Sit. Stay. Read.
obsessed with dogs
September is Deaf Awareness Month (in human land, not canine world), and it’s got me thinking about some of our recent experiences with both a Deaf human and dog. I’m sharing a couple here and on Instagram, but a little background info first: My human 4-year-old, Astrid, is hard-of-hearing. Deafness is a spectrum; it’s not …
Here’s what you need–and what you definitely do NOT need–to train your dog with positive reinforcement! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. An important note before we get started: I do not recommend aversive tools. Ever. Inflicting pain is never required for learning. Period. End of story. I’ve had people argue in …
Friday night, after the girls were down, I climbed under my weighted blanket with a glass of wine, Dogland (so, so good, btw), and Penny, who promptly fell asleep on my arm. She twitched a little as she snoozed, and when John walked through the bedroom on his way to the closet, she lifted her …
Have you ever wondered if your dog is judging you? Maybe you look over and your pup has one little eyebrow quirked up. (Lucas did that ALL the time!) Or maybe you feel like you and your dog are really attuned to one another’s behavior, so certainly your dog notices when you mess up? On …
With the summer solstice a few days behind us, it’s officially time to pack up those pool bags with a pile of summer reads! And, lucky you, I have a bunch of recommendations for all kinds of readers. (: From the dozens of books I’ve finished recently, a few animal-themed books rose to the top …
Without sacrificing cleanliness, style, or function. Recently, I chatted with a woman about my job writing about dogs, cats, and the pet industry. She said she loved animals, cats in particular, just not in her house. Why? Well, she said, she can’t stand the sight of carpet-covered cat trees and she refuses to live in …
Have you heard of the 3-3-3 rule of adopting a new dog? It’s a set of guidelines for transitioning a new dog into your home. Don’t let the words “rule” or “guidelines” trick you into thinking this is a hard-and-fast situation. Rather, I like to think of it more as a framework or mindset to …
It seems like an innocent enough question: Should I crate train my dog? Or is there another option? Well, do a deep dive into social media, and you’ll discover a lot of HOT opinions on this topic. But, you know me, so you know we’re going to tackle this logically and compassionately. Or, if this …
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? You’re heading out to a restaurant to meet some friends. You’re on the phone with your mom talking over the plans and you accidentally say, “We’re going to grab dinner.” At the word “dinner,” your dog leaps to her feet and runs into the kitchen to await her …
My heart breaks each time Penny flinches. A raised arm to throw a ball, a leg lifted to tie a shoe, a reach over her head to give her a little pat. She flinches or cowers. Drops low to the ground and skitters away. It’s gotten better. “Better,” anyway, in the sense that she cowers …
When we adopted Penny from a rescue that focuses on dogs with the double merle gene, we knew very little about the condition ourselves. We were exploring the idea of adopting a deaf dog since we already use ASL in our home. Little did I know the connection between deafness and this genetic condition. As …
How’s Penny doing these days? So glad you asked! 😉 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here’s a rundown of her progress, along with a few adorable photos: The first week after she came home, Penny slept. We had to wake her up to eat and to go outside, and the couple …
Every night, after I put my kids to bed, I pour myself a glass of wine, crack open a novel, and climb under my weighted blanket. It’s my nightly settle-my-nervous-system routine, and it lulls me to sleep within an hour. Or two, depending on how good the book is. : ) Recently, Penny started crawling …
Meet Penny, this pretty girl: If we’re connected on Instagram, you’ve already briefly met this lovely lady. But, I’d like to formally introduce her and share her story with you! But, first, a truth: I did not expect to be introducing a dog to you today. In fact, I planned–and still do plan–to write two …
I forget how to do this part. I forget how to move forward without a dog under my feet. I forget how to plan a day without accounting for letting him in, letting him out, filling his bowl, refilling his water, walking, cuddling, brushing, all the things. Our beloved Cooper passed away peacefully at home …
A few weeks ago, we prepared to say goodbye to Cooper. That Friday morning, he woke up, picked at his breakfast, and went outside. He seemed slow. Off. A bit disoriented. Then, over the course of the morning, he declined swiftly. He couldn’t walk well, and he wobbled and fell when he tried. He became …
Fall reading is, in my opinion, the best reading. While summer gets all the hype (I mean, sure, reading at the beach is lovely), with fall reading you get a crackling fire, a steaming mug of tea, warm blankets, fuzzy socks, and a pile of pets who want nothing more than to snuggle as you …
A note before I begin, dear friends: If you’re at all squeamish about loss of backyard wildlife or circle-of-life stories, this one’s not for you. Come back another time or peruse this old, old post about gratitude for my quirky old dog. Cooper turned 13 this summer. The girls threw him a party, complete with …
Have you ever questioned something your vet told you? Have you ever wondered if your vet was the right person to educate you on a particular topic? Have you ever considered talking to another vet–either at the same practice or at another–about your pet’s diagnosis? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, seeking a second …
A few weeks ago, while stuck in a scroll-spiral, I stumbled across a discussion about wearing shoes inside the house. It wasn’t even about shoes inside. It was about laundry. In the post, the woman folded massive piles of kids’ clothing on her living room floor, and her comments section BLEW UP about having clothing …
Life can be hard. That’s true on a daily basis–paying bills, standing in line at the post office, dealing with angry or unreasonable people, remembering to move the 3 million moving parts it takes to get through a week of work/appointments/school/activities, whatever–and it’s true in more acute moments when you’re faced with a particularly difficult …
Sun’s out, fun’s out! As the days heat up, nothing beats jumping into a cool pool to chill out. Many dogs enjoy a dip, too, but, did you know an estimated 5,000 pets drown in family pools each year? You take precautions to keep your human family safe in the water, but pool safety for …
This post meanders, y’all. Feel free to come back another day if you don’t want a string of thoughts about Google, AI, dog training, and blogging. 🙂 Unless you’re someone who works online, you might have missed this big piece of news from Google: Google is going to begin using AI to change how it …
Yesterday, we decided to take the girls to a nearby park that recently reopened after significant renovations. It’s a wonderful space alongside the river. Trails cross through the wooded sections with boardwalks spanning the swampier bits. A covered area includes picnic tables and benches, a couple grills, and a little free library. There are bathrooms, …
