Paws and Reflect

Paws and Reflect

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Haley's Journal

Play With Your Dog

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.)
 • Haley Young
Why I encourage my dog to play with things that aren't toys
I consider it one of our greatest accomplishments that Scout's expanding her idea of what constitutes a “toy”.
 • Haley Young
Hills I will die on as a dog lover
The more specific a guideline, the more likely I am to take issue with it. But I stand behind some overarching beliefs.
 • Haley Young
My timid dog has come to love the outdoors
How did Scout transform from homebody clinger to feral maniac?
 • Haley Young
What my dog's given up for full-time van life
And what we’ve gained in its place. Does it feel like loss—or making room for something better?
 • Haley Young
What it takes to fulfill my dog on days with lots of alone time
Perspective on her exercise, enrichment, and social needs compared to other dogs and depending on the environment.
 • Haley Young
My dog is a physical creature
Scout has arrived at her own version of the cattle dog’s stereotypical boldness.
 • Haley Young
I don't think sniffing is like my dog's social media
Do you feel fulfilled after scrolling social media?
 • Haley Young
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 how I think about…
 • Haley Young
Resources we’ve used to teach our dog to play with us
This post was first published in January 2021.
 • Haley Young
Working through dog reactivity? My favorite resources
I first compiled this post in October 2020.
 • Haley Young
Hey neighbors, what if we all played with our dogs?
First written on April 14th.
 • Haley Young
© 2026 Haley Young · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
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