A reminder to all at this time of the year while were busy with the holiday spirit remember the hidden dangers for the doggies.

Spicy greasy food can cause inflammation of the pancreas. Turkey bones can puncture dog’s intestines or their throat like chicken bones. NEVER give your cat any bones or your dog any bone except for steak bones.

A drink of alcohol can product diarrhea and difficulty breathing . So if he must, watch him closely. Remington is an alcohol hound. So I do let him have a little. His favorite is bourbon, but beer will do.

After presents have been exchanged and opened, remember to dispose of ribbons and wrapping paper. These are two favorite yet dangerous items if swallowed by dogs. And don't forget about chocolate. It's easy to drop it and at a party the doggies are just waiting to scarf anything up.

Tree ornaments and children’s toys can get lodged in your dog’s throat. Any small ball anytime is a bad idea. My old Boxer, CB, loved balls. I drew the line at golf balls. Labs are good for trying to swallow tennis balls.

If you want your dog to share in the holiday spirit, have your guests give – only a few – dog biscuits that they purchased at a local dog bakery OR that you have on hand for them. Just remember that if your dog's a bit over weight and you give him cookies give him a little less food that night

And as always dog owners if you suspect your dog isn’t feeling well (i.e. showing symptoms such as: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain), contact your veterinarian. Program a nearby 24-hour veterinary hospital into your cell phone.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and safe holiday and New Year.

My Pet Peeve


I think my number one pet peeve is untrained dogs. There is really no reason for it other than ignorance. To combat this I'm going to give a few hints on how to train your dog.

The first and most important lesson is the walk. You dog needs to go for walks. Not only that but it needs to know HOW to walk with you. Not pulling you, straining at the end of the leash, or walking in front of you in any way, but walking next to you.

When your dog is in front of you it thinks that it's in charge. It's never a good idea to let an animal be in charge. They start to act out in many ways. Most problems start with the dog thinking it's in charge. It's so easy to start when you first get your dog to make sure YOUR top dog not him/her.

EJ and Echo



My next victims were EJ and Echo 6 and 61/2 year old golden retrievers. EJ is a GREAT therapy dog. Unfortunately he developed some mild aggregation towards other dogs. His owner, a first time dog owner, was at her wits ends with them. They were starting to break through the invisible fence at home. On my first visit I helped her establish that she is top dog. It was tough but she got it! When she even walked both dogs at heel for the first time!


Our next session was with her family. We got them under control in the yard. She still has some work to so but they haven't gone through the fence! Her husband and son also learned how to be good pack leaders.

A walking lesson was next. At a local park where you can let dogs off lead in a very safe environment. I took my helpers Remington and Emily, and my son, Eric to help. We encountered a few dogs and I showed Outi how to stop them and how to handle it if they didn't listen.

Recently I met EJ and Outi on a therapy visit and EJ was up to his old tricks. Outi was very proud of herself because she bit him on the neck with her hand. This was the technique I used the first time he went for my dog. I'm so proud of her!!!

Dog Aggression Gets Treated

Meet Kudra. This old dame has a dog aggression issue.Her owners cannot enjoy a walk outside with her for fear that she will see another dog and "go nuts".

Remington assists in the correction. He's bait. Kudra takes it, and I intervene....

Soon, Kudra is walking with Remington AND the white chihuahua!

Meet Remington

I am pleased to introduce my 10 year old lab, Remington... this elderly gentleman is a pet therapy canine. He was an outside dog until he was 4. He kept my other hunting dog, Jesse, company. When Jesse passed, Remington came inside.... I trained him to become a "house dog"! He's so happy now! Having known the other side of a dog's life....

Emily Rose

Emily Rose is my 4th boxer. This picture shows us the first week we were together. That was 3 years ago...

Emily was the youngest Boxer to pass Pals for Life's test the first time! She had just turned 3. Now nine months later she is one of the best dogs in the program, enjoying both the older people and the kids who read to the animals. She mothers all the other animals on visits, checking out the smaller ones after to make sure no one hurt them.

Jill's Dog Lessons.

Hi. I'm Jill. I train animals - that's what I done since I was an infant! But that is another story for another day...

I am especially good with dogs. In fact, my husband says I speak "dog". (Until I was 8 or 9, I thought everyone spoke "dog"!) I'd like to use this talent to help assimilate the canine life form into society, so that they become "solid-citizens" of our communities. In our new paradigm, they will contribute by working the security and housekeeping details. Older females can contribute in the nursery and elementary schools. Boxers make great schoolyard monitors!

So welcome me as I embark upon my dog training business, with my soulful sister at my side as my coach and business manager. What a team!