Much has been made about a dog’s powerful sense of smell. This unique skill qualifies them to find bombs, drugs, and lost or trapped people. I actually looked up how a search and rescue dog operates. Yep, it’s by scent. Alas, Pettigrew’s schnoz is lacking. Although he thoroughly enjoys sampling the olfactory delights on his … Continue reading The Nose Doesn’t Always Know
Author: authorpolk
I live in the suburbs of Washington, DC with my dog, husband, and two sons. I teach environmental education and am a librarian. I also write children's books and hope to be published one day. In the meantime, I blog about the crazy things my dog Pettigrew does.
Upside Down & Inside Out -or- How My House Tried (Is Trying) To Kill Me
See: (v) perceive with the eyes; discern visually. ---Oxford languages “It took something as life altering as the pandemic to learn that I wasn’t seeing. Rather, I let my expectations dictate my understanding.” While I wish we had never experienced the pandemic and I mourn for all the losses and suffering it has brought, it has … Continue reading Upside Down & Inside Out -or- How My House Tried (Is Trying) To Kill Me
What’s in a Number?
In my post, The Battle Lines are Drawn, I talked about the importance of data in making decisions. And yet there are limits to what numbers can tell us. Sometimes, they mislead as much as they inform. We have all sorts of generalizations about age and can easily fall into the trap of believing these … Continue reading What’s in a Number?
The Battle Lines Are Drawn
Do we allow data to inform our decisions or not? Pettigrew out on a walk. I had thought we were a data-driven family. As a scientist, researcher, and doctor, my husband has a healthy respect for data and its importance in developing a successful course of treatment. Or, so I thought. Apparently, his ability to … Continue reading The Battle Lines Are Drawn
Dog vs. Cat: Transcending Heredity
You don’t need to agree with the late 20th century English-American intellectual Christopher Hitchens on everything, but he did have a point about the difference between dogs and cats. To paraphrase, If you provide dogs with food, water, shelter, and affection, they will think you are God; whereas, if you provide cats with food, water, and … Continue reading Dog vs. Cat: Transcending Heredity
“What could be more important than a little something to eat?” —Winnie the Pooh
“Now then, Piglet, let’s go home.”“But, Pooh,” cried Piglet, all excited “do you know the way?”“No,” said Pooh. “But there are twelve pots of honey in my cupboard and they’ve been calling to me for hours. I couldn’t hear them properly before, because Rabbit would talk, but if nobody says anything except those twelve pots, I think, Piglet, … Continue reading “What could be more important than a little something to eat?” —Winnie the Pooh
In My Own Voice #33: We Need a Sofa Upstairs
A few good things have come from having my family around more: they added soft, comfy furniture to the porches and they took down the gate at the bottom of the stairs. Checking out the new porch sofa. At night, I wait until the lights go out, then I climb the stairs and check to … Continue reading In My Own Voice #33: We Need a Sofa Upstairs
Ahab Had the Whale
Ahab was obsessed with finding and killing Moby Dick. A whale. Leviathan of the sea. Photo credit: World Wildlife Fund I appear to be obsessed with a toilet. Somehow, it doesn’t have the same cache. One winter break when I was in college, I worked as a temporary secretary for an office at which just … Continue reading Ahab Had the Whale
In My Own Voice #32: Tips for Training Your Human: The “2-P” Approach
Training your human can be a frustrating and discouraging endeavor, but, I assure you that you will have success if you follow my plan and never forget the two Ps: Perseverance and Patience. Whether you are teaching a new skill, or merely refreshing a skill that has been lost, it is best to start small, … Continue reading In My Own Voice #32: Tips for Training Your Human: The “2-P” Approach
In My Own Voice #31: Making Sense of My Topsy Turvy World
The rules keep changing. For years we had a routine. It was good. The people left in the morning. The youngsters came home in the afternoon. The older ones a bit later. We ate breakfast together. We ate dinner together. While everyone was out, I had free reign of the downstairs. Well, actually, even when … Continue reading In My Own Voice #31: Making Sense of My Topsy Turvy World
