Dear Darcie, Let me take this opportunity to tell you what a bright light you’ve been in my life this last year. I have a number of similar things going on, and lost my terv at 14+ last Jan. Seeing Kate’s pics and hearing about your process has been amazing. Thank you for your generosity in sharing your process and I hope all the changes will bring only good going forward. I first got to know you and Kent via Belg-L many years ago, and you were generous with great advice on books when I adopted Conor. So, we have a long history . Kristin

Dear  Kristin, Life is good even when things may seem really bad. Life just is. I know that it’s true. I think that God directs us to a new path with happenings that seem to us at the time as bad things. Perhaps we weren’t listening to His gentle guidance so he put real brick walls in our path to get us to change our life journey. In my case, I was staying with my husband until death do us part no matter what. He wanted to leave everything he knew, the good and the bad, and all that he’d worked for and go make his life somewhere else, he said, and he did. That’s all I’ll say about that here.

I read my Bible every night before I go to sleep, a chapter or two and I sleep well. I’ve read it all the way through 2 times in my life and I’m doing it again. I don’t pretend to understand how peace is given to me so deep in my being, I sure am glad that it is. I simply believe that life is good. Faith. The Bible is a pretty interesting book and just the reading of it adds to my peacefulness. Even in the hardest of the times it gave me comfort and I didn’t lose a night’s sleep in the whole time my life was changing…that’s a pretty powerful statement for the words.

You know, the one thing that tells me the most about my big life change these past few years and that it was instrumented by God’s hand is that…Dancer’s passing in June 2009 was the thing that hurt me most in the past four years. That tells me that my heart had been being blessed with a readiness for what was going to happen. I miss Dancer less and less these days and I’m glad about that. I sure did love that dog to pieces. Losing her really hurt.

I think Everyone should have a higher being, a universal oneness, a higher self, some kind of strength of a wonderful and good kind to rely on in times of good and bad. It makes life so much easier.

Nothing gets me down for long, I believe that all things happen for the good.  My home is peaceful and it’s lovely and clean. If I lost my house tomorrow, it would still all be good. A house isn’t a home. It’s the heart and the love that make a home and that can be wherever you are.

Kate and I are happy and doing great. She fell off the bed last night! Woke me out of a sound sleep. I think she was sleeping so soundly that she wasn’t sure what happened either. She got back into bed and we went back to sleep. – Peace Everybody. – Darcie

Darcie and Kate (8 weeks) June 2011

When I left home I was thinking how much I like the name Billie. I really thought that might be what I would name her.  When I met her, she was insistent that her name is Katherine. I was a little bit quiet for a while, it’s pretty rare when puppies this little talk to me so clearly. Not “kath ryn” but “Kath er in.” Pronounced like that, long and drawn out. I didn’t say anything to anyone when she told me. I did tell a few close friends later. Tonight a good friend came over. Kate was playing with a toy, all crazy and funny. I said, “Katherine,” in a normal voice. The puppy turned to me, sat perfectly sweet, full on in my eyes stare as if to say, “Yes. That’s exactly my name. Thank you.” My friend was as amazed as I am about this.

Here are some pics. Isn’t she cute! Kate and I are going to bed. I like Kate. It fits her just right.

Darcie and Kate June 2011

Dear Darcie, I breed and show dogs, and I sell the puppies that come from my occasional breedings. My dogs are well taken care of, they are healthy and tested for every weakness before I plan a breeding and if there is weakness which I’ve rarely seen, they don’t get to pass it on to the next generation. The puppies go to live with people who I know will love them and care for them until the very end of their lives. When breeding is done right, it’s not a profitable business. Puppy millers crank out pup after sick puppy, those dogs are dying of cancer and all sort of other maladies by the millions. Our rescues and humane societies are full them. And ask anyone who has fed a poor quality food, their dog more than likely died of cancer, that’s a simple lack of education. Who is the good guy in all of this dog world that we live in? Those of us who try hard to do the right thing by the dogs, or those who rescue dog after dog even though they can’t or don’t care for it properly and wind up emptying their pockets searching for cures and euthanizing the dogs in the end? I don’t have all the answers. I wanted to write and tell you that there are all sorts of people in the world. The ones who are spewing hate will lose in the end. I love you, Kid, you keep your chin up no matter what happens. I know that you were left with some pretty big problems with SitStay from the old management, you wouldn’t be the first woman to be left with troubles, business or personal, so you’re in good company. The people that you trusted with finances and daily business got you into this mess and I know how hard you are trying to save one of the stores that always does the right thing. Please know that no matter what happens, you are the bigger person and there are thousands of us behind you. Some of us are made of sturdy stuff. My friends and I know that’s you. – Dan, NY

