Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my five funny dogs, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, Ned, and Fred.
As we enter that bleary-eyed confusing period between Christmas and New Year, I thought I’d take this chance to look back over the highlights of my year spent documenting the various antics and inspiration my dogs have provided and entertained us with. Well, I’ve been entertained – I hope you have, too!
It’s like one of those episodes of a TV show where the writers obviously wanted to take a week off, so we get treated to a flashback episode! Plus, it’s a great opportunity for you to catch up on some of my favorite stories from the year.
So, with no further ado, here are my 5 Favorite Posts of 2024:
Ned’s Weepy Peepers – The Perils of Having a Small Head
Read it here: Ned’s Weepy Peepers: Solving the Problem of Giving Eye Drops to Dogs (with Video)
What I loved about this post was that it allowed me to take my real-life experience of struggling to treat the weepy eyes of an uncooperative creature with a tiny head. While Ned is wonderfully perfect in every way, he made life very difficult when it came to cleaning and applying drops to his weepy eyes, leading me to come up with some creative solutions. It’s little nuggets of wisdom that come from personal experience that make it much easier to relate to the difficulties experienced by many pet owners and provide some possible solutions.
Unexpected Support for My Chronic Fatigue
Read it here: Unexpected Support for My Chronic Fatigue: How My Dogs Adapted to Napping
Knowing how many people are living with illness, it was nice to be able to share my experience with chronic fatigue, and how my pets have often made it easier, not harder, to get through tough days. Many people might feel discouraged about the idea of having pets when they lack the ability or energy to keep up with the ultramarathon runners and 5 am power walkers, believing that they would not be able to give a dog everything they need.
However, I have learned that dogs are far more adaptable and emotionally intelligent than we may give them credit for, and rather than becoming frustrated and anxious when I experience a crash, my pack of dogs (and the cats) seem to relish the time we spend just chilling out or having a sleep. So much so that I can now just say the word ‘nap’ and the dogs come barrelling upstairs to claim their spot on the bed.
Who’s the Boss?
Read it here: Who’s the Boss? Debunking the Dominance Theory (With Video)
I love the phrase “every day’s a school day” because it really sums up how I feel about my personal and professional life. Just when you think you’ve got the measure of things, you learn something new that turns everything around. That’s what happened when I discovered that what I knew about canine dominance and pack behavior was being questioned and redefined by animal behaviorists and dog trainers.
When you see how different individuals interact, it makes so much more sense having learned about the innate roles that dogs take on in a pack or group environment. Living with a pack of five dogs has allowed me to experience firsthand how canine relationships are far more complex than a linear dominance hierarchy, and recognizing their roles within the group has helped me adapt and improve my approach to interaction and training.
Ned The Helpless
Read it here: Ned the Helpless: Dr. Karyn’s Quintessential Chihuahua (with Video)
Ned is the most delicious, squishable creature I have ever known, and I love him so much that it actually makes me sad because I know that we may only have a mere 15 years left together. Have you ever felt that way about a pet? I’ve never wanted to have children, but with Ned in my life, I can fully appreciate the pull at your heart whenever you’re away from them, the constant worry that something could happen to them, and the warm and fuzzy feeling of being needed. Before Ned, I had never had a pet that so clearly ‘needed’ me. Patiently waiting to leap up into my arms to lift him onto the sofa or carry him up to bed, yapping at me after dinner until I prepare his hot water bottle, his helplessness is so endearing.
Dr Karyn’s 10 Commandments For Successful Puppy Parenting – Part One and Part Two
Read them here:
Over the past decade or so, I have learned a lot about canine behavior, training, obedience, and respect. I have seen what works, what doesn’t, and how many pet parents are doing their dogs a disservice by being inconsistent and vague in their approach to puppy parenting. I am certainly not a perfect dog owner, and my methods may not be for everyone, but I have enjoyed being able to give some pointers that can make those first few months a little easier, and set your dog up for success (click here to read Part 1 and Part 2). Dogs are happiest when we are clear and consistent about what we want from them. It is stressful and confusing for them when they are being shouted at as adults for things they were allowed to get away with when they were young, and no puppy owner should be saying the words “he/she won’t let me do that.”
Looking Ahead
As we look ahead to more chaos and fun in 2025, we’d love to hear from you. What – or who – do you want to know more about? Have you got any burning questions about Kodah’s inner thoughts or Fred’s ongoing toilet training (I’d just like to go one week without a sneaky indoor poop!). Perhaps you’d like me to demonstrate something that’s confused or evaded you.
Drop me a line in the comments section below, and I’ll see what the gang and I can do for you.
Wishing you all a 2025 full of fun and fur, from Ned, Fred, Poppy, Bailey, Kodah, and myself.
This article is a part of Dr. Karyn’s series with her five dogs.
