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If you have a dog and an iPhone, then you will definitely want to check out these totally cool iPhone apps that pertain to dogs.

Some are FREE. And some are nearly free -- only $.99 to $1.99), so they're still very affordable.

The best part: they all really unique, so dog owners should find them interesting.

Following are my top picks for the best dog-related iPhone apps. Plus, you'll also find the top picks from several other dog owners, as well!

It's easy to get into a couch potato way of life during the winter months.

Heck, even your dog would rather lie down in front of the fireplace or cuddle up to the wood stove than go outside when the temperatures start falling below zero!

Funny thing is... our furry companions are happy to follow our lead, no matter where we're headed!

So, why not bundle up and get outside into the fresh air? You might actually enjoy this type of exercise! Your dog will love it too.

Are you one of those weird pet parents that likes to get your pet as socially connected as you are?

It's ok, I am too.

If you're like me and have a facebook account with several hundred friends, it'd make the most sense to choose a social network for dogs that integrates with facebook with an equally useful application doesn't it?

So which social network for dogs has the best facebook integration?

The answer is going to surprise you.

As many of you know, I'm not much of a football fan. My husband and my dogs have always loved football, but not me.

To give you an idea...
During last night's Superbowl, Jim asked:

Isn't Tom Brady dating Jessica Simpson?

To which I replied:

NO... Jessica Simpson was dating Tony Romo! Now quit asking me all these football questions, would ya?

Yes, that is the extent of my football knowledge, folks.

So anyway... last night before, during, and after Superbowl XLII, I channel-surfed over to Animal Planet and watched some of Puppy Bowl IV with my dog.

Here's how that went. [Hint: too cute!]

At the IHRA drag races I attended last month, I photographed several dogs who were accompanying their owners to the races.

The dogs belonged to drag racers and their families who tend to travel with their pets from race to race. In the IHRA drag racing series, there are usually 11 or so races each year -- which means a lot of time on the road, and a lot of loud noises for the dogs.

This led me to wonder... do dogs need ear protection?

What if I take my dog to a race someday? Are there doggie earplugs or something that we should consider?

Note to self:

Don't replant tree seedlings at dogs-eye-level if you have a dog that thinks sticks are toys!

Something I received via email today...

From the actual e-mail:
At times nature can be cruel, but there is also a raw beauty, and even a certain justice manifested within that cruelty.

The alligator, one of the oldest and ultimate predators, normally considered the "apex predator", can still fall victim to implemented 'team work' strategy, made possible due to the tight knit social structure and "survival of the pack mentality" bred into the canines.

See the remarkable photograph below courtesy of Nature Magazine. Note that the Alpha dog has a muzzle hold on the gator preventing it from breathing, while another dog has a hold on the tail to keep it from thrashing. The third dog attacks the soft underbelly of the gator.

Not for the squeamish!