I thought Finn taught me patience. However, the older I get, the less I’m sure I know about anything—life, love, dog behavior. And, even though Gavin needed a profoundly compassionate, mushy, soft approach to anything and everything I asked of him, I’m learning that I know nothing about patience. Mabel and I are having so… View more
I’ve loved slow feeders since they came into my life. Gavin, not so much. My sweet boy needed a lot of love, patience, and spoon-feeding to eat. Conversely, Mabel greatly benefits from slow feeders, and I’ve used Gavin’s old Mine Pet Platter since she blessed my life with her food-loving self. It’s just so big…. View more
Four people I love have lost (passed away) dogs they love in recent weeks. And, while my sisters (birth and soul) and two dear friends’ loss and grief journeys aren’t mine, they remind me that life is too freaking short. We have so few days on this earth. Why do we squander our free moments? Why do we let… View more
Since most of you humans are recovering from comforting your dog(s) from the sky booms, my human asked me (Mabel) to step in again this week and share more pearls of wisdom for your dog(s). Here goes: Be HelpfulI’m always helping my human when she waters flowers. Sometimes, I assist by watching over her, making sure she lightly… View more
As a child, I composed a non-sensical novella, “My Ice Cream Dream.” I wrote, illustrated, and self-published (cut-up cardboard and contact paper) my debut book. I was so proud of my silly adventure story, racing through Rocky Roads, skidding down Sundae Slides, and my riveting twist ending when I woke up covered in ice cream—was it a dream? I’ve always… View more
Mabel’s gut is almost healed after four rounds of antibiotics. I’ve worked closely with my primary and holistic veterinarians to help mend her tummy microbiome, but it’s taken time. So I’ve recently and very slowly reintroduced dairy to my sweet girl after being unsure for months if she was allergic. Her current favorite Bark Pouch… View more
It took time to adjust to life with a food-motivated Mabel. My angel Gavin and I used to sit on the bathroom floor with what I called his Thanksgiving feast. I’d meditate, rub essential oils on my hands, then love on him and let him tell me whether that morning’s favorite food was a Bark… View more
It’s Mabel here. I’m taking over the blog this week because my human always tells me I’m smarter than her on her best days, even fully caffeinated. So, I’m sharing my wisdom today to pass along to your dog(s). Here goes: When your human is in the flushy room, with the door shut, you should lie… View more
In our second (I think) week of Rally Class, Mabel kept walking towards the A-frame with eager eyes and a giant grin. And I felt deep appreciation, causing me to smile with no one nearby to notice. I knew precisely why Mabel told me a piece of equipment she’d never been on with me was… View more
In the first dog training class I took with Finn, he shined. Whenever the trainer demonstrated a cue with my big ol’ simple silly boy, he rocked every exercise. But when she handed the leash back to me and I tried to replicate the request, she’d borderline yell, “You’re doing it wrong.” I remember thinking,… View more
