I always ask my clients to let their dog greet me at the front door they way they would with any other guest. I like to see how a dog reacts to the arrival of a stranger on his home turf; it tells me a lot about the dog’s temperament and standing in the house. If I could describe the greetings I have received over the years in a poem, here then is an ode to the exuberance of dogs at the door: How do I greet thee? Let me count the ways. I greet thee by body-checking you at ful

Labradors are mouths on legs. Not all Labs put everything in their mouths, and there are undeniably other dogs that will ingest anything and everything. But Labs are notorious for considering the sidewalk to be their own personal buffet. There is a scale of ingestion by Lab color: Eats 80% of stationary objects = Black Labs Eats 90% of stationary + dead objects = Yellow Labs Eats 110% of stationary + dead + moving objects = Chocolate Labs Moses is a 9 month old Chocolate Lab.

“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

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

This is not a post about hot cars and dogs. We all know by now that they don’t mix. In the summer, leave the dog home unless you want a...

Maisie is a 4 year old Golden Retriever that never learned to sit. There is nothing wrong with her physically to prevent her from...

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...

Seth is a seven month old Pomeranian whose owners are getting a tad frustrated with him. Its not really the stealing of the flip flops or...

Dallas and Laredo are two male un-neutered Shih Tzus, nicely groomed, well fed, healthy, and old enough to know better. Though not...

In this post, and the next two, I will address the three C’s of being a good dog owner: Calm, Confidence, and Consistency. What does it...

No, not to hang yourself. If you’re that frustrated with your dog, call a trainer! The leash – and I’m referring to a 6 foot long walking...

One of my clients cannot speak. She recently adopted a two year old Shepherd mix named Glinda. Glinda has a tendency to see an open door...

In a perfect world, Maisie’s owners would have no social life. Maisie, a six year old Boxer mix, is content to hang out in her newly...

Forgive me if I talk about barking yet again. This time, the topic is owner-directed barking. Also known as back talk, sass, and lip....

Yellow Labrador Retriever Barney is a little over a year old. He has a picture-perfect face, a sweet temperament, and knows how to sit,...