As Gavin’s healing from stomach surgery, it’s been tricky calibrating his anxiety, pain, and nausea medications and supplements. I don’t want him uncomfortable, but I also don’t want him comatose. Gavin started derping Monday night, and as I tried to give each medication time to kick in, he was intent on eating anything he could… View more
A week after Gavin’s rug-eating episode, he woke me up in the middle of the night to go outside. And this happened throughout the night. Fortunately, we had an appointment the next day with our holistic veterinarian, who confirmed my thoughts that if he’s not improving quickly, it’s time for an x-ray. Again, that night,… View more
Our first kitchen day back after I moved was going amazingly well. Our flow was smooth sailing, and we ran a bit ahead of schedule until I accidentally stripped a bolt when taking Felix (the piston filler) apart for cleaning. We tried everything to undo it, and not one of the four additional people who attempted… View more
As a newbie trainer, I noticed a couple in my puppy class struggling to pick up the baggie of treats they dropped. Every time one reached down, their puppy would growl and snap at them. I walked over, thinking I intended to help. I spent years learning about dog body language. I read every book… View more
When I’m alone in the shop, I often listen to inspirational podcasts or YouTube videos while I work. One of my favorite philosophies is Abraham Hicks, so much so that I subscribed to their email list. And one of this week’s daily messages mentioned doing what makes us happy, whatever floats our cork. I got the… View more
My first dog-as-an-adult, Finn, was an absolute hooligan. When I met Finn, I was instantly in love, but he happily wreaked havoc everywhere we went. Our first trip to Columbus from Chicago was akin to a National Lampoon movie. The second I opened the front door, Finn saw the cat and chased her up the… View more
Gavin’s always been sound sensitive, but after we were attacked by two dogs who broke out of their backyard, his senses heightened when on walks, as did mine. When we left Chicago, I was still deciding where we’d land, so we stayed with my brother in a quiet suburb outside Columbus, Ohio. Not only did… View more
I often joke that I must have been the testiest twit in a previous life because Gavin is the pokiest creature I’ve ever met. Even though he thrives on routine and loves snuggling and sleeping at my mom’s house on kitchen days, getting him out the door every week provides me monumental moments to practice patience. … View more
Despite months and at least thrice daily research to find a new home for Gavin and me, I’m exactly where I didn’t want to be five weeks from my lease ending—nowhere. And I found a new lump in his mouth last night that he’s getting checked out tomorrow. My brain is simultaneously in overdrive and… View more
