adventures-with-aspen

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So, Aspen had a bad visit with the vet. It was just a booster vaccination visit. My wife took him—and she said they took him back right away and told her after that he snapped at the technician.

Obviously, not okay. Aspen is the friendliest dog I’ve known and he would never bite—not without lots of warning.

My wife wasn’t allowed back with him. So, we only have their word.

We’ve had bad experiences with this vet before—they’ve pushed Trazodone on us as a requirement for his care, the vet has been very opinionated about us feeding him raw as much as possible, and generally they have been dismissive of my concerns. They’re “holistic”.

A lot of practices that we thought were right for Aspen in the beginning, I’ve since learned, are not for us. I’ve been uncomfortable with the vet for a long time. But, we weren’t in a financial place to look at other options.

Now, we’re starting to look for another care provider. For the folks that have had to change veterinary services:

How do you ensure the new veterinarian will be willing to work with you re: sedatives?

If your dog has bitten, how do you disclose that? Is there a vet blacklist?

Are there any vet accreditations that indicate a scientific-focused practice?

Any suggestions for cooperative care resources?

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in case anyone hasn’t heard: BarkBox has apparently chosen to cease all advertising for their pride kits, stating that they want to avoid “making a political statement”, and that it would go against “ensuring our marketing remains inclusive and welcoming to everyone in our community”. they also compared it to promoting a MAGA-themed box 😬 so yeah, great time to cancel your BarkBox subscription if you have one

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It’s been awhile since I’ve made a post on life updates. Here are some things that have happened recently:

I got a new job! Better team, actual work-life balance, a good pay increase. This means we finally can upgrade gear

Our other human hiking buddy is moving away at the end of the summer. We are sad about this, but excited for her!

Aspen and the cat’s relationship has developed enough that they can exist, respectfully, in the same room together. The cat is still a jerk sometimes and Aspen still play-bows him at every opportunity

Overall, the last few months have been trending in a positive direction

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Very nice article about the pros and cons of clipping a dog to help it deal with the heat, with cited studies. Summer is right on us and we're experiencing hotter temperature everywhere every year, if your dog struggles with the heat and has a lot of hair, you might want to give this a read!

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I love dog people

This is NOT a beginner pet!!!! (points to a fully domesticated animal)

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As far as I can tell there are a few different types of dog, independent of sex or breeds but occasionally correlated - including among others -

eccentric roommate (lives here. does stuff. when you're lucky you know what it is before they do it.)

dubious peasant (generally agreeable but on the verge of plotting revolt if not handled appropriately and regularly)

adorable ward (is Baby, makes up for immaturity with cute looks)

sworn knight (serve you till the end of your days. plz give task. take on quest. affirm is good dog)

confused auntie (wants you to make good life choices, mostly just sits on chairs and judges you)

No Thoughts Just Vibes (average golden retriever in my experience and also borzoi)

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Having dogs to go adventure with is such a gift.

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Doggy doodles

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i think dogs should hit like five or six years of age and then stop aging and live forever

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On April 16th 2025 the US federal government has proposed to change the interpretation of the endangered species act so that it no longer protects habitat.

This is open for public comment until the end of May 19th. Please comment and make your voice heard.

Wildlife need their habitat. If the ESA redefines harm so that habitat is no longer protected, the implications for wildlife would be catastrophic.

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behold, using the latest gene splicing techniques we've managed to resuscitate the fennec fox from extinction

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He’s solar powered ☀️

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You’ve probably heard it before: “Working dogs need working homes.”

It’s a phrase that gets repeated a lot, especially when a dog is struggling in a pet home. But it ignores the reality that not every dog bred for work is suited to it. Some are too anxious. Some don’t have the drive. Some are injured, aging, or simply not a good fit for the pressures of a working environment. And the truth is, there just aren’t enough working homes for all the dogs who need them.

Right now [in the USA], there are over 8,000 Australian Cattle Dogs and mixes listed on Petfinder. There are 4,500 border collies. Not all of them are cut out for working homes. Not all of them need one. Not all of them would fail in pet homes. And there likely aren't enough working homes for all of them.

If it were true that all working dogs had to be in working homes, how is it that so many are thriving in pet homes right now? Not just surviving. Thriving. Doing scentwork in the city, hiking local trails, learning tricks, competing in sports, building relationships with the people who adopted them. Pet homes aren’t always the problem. Sometimes they’re exactly what the dog needed.

I've said it recently in other posts, but we also see gatekeeping around these breeds. There's a certain appeal, for some people, in owning a dog that’s seen as tough, intense, and too much for the average person to handle. But that kind of thinking doesn’t help the dogs. It creates unrealistic expectations and pushes away the very people who might be willing to learn and do the work.

We also tend to blame pet homes when don’t go perfectly. They’re told they didn’t do enough research, or that they don’t have the right lifestyle. But many of those same homes are the ones stepping up and taking in the dogs who weren’t placed by breeders, who aged out of working roles, or who were surrendered when things got hard. They’re filling the gap in a system that isn’t working well for anyone, least of all the dogs.

That doesn’t mean every pet home is a match for every working dog. Some dogs simply aren’t a fit for certain homes. But that also doesn’t mean there isn’t one of the 8,000-plus heelers and mixes out there who would be a match. With the right support, the right expectations, and a little honesty, a lot of these dogs could succeed.

Dogs bred for work don’t necessarily need a job in the traditional sense. What they do need is engagement. They need outlets for their brains and bodies. They need to move, sniff, solve problems, and learn new things. That might be scent work, trick training, hiking, food puzzles, or play that taps into their instincts in a safe and healthy way.

That kind of engagement can happen on a farm. But it can also happen in a backyard, a townhouse, or a city apartment with someone who’s paying attention and putting in the effort.

Let’s stop saying all working dogs need one specific kind of home. Let’s start asking what the individual dog actually needs and who’s in a position to meet that.

A repost from a suggested page that popped up on Facebook, Wild at Heart Dog Training and Behavior Consultation

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How To Tell Your Cat That You Could Walk To His Food Faster If He Weren't Weaving Under Your Fucking Feet In A Beautiful And Intricate Idiot's Ballet