Author: Roxanne Hawn

Trained as a traditional journalist and based in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA, I'm a full-time freelance writer for magazines, websites, and private clients. My areas of specialty include everything in the lifestyles arena, including health and home, personal finance and other consumer interests, relationships and trends, people and business profiles ... and, of course, all things pet related. I don't just love dogs. I need them in my life. Seriously.

  • Flood

    It’s been a wet summer here, which is somewhat unusual in the high,
    often dry Rocky Mountains. Other places in the country easily get
    2, even 4 inches of rain regularly, but around here, that’s a BIG
    deal. Last week, for the first time in our nearly 6 years in this
    house, we had a full-blown flash flood in the creek that cuts
    through our property. My husband was gone and had the camera at the
    time, but I went out after the storm passed and recorded this.

    …

  • Honor Stink Eye

    Last week, Lilly went to the doctor for a major blood draw in
    preparation for our experiments with anti-depressants for her. Even
    though there are no indications (other than behavior challenges) of
    illness, we wanted to be extra sure. So, we ran about $150 worth of
    blood tests. All is well, but after Lilly went back with the
    veterinary nurses, she came back with a classic case of Stink Eye.
    …

  • Mountain dog goes to town

    Lilly and I ventured to a high-use public park in Denver over the
    weekend to visit some friends from out of town. Since I often
    lament Lilly’s reactions to various stimuli, I must say that she
    took the park and all its hubbub in stride. Imagine a dog who lives
    in a pretty quiet rural community going to the big city. If she
    were typing today, I suspect she’d have amusing thoughts on the
    things she saw. What might a smart, sensitive dog like Lilly
    believe when she sees a group of grown people bashing an
    alligator-shaped pinata with a …

  • Lap of luxury

    I allow my dogs up on the furniture. I know some people don’t, but
    I do. Strategies for preventing too much dogification include
    putting comforters bought at garage sales on the sofas and using
    extra flat sheets as a top sheet over the duvet on the bed. Still,
    I buy dog beds. I cannot help myself. …

  • Anatomy of a meltdown

    Just as certain people instantly make my blood boil, certain dogs
    simply get Lilly’s goat. And, not to put too fine a point on it, I
    think their handlers know it. So that’s part of it. The second
    part, however, comes when handlers behave as if Lilly is the only
    dog with a problem. …

  • Ground control to …

    Now that the wild meadow grasses have gone to seed, it’s time to trim the pastures. It’s both a fire mitigation as well as a see-the-snakes-better tactic. This year, Tom decided to do reverse crop circles. The strategy lets us keep areas natural with wildflowers and so that the wildlife have a place to bed down come winter. But, it’s apparently causing quite a stir in our rural valley. …

  • Loose dog rant

    I’ve given up taking Lilly for long walks in our rural neighborhood. It’s a safety issue, and I simply cannot take it anymore. Too many unsocialized, untrained, territorial dogs wander unsupervised from nearby homes. Then again, there’s wandering and pursuing. …