Bringing People Together

Dogs can--and do--bring people together in many different ways.

My husband and I first met friends and neighbors Janet and Mark when he spied them walking their Welsh springer spaniel Stickley past our house and called to me to come see the puppy. I met my friend Sandy, along with many other wonderful women, when we both attended a volunteer orientation for the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George's County and began fostering rescued shelter dogs. I connected with friend Jen, an author and active supporter of of several Maryland dog rescue organizations when she ordered ten copies of my first book, Black is Beautiful: A Celebration of Dark Dogs. I've made friends with people after attending obedience classes and canine behavior seminars and after photographing their dogs for my books. I've even become friends in cyberspace with people I've never met in person as a result of our mutual love of dogs.

Dog photo of the week: Pickle

This week's Dog of the Week--Pickle--is an example of how a dog can bring people together. I met Pickle when my friend Sandy and I were traveling in Wales. I saw him being walked by his "mom," Shari, in the castle town of Chepstow and couldn't believe how much he looked like one of my husband's and my dogs. It was all I could do not to dash across the street for a closer look.

 Instead, I did the appropriate thing and asked if I could greet him. Advised that he could be wary of unfamiliar people, I sat sideways to him a short distance away and let him approach me at his leisure. Soon, Sandy, Shari, and I were chatting about dogs, and Shari invited us to accompany her and Pickle on a walk through the countryside around Chepstow. That evening we met up for dinner at a local pub.

It's now been more than four years since Sandy and I met Shari but we still keep up via Facebook...and get to admire photos of the handsome Pickle. And who knows? Maybe we'll meet up again someday. But even if we don't, our lives are enriched by our chance encounter brought about by Pickle.

Four Photogenic Dogs Looking for Homes

One of my favorite things to do is photograph shelter dogs and increase their visibility among potential adopters. My most recent photo shoot took place at the Washington Humane Society’s New York Avenue Shelter, where I met four absolutely happy, friendly, wonderful dogs...all looking for forever homes. In an effort to help them achieve this goal, I’d like to share some photos and information about them...in their own words.

Please share with friends and family in the Maryland/DC/Northern Virginia region. You'll be glad you did!


Hi, I'm Marshmallow! And just as my name suggests, I am a total softy. I am super social and love to be stroked and scratched. I also get along great with dogs. My favorite hobby? Hmm...giving kisses and showering my people with love. I am definitely a staff favorite and everyone just can't help but to love me. (What can I say? I'm a loveable guy.) I would love to go to a home with an active family to give me plenty of exercise and training.


Hi! I'm Mack! I'm a sweet one-year-old Shepherd/Corgi mix. I look like both breeds and I'm the best of both worlds. My previous family brought me here because they had no home. I bond really strongly with one or two people, but would be fine in a family with more, and although I’m not really a dog park kind of guy, I’d be fine living with another dog of the right match. I'd like to have some training to raise my confidence level and be the best dog I can.


My name is Carousel. I can be a little shy at first, but once I get to know you I’ll be your best friend...and will even share my toys (which I adore) with you. I like to be petted and hugs are great. I told Santa that all I wanted for Christmas was to be in my new home with a loving family; I guess he just ran out of that particular gift (there are so many dogs who want the same thing). Maybe I’ll be someone’s special canine Valentine!


Hey y’all! I'm Bonnie, an exuberant, one-of-a-kind Southern belle who loves life! Like Mack, I ended up in the shelter when my owners were forced to move from our home. I really miss them but am ready to share my love and joie de vivre with someone new. I LOVE people, and they love me too; when it comes to "loveability," I can give Marshmallow a run for his money. I get along well with other dogs but can be a little too pushy sometimes, so the canine kids at the local dog park may not want to play with me. I hope 2011 will be "my" year, complete with a warm, cozy bed, my own beautiful leash and collar, and a loving family to call my own.

Three Strikes and You're...Home?

Staff at the Humane Society of Kent County (MD) sure hope that's so for Momma. This sweet girl does indeed have three strikes against her: 1) she's black, 2) she's a pit bull terrier, and 3) she's 9 years old. Life for a homeless dog doesn't get much worse, statistically, than that.

First, there's the color thing: Folks in rescue will tell you that black dogs (like black cats) are less likely to be adopted from shelters than their lighter or flashier-colored counterparts. And if they're BIG black dogs, their chances are even smaller. Reasons for this situation, often referred to as "Black Dog Syndrome," range from a link in myth and legend between black dogs and evil and death to their "scary" image in horror movies to the fact that they just aren't as noticeable--especially in poorly-lit shelters--as other dogs.

Age can also be a big factor in an animal's adoptability. People often want the experience of raising a puppy (little realizing the headaches that can involve) and may worry about not having as long a time together with an older pet. But the truth is that older dogs offer many advantages: they almost never require housetraining, are more mellow and less demanding than their younger counterparts, require less vigorous exercise, and are more likely to be content just "chilln'" in your company. And the satisfaction that comes from giving a senior canine a happy home in which to live his or her "golden" years can be incredibly rewarding.

When it comes to breed--pit bull terriers, to be specific--well...don't get me started. Basically, pit bull terriers and pit mixes face extraordinary discrimination...probably more than any other breed of dog. And, yes, there are "bad" pit bulls--the result of intentional breeding for aggressive traits and inhumane, cruel treatment at the hands of people (although I haven't seen any laws "banning" them!).

But it's just as true that not all aggressive dogs are pit bulls. For example, the French face transplant victim was mauled by her Labrador retriever. An elderly Georgia woman was killed by her mixed-breed dogs. A family's briard killed their 8-year-old daughter. And golden retrievers--golden retrievers!-- attacked a 2-year-old in Kansas. The list goes on and on, although such attacks often don't make the headlines.

And just as some pit bull terriers are aggressive, others are gentle, loving, docile dogs. Take Momma for example. This sweet senior is described by shelter staff as "friendly, calm, easy going, and good on a leash." Oh, yes, she also loves hanging out with friends and being scratched behind the ears.

Nevertheless, this good girl has been at the shelter since last November. And although the staff are happy to care for her--and shower her with attention, treats, and "walkies"--for as long as she's in their care, Momma's future is tenuous at best. By law, the Humane Society of Kent County must take in every stray they find or owner-give-up that's turned in to them...limiting the number of animals the shelter can house at any one time.

And that means Momma's luck could run out at any time.

So, please, if you live in Maryland or a nearby state, and have a place in your heart and home for this special dog, call the Humane Society of Kent County at (410) 778-3648 or toll free at (866) 661-7387, or email them at kenthumane@yahoo.com. Shelter staff will even arrange transportation!

Momma thanks you!

Of Hairless and Powder Puff Cresteds

I realized that so far the only dog photos I've posted have been of black dogs, and while it's true I have a weakness for black dogs, I thought I should start giving some equal time to dogs of a different hue.

Meet Fancy. She reminds me of nothing so much as some sort of garden sprite or canine gnome. In reality, however, she is a "powder puff" Chinese crested.

Now, if you're like me, you associate Chinese cresteds with those little naked dogs whose "hair" is limited to little leggings, a sort-of Mohawk do on their head, and a little pom-pom on the end of their tail. It turns out, however, that if it weren't for the hairier variety like Fancy, Chinese "hairless" cresteds wouldn't exist. According to Fancy's human mom, the hairless variety are the result of the mating of a hairless with a powder puff parent...at least when it comes to responsible breeders. Apparently, mating hairless Chinese cresteds to each other can result in offspring with skin problems.

So now you know.