Information on living with, training, and loving Dogs
I’ve received several requests asking that I share how I introduced Finnegan, our Maine Coon cat to Kiera and Graidy, our two dogs at the time (Wink came after Finn).
First, a little background. When Kiera was a puppy, we had a cat with whom she got along just fine. And Graidy had been tested on cats by his rescue group. So I knew that both dogs, even with high prey drives, stood a good chance of eventually being fine … Read More
From LiveScience: Scientists Decode Dogspeak: Software analyzed barks sparked by fights, strangers, playtime
Artificially intelligent Dr. Doolittles can understand dog barks as well or better than humans do.
These findings suggest computers might significantly help people comprehend animal communication.
Scientists tested artificially intelligent software on more than 6,000 barks from 14 Hungarian sheepdogs. Six different kinds of barks were taped:
I try not to overdue the “cute” dog stuff here. After all, I Can Haz Cheezburger has that market cornered. But I got such a good smile from this, I had to share.
Do these guys know how to have fun, or what!… Read More
Crufts is the largest dog show in the world. It’s held in March every year. And while it has all the usual judging of Best of Breed, etc., I love watching the agility and freestyle parts of the program. Talk about a working and playing partnership with your dog…!
Here are this year’s winners, Richard and Pogo, of the HTM (heelwork to music) Freestyle.
And Mary Ray is one of my favorite performers. Simply amazing.
… Read MoreThere are a hundred reasons not to get a dog. And only one reason to get a dog. On the Don’t Get A Dog side, Reason #34 is:
Mud Season
Muddy Yard
Muddy Dog
Muddy Floor.
So don’t say I never warned you.
Oh, and the one and only reason to get a dog? If you can’t live a day without unconditional love and laughter. There’s nothing else in the world quite like it.
I always find it interesting how life events cluster together. Perhaps you’ve heard of this phenomenon known as “The Law of Threes.”
My little cluster at the moment has to do with healthcare. Within a few months of each other, my family doctor, dentist, and vet have retired. I’ve yet to find people to replace them. That’s because essentially they’re irreplaceable. They all came from the old school where they were human beings first and medical practitioners second. If any … Read More
It never ceases to amaze me how little someone can know about dogs and still wind up with a decent dog. Really, think about it. What other animal, wild or domesticated, can so readily adapt to our crazy, inconsistent, often self-centered ways?
I can hear some of you suggest that cats fit in with us just as well. I would argue that cats are willing to put up with far less before they’ll try to avoid or escape us. Dogs … Read More
When my family gets together, there are a lot of us. One of the many things we’re thankful for is that we all enjoy each other. There’s always a buzz of activity and lots of laughter.
We got to share an unexpected moment of merriment when, after a long day of cooking, we finally all got to sit down to eat. My mother, tired from helping my sister and me with the day’s non-stop preparations, raised her water glass and … Read More
