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.

Dog Training Update | Dogs on Drugs

Weekly Training Update (Jan 30)

This week Lilly, the intrepid protagonist of our ongoing canine love story, went to a group pet obedience class with our big-picture trainer and mentor in all things relating to living with a fearful dog (Gigi Moss). Lilly and I stopped taking this drop-in class weekly in summer 2008 on advice of our dog behaviorist, who wanted us to do some hard-core behavior modification work instead. But, we’ve made enough progress that we’re picking up a group class once a month as time and temps allow. Suffice it to say, this was …

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Hot News | Musings

Vaccination Decision

In general, I follow the American Animal Hospital Association’s Canine Vaccine Guidelines. That means, I only vaccinate my adult dogs every 3 years (not every year). Since it’s required in our county by law, that means a 3-year rabies vaccination. I also do not do annual boosters for some of the others, like that combo one many dogs get for distemper, etc. because I once interviewed the top canine infectious disease expert in the country, and he told me that many such vaccines have MUCH LONGER duration of immunity that we’ve been led to believe. I absolutely want …

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Musings

Parlez-Vous Dog-lais?

I found a copy of Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff at my local library and checked it out, based on Dog-Geek and KB‘s recommendations, after I shared my Calming Signal confusion. I’ve read through the whole thing once, and I have plenty thoughts to share soon. Today, the topic is this: I believe Lilly speaks Dog-lais with either a heavy accent or poor syntax. She mixes her metaphors. She conjugates her verbs incorrectly. She reads like electronic assembly instructions translated from the original Chinese. …

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Info-Share

Scat-Watch 09

Considering the significant increase in coyote activity in the valley due to mating season (which happens mid-winter), I assume this scat below is from a coyote, not a fox. Fellow poop-ologists agree? If so, it was deposited about 30 feet from our front door, right on the edge of our gravel driveway. …

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Dog Training Update | Dogs on Drugs

Week Training Update (Jan 23)

This week Lilly worked only on leash, unlike recent weeks, because it’s coyote mating season, and we’re seeing much more activity in the valley in recent days. Since more than likely a coyote would ignore us, I might assume Lilly would ignore it too, but I’d rather not take the chance. since even impeccibly trained dog’s like KB’s Labs get tempted. Lilly did, however, encounter some dogs this week — some on purpose, some not. Here’s how it went.
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Dog Photo | Info-Share

Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs

I’ve mentioned before that Ginko “blew out” both knees when he was 3 years old. The official name of the injury is a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture. Often dogs also tear their cartilage (or meniscus) too, which complicates things. For those who aren’t too squeamish, here are details (including photos). Fair warning. …

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Info-Share | Musings

Dog Dirt Management

Either I need to transition my dog clothes over to brown, or I need a better stain-fighting formula to get the dog dirt out. Seriously, all of my dog jeans (… yes, I have jeans designated for dog activities) have a brown tinge to the thighs from Lilly putting her feet on me when I ask her to BEG (a calming strategy to get her to focus on me). I’ve tried all the usual over-the-counter stuff that’s supposed to get the stains out, but there is still a pall that looms on some of my clothes. …

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Dogs on Drugs | Info-Share

Cutting Expenses

Back in November Dolittler offered tips on 10 ways to save big on your pet’s Rx bill. Many, many good ideas. I started looking at those $4 prescription lists online, but sadly I NEVER found either the clomipramine or the alprazolam on any of them at the major pharmacies or big-boxes with pharmacies inside. Very discouraging. But, last week, while picking up Lilly’s latest batch of alprazolam at Walgreens, I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. It turns out … I can save money. Here’s how! …

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Dog Photo | Musings

The Rare Arctic Ice Bat

Sometimes we catch a glimpse of a rare arctic ice bat in our very own backyard. Ooooh, scary! …

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Dog Training Update | Dogs on Drugs

Weekly Training Update (Jan 16)

Lilly somehow suffered what we believe to be a hip injury sometime late Monday. We have no idea how it happened, but suddenly after dinner she could not sit or lay down without crying in pain. And, that’s saying something for my super-tough mountain girl who never whines or yipes. Even after the rattlesnake bite to the lip, she did not cry. So, this week’s update is a mishmash. …

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