Here I’d been thinking I was just a bit off. And, as usual, not regretting it a bit. When I think about being a bit off, I understand that I’m more off than normal. At least that’s what some people tell me, because I’m making a living in partnership with a crystal ball (literally). I […]
dog care
The Worst Part About Living with Animals
I was out with the dogs, scooping poop as we meandered down the street. The man carefully negotiated the turn on his motorbike and headed up the street toward us. He saw me bagging poop and, with a sympathetic grin, said, “That has to be the worst part of the job.” “Not even close,” I […]
If You Die Before They Do: Protecting Your Animal Family
I had the flu in February. Big time. Haven’t been that sick in years. Bad cough. High fever. So sick I needed help. I’m the only human in my multi-species family, so getting help was hard. Yes, I have friends to call, and no, I didn’t want to. The ‘flu’ (an epidemiologist told me they couldn’t […]
What Made My Deaf Dog Hear Again, Part 2
When my youngest dog, Alki, became deaf, I had to figure out how I could make him comfortable with his handicap. How to make us all comfortable: Alki, my nearly 10-year-old Cavalier; his 12-year-old Cavalier sister, Murphy; Grace the Cat; me; and friends, family, and visiting clients. We’re familiar with handicaps at our house: of […]
Worshipping at the Altar of Rimadyl
My eldest dog, Murphy, a female Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is 13. We never expected her to make it to 3, but she’s vibrant and healthy. It took a lot to get her that way. Some of her problems were inherited, some medical mistakes, some the normal up’s and down’s of life. Murphy’s health took […]
It’s Called Trespassing: Quit Ruining the World for Dogs
It was a summer evening and the dogs and I were out for last call. A man and woman at the end of the block were standing next to the waist-high wall that bordered my neighbor’s steep property. It’s unusual but not alarming to see strangers lingering in our busy beach neighborhood at night. However, […]
Grace the Cat’s Tail
We live in a small condo: just me, two Cavalier spaniels (Murphy and Alki), and Grace the Cat. Well, okay, let’s include my crystal partner, Fallon, and Raymond, a fifty-something jade tree who spreads out like an oak. Yes, our condo is small. Still, it’s plenty of room for my head and Grace the Cat’s […]
When Animal Communication Bites
Have you always wanted to talk with an animal? And hear it talk back? It’s easy. Just do it. But be polite, or you’ll find out, like I did, that animal communication can bite. Just like talking with any being out there, from a tree to a hurricane, animal communication is about respecting all life […]
When Good Toys Go Bad
Toys are a big part of the magical goofy fun side of family life. In our case, it’s a multi-species family life, which means we are a woman, two Cavaliers, and a goofy eight-pound cat. At our house toys (practically) rule. We have every kind of toy, from bouncy tennis balls and rubber chews to […]
Gone to the Dogs … in New York
If you’re going to New York and have to leave your own dogs (and cat) at home, there’s one sure way to get your dog fix: arrange to be there in February, when New York goes doggy for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. The 135th Westminster Dog Show […]