What a rough few weeks it has been. Working incredibly long hours and dealing with life crisis outside of the office was becoming all consuming. I felt as if I was traveling in a dark tunnel with no one to guide the way.

Dramatic sounding, I know, but when everything is happening at once and it begins to feel like you are loosing control, it is easy to feel this way. All you want is someone to tell you it is going to be OK and you’re doing a great job. What if that doesn’t work?

Continue Reading "A Different Kind of Guide Dog" »

I have talked at lengths about how my girls have the ability to “fix” me. Whether it has been a stomach ache or a bad day, Maizie and Marleigh have always been able to help me through it.

I figured because I have taken care of them both since they were puppies, they had developed that unique bond with me. But, my girls never cease to amaze me.

Continue Reading "The Healing Power of Pets" »

Veteran’s Day, November 11, is a time to celebrate the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line to defend our country. Unfortunately, coming home is often the start of a new battle for many of our service men and women – and dogs.

Over the past few years several organizations, like Pets for Vets, Pets2Vets and America’s VetDogs, have stepped up to help these veterans along their road to recovery and to meet the growing demand for guide dogs and other specialized service animals. What makes many of these organizations so admirable is they not only help members of the armed forces, but they also help homeless animals who otherwise would have been euthanized.

Continue Reading "Take Paws for Veterans" »

I just got back from a four day backpacking trip with my buddy Phil and his dog Alice. We had a great time and it was fun to have Alice along. One big reason it was fun having Alice around is that Phil has taken the time to train Alice well and she doesn't spend all day chasing wildlife or running ahead on the trail.

That's a really good thing, because less than two miles down the trail we ran into the guy in the photo on the right. Wouldn't want Alice tangling with a Black Bear.

So, in honor of National Dog Day, how about a post on Alice.

Continue Reading "A Well Trained Dog is a Joy to be Around" »

Like Dr. Larry mentioned in his post, this week is International Assistance Dog Week (IADW). IADW was created to recognize all the devoted, hardworking assistance dogs helping individuals manage their disability related limitations.

Assistance dogs transform the lives of their partners with debilitating physical and mental disabilities by serving as their companion, helper, aide and best friend. In San Antonio, the Guide Dogs of Texas is doing their part by providing quality guide dogs for Texans who are visually impaired in order to increase their freedom, mobility and independence.

Continue Reading "Best Dogs in Sight" »

The goal of Assistance Dog Week is to recognise both the dogs and the people involved in all aspects of assistance dog work. This includes a long list starting with the people who's lives are improved by these canine companions to the foster puppy raisers and the trainers that spend so much time with these dogs, and even those that help raise money and spread the word about this important work.

It takes a long time to raise and train one of these dogs and the things they do are pretty amazing.

Continue Reading "It's Assitance Dog Week" »

It's National Pet Week and what better way to celebrate than to remember some special dogs and their special owners. That's what this blog is really about after all. The bond we have with our pets is why I write and you read and we may even throw in a little bit about pet insurance along the way.

One of the most remarkable relationships I've ever seen between dog and human was the story of Pam and Chai. Chai has passed away, but I'll never forget about the first time I saw them. My wife and I were camped out at a special place called Chaco Canyon in Northwestern New Mexico. We awoke one cold October morning and I crawled out of my tent just in time to see a woman "walking" her Chesepeake Bay Retriever down the road by our campsite.

Continue Reading "The Human Animal Bond Goes Both Ways" »

Sometimes you just have to quote from the press release.

"On December 20th, Americans nationwide had the opportunity to vote online to raise funds for five national pet-related charities. Over the course of the day, Purina ONE beyOnd donated $200,000 total to the charities and the online voting determined how much of the monetary pool each charity would receive. 

Well, the results are in and here is the breakdown of how much each nonprofit will receive as a result of the online voting: 

We spent the Holidays in the Valley of the Sun, aka Phoenix, with my wife's parents watching the rest of the country get pummeled by winter. Actually it was kind of cool in Phoenix barely making it to seventy most days. I did manage a couple of mountain bike rides in the White Tank mountains in my summer attire and I walked around in shorts most of the time.

My wife's parents live on the Western fringe of Phoenix in a house ruled by two dogs. Dog number one is Mickey, a Bichon Frise and dog number two is Zach, a Cairn Terrier. Both are neutered males that pretty much have the run of things. They do spend nights in their respective crates in the garage, but by day they lounge on any available piece of furniture.

I was in the gym this morning warming up on the bike, trying not to watch the TV. I slipped up and noticed a story about dogs on one of the cable "new" channels. Turned out to be a pretty interesting story about military working dogs and the Veterinary care they receive if they are injured in the line of duty.

I followed up when I got home and found the web site for the Holland Military Working Dog Hospital. I took a spin around the site and came away very impressed with the level of care provided at Holland. The have a complete facility with radiology, CT scans, surgery and even rehabilitation services.