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

No one would ever mess with Joe, a 2-year-old American Bulldog. Not just because he is 90 pounds of intimidating muscle, or because he roars instead of barks. He lives in a walk-up third floor apartment in a marginal neighborhood, and you can hear his heavy tread above you as you enter the foyer of the building. No, to me, none of those factors is particularly off-putting. I’ve worked with larger dogs, in worse communities. To me, the most daunting aspect of Joe is that the d

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

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

8 year old Murray is a well-behaved Bichon Frise. He lives with a retired couple who adore him and give him a very cushy life, with the...