About Us

When you get right down to it, it is not about us. It is about our dogs (the kids). O'Paws was created to address the needs of dogs and indirectly the needs of their owners. When making the decision to have our first dog, Os, in our life, we knew that it would require a commitment to his well being. Then came Sy, and a further commitment to both of their needs.

O'Paws grew out of this commitment.

Meet Os (a.k.a. Os Puppy)

Os is our first Vizsla and the current Alpha dog of the pack. When we first got him, we didn't fully realize the impact that he would have on our lives. There is some truth what is commonly said of this breed: they are like Velcro. Os is a very focused individual and very keen to the behavior of people. He occupies his free time by sunning himself on his favorite chair, torturing Sy, and with his tennis ball obsession. In fact, he's so obsessed with tennis balls that we swear he dreams about them. Like a dog on a hunt, Os points and readily chases tennis balls, ever so patiently waiting to have his needs fulfilled. Of course he'll bring it back to you; that is if Sy doesn't bite his leg first, steal the ball, and run off in her own direction, insisting that she be chased. Os is the pack patriarch and often times serves as the "fun police". He's one of the dogs that keeps proper indoor behavior.

Meet Igby (a.k.a. Shrimp, The Prince)

Igby joined the family in December of 2008. He is the greeter of the pack and makes sure he welcomes every guest at the door in the mornings and walks them out to see them off in the evenings with their owners. He's incredibly sweet and surprisingly vocally demanding. He's fit in to the pack since he we brought him home and has chosen the seat back cushion as his "spot".

Sy (a.k.a. The Shrew, The Queen)

We officially named Sy, Oakley's Sy The Bane of Os. So far, she has lived up to her name and definitely much more. She was the true alpha from day one until the day she passed away. We've wondered for the longest time why she was very stingy with doggy kisses. It turns out that dog kisses are a social form of submission and she was not going to be a part of that because she was the queen. She will always be missed, and she leaves O'Paws as a piece of her legacy as she was a part of raising and building our pack. She relinquishes her title to Os who has done a marvelous job since taking reign.

Our Community

PAWS: Pets Are Wonderful Support

PAWS of San Francisco is our favorite charity. Though initially started for HIV/AIDS affected members of our community who needed assistance in caring for their pets when family and friends turned their backs on them due to misinformation about AIDS. PAWS expanded its scope to include those with mental health issues and with life-threatening diseases. The human animal bond helps the healing and coping process. www.pawssf.org

Potrero Hill Kids

We use the park at the Potrero Hill Recreation Center for the majority of our dog runs. The center is a resource where disadvantaged kids can play. Though not an official charity, we continue to help the athletics director out by donating things such as soft drinks and candy for their Halloween party, or a flag football team set.

Sites We Like

• PAWS - Pets Are Wonderful Support Our favorite charity.
• Canine Styles They produce great dog coats. Our dogs and our clients wear them.
• Wetnoz Providers of dog bowls and treat jars that'll fit easily into a modern home.
• Pawtrero and South Paw Local animal dive. The people who work here know their products.
• George Specialty dog store located in Pacific Heights & Berkeley.
• Camp K-9 of Marin They provide dog daycare and overnights just on the other side of the Golden Gate in Marin.
• Oakley Vizslas We have Sy thanks to Debi Oakley.
• Dog Gone Good Mike Wombacher will get you and your dog trained.
• VIPooch Laura Daykin helps maintain your dog's health with bodywork for them.
• Rev Sally Jordan Austin, Pet Psychic In Southern California, Sally provides pet psychic readings.

Vizslas

The San Francisco Vizsla Meetup

We can be seen regularly at the San Francisco Vizsla Meetups. A schedule of our off-leash meetups can be found at http://vizsla.meetup.com/41