A cup of tea shared in front of the fire, with animals near (Finnegan is keeping my spot warm on the chair next to Graidy). With the late October chill in the air, the woodstove’s rosy glow draws us all closer, helping to get us ready for winter’s simpler pleasures.
From the mail bag: Kevin writes, I love dogs and live with a partner who doesn’t. She merely tolerates them because she loves me. I’m wondering how you and Andrew work out ways to keep everybody happy.
Dear Kevin: I was born with an affinity for dogs, and was permitted to have dogs from an early age. Andrew was never allowed to have pets growing up. So he’s never had the experience of being changed by a dog’s love. I … Read More
Back when Finn was just a little thing (now he’s almost as big as Graidy), he followed Kiera everywhere and wanted to do everything she did. Including using the dog door.
He never quite figured it out and got stuck a couple of times half way in and half way out. Kiera would push him back in with her nose.
Now that he’s a big guy, he’d give anything to get to go out. But we have too many wild
With summer vacations fast approaching, and having to make a decision on where to kennel my own crew for an upcoming annual family vacation, I’d like to share some tips and warnings on where and how to leave your pets behind.
Years back, I started with a highly recommended dog boarding kennel that I will never, ever use again! From there, I went to a kennel I adored that had been recommended by a dog-trainer friend, then moved on to … Read More
I have two hot dogs panting around my desk. They’ve both been outside with me for the last hour trotting beside me while I mulched the lawn. Well, that’s what Kiera was doing. Graidy was mostly chasing birds. I took a look at their tongues, decided it was time to quit, and had them jump in their wading pool. We’ll cool it for the rest of the afternoon. It’s too hot out for prolonged non-stop exercise for them.
Dogs only … Read More
Having been away for a few days to help my mother, I walked into the house to my happily leaping dogs. Graidy came rushing up the chair in front of me and used it like a springboard to catapult himself up into my arms. Kiera, wanting to lick my face, had trampoline feet, she was jumping so high.
Finally, I brushed them both off, so I could sit down on the floor. Then, and only then, could we give each … Read More
It’s a good thing I get up early, because one of the walkers (with dogs) on our road passes by around 6:30 am. I make sure my dogs are inside and the dog door is closed, so that this woman can walk by in relative peace. Relative peace, I say, because Kiera and Graidy both seem to find it constitutionally necessary to get off at least a few barks each from inside the house.
As the day unfolds, a parade … Read More
It is both brilliant and amiable,
especially in the slow movement;
a clear second theme contrasts with the first theme and a brief closing theme,
and is so completely easy to understand
that even the commoners looked on with appreciation…
If you’d just rub my tummy… And maybe one bedtime story. I promise, I’ll be a good boy and sleep through the whole night!… Read More
“Dad, Finn really likes you,” Cait says.
“I like Finn,” Andrew says.
“Finally, an animal you have no complaints about,” I say.
“That’s because there’s nothing to complain about. He does his job (Finnegan-now 9, Mice-0) and he’s quiet.”
“Sounds like a dating ad: Does job and is quiet,” I say. “Kiera and Graidy do their jobs too, you know.”
“Yep. We’ve got one dog who herds anything moving on the ground, one dog who herds anything moving up in … Read More
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