Falling off My Bike

Buffy with Christmas loot that returned my memory

Last week, I finally had the courage to get back on my bike after my injury. It felt pretty weird…strange, with some fear along with a tiny bit of pain when I hit a pothole and it jarred my healing pubic bone – yeah, my crotch. On December 26th at about 8 a.m., I started … Read more

Can Pets Prevent Suicide?

“Everyone thinks of committing suicide at some time,” my walking partner said as we settled into a steady pace for the 5K Wauk for Suicide Prevention and Awareness this past Saturday.  We had both known people who have attempted and some who had succeeded at committing suicide.

Cocker spaniel giving author a hug
Buffy giving me a hug.

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Tick Season – Is it time to change your routine?

  • What do you use for a flea and tick preventative?
  • Do you use the same product year after year since it works?
  • Did someone recommend the product?
  • With new stories about flea and tick preventives available, are you rethinking your usual strategy? I know I am.

For many years, I was against using flea and tick pesticides on my dog.

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Chipper’s almost Immune to the Sound of Fireworks

Chipper is my success story.

He’s become almost immune to the sound of fireworks.

Last year he slept at my feet through the grand finale, less than a mile away.  I remember sitting in front of the computer with a 20-inch box fan set at high speed to make my upstairs office more comfortable in the heat.   Sure, the sound of the fan helped dim the sound a bit, but not by much.

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Book Review: Pack of Two by Caroline Knapp

Caroline Knapp has put into words many feelings that I share regarding several of my relationships with dogs. Words I had not heard before about the deep relationship a dog can provide—not just any dog, but a special bond that forms especially with dogs we have had for a long time or have had during critical periods in our lives.

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Be Careful Feeding your Dogs Bones

Not all bones are safe for your pet and certainly not the Real Ham Bone made by Dynamic Pet Products. My dog Cassie had loved them, chewing on them for hours. But once larger pieces started breaking off – I took it away. More than once I’ve had her poop hard bone fragments, so I tried to restrict her to only getting the meat and marrow and prevent her from eating too much bone.

Cassie enjoying a Real Ham Bone.
Cassie enjoying a Real Ham Bone.

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Dogs and Ice Cream

Every time we exited my front gate, Cassie headed south, towards McDonald’s, the pier, and other goodies tossed out – treasures to a perpetually hungry dog.   She always looked disappointed when I turned north for our usual walk, but when I turned south, she raised her wagging tail and quickened her gait, often barking and turning towards me as if to say “Really? We’re going this way?”

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Leptospirosis

Cassie the water dog.
Cassie the water dog.

Does your vet ask you if your dog drinks out of puddles and streams? I discourage puddles, but lying in a stream and gulping cool water on a hot summer day, now that’s a water dog, or at least a hot dog trying to cool off.

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The Decision

Deciding if it is time to put your best friend down has to be one of the hardest decisions to make.

  • Is it too soon?
  • Will the dog get better?
  • What is her quality of life?

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