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The Fluffy Train
In my defense, I was drugged out of my mind at the time. So I really can’t be held responsible for… we’ll come back to that. Let’s start at the beginning. It was August of 2013. I lived in the Mountain Gate neighborhood of Palm Springs, a gated community which locals referred to as Mountain…
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A Little Dog Beneath an Ancient Sun
I don’t know how it happened. When Dennis, the little Corgi mutt who’d been by my side since I ended up in a wheelchair, died, I wanted a Beagle. I was actively looking for one (and had found one on a shelter website not too far away) the morning I came across Gordon’s picture and…
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Clear the Shelters
August is not just the month I irrationally believe the universe has it in for me. It is also the month of the nationwide Clear the Shelters event. Shelter pets are very near and dear to my heart – and I’ll tell you why: they saved my life! Since becoming ill, and retiring to the…
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A message from Gordon
For most Americans, the Fourth of July is a glorious celebration of national independence from a tyrannical king. It is a day filled with backyard barbecues, potato salad of questionable age, patriotic T-shirts that somehow feature more eagles than the national seal, and enough grilled meat to keep cardiologists gainfully employed for another year. As…
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A round of a’paws
Dogs are among the most socially connected animals we interact with on a daily basis. Their behavior reflects the deep bond they form with us, particularly when it comes to moments of separation. Yesterday, in the midst of a game of Rummikub during our “Games with Chuck” activity in which I finally beat Betsy at…
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Schopenhauer’s Poodles
The 19th century philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, an influence on Nietzsche and a contemporary of Hegel, was known for his philosophical Pessimism. I should explain. To a student of Philosophy, pessimism does not mean negativity or expecting the worse; rather, it is an outlook that views the world as aimless and our existence as one of…
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Pandiculation
Every morning when he wakes up, Gordon goes through the same routine. First, he has to find his way out from under the covers on my bed. As a little guy, he doesn’t have a lot of insulation, so the first thing he does when he goes to sleep at night is burrow deep under…
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Happy Birthday Gordon!
Today is Gordon’s designated birthday – the one used for his official paperwork with the city of Palm Springs (dog license, vaccination record, etc.) and by his vet. It is “designated” because it marks the day, three years ago, that the Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter rescued him from being put down at…
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How are you celebrating DOGust?
Ever heard someone refer to their dog as their “fur baby” and thought it just a figure of speech? Research has shown that when a mother stares into her baby’s eyes, the baby’s levels of the “feel good” hormone oxytocin rise, which causes the infant to stare back into its mother’s eyes, which causes the…
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From TaxPoodles to Maltipoos
The wonderful thing about TiggersIs Tiggers are wonderful things!Their tops are made out of rubberTheir bottoms are made out of springs!They’re bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncyFun, fun, fun, fun, fun!But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers isI’m the only one That’s “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers,” the theme song and personal anthem of Tigger, whom we…
Your mileage may vary.