Pen, Spoon & Dagger

National Dog Week starts today. Woof! Time to give your pooch some extra love, belly rubs, butt scrubs or whatever your hairy companion prefers As I sit at my desk, Clue, my Golden Retriever, is dozing on the floor next to me, dreaming of her next meal or hug, whichever comes first.  She is now 12 years old, grey-faced, deaf and severely arthritic.  But that doesn't stop her from enjoying life.  Every morning she wakes up, tail beating a joyous tattoo on her bed, waiting for our morning ritual of belly rubs and wriggling. Clue is the perfect name for a mystery writer's dog,right? But it's actually short for "Hasn't got a Clue."  You see, Clue is a rescue dog.  When she was just a couple of months old, her  owners dumped her on a back road to fend for herself.  Fortunately someone found her and took her to the local shelter. After keeping her the required 30 days, the shelter listed her on Petfinder where I fell in love with her at first sight. I...

The human memory is short, particularly when it comes to painful experiences.  That's one of the miracles of human proliferation.  Without the benefit of suppressed memory - let's call it selective amnesia -- few women would endure the pain of childbirth more than once (or so I've heard -- no first-hand experience, myself).  The same can be said for raising more than one puppy. Clue, my Golden Retriever, is almost 12 years old.  I rescued her from a shelter when she was 10 months old - still a puppy with all the joys and aggravations that brings.  Over the years, the memories of chewed  shoes, chair rungs and rugs, ADHD at obedience classes, and mad escapes from the yard have faded. And, in my blissful state of amnesia -- or maybe it's conscious repression -- I aagreed to foster a puppy.During the holidays! Colour me crazy. So Henry arrived.  A six-month old border collie mix rescued from a kill shelter in TN, Henry has charm, personality, and ener...

It's hard to resist that wagging tail and "you wouldn't leave me, would you?" face, but steel yourself.  It may seem cruel to deprive your favourite canine buddy of the sheer joy s/he gets from a car ride, with all those wonderful smells drifting in the open window, but the heat is seeping in, too. Even the briefest of road trips can be hazardous when the temperature soars.  It's been at or above 90 degrees here for the past two weeks and more hot weather is predicted. On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time—even with the windows open—which could lead to fatal heat stroke.  The Internet has been filled with heartbreaking stories of family pets left Dogs don't sweat.  They pant to cool off, but all the panting in the world isn't going to help during a heatwave. A parking lot is a hot plate, fueled by the sun.  Try sitting in your car in the Walmart lot and see how you like it - and don't forget to wear your winter coat!.   Parki...