I never imagined the length of time it would take to investigate and write a book about a rogue Labrador retriever whose life journey took many twists and turns, some bizarre, others shocking. But a goofy yellow Labrador inspired me to cross the finish line. The book, Heartbreak Kennel: The True Story of Max and His Breeder, is now published!!
One family’s love of dogs and interest in the dog show world has been passed down three generations. It’s meant more family time together and even helped fund a college and veterinary school education!
Every spring, we start conditioning ourselves and our canines for high altitude adventures. This year, we’ve experienced a couple of surprises that will alter our typical training regime so that both two- and four-footed creatures are ready for a fun and enjoyable summer and fall hiking season.
Evie Haskell, author and lover of rescue dogs, now lives with her family and two spoiled canines in the Pacific Northwest. Before they moved from Colorado, their beloved collie rescue died. Evie located a “purebred” border collie rescue, and only later discovered that the dog has no herding drive but loves to retrieve. So, she turned to DNA testing to find out more about her new family member.
Mussel detection dogs help keep lakes and reservoirs free of invasive, fingernail-sized mussels that alter the natural ecosystem of these waters. These specially-trained canines search boats prior to launch to detect these destructive mussels that may have attached themselves to the watercraft.
Parents often bring their young children to dog shows only to find them bored and undoubtedly glued to their electronic devices. One AKC judge recognized this problem about five years ago and sought a diversion to capture their interest. Thanks to his persistence, children ages five to nine now can participate in pee wee classes at AKC shows nationwide. And they love doing so!
Handies Peak is my favorite fourteener partially because it’s one of the easiest mountains to climb in Colorado and the approach from American Basin is drop dead gorgeous. But there is something more―and took until this holiday season for me to understand why this mountain is so special!
The highly intelligent and speedy Karelian Bear Dogs save the lives of hundreds of bears in the United States each year and serve as ambassadors for reducing bear-human conflict worldwide. They track on leash and shepherd an untold number of grizzly and black bears from human-occupied areas back into the wild.
Erin Furman, author and Labrador retriever lover, considers herself to be very blessed when she cares for her elderly four-footed family members and can’t fathom why so many owners dump their senior dogs in shelters. In her guest post, she explains why senior canines are so special and shares tips about how she kept her special girl Toby, our beloved Layla’s sister, happy and active in her golden years, and continues to do so with Reese, at nearly sixteen years old.
Thanks to my understanding pack hubby, cooperative canines, and lightweight equipment, I’ve learned that backpacking, after a twenty-eight-year hiatus, remains one of my favorite summertime activities. But backpacking with dogs can be challenging and sometimes amusing notwithstanding careful preparation!