Puppy Chronicles

In-depth research is a habit of mine, carried over from my years in academia to my  work writing the Waterside Kennels mystery fiction. That's why I spend a lot of time online and face-to-face with kennel owners, dog trainers, groomers, veterinarians, and rescue groups. Now, after adopting a 14-week-old puppy from the local animal shelter, …

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Holiday Foods & Pets

Our Sheltie, Sasha, wouldn't pick up food that had fallen to the floor without permission first. At the other end of the behavior spectrum, we have Penny Puppy (who probably thinks her name is No Leave-it Drop-it Off Down and variations thereof since joining the family last week). Penny believes anything on the floor is …

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Mystery Past and Present

In the world of mystery fiction, you’ll find a varied collection of amateur sleuths—characters whose careers seldom fall within the scope of traditional law enforcement. Browse the library or bookstore shelves, and you’ll find these sleuths tend to have personal or professional reasons—sometimes both—for investigating all manner of crime. When those crimes occur at a …

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Guest Post: A Dog is the Best Partner

Today's post comes from Kathleen Donnelly, who writes the National Forest K-9 series. *** For nearly twenty years, I've had the honor of partnering with the best co-workers in the world—my dogs. I worked for and co-owned a great company called Sherlock Hounds Detection Canines. My first dog, Sammy, was a high-energy, fun-loving black Lab. …

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Adding to the Family

In the four months since losing our beloved Sasha, I haven't wanted to think about bringing another dog into the family.  That hasn't stopped folks from sharing photos and stories about dogs they're confident would be "perfect" for us--from Chihuahuas to Golden Retrievers and just about every breed and size in between. As much as …

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