In addition to helping our new dog recover from her abuse, we faced another dilemma:
What to call her?
A New Year, A New Dog (Part 4)
A New Year, A New Dog (Part 3)
When we drove Bridget home the next afternoon, she was still groggy from her spay surgery earlier that day. She napped in her new crate for a bit, but then she woke up and just wanted me to hold her.
As I cradled her in my lap, I realized how little I knew about her. Was she house-trained? Had she had any obedience training? How was she in the car? The shelter staff thought she was about four- what had those years been like?
A New Year, A New Dog (Part 2)
Tiny dogs are all over northern New Mexico. Almost every week several turn up at the Espanola Shelter, where I volunteer. They’re placed in the puppy room, and, full-grown, they’re often smaller than the puppies in nearby kennels.
So when I made my weekly walk through the dog kennels in early December, I wasn’t surprised to see a couple of these little ones in the puppy area. One was a small gray poodle, the other a scruffy terrier mix. The poodle was friendly, waggy, but the terrier sat frozen in the back of her kennel.
I made a mental note to check in with her later that afternoon.
And Now for Something Different…
As a long-time New Mexico beekeeper, I follow the New Mexico Beekeepers Association. This group is a great resource for all things bee, and I attend their annual conference in Albuquerque when I can.
This year, however, the Annual Conference is absolutely must-go for me. That’s because it’s very special guest is Dr. Tom Seeley, author of Honeybee Democracy.
A New Year, A New Dog (Part 1)
When my dog Casey died last year, I knew I would get another dog. I knew that at some point I would be ready.
That’s one of the bittersweet aspects of having a life full of dogs- you’ve loved and lost quite a few, each irreplaceable, each leaving a hole in your heart never filled, each loss somehow compounded by the ones coming before. And yet, in the midst of sorrow, the knowing that, yes, you will do it again. You will open your heart and home to another dog, despite knowing what you’re in for, knowing how it will likely end.
Stress Reduction for Your Pet
There are many reasons dogs (and cats and other pets) become stressed-out. Trips to the vet, separation, thunderstorms- these and countless other situations can create fear and anxiety for your pet.
As we all know, chronic stress can have detrimental effects on both pet behavior and long-term health. Acute stress (e.g., that created by an extreme fear of thunderstorms) can trigger panic-driven behavior like breaking through doors or windows, or even cause heart attacks.
Knowing what situations stress your pet, and knowing how to support your pet through these, can be a great help to you both.