Category: Dogs

Creature Thoughts July 2020: Ryder

July’s creature thoughts is going to be a bit different. We have once again had our family life derailed. Many of you already know what is going on, but I’m sending out July’s newsletter to catch my friends up to speed, and to ask for your good thoughts for Ryder, and for our family.

Every Day a Gift

Ryder has been found to have masses on his spleen and liver, and the likely diagnosis is hemangiosarcoma. Please think good thoughts for my boy.

Creature Thoughts, July 2019: Ditch the Dish

Many of my doggy clients have heard me speak of “Nothing In Life Is Free (referred to by many trainers as NILIF).” That is the process of teaching a dog to turn over control of his resources (and as a result, his anxieties over territory, food, and a slew of other stresses), by asking the dog to “say please” (by sitting) for everything he wants. Part of this plan is to hand-feed your dog his dinner, which builds a relationship of trust.

Ian Dunbar’s approach (along with a few other trainers who follow a similar philosophy of relationship-building) is to eliminate the food bowl altogether.

Emergency Funds Needed for Saluki Rescue

Recently, a Saluki person passed away in the southwest, US, and one of the dogs in need of rehoming was found non-responsive in the owner’s yard when the volunteers went to pick him up. This boy is now in critical care, but recovering, and his prognosis, though guarded, has improved.

However, the situation has led to vet bills that are already high and climbing daily. STOLA is in need of donations to cover this poor boy’s bills, and I would be so grateful to anyone who might visit their website and make a donation.

April Update

I have had a few people email recently to ask if I’m still living on planet Earth. My apologies for not having sent out a Creature Thoughts in a while, and for the website/blog having been so quiet. Life in general has been keeping me on the sidelines — or perhaps it has pushed what used to be life in general to the sidelines. Either way works.