Trainer says Donovan pampers pups

They may have similar talents on the gridiron, but when it comes to being dog owners, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick have been using a different playbook.

"Donovan's a spoiler," said Perry Parks, a Southampton, Burlington County, dog trainer who's been working with McNabb's dogs for almost three years now. "He absolutely pampers them."

McNabb, who owns two American bulldogs named Deuce and Diamond along with a recently acquired Belgian Malinois named Rocky, actually pampers his pooches a little too much at his Moorestown spread, said Parks.

"The only thing I lecture him about is the weight of his dogs. I had to put one of them on a special diet," Parks said.

Parks, a former Medford Township police officer and president of the United States Police Canine Association, said he was critical of newly acquired quarterback Michael Vick when news of the horrors at his Virginia home broke in 2007.

Although McNabb has reiterated his close friendship with Vick and willingness to look past his crimes, Parks said the Eagles starter sympathized with outraged dog-lovers across the world.

"I think he really felt the anger we all felt, and that's because he loves his dogs. He's an extremely responsible dog owner."

Parks said McNabb spends "thousands" of dollars a year for his training services alone and plenty of time worrying about them when they stay at "Uncle Perry's" house.

"I'm constantly getting text messages from him. I'm thinking, shouldn't you be in practice?" said Parks with a laugh. "If he sees a bump or a lump, he calls me right away."

McNabb may not be the most obsessive dog owner on the Eagles though, Parks said.

"I also train David Akers' German shepherd, and I'm on the phone with him, and I'm not trying to be funny, sometimes six times a day," he said. "Last night, his wife called me and said "I think the dog has diarrhea."