Photo Darby Tussey

But wait! What’s that on the bottom of my slipper?! Eewww! And, hey! What happened to the leg of the coffee table? Why, it looks like it’s been chewed! Now Baby Fido has to be walked and the kids are upstairs playing with their Wii… (you get where this is going, right?)

It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a family to raise a dog, folks. If you, as an adult, have made the commitment to adopt a dog make sure your entire family joins in on the upkeep and training of this new member of your pack. Find a reputable trainer before you adopt and see if he or she can give you some advice and offer training classes or at least, a session or two, within a couple of days after you bring the puppy (or adult dog) home. It may make the difference between peaceful co-existence and a sad return to the shelter or breeder.

Here are a few tips that may help you ease the transition immediately after you adopt:

• Dogs need a consistent schedule for eating, sleeping, and eliminating.
• Never hit, slap, or physically punish your dog; dogs do not respond to this treatment and will become fearful. Instead, use a firm tone of voice and praise for a job well done.
• Allow your dog to be part of the family; do NOT make your dog \”live\” outside. This constitutes cruelty!
• Make sure your new family member receives his shots on time so that he can enjoy good health: some behavior problems occur because of illness or discomfort.

consultation! I will be happy to help you and your family enjoy your dog for life!

Next week’s topic will be entitled, \”Your Dog’s Prey Drive—Fact & Fantasy\”. As always, Cleary’s notebook encourages dialogue so your comments are welcome! Have a wonderful holiday!

Wado, udohiyu, (thank you very much, in the Cherokee language)

Dawn Watson

Brother of the Wolf, LLC

700 Market St, Gloucester City NJ 08030

The other woman responds proudly, \’Yes, I sure am!\’

The first one says, \’So am I! And where about in Newfoundland are ya from?

The other woman answers, \’I\’m from St.John\’s , I am.\’

The first one responds, \’So, am I!! And what street did you live in Newfoundland ?\’

The other woman says, \’A lovely little area it was in the west end. I lived on Warbury Street in the old central part of town.\’

The first one says, \’Faith and it\’s a small world. So did I! So did I! And what school did ya go to?\’
The other woman answers, \’Well now, I went to Holy Heart of Mary, of course.\’
The first one gets really excited and says, \’And so did I. Tell me,what year did you graduate?\’

The other woman answers, \’Well, now, let\’s see. I graduated in 1964.\’

The first woman exclaims, \’The Good Lord must be smiling
down upon us ! I can hardly believe our good luck at winding up in the same pub tonight.

Can you believe it, I graduated from Holy Heart of Mary in 1964 me self.

About this time, Michael walks into the bar, sits down and orders a beer.

Brian, the bartender, walks over to Michael, shaking his head and mutters, \’It\’s going to be a long night tonight.\’

Michael asks, \’ Why do you say that, Brian?\’
Brian answers, \’The Murphy twins are drunk again .\’