The Day AI Solved Stanley’s Picky Eating Problem 🐶 – I Hope!



I knew AI had quietly become useful in my daily life — but I didn’t expect it to help me crack Stanley’s food drama.

Since we got him at the end of March, I’ve tried everything. All the fancy fresh foods:

If it was fresh, expensive, and highly recommended, I probably ordered it.

Eventually, I landed on Happy Howl, a shelf-stable wet food with better ingredients than typical canned food. Stanley ate it happily for a couple of months. Feeling confident, I bought a full case.

Ā 

And within days of that case arriving, Stanley decided he was done.

We paused. We retried. Nothing. I’ll likely donate the rest to a local shelter.

Out of desperation, I grabbed Fresh Pet at the grocery store. Stanley loved it — but the quality isn’t great, and after a couple of weeks he was shockingly gassy. Not ideal.

At the same time, I was free-feeding Science Diet Small & Mini Sensitive Stomach and Science Diet Oral Care, thinking that if he didn’t want the fancy stuff, he could eat dry food.


Enter AI (and a Reality Check)

Frustrated, I laid the whole situation out for ChatGPT. Its advice was simple and honestly relieving:

Stop trying so hard.

No more juggling fresh foods. No more expensive, high-maintenance meals. Switch to a high-quality dry food and stick with it.

The recommendation was Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate. I had never heard of this brand, but I’ll research.Ā 

I was skeptical — it’s ā€œjust kibbleā€ — but the nutrition checked out. So I ordered it.

It arrived yesterday. I gave Stanley a few pieces.

He inhaled them.

This morning, I offered a small mix of what he’d been eating (including a little Fresh Pet) plus the new food. Stanley ate all of the Fresh Pet and all of the N&D.

šŸŽ‰ Woot.

The New Plan

  • No more free-feeding

  • Two meals a day

  • Slow transition off everything else

  • Eventually: just the N&D

This is what you get, buddy. Like it or not.

Opinion: Sometimes picky eating isn’t about the food — it’s about too many options. Simpler really can be better.

Where I’m Buying Food Now

I’ve always ordered pet food from Amazon using Subscribe & Save — easy and automatic. But I couldn’t find this specific food there, so I ordered from Chewy.

After doing a quick comparison, Chewy turned out to be cheaper for some pet items, but not all. I’ll keep buying cat food from Amazon, but I’ve moved Stanley’s new food — and a few other items — to Chewy.

I’ve also been using ChatGPT to help build a dental care plan for the cats (especially Puck post-dental) and for Stanley. More on that soon.

If you’ve lived with a picky eater, I’d love to hear what finally worked for you.

Pet Updates: Progress, Experiments, and Winter Energy

Woke up to this this morning!


It’s been a stretch of small updates, experiments, and learning curves — the kind of weeks that don’t feel dramatic, but definitely add up.


Stanley: Chews, Snow, and Big Feelings 🐶
I’m still on the hunt for safe, long-lasting chews for Stanley. The coffee wood ā€œboneā€ is… fine. He likes it, but it does create small fragments, so it’s strictly a supervised-only chew. The pig ear was a bigger success — it didn’t last forever, but it lasted a few days, which feels like a win. I’ve heard good things about olive wood, so that may be next.

No idea what happened to this bone – disappeared very quickly!


Stanley is also not a fan of snow, but he’s learning to sprint outside, do his business, and come right back in. He will still choose to poop in his crate if he gets the chance, but the good news is that he’s not having accidents in the house.

Rubber mat in the snow has definitely been helpful


I do still have a BarkPotty set up in the garage. At the moment, Stanley’s approach is to sniff it carefully… then sit on it. He clearly doesn’t understand the potty part yet, but we’ll see if that changes with time.


Missing agility last week because of the snow left him a bit stir-crazy, so I’m exploring options like small dog playdates with the right dog and owner. It might be a little unconventional, but it could be great if I find the right match.


Puck: A Dental and a Whole New Cat 🐱
Puck had his dental and did great — though he ended up needing five teeth removed. The anesthesia hit him hard the first night, but by the next day he was back to normal… maybe even better than before. Ā He’s been purring, snuggling, and clearly more comfortable, which makes me think those teeth may have been bothering him for quite a while. I’m just grateful he’s feeling good now.

