The Great Puzzle Predicament Let me tell you about the time I bought my dog, Pepper, her first “advanced” puzzle toy. With the confidence of someone who clearly didn’t know better, I set down the complicated contraption in front of my allegedly intelligent Australian Shepherd mix and waited for the magic to happen. What followed […]
The Fashion Faux Paw Incident Picture this: We’re at the dog-friendly café downtown. My Shih Tzu, Gatsby, is freshly groomed, wearing his dapper blue-and-white striped nautical sweater—the one that makes him look like a tiny yacht club member. He’s sitting politely as a parade of admirers stops by our table. “What a handsome boy!” exclaims […]
The Great Winter Fashion Debate The first snowfall of the season brought two revelations to my household. First, my Corgi mix, Pumpkin, had apparently never encountered snow before (despite being three years old and having lived through two previous winters). Second, I was woefully unprepared for the comedic drama that would unfold on our first […]
The Call of the Wild (and the Call of the Dog) When Sophia Martinez answers her phone for our interview, I hear enthusiastic barking in the background. “That’s Bandit saying hello,” she laughs. “He knows we’re talking about him and can’t stand being left out of the conversation.” This perfectly captures the spirit of Sophia […]
The Great Training Rebellion Picture this: You’ve just brought home your new training book, “Perfect Obedience in 7 Days” (spoiler alert: if dog training books were honest, none would have titles shorter than “Reasonable Behavior Eventually: A 10-Year Journey”). You’ve got your treat pouch strapped on, clicker in hand, and a determined gleam in your […]
The Great Indoors Adventure Picture this: It’s been raining for what feels like forty days and forty nights. Your rain boots have developed their own ecosystem. Your dog has been staring out the window with such longing that you’re considering building an ark just to lift their spirits. This was my reality last spring when […]
The Great Anxiety Mystery Picture this: It’s a perfectly normal Tuesday afternoon. You’re sitting on the couch, enjoying a cup of coffee and the rare peace of a quiet house, when suddenly your dog transforms from a calm companion into a trembling, panting bundle of nerves. The trigger? A distant rumble of thunder that your […]
The Leash Chronicles: A Tale of Trial and Error Let me introduce you to Cooper, my enthusiastic Labrador mix who, for the first year of his life, seemed convinced that leashes were actually sophisticated dog-powered human towing devices. Our walks resembled something between an Olympic drag event and an impromptu game of “follow the squirrel”—except […]
The Great Harness Hunt Let me tell you about the time I took my dog, Bailey, to the pet store to buy his first “proper” harness. Picture a grown adult standing in the middle of the harness aisle for 45 minutes, paralyzed by indecision, while a Labrador mix patiently sits nearby, occasionally sighing in a […]
The Great Sidewalk Tug-of-War Picture this: It’s a beautiful Sunday morning. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and you’ve decided today is finally the day you and your furry friend will have that Instagram-worthy walk through the neighborhood. You know the one—where your dog trots obediently by your side, occasionally glancing up at […]
