DOG OWNERSHIP

Weve talked in these pages about the famous Japanese dog Hachiko, who went to the train station every day to wait for his owner to come home from work - even for years after the owner died, until his own passing. The dog, who became a national symbol of loyalty in Japan, was found to have had four meat skewers in his stomach (think kabob sticks) at the time of his death. They didnt kill him - cancer did - but they could have.

Carlat Publishing in Newburyport, Massachusetts, puts out newsletters and books for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, but probably nobody in the company knows as much about psychology as office mate Mo. At no more than a pound or so, the tiny nine-year-old Chihuahua, who belongs to chief operating officer Jeffrey Ives, puts a smile on everyones face by coming over to their desks to be petted, cooed over, and marveled at as he makes little play bows and generally acts more adorable than shoud be legal. His sessions with people dont last too long, but they do a world of good. His instincts are always on the mark.

You like peonies; your dog likes peeing. You dig asters; your dog digs, period. You stop and smell the roses; your dog sniffs what decomposes. How can you and your canine pal possibly enjoy the same garden? It would be great if you could, because time outside with you is time not spent waiting indoors for something more exciting to happen.

When Amy Gonzales Chihuahua, Red Eye, escaped from her Buckeye, Arizona yard, she searched the neighborhood, put up pictures of her pet with her contact information, and in hopes of reaching a wider audience, made use of social media by placing the same information on her Facebook page. After several weeks, a call finally came through from an individual stating that he had her dog. But rather than discussing how to reunite Red Eye with his owner, the caller demanded a $500 payment to return the pet.

These are the times that try bored dogs souls. Sure, we love em, spend tons of money on their health care, and couldnt imagine living without them and their love. But too many of us spend too little of the day really interacting with them to do their quick minds and action-craving bodies justice. Its understandable. A lot of families are out much of the day and barely can make room for their own enriching moments, let alone those of their pets. Thus, trying to adjust the schedule for things like agility courses and other group activities that dogs love goes out the window, especially when you add in the drive time.

When our son John was just a year old, he loved to walk atop a low stone wall in front of the old parish house around the corner. Id lift him up and hold his hand as he threaded his way along, delighted at the novelty of walking high off the ground and pleased with his competence at being able to stay afoot on the relatively narrow ledge.

When I was growing up, we were taught that you pry the dogs mouth open and then shove the medicine down their throat, says veterinarian Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM. What Ive been thinking about for a long time now is how you can get canine patients to participate in their own care rather than making it seem like an adversarial relationship. And what Ive found is that you can actually train animals to play a willing role. You can make it a positive thing, says the doctor, who heads up the Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic.

June 2017 - Full Issue PDF

Nothing beats the summertime heat like a dip in the pool or a visit to the beach or a lake, and many dogs, like their human family mates, enjoy all the splashing around. Theyre probably not going to be willing to go down the water slide with you, but toys and gear are available that will enhance their pool or shore-side experience. At the same time, a number of other items will help insure their safety. First, the fun stuff!

Rita Denton of Jefferson City, Missouri, is beside herself. Her daughters French bulldog attacks anything that moves, she says - big dogs, carriage horses, police on bicycles, children. I am afraid, Ms. Denton comments, my daughter will end up with a lawsuit on her hands!

May 2017 - Full Issue PDF

What kind of dog is that? Its hard to go to a dog park and never hear that question being posed. We love to know the breed, or breeds, of a particularly cute or interesting-looking dog whose features have us stumped. Indeed, we often wonder about the breed makeup of our own mutts.