Ben Swan's Page

Those who spent last weekend’s Halloween festivities decked out in funny garb probably would have felt right at home at Zoe & Guido’s Pet Boutique. Crazy was the order of the day, from owner Pam Hagan’s green skin and black hat, to a unique “pet psychic” with her own big hat and helpful suggestions. There were plenty of costume-clad canines and owners, although Cindy Roper’s homage to recycling won top honors from the judges.

And if you’re into canine freestyle, the Santa Fe Dog Dancing Clu… Continue

Those who work to improve the lives of animals know that it’s an often frustrating effort, marked more by setbacks than anything else.

So it’s great when a group of like-minded animal lovers can come together to simply celebrate and acknowledge that there have been successes along the way, despite what sometimes seems like insurmountable odds.
Last Sunday, Animal Protection of New Mexico celebrated 30 years of working toward the humane treatment of all animals at The Chalk Farm Gallery on Canyo… Continue

A female, black-haired Chihuahua mix showed up at Liz Stefanic's rural home on Sunday. I told her I would post the information on Scoop, in hopes that someone recognizes the dog. Here's her note:

She is a female, black haired chihuahua - graying on the nose and a little bit of white on the throat - otherwise… Continue

R. Thomas Berner recently wrote about his family's beloved golden retriever, Lucy, and said I could share it with fellow Scoopers. Here it is:

A couple of years ago we replaced our noisy garage door with one that was so silent, Paulette and I never knew when one another had come home. On the other hand, Lucy would usually jump up from wherever she was and mosey down the hall to the laundry room and await the person or persons who had just driven into the garage.

We knew, though, she wouldn't b… Continue

Dog training is a great tool, but if you really want to make progress with your animal companion, it helps to open up the lines of communication.

So says Suzy Godsey, a professional dog handler who's gone around the world trying to get people to understand that they can communicate with their animals for great results. Godsey is offering a series of workshops and talks in Los Alamos, and may be offering workshops in Santa Fe on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, depending on interest.

Classes throug… Continue