Search Results for: blog types of jobs for dogs

Police Dogs in Danger

I love watching working animals. As hard as it might be for me to remain professional around a seeing-eye dog, for example, who shouldn’t be petted while it works, I love to observe the first-hand proof of the deep bond that can exist between humans and animals. Pets are such multi-faceted friends and family members, keeping us company and aiding us in real ways as we go through life. That’s why I’m so horrified to read a story on Yahoo! News about the New Orleans Police Department closing their K-9 unit. The dogs didn’t do anything wrong. It was their … Continue reading →

Do Working Dogs Get Bored When They Retire?

I wish I could remember which book it was I read where a lady adopts a retired police dog (I think a German Shepherd), but then worries thinking it might be sick because it grows listless and seems so unhappy. Eventually she figures out that the dog misses working and sets about creating jobs to keep it busy. I want to say it was a book I read by Elizabeth Dearl, Twice Dead, but I’m not positive. (I know that book had a ferret. I just can’t remember if it was her book or someone else’s that had the retired … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for July 7 – 13

The Pets Blog Week in Review endured somewhat of a hiatus the past month or so, but now it’s back. Have you missed this handy cheat sheet way of quickly finding out what Aimee and I wrote about the week before? Sorry about that, but without further ado here’s this week’s installment. Monday, July 7 Aimee detailed the many medications guests at the cat care facility where she works take. Tuesday, July 8 Aimee got in touch with her crafty side and offered some neat suggestions for DIY chew toy projects. After an absence of my own, it was with … Continue reading →

Types of Jobs for Dogs

I’m forever praising Murph for all the help he gives me with chores, but some dogs truly do work for a living. I got to pondering all the many types of jobs for dogs there are when I was coming up with ideas for animal holidays and observances there should be if there aren’t already. For that article I stumbled across Aimee’s article about working group dogs as part of my research and it dawned on me: “Wow. I never realized just how many dogs work.” Yes, times are getting tough, but, no, this won’t be an article of ways … Continue reading →

Chase Away K9 Cancer

The last time I was at the vet, I grabbed a flyer for Chase Away K9 Cancer — an effort by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine inspired by one special dog. Chase was a black Lab who had made quite a name for herself in the hunting and dock jumping arenas. She was an AKC Master Hunter and an Elite Jumper in the DockDogs Big Air competition. But when Chase was just six years old, she was diagnosed with cancer and quickly passed away in June 2006. Chase’s owner Cera decided to honor Chase’s memory by raising money … Continue reading →

Do You Ever Feel Your Dog’s Not Living Up to His Full Potential?

I get both really inspired and really down on myself after I interview people like Beth Terrell or Joani Ascher. Inspired because they’re doing neat things with their dogs, like teaching them how to dance or grooming puppies to be Seeing Eye dogs. Down because Murph’s one of the smartest dogs I’ve ever had. I often wonder if I’m holding him back from living up to his full potential. At the beginning of this year I resolved to change that. I was determined to look into enrolling Murph and myself in a pet therapy program. Then my mom got sick … Continue reading →

Bringing Your Dog to Work: Keeping the Office Safe

If your dog will be joining you at the workplace, you need to take steps to make sure your office is pup-safe and pup-friendly. Make sure your personal workspace can comfortably accommodate a dog. When I used to bring Miko to the radio station, he would curl up and sleep underneath the counter while I was on the air. It was perfectly Miko-sized! (I wish I had pictures of this, too!) Keep all power cords and wires out of range — you don’t want your pup nibbling on any electrical cords. I caught my dog Lally chewing on the cord … Continue reading →

Miko’s Job: Security Guard

Courtney wrote recently about all the different types of jobs that dogs can have. It got me thinking about my dogs, and the work they do for me. Moose is Chief Executive in Charge of Cuddling and Lally is my Morale Officer with her squeaky ball antics. The dog I had before I adopted Moose and Lally was the one who had a real job. Miko was my security guard. When I got my first full-time radio job and moved to Vermont, there was no question that he was moving with me. One of my tasks at the new job … Continue reading →

Murphy’s Gatlinburg Getaway Part I: The Holiday Inn and Doggywood

I’m so glad I took the time to plan Murphy’s Smoky Mountain getaway. We were pretty much prepared for what to expect while traveling with a dog in the Smoky Mountains, but we also lucked out a little too. Everywhere we took him held surprises! Our Accommodations: The Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort I decided to book us into the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort instead of renting a cabin. For one thing the price was more affordable, but also we didn’t have to worry about driving back and forth from a cabin into town. We could walk to Gatlinburg’s main thoroughfare … Continue reading →