Volunteering with a therapy dog? Look out for fake registries.
I love the idea of therapy dogs – that is, dogs who have a special affinity for humans, who love nothing more than to...
Parvovirus and Foster Puppies
With just a couple of exceptions, every time I have fostered a dog or litter of puppies, I’ve done it for my local shelter....
Your Kindness Is So Appreciated
As one could predict, I was a bit of a mess last week. Making the euthanasia appointment for my beloved Otto, and being with...
Dog Parks Are Dangerous!
Puppies and young adolescent dogs certainly benefit from the opportunity to run, socialize, and play with other playful dogs. But taking an inexperienced adolescent to a dog park is something else I would never recommend. There are too many playground bullies at dog parks dogs who get a little charge out of creaming new kids" at the park."
Mixed Results: Researching Your Dog’s DNA
It never fails: Every time I take my senior dog Otto into public, people ask what breed he is. And I have to smile...
My Thanks Are for Shelter Workers
Shelter workers are some of the hardest working people who deal with dogs, and we are thankful for all their hard work.
DNA Tests for Dogs: Fun, Interesting, but Probably Not Worth the Money
In the July issue of WDJ, we have an article about the mixed-breed dog DNA tests that are available to dog owners for a fairly hefty price. I have ordered a few of these tests over the years, gathering information about how they work and whether they appear to be all that helpful in identifying the breeds that have gone into a given mixed-breed dog.
Dog Songs and Singing to Your Dog
How many of you sing to your dogs when you’re alone together? I sure do. I sing to my dogs when we’re in the...
Your Dog’s DNA and Citizen Science
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a story that had been widely shared on social media about mixed breed dog DNA tests....
Often, Rehoming a Dog Gives the Best Home
Anyone who knows me knows that I love to make matches between the right humans and the right dog. When a friend asks for...
No more noise, no more fun
One of my favorite things about my dog, Otto, is that he loves and apparently cherishes his squeaky toys. Unlike dogs I’ve known who feel that the only good squeaker is a dead squeaker, Otto has had squeaky toys that have lasted for years with nary a squeak-ending puncture. Sadly, this trend seems to have ended.
Different Strokes
I'm slowly making friends with my neighbors over my back fence. They moved into that house about seven years ago... but we got off to a bad start. They had two dogs, which they kept in the backyard 24/7. The dogs had a wooden dog house to sleep in, with absolutely no bedding whatsoever. When the people weren't home, the dogs barked and barked and barked.Worse: One of the dogs was a really old Rottweiler who had the funkiest-looking tumors literally hanging off her body. One of the tumors was about the size of an orange - and looked like an orange that someone stuffed into a stocking. It swung from side to side when she walked and, later, dragged on the ground. We had one conversation about the dogs over the back fence shortly after they moved in, but when I asked about the tumors, the people got kind of chilly and simply said that the dog had been seen by a vet and she was fine.