Tom Shelby
Dogcharmer: A dog for your golden years?
Dear Dogcharmer,
My husband and I are thinking about getting a dog in the future. Most likely, we will look at one of the smaller...
Dogcharmer: Pug or poodle?
Hi Tom!
I am a 39-year-old single woman living in the city and want to get my first dog. I am trying to decide between...
Dogcharmer: Rolling in trouble
Dear Tom,
Why does my dog love to roll in nasty stuff?
Michael
Dear Michael,
Great question because it's not just your dog, all dogs do it. My...
Dogcharmer: Eddie is a needy pup
Dear Tom,
I would love some behavioral support for 11-year-old Eddie. I live in West Tisbury alone with Eddie and Annie, my two dogs. My...
Dogcharmer: Pandemic puppy trouble
Hi Tom,
We have a 2-year-old, 17-pound Cavapoo with a bad owner: Me.
Since she was a pup, we have played rough, wrestling and playing "dodge...
Dogcharmer: Stair-crazy
Hi, Mr. Shelby:
I recently adopted a sweet little 9-year-old Yorkie named Abbey from Susquehanna SPCA. She speeds up my front and back porch steps...
Dogcharmer: Jumping and biting
Dear Tom,
We have a soon-to-be 4-month-old black female Lab puppy, Molly, who is very persistent with her jumping and biting. Do you have some...
Dogcharmer: Keep calm and carry on
Dear Tom,
Our 3-year-old rescue Lily goes nuts when she sees other dogs on our walks! She calms right down if she can get close...
Dogcharmer: Anxious pups
Hello, I am inquiring about dog training on Martha’s Vineyard. A quick internet search led me to your web page and I’m wondering if...
Dogcharmer: Working dogs
My two working dogs were Michelle and Mike, both Dobermans. Michelle found two people alive, and some not alive. Mike tracked a woman 11...
Dogcharmer: Crate training
Tom,
We picked up 8-week-old Cooper this past Saturday and could use some advice on crate training. How long can you keep Cooper in his...
Dogcharmer: Loss hits hard
Dear Tom,
I have not seen you at Trade Winds lately.
We are the couple with two Goldens, Chloe, 6, and Bonnie, 14 and a half....
Dog Charmer: Inseparable
Hi Tom,
Sadie, our 18-month-old Havanese, came to us at 12 weeks at the start of pandemic lockdown. Well, I know it’s my fault for...
Dog Charmer: Crossing the road
Hey there,
How do you break a 10-month-old puppy from crossing the highway?
Lisa Wilson
Hi Lisa,
Great question. I'm big on what I call "auto stops." Dog's...
Dog Charmer: Muzzle or not
Dear Tom,
My husband and I recently adopted a 7-year-old pitbull from our local shelter. He’s a happy, mellow, friendly dog who loves anyone and...
Dogcharmer: Four-legged anxiety
Dear Tom,
We have a 7-month-old Boston Terrier who is fearful of EVERYTHING including me; she loves me, but is afraid if I talk too...
Dogcharmer: No coffee for you, pardner
Hi, Tom,
I hope this note finds you thriving!
Years ago you helped us with our rescue Leela when we lived in Island Cohousing, and then...
Dogcharmer: Sandwich the jumper
Dear Dogcharmer,
Sandwich (named by our 5-year-old) is a wonderful and fun addition to our family. He fits right in and completes us. He is...
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...