ohmidog!

The quick answer is no. Despite a recent boo boo — actually a boo boo repeated from 2006 — in one of her “dog-friendly” recipes, Rachel Ray, whether you find her endearing or annoying, appears to be a true dog person, dog lover and dog philanthropist.

That one of her recipes — reprinted alongside a profile of Ray in this month’s Modern Dog magazine — calls for onions, which can be toxic to dogs, was an unfortunate oversight, a result of either the conflicting information that’s out there or a reflection of Ray’s learning curve when it comes to canines.

The recipe in question, “Isaboo’s Butternut Squash Mac and Cheddar,” originally appeared in Ray’s own magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, which runs a “pet friendly” recipe in every issue — a meal you can make for both you and your dog to eat.

The macaroni and cheese dish, which calls for half an onion, was the first of those to appear in the magazine, back in March 2006.

Ray also has her own dog food company, Rachael Ray Nutrish, some of the profits from which go to her own rescue organization, as she’s quick to point out on her website:

“There are no fillers.  No junk.  Just lots of good, wholesome stuff. How cool is that? And you know me.  I’m all about giving back, so some of the proceeds from Rachael Ray Nutrish go to charities that take care of animals who have no one else to look out for them.  Wow.  How good do you feel now?”

But back to poisoning dogs.

After the onion episode came to light, we went back and checked all the “dog-friendly” recipes Ray has published in her magazine, starting in April 2006 — all 27 of them — and we’re pleased to report that none of them are likely to kill your dog.

True, some of them call for avocados, which are toxic to dogs, and scallions, which are toxic to dogs, and nutmeg, high levels of which can result in seizures, tremors, central nervous system problems and death.

But almost always those recipes point out — either in the ingredient list or in the directions — to use those items only in the human portions.

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As if one species weren’t enough, PEOPLE magazine has branched out, establishing a new website called “PEOPLE Pets.”

Like the original magazine, the online pet version is short on edge and depth, heavy on fluff (we’re referring to both the animal and journalistic variety), with a heavy dose of celebrities stories and send-us-your-cute-dog-pictures contests.

It has a news section, and a style section, (”Mariah Carey celebrates the Holidays with her two loves. Plus: Mary-Kate Olsen, Dennis Quaid and other stars with their furry pals!”), and plenty of opportunities for readers to submit pet pictures.

It also has – for reasons I don’t grasp — lots of ads for Slim-Fast, the human weight loss beverage.

“It’s a site from the folks who do PEOPLE magazine, and it’s dedicated to all the things we love about our pets – funny photos, silly videos, heartwarming stories and, of course, styling pet gear,” Carol Vinzant, PEOPLE Pets community manager, said in an email about the new website.

The New Jersey homeowner who found this creature might not have been sure what species had taken refuge in his garage.

It’s fur was so badly matted it could barely move.

The case was reported to the Associated Humane Societies in northern New Jersey, which dispatched an ambulance and brought the neglected dog to its medical facility in Newark.

After some careful shearing, a male poodle emerged.

The dog had been a virtual prisoner in his own fur — barely able to move and see, according to an archived report on the AHS website.

The shearing also revealed an old injury to a rear leg but it didn’t seem to be a problem for the dog, who was named Milton, after the street on which he was found. In March, AHS reported Milton had been adopted.

Founded in 1906, AHS is the largest animal sheltering system in New Jersey, comprising three shelters located in Newark, Forked River, and Tinton Falls. The Forked River facility also includes Popcorn Park Zoo, a sanctuary for abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused or elderly wildlife, exotic and farm animals, and birds.

Its website is the latest addition to our blogroll (below the tags on our right side rail). Welcome AHS, and keep up the good work.

(Photos from AHS website)

Before Ashlee Simpson had her baby, Bronx Mowgli, she and husband Pete Wentz turned to Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan — not for child-rearing (or naming) advice but for help with their two bulldogs.

The pop star and her rocker husband were concerned about how their sometimes obsessive, sometimes aggresive bulldog, Hemingway, might react to a baby in the house. When they got him a second bulldog, Rigby, as a companion — in hopes of calming him down — it only made Hemingway’s aggression escalate.

So, in the months before Bronx Mowgli was born, Simpson and Wentz brought their worries, and their bulldogs, to Millan — well, actually he went to them. The experience is recounted on tomorrow night’s episode of “The Dog Whisperer” on the National Geographic Channel.

Millan works with the couple to help Hemingway overcome his aggression toward other dogs, his habit of attacking his own shadow, or any other shadow, and his tendency to assault the couple’s silver exercise ball. By episode’s end, those matters seemed well on their way to being resolved.

We can only assume the dogs are getting along fine with Bronx Mowgli (born Nov. 20) and not teasing him too much about his name — the first half of which comes from the borough, the second half of which comes from the Rudyard Kipling character, who, by the way, was raised by a pack of wolves.

If you need something to keep the kids busy on Christmas Eve, or perhaps even simple-minded grown-ups like myself, here’s a website that can provide, if not hours of entertainment, at least enough time to run out for some last minute gifts, or egg nog.

