Actual x-rays of things dogs have ingested. Can you guess what they are?

don't even look for a paper plate

there are 13 of them!

rescued from the bathtub

a well known character

It can boggle the mind to try to figure out what man’s best friend will eat next. For the answers and more amazing items on the menu, please visit 16 of the weirdest things dogs have eaten.

Your friend,
Fisher

A real afternoon delight when I stopped by to check on my friends at Pet Lovers Paradise and found this neat video.

Have you ever seen the likes of this before?

Your friend,
Fisher

Homecoming

Dear Fisher,

I am just a little puppy and this is my first home with a real family and they’re wonderful to me. I live with a mom, dad, young boy, and young girl. They miss me a lot when they go to work or school. I love it when I hear the car roll up and they rush in to see me. I am out of the crate getting hugged and smothered in kisses. I get to explore the house and play with the kids. When I am all tired out, I love to cuddle and fall asleep.

We do have a problem, though. I can’t seem to remember what I am supposed to do about the potty episodes. I am having fun and then I have to go, and so I just do. My family gets kinda mad but not for long because I am so cute. We could have a big problem if we don’t do something soon. Any ideas?

Carly

Dear Carly,

I am happy you found such a loving home. That alone is a good reason to comply with a few house rules. Keep in mind, good behavior is not too much to ask. That goes for babies of all ilk. The time to instill good behavior is when you are young – no matter how cute you are. Bad behavior tends to bring on human forgetfulness. Your cute little personality may fade as your people realize they are going through paper towels at a record rate.

Everyone knows it takes time for your body to gain control over your urge to drop and go. Your humans will be pleased with themselves and you after taking the time to observe your behavior and learning the signs of pending messiness. I suggest your housemates take turns on “puppy watch.”

Each puppy has his own reaction to a sudden urge to go. The most common signs are sniffing, circling around, or backing up. The puppy watcher should attach leash and escort puppy outside to a designated spot immediately. Once your duty is done, you should get praise and a nice treat. If very small children are given a turn at puppy watch, they may also require a treat. Do not take advantage of the treat as they will catch on very fast – this goes for the children as well. The treat is only for successful elimination.

Signs are much more apparent at different times in a puppy’s day:

Every time they wake up – even if it is from a nap
After they eat or drink
After romping and hard playing

My friends at the Humane Society have wonderful information for you – go to Puppy Training.

Think about it, Carly. You can give a whole new meaning to the human expression “Way to Go!”

Your friend,
Fisher

Just ask Fisher

Dear friends and readers of my newspaper column,

My column in the tbt*, St. Petersburg Times, will no longer appear due to a change in format. In other words, I am temporarily unemployed. Things change, as we all know. It happens. I view my early retirement as temporary because I am not giving up, nor will I discontinue responding to your letters and giving helpful advice. The difference is your letters will now appear on my blog.

I had the rare luxury of a terrific editor right out of the box.
Jay Cridlin, editor of the weekend Out There section, was always very supportive of my mission to offer help to those family pets with pressing issues. I could not have asked for more.

So, I offer a heartfelt thank you to Jay and his staff, and to all my readers who kept me in noms for over 2 years. Not bad for one small cat! Not bad at all.

I invite you cats and dogs, ferrets, birds, rabbits and others to still feel free to write to me. You can send your letters via my contact page on this blog or directly through my email, askfisher@gmail.com. All your friends who are not on the internet can still send letters and photos to Fisher Harris, 200 2nd Ave S 123, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Photos will be returned along with a copy of the blog.

Your friend,
Fisher

Suppose you moved from a small condo with lot of storage to a much larger house with much less storage. Then suppose you had more cats than the normal household. What would you do?

tee hee

Your friend,
Fisher

Spring has sprung and a young cat’s fancy…well, you know the rest.

Ask any animal rescue organization or volunteer with a house full of discarded kittens what the real world of animal rescue is like these days. Help stop overpopulation.

Cat, kittens, dogs and puppies are in need of help. Give them a break by taking them to the nearest spay and neuter clinic. Many clinics are offering seasonal rates and discounts in order for you to help them and the growing number of homeless animals.

It’s a wonderful circle: people helping animals = people helping people to help the animals.

Your friend,
Fisher