It feels like there are a lot of rules we’ve internalised as dog owners and sometimes it’s good to question them. For example, I have mixed feelings about Grace’s love of balls. On the one hand, I hear a voice in my head telling me I’m supposed to remove things that a dog feels stronglyContinueContinue reading “The blurry line in love of balls”
Author Archives: Elina Halonen
Every little helps when it comes to self-control
I recently met a lot of dogs of the same breed as Grace, and many of them reminded me of a younger version of her – a much more impatient one! So I wrote something for our breed’s Facebook group and thought I’d share it here too in case it’s useful for someone. Learning that theyContinueContinue reading “Every little helps when it comes to self-control”
The existential worry of living with and loving dogs
These are pictures taken of Nell a month before she first got sick – she looks like she is in great shape and health, or at least I had thought I had every reason to assume she was. The Saturday before her vet appointment on a Wednesday she’d done an energetic 2h walk including lotsContinueContinue reading “The existential worry of living with and loving dogs”
For the love of rabbit balls
“Find someone who looks at you like Grace looks at a rabbit ball.” I wish I’d discovered the joys of game dummies and balls years ago – they are one of the best things I’ve ever bought for my dogs. The idea might seem a bit disgusting but… the look on the dog’s face makesContinueContinue reading “For the love of rabbit balls”
Quick notes on THAT study about genetics and personality
In the days since the study hit the popular press, I’ve found myself writing the same things over and over in various social media discussions. While I really want to write about this properly, I know myself well enough to admit I may never get around to the meticulously crafted long-form post… So, considering that,ContinueContinue reading “Quick notes on THAT study about genetics and personality”
Talking with dogs
Lots of people are currently excited about the buzzers that allow dogs to “speak”. I tried them a year ago but couldn’t persuade my dogs to use them because they already had effective ways to communicate about their most typical needs or desires.Also, the buzzers are great but you have to take them everywhere ifContinueContinue reading “Talking with dogs”
My dog, my mirror
Difficult dogs are our biggest teachers – and often they teach us more about ourselves than anything else. One of the reasons I am feeling Nell’s absence in my life so strongly is that she taught me to accept myself as I really am. She was a lot – even many who loved her (includingContinueContinue reading “My dog, my mirror”
The bittersweet nature of love and loss
It’s been a month and we miss this lady more than words can say – her absence means our lives are much quieter, and it feels a bit like the balance of our family has been shaken.She was my constant companion for so many years that on some days it feels a part of meContinueContinue reading “The bittersweet nature of love and loss”
A love letter to my heart dog
Nell was lovely, charming and extremely lovable… But if you shared a life with her, she was not an easy dog to love – she was intense, loud, exuberant, demanding, opinionated, short-tempered and persistent. She challenged me year after year to learn more about dogs and how they think because in many ways she theContinueContinue reading “A love letter to my heart dog”
An extraordinary dog
With incredible sadness we need to share the news that our beloved Nell unexpectedly and suddenly lost her fight with cancer on Thursday night. We discovered 2 weeks ago that her lymphoma had returned immediately after chemotherapy ended, which was extremely bad news. We did not want to cut her life too short for our emotional orContinueContinue reading “An extraordinary dog”
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