Dear Darcie, I saw some of the hateful comments that  you’re getting over your new puppy and I had to write. I know you personally, I met you through your goodness and your giving to the dog world. I don’t know anyone who gives as much as you do, there are tons of people out there doing the same good thing that you are. I’ve never purchased a dog simply because I’m not into the show thing. I’ve rescued dogs and only have up to three at a time so I haven’t had that many in my lifetime. I feed dogs the way you do, raw food, so they live a long time and they are never sick. I know my limits and I want the best for the dogs. It is hard to keep on walking on by when another dog needs a home but I’m doing all that I can with what I have. My dogs and I eat well. With your good help and suggestions for food and training, I’ve had good luck turning around the dog’s health and behavior problems. Low quality dog food will never cross my doorway, ever again. When I was feeding “SD”, “PDG”, “BF” and yes, I even did the Walmart foods for a while. My dogs weren’t well and then I met you. You changed my life and the life of my dogs. You can’t win against those who want to hurt you, Hon. There will always be people who will want to tear you down, to see you cry, and who will try to steal your very spirit. Hate burns deep in the heart of those who fan the flames. Hugs to You. – Jean, NY

Dear Readers, Years ago I was pressed by my now ex-partner and ex-husband and my ex-management team, to write a Newsletter and a blog. I didn’t want to because I was a very private person. I’m soft hearted and easily hurt by harsh words. I told them that nobody would be interested in what I had to say anyway, they were already so many wonderful writers who know about dogs, those are the ones who should continue to talk. I’m smart, educated, and I love to learn. I’m quick to forgive and quick to help others. With a whole lot of pushing and a deep breath, I started the Newsletter and the blog and it’s been wonderful.

It’s been so much fun for me to help, to research, to write my thoughts and to listen to yours and receive your good and wonderful experiences. You teach through this blog, too. You help and you hold up and support those who are looking for answers. We do this because we all love dogs.

Isn’t it amazing how often we stand in a place of judgment of others. I’ve done it, too, and I’m not proud of those times. “They”, whoever “they” are and why they think they know so much, say that it’s the human condition. That when a human being is on fire for a cause, it’s all they can think about, all they can see, and all they want to do is tear down those around them who don’t share the same beliefs. The world is full of war for just this cause. The war that our dogs can’t fight for themselves is emptying our pocket books and the dogs are dying by the millions because some of us won’t look at the truth of food and bad training practices.

What have I learned in 57 years? That everything that we believe at any given moment could change at any given moment. I’ve had a lot of things happen to me and around me in this lifetime. Much of it is good, very, very good. And much of it has been sad, bad and hateful. I’m not alone in those experiences. We’ve all had our good times and our bad times. So what stand do we take? What keeps us going on when things do go different than we would have liked?

This is my stand. I will continue as long as I can still breathe to do the right thing for the dogs. It’s the rare person who spits hate at me, it hurts me to my core and yes, it’s made me cry, but I can’t change the whole world and maybe it’s not my place to try.

These past few years and past few months have been hard for me. I cry sometimes. And my Mom and my sisters tell me, “You’re made of sturdy stuff, nobody works as hard as you do to do the right thing.” My Mom probably gave me the best advice of all, “Sit down, have a good cry, then get back up and keep giving it all you’ve got! If anybody can do this, you can. And if it all doesn’t work? So what? There isn’t a person in this world who hasn’t had a cross of some kind to bear. She who gets through it with love, win or lose, is the winner.”

Know this about me. I laugh a lot. I live out loud even when I’d rather sometimes keep my privacy. Why do I do that? Because I love dogs and the people who love their dogs.

There are some who want to see me fail. No matter who you are, there are people who want to see you fail. We all know them in our lives. There are tons more who want to see me succeed, you know those in your life, too. We have the hate and the support of people who have never met us and the love of those who know us best. It’s the human condition.

