For men who were arrested and charged in connection with the largest multistate dogfighting raid in US history were convicted in federal court and sentenced to prison time. Teddy Kiriakidis, 50, of Leasburg, Ronald Creach, 34, of Leslie, Michael Morgan, 38, of Hannibal, and Robert Hackman, 56, of Foley were all sentenced to federal [...]

Today the Southern California air is brisk, clean from the rains a few days ago and the sun is shining. Although I have work I need to get done, I took the time today to go for a long walk with the dogs and I’m glad I did.  It was refreshing.

My house is not far from the San Luis Rey River just south of the Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton. The river is a wildlife corridor (the base is also a natural wildlife preserve) and a variety of wildlife is often seen there –  from coyotes to deer to endangered birds.

There is a raised path that follows the river to the ocean, and people walk dogs along this path, ride bikes, push strollers, jog or just walk for relaxation. It’s marked for distance and you can go for as long or as short a walk as you wish.

There is also a park alongside the walk with a playground, open spaces and soccers fields. Although dogs are supposed to be leashed (it’s not an official off-leash dog park) no one says anything unless the dog (or owner) is a problem.

Today the dogs and I had a wonderful walk. It was a relaxation walk, a re-charge the batteries kind of walk. No formal training and not an exercise “push it” kind of walk. Just a “get outside and breath some fresh air” kind of walk.

Kids were playing on the playground and a couple wanted to pet Archer and Bashir. Both moms told their kids to ask first, which I always appreciate, and I thanked the moms for doing so. We chatted about the dogs while the kids pet the dogs and got some sloppy dog kisses.

There were a couple of off-leash dogs in the park, but they were under excellent verbal control and didn’t bother my two at all. I thanked those owners, too, to give them some positive reinforcement.

As the dogs and I walked past a middle school, the kids were outside and no one yelled nasty comments. After all, we are talking about kids at a difficult age and sometimes walking past the school can be horrible. I didn’t say anything to them —  I didn’t want to jinx myself!

As we were walking along the river path, I heard a hawk cry and watched him soar on the air currents. They are just magnificent! Everyone who was walking in the opposite direction from us seemed to be enjoying the day, also, as everyone said “hi” or good morning. No one appeared grumpy. How wonderful!

The dogs are crashed in my office with me now. Bashir under my desk as always, Archer behind my chair, and Riker in the doorway so no one can sneak in. When I finish this post I will – I promise –  get back to work. But I’m so happy I took a walk with the dogs!

Today much of the country woke up to the sight of a stunningly beautiful winter morning. Lots of people aren’t going to work today, much less to dog parks. This monster storm has dropped a ton of the white stuff. Here in Madison, I hear our unofficial total –  so far –  is 17 inches, which is a lot for us, and nothing for folks in Colorado who measure their snowfall in feet.

This morning Dodger flew out to do his business. The snow didn’t stop him from running even when it was almost to his belly. Ginger, weighing in at 21 pounds and having short little legs, stopped at the sight of it and refused to go out at first. Even at 13 1/2, she still has a bionic bladder. She ate breakfast and then forged her way outside (she has her priorities).

With little dogs, or big dogs with short legs, it’s helpful to shovel out a trail or an area right where they go outside. I shoveled an area for her at the bottom of the steps so she can find some space to walk in and not sink.

Getting all the snow removed is important today because tomorrow we are going to have bitter cold temperatures.  Any place that still has a thin layer of snow will then have glare ice, making it likely that a dog imitate Bambi on the ice — but rather than have fun will get hurt from the sliding and slipping. While it’s a pain to shovel it all, it’s a safety issue for the dogs as well as yourself. Many of my falls that end up in trips to the physical therapist (who once said to me, “I’m sorry your dogs keep hurting you”) are from being outside with the dogs in wet, snowy or icy conditions.

Last year I had good luck using two different pet-friendly ice melters: Safe Paw and Earth Friendly Products Ice Melt (which is also safe for vegetation). Both worked just about as well as salt, and even salt doesn’t work when it gets too cold. Health and safety considerations stipulate that ice melters not designed to be pet friendly can be dangerous, although there aren’t as many emergency cases as you’d think. My dogs were always fine with plain old salt, but I rarely used it and you can’t be certain that your dog won’t react just because he hasn’t reacted before. 

It’s all about how much the dog ingests, and if there is a reaction it can be nasty and warrant a trip to the ER. Those cases can be fatal. It’s best to wipe paws off after they’ve stepped on the area you’ve used any ice melter so they don’t ingest it. You never know which dogs are going to be particularly sensitive to it.

Sand, clay cat litter (not the clumping kind, which is designed to clump when wet and will just make an ineffective mess), and ashes all can help you deal with ice without using any chemicals.

Most dogs I know adore winter –  the dog park is full of springing, running, happy dogs bouncing around like Tigger. In her youth, Ginger turned into a snow rabbit and bounced through snow. Dodger is in his element, whizzing around in circles and barely slowing down for a quick bite of thirst-satisfying snow. Enjoy the beauty and fun of winter –  get your dogs outside for some great exercise for both of you –  and remember that a little common sense about safety goes a long way towards enjoying yourselves.

Christie has been sorting out more than her mother’s estate since Kathleen McKenzie passed on recently. Everything’s on the table right now, or at least open for consideration. Major life-changing events will do that to you, especially when your mother was not only your best friend, but also your housemate. And when, in recent years, you were also your mom’s 24/7 caregiver, with rarely more than a few hours respite .

Which is all by way of saying that Christie has been traveling a lot lately, in large part to clear her head. Now that she isn’t caring for a sick dog (Rebel, who died just before Christie’s mom) and sick mother, she can safely leave her one dog with a house-sitter and take off for a few days.

She has travelled more in the last six weeks than in the first 15 years I’ve known her.

But … ha! I have put an end to that! I told Christie it was a GREAT IDEA for her to visit friends in the Midwest in December.  The very same part of the country, mind you, that has been slammed by a massive winter storm, with new snowfall measured in feet.

Christie was supposed to come home today, but she’s just going to have to sit, um, chilly, because ain’t no flights leaving Detroit today, baby.

Image:  Christie’s iPhone view of the landscape outside. California, here she comes back (eventually), never to leave again!

Why would someone want to feed their dog raw food? Aren’t all the dry kibble foods nutritionally balanced and healthy for my dog? In a word – no.

Man’s best friend has come a long way from the days of herding sheep and cattle. In today’s society the dog has become an integral part of the work force. We now have dogs used by the Customs Department for sniffing out drugs and contraband, while the armed services use dogs to sniff out bombs.

A Back Yard Breeder is someone who has a few pets and decides they can make a few bucks by breeding their dogs together without regard for genetic health, conformation to breed standard, relationship of the two dogs, or where the dogs came from and if they are even of the same breed.

The Golden Retriever is a dog breed that needs minimal grooming to make it appear attractive and clean. All the dog will need is some brushing from time to time, a bath every once in a while and trimming of the hair. That’s it!

Owning a dog can be an enormous source of constant pleasure for both you and your dog. The majority of dogs just want to please you and don’t misbehave just to annoy you, it’s usually because their owners don’t know the dog training basics. You don’t have to know everything and your dog doesn’t have to be the most obedient dog in the world, but basic good behaviour can keep you both safe and happy.

If you want to buy fancy dog collars for your pet that you can make it were for special occasions, you will be spoilt for choice. Whether you browse online or go to your local pet store, you will have to choose from a huge variety available in all sizes, shapes and designs. But how do you choose one that will be perfect for your dog? Below are five kinds of collars that are available. You have to decide which one you want for your dog.