Tom Shelby
Dog Charmer: The fear is real
Hi Tom,
I have a 15-week-old mini aussiedoodle whom I adopted at 13 weeks. The first two weeks were going fairly smoothly until the last...
Dog Charmer: Pearl’s in a panic
Hi Tom,
Please help me with the following question: Pearl is a happy, curious and usually intrepid 4-month-old puppy, but now, suddenly fearful of situations...
Dogcharmer: Finding a breeder
Hi Tom,
How do I really know I've found a good breeder? There are alot of scams out there with slick websites and darling puppy...
Dogcharmer: Leery of the leash
Dear Tom,
I have a lovely Yorkie that I was given three years ago. She is a great dog. She’s affectionate, athletic, cuddly, curious, smart....
Dogcharmer: Brotherly love
Dear Dogcharmer:
We got Bubba two years ago, and from day one he did not like my adult son. Bubba is fine with children and...
Dogcharmer: Momo’s getting older
Dear Tom Shelby,
Momo is my sweet, funny 17-year-old, 17-pound Coton de Tulear. I adopted him 10 years ago after retirement. Spunky in spite of...
Dogcharmer: Another attack
Dear Dogcharmer Reader,
A couple of months ago, Irene asked me what she should have done when she was threatened by a loose dog while...
Dogcharmer: Energetic greetings
Dear Dog Charmer,
We love our new addition, Parmigiano Reggiano (AKA Reggie). He's a happy pup with lots of energy. He's great with our kids,...
Dogcharmer: Bela amore
Dear Dog Charmer Tom,
We have had three generations of Labs since 1990. The first two were males, father and son, and the last was...
Dogcharmer: Puppy jail
Dear Tom,
Why do many new puppy owners resist crate training?
I just reread your sections on crate training: Perfect! We as a society must think...
Dogcharmer: Learning about Liddy
Dear Dog Charmer Tom,
We rescued my dog about eight years ago and when we first got her she had some "guarding" issues. She was...
Dogcharmer: Welcome to the family
Hi Tom!
What's the best way for me to adopt a dog to have as a companion? I am a widow living alone. I’m in...
Dogcharmer: Sisters
Hi Tom:
My daughter and I have 1-year-old sister golden retrievers from the same litter. We thought they would be great friends. They fight terribly...
Dogcharmer: COVID-caused condition
About half of my 800 training appointments per year were for "problem dogs." I'm not talking about unwanted behaviors that are easily rectified, like...
The Dogcharmer: Old tricks for a new pup
Hi Tom:
We have a beagle that’s been with us for 9 years. He has run of the house, including couch and bed privileges. We...
Dogcharmer: Tackle time
Dear Dog Charmer:
We have a 1-year-old, 65-pound rescue (mostly shepherd/Lab, based on DNA analysis) and two active, 12-year-old kids. The dog is very playful...
The Dogcharmer: Bite or flight
Dear Tom:
I had a German shorthaired pointer for 13 years. I am not afraid of big dogs.
I recently arrived at the Oak Bluffs Harbor...
Dogcharmer: Learning lessons
Dear Tom,
I have a loving, rambunctious, 80-plus-pound, 7-month-old Anatolian shepherd who is in an important learning stage of her life, and while she has...
Dogcharmer: Stanley
Dear Dogcharmer,
My dog Stanley has been the perfect 6-year-old mutt, until she all of a sudden started destroying pillows when we went out and...
The Dogcharmer: Sadie, ol’ girl
Dear Dogcharmer,
We have a Lab who is pushing 15 years old. Luckily, she is still active and inquisitive, but she is starting to show...