With the Westminster Dog Show  approaching fast (Feb. 15-16), I got to thinking. All dogs are special, pure bred or not. Realizing that we have a vast variety of dogs right here in the South Bay, it might be a good time to showcase some of our local talent.

So what makes your dog stand out as a Best in Show in your book?

Consider this your open invitation to send us a photo(s) of your dog along with some of this pertinent information:

1) Breed (or breed mixes)

2) Name -- and how or why you chose this name.

3) Where did you find your best friend? A local shelter or rescue group? A trusted breeder?

4) Personality quirks. What makes your dog funny or outstanding in other ways?

5) Favorite trick?

6) Best habits vs. worst habits?

7) Favorite things to do with your dog?

Feel free to add other details if you wish, special stories or anectdotes. We'll post them here at South Bay Pets as they come in.

Email them to donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com. Pictures should be in jpeg format if possible.

Here's to all the special dogs in the South Bay -- purebred or not!

Kimberley Foley, who founded Peninsula Dog Parks in 1998 and spearheaded the establishment of San Pedro's off-leash dog park that opened in 2002, is the new owner of the Kritter Korral Pet Shop in Harbor City.

The independent store -- at the corner of Palos Verdes Drive North and Western Avenue -- has been a mainstay in the community since it was opened in 1983 by Donna Holick (it was originally in the Park Plaza shopping center in San Pedro).

Dave and Melissa Jones bought the store from Donna in 2003 and now are moving on to prepare for overseas Christian missionary work (see the jump for more details on their plans).

With the sale of the store finalized on Feb. 1, Kimberley's already hard at work this week tearing out the carpet and preparing to re-do the self-serve dog wash tub and grooming area.

"I want it to be more of a day spa for dogs," she said, adding that two groomers are set to come onboard when the remodeled facilities are expected to be finished March 1.

Look for other changes to come, including a transition to a new store name, events and free gifts from time to time.

Anyone who's known Kimberley can testify that she's a whirlwind of creativity and hard work when she takes on a project that's close to her heart.

"She's definitely got the drive," Melissa said of their successor. "She's changing a lot of things, which sometimes is good. She's got a lot of great ideas."

She's also a keen watcher of the latest pet industry trends.

Kritter Korral at 1724 Palos Verdes Drive North will remain open while the remodeling continues (hours are 9-7 Monday through Friday, 9-6 Saturdays and 10-5 Sundays).

So stop by and offer your encouragement. Operating an independent store in an age of chains isn't an easy challenge. The store's phone # is 310-514-4924.

And if you're interested in Melissa and Dave's future plans, check the jump.  

So where does your dog breed place on the new list of top breeds released by the American Kennel Club?

Border collies rank #52, but have been coming up in popularity over the past few years.

The bulldog is reportedly the top breed in the city of Los Angeles (although I thought earlier reports put it at Chihuahuas).

Sketch from the AKC Web site 

An unusual place for a dog park.

Thoughts?

Anyone who knows Justin Rudd - and who in Belmont Shore doesn't? - knew his "girl," Rosie the bulldog.

The community activist pulled his brindle-coated friend in a red Radio Flyer wagon to his myriad animal-related events - dog costume parades, pet blessings and bulldog beauty contests among them.

Rudd and Rosie were a familiar sight on Second Street, as well as the avenues that bisect it, and passers-by would often stop and ask to meet the English bulldog they knew from newspapers and TV. Standing on four short legs, Rosie would crane her turtle-like neck to solicit pats and give sloppy kisses that were like running your face through a car wash.

Rosie died Sunday morning of old age. She was 12, a couple of years beyond the typical life expectancy for her breed, but not old enough for Long Beach's best-known animal advocate.

"I've never cried as much over anything," Rudd, 40, said a few hours before Rosie was cremated Monday in Huntington Beach.

Rudd sounded deeply bereft, his normally cheerful Southern drawl turned flat by a cold and by grief. Rosie was not only the wrinkled mascot for his nonprofit Community Action Team, and all of the charitable work it does, but his closest animal companion.

"She was the inspiration for it all," Rudd said, citing the dog beach he won city approval for at the foot of Granada Avenue as one example of how Rosie influenced his activism.