tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87876659145079716892026-08-10T15:59:22.423-04:00Life with a Dog Who RunsJoey, the chocolate Labrador, loves to run and run. Living in the neighborhood of the Boston Marathon, he runs as many as twelve miles a day, early in the morning, with his dad. But after they return home from a run, Joey still wants more, much more. Keenly observant, he allows no opportunity to explore the world pass him by. But will his insatiable sense of discovery lead him to gratification? Or to danger? And who is the real author of Dogs Don't Look Both Ways?Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-21345330593051008552015-03-18T13:00:00.000-04:002020-07-06T18:39:13.551-04:00Is It Every Okay to Approach a Dog We Don't Know?
Is
it ever okay to approach a dog that we do not know? What is a dog’s
instinctive response when we approach him? How can we protect a dog that
we see is playing near traffic?
A few days ago I was
talking to a young man named Steve
When Steve was younger, he had seen a dog
off-leash and near traffic and, worried that the dog might get hit by a
car, had walked toward that dog to try to Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-75095269564718816122014-12-16T15:42:00.004-05:002015-02-21T20:34:40.232-05:00Read: DOGS DON'T LOOK BOTH WAYS
Foreword by Kiko Bracker, DVM, DACVECCDirector, Emergency and Critical Care, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston, MA
The Midwest Book Review
"Dogs Don't Look Both Ways...
is based on the personal memories of a husband, wife, and their beloved
chocolate Labrador Joey; some names have been changed to protect
individual privacy, and the colorful storytelling might Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-88981369848637480152012-12-05T23:01:00.001-05:002020-07-06T18:39:46.770-04:00Don't Be Fooled by the Label on Your Dog's FoodDid you ever take your dog to an animal nutritionist? For only $90 we got a full one-hour consultation based on the doctor's looking at all our dog's medical records, recent tests, etc. This was well worth it.
One of the things that we received was a diet, with brands and weights, for our dog that fulfilled his particular nutritional needs and the goals of the doctor for him.
I think too Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-86790398812504946432010-08-03T10:14:00.011-04:002020-07-06T18:40:45.743-04:00Why Do Dogs Dig?
Why Do Dogs Dig?
I wondered about this question, each time Joey would dig another hole in our yard. And I ruminated on the answer to this question many times.
Our chocolate Lab would move whole boulders in his industrial digging.
His persistent digging certainly gave me something to do in the mornings and afternoons, filling in holes, that is. Rolling out and laying down chickenJanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-18817770429407935302010-07-25T22:40:00.004-04:002020-07-06T18:43:53.367-04:00How to Know When Your Dog Requires Dental Surgery
J
The weather was hot here, and Joey started going back to his old habit of eating just one bowl of food a day. Doubtless he and his appetite were overtaken by the heat of the summer.
His morning runs were inconsistent: If the weather hit 100 degrees at 5 a.m., as it did a few mornings, Dad just wasn't taking Joey running. The dog hit his 11th birthday - and the boy just couldn't handle Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-39279037805706883542010-07-10T23:50:00.013-04:002010-08-05T02:24:09.986-04:00These Are a Few of My Dog's Favorite FoodsYou know the routine; you are all alone in your kitchen. You walk on over to the refrigerator or open a container of food. And - suddenly your dog is there! And he's bearing down on your heals, with his tail wagging. "Where did he come from?" you say to yourself. Or better yet, "Where did you come from?" you ask the dog directly.
I'd read in novels that horses could smell water that was Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-38919528901783889492010-05-30T15:12:00.006-04:002010-08-05T02:25:15.058-04:00Our Dog's HarnessIt took a while before we even considered the idea.
There was something harsh about that word. Harness.
Like we were turning our dog into our beast of burden.
But the case was clearly in favor of the harness: Because Joey was so excited when we took him outside, and in particular to a wooded area, he would pull so hard he would choke himself. AHHHH. CHoKKKKe. AHHAHHH. CHuPPPPa. Along withJanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-77546352649393197372010-05-26T23:36:00.018-04:002010-08-05T02:25:35.831-04:00Obtain Your Dog's Genealogical ChartWhere's Bolo?
