In his grief over the loss of a dog, a little boy stands for the first time on tiptoe, peering into the rueful morrow of manhood. After this most inconsolable of sorrows there is nothing life can do to him that he will not be able… Read More
Showing a profound lack of judgment by the people at Google, my site often ends up at the top of search results for questions about Rhodesian Ridgebacks. My qualifications for such prestigious placement are that I have Rhodesian Ridgebacks, I have a camera, and I have a very loose understanding of how to control both of those things. That said, I’m always happy to share whatever knowledge I’ve picked up along the way. I can’t offer the expertise of a veterinarian or behaviorist, so I simply try to share the perspective of what an average owner might experience. Read More
On the day I picked up each one of my dogs I handed over a check for nearly two thousand dollars. That is a lot of money. My decision to pay a large sum for a puppy is a contentious one amongst dog lovers. For many, a line has been drawn and anyone who does not acquire their dog from a shelter or rescue is the on the wrong side. But I don’t see my decision to purchase my dogs from an ethical breeder as oppositional to rescue efforts, I see it as complementary to them. I think it’s worth explaining why. Read More
Was Penny the dog of my dreams? Absolutely not, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. Ever since her ship crash landed on our planet five years ago, Penny’s infused our lives with her cosmic energy. Sure, we may have lost pieces of our sanity along the way,… Read More
A few gray hairs huddle together on the underside of Penny’s cheek — wisely hoping to escape her notice, I suspect. The first and only scar Eko gave her, a nick across the nose during an ambitious foray into his dinner, has faded to all but my own eyes. Past her signature neck whorl is a patina of scrapes, scabs and well worn paw pads. The crown of the ridge running along her back, like the girl herself, remains as reliably off kilter as the day I carried her home. Read More
I used to think meaningful moments in life were a discovery trekked to or stumbled upon. But Lincoln, Penny and Zero remind me that these moments must be purposefully crafted. Not because a particular time or place is special, but because we decide to make it so. Read More