For some strange reason, all 3 of our dogs have always had a fondness for "getting the mail" (or in some cases, the newspaper).

Here's how we taught our dogs to "get the mail" or "get the paper" and then immediately (before it gets too soggy) "give" it to us.

At the IHRA drag races I attended last month, I photographed several dogs who were accompanying their owners to the races.

The dogs belonged to drag racers and their families who tend to travel with their pets from race to race. In the IHRA drag racing series, there are usually 11 or so races each year -- which means a lot of time on the road, and a lot of loud noises for the dogs.

This led me to wonder... do dogs need ear protection?

What if I take my dog to a race someday? Are there doggie earplugs or something that we should consider?

It happened to me. With a 60 lb. Black Lab at 7 months of age. And the car was moving!

Lately, I've been seeing so many people riding around with their dogs in the car. Some have the windows completely down. Others have the windows partially rolled up, hoping to keep their dog from jumping out.

I'm here to tell you: A dog can fall out of a window that is half-way or even most of the way rolled up!

Here's my story...

A visitor to this site recently emailed me this question:

I have rescued a puppy and she is a spoiled rotten brat, and she won't quit peeing on my carpet. What can I do? I've tried kenneling her and she gets out everytime. Thank you."
-- Linda T.

Here are my recommendations...

Note to self:

Don't replant tree seedlings at dogs-eye-level if you have a dog that thinks sticks are toys!

Is your dog a rightie or a leftie?

We're not talking about paw-tendencies here. We're talking about tail wagging.

Turns out, you can learn a lot from your dog about the way he wags his tail!

Consider this yet another form of "dog speak".

Together, Jim and I have had 3 dogs.

First, there was Jersey, who was "my dog" first but welcomed Jim into our lives with open arms. Then came Destin, the dog we found under a dumpster. And then, Destin's "brother from another mother", Tenor. There was actually a point in time where we had all three under one roof at the same time. But now there's only Tenor.

Our buddy Destin recently went to chase rainbows in the sky and to play with Jersey in fields that are forever green.