Not the best at self cleaning…


Catlink Update: Two Boxes, Two Happy Cats 🐱
The open-top Catlink litter box experiment continues at my son’s house. It took a couple of weeks, but his cats are finally using it consistently.
Interestingly, one cat prefers the closed automatic box, while the other uses the open-top version, so he now has two automatic boxes and two happy cats. The open box isn’t self-cleaning as well as hoped yet, so he’s experimenting with different litters and adjusting the cleaning delay to give clumps more time to dry. If anyone has any ideas to help the cleaning process, let me know.


Hector & The Dragon: Very On Brand šŸ¦œšŸ¦Ž
Hector is thriving — happily destroying boxes and whistling away. I showed her the snow from the warmth of inside, and she was completely unimpressed. I’ve also started toweling her for snuggles, and I think she actually enjoys it. Getting her more comfortable with handling feels like a good goal.


The dragon is doing well too and has been in and out of brumation, which is unusual for some dragons but very typical for her. She’ll disappear for a few days, then reappear, and repeat that cycle all winter.

Sitters, Boarding, and Trust šŸ”

I’m also on the hunt for a new house/pet sitter — someone to check on the cats, Hector, and the dragon when we travel. I really like the woman I’ve used before, but she’s expensive, and I’m wondering if there’s someone else I’d feel just as good about at a lower cost. I reached out to a couple of recommendations today, and one of them may also offer in-home dog boarding, which I’m exploring as another option.


None of this feels dramatic — just steady care, adjustments, and paying attention. That’s kind of how most good pet care looks.


I’d love to hear from you:

What are you doing to keep your pets active?
Have you found a safe, long-lasting dog chew you trust?
How do you find a kennel or pet sitter you truly feel good about?
Share your tips in the comments — I’m always learning.

A Scary Saturday Night (and a Very Good Outcome)


Saturday night was not how I planned to spend the weekend.


Earlier that morning, I gave Stanley his Sentinel heartworm pill — one that had originally been prescribed for our old dog, Cali. I had checked with our vet ahead of time and was told there was no reason to throw the medication away as long as it wasn’t expired and Stanley had reached the appropriate weight range. I believed he had.


At first, everything seemed fine. But by dinnertime, Stanley wouldn’t eat and was unusually quiet. A couple of hours later, when we got home after being out, it was clear something was very wrong.


He barely got up to greet us. I carried him upstairs and noticed he was wobbly, shaky, and clearly off balance. He was holding his ears strangely, staring at the couch but unable or unwilling to jump up. He wandered aimlessly, almost like he was drunk or disoriented, and still refused food.


My son and I did some quick research, and everything pointed to the same answer: vet immediately. Thankfully, I had just gotten pet insurance — and off to the emergency vet we went.


The ER Visit


Stanley was taken back right away. After an exam, we waited for about an hour while he sat wrapped in a blanket on my lap, unusually calm and quiet — too out of it to even be nervous.

Waiting for the Vet


When the vet came in, she told us his vitals were all normal. She asked detailed questions about what he might have gotten into, and the only unusual thing we could identify was the heartworm pill.

Waiting Patiently


She walked us through our options:

Hospitalize him overnight with monitoring and bloodwork, or assume a medication reaction and treat him with subcutaneous fluids and an anti-nausea medication, then send him home if I was comfortable monitoring him.


Given that his vitals were stable and I could be with him all night, we chose treatment and brought him home. I didn’t want to leave him.


The Aftermath


Stanley slept curled up against me all night. I barely slept — waking up often to check on him — but he rested peacefully. The next morning, he was still quiet, but he did eat breakfast.


By Sunday night, he was acting like himself again: playful, alert, and eating normally.


I checked in with our regular vet and also contacted the heartworm medication manufacturer to report what happened. What makes this especially confusing is that the medication he reacted to did not contain the additional dewormer — that ingredient is actually in the medication he’s taken before without any issues. At this point, I’ve thrown out the remaining pills and won’t be using them again while we figure out the best path forward.


For now, I’m keeping a close eye on him and plan to take him to agility class tonight — with zero pressure. If he’s not feeling it, we’ll leave. Simple as that.

Stanley does seem to be a sensitive little guy; he’s had a moderate vaccine reaction in the past as well. I’m hopeful this was a one-time issue and that we were simply lucky. Planning to work with my vet to make sure we find a safe path forward.

Grateful for Pet Insurance

I’m really thankful for pet insurance in moments like this. I have a free plan through Nibbles, which I got when I signed up for their credit card, and it made the decision to go to the emergency vet feel a little less stressful.

