Operation Chihuahua!

The numbers of Chihuahuas turning up in rescue centres across the United States since the release of the movie "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" have reached crisis point. The problem is particularly bad in California where it has been dubbed the "Paris Hilton syndrome". In December twenty-five Chihuahuas were flown from Los Angeles to New Hampshire to be rehomed. Forty more are being prepared to make...

Aggressive Dog on our Walk

Ugh - it's been one of those days where through no fault of your own you get into something with a complete stranger. I was taking Farfl on a long walk through the park and alongside Mount Pleasant Cemetery in midtown Toronto this afternoon. As usual, Farfl goes off-leash as soon as we're on the pathway - as do lots of other dogs on that pedestrianized stretch. On the bridge a woman was...

Farfl appears on her first talk show!

Okay, it's only the silly video podcast that me and my friend Josh do every so often, but it's a start! "Talking Bollocks" is an occasional chat show devised by me, Marilla Wex, and Josh Rachlis - voice artist, film-maker and eco-warrior. We started it because we both wanted to be on chat shows but no one was asking us. So we started our own. Please be aware that there is content that is not...

Going Off-Leash

If there's one thing I've learned since getting a small dog, it's that you might be able to control your dog off-leash, but you sure as hell can't control anyone else's. One of the things you have to realize as a chihuahua owner is that although your little prince or princess might behave impeccably at the park, the same cannot be said for OPDs or Other People's Dogs (or their bloody owners, for...

“The Puppy Whisperer” Book Review

Did you ever buy a book and think: "I wish I'd had this book before I...."? Well, that's pretty much how I felt when I picked up and read a copy of Puppy Whisperer: A Compassionate, Non Violent Guide to Early Training and Care. I took a quick look inside before I bought it and thought: "What the hell, I'll give it a try." I started reading it yesterday and I just finished it - what a fabulous...