It’s All About the Bootie!

On a recent trip to Olympia, Washington, I noticed as we settled into our hotel room, that Whistle was chewing on his back foot. My husband, Franz, and I got him on the bed to inspect his foot. To our surprise, there was a blister in between the pad of his back foot....

Finding a Veterinarian While on Travel

I love to travel. And, traveling with a disability has presented me with many interesting challenges and situations throughout the years. So, of course, traveling with an assistance dog has added additional scenarios that I have had to address. During my most recent...

Play Dates are Fun for Assistance Dogs Too!

I have always felt guilty that my assistance dogs have been the sole dog in our house with the exception of the times when there has been an overlap with my retired assistance dog. However during those times, my retired dogs have been older, physically challenged and...

The Importance of Blood Work

As Whistle turned six this year, he is graying around his eyes and muzzle and I can definitely tell my athletic service dog is getting older. I recently took Whistle to see our veterinarian, Dr. Murt Byrne, for a wellness check. I try to take him to see Dr. Murt about...

HBO Documentary on Dog Bereavement

As many of you know, I lost my retired service dog, Morgan, on March 12, 2011. It continues to be a painful process for me as I am striving to come to terms with his absence. I thought it was ironic that I received a call today from documentary filmmaker Amanda...

A Research Study to Help Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers are commonly used as working dogs. My beloved assistance dog, Morgan, was a Golden Retriever and he suffered from many illnesses as he aged. That’s why I was so excited to read about a research study to help Golden Retrievers in the Cornell...