Of course I would have taken Stanley no matter what, but removing the immediate financial pressure helped. I used the card to pay for the visit, and the next morning I received an email asking if I wanted to submit a claim — they automatically recognized the charge as a vet hospital. All I have to do is reply with the reason for the visit and they handle the rest.

I opted to include office visits in my coverage, so the cost should be covered or applied toward my deductible. I’m also reaching out to the heartworm medication manufacturer, since they sometimes reimburse expenses related to drug reactions.

Opinion: I’ve never used pet insurance before, but after seeing a friend go through spending a huge amount of money for leg surgery for her dog, I thought I would try it with Stanley. Pet insurance doesn’t change your decision to seek care — it just makes an already stressful situation easier to manage.


In Other (Much Lighter) News…


My son set up the new open-top litter box yesterday — the one I won from Catlink. It’s the Scooper Open-X. It looks like a great design! He wanted to try it first since he’s had ongoing litter box issues with Martin. I really like the look of it and I’m hopeful the open design will be appealing to Martin.

Photo by Lucas Hamilton


He said setup was very easy, and while it’s larger than a standard litter box, it doesn’t take up an unreasonable amount of space compared to other automatic options. I’ll share more once we see how Martin feels about it.
—


Sometimes pet ownership is routines and progress… and sometimes it’s terrifying curveballs. I’m incredibly grateful that Stanley seems to be okay — and that we listened to our instincts when something felt wrong. Have you had a scary moment with your pet? Share in the comments….

 

Stanley vs. The Heartworm Pill

 

Spoiler: Stanley won this round.




The Monthly Struggle
This morning was Heartworm Pill Day — and if you think that sounds simple, you clearly don’t live with Stanley. He’s adorable, snuggly, and smart… and somehow also a pill-detecting genius.


Too Big to Swallow, Too Smart to Trick
The heartworm pill is a big chewable, which means I can’t just sneak it down his throat like a smaller tablet. So, I got creative:


First attempt: hide it in sliced turkey. Rejected.


Second attempt: cut it into quarters. Still no.


Third attempt: roll the pieces into American cheese balls. He unrolled them like a pro and left the medicine behind.


Desperation Tactics
Eventually, I had to crush the pill completely, mash the bits into tiny globs of cheese, and serve it on a plate like some sad little charcuterie board of trickery. That finally worked — I think he got all of it, but honestly, who knows with this guy?

Note to Self: Liquid Next Time
Next time I order meds, I’m definitely asking if there’s a liquid option. Or at least something smaller and easier to disguise. I want to make sure he gets every bit of his dose, and I’m not convinced a battle of wills every month is sustainable.

Other pets are all doing well. Bean the Maine Coon desperately needs a good grooming after my travels earlier this month. Hector is sassy as ever, and the Dragon is doing well although she has decided that meal worms and super worms are the only bugs she wants to eat anymore.

 

Stanley, Bark Boxes, and Summer Schedules

Stanley Enjoyed the 4th of July

I’m traveling this week, and Stanley is staying with my daughter. I always worry he might be a little high-maintenance, but it sounds like she’s enjoying the extra snuggles. When I first got Stanley, I promised myself I wouldn’t baby him and that I’d stay committed to training. I’ve stuck with some of that… but let’s be honest — I’ve definitely babied him too.

He’s a smart little guy, but I really need to get tougher about not letting him get away with things — especially this habit he has of pooping in his crate instead of outside. I have no idea why that’s still happening, but it’s something I need to figure out.

He Loves Being Outside and Doesn’t Mind the Heat
Stanley Recently Spent the Night at a Kennel and Hid in the Corner of the Outside Pen so he Wouldn’t have to go Inside.


On the health front, Stanley’s Giardia seems to be clearing up, which is a relief. Just before I left town, I got a message from the vet saying they’d like to test another stool sample, so I’ll take care of that once I’m back. I know Giardia can be really stubborn, and I’m hoping that the second round of meds we just finished has finally done the trick.

With summer being so unpredictable, our routine’s been all over the place. I’d really like to get us back into a training class this fall. The structure is good for both of us and helps keep us consistent.

On a lighter note, Stanley’s new Bark Box is on the way! I’ll be sure to share an update once it arrives. Last month’s box ended up being a bigger hit than I expected — especially the ā€œOrange Sodaā€ toy, which he ignored at first but eventually warmed up to. The cheeseburger was the clear favorite, but honestly, he’s gotten good at playing with all of them.

