Treasuring The Time I Have With My Older Dog Otto
When I take longer or harder hikes now, I have to leave my senior dog, Otto, at home. It’s for his own good; he...
The Veterinarian and Vet Tech Shortage Is Getting Really Scary
Back in July, I wrote a piece for this space about the increasing frequency of reports I was seeing about emergency veterinary clinics suspending...
New Searchable Database of Approved Canned Dog Foods
What’s the cool new tool? It’s a searchable database of ALL of the foods on our “approved canned foods" list.
A Trip to Kansas (With Dogs in Mind)
A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to visit a former coworker/friend I hadn’t seen for a decade or more. He had...
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Parts of Fostering
My current fostering project is a little different from what I usually take on. Ordinarily, my local shelter will contact me if they have...
Do Your Dogs Sense When You’re Leaving On a Trip?
They already know. Even before the carry-on suitcase comes out of the closet, they know.
I’m leaving town for a few days.
Is it the extra...
Xylitol – Highly Toxic to Dogs
A friend recently had a terrible scare with a dog who ate a homemade cinnamon bun and got hideously ill; it turned out that...
Community-Based Animal Shelters
I’m thinking today about how communities interact with their local animal control/animal shelters and vice versa, and how shelters can most meaningfully affect the...
The Importance of Crate Training Your Dogs
Hey, it’s September! Long-time readers know what that means! It’s time for Nancy’s annual reminder to PLEASE habituate your dog (and cats, and other...
To Learn More About Your Dog, Leave Home With Him
Last weekend, my husband and I took our nearly 6-year-old dog, Woody, with us on a backpacking trip. We joined eight of his friends,...
Giving them Forward: Raising a Service Dog Puppy
Well-trained assistance dogs can open the door to increased confidence, independence, and mobility for people living with a variety of disabilities. It’s been estimated...
Top five stupid things that people say to dog foster providers
I’ve been fostering dogs and puppies for my local shelter for 15 years. Wow! Time flies – until I thought about it, I didn’t...
Latest Blog
Old Dog, New Dog
I had the opportunity to read a pre-publication proof of WDJ contributor Kathy Callahan’s newest book, co-authored with Helen St. Pierre, and I can’t recommend the book strongly enough. Old Dog, New Dog helps dog owners anticipate the potential pitfalls of bringing a new young dog into a home already inhabited by a senior dog—and adroitly steer around them in order to seamlessly create a joyful, trauma-free blended canine family.