Loved it! Maybe next year you CAN have it in your house. We could kill two birds with one stone. ;) See you soon!

Yay for a smart ferret owner! Thank goodness. I wish YOU were there! :)

Ugh, it's tough, isn't it? I have only two dogs who were able to attend. Our other two dogs either wouldn't enjoy it or would cause a commotion. They stayed home -- and were happier, I think! :)

I go when it's close. It was relatively close (about an hour's drive), so I attended. I generally don't go when I have to fly...

Definitely, Jerry. Definitely. :(

I'm so glad we got a chance to meet! It was great talking with you! I was a little nervous writing this post because I don't want to make anyone mad -- I just want people to think about their dog *before* they do something like dress him up, paint his fur, or groom him to look "un-doggy." I live for the dogs -- it all comes back to "Are the dogs happy?" Looking forward to following your blog and learning more about Kolchak and FeliX! I grew up with beagles and just love 'em to pieces!

Ines, thanks for the positive reinforcement! I really appreciate both your time and your thoughts. I get lots of comments on the blog, even long after the article's been written. It's really nice to get well-reasoned ones. And I would have said that even if you'd disagreed with the post (in a well-reasoned way)! Thanks again!

It's one of my pet peeves! Drives me crazy...

I feel your fury, Maggie! It's absolutely maddening when that happens!

Peggy S. I feel your pain! Thanks for taking a moment to leave a comment!

Jen G, here's one of the problems I have with unleashed dogs: they too easily wind up dead. Completely preventable if your dog is on a leash. http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/off-leash-walk-tragedy-for-my-dog-training

Shauna, thanks for commenting. YES! This is a perfect situation where dog owners are putting their dog at risk! You are following the law with your leashed dogs. Through no fault of your own, your dogs could get into a fight with an unleashed dog. Not fair to you, not fair to your dogs.

Jen G, thanks for taking the time to comment on the article. My point was that not every *leashed* dog wants an unleashed dog coming up to them. Aggressive or not. I mentioned my reactive (not aggressive) Labrador -- she definitely does NOT enjoy an unleashed dog coming up to her -- friendly or not! And I also said: "The cost of “freedom” is very high – and the dog could pay with it’s life. And I get angry when I see owners knowingly put their dog at risk by unleashing the dog when they haven’t trained a reliable recall." If you don't have 100% recall on your dog -- leash him. Period. As for living life on a leash - there are plenty of contained, legal areas where dogs can be off-leash. And there are 50-foot leashes -- they keep the dog safe and give him the "freedom" that so many people desire for their dogs. Thanks again for commenting. I have no problem with your unleashed dog as long as you have 100% recall...AND you use that recall to keep your dog away from others.

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your comment. Food aggression is a serious issue and a quick internet exchange won't do your problem (or you, or your dog) justice. Contact a veterinary behaviorist in your area. Be sure they are board certified, as there are a lot of people who call themselves "behaviorists" out there! In the meantime, feed all the dogs separately in their own crates with the doors latched. Only when everyone is done would I let the dogs out. I would also pick up the bowls as I let each dog out of the crate AND then latch the crate door closed. If you think the dogs will begin to aggress when you're preparing their food, crate them before you begin to even prep the food. A veterinary behaviorist is your best choice to find help with your serious issue of food aggression.

Gracie is definitely not stinky! She's so sweet I could squeeze her!

Yes, Lily is VERY worried in this picture, which is why I used it. It was taken right after an off-leash "he's friendly!" dog came up to us in the park. Grrr.... ;)

Check out "Control Unleashed" by Leslie McDevitt. There's a book and a DVD -- I have just the book (and LOVE it), but if you're more a visual learner, the DVD might be a good choice. Or both. No, I don't get compensated in any way -- I just really like the material. :)