This week I’m in Philadelphia and was hoping to visit the zoo, but with this heat wave, I might have to save it for another trip. Walking around in 95° humidity doesn’t sound like much fun for me or the animals.

Puck and Bean decided to Pose for a Photo. Both are Doing Well!

Stanley’s DNA, Giardia Round Two, and Sunshine Days



We got Stanley’s DNA test results back! I was convinced he had some Italian Greyhound in him, but nope—unless it’s hidden somewhere in the ā€œSupermuttā€ category. The great news is that nothing stood out as a red flag in the health portion of the results. Always a relief!


Unfortunately, Stanley is back on medication for Giardia. Apparently, the first round didn’t completely wipe it out. He’s now on a twice-daily pill and a dewormer. He’s not thrilled, but I’ve learned it’s much easier to just give him the pill directly than try to hide it in food. He’s catching on, though—smart little guy.

I’ve been a bit lazy about training lately and need to get back into the habit. Stanley had his last playgroup of the session this week. Honestly, I’m not too sad to be switching groups. The dogs in his current group didn’t match his energy level. He worked hard trying to get someone to play, but it was a struggle. Fingers crossed the new group next week has more playful pups!

I was out for several hours last night and didn’t want to leave Stanley alone, so I asked a neighbor to check in. I wasn’t sure how it would go since he can be shy, but they said it only took about 15 minutes for him to warm up. After that, he was all cuddles and playtime. They even stayed for about an hour. Lucky pup!

Housebreaking is going really well! The weather has been beautiful, and Stanley has been loving it—sometimes a little too much. Getting him to actually do his business outside instead of just sprawling in the sun can be a challenge! He’s starting to bark at the door when he wants to go out, which is great progress. I picked up some bells to hang on the door, but he finds them terrifying at the moment. Hopefully, he gets over that and learns to ring them soon.

Stanley is still really pick about treats. Trader Joes are actually his favorites! he likes the freeze dried Just Chicken, and the dried salmon skin. The dried fish skin is kinda gross. It is very flaky, and it stinks, but he loves it. I save it for training class and outdoor training. We’ve been good about not letting him have human food, except for Pup Cups. Stan and I love to visit Starbucks and get a Pup cup and a coffee!

The rest of the pets are doing great. Our dragon finally finished shedding. Hector has been loving the sounds of birds through the open windows, and the cats are slowly adjusting to life with Stanley. Puck and Stanley even play sometimes—well, Puck whacks Stanley on the head, and Stanley thinks it’s the best game ever. He gets all excited and zooms around like a maniac. It’s actually pretty adorable.




Teenage Stanley: Training Frustrations, Big Wins, and Baby Steps


šŸŽ“ Training Class… Kinda?
We’re in the middle of our ā€œteen mannersā€ training class, and honestly… not loving it. I signed up hoping to work on practical basics like:

Down
Off
Leave it
Stay
Leash walking

Instead, the class is mostly about understanding the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence in dogs and how to redirect their energy. That’s helpful in theory, and I do see how some of it applies to Stanley, but it’s not what I was really hoping for. That said, I’m sticking with it and focusing on the parts that matter most for us.

ā¬‡ļø The Elusive “Down”
My biggest struggle? Teaching ā€œdown.ā€
Stanley just doesn’t lie down naturally unless he’s in a lap or curled up in his crate. Luring him with a treat doesn’t work well because he’s so small — he just stretches his head down and grabs it without dropping his body.

Definitely a work in progress, and I might check in with our trainer again to see if she has other strategies. For now, we’re just doing what we can.

🐶 Playgroup, Visitors, and… Marking?

We’ve got another series of small dog playgroup scheduled next month, and while I’m holding off on signing up for another class until fall, I’m toying with the idea of agility — I think Stanley would love it once we nail down the basics.

Last weekend, Stanley came with me to visit my dad and his two Portuguese Water Dogs. Despite the size difference, Stanley played really well, especially with the one-year-old pup. I was so proud of him!

Less exciting? He peed on a couple of dog beds and a chair while we were there. I’m guessing it was marking behavior triggered by the other dogs. Definitely something we need to work on before our next house guest moment.

