You nurture them. Food, water, exercise. Instruction, structure, guidance. Rest, play and exploration. They grow. If you’re consistent, fair, patient and kind, they thrive. Educate, socialize, manage and train. So by six months you have a solid foundation of basic manners in many locations. Sure they test people, what teenager doesn’t?
Lest you think I am exclusive to dogs, think again. Cats rule — Grace and Tank are useful in helping socialize dogs to their feline brethren. So when I learned about the heavily catnip infused quilted Pootie Pads produced by sisters Ann and Sara Reed of Portland, Oregon, I had to get me some. Five pootie pads later, with 100% positive feedback from the lucky beta testers — Grace, Tank, Frankie, Jack and Bremec Garden Center‘s resident cat, I was honored to learn I had become their first wholesale customer. So get in your advance orders for these one of a kind, beautifully crafted and cat-alicious quilts. Each will come with a bottle of Catnip spray refresher although the catnip sewn inside lasts quite awhile — hot tip…gently crush the catnip on occasion to release.
Sent in the non-refundable deposit to The University of Rochester yesterday on behalf of my oldest daughter’s entry into university life. Her intended major: American Sign Language. I embrace her interest in learning both a language and a culture that is beautiful to watch and the communication for an estimated half a million people. There [...]
This week marks 12 weeks since Bubbles landed in Cleveland from sunny southern California. What has she learned? She has almost tripled in size, is house trained, crate trained and has become quite cuddly without being overbearing. She has learned how to sit, lay down, come (touch) despite most distractions, stay, walk nicely on a [...]
In the many previous “real” jobs” life I’ve had – where I not only had to learn all the names and ultimately the quirks of fellow workers — but often be obligated to know the terms and conditions of detailed policy manuals outlining all the “do’s” and “don’ts” of the organization — I’ve had various [...]
I try hard never to take for granted the glowing health, intelligence, compassion, beauty and wide ranging and quite amazing capabilities of all three of my children. I am consciously grateful that the inevitable conflicts that arise in the parent/child relationship are the normal and healthy ones and are a sign I’m doing something right. [...]
Bubbles journey as an autism assistance dog in training continues as she and I both embrace the challenges of adolescence in a pup. From our own private corner in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. we continue to socialize and establish reliable behaviors wherever we go balanced with appropriate play and rest. I rely on Bean to model appropriate [...]
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issued regulations in 1991 to permit the use of a service animals in public. This required modifications in policies in such places as restaurants, hotels, retail establishments, theaters and concert halls. In short, this meant that service animals accompanying persons with disabilities had to be admitted in places that [...]
March begins with strong sun but cold temperatures. A conflict of desire. Do I want the warm up that will = melting snow and ice. Add the melt to an already over-saturated yard equals unquantifiable mud. Add in 4 dogs in residence and a steady stream of canine visitors and it could be a disaster. [...]
My world of matchmaking — dogs to people, people to dogs, dogs to other animals, is another one of those places where I operate in shades of gray. When indicating whether or not a dog and cat can coexist peacefully, you not only need to know about the socialization of the dog to cats, but [...]
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