It’s the white elephant in the room whenever there is a Mastiff, St. Bernard or Bloodhound present. Owners of these breeds – and other loose-lipped dogs – typically carry a rag or handkerchief tucked into a pocket or purse for on-site damage control. The walls of their homes are coated with scrubbable paint. Their furniture is upholstered in forgiving fabrics. Their clothes are machine washable. I’m talking, of course, about Drool. There are two kinds of drool. The drop or t

“My parents absolutely spoil my dog. I love that I can bring Eddie to their house and leave him there when I have to go out of town, but when he comes home, it’s like all of his training has gone out the door!” Here is what you tell your parents when you ask them to take care of your dog in your absence: Eddie eats at 7:00 AM and at 5:00 PM. He gets a cup in the and a cup at night. No scraps or table food. Eddie is not allowed on the furniture. Make sure Eddie sits before you

On any given day, Pretzel is both a sweetheart and the terror of the neighborhood. Pretzel is a Cockapoo with two owners. One of Pretzel’s owners – let’s call her Debbie – adores Pretzel. The dog is in her lap whenever she sits down. Pretzel follows her throughout the house, even when she is in the bathroom. Debbie swears that she and Pretzel have a very special bond, that they communicate with each other without words, that they are soulmates. Pretzel’s other owner – Dave –

It’s the existential question for humans and dogs: where is my place? If dogs could meditate, PLACE could be their mantra. PLACE…..PLACE…..PLACE…… if I had a PLACE, I could go there when…… Whoever is cooking in the kitchen doesn’t want me underfoot; When there are guests that don’t particularly like dogs; At mealtime, so I don’t beg at the table; I need a quiet place to go when I’m feeling overwhelmed; I’m really hungry and dinner isn’t ready yet; Before a walk, so I don’t go

Because some dogs can swallow a sock faster than I can stop them Here’s the thing. All dogs can be trained – that’s my motto and my goal. Does that mean that every single dog responds the instant I walk in the door? Of course not. Here’s what can happen (and HAS happened): A Doberman eats money - actual dollar bills -and checks, too - with or without Dave's Insanity Sauce; A Husky swallows socks - the sock touches the floor, the sock is inhaled so fast you're not sure

Or what to do if the dog won’t walk Lulu is a 2 year old Basset Hound that will not walk. She’s happy enough to have the leash put on and to go out the door. Her ears swing as she descends the stairs, she pauses to sniff the air, her tail waves in slow undulations, and then, hold everything, her enormous paws touch the grass. She collapses into a warm, giddy, writhing carpet of upside-down Basset, freckled belly pointing skyward, lips flayed and shining, eyes closed in ecstas

The ultimate in scratch-off lottery games for some dogs would be Leashtastic!, Lucky Leashes!, or best of all, Win 1,000 Leashes a Week for Life! Three-year-old Yellow Labrador Ian goes through leashes as if they are lamb kibble soaked in gravy . Yet Ian’s owners swear that they can never catch him in the act of dismembering his leashes. After his walks, Ian’s leash is always scrupulously hung behind the door and remains untouched until morning. But by evening, the leash is i

Chickie is a Spaniel mix, sweet-faced and sweet-natured. Her human companions had driven 3 hours in the pouring rain to pick her up. Yes,...

Households with two or more dogs are more common than you think. Here’s the scenario I hear over and over: “We went to the breeder and there were only two puppies left. We had only planned to get one, and we picked out the one we wanted, but then the other one looked so sad to be left behind, so we took that one, too.” Uh-oh… This occurs so often that I’m beginning to wonder if breeders put two puppies in the pen and remove the other littermates to some other place while ther

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

There are two kinds of retiring dog owner. The first kind has an older dog that they adore. But they know that, when he passes, they have...

Who was it that said “All good things must end?” Certainly not your dog on a walk. Or your dog getting attention. Or chowing down on...

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...

I saw a car go by today with a woman driving, a small dog on her lap, his head out the open window. Dangerous and misguided as that may...

I’m at a lesson to help with a common dog problem. For demonstration purposes, one of the family members goes to the door and selects a...

Its a pandemic puzzle (or maybe a Corona conundrum?). We humans, at home for the foreseeable future, have lots of entertainment options:...

Claire used to walk a meticulously planned route every morning and evening. She had determined the streets most likely to NOT have a dog...

JoJo is a Black Labrador puppy with enormous paws and disarmingly soft eyes. She also has the look of a canine about to burst into the...

The first thing you notice – if you are a dog person, of course – if you travel to any European city, is the exceedingly polite behavior...

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...