He also spent a few hours at my daughter’s apartment recently when I went out for the evening. He played hard, had a blast, and eventually crashed in their laps for a nap. He did have one small accident — he peed on a towel that was on the floor — but my daughter took the blame for that one. She realized afterward that he’d been sniffing around and probably thought the towel was a potty pad. All things considered, not too bad!


🚪 A Potty Training Breakthrough!
Big news: Stanley has started going to the door and barking to go out! It feels like a huge leap forward.

This morning’s routine looked like this:

Out first thing → Pee āœ…
Breakfast → Done
Then? He barked at the door, ran out, and pooped right away.
We’re finally finding our rhythm at home, and he seems to be really settling into the routine.

šŸ• Big Wins (and BarkBox Joy)
Stanley continues to be obsessed with fetch and BarkBox toys — I think we’ve officially found our favorites. He’s still enjoying the Ollie food, but honestly, the frozen format is more trouble than it’s worth. The food container and scoop were nice, but I won’t keep it going.


His Embark DNA test is currently being processed, and I’m so excited to get those results back. I can’t wait to learn more about our mystery mutt!

šŸ” Trusting Him Off-Leash (A Little)
Another HUGE step: I’ve started letting Stanley off-leash in our yard. So far, he runs around, does his business, and then comes straight back to the door. I don’t fully trust him yet — if something scared him, I’m afraid he’d bolt — but we’re making steady progress. Baby steps!


šŸ’¬ Got Tips?
We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much to learn. If anyone has tips for teaching ā€œdownā€ to a tiny dog — or managing marking in new places — I’d love to hear them. Drop a comment and let’s share the wisdom! And if you have a treat that your dog LOVES, let me know. Stanley is super picky about his treats.

Stanley’s Spring Update: Snuggles, Hikes, and BarkBoxes

One New Trader Joe’s Mini Tote – and one Stanley!



🐾 Puppy Love Is Real
What can I say about Stanley? I love him SO much! I just want to spend all my time with him — and honestly, I kind of do. He’s doing so well. Potty training isn’t perfect, but I’m really happy with his progress. He consistently uses his indoor potty pads, and now that the weather is warming up, he’s starting to get more comfortable going outside too.

Nighttime outdoor potty trips are still a work in progress, but we’re easing into it little by little.


šŸŒ… Our Daily Routine
Stanley’s settled nicely into a routine. Mornings start with a trip outside. He does his business and sniffs around, and when he’s done, he runs to the stairs to head back in — which brings me to the next point…

He’ll go up the stairs, no problem. But going down? Absolutely not. We’re still working on that one.

I’ve started using a button to teach him to tell me when he wants to go out. So far, I’m the only one using it — but hey, progress is progress!


🐱 Cats, Crates, and Chaos (Mostly at Dinner)
Stanley is slowly learning to coexist with the cats. He still barks at them, but if I say “leave it,” he’ll stop and come to me — a big win!

Dinner time, though? That’s another story. He gets very stressed around the cats when food is involved and turns into six pounds of snapping, growling teeth. Right now, he goes in his crate while we eat dinner. During lunch, he’s calmer and usually just barks a bit, so he stays out then. Still working on it.

šŸ• Walks, Work, and Weekend Adventures
He spends most of the morning in my lap while I work, then we take a mid-day walk around the yard or neighborhood — or both, depending on the day. If work gets busy, we keep it short and go out again later.

Stanley’s still on three meals a day and staying on the slim side, so keeping him well-fed is a priority.


Tired out after his first Food Truck Trip!

 

This weekend, we had some fun firsts:

On Saturday, we took him to a local food truck pod for lunch. He was a little unsure of his surroundings but did great — no barking, and he even napped on the bench while we ate.
On Sunday, he went on his first hike with us. It was a short trail (about 1.5 miles), and I expected to carry him. Nope! He walked the whole way — even jumped over a big log like a pro.
He’s not totally sure about other dogs yet, but he’s learning.


šŸŽ¾ Evenings and Sleepy Snuggles
After dinner, we usually play fetch in the living room until he tires out. Then it’s snuggles on the couch until bedtime. He’s still sleeping in a crate at night, and that’s going smoothly, so I’m sticking with it for now.

šŸ“š Training and Playgroups Coming Up
In just over a week, Stanley starts his basic manners class, and he’ll also be attending a small dog playgroup. May is shaping up to be a busy (and exciting!) month for him!

