someone asks you: “Where did you find that gorgeous item?”

For inside the home, bowls and beds fit for royalty abound. From gold food and water dishes to canopy beds, your dog can truly live the luxe life! Again, you can decorate these items at home, creating a custom item to suit your dog’s unique personality.

After all, you and she know she’s fabulous; why shouldn’t everyone else?

We invite you to share your photos of your decked-out dogs on the DogWatch Facebook page and via Twitter. The more fabulous the better!

Top photo credit: Jaclyn Mosher

Bottom photo credit: Gary Knight via Flickr

DogWatch Dealer Conference

Where did the conference take place? Florida, Cleawater Beach
How many dealers attended? 160 people, representing 80 dealers (out of 200 dealers) – including UK
Did any dealers give presentations? Chris Burns, Fort Point Design – website optimization, website marketing
DogWatch staff and Shawn Bader from Mount Kisco, NY about remote trainer product BigLeash – upgraded with new features, released in March
Closest dealers/farthest away dealers? UK, California, Alaska, Florida
Where can I find the photos?
Dealer Fair – dealers shared information about their business with each other – learn from each other’s experience
Sat. Evening – Annual Awards Dinner for 2010 – Demie will e-mail key winners
Super Bowl party – Green Bay and Pittsburgh dealer

In addition to Super Bowl XLV, last weekend also marked the annual DogWatch Hidden Fences Dealer Conference. 180 people, representing 75 Dealerships, traveled to Clearwater Beach, Florida for the two-day conference. The group included DogWatch Dealers from as far away as California, Alaska, and even the United Kingdom. This week in Dog Tails, we wanted to share with you a few of the highlights of our biggest annual gathering, and celebrate the accomplishments of some of our amazing Dealers.

R7MiniThe conference kicked off on Saturday, with a number of exciting presentations. DogWatch Dealer Shawn Bader of Mount Kisco, NY discussed the BigLeash, DogWatch’s remote trainer product. He highlighted some of the exciting new features that will be available starting this March.

DogWatch staff also introduced our newest, smallest receiver collar – The R7mini. (See image at right.) A perfect solution for small dogs and cats, the R7mini has all the same great features you have come to expect from DogWatch. Weighing in at only 1.1 ounces (including the battery!), it is the smallest receiver collar available for hidden fences. To find out more about these new products and features, contact your local DogWatch Dealer.

Other presenters included Chris Burns of Fort Point Design, who discussed website optimization, and Catherine Weber of Weber Media Partners, who discussed social media marketing. That evening, we held our annual awards dinner, honoring the achievements of our Dealers in 2010. A complete list of award winners is included after the jump.

On Sunday afternoon, we held a Dealer Fair where Dealers shared information with each other about their businesses and learned from each other’s varied experiences. Of course, the Dealers also shared a lot of their own dog stories and training advice – after all, it’s all about the pets!  At the end of this productive day, everyone gathered together for a Super Bowl viewing party. Our Green Bay and Pittsburgh dealers were there to cheer on their home teams along with the DogWatch team.

All in all, it was fantastic weekend. Congrats to all of the awards winners, and a big thanks to the all of the dealers who attended. To see photos of the event, check our Facebook page next week. We hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into our event, and we encourage you to contact your local Dealer to learn more about our new products. We can’t wait to tell you about them!

Read post »