Jealousy Between Pets

We can coexist, until you’re involved My pets get jealous of one another. Chihiro and Cole, for all that they tolerate and even sometimes enjoy one another’s company, compete for attention. Chihiro is really only competitive for attention when a) there’s food involved, or b) someone new has come over to the house. If someone’s visiting they’re not likely to get much time with the cats, because Chihiro is a bully. Even if she is ignoring the new person, she’ll suddenly come out and muscle the cats away if they try to come out and greet the visitor. She has … Continue reading →

Chasing House Flies

On the surface I had a lovely afternoon yesterday. I returned from a good time volunteering with friends at a local museum and spent a productive afternoon finishing a lot of work. That’s just the surface story. In reality as the hours of the afternoon waned I was driven crazier and crazier, as a headache crept further and further into my skull. And it’s all my pets’ fault. Well, just Chihiro and Cole. What did they do that made me insane? They chased house flies. I don’t know how so many flies got into my house, but there must have … Continue reading →

Dog vs. Yard

My dear Algernon beneath his rhubarb My dog loves her big new yard. One of the main reasons why is how many more encounters with the local wildlife she’s been able to obtain. Some of them aren’t so great. Others prove amusing. She’s had run-ins with a yellow box turtle wherein she’s been so perplexed by this strange new creature that even the slow reptile was able to escape during her investigations. That’s right: Chihiro spent the whole time of her turtle examination doing what I like to call her investigative dance: legs and shoulders hunched, head darting in and … Continue reading →

Puppy’s Peculiar Panic

Someone’s feeling pleased about her strange behavior This morning I had a perfectly normal article idea picked out. Before writing it, however, I first took the dog on her morning walk. She proceeded to put on one of the most ridiculous displays I’ve ever seen her perform and I realized I had to write about it. Any of you with dogs likely have seen this before: your dog is having trouble doing its number two business, so it fusses a little at first. The dog takes forever selecting a spot to go, and then ends up hunched over in a … Continue reading →

Dogs and Toddlers: The Uncanny Similarities

Today I’m going to explore something I discovered when I adopted my dog: how much having a dog is like having a toddler. At first, I thought the similarities were just due to the young age of both subjects, but now that my dog’s aged to canine adulthood, I’ve learned that isn’t true. Nope, dogs and toddlers just really are alike. Don’t believe me? I’ve compiled the main similarities into a handy list. 1. You have to clean up their poop. And other unpleasant messes. For the first few years of your baby’s life, you have to wash and dispose … Continue reading →

Moose’s Love Affair with the UPS Man

This love story probably won’t hit the big screen any time soon: dog meets delivery driver. But it’s a love affair I get to watch on a regular basis. My dog Moose loves everyone. He’d happily get into an open car door, wander off with strangers… it doesn’t matter who. He loves everyone. It’s really very sweet. (My other dog, Lally, is much more timid around strangers.) But Moose has a few special people in his life, people he just goes NUTS for. My dad is one of them. The UPS man is another. Our local UPS driver seems to … Continue reading →

Animals with Unusual Aspirations

Every once in a while odd notions pop into my head. (Okay, more than just once in a while.) The past few months, though, I keep having thoughts about animals with unusual aspirations. I’m not sure if they’re potential children’s book titles or just humorous musings meant to poke me when my subconscious thinks I need a laugh. Whatever they are –or may one day become– they make me smile. With all the bad news in the media recently, I thought I’d share them with you in the hopes perhaps they’ll bring a little levity to your life, too. The … Continue reading →

The Family That Plays, Potties, Drinks, Sleeps, and Heals Together Stays Together

Something life with Murphy has made me realize lately is that Wayne, me, and our fur kids are one tight knit clan. Which is sort of a remarkable thing in one respect. On the one hand, we’re a family made up of humans and animals. We’re not related by blood, but our bond is as strong as any blood bond could be. On the other hand, it’s hard to believe that just a little over a year ago we were a house divided. (Literally. Wayne was in Florida working a new job while I stayed behind trying to sell the … Continue reading →

Attack of the Angry Dachshund

Oh yes. The dogs and I had another adventure! I have a few different walking routes through the apartment complex that I use at different times of day. In the early hours of the morning, it’s usually safe to go past the playground — no running kids to get Lally all riled up. During the day, I try to stick to the street side of the complex to avoid kids on skateboards (another trigger for Lally). Late at night, we can walk just about anywhere. One morning last week, I decided to take a chance and walk by the playground. … Continue reading →

Beware…There Are Monsters About!

At least from Murph’s point of view. Anything that looks out of the ordinary or is otherwise strange and unfamiliar to him is a monster. (A word he knows courtesy of his Aunt Karen. That’s what she says when something catches Tucker’s eye on a walk and startles him.) The Making of a Monster Of course there aren’t really monsters about. There are just things that sometimes appear scary to Murphy. An overturned trash can that wasn’t there on a previous walk. A tangled hose left askew on a lawn. A piece of trash, like some of the black landscape … Continue reading →