If I fail at anything, I keep living anyway and I’ll keep laughing with the pleasure of simply being alive. I’ve failed at things before and that hasn’t stopped me, I think that rough roads make us stronger. It would be great if there were no rough roads but it’s not always our choice what happens around us. We let others into our lives and if they choose not to do the good thing or see some greener grass or maybe even make simple bad decisions that affect all of those around them, there we are in the fallout. We can’t give up. I won’t give up on life, I will keep right on going.

I’ve succeeded beyond my wildest dreams at some things. We live in a cycle of life. Peaks and valleys, high times and low times. We can stop and refuse to move when things get bad or we can keep putting one foot in front of the other until we can run again. I don’t know one person in this world who won every time, who came in first every time, or who didn’t have to stop and start all over again in some walk of their life. Those are my heros.

If I succeed and bring SitStay back to the shining star that she once was, together you and I will keep putting out the truth and the right information so people can live happily alongside their dogs. They can keep their money in their pockets instead of paying veterinarians and behaviorists to help them turn their ill dogs around, stop burying those that they love too early. They can have happy, well dogs who live to ripe old ages and in the end lay down and go to sleep for the last time instead of going through pain after pain, torture caused by poor foods and medication.

I don’t think that whether I buy a dog this time or whether I’ve rescued more than 20 dogs and gave them a lifelong home in my lifetime is the real issue here. The issue is love and hate. Goodness and hurt.

Your hateful words might make me cry but you cannot sway me from what I know is true. There are better ways for dogs and the people who love them, most of that starts with good food. And for every one who spews hate, there are thousands and thousands of you who I know want nothing but the good thing. Those are the people who make me laugh, who lift me up, and who, as far as I am concerned, and with their dogs by their sides, will rule the world in the end.

I, for one, choose love. -Darcie

My promise to you, you get all my money. I love my dogs and I trust your testing of every product. When I look through your local store and SitStay.com I see only things that I would choose for my dog, safe and fair priced, too. I promise. I know you personally, you’re about the nicest person I have ever met. I’ve watched you train and it amazes me every time. Stick to the right thing and stick to taking that next breath, we need you more than you know. And one more thing. You’re a local Lincoln, Nebraska business started 15 years ago. A woman owned business, especially a woman who works and loves her work the way you do, wins in my book every time.

Can’t wait to see pics of the new puppy. Thank you.- Amy

Dear Amy, Gosh. Thanks! I really do love my life and good friends like you make it that much better. Thank you, thank you. – Darcie

Ouch. And um, I don’t know what to say to all of that exactly. This was one of two negative responses to me getting new dogs in my life. The other doesn’t deserve any air time at all, it was cruel.

Thank you to Everyone else for your support, love, and generosity. You are who I write for and who SitStay.com is here to serve.

I’m positive that I told everyone that my Dancer was a purebred Belgian. I’ve written about her and all of the other dogs for years, sharing photos and stories. She died a few years ago at almost 14 years old and it nearly broke my heart. Kari, our Golden, was a purebred rescue, she died when she was 18 years old. Bruno was a rescued Belgian. Baudouin, the first SitStay Dog from twenty many years ago was a rescued Belgian. Tilli was a rescue, sort of, a 4 month old Belgian without a home to go to until she found us, she’s Kent’s girl and is still living. Fred was a rescued Blue Heeler. Sarge, a lovely lady Dachshund, was a rehome. Candy was a herding dog, a rescue. Pete, Joe, Bob and the many other dogs who have lived with me were all mixes of some sort…each was rescued from one situation or another. Oliver and Frankie are both mixed breeds and rescues. Rescue facilities are full of purebred dogs and mixes, the condition of their birth doesn’t make any of them less needed or less loved.

SitStay.com supports rescue (SitStay Rescue Directory) and always has. We’ve been involved in so many adoptions and rescues I have lost count.