It’s the Mutt Maker, from Animal Planet, which allows you to combine attributes of 20 dog breeds — head, body, tail, legs — and fashion your own mutt. It then shows you a cartoon image of it, and gives it a name.

Example: Take the pug head, put it on a Rottweiler body, add poodle legs and a shih-tzu tail, and you’ve got a “Purotttzuoodle.” In a nice touch, every time you put on a new head, you hear the bark of that breed.

After that, you have the options of entering it in “best in show,” getting a “certificate of legacy” for your creation, or adorning it with accessories, including bonnet, cowboy boots, cape, glasses, pipe and more.

It’s not exactly the same as a puppy under the tree, but it’s free, interactive, won’t soil the carpet, and is relatively quiet — and for the child who’s not quite ready for a living, breathing, responsibility-laden puppy of his own, it’s a good way to learn a little more about dogs.

A Texas lawmaker has asked the state attorney general to issue an opinion on whether local officials have the authority to pass laws banning or regulating specific breeds of dogs.

In a letter to Attorney General Greg Abbott, Republican state Rep. Tony Goolsby requested an opinion to clarify a state law that cities and counties have interpreted as preventing them from targeting breeds.

He wrote that confusion caused by “varying interpretations” of the law has stopped local governments wanting to pursue such measures, according to the Houston Chronicle.

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A dog food company will join the ranks of Super Bowl advertisers — but not to sell dog food, at least not directly.

Pedigree, a dog-food brand owned by Mars, will be pushing pet adoptions in its Super Bowl XLIII ads.

The Wall Street Journal, noting that Super Bowl ads can cost as much as $3 million for 30 seconds, called it “a big investment for an oblique message.”

Pedigree, which has never advertised during the big game, says the cause-marketing approach is the way to go. “It’s the right message to send out at this time,” says John Anton, Pedigree’s director of marketing. “More dogs are going to end up in shelters because of home foreclosures.”

Besides, he added, ”Every time we run this campaign, we see increased sales.”

The ad, according the Journal article, will show what life would be like if the world didn’t have dogs. A string of crazy pets is expected to appear, including an ostrich giving a mailman a hard time. The ad won’t show dog food, but will feature the Pedigree brand name.

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An increase in consumer complaints led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday to release another cautionary statement about chicken jerky products for dogs imported from China and sold as ”tenders,” “strips” or “treats.”

“The FDA continues to receive complaints of dogs experiencing illness that their owners or veterinarians associate with consumption of chicken jerky products,” the statement said.

The FDA and several veterinary diagnostic laboratories are investigating whether there is a connection, DVM 360, a veterinary news magazine, reported.

Dog owners who feed their dogs chicken jerky products are asked to watch for these signs: decreased appetite (although some dogs may continue to consume the treats to the exclusion of other foods); decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea (sometimes with blood); and increased water consumption and/or increased urination.

If a dog shows these symptoms, and signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours, owners should consult their veterinarian.

A “substantial” reward is being offered for the return of Max, a Norfolk terrier that belongs to Princess Beatrice, daughter of Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

In an interview with BBC Radio, Sarah Ferguson said her eldest daughter was “devoted” to Max, who was last seen Wednesday afternoon chasing a squirrel into Windsor Great Park, in Berkshire.

“We believe he’s been picked up by somebody who does not know what to do with him, but if they could take him to a vet or the police station … There’s a substantial reward offered and it’s very important that no questions will be asked.”

The duchess said Max went everywhere with her Beatrice, 20, who had been devoted to him for the past seven years. She described Max as cream and sand colored, very friendly with “a bit of a tummy” and two missing front teeth.

The duchess added: “Beatrice is distraught without him and we just hope someone can come forward with some information.”

The Dogs Trust in England has released a list of the top ten most irresponsible reasons pet owners have given for abandoning their dogs:

1. “My dog doesn’t match the sofa.”

2. “The dog looks evil and has different coloured eyes, just like David Bowie.”

3. “My black dog doesn’t match the new white carpet, can we swap him for a white dog?”

4. “My current dog is too old, can we swap for a puppy or younger model?”

5. “My dog ate the Christmas turkey cooling on the work-top.”

6. “My pet guinea pig got worried with a dog in the house.”

7. “The dog opened all the presents on Christmas Eve.”

8. An owner accidentally knelt in the dog’s urine while cleaning it up so brought the dog in the very next day.

9. A puppy was bought as a present for an elderly couple with dementia.

10. The owner was paranoid about recent bad press on Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and the dog was given up through no fault of its own.

Thirty years since the charity made famous the trademarked slogan “A dog is for life not just for Christmas,” people are dumping their pets for the flimsiest of reasons, the Independent reports. The trust says that although the number of dogs given as gifts has fallen over the past three decades, people are still taking on the responsibility of dog ownership without enough consideration of what it entails.

As a result, the trust says its 17 centers will put a moratorium on adoptions through Christmas. People will be able to visit and reserve a dog, but they will not be able to take it home until the New Year.

Clarissa Baldwin, chief executive of Dogs Trust, said: “The ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ slogan is just as relevant today as it was when I created it 30 years ago.”

The trust cares for more than 16,000 stray, unwanted and abandoned dogs each year.