My Four Dogs

Saying goodbye to friends….

Maya — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:17:37 +0000

I have been absent from writing on my blog from some time now because I have been dealing with the unexpected loss of two of my childhood friends. To make the story short, on February 25, I invited my two friends to go out for dinner and to spend some time together. Around 12:30am I [...]

REVIEW: Loving Pets Barksters Treats!

Maya — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:09:55 +0000

We give a four paw up rating to these great treats! At first I thought they would just be like any other treat, but there are several things about the Loving Pets Company and the Barksters treats that stood out. 1. Loving Pets Company sends a sample of EVERY BATCH of their products to an [...]

Book Review: ‘Dog Sense’ by John Bradshaw – A Dog Owner Must Read

Maya — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:07:42 +0000

Four Paws Up! This is a MUST read for all dog owners. If you truly want to understand and develop a wonderful relationship with your dog, this book is a must read. I’m always looking for information that can help me better understand my dogs, yet it seemed like most available literature on dog training [...]

Dog Safety Tip: Put away your pain-killers!

Maya — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 12:00:47 +0000

Sometimes we forget that dogs are often like a two-year old that never grows up. And like we must do for two-year olds, we have to make sure to keep dangerous items out of their reach. One such dangerous item that you may take for granted and not think about are pain-killers. Pain-killers like Advil [...]

GOAL: Work at home with my four dogs! — Ambit Energy?

Maya — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:00:40 +0000

I had enjoyed the freedom of working from home for several years, however in recent years, things didn’t go quite as well as planned and I found myself back in the daily grind. I have no problem with work, to the contrary I am borderline workaholic, I just want to work where my dogs are! [...]

Texas Courts increase dogs’ value under the law

Maya — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 04:22:46 +0000

After 120 years of unchanging case law, the 2nd District Texas Court of Appeals finally gave our best friends a little more credit. Until this month, the only value given to a dog under the law was their “market value.” As you can imagine, market value may be a few dollars if you are lucky. [...]

Snobby Dog Spaw in Tyler, Texas: my four dogs’ groomer!

Maya — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:02:53 +0000

Snobby Dog Spaw 4007 S Broadway Ave Tyler, TX 75701 (903) 581-2834 When I moved back to Tyler, Texas, I was back on the market for a good grooming option. I almost always groom the Papillons myself because they are so easy to put in the tub, but to thoroughly wash and groom my big [...]

L.A. Dog Barking Ordinance = Seriously Flawed Logic

Maya — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 05:09:21 +0000

I felt compelled to write a follow-up post regarding the Los Angeles dog-barking ordinance because I feel I must point out the complete disconnect in logic. If you used this logic on an SAT test, you would score a 12 out of 1600. Translating this issue into SAT terms, here would be the question: (A) [...]

L.A. Imposes Stiff Fines for “Excessive” Barking

Maya — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:27:05 +0000

Here again, a few irresponsible dog owners and a few dog-hating people manage to get an ordinance passed that will make it difficult for ALL dog owners in Los Angeles. As a lawyer, the first thing I look at in a new law is the language. In this ordinance, the first glaring red flag is [...]

At the Fair Part II: the Agility Course

Maya — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:04:50 +0000

A few weeks ago, my Papillon Riyo and I ran our first agility course in front of a small audience, and the way I performed is a perfect example of why I titled this blog “an idiot’s guide.” My dogs are the geniuses, while I, on the other hand, often look like an idiot. If [...]

Hex Memorial Bracelets – help find this dog’s killer

Maya — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:00:03 +0000

This is a story I almost wish I never heard. One of our club members posted a lost dog poster a few weeks ago after a Champion Tracking German Shepherd Dog named Hex was snatched out of his own front yard. The owner went out with Hex at 5:30 AM to take out the trash, [...]

At the Fair Part I: The Obedience Demonstration (or lack thereof)

Maya — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:00:57 +0000

Recently, our dog club was invited to do a dog obedience and agility demonstration at the East Texas State Fair! I was very excited to take my two dogs to their first PUBLIC showing! I was excited despite the realization that something would go wrong. Fortunately, I have developed a very high tolerance for embarrassment, [...]

The Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat Dog Costume!

Maya — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:33:13 +0000

Even those of us who don’t ordinarily put clothes on our dogs can’t resist a little bit of fun come Halloween! I think this year I am going to bring back my favorite, the blue haired Nimbus “Things” from Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat! I went to Orland several years ago with a group [...]

What is a Bully Stick? It’s a GREAT dog chew!

Maya — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:48:47 +0000

I actually did not know what a bully stick was until a couple years ago when someone explained it to me at a dog show I went to watch. One of the vendors was selling “bully sticks,” and I had to ask what it was! If you do not know, a bully stick is, simply [...]

Ever feel like your dogs just taught you a lesson?!

Maya — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 01:06:04 +0000

Today when I let the dogs out to do their business, I watched as little Papillon, Riyo did his dirty business in Lizzie’s favorite barking corner. Even though I witnessed his transgression, instead of going to pick it up, I figured, “he’s a 4 pound dog, how big of a mine could it really be?” [...]