Arthur is not a camper. The outdoors has no comfortable chairs, so Arthur wanders around the campsite in misery, until someone lays a blanket on the dirt. He will briefly settle there, but jump up at any indication that they might be leaving for home. His humans insist that he come with them on hikes and canoe trips. The hikes are fine, just a walk in the woods, but being on a boat makes Arthur positively distraught. He must be picked up physically and placed in the canoe. On

My idea of a pure, indulgent pleasure is to have a pedicure. For 40 minutes, I can close my eyes and have someone else make my abused feet look presentable again. I happily pay for this privilege. If I could afford it, I would do it weekly. As a kid, I would convince my Weimaraner Misty to sit patiently while I did her nails, usually with a holiday theme. This breed of dog has lovely clear nails that made applying nail polish especially rewarding to an 8-year-old budding aest

Does your dog love going to the veterinarian, or dread it? For some dogs, the obligatory annual appointment is the equivalent of a stint of water boarding. Three-year-old Pointer mix Annabelle recognizes the veterinary clinic parking lot immediately. She engages the brake pads in her paws; her owner half-carries her to the door. Once inside, her nervous trembling causes her short hair to shed and drift throughout the waiting room. Her face is wide-eyed and terrified as she aw

Obsession – compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea or an unwanted feeling or emotion, often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety. On Monday, I met Rocky, a Jack Russell Terrier, hence the definition of obsession. Many dogs become “obsessed” with a toy or other object. Certain Labradors come to mind, the ones that scoop up a tennis ball with such fervor and delight that their eyes really do gleem with excitement. They mouth the ball, prance happily to you and away, daring yo

Teddy, an eight-year-old Border Collie, has his owner well trained. When Teddy’s owner was between jobs, each morning the two would take a ride in the family pickup truck into town to get a coffee and a newspaper at the local Stewart’s shop. Now that Teddy’s owner has a job again, Teddy insists on the morning trip regardless of his owner’s new responsibilities. Here is the script for TEDDY: THE MOVIE: Cue light orchestral music that gradually swells with the appearance of the

The pandemic makes life challenging for us in so many ways, big and small. Its not just people who are attempting to live this new kind...

Or thinking about moving. Or planning to move. Soon. Your dog, of course, has no idea what cataclysm you are about to inflict on his safe, routine little life. This is tumult of the most alarming kind, in his humble view. He notices that you are distracted. You neglect to walk him. You let him out in the yard and forget to bring him in. His meals are delayed or served too early or once – OMG – missed entirely. Suddenly, boxes appear in inconvenient and sometimes startling pla

Comet is a Golden Retriever mix that recently found his forever home. His human family is a young couple who are proud owners of their...

Everyone who has two dogs, raise your hand. Everyone who has two dogs AND walks each dog separately because one or both are terrible on...

French Bulldog Cherie has a fairly common affliction: separation anxiety. On a scale of 1 to 10, Cherie is about a 2. Cherie doesn’t...

Raymond is a 4 year old Shiba Inu. He lives in a nice home in Burnt Hills with his two adult humans. He has a pretty cushy life. He eats...

Some of my clients swear that their dogs watch TV. I used to be skeptical about such claims. But then I witnessed a Shepherd mix appear...

In all of my years of dog training, I have encountered just about every breed and nearly every behavioral problem possible in the canine...

My clients often ask me to refer them to a reputable pet sitter or boarding kennel. They are sometimes not sure which one makes the most...

I confess my own dogs are getting older. They are 14 and 16 years old, and although they are both little guys, the aging process is...

Mike and Carly called me in near hysterics. They sent me a photo of the damage that greeted them when they came home from work. Their 9...

Let me make this clear: I have nothing against owners sleeping with their dogs. For some odd reason, when I ask a client whether their...

Oscar is a Lab Shepherd mix, 4 years old, and recently adopted by a young and very earnest couple. No one knows, of course, what Oscar’s...

Just like the shy little kid who hides behind her mother’s legs rather than talk to anyone, Aristotle is wary and skittish around people....

Roger is a rambunctious 4 year old German Shepherd whose owners called me to help them with a behavioral problem. When I rang the...