Information on living with, training, and loving Dogs
Some dogs lend themselves to nicknames. Graidy is such a dog. He goes by The Graidster, Graidy-Gru (Cait came up with that one), Happy Boy, Circus Dog, Clown Boy, Barky Boy, Monkey Mon, Licky Boy, Dagger Paws (for as light as he is on his feet, when he stands on you, you’d think he weighs a ton), Funny Boy (he’s the funniest dog I’ve ever had)– and Frog Man, which is aptly descriptive, don’t you think?
Kiera, on the other … Read More
The integration of Finnegan, Cait’s kitten, into our home as gone better than my wildest dreams. Both Kiera and Graidy have pretty high prey drives, so there was no guarantee that it would work out, never mind work out smoothly.
Now, wherever you find one, you’ll find the other two. They’ve become inseparable.
The usual bedtime at the Shanley’s.… Read More
Last night the wolves called my name.
Not the name I now carry,
but the one I was known by,
a million winters ago.
How they knew it was me I am not sure,
for I knew it not myself,
but part of me knew,
and part of me answered,
“Come, my brothers, let us run together,
Let us weave the patches of moonlight
into a story, written on
the fresh fallen snow.
For the world in sunlight to know… Read More
New Year’s Resolutions are part and parcel of starting out the new year. As friends were talking about their lists, I started wondering what our pets’ New Year’s Resolutions might be.
Here’s a guess at my three fur balls’ resolutions:
Kiera, my Australian Shepherd’s resolution might be: “I will resolve to stop herding my people when they suddenly move too fast and make those herky-jerky motions. On second thought… Nah. Someone’s got to keep the order around here.”
Graidy, my … Read More
In the midst of the holiday season, with lots of cooking and entertaining going on, I thought I’d share some foods that can be potentially poisonous for your dogs. Perhaps you’re already aware of most or all of them. I found a few that surprised me.
Here’s to safe and happy Holidays for you and your pets.
Foods and Substances That Could be Deadly for Your Dog:
As I open the back door to let Graidy (my Border Collie mix) in out of the rain, I fail to notice that Finnegan (our Maine Coon cat) has snuck up behind me. As Graidy comes scooting in, Finnegan goes shooting out.
After a few choice words (why does this only happen when the weather is crummy, and my shoes are nowhere to be found), I dash outside in stocking feet with no coat. I call Kiera (my Australian Shepherd) … Read More
After a day of play with Graidy, and her evening run, Kiera’s contentedly conked out for the night.… Read More
Seems Cesar has a way of stirring things up wherever he goes. He’s attracted a fair amount of attention here in Shanleyville. Irma, a thoughtful reader, left a comment on why she found Cesar’s approach useful for certain situations. She brings up some valid points.
Different trainers become popular with different people for different reasons. Obviously, the Dog Whisperer show has struck a nerve. I don’t find that surprising; there are a lot of dogs who need more training. And … Read More
