Letter from the Editor On

The Cover

SHOW me those amazing doggies!

It’s summertime fun in Houston with the return of the INDOOR (oh yes!) palooza for dog lovers, otherwise known as the Houston World Series of Dog Shows, where hundreds of dogs will strut, jump, race, pose and fly through the air to the delight of the crowd. The show comes to H-Town July 19-23 at NRG Center.

Many moons ago (1996), I showed my first Briard at this event and although I found showing was not for me, I fell in love with the show itself. I enjoy the energy, the fascinating specimens of canine varieties, the shopping, the athletic ability of the dogs and the educational opportunity to learn about everything from grooming to nutrition.

issues of PetTalk, spin the wheel for prizes, get a FREE reusable tote bag while supplies last or just hang out and chat with us. We love meeting our readers! Check out the feature story to learn more about the show and plan your visit to get the most out of the activities. As a reminder, the exhibitions that are superpopular, like Disc Dogs, Canine Freestyle and the Grooming Competition, are presented only on the weekend.

I'M ALL THAT!

Our cover boy, "Chester" boasts a Championship background, poses like a pro, knows how to work the crowd (and steal our heart at the photoshoot). He is also the granddog of Houston's "Mattress Mack". With an adorable face and confidence to boot, it's no wonder that Chester has bow-wowed many a judge to take home some very big wins. Read more about Chester in our feature story and learn all about the 46th Annual Houston World Series of Dog Shows coming to NRG Center this July. Plan to come, sit and stay for one of the greatest events Houston offers...and it's indoors!

If you love dogs, plan your trip to the show with the informative details we've curated for you in this issue. Cover

At this year’s event, the favorites will all be ready for you to watch...conformation, obedience/rally, barn hunt, meet the breed, flyball, canine freestyle and grooming competitions. AKC's My Dog Can Do That! is also back, inviting all dogs of different breeds and mixes to test their skills in agility style courses. With the help of professional trainers, your dog will run a condensed version of an Agility course, so bring your dog and give it a try.

New this year are scent trials and farm dog certification. Learn all about these events in the feature story. We are also excited to announce the student art exhibit is returning and I promise you’ll be blown away by the talent! Of course there will be rows of shopping at the McScotty Market so bring your wallet and take home some unique finds. There are no dog competitions on Wednesday the 19th, however, parking and admission is free for that day so take advantage of this great bargain.

As always, we invite you to stop by PetTalk's booth, "Henrietta's Doghouse", near the Meet the Breed ring. You can pick up past

HOUSTON PETTALK MAGAZINE

14781 Memorial Drive, Ste. 510, Houston, Texas 77079 281-556-6560

Art Director: ANDREW BURWELL

Also in this issue you’ll find a fun product guide with a theme that’s perfect for July - Red Hot! From stars and stripes to sizzle and bright red colors, shop for your little furry fireball and treat him or her to a new bed or collar. And, while you’re in the mood to spoil your pup, check out our travel story on all that Galveston has to offer for those with a pet in tow.

A few other valuable articles you'll want to read include how to avoid cat-astrophes from our friends at VERGI 24/7 (page 48) as well as good advice on helping a pet navigate the loss of another family pet from Blue Pearl Hospice (page 50).

You’ll also find great photos shared by our readers on our Instagram (page 24) - we love these pics so keep them coming and we will continue to share! And, don't forget to take a copy of PetTalk on your next vacay and send us a photo for Where In The World Is PetTalk (Hint: next month's photo will be from FAR, FAR away). Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for both Houston PetTalk and PetTalk GoFetch (our pet business and event directory) and sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter for details on contests, photo-sharing opportunities, news, events and more.

We look forward to seeing you at the show…it’s an affordable, indoor, multi-faceted way to entertain family and friends or get out and about with your dog. See you there!