The viral videos show beagles touching grass for the first time, but the truth behind their lives — and what we’re still funding — is far more painful. This is why the Ridglan Beagles matter, and why it’s time to stop paying for outdated, inhumane science.
A heartfelt look at a mother dog’s love, from the whelping pen to the promise we make when we bring a puppy home. A favorite essay from the archives.
Discover how long dogs remember scent — and why familiar smells can trigger grief, recognition, and deep emotional memory in the dogs we love.
After sharing my new branding — the colors, the logo, the shift toward writing about life with dogs instead of only helpful dog information — I noticed something interesting. I keep drifting right back to writing articles that provide help for dog owners. And like any writer who is also a Pisces and an over‑thinker,…
Not all breeders are created equal. This guide breaks down the signs of a responsible dog breeder, from health testing to puppy socialization, so you can make an informed, confident choice for your next dog.
Illinois keeps breaking tornado records, and while I can’t control the weather, I can control how prepared we are. Every month, my dogs and I run a quick tornado drill — so that when the sirens sound for real, we already know what to do. It’s a simple training scenario that helps us stay ready for real warnings.
After losing Tink, I found unexpected healing in watching Quill grow into the dog he was meant to be. A story of grief, presence, and becoming.
When Chewie came to stay with us this winter, I expected playtime, chaos, and maybe a few muddy pawprints. What I didn’t expect was a front-row seat to the science of canine friendship unfolding in my living room. Dogs form selective, stable social bonds that look an awful lot like the friendships we humans cherish, and watching Chewie and Quill negotiate life together — from humping and stressed out whale eyes to synchronized antler chewing — reminded me just how deeply dogs connect.
Winter with one young Labrador has pushed me to get creative, slow down, and rethink what it really means to keep a dog engaged when the weather won’t cooperate. From canine fitness exercises to snowball fetch to hide‑and‑seek in the hallway, these small daily rituals have carried us through the longest winter—and reminded me that it’s never about tiring out your dog, but about doing something interesting with them.
Tom Brady’s cloned dog sparked a national conversation, but cloning can’t recreate the dog you lost. This essay explores responsible breeding, nurture vs. nature, and why DNA is only one small part of who a dog becomes.