Dog accessories Archive

Close to You

After Richard and I made the commitment to adopt our rescue mutt—but before we met him and brought him home—we visited a pet supply store for the first time in years. We perused aisle after aisle of brushes and beds and bones, and we pawed through piles of sweaters, toys, and collars. I tried hard
Category: Dog accessories

Willie’s New Ride

Some months ago Richard and I were in Monterey, walking along Ocean View Boulevard near Point Cabrillo, when we stopped to watch a large colony of sea lions snoozing on a stony beach.  We stood about fifty yards from the water’s edge, our fingers hooked into the chain link fence separating us from dozens of
Category: Dog

Dog Toys

Before we even brought him home, our dog, Willie, had a collection of toys we'd purchased in anticipation of his arrival.
Category: Dog accessories

Cat Toys

Each time we bring Willie with us on a visit to the home of our friends Tom and Erik, Willie adopts one of their cat’s toys. “Uh-oh,” I said the first time I saw Willie trotting through the dining room with a catnip mouse in his mouth, “Willie filched one of Fuzzy’s mice.” “That’s okay,”
Category: Dog accessories

Salty Dog

I neglected to post this entry while our Hudson Valley winter was in full force…but decided this was my chance since we had yet another dusting of snow last night (yes, on April 16!) # # # It snowed again last night, obliterating all the paths I shoveled after Sunday’s storm.  I looked out the
Category: Dog

Saddle Up & Move ‘Em Out

Each morning before our walk I get Willie into a harness.  I do this so I can attach his lead to the harness rings between his shoulder blades – an alternative to attaching it to his collar, which would put stress on his neck. We’ve been through a few different harnesses; he hated the one
Category: Dog

A Pizzle By Any Other Name

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, and dogs gotta chew. A lot. Chewing things occupies a large portion of Willie’s day.  In fact, most of what Willie does in a normal day can be assigned to one of just four categories: Sleeping, Walking, Chewing, and Everything Else. From the beginning, we made sure we had
Category: Dog

Hail Cesar

I don’t watch much TV and I’d never seen Cesar Millan’s show “Dog Whisperer,” but Mutts4Rescue strongly suggested reading his book, “Cesar’s Way,” in preparation for adopting a dog. Now, I’ve shared long stretches of my life with two other dogs, but I’d been “dogless” for several years and thought a refresher would be a
Category: Dog

GQ Doggie

Chad, the fit and burly owner of my gym has not stopped ribbing me about Willie’s size — a running joke that I have sacrificed or somehow compromised my masculinity by choosing a small dog.   And since it’s actually Chad’s job to challenge me, it seems natural that our conversations during my training sessions sometimes
Category: Dog

New Routine

    The sun is coming up, and though I’m am early riser, it is not my habit to leave the house at this hour – especially when it’s 27 degrees.  Still, here I am lacing up my shoes to go for another brisk, 30-minute pre-breakfast walk with my new dog.  That brown-eyed, ten-pound creature
Category: Dog