Although I’ve lived in Ithaca 12 years now, I still miss my favorite Christmas traditions from Philadelphia. In my mind, there’s nothing like Christmas in a big city. And a small town that empties out at the end of December just can’t compete. Luckily, I have Honey. And together, we’ve made our own Dog-Friendly Christmas …
More...
Use Your Voice – Good for the Dog; Good for You
It’s the same every morning. My dog Honey barks to tell me it’s breakfast time. Except she’s wrong. It’s not breakfast time. Her stomach clock has just gone off early. How do I tell her this and get her to stop barking? I use my “explainer” voice. I check my watch, look into Honey’s eyes, …
It’s Solstice!
In the northern hemisphere, today is the shortest day of the year. It’s solstice! And I couldn’t be happier. Because that means that tomorrow the days will become longer. Finally! Honey doesn’t know much about astronomy. But she’s happy too. Siriusly! Because longer days bring more hours of doggy fun. Here are just a few …
How Well Should We Train Our Dogs?
Get a few dog lovers together, add a little vodka, and the confessions start flying. Or just write a blog post about why dogs jump and everyone shares their training fails. Or their choices not to train. It got me thinking: how well should we train our dogs? Train Your Dog Like the Marines My husband …
Meet the Pet Blogger – The Pamela Edition
Is there anything S’Waggers don’t already know about me? Because I’m not exactly a closed book. On the other hand, I have a few dog-related stories I would love to share but don’t have the nerve. And I try to stay on topic so you won’t find me writing here about other things that interest …
Why Do Dogs Jump?
Why do our dogs like to jump up on us? I’ve heard lots of reasons: Because they’re excited. So they can sniff our smelly parts. To get closer to our faces. Because they want our attention. And some people even think our dogs are trying to show us who’s boss by jumping up. The current, …
Sleep In – Good for the Dog; Good for You
“If you wake up early, you’ll be more productive all day long.” “Do your most challenging work in the morning, while you’re fresh.” “Productive people get more done by noon than most people get done all day.” With those kinds of messages everywhere I turn, it’s no wonder I get up so early—usually by 5 …
Doghacker – Tips for Spending More Time With Your Dog
I love Lifehacker, a website featuring tips and downloads to help us be productive. But really, who wants to get more work done? Don’t we all just want to spend more time with our dogs? It’s time for Doghacker. Doghacker – Tips and Tricks to Spend More Time With Your Dog I have just the …
Too Dog-Tired to Blog
By the time a foster dog comes to my house, she’s been shuffled around a few times. It’s no wonder she has trouble falling asleep at night. Unfortunately, if the foster dog ain’t sleeping, nobody’s sleeping. Perfect Dog Except for One Little Thing Most foster dogs cry the first night or two. We put their …
Fostering Dogs Makes You Grow
I keep a list in the back of a notebook: the benefits of fostering dogs. I have a new one to add. Fostering dogs makes you grow. Whether you want to or not. Freaked Out Foster Mom I have a “thing.” I’m not good around sick people. Or injured people. Or even doctors. (I’ve managed …