Dogs Define Home

Are our dogs really "ours"? One of the possessions our houses contain? Or do they actually define the space we call home?

"Mine", directed by Geralyn Pezanoski, aired on PBS the other day. Pezanoski told Independent Lens about her time in New Orleans filming the animal rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina, where custody battles were arising over other 'Katrina pets'....

One Katrina survivor described his dog as "the only thing I have left." His dog was not a "thing" to him, of course, but he had nothing left of his life and home before the storm, and the restoration of his dog would in turn restore some kind of continuity....

Dog Kills Ball

There are dogs that don't like to play fetch.

They prefer to chase and kill the bright red bouncy ball of a cute little tole-haired boy under the care of his nanny, as the case may be in Park Slope. Ah, what satisfaction to pounce on someone's else's ball, bite and puncture it, shake the air out of it,  watch it deflate completely under paw, a little pathetic wheeze emanating from its plastic wounds. 

Starting Over With the "Come" Command

My regular clients know that every week or so, their dog is going to get some kind of special treat - perhaps some off-leash time, perhaps an extra-long walk, perhaps a swim, or bike-ride (if that's what the owner wants).

Yesterday it was: "Iris!..... Iris!!!!....?.....IRIS!" Lesson learned: Make sure the owners know all they need to know about training their dog to return, before offering off-leash services!

So, here's some background on the issue, a mix of my own approach and some straight-up plagiarism from some good websites. Underlined is the essence of what I would advise you to focus on. If you skim down to the numbered section, then you'll see in what order this process will go.