This year can’t be over a minute too soon. It’s ridiculous, I know, to think that one sunset and sunrise will somehow change the disposition of the universe, that tomorrow my driveway will suddenly sprout good-luck flowers with solid-gold centers. (I’m not even sure what those would would look like — maybe sunflowers? Which would…
Coping with Holiday Frenzy: Sounds to Soothe the Canine Soul
I’ve been called a grinch for grumbling about this time of year, its sentimentality and sensory overload. Fine. But I contend that I don’t steal the spirit of the holiday season so much as provide a respite from it for those who need one — and that includes your dog. That’s right. Even if you,…
Ooh, soothing – free! – dog music
‘Tis the season to be…frazzled. And if your dog is anything like Frankie, he will follow you around the house as you bustle about, getting underfoot, raising the frazzle factor fourfold. What you both need is something to help you chill. And alcohol isn’t a good idea for either of you (well, you can drink…
Training Tuesday: Suck it Up!
As those who have been keeping up with my Training Tuesday series know, I have been working with trainer Crystal Saling to get Frankie over his fear of the noisy outdoors. The ultimate goal: to get him to my car, parked in the driveway of my house which fronts a busy street, without stress. Methods…
Friday Focus: Roll Over Beethoven
My question this week was: Can music really calm a dog that’s upset? Several people answered an enthusiastic Yes! and a number of them mentioned a CD specifically — and scientifically — designed to elicit that response in canines. Bridget K. Smith, speaking for her dog, Wrigley, mentioned that they had even collaborated on an…
Holiday stress? Some music to soothe the savage breast
First things first: I don’t think dogs are savages. I often look to Frankie for wisdom, as my last post attests. But every time I’ve used the phrase “soothe the savage breast” in the past, an editor has changed “breast” to “beast”; one even accused me of having my mind in the gutter. Also, the…