Welcome to Bay Woof, April 2023

Spring Sports Have Sprung!

Spring is here and those pups of ours are already frisky, ready to bust loose from the dreary days of rain and live it up with some fun in the sun. For the sportier Fidos among us, this can mean competitive fun - so how perfect is it that April is also National Canine Fitness Month? With all that in mind, Bay Woof brings you our annual Dog Sports issue, filled with insider tips to keep your pup game-day ready, even if the favorite sport at your house is just a quick romp on the way to brunch. 

Trainer Dawn Kovell with Marin Humane gives you the lowdown on nosework, one of the fastest growing canine sports that brings detection-dog style training to everyday dog lovers and their companion pups. Erika Slovikoski of Stardog Training digs into agility training and why building the connection between you and your dog is the key ingredient to success in this popular sport - and in anything else you do with your pup. 

This month’s Good Dog! column focuses on a sport most of us can handle: tug of war. Trainer Sara Scott debunks some of the myths about this popular game and outlines its benefits along with tips for safe play. And health practitioner Shelah Barr explains the importance of canine fitness training with tips for keeping your pal in top shape for the active life they lead in Ask Dr. Dog.

There’s lots more elsewhere in the issue, including everything you need to know about DogFest, coming up on April 22, plus a touching tribute to four-legged foster volunteers from Juliet Boyd with the Hopalong Program at Marin Humane. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Bay Woof without a little diversion from the usual suspects: Nose for News with the cream of canine headlines, Mr. Smarty Pants’s provocative pup factoids, and Red and Howling’s comic take on all things dog.  

So take a tip from your favorite pal and enjoy these spring moments any way you can, whether it’s a sporty day out or just watching the clouds skim by. May the rains be in your rearview mirror, may your days be full of fun, and may all the tails at your house be wagging like someone just won the gold!

Woof!

M Rocket
Publisher

About the cover: digital illustration by M Rocket