"The Kennel Club set up a working party to look at the rules surrounding the use of hairspray, chalk and other products at dog shows, and whilst this review goes on the strict prohibition of these substances remains in place, including for Crufts 2013, " club secretary Caroline Kisko said.

WSJ: Primping pooches: Do's and don'ts at Westminster

"Look at the way you're holding that dog, " my grandmother said.

NPR: 'Dog is My Co-Pilot'

Just look at the inspirations for the all-American hamburger and hot dog in the German cities of Hamburg and Frankfurt.

CNN: America's 11 new sandwich heroes

Here is a look at the official Olympic Bid film for the Stockholm Olympic Games (see if you can spot my dog Zorro the black flat coat with the boat on his nose) as well as the films from several other cities.

FORBES: How To Market an Olympic Bid City Or an EXPO bid city To Win.

If you're still not convinced about at-home training, the Dog Owner's Guide features a detailed checklist of what to look for in a dog training program.

CNN: Site-Seer: Fetching an obedient dog from the Web

The dog days are just such a time that smart investors will skip the newspaper front pages and look at a bigger picture.

FORBES: Why Gold Prices Matter