For the Love of Dog

It’s no secret that I have a love for dogs, but I wonder if I ever explained exactly why I love them so dearly. After all this time, I’ll endeavor to explain it now. First, as a species, you’d be hard pressed to find a better creature than a dog. They are pure of...

As much as we humans enjoy the ease of summer weather, it’s just as anticipated by our pups. No more braving the freezing cold white stuff just to do their business on frigid mornings. And they can look forward to longer walks, and way more outdoor activities. In the...

Have you ever tried to converse with someone who doesn’t speak your language? The exchange follows a predictable pattern. First we speak louder—even though deafness isn’t the problem; and then we resort to pantomime to make our message clear. Through a series of hand...

In my childhood home, we had both cats and dogs, living harmoniously amongst each other. They stayed out of each other’s way for the most part, so I witnessed no scenes of fur-flying scuffles. For the last 30-plus years, I’ve lived with only dogs, and pretty much...

We all know that dogs have a sense of smell far superior to that of humans, but you might be astounded to learn just how keen is their olfactory system. I looked it up to find that, as humans, we have around 5 million olfactory receptors to employ in identifying...

Okay, I know we chose to live in the mountains, and part of that experience is the frequent encounters with wildlife. Despite having had multiple dogs, our Evergreen house was often in the path of elk and deer that came right up to me while I gardened, and black bears...

Man’s best friend can be a great companion and sometimes a terrific helper, too. I’ve heard of dogs fetching slippers and have personally witnessed a dog being sent outside to gather the daily newspaper. I’ve seen countless videos of dogs doing yoga next to their...

Our Daisy has experienced her first Christmas with us, and because of her antics, I couldn’t help but put her experience to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” But, first, let me explain the lyrics, in order. 1. Daisy was given a hedgehog plush toy, billed as...

Daisy loves car rides. Just being invited is enough to set her tail fanning the air as she jumps into the cargo area of my old Land Rover. She quickly finds the plush blanket we’ve put onto the back seat for her comfort, scoots it around with her paws until it’s...

We pined for a dog—we hoped for finding the right one—and we got one. The right one implies an instant ‘happily ever after’ scenario, which would be frankly misleading, but I think you’ll enjoy hearing about the journey so far. Here’s how it went down: My husband went...

"Her job was mainly to nap by the fire." Vera Bradley (Lala) is a brindle Cane Corso, or Italian Mastiff, rescued from a Dallas, Texas shelter after she was dumped just 10 days before her litter arrived. She would be eligible for adoption after her pups were weaned...

It’s been a few months since our sweet Mimi left this world. And just a few months before that, Toby. My husband and I lost both our dogs within a few months of each other. To say that it has been heartbreaking is an understatement. It’s supposed to get easier, but I...