A Note From Kenna’s Mom–Update!

Reposting (originally posted on September 18, 2008–see update below): Yesterday I received this wonderful message from Sheryl, Kenna’s mom. Kenna’s story is told in Chapter 17 of 8 State Hurricane Kate. Sheryl gave me permission to share this with you: About a month ago I received an e-mail from Kenna’s foster mother, Rebecca, letting me know […]

Coming Home

For most of my adult life, I’ve come home at the end of a long work day to a house with energetic dogs. Their need to get out and play has kept me from becoming a couch potato. When I say that I have to get home to let the dogs out, it’s not a […]

The Little Girl Who Jumps Up and Down

There is nothing quite like the feeling of seeing a little girl jump up and down when your dog enters the library. Her joyful enthusiasm makes you smile. She read a story to your dog last month and wants to read to him again. She doesn’t have a dog at home. Your dog knows just […]

Show Me the Way: Adventures in Tracking Training

The task was to teach each dog to touch a glove held in my hand, then to touch the glove on the floor, then to cross the room and touch the glove on the floor. The idea was to teach the dog to indicate when s/he had found the glove (or “article”) when out tracking […]

On the Right Track: What Your Dog Nose

“The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” ~ Eden Philpotts Have you ever gotten down on the floor on all fours to view the world the way your dog sees it? While you might get a better idea of what your dog sees from that vantage point, […]

Budweiser Clydesdale SuperBowl Ad: The Rest of the Story

Every year, the Budweiser Clydesdale ad is my favorite part of the Super Bowl. This year was no exception. The ad was moving, showing a Clydesdale colt growing up as he works with his trainer, then moves away to become a Budweiser horse, and later breaks away from the team to be reunited with his […]

The Moose that Wouldn’t Move

Remember when Jeanne met Sam in Wisconsin near the orange moose? In September, my cattle dog Bandit was traveling with me. On our way to visit family, we made a pit stop near the orange moose. I took Bandit out for a potty break, and then realized that he had not seen the moose before. […]

Jeanne and Sam: Meant to Be

I’ve been bombarded with stories of dogs in need lately, dogs who need to be rescued before they run out of time. Here’s one story with a happy ending, a story of how a woman and a dog who are meant to be together were united by a series of circumstances. Sometimes these things work […]

Dogs, Snakes and Wolves: Learning to Live in Peace

One day in August I arrived home to find a baby snake on the basement floor in front of my dog Chase’s kennel. Any snake sets off a visceral reaction that usually makes me scream and jump out of my shoes. Somehow, a snake is always a surprise. It must be a survival instinct for […]

The Spirit Dogs of Bimini

In May I traveled to Bimini to swim with wild dolphins (dolphins willing, of course!). The trip was led by animal communicator Mary Getten, and included amazing people with powerful connections to dolphins and other animals. We swam with intriguing and playful dolphins. I was overjoyed, but not surprised, by the spiritual experience with the […]