There’s nothing better than helping your dog satisfy her instinct to chew, chew, chew. Especially if you give her something safe, tasty, and fun — and something that’s not a treasure your dog dug out of your closet, like a shoe. I’m a firm believer in keeping several chew toys in Eira’s toy box so …
A few days ago, it was so cold here in Alaska that Eira’s eyelashes, eyebrows, and whiskers frosted over within minutes of being outside to go potty. But today, the temperatures have risen to almost 40 degrees, and it’s windy. Eira has been having bursts of extra face-itchiness and discomfort during windy spells in this …
Back when I was a kid, our German shepherds stayed outside a lot. They had a huge, grassy backyard and each other for company, and we played with them all the time. When it rained, they curled up in their dog houses. When the blizzards and sub-zero temperatures hit Montana, they came inside — but only …
It’s hard not to smile at an overweight dog waddling around a house. And yet, obesity contributes negatively to several of the leading causes of death for dogs, including cancer, issues related to bloat, and heart disease. Keeping our dogs at a healthy weight is crucial for their overall wellbeing, too. But sometimes, we get …
There’s nothing worse than seeing your fur-baby in pain. And because they can’t explain to us how they’re feeling, we aren’t sure how, exactly, to help. Once, when my German shepherd, Bella, was about four, she howled in pain while chasing a ball. She stopped abruptly and began to limp. I ran to her, picked …
When we first brought our Alaskan shepherd, Eira, home last November, I jumped into training her right away. She was sweet, cuddly, and extremely loud — a problem for my son with sensory processing special needs — so I figured I could train her early. It was essential to get her well trained before she …
Siberian huskies are known around the world for their lightness, their quickness, and their strength. They are so strong yet quick-footed, in fact, that they are the official racing dog of Alaska’s Iditarod Sled Dog Race. I moved to Alaska in 2017 and attended my first official Iditarod start in March of 2018. I went …
Dog ate chicken bones? If your dog eats cooked chicken bones, you need to be very careful, as cooked bones can splinter easily and cooked bones can cause trouble. The story of Clancy accidentally eating cooked bones below and how I dealt with it will be helpful to you. I grew up in southwestern Montana, …
Everyone who owns German shepherds knows that they struggle with hip issues. When we bred Clancy, who had “excellent” hip health, with another German shepherd, all the puppies came out with “good” hips…except one, Osita. Osita was a sweet, fluffy dog who loved everybody. A family in the neighborhood purchased her and were thrilled to …
There’s nothing like a big, smelly dog-breath mouth in your face after a long day of work. On the one hand, you love the snuggles and love your furry friend bestows with so much enthusiasm. On the other hand, the fishy, stinky breath in your face is…less pleasant. You’ve tried brushing your dog’s teeth, but …
I had just spent the entire day cleaning the house — and with a toddler at home, no less. We’d spent hours vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the bathroom, disinfecting the kitchen, and then finally cleaning the floors. Cleaning the laminate floors had taken the longest. Before I could start, I had to vacuum the rugs and …
I’ve always walked past the Benebone section in the store without paying it much interest. The bones aren’t flashy or exciting, like Nylabones (which we love), and they’re a little more expensive than the typical synthetic dog bone. But there they were, those humble bones, when I walked by them the other day. I finally …
It’s an extra-hot, extra-dry summer in Alaska. Where last August it rained almost every day (5 inches total), this August it hasn’t rained at all. The leaves are turning brown and falling off the trees early. Dust is everywhere. Smoke from dozens of fires dims the views we usually have of the surrounding mountains. It …
Dogs are often hailed as great stress-relievers for humans. Along with getting lots of sleep, good food, regular exercise, and the occasional massage or spa therapy, we humans get all kinds of advice on how to keep our stress levels down. Add dogs to the mix and you get a super-relaxed human: research shows that …
Call me clueless, but I only recently found out that you can actually find out which vitamins and minerals your body is lacking by having blood tests done. A healthcare provider ordered a comprehensive set of labs for me, and I discovered that I was severely deficient in several vitamins and micronutrients, including Vitamin B, …
We all know that dogs don’t like Band-Aids. I mean, how can you even keep one on a furry pup? You can’t! That’s why wound sprays are such a genius invention — especially the ones tailored specifically for canines. There are two reasons I started looking into wound sprays for Eira: first, it’s summertime in …
Ah, the cone of shame. If your dog hasn’t experienced it yet, she will soon. Designed to protect your dog’s wounds, injuries, and stitches from her own curious teeth, the cone of shame — ahem, the recovery collar — is a must-have. But some recover collars are more dignified than others and allow for more …
We all know big dogs love Kong products. But what about littler dogs? This week, I’m in California with my in-laws’ toy dogs, Walter and Rosemary. Walter and Rosemary had never played with Kong toys before, so I got them several toys to find out which are the best Kong products for small dogs. Obviously …
Because I’ve always had big dogs, I’m well versed in how to handle heavy, energetic dogs who love going on multiple walks a day. But this week, I’m visiting my in-laws in California. They have two toy dogs: Walter, a Maltese; and Rosemary, a Yorkshire terrier. These dogs are tiny—Rosemary only weighs 3 pounds! And …
When I was a kid, I thought those little white or brown dogs that you could carry in your purse were cute, but I didn’t really want to pet them. That’s because every time I got up close, those sweet little dogs stared back at me from gunk-filled eyes, often accompanied by long yellow-orange streaks …
On the car ride to pick up my new puppy from the city of Anchorage, Alaska last November, I played soft Christmas tunes over the radio. “We’re going to get our new puppy!” I told my toddler, barely able to contain my joy. I’d picked out a special name for our Alaskan malamute/German shepherd puppy: …