Author Archives: Kari Neumeyer

Could Isis have been a flying disc contender?

In the prologue for my book, Bark and Lunge, I describe Isis spinning and flipping while catching a soccer ball. She was partial to soccer balls, but reading Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls — One Flying Disc at a Time made me wonder if I couldContinue reading “Could Isis have been a flying disc contender?”

Dining in style

They’re here! Our Nutrish-sponsored hand-painted dog bowls from BarkWorld! We feed our dogs a combo of raw beef, deer bones and the Pacific Stream flavor of Taste of the Wild grain-free kibble (on the advice of a holistic vet). I had no plans to change up their diet, but oh my, did they go crazyContinue reading “Dining in style”

NaNoWriDa: Join the fun

Want to participate in National Novel Writing Month for exactly one day? Look no further and sign up for the Red Wheelbarrow Writers round robin. We have two novels going: one horror and one literary fiction. My current fiction project began as a NaNoWriMo effort in 2009. Sometime in 2011 or 2012, I did hitContinue reading “NaNoWriDa: Join the fun”

Follow my lead

Q. How do I stop my dog from barking and lunging on our walks? A. Don’t take him on walks. Ha. That’s only partially a joke. Contrary to what the Dog Whisperer tells you, it does not help a reactive dog to keep parading her past the things that make her react. Remember, doing theContinue reading “Follow my lead”

How do I know if it’s working?

Name a technique or device intended to reduce dog anxiety or aggression and I’ve tried it. Acupuncture, Dog Appeasing Pheromones, Prozac, Thundershirt, Tellington Touch, Calming Cap… Have to say, the Calming Cap was my favorite. The stretchy blue fabric over Isis’s head made her look like a superhero. We put it on her, sat her onContinue reading “How do I know if it’s working?”

Separate Walks

Remember how eight months ago I vowed that I was going to conquer Leo’s bicycle reactivity? Well, I’ve finally started cracking down on that. All spring and summer, it felt like enough to let the dogs run around the backyard and take them for the occasional romp at the off-leash park. But as the weatherContinue reading “Separate Walks”

Biggest fears, part 2: Arachnophobia

I used to hate spiders as much as the next guy, but after last summer’s cocoon rampage, I just can’t muster up any real arachnophobia. As summer cooled to fall, lots of my Facebook friends cringed virtually about the number of webs and ginormous octopeds around their homes. Not only did I not mind theContinue reading “Biggest fears, part 2: Arachnophobia”

What’s your biggest fear?

People overuse the term “biggest fear,” but mine is having something terrible happen to the dogs. Specifically, I worry about them escaping the yard and getting hit by a car. I saw that happen once in Olympia, or rather, I heard it, a dog running out a front door onto the busy street in frontContinue reading “What’s your biggest fear?”