And we’re live! Welcome and thank you. Barkword is a weekly (bi-weekly to start) newsletter that focuses on dog content you actually want to read.

The truth? We got sick of listicles like “5 ways to keep your dog warm in the winter" and thought we could do better. So here we are.

If you like the content we are hoping that you'll share it with your friends and help us get better by filling out the survey at the end. On with the show!

THE FOLLOW

Here are the articles that caught our eye this week.

• 210 (Human) Years OId: A Portuguese Water Dog named Bobi who just turned 30 broke the Guiness World Record for oldest living dog. Wanna feel old? When Bobi was born, Jurassic Park was the top film, the all-time greatest singalong ballad was tops on the Billboard chart and Michael Jackson gave a bizarre interview to Oprah. (Also the first Dyson vacuum came out?)

• Grrrr: The Netherlands is on the verge of banning all flat faced dogs like Frenchies and Pugs. In protest we tried to ban all Dutch related media, art and news from our house but we quickly found out that unless you're a big van Gogh or Martin Garix fan, there isn't much to ban.

• It's NOT Baaaccccoooon! Apparently Purina Beggin' dog treats are not bacon (shocker we know) and people are mad! They've launched a class action lawsuit claiming that Purina misled them.

• The organized crime world has turned its attention to the extreme breeding of bulldogs, especially American Bullys. Why? These dogs, in particular the over muscled type, can go for tens of thousands of dollars and that "legitimate" money is used for money laundering.

• Despicable George: George Santos' (alleged) loathsomeness knows no bounds. The FBI is looking into a fake GoFundMe he created under the guise of helping a homeless veteran pay for surgery to remove tumors from his ailing dog. A veteran and a dog scam? Together? It’s like he’s trying to be the world's most hated person.

THE LEAD

Rich Dog, Poor Dog

It seems like everywhere we turn humans are cooking up new, luxury, dog-friendly options for us parents and we’re here for it.

First was this video of this dog living his best life in a lay flat business class seat. Then we saw a series of posts highlighting this Facebook group which helps you and your dog share a private jet to a common location. (BTW if you’re thinking, “Oh, maybe sharing a private jet with my dog is surprisingly affordable!” It’s not.)

In Alaska, this TikTok of pooches being picked up in a bus for “doggy school” has been viewed more than 54 million times.

Even our hometown of Toronto is getting in on the action where a few restaurants have skipped over just tolerating dogs and jumped straight to encouraging them to come to dinner, offering a menu specifically catered for them.

Is this all too much? We love OUR dogs but we also get passive aggressive about the yappy one at the park. No idea what it would be like sitting through a lunch with them. Fortunately or unfortunately, we don’t think this is slowing down any time soon.

Dog ownership skyrocketed over the past few years, stabilizing in 2022 at 44.5% of households. At the same time, fertility rates are on a precipitous decline. This is probably bad for humanity but good for dog owners who are looking to spend that disposable income on luxury dog centric experiences. Are we missing some over the top options? Let us know in the replies.

FACEBOOK COPS

An ancient proverb says: “Post on Facebook about dog… end in screaming match with stranger” We wade into the chaos and deliver a verdict.

The Verdict

Well that got heated fast. Here's our opinion. In the summer, your dog can wander onto the wood chips if leashed but it isn’t their playpen. Use it as a urinal? NOPE!. Winter time - like snow covered winter time (not it’s less than 85 degree winter) - all bets are off. Sorry kid parents. Dog parents win in winter assuming there is snow.

THE SHARE

• The most viral video on Tiktok this week goes to this snoozing retriever.

• Our favorite video this week goes to this uncooperative little guy who had to be put into a sling to get his toenails cut.

• Trending sound to jump on? Ironically it's "Popular" from the Wicked soundtrack. This video sums up the trend nicely.

• Bonus video: Bless em up big man.

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