šŸ½ļø Food Update: The Final Choice
I’ve tested a few food brands with him, and here’s the verdict:

Sundays and Pet’s Table (air-dried): Total pass. Not interested. He does like the fresh/frozen Pet’s Table food, but it’s expensive, and I don’t want the hassle of frozen food.

Spot and Tango (UnKibble): He’ll snack on it occasionally but doesn’t love it.

Happy Howl: The clear winner! It’s shelf-stable, human-grade, easy to serve, and he devours it. No freezing, no fuss, and way more economical than some of the other fresh options. Another bonus is that their customer service has been outstanding!


šŸ“¦ Surprise Incoming: BarkBox!
Don’t tell Stanley, but I caved and ordered him a BarkBox subscription. He loves plush toys and theirs are just too cute. Our first box (plus a few ā€œextrasā€ — oops) is already on the way. I’ll report back on how he likes it!

šŸ’› Feeling Grateful
I’m honestly over the stress of the puppy stage. Stanley is fitting right into our lives and routine. He’s everything I hoped for in a little dog — sweet, playful, snuggly, adventurous. I’m so thankful this tiny guy is part of our family.

Have you been through the puppy stage recently? Got tips for managing food aggression or teaching stair confidence? I’d love to hear what worked for you — drop your thoughts in the comments!

Fresh Food Win for Stanley




As much as I want to stick with a shelf-stable food, I have to admit — Stanley really likes the fresh food from The Pets Table, even though it comes frozen. And honestly? It’s kind of adorable.

The packaging is great. The box arrived with a matching food storage container and measuring scoop, plus clear feeding guidelines and product info. Everything feels thoughtfully put together and made a great first impression.


I was worried the frozen format might be a hassle, but it’s actually been easier to use than I expected. I just move one of the frozen packs to the fridge overnight, and by morning, it’s ready to scoop and serve. I’ve been adding a little warm water before serving to make sure Stanley stays hydrated, and he absolutely devours it.


It’s definitely a bit pricier than some of the other options I’ve tried — like Happy Howl, Sundays, and Top Shelf Dog — but if Stanley keeps eating it this enthusiastically, it might be worth the splurge. They do also have the air-dried food which we have, but Stanley hasn’t tried it yet. I’ll update when he has.


That said, the main drawback of frozen food for me is travel. It’s harder to hand off to a sitter or bring on trips compared to shelf-stable options.

Not everything has been a win. Sundays air-dried food is turning out to not be Stanley’s favorite. Even when I leave it out for free-choice snacking, he just doesn’t touch it. On the other hand, he does like Spot and Tango’s UnKibble, but I still find myself leaning toward wet or fresh food options.

We haven’t received our Top Shelf Dog shipment yet, but I’m hopeful. Right now, the decision may come down to Happy Howl vs. Top Shelf Dog. Both are economical, healthy, shelf-stable, and — most importantly — Stanley likes Happy Howl, and I’m guessing Top Shelf Dog will be similar.

What are you feeding your dog right now? Any favorite brands or food types that work well for picky eaters or small dogs? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

Spreading Joy, One Puppy Snuggle at a Time

Lately, I’ve been thinking about training Stanley to be a service dog — or maybe a therapy dog. I didn’t plan on it when I adopted him, but the more we go out together, the more it feels like the right path.

Everywhere we go, Stanley brings smiles.

  • At the chiropractor’s office, I met a man who recently lost his dog. He was quiet at first, but as he pet Stanley and we talked about rescues, his whole demeanor softened. Sharing Stanley with him felt incredibly meaningful.

  • At a local store, one woman nearly cried as she got the chance to snuggle him — something about his tiny body and calm nature just got to her.

  • At town hall, he became an instant celebrity. The women behind the counter lit up, eager to share stories of their own dogs.

Stanley may be small, but the joy he brings is huge.

I love seeing the way people connect with him. It’s more than just ā€œhe’s cuteā€ — there’s something healing about the way he climbs into a lap or presses into someone’s chest with total trust. It reminds people of their own pets, their memories, and their capacity to love.

That’s why I’m seriously considering training him to be a certified therapy dog. I want to visit nursing homes, hospitals, anywhere he can bring comfort. If there’s a way to do that, we’re going to figure it out.

He’s brought so much love into my life already — I’d love to help him share that with others.

He’s brought so much love into my life already — I’d love to help him share that with others.

Would you be interested in following Stanley’s journey if I start training him to become a therapy or service dog? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences with therapy animals!