Dear Dog Lady:
I'm not a pet owner, but I notice when people walk their dogs, many (not all), stare at their animals the entire time they're "doing their thing." This strikes me as being goofy. Ever seen this? And what is your take on it? - Bill
Dear Bill:
The goofy phenomenon you describe is an informal innards check. This occurs when grown men and women stare while their dogs do "their thing." For a pet owner, the reading of the daily poop is the best indicator as to the health and welfare of a beloved critter. Unlike children who get too big for the diaper, our pets never outgrow the need to be looked after and scooped up after. Our intimacy with their bowel, bladder, sleeping and eating habits endures as long as our relationship with them lasts.
This unique closeness may seem potty to no-pet people, but it creates a community of com- fort among caretakers who gather wherever the dogs run, such as at neighborhood pet shops and park play groups. In polite com pany, even with a spouse, we might never bandy about loose stools. In canine company, a mutt with diarrhea provides an unblushing excuse to share. Crazy? If you had a dog, you'd be staring and sharing, too.
Dear Dog Lady:
I have a situation and it's driving me crazy. My husband gave me a Yorkshire terrier for Valentine's Day because it has been the dog of my dreams. The other day, I took my dog to PetSmart and a lady came up to me and asked me what kind of dog I had. She wasn't the first one who asked me this. Later, a vet tech asked me if my dog was a Yorkie-poo and, in that moment, I started asking myself the same question. I have been searching for information and nobody can help. Some people tell me something today and then another person tells me another thing. Right now, I am so confused. I just want to know what kind of dog I have. - Johana
Dear Johana:
Does it matter? Presumably, you should have bonded with your dog by now so even if you have a Yeerkie from Planet Nidor, you'll love it just the same.
Ask your husband. He can provide the best answer about the Valentine's Day surprise. And, remember, he simply wanted to give his wife her dream dog, so he made no error if he brought home a Yorkie-poodle mix instead of a purebred.
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