How to Drink Wine and Support Dogs

Show your love of dogs with some vino!

Wine and canines. Do they really mix? Oh, yeah--if you purchase one of various labels that support dog charities. Here are some popular wineries and the good deeds they do for canines in need--and a great holiday or year-round gift for your friends, relatives and yourself!

Instructions

1. Join Dog Lovers Wine Club, a California boutique winery that supports the Humane Society of the United States. Their colorful dog labels, including special editions, are literally works of art: "Sisters" Sangiovese and "Opposite Attraction" Syrah, to name just a couple. You can also customize your own labels by emailing them digital pictures of your favorite canine or anything else you choose (within reason). Memberships are monthly, bimonthly and quarterly with the wine shipped to your home. You can even sign up to host a "Yappy Hour Wine Tasting" and receive limited production vino for you and your friends to sample, while supporting the dog charity of your choice. And you don't have to stop with dogs; they also offer Cat Lovers and Horse Lovers wine clubs! (See link in Resources below.)

2. Purchase from The Daddio Collective's "Urban Sanctuary" boutique assortment and help save the lives of shelter dogs that are out of time. This Los Angeles-based organization rescues, provides vet care, rehab if necessary and places dogs in forever homes as part of their "Urban Sanctuary Initiative." Choose from Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon straight from some of California's finest vineyards, and help them continue their important mission (see link in Resources).

3. Check out Mutt Lynch Winery, another dog-friendly gem in the heart of California wine country that hosts frequent events and tastings to support animal shelters, charities and causes, as well as offers discounts for dog and animal charity events. Their dog-themed labels including the 2005 "Merlot Over and Play Dead" and signature "Portrait of a Mutt Zinfandel" continue to take home the double gold, silver and bronze in worldwide competitions. And in case there's the threat of running out--you can join their Club Mutt to have it delivered to your doorstep (see link in Resources).

4. Support Cru Vin Dogs; they track down small lots of quality wines from around the world and donate a percentage of the sales to animal charities and causes, including Morris Animal Foundation's "Cure Canine Cancer" campaign. Each label features a graphite or pastel drawing of a different breed of dog by Colorado Artist Jay Snellgrove--and when the wine is gone, the label is retired and never used again--making them highly collectible. Cru Vin also has a wine club offering members the first chance to purchase limited edition Snellgrove prints, as well as new-release wines in advance of the general public, plus exclusive wines that may never be released (see link in Resources).

Tips & Warnings

• Prices range from about $10 to $100 a bottle.

• Some offer discounts for purchasing so many bottles. For instance, if you order 12 or more bottles from the Daddio Collective's wine club, you'll get a 10 percent discount.

• Don't drink and drive. If you do, you may not be of any use to yourself or the dogs.

Resources

• Dog Lovers Wine Club
• The Daddio Collective Wine Shop
• Mutt Lynch Winery
• Cru Vin Dogs