It’s time to kick off your shoes and come on down and celebrate with us! Okay, maybe you’ll want to leave your shoes on, but you don’t want to miss this…

On March 20, join us for a full work day of food, drink, and deals as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of our storefront. We’ll have a keg, live DJs, snacks, dogs, the premier of our new commercial, and amazing bargains. Well behaved dogs on-leash welcome, party animals encouraged! The deets:

What: Paco Collars “One Year Here” Storefront Anniversary
When: March 20, 2010 11am-7pm
Where: Paco Collars Store
2905 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94705
Why: We need an excuse to party!

Oh, and if the picture above is giving you deja vu, it’s probably because you remember our store’s Grand Opening last year. Xdog was just a wee pup and we were full of enthusiasm about our new venture. This ring a bell?

See you there!

It’s not every day you get featured on the People Magazine online Pets page so we’re pretty excited! Check out the article here.

While the photo was submitted with the caption, “This photo speaks for itself” we actually found the perfect caption within the comments: “It’s PACO not TACO…no you can’t eat it!”

This Facebook competition turned out to be more brutal than we ever thought it could be. Who knew that when we announced, “Anarchy encouraged!” people would actually hold us to it? While things got hairy at times, we were proud to see contestants actually self-regulated, made agreements amongst each other, and agreed to a fair, spam-free fight (for the most part… our bad for not making spam blatantly illegal).

In the end, the best man (er, photo) won. The award couldn’t have gone to a more deserving cause, Ruff Mutt Border Collie Rescue. If you want to see some amazing photos, you should cruise the site. We can’t wait to see the winning collar go through all the abuse the Ruff Mutt dogs have to offer!

We’ll post the winner of the-photo-that-made-Paco-Collars-laugh-the-hardest (which also wins a collar) later today on Facebook… stay tuned!

Here’s how it works:

Post a funny picture of your dog on our Facebook fan page, then get your friends to comment. The picture with the most comments wins!

We will also have a runner-up winner for the photo we, the collective entity known as “Paco Collars,” finds the funniest. You have complete free reign in this contest. You can caption the picture, use photoshop, let it speak for itself, submit more than once… the field is wide open. Anarchy encouraged!

Oh wait, should probably mention what you win… a Paco Collar, of course! Well, minus “Exclusive” models, though a win will count for $100 toward an “Exclusive” model or super custom piece.

We will also change our computer desktop to your photo for the week, a spot reserved for only the funniest of pictures (seriously, come in the store and ask to look at our desktop sometime… it will make you smile, guaranteed).

The cut-off date is this Thursday March 4 at around midnight and we’ll announce the winner this Friday so you have a full work day to bask in your glory.

Now stop reading this and go get to making us laugh!

That’s right, because we love you guys so much, Paco Collars and Fetching Tags are banding together to give you the opportunity to outfit the one you really love: your dog.

There’s something about Paco Collars and Fetching Tags that are just so complimentary. They go together like peanut butter and jelly, but without all the calories. All the studio dogs don Fetching Tags, and all the Fetching Dogs wear Paco Collars, so it’s natural that eventually we’d collaborate and let you in on the secret.

From now through next Friday February 19th, enjoy 15% off on either website using the same convenient coupon code:

trueluv

So go find the Paco Collar that suits your dog best (feel free to contact us for a personal consult) and then go compose the Fetching Tag that perfectly completes the ensemble. Talk about the perfect way celebrate your Valentine!

What: BULLYLICIOUS

Cost: $10-$20 (sliding scale) at the door (cash bar)

What do hot girls, pit bulls, calendars and philanthropy have in common? Find out at “Bullylicious,” a one-night event from 7 p.m. until midnight Saturday, February 20. The benefit for BAD RAP and Pinups for Pitbulls will be held at Autobody Fine Art Gallery in Alameda.

Bullylicious will feature live music by 77 El Deora and Patty Schemel (drummer for Hole), with special guests and live burlesque featuring Little Darling, Bunny Pistol and Barbary Coast Burlesque. There will be a raffle, silent auction, scrumptious food, calendar signing booth and special appearances by Pinups for Pitbulls Calendar models Little Darling, Audiogirl and Ana Poe, as well as BAD RAP spokesdogs Jonny Justice, Muggy, Lola and Honky Tonk. All proceeds will go to BAD RAP and Pinups for Pitbulls,
organizations dedicated to improving the lives of American Pit Bull Terriers.

BAD RAP, founded in 1999, has gained acclaim for its work in evaluating and rescuing the dogs seized from Michael Vick’s property, where a dog-fighting operation was shut down. BAD RAP’S goal is to secure the future of the American Pit Bull Terrier as a cherished family companion.

Pinups for Pitbulls produces an annual pinup-themed calendar to raise awareness about breed bans and breed-specific abuse, and to raise money for bully-breed rescue groups throughout the country.

Event coordinators Donyale Hoye and Ana Poe encourage attendees to dress “like you want to party.”

One of our favorite customers, Roc, has had an incredibly rough year, medically. It’s hard to imagine his sturdy little 9 year old Staffy body enduring what it has, but he’s been suffering from seizures, pancreatitis, and now a possible obstruction or tumor.

As we await the news to find out if he’ll make it, his mom is strapped with vet bills that have exceeded all lines of available credit and depleted her savings. Fortunately Roc’s veterinarian is also a huge fan and is working to cut costs where they can, but that still leaves a gap.

To raise money, Roc’s mom is offering her talent at a discount. If you’ve ever wanted a custom portrait of your pet, now is the time to act. For the month of February, custom, print-ready portraits which are normally $50 are now only $25. Just check out the quality of work:

For reference, the original:

You get an amazing portrait and you help a dog in need, what more could you ask for? Contact her at finney81@gmail.com today.

Thank you for guiding us, and we promise to carry on your legacy.

RIP, good boy.

You’ll find dogs of all shapes and sizes, cool new products, freebies, competitions, demonstrations, live grooming… just about everything to keep the dog nerd in you satisfied.

You’ll find us in the Lower Hall Bay A, booth 309 (just exit the main building, walk past the outdoor concession stand, and we’ll be in the building on the left).

We’ll be offering special show deals so it will be worth it to stop by. What are we offering, you ask? Well you’ll just have to come find out… see you there!

*** Please note the store will be closed this Saturday, January 30 because we’ll all be at this show (or out of town). If you have your heart set on getting a Paco Collar this Saturday, it may be worth your while to head on down to the Cow Palace. ***

Half commercial, half PSA, and 100% hilarious (watch it in full screen HD to get the full effect!).

Special thanks to the talented JR Sheetz for once again making a masterpiece and being such a pleasure to work with. We love you, man!