The Dog Nanny

Your best friend will be waiting for you. Be safe & Happy New Year!

Submitted by mark Hyde

This has been a bit of a rough summer for me. Sometimes passings are expected, by both myself and the owner, and so I know in advance that I am providing care for a dog in the twilight of their life. Other times, age creeps up fast with dogs and they leave us without much warning, enjoying life one week and then taking a rapid decline over the next couple of days. Sassy, in spite of what her name might allude to, was an incredibly sweet-natured and gentle tempered girl. Adop...ted from an obscure background, the tolerantly shared her home with not one, not two but three pups (two canine and one human). My visits with her mostly consisted of Juno entertaining her rambunctious housemates while we both took our respective breaks from the pesky young dogs that consume so much of our energy. Sassy enjoyed a good brush. She had a leg deformity that essentially left her with three legs, but never did it harden her gentle, motherly temperament toward those younger than her. Sassy passed away unexpectedly following an unexpected set of seizures on August 5, 2017. Good girl, Sassy.

2/2 sad posts for this month. Kaya was a gentle and benevolent soul that I also met in her last year of life, making it to the astounding age of 14-- truly a feat for a Dane. Even when her back end failed her, her dignified, gentle presence did not. Loyally, she continued to hold down her fort with a booming bark to all trespassers, right up until her final days, I am told. Good girl, Kaya.

One of two sad posts I will be making this month... In memory of Lucy Merk. Lucy was a vivacious girl that came into my care in her senior years. She was a the Betty White of my walkers, keeping pace with dogs large, small, young and old, even in her senior years. Even as an old girl, Lucy could run with the best of them, figuring out puzzle toys and teaching youngsters how to respect their elders with swiftness and grace. Lucy was doted upon by her owners, and was an active and life-loving senior, even in spite of her pancreatitis. Above all else, she loved going out for a walk, a joy that she passed onto my fearful dog Juno every time we had her over. Good girl, Lucy.

Everyone has a trail with their name written on it.

Water's perfect, this time of year!

Best buddies. Happy Valentines Day!

Arguably the handsome one of the bunch.

It's hard to fully understand dogs without first understanding ourselves. This is an awesome roundup of the studies that changed our view of human nature over the last century.

On, Dasher! On, Dancer! Time to hit our delivery route for all the good boys and girls this year (four AND two-legged).

The Goudreaus have us figured out! Juno and I couldn't wait to try on our new Christmas presents... the perfect dog-walker ensemble! Thanks Kris Goudreau @Sarah Lyster Goudreau ! Merry Christmas, Guys!

Amazing progress made at Bark Avenue with Juno... and Mabel... who always seems to have crippling fear issues too when the salmon comes out. What a treat for Juno to show off all her hard work to Susi!

Yesterday, I lost a beloved client, a big mixed-breed boy named Tank. Many people were intimidated by his size and power, but he was anything but a menace. At 7 years old, Tank befriended an unsocialized lab puppy named Lexie. Lexie had no idea how to cope with her world, and the first thing she needed from it was a friend. Tank was roughoused, tugged at, tripped over, sat on by the awkward pup, and the two got along famously. With Tank at her side, Lexie was able to make the first steps to overcoming her fear of pretty much everything. Whenever I took Tank out, Tank would find the group either a gigantic puddle (in the winter) or a large patch of shade (in the summer) where they could play and tug toys until they were too tired to do much but flop on the ground and wrestle halfheartedly. Run free, Tank.

Penny Puzzles: Product-testing my flawless prototype of "That Thing I Saw On Instagram 3 Months Ago".

The fish fence with Callie, Blondie, and George... Not a plan without its holes, in retrospect.

We are super happy our friend George is back in action after ACL repair!

Old dog, new tricks: Lily learns to use a Treat and Train Many people hesitate to seek training as a solution to behavioral problems in elderly dogs, thinking that they are either too old to learn or need to live out their golden years without the stress of training. The benefit to force-free training is twofold-- not only is it easy on fragile bones and weak hearts, it allows for the same (sometimes higher) rate of learning when compared to punishment-based training. Further, it gives us a "fair" way to train dogs like Lily, who are blind and can't always control the errors that they make in training.

Forces of evil, unite!

<3 fetch at Albion with these two dorks.

Dogs are (swamp) people, too!

Tip... uh... Saturdays: Did you know that many nurseries graciously allow dogs in their stores? This makes both a dry rainy-day activity, and an awesome way to socialize puppies and fearful dogs.

Juno and Kiya seem to think this potty break is weather-permitting.... HAH.

...Welp, we all knew the time would come when Huxley finds out what Axel does while he's at work with Dad...

Aww! My poor man Teddy broke his leg doing some acrobatics off the couch... Get well soon Wild Ted!

An overnight stay with our elderly friend, Kiya, who turned 12 this year! Juno is obtaining her secrets to longevity for us...

Welp, I ain't afraid of a lil weather... but because we would make a fair target for a falling tree, all walk groups will be cancelled until the storm subsides.

Probably the best standing-still picture, and the only standing-still picture, that I will ever get of these lovebirds

Wet leaf season is upon us.

No, Mabel, that is not what you call a muddy buddy.

When I say "Hey, a squirrel!"

It's mid-sized dog mania!

Quick break at the halfway mark!

Sleepover with the cool kids tonight

Sam is being a real sport about my pink loaner-coat... Wonder if I'll be able to say the same about Axel...

The two rockhoppers!

...for proof that Juno and Persephone can stay still for more than 2 seconds...