Dear Dog Lady,
Could you please let me know how the Westie's [West Highland white terrier] tail is supposed to look? If it is supposed to stand up, please advise me how to do it. -- Roger
A: You want Ask Dog Lady to tell you how to make your dog's tail stand up? Dunno. How about spit and Scotch tape? Actually, a Westminster dog show judge would be the best authority to give you the skinny on tail hang-ups.
Unless you plan to enter your Westie in a dog show, don't worry about your dog's tail not standing at attention, which is the breed standard. Dog Lady loves a wonderful Westie with a tail deformity. His tail curls downward instead of upward – the result of a birth defect. Doesn't seem to make any difference to him. He still wags with the best of them, even if his curved tail does little copter twirls under his butt instead of up in the air.
Do those things for your Westie that make a difference in the quality of life: Supply good food, daily water, exercise and regular veterinary check-ups. Worrying about your dog's looks is a distraction -- the tail that wags the dog.
Dear Dog Lady,
This summer I am sharing a lake house with my friend and her dog. Initially, I was peeved when she asked to bring Joe because I think the dog's human name is weird and I didn't want a dog underfoot. But Joe, some sort of terrier, is very well behaved and didn't mess around at all. I grew to like him. What I didn't understand was my friend's total adoration of this dog.
She's newly divorced and childless, so I guess she's a little needy. But she babies the creature to an extraordinary degree. When we go to the little beach, she brings along a chair for Joe to sit under. He has his own towel. She also puts icepacks on him to keep him cool and has bottles of water and bags of treats for whenever Joe is thirsty or hungry. I want to shriek at her, "C'mon, he's a dog for heavens' sakes," but I bit my tongue.
Does this sort of coddling behavior seem strange to you? -- Myrna
A: If your friend neglected any humans in her care in order to put cold packs on her hot dog, then your query would bring out the beast in Dog Lady. However, nothing of what you describe sounds untoward. Your recently divorced friend is lucky to have Joe. Her dog fills a hole in her soul and satisfies a nurturing need in a time of emotional distress. Her companion animal is obviously well grounded and much loved. There is nothing whatsoever wrong with any of that.
Your friend at the lake shows great example of being a responsible animal owner. She watches over her dog to an extreme, perhaps, but exactly as she should, since dogs need fresh water to keep them hydrated and shade to keep them cool in the summer. You, too, should chill about this whole thing.
Go to askdoglady.com. Read past columns, listen to Dog Lady on the radio and watch all episodes of "Ask Dog Lady," the TV show.