HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

And welcome home to those of you that took time away in December. PETBUDDYZ was busy as ever with all the cats and dogs that stayed home for the holidays and we couldn't have been more thrilled. We made some great new friends this December, yet said good-bye to old ones. Altogether, we hope that you were able to use PETBUDDYZ in whatever way could make your holidays easier to plan. For instance, BENNY, a recent Pet of the Month, got "sleepoverz' with us for almost 10 days. Both Jen and Chris were so excited to see him everyday and it made their holidays that much sweeter. Benny is so cool and he's adapted perfectly to his new apartment. But boy does he redefine "lounging around the house" Judith is his regular dog walker though, lucky her. We look forward to 2004 with all out Buddyz!

PETBUDDYZ is thrilled to welcome all our new "Buddyz"…. LIBBY is an awesome cat. She lives in Chelsea with her Mom, Hilary, and is one of the coolest cats we've ever met. She never gets tired of playing and just loves all the nooks and crannies of her apartment! CLARENCE is a 7-month-old adorable English bulldog who lives in Soho with his Dad, Jesse. What a cutie! Everyone stops Clarence on the hip neighborhood streets to say hello. What a face!! At first, he was having problems maneuvering the stairwell, but now he's an old pro! We love him! Chris got a special present this year for Christmas. An 8-year-old new Buddy named CODY, a stunningly beautiful Golden Retriever. She really is special. She lives next door to Central Park near Lincoln Center and Chris and Cody are having a blast running around the ball fields. Cody's parents, Andy and Tally went diving in Central America for the holidays and Chris thinks they should take more trips more often! Cody is a dream dog! MAYA is one of our newest Buddyz and we welcome her. She's the most wonderful black lab mix on the entire Upper West Side! She's such a "people-dog" too and it's a pleasure to walk her everyday. Oh, and for a 10-year-old girl, she certainly acts like a puppy in the dog run! She's so polite and well behaved too, her parents, Eric and Katie sure are lucky! And what can we say about the teeniest boy on the block, HERBIE? You haven't experienced cuteness til you meet this guy. He's a 3-month-old Maltese and we are waiting for him to hit 2 pounds!! He's warm and cuddly and altogether perfect! He and his Mom, Tara, live in Tribeca and we can't wait for him to grow up a little so we can show him the town! Sometimes we get lucky here at PETBUDDYZ, and Herbie is proof of that! PETBUDDYZ bids a fond farewell to one of our favorite pooches. ISAAC was just not happy living in his new apartment in the city and his mom, Robyn finally decided that he would be happier living in the country with a friend. He is an adorable Basset Hound and we'll miss him but we know he's going to do great!

This month's PET OF THE MONTH is none other than CHASE. Chase is the coolest American Pit Bull you'll ever meet. He's not even two years old yet. Shy, yet playful. Strong, yet gentle as a kitten. His parents, Reid and Bev have trained him so nicely he's a pleasure to take out everyday. He lives near Central Park and has his favorite spots by the lake there. Poor guy has had a rough month with all the construction going on in his building; the noise is driving him up a wall! But he's going to do great and because of his smarts and his tolerance, he's the PETBUDDY PET OF THE MONTH. Congrats Boy!

Chris lost a great friend this month. Emmett lost a long battle with cancer in December He was an original "Buddy" in all senses. He and his brother Charlie, who died a couple years ago, were Chris' pals and housemates in Seattle. Ever since they were puppies, their mom would toss them in the back of the truck and off they'd all go to the beach, lake or parks. Em had the best life and even after he lost a leg, his spirit was high as a kite. He had tons of love and he brought us all such great joy. We'll miss ya kiddo…Say hi to Charlie "Bear" up there and be a good boy!

In other news………If you are a parent that might be a bit worried about Mad Cow, don't forget your Buddyz. Many of the "mainstream" pet foods tend to use questionable by- products, which normally are perfectly healthy. If you're concerned, simply stick to the many organic brands out in the market these days and they'll be fine….Don't forget, Maleah Jacobs will be work -shopping here in NYC in early February. She's an amazing animal communicator and teacher and will be spending the weekend teaching the basic tools needed so that we can all learn what our Buddyz are thinking. It will be a small group, so contact her now for a slot. She can be reached at 206-579-0916. Visit her website at www.maleahjacobs.com , or email her at maleah@maleahjacobs.com.

Don't forget your Buddy Towels. It's been awful wet weather and it helps us to have a spare towel handy so we can wipe up your pooches after our walks. Also, the street salt can be brutal on some doggy's paws. There are plenty of products available to help with the stinging. PETBUDDYZ will always help soothe their paws but if there's anything extra you'd like us to do just let us know. Also, when you're taking your dogs out for long walks this winter, remember that most city parks have turned off the water supply in drinking fountains and hoses during the cold months. Always bring some extra bottled water like we do just in case, it comes in handy.

We need photos!! If you've got any extra copies of your Buddyz lying around that we can use for the website, we'd love them. Once we upload them, we'd be happy to return them. Just leave any pictures you might have with your PetBuddy and we'll get them back to you ASAP.

PETBUDDYZ has revamped our price list. Weekly clients rates will remain the same through the summer, but some weekend and nighttime walks have slightly gone up in price. We've included a brief description here, but you can always check our website for more details. Also, take a moment to review our brief cancellation policy if you haven't already. PETBUDDYZ still remains an economical and sensible way to insure that all our Buddyz needs are met when you just can't make it home for them in time. If you need more coupons to pass out to neighbors, it's a great way to help build PETBUDDYZ clientele while you get a free walk from us.

Finally… How are we doing? Each pet is unique and your needs are always different. The more we grow, the more we need your feedback. Is there something we simply forgot to do that you wish we'd remember? Are our daily notes specific enough for you or do you need just a bit more info? Are we arriving at the right time? More or less treats? Just jot a note down for your PetBuddy or email chris@petbuddyz.com and we will do our best to help. No request is too odd. Chris had a request in November to leave the TV on for the cat's amusement, but also to remember to change the channel periodically so she wouldn't get bored.