Welcome to Bay Woof, September 2022

Bone Appetit, Chow Hounds!

It’s been a minute since early canines roamed the earth hunting their own meals. But eventually a few of these canny quadrupeds started hanging out at cave families’ campfires to beg leftovers, a much less labor-intensive job than chasing down something that didn’t want to be eaten. Suffice to say those begging, puppy-dog eyes became a genetic trait that ensured Fido’s longevity, and what started as a successful meal plan evolved into a human-dog love affair that endures to this day. 

From scraps around the campfire to gourmet organic meals prepared so well you’d consider feeding them to your human family, dog food and treats have come a long way, too. Just take a look at the smorgasbord of features in this month’s food issue. 

Whether it’s a homemade treat recipe by Tamara Bricker or Sara Scott’s food training tips, positive reinforcement never tasted so good. Ren Volpe takes on the pros and cons of scheduled feeding vs. letting your dog graze all day. Brigid Wasson offers a fascinating look at dog food through the ages, and Althea Karwowski shares some insights on choosing the right treats and delivery methods to better engage that short furry friend of yours.

Elsewhere in the issue, the feast continues. The Monthly Woof‘s Cyd True tells you how to calculate just the right amount of daily food for your pooch. Shelter Zone’s Mara Velez shares her method for determining your dog’s treat preferences, a key to any successful training program. SF Animal Commissioner Irina Ozernoy discusses the need to keep the city’s food bowls full in Commission Tails, and in the Food = Love department, Dr. Ken Gorczyca of A Gentle Rest writes movingly about preparing a dog’s very special last meal in Ask Dr. Dog. 

This month’s Good Dog! column offers a double dip of training tips from the pros. The first, from Star Dog Training’s Erika Slovikoski, clues you into the importance of always observing proper dog etiquette, no matter how “friendly” your dog may be. The second, from Dog Evolve’s Pamela Wyman, brings you an important conversation about separation anxiety. And of course no meal would be complete without the tasty dinner conversation quips of  Mr. Smarty Pants, Red and Howling’s comic confections, and Nose for News, wrapping it all up with the month’s juiciest headlines.

So whether it’s bones for Beagles, chow for Chow-Chows, or meats for mutts at your house, we hope you’ll enjoy feasting on the good stuff in this month’s issue. Don’t forget to kiss the cook - and bone appetit!

-M Rocket
Publisher

P.S. Save the date for the return of Bark the Vote, a dog-themed voter registration drive at San Francisco’s Alamo Square Park slated for October 22.  Featuring a dog costume contest, music, speakers, and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, it all adds up to more fun than you ever thought you could have at a dog park - and just in time for the November midterms. Mark your calendars and stay tuned to Bay Woof for updates!