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As a small independent retailer, we have carried the Buddy Bowl for more than two years – and yet the only source you mentioned from which customers could purchase this product was Petco. You frequently mention that items can be purchased from either catalog sources or large retail/discount operations. This type of advertising" of the big box stores adds yet another difficulty for the small independent retailer as we strive to maintain our position in the marketplace."

Regarding your review of toy balls (Play Ball!" WDJ August 2001): We give a wholehearted FOUR stars to the Jolly Ball at our house

A rousing game of fetch is a team sport; it requires a thrower and a retriever. Dog and owner work together, or the game doesn’t happen. This partnered activity helps to cement the dog/human relationship. It’s also a perfect outlet for a dog’s excess energy. The ball-fetching dog gets to satisfy his hard-wired instinct to chase and catch prey, while benefiting from the regular exercise that promotes good physical and mental health. Besides, there is something intrinsically soul-satisfying about watching a dog in hot pursuit of a ball, stretching his legs in full flight across open space, whether it’s with the lithe grace of a sighthound, the determined strides of a retriever, or the scrabbling charge of a stubby-legged terrier.

Not very many dog owners look forward to bathing their dogs, and most dogs are even less enthusiastic about the ritual than their owners. However, having the right equipment can make the task less burdensome for human and canine participants alike. There are a number of accessories on the market that claim to make your bathing chore less onerous. These include tools to help you get your dog wet, tools to get her dry, and tools to hold her in place while you do all the stuff in-between.

a reader's 18-year-old Timber Wolf, benefits from non-toxic flea control.

There are seat belt laws in most states now, and young children are legally required to be restrained in safety seats in cars in all states. But nowhere is there a law requiring dogs to be safely contained in vehicles. Those that do only address restraint for dogs in the back of open pick-up trucks. (And even when dogs are safely restrained in the back of a truck, the potential for the dog to be severely injured in an accident is great.

Mother Knows Best takes a pack leader approach to dog management and training, comparing a trainer’s body language and physical corrections with observations on how mother dogs similarly train their puppies. Benjamin, a dog trainer, emphasizes the importance of social structure in a dog’s environment, and suggests that because mother is so successful a teacher in Nature, a training regimen that imitates this natural learning will also succeed in owner/dog relationships.

Editor’s Note: A reader reported difficulty ordering “The Culture Clash,” a book we recommended in the May issue. Our local bookstores had no trouble...

Do you gaze with envy at dogs who walk politely by their owners’ sides, while yours tows you down the sidewalk? Not only is it annoying to have a dog drag you on leash, it can also seriously damage your dog’s trachea and spine. Plus, dogs who strain at their leashes (and who subsequently get jerked by their frustrated handlers) are more likely to have spinal misalignments, and dogs with spinal problems have a much higher incidence of aggressive and/or hyperactive behavior problems.

Nita was a standout among her littermates, clearly the most vivacious of a lively bunch. Her owner, Lyn Dodd, still chuckles at the thought of her favorite dog, a happy companion in her customary shotgun seat, riding around in Dodd's pickup truck. It wasn't until Nita was 14 1/2 years old that she began having health problems. One day I noticed that Nita was sitting in an odd way. Her hind leg looked funny the way it sprawled out to one side

Some breeder/exhibitors can't place a physically standard correct dog into a pet home immediately if their personality/temperament isn't standard correct. If a puppy hangs its head, they'll have the tonsils removed to show the puppy. They'll continue to show a puppy that spooks easily even though they know the puppy won't do well on temperament . . . they have the hope if the puppy is physically standard correct they'll get placed and finish another champion for their kennel.

The date was Friday the 13th, so I guess I should have expected something unpleasant to happen, but the news from our family veterinarian that our 10-year-old Belgian Shepherd had, at the most about six months to live