I just recently caught up with an old friend of mine who runs a website and company called DogTime.  DogTime focuses on helping people find the right dog, take care of their dogs, and much much more. 

Headquartered in San Francisco, our collective experience includes years of raising dogs, writing about dogs, rescuing dogs, training dogs, walking dogs, falling in love with and having our hearts broken by dogs. With DogTime, our mission is to keep dogs out of shelters and in good homes by equipping novice and experienced owners alike with all the information needed to make them, and their dogs, very happy.

Here you can find your dream canine companion with our one-of-a-kind matchmaking service, and then get expert answers for his every age, stage, and four-legged phase. Coming soon will be online training classes offered by experts Ian and Kelly Dunbar, a dog adoption center, and the chance to connect with fellow dog people and swap videos, advice, and local information on great parks, boarding options, and vets, among other things.

I came across this site actually following a video showing one of Michael Vick’s Dogs.  It had been saved and ‘rehabilitated’.  The dog still had lots of scars, but was happy and safe and loving today.  It was a little affirming to find a site run by an old friend that had happened upon some commonality in helping dogs and people live together happily. 

Michael Vick will likely submit a plea deal with State prosecutors, who failed to take action early in the dog fighting incidents that ultimately led Federal prosecutors to step in due to a miscarriage of justice and impose penalties larger than those that the State or County would have imposed if they had done their job.

Ironically, Commonwealth Attorney Poindexter now doesn’t want to make Michael Vick suffer.  If the Commonwealth had carried out its responsibilities early on, its likely that Michael Vick would have likely received a much lighter sentence and possibly would have avoided jail time all together.

Justice may be blind, but sometimes its deaf, dumb and just plain stupid too.

Vick may be allowed to provide a video plea from Federal prison to save taxpayers the expense of transporting him for trial.  This plea arrangement could enable him to take another step towards qualifying for early release.  Absent that he would remain in prison until July of 2009, upon which he might then have to serve out a sentence in the Commonwealth if convicted.

Michael Vick’s dog fighting ring led to a significant amount of collateral damage.  Vick went to prison, filed bankruptcy, his former team and fans have suffered, many dogs were killed, beaten, tortured and some lucky ones were rescued.  A North Carolina man involved in the ring was murdered a few days after Federal prosecutors swarmed over Vick’s property unveiling the grisly details of the ring.  There have been very few positives to come out of this case other than a heightened exposure of the price (and penalty) of dog fighting in America.

Related Stories and Sources AP, AJC

Other News from AJC

• Michael Vick to plead on Va. dogfighting charges
• Vick’s lawyers ask for mediator to settle debts
• Items related to Vick’s child sold to pay his bills
• Vick’s Sugarloaf home still on market

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Having parents with empty-nest syndrome, it shouldn’t have surprised me when they adopted a chihuahua. A couple of days ago, my parents asked me to babysit Archie (their chihuahua) while they are on vacation this week on Lake Champlain in NY. I’ve dog-sat a couple of Labs and Danes before, but never a small dog like Archie. I was so impressed with how well he has been behaved so far this week that we decided to give him a nice day at the spa.  There are quite a few doggy spas in the area as well as specialty shops that offer some pretty cool natural spa products for pups.

I don’t know exactly what I’ve got in store for Archie, but I’m definitely going to pick up some natural Bubbles and Beads Dog Shampoo to help repair his coat and help protect him against dry skin. Currently, dog itchy skin remedy options are off the table for Archie due to the moisturizing conditioner I just mentioned, but I might see if I can find some options in case we have to cross that bridge at some point.

A couple of weeks ago my parents picked up a natural Tear Stains Eyepack for Archie due to some staining an irritability of his tear ducts. I had no idea that young pups can have those types of issues, but apparently they can. I guess that is why I’m trying to be so precautious while watching little Archie. I am excited to see that there is such a wealth of great natural dog products not only online, but in the marketplace in general. I mean, being able to treat and care for Archie with effective natural products is not only responsible, but essential in todays world. 

Anyway, my parents will be coming back home on Sunday and I hope to have a clean and healthy pup to return to them. Now if I can just get him to calm down a bit at night that would be wonderful.