Some people can trace their dog's ancestry further back than they can trace their own!
Such is (sadly) the case with our dog and his family tree, and myself and my family tree.
I can tell you only three generations back on both my mother's side and my father's side and for many of my relatives, I can tell you that we are related but we don't know how! But for our Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-75164314478843229482010-05-24T15:34:00.005-04:002020-07-06T18:42:47.672-04:00Oh, My Dog's Arthritis Is Killing Him!
Maybe you're young too young to understand when your mom or grandmom, or dad or granddad, starts complaining, "Oh, my arthritis is killing me!"
If you can't understand your aging parents or grandparents reeling from the aches and pains of arthritis, you certainly aren't going to understand that your dog may be suffering from the same thing - and silently. And if you can, or if you yourselfJanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-61577649977723839452010-05-18T19:23:00.010-04:002010-08-05T02:26:19.617-04:00Your Dog Is Also An Escape Artist? Rules of ThumbTEST: What is Joey thinking right now?
So your dog is another "Mr. Escape Artist". And you want to know "How do I keep my dog in?" or "How do I keep my dog from getting out?"
The rules of thumb are:
Never assume that your dog will stay within the boundaries of your yard.
Never say "It's just for a moment."
Never assume that you are only opening the front door "just a little bit".
Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-89432019912790147172010-05-17T12:05:00.024-04:002010-08-05T02:26:48.592-04:00Hydrotherapy for Your DogWater therapy for dogs? For dogs?
You've probably even seen a treadmill submerged in the water, in the swimming pool at your local health club. They are used for seniors, for people with arthritis, and for people recuperating from injuries and surgery. But for DOGS?
Yes! For dogs! And water therapy was one major way by which we brought Joey back to health, stemmed off the threat of Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-76694844944773218172010-05-14T10:03:00.013-04:002010-08-05T02:27:00.659-04:00Pet Insurance: Accidents and Catastrophic ExpensesYou love your dog and you want to know if you should shell out the dollars for your doggie's pet insurance. This is Part 5 of our series, intended to help you think through this decision.
Let's talk dollars and sense, again. Joey's first trip to the emergency animal medical center, after he was hit by the car (if you're following our story), cost us almost $4,000. Let's emphasize Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-3132702434597998412010-05-13T18:24:00.012-04:002010-08-05T02:27:24.349-04:00Health Insurance for Your Dog or Cat: Do the Math
This is the fourth installment in our series, "Pet Insurance: Is It Worth It?
You have this darling little black Lab and you love him so much. Do you get health insurance for him? At this point, you may be asking yourselves, "So? What is she going to say in her blog? Is it worth it for me (or us) to purchase health insurance for my cat?" Will I be a horrible pet owner if I do not Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-37971707317863798522010-05-12T23:44:00.009-04:002010-05-27T13:27:43.162-04:00Pet Insurance: Pre-existing Conditions, Congenital Defects"Pre-existing Conditions" is a term that you have heard referred to for human health insurance. But did you realize that this is a major issue with pet insurance?
And what about this term, "congenital defects and diseases"? Many people don't even know what "congenital" means!
What do you know about the congenital defects of your darling new family member?
"Congenital" means that it comes Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-40035791660732739532010-05-11T09:06:00.010-04:002010-05-27T13:37:26.438-04:00Pet Insurance for Your Dog or Cat: Money Up FrontThis is Part 2 of our series about Pet Insurance for your Dog or Cat: Is It Worth It? (Read Part 1)
If you're looking at this post, you're probably looking also at 8 or so Google ads for pet insurance. So you need to be a smart shopper because businessmen have discovered that offering pet insurance is a good way to make money! So with that, let's continue:
Now my husband and I laid out an Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-69296523319248249422010-05-10T10:31:00.024-04:002010-08-05T02:28:10.850-04:00Health Insurance for Your Dog: Is It Worth It? Part 1I know a lot of people who have dogs, but frankly I don't know that any of them have pet insurance. And yet when Joey was injured, we heard people ask, "Do you have pet insurance?" The internet is pulsing with ads for pet insurance.
