I have a dog friend who lives in another part of the country. We try to talk by phone at least once a year.
And how does one get a “dog friend,” you might be thinking.
Back when I first started experiencing dog aggression problems between Kiera and Molly, many years ago now, I researched, joined dog training lists, and read prolifically. In the course of one of my online travels, I met Heidi. She was a PhD Psychologist turned … Read More
If having one dog is good, is having two better, and ten even better?
I have quite a few friends who have several dogs. One brave (insane) friend has eleven! If you were to ask them, they’d answer with a hearty, “Yes!”
And there’s actually a pretty simple test to help you determine if you might fare well in that camp. Take a good look at the following picture. Does it make you smile or gulp hard? Okay, you’ve got … Read More
You will never get to eat in peace again.
But you will go to extreme lengths to kid yourself that you can.… Read More
As my day begins in the hush of predawn darkness, as usual, I make my way outside with the dogs. Looking up at the stars, I listen to the muffled sounds of paws padding through dew-covered grass. And I think about how my life has changed over the years.
For someone looking from the outside in, the changes would appear fairly dramatic. So much so, that if assigned with the task of matching up my “then” with “now”, most people … Read More
As I’m getting ready to harvest my garlic, I do what I’ve always done every year. I go grab my garden journal to get ready to record the harvest date, and the yield and quality of the bulbs.
I’ve been keeping a journal of my garden almost since I began. It’s a habit I picked up from the old woman who taught me.
She drummed into my head, “Karen, if you want to see if what you’re doing works, you’ve … Read More
Someone was asking, in conversation, what was the biggest lesson my dogs have taught me. I had to think about it, because there are so many valuable things I’ve learned from them. I’ve narrowed it down to two, which are of equal importance to me.
… Read MoreLesson 1: Play, laugh, and love everyday.
Lesson 2: Shed a lot.
Australian Shepherds, affectionately know as “Aussies,” are becoming more and more popular as more and more people discover the breed. Understandably, many people are attracted by their looks and intelligence.
They absolutely do make great dogs for the right people. And, like Border Collies, they definitely aren’t for everyone.
If you’re considering an Aussie, please take to heart the following information I’ve posted with permission from ARPH. Too many good Aussies wind up in Rescue because their owners don’t … Read More
A Dog’s Perspective on FireworksFireworks—classic component of the July 4th holiday weekend. Large crowds gather to watch the night sky turn technicolor. Often spectacular. Always noisy.
Almost always anxiety-producing for dogs.
If Wink could climb inside my skin to hide, he would. Graidy, who never used to be that bothered by fireworks, now turns into a quivering mess, courtesy of chronic Lyme disease. (Lyme can affect neurological functioning in all kinds of weird ways, this being one of them.)… Read More