The past few weeks have been filled with my meeting and looking at photos of so many dogs, looking for a couple who will be happy sharing my life. Not all dogs are cut out to meet and greet all and any dogs and the human public on a daily basis. It’s not fair of me to take in a cute and shy or handsome and behaviorally challenged dog and ask them to be comfortable living the life I lead. I do public speaking, am in the public eye, work at the local stores, greet customers and strangers from all walks of life and all ages, and try to find time for private, quiet time, too. Training constantly and loving every minute of it. I have to and want to think of the dogs before I think of myself. I almost caved in and got a little dog with behavior problems, he was so cute and honestly I could have turned his bad manners around…in time. I just don’t have the time to do it right now so it would not be fair to him. It takes a great effort and a lot of time dedicated to change some behaviors, in this guy’s case, it would have taken everything I’ve got to do it.

I share this letter with you because I share my life with you. I do understand, I think, that she is trying to say that I am involved in breeding new dogs when there are so many rescues already on the ground. Okay, that’s nearly fair enough, I guess. Mom was already pregnant when I found out about her. The puppy is coming from a highly ethical Belgian person who is well thought of in the Belgian community. I share the letter with you because I find it an interesting read and sometimes it’s the odd and outrageous that I find most interesting, it was so far to one side and so far to the other, the good and the bad all rolled into one. Everybody has to do what they think is best for them at any given time, I live my life that way so who am I to say that she’s wrong? I’m glad to have been inspiration for her success and to have encouraged her to rescue. So…for her, I say thank you and I wish you the best. I’m grateful that she trusted me enough to speak candidly no matter what her message. SitStay.com and I will still be here should she change her mind. So…what do I have to say to Name Withheld? Nothing really except this. I’ve lived a long time and I have learned that for every one person who says bad things to me and about me, no matter how mixed the message is, there are thousands who don’t care what I do one way or the other, and thousands more who know me and love me for who I am. It’s pretty hard to ruffle my feathers. I live my life the best that I can and I do what I believe is the good thing for all dogs. I always have and I always will.

Yes, a Belgian is coming to live with me. As most of you know, Belgians are not bred in high numbers in the US. I love that. The majority of the breeders are ethical and care only about the best for the breed. Are there some doing the bad thing? Yes, there are, just as in any other breed there are some who are backyard and puppy millers, I don’t have anything good to say about them because their dogs wind up in rescue or costing someone a fortune in health care costs and behavior modification training. There are some in rescue and I’ve been in contact with some of those, none so far would have fit my life as it is right now for some reason or other. And my life right now is all I have to offer. I love my Belgians and all breeds of dogs, big and small, I won’t put them into a situation in which they can’t easily cope. My life is not a good match for the dogs who I looked at before deciding on what I hope will be the two who may come to live with me. The baby Belgian and the rescue baby Golden. My eyes and heart are still open and I’m still looking for the second dog who may come to live with me, that Golden baby is not a given yet.

My baby Belgian was born yesterday. I’ll share photos as soon as I get them!

The second puppy I’m looking at is from a rescued mom who was heavy with babies. She is a Golden and I haven’t heard yet whether or not I got in line in time to get her. I told the rescue group that I would take a pup or an older dog.

I don’t apologize for the life I live and rarely for my actions. I try hard to make good decisions and treat people right so I don’t have to apologize for anything. I’ve heard it said that the good guys always finish last. Well, we good guys might finish last but at least we didn’t hurry to hurt someone, running over them to get to the finish line. Life these past 3 years have been full of sad endings and stressful times for me and some very good things happened, too. They, whoever “they” are and why they think they know so much, say that we shouldn’t have too much stress in our lives. Death, dying, marriage, divorce, building dream homes, selling dream homes, moving to an old and dear house, running businesses, hiring, keeping a head on straight when everyone else seems to be losing theirs…that’s a good bit of stress. I can vouch for “they” knowing what they are talking about. But still I love my life. Would I change a few of those things? Sure. I’d love to have my human child back. That is the hardest thing ever. Everything else in my life is a cake walk compared to losing a child.

My life is wonderful in spite or maybe because of it all. I am steady, loving, willing to work, open to new things, and filled with love and joy. Hard as some have tried to get me down, it doesn’t work. All the good and all the bad mixed together have taught me how to respond to life and the things it brings to me.

I look at now, right this instant and I love it. I look forward to today, tomorrow and forever. I am happy. I am working. I am open to new love…okay, that one is going to take some convincing….but my friends and family want it to happen for me. LOL!

Remember the Dream I wrote about? I’ve come to realize that it was me. I was the dog and me in the dreams. The dog was the me that I sent on ahead to scout and make sure that I was headed in the right direction. And apparently I was. It happened. I’ve gone through the door and it’s looking pretty good over here!

