Care Your Dogs Feeling Blue
2009-11-23

Whoever said its a dogs world never spent the night in an animal shelter. Skip the candy and flowers this year, and give your Valentine a pooch and a smooch.

What is it about full-contact karate that drives normally sane people to act like animals? Beer and blood, of course.

There is a great blues concert at The Jewish Mother, and a worthy community event at Kempsville Recreation Center.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON: If you think finding a mate is tough, be glad youre not a dog. The Virginia Beach SPCA is compiling personality profiles on its canine population as part of a Valentines promotion to increase adoption.

Potential owners will fill out a brief survey and be assigned one of four colors. SPCA staff will do the same for the dogs based on friendliness, playfulness, energy level, motivation or drive and manners.

Customers can then wander through the kennels looking for dogs with similar needs and desires.

This might sound like pop psychology run amok, but pet therapy is booming. Perhaps youve read Birds on the Couch.

Last year we did a singles program (for people, not dogs) and only one man showed up, SPCA spokesman Dale Bartlett said.

He was adopted, but none of the dogs were.

Meet Your Match is Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The clinic will be open (for dogs, not people) offering heartworm tests for $12 and microchips for $25.

The SPCA is at 3040 Holland Road.

BLUES BROTHER: Next thing you know, theyll be color coding music. Red for rock, black for soul, and blue for what else? the blues.

Blues fans know by now that the best action in Hampton Roads is at The Jewish Mother. Case in point: Chicago torchbearer Nick Moss & the Flip Tops promise to burn down the house Saturday at 9 p.m.

Moss has been called the savior of a classic American strain, and his hard-working performances have earned raves from critics and musicians alike. The bands Sadie Mae has been nominated for album of the year at the 2006 Blues Music Awards in Memphis .

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12.50 at the door. The Jewish Mother is at 3108 Pacific Ave.

ROUGH STUFF: Martial arts have always been an easy sell at the Oceanfront. So look for ringside seats to go quickly even at a $50 a pop for Saturday nights kickboxing card at Surfside Inn.

The main event pits Richmonds Steve Mann against Mike Morello from Santa Barbara, Calif., for the International Kickboxing Federation U.S. Amateur title . Both are ranked No. 2 Mann at middleweight, and Morello at light middleweight.

Tickets start at $25, and the doors open at 7 p.m. Surfside Inn is at 1211 Atlantic Ave.

STEP TO IT: Kempsville Recreation Centers annual step show is Friday at 6:30 p.m. Organizer Betty Edwards hopes to have 10 teams, and Alvin Boone will serve as deejay a nd master of ceremonies.

Admission is $3. Kempsville Recreation Center is at 800 Monmouth Lane.