Four years since: What my first foster dog taught me

Big realizations and tiny seeds planted by our first foster dog in 2022, a bully-breed mix on medically mandated crate rest

Jun 16 • Haley Young

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May 2026

Why I don't use "it" to refer to nonhuman animals

They're living beings, not inanimate objects. And they shouldn't be solely defined by relationships to people!

May 20 • Haley Young

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My dog didn't know I "rescued" her

And expecting her to be over-the-moon grateful would have been weird

May 13 • Haley Young

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April 2026

Our favorite activities to share with our cattle dog

How do I decide what to do with Scout? What does she enjoy most? A look at our favorite physical, mental, and social activities—and whether they fill or…

Apr 24 • Haley Young

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My sensitive dog's first two weeks as a campground host

An introvert and her shy blue heeler decide to volunteer at a busy state park. The punchline? They love it.

Apr 16 • Haley Young

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March 2026

In my perfect world… Dog ownership fantasies

We live in reality. But we can daydream, too! (And work together to move the real world closer to our ideal visions.)

Mar 20 • Haley Young

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My dog and I will never be "cured" of our reactivity

All these years of progress later, sometimes I still grieve the things that aren't easy with such a sensitive creature.

Mar 3 • Haley Young

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February 2026

A running list of books I recommend to dog lovers

Titles that have shaped my pet ownership philosophy, taught me about nonhuman animal cognition, and encouraged me when times were tough

Feb 21 • Haley Young

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January 2026

I tested my former stray's DNA in hopes of learning her real age

Thanks to her murky past, we’ve never known how old Scout is. The shelter estimated she was between one and two years old when they found her. Our first…

Jan 18 • Haley Young

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Seven years writing the story of Scout Finch

Happy gotcha day to the dog I got in my 20s—the one who's moved into four apartments, one house, and now a converted van by my side.

Jan 13 • Haley Young

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An example of my "reactive" dog pattern mapping unpleasant encounters

Once in a while, we can’t avoid the chaos—and then those experiences stack atop one another, threatening all our confidence just a bit. This pattern…

Jan 8 • Haley Young

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December 2025 Paws and Reflect recap

Van fiascos, holiday visits, writing announcements, books, and more as usual!

Jan 3 • Haley Young

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