And of course, you know it and I stand on my promise to you and to your dog, your SitStay.com will remain loyal to carrying only the good stuff. – Darcie

Let me tell you one thing: your dog may do whatever you ask him as long as you have a treat in your hand. But first of all, this isn’t a real bond and secondary, there will be time in his life when something else will attract him more than another biscuit. These dogs are not trained dogs. Every now and then a dog disobeys and ends up either in a fight with another dog or ran over by a car after hitting an open road. The owners are to blame for believing in food bribing your dog rather than in true bonding and understanding pack behaviour. This takes more time and more work but will pay off with any dog not just mellow submissive one. – Eva

Dear Eva, Clicker training isn’t about the treats which are faded quickly when the training is done correctly, it’s about communication. Dogs who are food motivated are the easiest and fastest to train. I’ve trained a bunch of them with and without food, it can be faster with food.

I’ve had dog aggressive dogs and those aggressive toward humans, they respond more quickly to clicker training than to anything else. Of course you know how to use clicker training and decided it’s not for you or you wouldn’t be putting it down. Clicker training isn’t done only with food but with play, toys, good energy, a light heart and a positive attitude. Tell us how you train, perhaps we’ll learn something. Of course if you’re jerking and pulling, pushing the dog around or putting pressure on them, we’re not going to believe that you ended up with a dog that trusts you completely. He might do what you say when you say it, that doesn’t always translate to trust or a happy dog.

Dogs are pack animals? I don’t believe it. There are people who’ve spent their whole lives researching dogs and they agree with me. You might like to read this article that I wrote some time ago. I try to have fun with dogs, try not to take life any more seriously than I have to, and my dogs have way more fun training and learning what I want.

I took Gibbs to the dog park the other day. He was playing with a whole bunch of other dogs, jumping, tussling, running and having such a great time. I whistled for him, his head popped up above all the others and he tore, running to me at lightning speed.

Today, when I asked my little service man, Gibbs, who isn’t submissive at all, to heel, he moved to my side in perfect position and gave me the biggest smile. I praised him with petting and laughter. He learned heel with clicker and treats a long time ago. He’s 6 months old now and what a darling.  – Darcie

The man came through the gate. She came in behind him. The leash in the man’s hand was held was in a tight grip but the leash was loose, hanging, tired and limp, old and worn out, lengthened like worn out things tend to get, swinging slightly from heavy hand to slender neck. Their tracks were the only tracks and they looked lonely in the snow. The man’s boots left deep imprints in the snow, the tread giving off dirt with every step, staining the pure white layer. The dog’s paw prints were light, barely making an imprint, walking a little bit behind the man, not following, not with him, as if they weren’t going to the same place. The dog walked steady and deliberate, not following in the man’s tracks at all but leaning somewhat away and apart from the man, blind to the footprints that seemed too hard to follow. The man tied the dog to the railing beside the steps. He looked up at the door and lifted his shoulders. Then he lowered them. He acted like even if he had the strength to go up, he lacked the desire. He looked at the dog. He leaned down to pet it. The dog pulled away, turned her head and looked away through the fence. The man stood upright, squared his shoulders and pulled at the knot. He used both hands to tighten, one more pull for good measure as if to say, “So there.” The dog looked up the steps toward the door. The man looked up the steps once more. He did not look at the dog again. He turned around toward the gate. He took a deep breath. And he walked away. One foot deliberate and in front of the other. He walked through the gate and disappeared.

You’re going to ask me what happened with them. Why didn’t I go after the man? Was he hungry? Was he mean? Was he ill? And what about the dog? What about that dog who didn’t even look at him when he walked away? And what about the door? Why were they looking at the door?

I don’t know any of the answers. It was a dream. Anybody out there interpret dreams? – Darcie

I once read that a coincidence is just when God chooses to remain
anonymous…
The SPARROW at STARBUCKS
The song that silenced the cappuccino machine

It was chilly in Manhattan , but warm inside the Starbucks shop on  51st
Street  and Broadway, just a skip up from  Times Square . Early November
weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter
chill of late December and January, but it’s enough to send the masses
crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.
For a musician, it’s the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world,
I’m told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your
tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that
night, because our basket was almost overflowing.

