I am thrilled to announce that my latest book has been released and is now available on Amazon.com. Soon, it will also be in Petsmart stores. It is one of a new series of breed books. The first…
Here’s a training video on using the flirt pole to train/exercise your dog. Dogs learn best when lessons are fun, and this is a great way to turn basic obedience practice into big excitement. We’ve used these in shelter situations, especially with dogs that can’t play with other dogs and it’s been a favorite tool for tiring them out while reinforcing new commands. To keep this valuable as a learning tool, the game must stop anytime a dog grabs the toy without permission. Great for healthy dogs, but be aware that the fast turns and jumping could aggravate faulty joints, so use wisely. Enjoy!
By popular demand, a how-to video for correctly fitting the prong collar, followed by a video that shows a dog handler with a reactive dog on his first day in class. These will go into our How-To Videos file for future reference.
Tanner, a Great PyreneesI have just completed a new pet portrait of Tanner, a Great Pyrenees. His owner, Patti, is a veterinarian in Montana, and I have done five portraits for her over the years. It…
Last weekend was the tenth anniversary of our first march in the SF Pride Parade. We started in ‘02 in support of SF resident Guy Lowe. Guy was battling AIDS, so his doctor prescribed a service dog to help him with his depression. Rescued from the old Pinole Shelter, she turned out to be the perfect medicine for him.
Last month, BR alum ‘Big Sal’ and his handler Jackie Gunby accepted a Hero Award from Placer SPCA on behalf of the Kaiser Permanente Pet Visitor Program which brings dogs to visit hospital patients. You may remember Sal from this post on his work with psych patients. Read the rest of this entry »
Bonnie, above, and LilyMost people have trouble telling two purebred sable shelties apart. My two, Bonnie and Lily, are usually greeted with Hello Bonnie or Lily or whichever one you…
The Elderbulls Blog came out with a fun post last week. It highlights several first-ever dog-related milestones set on the east coast over the last 30 days, and includes Cleveland’s big firsts among others. Firsts!
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I had such a cute sheltie staying with me this past week. I pulled out the paints and did a quick painting of him. This is Rolex, and he belongs to my friend Patty. It is 8 x 8 and done in acrylic…
Early this week, Pittsburg Mayor Will Casey presented BR with a lovely declaration thing-y (what are these called?), acknowledging our work. It was an honor, of course. But in return, we have to acknowledge the City of Pittsburg’s decision to embrace non-discriminatory dog owner support work. A humane approach can bring immediate change to communities that struggle with dog-related challenges, and without alienating dog owners or causing them to hide their pets away. More info on this approach: here.