Advice on Pets, Life, Love
By Monica Collins
Dear Dog Lady,
My fiancé and I have found a wonderful two-bedroom condo I love. We'd been looking forever and when we walked into this place, I knew instantly that I wanted to live in it. Unfortunately, the condo documents (rules) forbid dogs over 20 pounds. Peaches, our cocker spaniel, is 27-pounds. I want to go for it, but my guy argues that Peaches will get busted eventually. He wants us to keep looking until we find a place where all of our pounds are welcome. I am so irritated with Mr. Law and Order. I've reminded him that he's copied software and run a couple of red lights, so his criminal record is less than pristine. Should I suggest we put Peaches on a diet? How can I convince him to sign the papers for this condo?
--Wendy
Dear Wendy,
If the dog's permissible weight is a deal-breaker for your guy, then back off. Be grateful he has such ethical standards and respect them. Sure, you can suggest putting Peaches on a diet, but don't take this out on your innocent pet. When a 27-pound dog loses seven pounds, the animal will suffer. For a healthy cocker spaniel, Peaches' bulk seems exactly right.
Keep looking- for real estate. As a couple, you should start off your domestic life happily united and not divided over an issue as important as your dog's health. Peaches' weight will continue to weigh heavily on you and your partner if it causes stress and strife. There will be another condo to love where all three of you can settle down without fear of tipping the scales.
Dear Dog Lady,
I have a one-and-one-half year old chocolate Labrador retriever and an approximate one-and-one-half-year-old Scottish terrier (rescue). The problem I have is their constant barking when I put them in their crate. They bark so much that drool is all over their face and the floor of crate. They drink a ton of water when they get out. Generally, someone's home all the time so their time in the crate is very minimal. They also like to constantly bark at passersby from the yard when outside. Any ideas on how to curb the barking?
--Bob
Dear Bob,
Curb the barking by giving your dogs a job- chewing a Kong, playing with a toy, walking around the block, running in an open field, whatever provides them with healthy and sane activity. These guys are bored and desperate for some exercise and attention. In the yard, they bark because they're protecting their turf. Also, they've formed their own pack now; each ones goads the other on. Outdoors, you can train them; inside you must distract them.
Dear Dog Lady,
I have lived in Denver, New York and now Boston. It has been my observation over many years that guys very often have a problem with picking up after their dogs. It seems that when dog poop is left on the street or in parks or anywhere, you can bet 90-percent of the time it was a guy who left it there. This has become a big issue with me because it is inconsiderate, uncivilized, and just plain stupid. Thoughts?
--Libby
Dear Libby,
In Dog Lady's experience, women are equal opportunity scofflaws when it comes to picking up after dogs. And those descriptors you apply to men- "inconsiderate, uncivilized and just plain stupid" -- can equally be ascribed to women, especially the ones who talk on their cell phones and ignore their dog's poop. Sure, for new dog owners who aren't used to cleaning up, the ritual can be embarrassing and not particularly romantic, sexy or chic. But any self-consciousness quickly dissolves when a beloved dog is involved.
Dear Dog Lady,
This woman I work with has gotten one of these designer breed dogs. I think it's a shih-poo, which sounds disgusting. All this girl does is brag about her dog and when another co-worker cracked about how it was really a mutt instead of a pure-bred, the woman looked like she was going to break down in tears- as if she had bought a Prada pocketbook from a street vendor and found out it was a fake. Isn't a shih-poo a mutt?
--Jessica
Dear Jessica,
Yes, a mongrel by any other name is a shih-poo, a labradoodle, a puggle, or any other cross-breed. But why burst this woman's bubble? She must have paid top dollar for this poodle-shih tzu blend, and she's protecting her adorable investment.
Internet jokesters make fine sport of creating exotic new breeds. Here are a few of the funnier ones: Collapso- a cross between collie and lhasa apso- is a dog that folds for easy transport; Poinsetter -a pointer and setter- makes a lovely Christmas pet; and a Newfound Asset Hound- a mix of Newfoundland and basset hound -s a must-have companion for a Wall Street warrior.
Go to www.askdoglady.com to read more columns, listen to radio segments and watch episodes of "Ask Dog Lady," the TV show.