Author Archives: Elina Halonen

“Why did you get a second busy dog?”

A couple of days ago we bumped into a dog physiotherapist who used to treat Nell and she me why we decided to get a second busy dog. The question took me slightly by surprise and I didn’t have a good answer for her on the spot, but her question stuck with me so IContinueContinue reading ““Why did you get a second busy dog?””

Toy tip: going beyond classic Kong for frozen food toys

This morning I did my weekly ritual for the second time since Grace arrived in family: filled a dozen toys and froze them. While it is common advice to new puppy owners to use Kongs and especially frozen ones, in the first two weeks I was too much in a haze to be that organisedContinueContinue reading “Toy tip: going beyond classic Kong for frozen food toys”

The things we do for our dogs

Last night, we made a sandbox. Both dogs, especially Nell, have a deep love of digging – pun intended, because the first thing she did when we moved here in November was to dig huge craters in the garden. So, in the interests of keeping our new garden (once it is ready) safe from theContinueContinue reading “The things we do for our dogs”

How my heart dog has changed my life

Some months ago I read about the term ‘heart dog’ – the dog who “comes along once in a lifetime and grabs your heart so tightly he changes the way you live life”  and who is “forever a part of our emotional existence — a part of what made us who we are”. Even thinkingContinueContinue reading “How my heart dog has changed my life”

1 dog +1 puppy = more than 2 dogs!

  I knew raising a puppy would be hard. I knew we would need to work hard to nurture the relationship between the two dogs. And I knew all of this would be doubly hard because of the breeds we’ve chosen. Yet, I hadn’t quite realised just how much work the combination of all those thingsContinueContinue reading “1 dog +1 puppy = more than 2 dogs!”

Puppy meets the Lady of the House

My biggest fear about getting a puppy, or second dog in general, was that they would not get along with Nell who is mostly the sweetest dog you’ll meet – except when it comes to whatever she considers her possessions. And even more unfortunately, Nell’s definition of “her” possessions is the widest possible you couldContinueContinue reading “Puppy meets the Lady of the House”