It was a fun, low-pressure gig – I was playing keyboard and singing
backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion
instruments.
We mostly did pop songs from the ’40s to the ’90s with a few original
tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, “If You
Don’t Know Me by Now,” I noticed a lady sitting in
one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and
singing along.
After the tune was over, she approached me. “I apologize for singing
along on that song. Did it bother you?” she asked.
“No,” I replied. “We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like
to sing up front on the next selection?”
To my delight, she accepted my invitation. “You choose,” I said. “What
are you in the mood to sing?”
“Well. … do you know any hymns?”
Hymns? This woman didn’t know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth
on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our
guest singer a knowing look. “Name one.”
“Oh, I don’t know. There are so many good ones. You pick one.”
“Okay,” I replied. “How about ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’?”
My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on
mine again and said, “Yeah. Let’s do that one.”
She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket
and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to
sing.
Why should I be discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises
of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were
doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.
I sing because I’m happy;
I sing because I’m free.
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me.

When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening
roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall.
Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, “Oh, y’all go back
to your coffee! I didn’t come in here to do a concert! I just came in
here to get somethin’ to drink, just like you!”
But the ovation continued. I embraced my new friend. “You, my dear,
have made my whole year! That was beautiful!”
“Well, it’s funny that you picked that particular hymn,” she said.
“Why is that?”

Well …” she hesitated again, “that was my daughter’s favorite song.”
“Really!” I exclaimed.
“Yes,” she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause
had subsided and it was business as usual. “She was 16. She died of a
brain tumor last week.”
I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence.
“Are you going to be okay?”

She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. “I’m gonna be
okay. I’ve just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing His songs, and
everything’s gonna be just fine.” She picked                      up her
bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.

Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that
particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence
that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular
shop?  Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened
to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had
died just the week before? I refuse to believe it.
God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning
of time, and it’s no stretch for me to imagine that He could reach into
a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a
revival.
It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting Him and singing his
songs, everything’s gonna be okay.
The next time you feel like GOD can’t use YOU, just remember…
�       Noah was a drunk
�       Abraham was too old
�       Isaac was a daydreamer
�       Jacob was a liar
�       Leah was ugly
�       Joseph was abused
�       Moses had a stuttering problem
�       Gideon was afraid
�       Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer
�       Rahab was a prostitute
�       Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
�       David had an affair and was a murderer
�       Elijah was suicidal
�       Isaiah preached naked
�       Jonah ran from God
�       Naomi was a widow
�       Job went bankrupt
�       John the Baptist ate bugs
�       Peter denied Christ
�       The Disciples fell asleep while praying
�       Martha worried about everything
�       The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
�       Zaccheus was too small
�       Paul was too religious
�       Timothy had an ulcer
�       Lazarus was dead!

Melinda, I’ve tried about every teeth-cleaning option available (including regular brushing with a rechargeable rotary toothbrush) and the ONLY thing that cleaned my dogs’ teeth was giving them each a raw beef knuckle bone occasionally.

If you have a local meat market (NOT the grocery store, must be like the old-fashioned ‘butcher shop’ where they cut their own meat from whole carcasses) try there; if not, do a google search for ‘raw beef knuckle bones for dogs’.

The knuckles are better than the long bones (sometimes called ‘marrow bones’) because it’s a lot harder for dogs to break off a piece – and/or break a tooth – on the knuckle bones. They mostly scrape the sides of their teeth on the knuckle (which in some cases is as large as a 16-inch softball!), and that’s what does the most good. Best of luck to you & your dogs.
Kathy B with a Belgian & a Half in central Illinois

Dear Melinda and Kathy, It’s true. Raw knuckle bones will help keep teeth clean. Thanks. – Darcie

Dear Carolyn, They all squeak and they’re so much fun for you and for the dog! See all the intelligence toys and all of their descriptions here.

I thank you for your wishes that this be a good year for SitStay. I pray that this is SitStay’s best year ever. Please pass it on to all of your friends and have them pass it on. Let’s get one of those emails going where it says, “If you want a miracle and a good thing to happen to you today, do a good thing for your dog….shop at SitStay.com! Pass it on or the miracle won’t happen.” Thanks. – Darcie