A miscellany of thoughts about dogs, cats, writing, life in the Ozarks, & occasional book reviews
I’m editing scenes from Dangerous Deeds in which my protagonist Maggie Porter is leading a Good Dog! class to help owners and their dog prepare for their Canine Good Citizen test. I first wrote those scenes before Sasha came into my life, so I had to rely on information from the AKC, training blogs, and YouTube videos. And …
Continue reading It’s a Dog-Meet-Dog World
Just when I think we're making progress in our preparations for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification, something happens that has me reevaluating my process. From our first days together I knew I couldn't apply the same training methods I'd used years ago with my spaniel Alix. For one thing, Alix was just six weeks …
It's hard to believe that Sasha's been part of the family for nearly a year. And what a year it's been! She came to us timid, thin-coated, suffering from poor nutrition, and in dire need of love. Over the past 11 months she's grown into a confident, sweet-tempered dog. She may never have the typical full-length …
Continue reading For the love of a dog
This morning dawned clear and sunny, enticing Sasha and I to head outside despite the freezing temperature. We had the neighborhood park all to ourselves, so I traded leash for the 30' long line and let her zigzag across the park in joyous abandon. (I've discovered that training time tends to be most productive when …
Continue reading Training Tales
Responsible owners know their dogs need daily exercise, and a walk provides that for dogs and people alike. Whether you prefer strolling through your neighborhood or trotting briskly along a trail, loose leash walking is a safe, responsible way to enjoy yourselves. For some, though, leash walking can be an exercise in frustation. If you've ever …
Continue reading Love the Leash!