Rescue Regrets Be Gone!
Some things seem to be universal—like discovering a need for the thing that you just threw away. Or looking for your cell phone when you are actually talking on it. (This, of course, is just theoretical.) Included in that list is a feeling of panic after bringing home a new dog. Here's what blog reader Martha recently wrote, in response to a post I wrote about a year ago, Rescue Regrets are Temporary. Thank you very much for this kind post that addresses what we humans are experiencing during this transition. We are on day five, and I am in a cloud of free-form anxiety and dread. I so appreciate your post, and everyone’s responses. It DOES feel good to know I am not alone. I’m thankful Read More
Wowser: 2018 Canine Science Initiative Rocks
HOLY MOLY dog lovers, did you get a chance to watch any of SPARCS 2018? (No worries if you missed it, because we all can watch it (and for free, no kidding) in a week or so through it's new sponsor, the National Canine Research Council. SPARCS stands for The Society for the Promotion of Applied Research in Canine Science, and is a three-day, live-streamed conference in which animal behavior scientists "present, discuss and debate their findings" in an accessible style. Best of all to me, the format includes lots of Q&A and discussions between the presenters and the community of dog lovers who are watching. This is absolute heaven for any of us who have experienced the best Read More
Well Deserved Honor for Military Dogs
It's Memorial Day. It never feels like a holiday to me; rather, it feels like a day to reflect and honor people who are far braver than most of us. I always feel a bit sad today, aware of all the loss and suffering our species can create. But there is reason to celebrate too. In 2012 I wrote a post about the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act, which would stop military dogs being classified as "equipment" and honor them as "members" in military service, as is only fitting given how much they do for us. And hold the phone, it finally passed in 2016. There's more good news: A memorial to the dogs sent to Vietnam was recently erected in Wisconsin. As you no doubt know, this is not a Read More