Weekly article archive

The following questions and answers have appeared in my weekly column in the Albuquerque Journal since July, 1996. Each week a new one is added. You'll find information on the physical and behavioral maladies of dogs and cats and a few other species too. I invite you to use the search feature to find the specific answer that you and your pet need.

The Risk of Love

kitten

Poupon was an almost constant source of connectedness and entertainment for Cheryl and her husband Michael. One night he snuck into their dining room and carried off a pizza box…

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Teaching Stay

teaching a puppy to stay

Who wants to stay? We may not want to but a dog can, if we motivate him. Mick is just learning that if he watches me, and then I show…

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Puppy Heebie Jeebies

Baby Mick

Last in a series Be ready for your excellent new pupster’s grand entrance. Have a covered crate for nighttime sleeping, food-dispensing toys, and a drag line (6 foot leash the…

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Leave It!

Leave it

How much garbage and other poop should a dog eat on a leash walk? You can yell LEAVE IT! and jerk hard on the leash but your dog may only…

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Mick & his Chick

Mick and his Chick

We picked our boy Mick, in part because he has a social nature. It turns out that he’s never met a stranger. Mick visits this hen on a daily basis.…

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The short list of applicants. Who looks best?

Puppy litter

Third in a series Have you chosen your own spouse or life partner? How about your friends? Me too. These relationships are imperfect but, gee, I would still never allow…

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Walk well On-Leash & Come when Called

Heel Recall

Dogs of any age can learn to walk well on leash and come when called. Start by setting the kid up to succeed with no distractions. I told Mick to…

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So Many Cute Puppies – Where Do You Start?

Puppy litter photo

Many puppies are gifted with perfect homes. We love that. Sadly, some are the wrong fit from the get-go. When planning to puppy pick start with common sense. If you…

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Doing Down – How Much Better?

Down step 2 thumbnail

Mick is getting clear on the concept of “Down” on command but he still needs a little hint so he can succeed every time. There’s no point in putting an…

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