Dog behavior Archive

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Willie’s been “off his feed” the past few days.  I’ve seen this before – a day here or there in which he seems his usual happy and energetic self, yet has no interest in eating.  It’s alarming because it seems so unnatural (A dog that doesn’t want food?), and yet I try to convince myself
Category: Dog

Charcoal Junkie

I walk into the small pet supply store with Willie on a short lead, still searching for a simple black sweater to replace the one he lost a few weeks back on our very first off-lead walk in the woods.  The pretty young sales clerk shows me a line of canine outerwear but I’m distracted
Category: Dog

The Voice

Willie hardly makes a sound.  He doesn’t whine, and he doesn’t bark, though he communicates with me a great deal through eye contact, body posture, and tail wagging.  His basic states of being are: happy (to see me); excited (to go for a walk or to eat); contented (after a walk or a meal); and
Category: Dog

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

Dog Songs

Yes, Cesar; I’ve been doing things by the book – your book, in fact.  Each day, my rescue mutt Willie gets his Recommended Daily Allowance of exercise, discipline, and THEN affection, in the proper order.   I’m doing it by the numbers – with some apparent success, as this dog is usually uber calm and submissive
Category: Dog

Bad Dog

We came home tonight after our Ulster County Beekeepers Association meeting to find the kitchen floor around Willie’s crate completely surrounded by fluffy green poly-fil.  He had ripped open the base of his gray fleece-covered doggie bed, pulled out all the stuffing, then somehow managed to push all the stuffing out through the bars of
Category: Dog

Puppy Love

Everyone loves puppies.  They’re fuzzy and adorable little babies, and their size and vulnerability and cuteness prompt powerful instincts to protect and care for them.  And to get out of bed in the middle of the night because they’re whining.  And to cover our floors with wee-wee pads and clean up their accidents.  And to
Category: Dog

Turkeys In The Straw

A flock of wild turkeys regularly makes its way across the west side of our property, traveling south each morning through the trees toward Saddleback Ridge, then, casting long shadows in the glow of the late afternoon light, they travel back again, heading north into our neighbor Jody’s yard and beyond. When I step outside
Category: Dog

Doggie Doctor

Willie has hiccups.  He seems slightly alarmed and confused about this; each little urp makes his ears flop, and each time he hiccups he spins his head around to look at me.  Did you do that?  This happens to be the morning of our first trip to our local vet; Willie’s getting his first exam
Category: Dog

Lions and Tigers and Bears!

Yesterday Richard and I brought Willie along on a site visit to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck in preparation for the upcoming Country Living Fair.   Streams of melt water from the remaining piles of snow ran toward the drains as Andy, the site manager, led us and the rest of the show production team
Category: Dog