by Marcie Davis | Aug 19, 2013 | Assistance Dogs, Service Dogs, People
An older man and his dog We don’t always think about what will happen if our assistance dog outlives us. Usually our focus is on the grief we’ll feel when our beloved dog goes before us, since dogs usually have a short lifespan. But planning ahead to make sure your...
by Marcie Davis | Feb 20, 2013 | Assistance Dogs, Service Dogs, Training
Dr. Brian Hare, canine cognition researcher Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Brian Hare on the Working Like Dogs radio show at www.petliferadio.com. Dr. Hare, the Director of the Canine Cognition Center at Duke University, is the author of The Genius...
by Marcie Davis | Feb 10, 2013 | Assistance Dogs, Service Dogs, Dog Food & Nutrition, Doggie Healthcare
Why do some dogs not only like to lie on the grass, but also eat it? Everyone seems to have a theory about why dogs sometimes eat grass, but nobody really knows for certain. Some people think dogs eat grass to get more fiber in their diet. But since modern commercial...
by Marcie Davis | Jan 27, 2013 | Assistance Dogs, Service Dogs, Public Interaction
Service dog Whistle and his new friend, Bueno, after their first meeting As an experienced assistance dog handler, you may consider yourself to be a total “dog person,” but that doesn’t mean you should assume it’s OK to approach every unknown dog. For me and...
by Marcie Davis | Oct 24, 2012 | Assistance Dogs, Guide Dogs, Service Dogs, Puppy Raisers
Retired guide dog Heather Recently my husband Franz, Whistle, and I traveled to Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, for my annual physical and re-evaluation of my disability-related medical needs. I’ve been coming to Craig for over 10 years. They are...
by Marcie Davis | Oct 3, 2011 | Assistance Dogs, Training
How’s your assistance dog’s off-lead recall? Whistle is an amazing assistance dog and he spends a lot of his time working with me. However, I try to give him several times throughout the day and evening when he can spend some free time in the backyard relaxing and...
