Our animal friends so often do things like this. Little acts of comfort, of kindness. They feel an instinctive nudge that something is wrong with their person, and they try to make it better. Everyone who has been blessed with non-human family members for any length of time can tell stories of special moments of connection that, for a little while, made everything okay again.
Category: Dogs
Creature Thoughts May-June ’25: Ticks, Fleas, and Cats
It’s flea and tick season. Make sure you read those labels, because many products safe for dogs can be toxic to cats.
Interspecies Pals (Creature Thoughts, Mar/Apr 2025)
I’m particularly fascinated when animals of different species buddy up. In our house, Magic moved in and took over not only home and human family, but Kira’s heart as well. This odd couple are best friends. Their playtime antics keep us in stitches. They even (I’m not crazy, I swear) go potty together. Do you have a pair of unlikely pals in your family?
Why E-Collar Dog Training Is Not Recommended – Whole Dog Journal
An interesting and informative article in support of positive reinforcement training.
Creature Thoughts, May/June 2023. Tick Myths.
There are many myths and misconceptions about ticks and tick-borne diseases. In the May/June Creature Thoughts, I attempt to dispel a few of these.
Creature Thoughts May/June 2022: “AL-VIN!”
Chipmunks, it appears, have amazing spatial perception. One little fellow was helping himself to my birdseed (most likely a descendant of the critter in the photo), and completely ignoring the dog…until the dog spotted him.
The games began. Kira ran to the full length of the leash, which brought her to about eight feet from the trees. That striped varmint eyed the exact distance, knew right away that the dog’s reach was limited, and ran.
Right toward Kira.