Right from the start, I'm saying that we never got Joey health insurance. Do we wish we had? Would we recommend pet insurance?
We are going to begin a Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-22754724821915313462010-05-07T11:20:00.015-04:002014-12-16T15:58:58.547-05:00Running with Your Dog at Night or in the Dark
This below is what you'll see if you're walking or running down our street in the dark hours, very early in the morning or after the sun has set in the evening. What are these strange blinking lights, only two feet off of the ground?
Many people run in the dark after work; some run in the dark before work! And while runners pay attention to their own safety, what about the safety of Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-90889837558770254802010-05-05T10:43:00.004-04:002010-08-05T02:29:17.014-04:00Cesar Millan and Good Books about DogsI never was much interested in Cesar Millan, his books or his show. That was all to change, and Joey had something to do with that.
The months after our dog was hit by a car provided me the time to read and learn a lot about dogs. How much have you read about dogs? About your breed? Here are some of the books, and what I learned from each:
I read the book How Dogs Think: Understanding the Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-76965271701295691502009-11-14T19:45:00.027-05:002010-08-05T02:29:33.134-04:00Building Endurance in Your Injured Dog
The bandages from his broken ankle long off, Joey was doing great: Though we watched him closely, I cannot even pinpoint exactly when our dog stopped favoring his right side hind leg, the leg that was badly hurt, the one that had the metal plate and screws, and that had three broken toes, and when he stopped hopping on three legs rather than four. But he did!When you've had an injury, you get Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-57462853198364002912009-07-29T14:39:00.012-04:002010-05-27T15:04:32.328-04:00Reunion of Littermates - Ten Years Later!Do you think that brother and sister puppies know and recognize each other as siblings? Do you think they "know" they're related?
As I walked into the kennel one morning to bring Joey in to be boarded for one week, I'd had no idea that Joey's littermate lived in the same town as we! I knew Joey was from Connecticut, and here we lived in Boston. But that day I saw that dog standing there - Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-68929409388543112122009-06-24T10:46:00.031-04:002010-08-05T02:32:52.601-04:00How Do You Keep a Good Dog In?Is your dog also nicknamed "The Escape Artist?"
For years Joey, our Chocolate Labrador Retriever, would try any means imaginable to escape from our back yard.
In our old home, one solution was keeping the wooden gate padlocked in a locked position all the time. This would work until our gardeners would come - and forget to relock the padlock, or would sort of close the padlock without the Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-28672792128114077672009-05-25T10:40:00.007-04:002010-05-27T15:48:40.797-04:00What Does a Dog Do after He's Been Hit by a Car?The dog has gone off on his own and you don't know where he is. You might not even know that he's wandered off. You might not be aware that he has gotten hit by a car.
What did our dog Joey do after he was hit by the car? He eluded everybody who was trying to HELP him, and walked home, several blocks away. And walked back down our driveway to the gate, and sat, and waited.
He didn't cry, he Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-86600952001828300272009-05-21T15:23:00.005-04:002010-08-05T02:31:40.203-04:00How Our Dog Was Hit by a CarHello, friends.
Let me tell you about how our dog, Joey, got hit by a car.
One sunny morning Joey found a very nice place in the back where he could dig a long hole that followed along the fence, and then dip down under it, and gradually squeeze his body under it. In between it and our neighbors’ wooden fence is just enough room, a gap of about six inches, for him to squeeze my thin body Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787665914507971689.post-44897227779044067012009-05-14T09:08:00.020-04:002010-08-05T02:31:00.394-04:00A Dog Who Runs
We have a dog and his name is Joey.
Joey runs. Joey is a runner.
He's a chocolate Labrador Retriever, and as of this writing, he is almost eleven years old.
The miracle of his existence is that he was hit by a car last year and he survived, one miracle right there, and he is still running, three to five miles almost every day, another miracle right there.
This is a blog about living Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14347464518296293051noreply@blogger.com0