Recently I received one of those totally feel-good-never-give-up-hope-on-humanity stories (you can read more here) that starts off horribly --- but winds up with a very happy ending for one roughly treated pit bull. This is the tale of a woefully unfortunate brown pit bull in Arizona, who was found wandering the side of the road... Read more »
Tracie's Blog
Opening Your Heart to a New Dog After Losing One
Opening Your Heart to a New Dog After Losing One Last week I wrote about putting to sleep my very lame old girl, Jazzy, and I was deeply touched by how many people expressed their condolences. I was moved by the many people who shared their own stories of heartache in making that loving decision... Read more »
New Leash On Life
New Leash On Life A disabled dog finds hope, thanks to her devoted family. In celebration of National Pet Week, I would like to share some happy news from a family whose pit bull mix, Callie, has a new leash on life. The Craig family of Willis, Texas, refused to give up on Callie, who... Read more »
Sometimes Saying Goodbye Isn't So Sad
Sometimes Saying Goodbye Isn't So Sad I had to say goodbye to my old Collie-mix dog Jazzy this weekend. People were feeling sorry for me when I told them my vet had come to put her to sleep --- but I wasn't sad. It was such a relief for me and for Jazzy --- to... Read more »
Corporate Philanthropy – What Does That Mean?
Corporate Philanthropy – What Does That Really Mean? So many companies, large and small, make reference to donating a portion of their profits to charity. Most of us don't stop to ask what that actually means. How much are they really giving away --- and what is their motivation? Is it cynical of us as... Read more »
Xena the (Halo Healthy Weight Challenge) Superstar!
Xena the (Halo Healthy Weight Challenge) Superstar! When we welcomed a darling little Pomeranian named Xena into our challenge she was not an obese doggy --- just a chubby one. Luckily, her people John and Pam knew that they had let her tip the scales in the wrong direction with too many treats but they... Read more »
A Kitty Refugee with a Lesson for All of Us
A Kitty Refugee with a Lesson for All of Us With all the desperately sad stories we read about the plight of refugees fleeing war and persecution --- and the photos of those who perish trying to get to a better life --- here is a heartwarming tale of a happy ending for a lost... Read more »
Canine “Survival” Tips for (Very) Cold Winter Weather
Canine “Survival” Tips for (Very) Cold Winter Weather We've been having some bitter cold days recently in parts of the country and there are a number of things you can do to keep your dog comfortable --- and safe --- outdoors. Do not assume they have the “common sense” to come indoors when they begin... Read more »
What to Call Your New Dog? What Name Can You Give Love?
On this week's Dog Talk I interviewed Kim Dower, a wonderful California poet who read aloud many of her dog-themed poems. I was struck by one in particular, that will be appearing for the first time in her upcoming third book of poetry, Last Train to the Missing Planet. She gave me permission to reprint... Read more »
Dogs Naturally Generous with Their Treats
Dogs Are Naturally Generous with Their Treats We all know how difficult it is for the parents of human children to teach them to share with their siblings. How often have we heard (as children ourselves or as parents) “Share with your brother,” or “Give half to your sister” --- with less than stellar results?!... Read more »