Russ Ryan's Blog, page 18

Taxi Dog Episode!

Back in the 70′s, before Cheers and Friends, there was a classic TV sitcom called Taxi, starring Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman, Tony Danza, and Marilu Henner.

Anyway, I came across this old dog-friendly clip on Youtube titled “Alex’s Old Buddy” — which is about Alex (Judd Hirsch) enjoying his last few days with his beloved mutt. The episode is funny, smart, and emotional –– and it was also written by champion dog lover/Simpsons creator, Sam Simon. Produced over 30 years ago, the dog...

Citizen Canine!

The way that humans have embraced their animals since the 1940′s would make even Orson Welles blush, as we read in David Grimm’s new pet-friendly book, Citizen Canine: How Our Evolving Relationship with Cats and Dogs.

But this book is not just chock full of feel-good stories, Grimm, an editor at Science Magazine, uses social, historical, and, yes, scientific data to support his theories on how far animals have come in modern society.

For more info, check out the New York Times review here.

File...

Why #Cats Paint?

I know we’re all about the painted dog here, but I came across two vintage fine arts-loving cat books – Why Cats Paint: A Theory of Feline Aesthetics (by Heather Busch and Burton Silver) — a part humor, part Jackson Pollock depiction of cats playing with canvas.

Then from Susan Herbert, there’s Impressionist Cats. They say you can’t reinvent the wheel, but Herbert has revised the masterpieces of French Impressionism with big kitties replacing their human counterparts — so move over Monet and R...

Rich Dogs of Instagram?

Paul Nathan has photographed hipsters in Brooklyn — so it’s only naturally that he turns his camera on the most stylish New Yorkers around — dogs! Specifically, his dashing doggie photo book, Groomed, focuses exclusively on the dogs of the 1%. Is this class warfare for pets? I prefer to think of it as ‘The Shaved vs. The Shaved-Nots’.

Judging by the extreme looks on view, I actually kinda feel sorry for some of these overly pampered pooches — but I’m sure they’re very well fed! (Business Insid...

Could You Chew on This Dog Book for $1.99?

Francesco Marciuliano, the author of the cat poetry classic, I Could Pee on This, has a dog ebook version out called I Could Chew On This — and it’s on sale at Amazon and other fine retailers for just $1.99 (until 4/30/2014)! (BookBub)

Filed under: Dog Books, Dog Humor, Dog Non-Fiction Tagged: francesco marciuliano, i could chew on this, i could pee on this

Bargain Books for Dog and Cat Lovers!

Bargain Booksy has a $1.99 ebook sale for two recent animal titles, Lost Cat and How Dogs Love Us. So, if your Kindle is hungry — get ‘em while you can because these flash sales tend to last only a day or so!

Filed under: Dog Books, Dog Humor, Dog Memoir, Dog Non-Fiction Tagged: caroline paul, gregory berns, how dogs love us, lost cat

Black Dog Fact or Fiction?

In recent years, there has been a rumor running through dog shelters and kennels that black dogs aren’t adopted out as often as their fair-haired roommates. Although there is no official study thus far to back up this commonly-held assertion, Fred Levy — a photographer — is not taking any chances, so he has started up the Black Dogs Project to promote dog lovers choosing his darker-furred friends! (HuffPo)

Filed under: Dog Art Dog Pictures, Dog Blog Website, Dog Rescue Non-Profit Tagged: black...

2 New Books That Vaguely Mention Dogs…

When I saw the title of Lorrie Moore’s latest book, Bark, I was hoping there might be a tale or two about dogs included in the short story collection, but it appears to be metaphorical — hence, the pic of tree ‘bark’ on the cover.

However, after listening to author, Walter Kirn, on NPR talking about his new Talented Mr. Ripley-like thriller about befriending a master manipulator (wait, that definitely sounds like a dog!), Blood Will Out, I learned that a Gordon Setter plays a big supporting ro...

What’s on Your Petshelf?

The New York Times featured a litter of shiny, new pet books for kids this past weekend. From dogs to sloths, there should be something for every kiddie/animal lover!

Filed under: Dog Books, Dog Books For Kids Tagged: is that my cat?, jenny offill, matilda's cat, shoe dog, sparky, time for bed fred

Snoopy Movie Coming to a Theatre Near You!

Get ready, blockheads, because Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the Peanuts gang are skedded to hit the big screen! (But don’t rush out to buy tickets yet since the film won’t be in cineplexes until sometime around November 2015.)

Let’s hope the new fancy-schmancy animation can stand up to the simple charms of Charles Schulz’s beloved cartoon classic. (THR)

Filed under: Celebrity Dogs, Dog Art Dog Pictures, Dog Cartoons, Dog Movies, Dog Videos Tagged: charlie brown, movie, peanuts, snoopy, trailer ...