Category Archives for "About Shirelle"

0 How do we know Shirelle is a real dog?

Kevphia asks: If you are a dog, tell me what is the best thing you like to do. I’m not stupid — dogs can’t type! Send me proof that you are a dog!

Hi Kevphia –

I wrote a poem for you

How common are these current trends

Where doubt about us swarms:

Obama had to get his state

To release official birth forms.

And here you question me today

On whether I’m canine

And orange and white with floppy ears

And a very thin waistline.

So what can this pooch say to you

To make you to believe

If I sent you photos of me typing

You might think that’s naïve!

“But she just used her Photoshop

To make that pic!” you’d scream.

Yes, anything I’d give to you

Would seem just a cheesy scheme.

The fact is, dear, I simply can’t.

I can’t prove what I am.

All I can do is tell you that

My heart is not a sham.

I truly care about my Pack

I’m so glad you signed up.

And over time I hope to become

Just about your favorite pup!

Thanks!

Shirelle

2 How can you mend a broken heart, and know if you love someone?

Sara asks: There is a guy who told me that he loves me. At first I didn’t care, but really I’m caring now. I’m sure that he really loves me, and he asked me for my response, but I couldn’t tell him that I almost feel that I love him. I feel that something is preventing me from saying it. I don’t know why. In the past, I loved a guy and he didn’t care. That guy I loved broke my heart, and it took me years to forget him, but now another guy has appeared in my life. I’m afraid of having a broken heart again, so I avoid him. I don’t know what I can do. What do you think? Do you think I really love him?

Well Sara, a lot of people have been in your situation.  There are some great songs about it.  A couple of very sweet sad ones come to my mind.  Have you ever heard “The First Cut is the Deepest,” which describes what you’re probably feeling?  Or “Cold Cold Heart,” which I imagine describes what this new guy is feeling about you?

The thing that’s “preventing” you from loving him is clearly Fear.  When someone has broken your heart, of course it’s scary to let someone else in.  But the truth is, letting yourself fall in love again is the best way to get over that other guy.  Letting yourself know that his not-being-interested-in-you didn’t mean that you’re not lovable, just that you weren’t his type.  Hey as I say on here so often, some people like miniature poodles, some like pit bulls, and some even like Continue reading

2 How to tell if your dog is really sick, or just sad.

avrilox26 asks: I’ve got 2 dogs, an Alaskan Malamute (3 years old) and a half breed one (1 year old), both females. My youngest dog was hit by a car 3 weeks ago; he was lucky, because he just broke his leg (even this is sad too). Before this accident, both my dogs were friends, and they are still, but my youngest dog can’t play now, because he had surgery. The problem is that my biggest dog is not eating much, just a little, and I’m starting to be worried… I think that she’s sad, but why? I’m playing with her, I’m staying with her, I’m feeding her, I’m going out with her (which makes her happy while we’re out). I’m trying to make time and stay with her as much as I can! I just wanted to ask you first and not go to the vet for this, because she’s active and otherwise seems fine. The food that we’re taking her is not the same everyday, so I don’t think this is because of the food. And she doesn’t have anyone else to miss… And she stays near her food, careful to not let the other dog take it, but then she just doesn’t eat it. Is this because of the accident? And how can I make her be happy?

Hi Avrilox 26 –

Thanks.  This is a great question.  And I can give you a “possible” answer.  But of course, I’m not a veterinarian, and am not able to even see your dog.

The truth is that it’s possible that your older dog is simply responding to your younger dog’s injury.  Dogs are (if I do say so myself) absolutely amazing at this.  Handsome once had hernia surgery, and for the entire time of his healing, I slept by him 22 hours a day, and usually lay against the wound.  Dogs are very empathetic (which means we feel what others are feeling), and we will “take on” the symptoms of those closest to us.  So it’s extremely likely that your older dog could lose his appetite because of the younger dog’s injury.

However, I really want to stress – it’s also possible that this is only a coincidence.  That your older dog is ill and that only just happens to be at the same time as the younger dog’s injury.  So I’d say, if this eating problem has gone on more than a few days, I’d recommend taking him to the vet, just to be looked at.  Hopefully nothing’s wrong (he’s just a very loving animal!), but just in case, you want to be sure.

Good Luck!  And I’m so happy your younger one survived the car accident!  Those are Scary!

Your Friend,

Shirelle

4 Do mothers love their children when they do wrong things.

Ashram asks: Do mothers love their children even if they do wrong things?

Oh Ashram, I can only imagine the responses mothers must be screaming when they read your question! But the answer is pretty simple, really.

There are different kinds of love we feel. You can love some things about someone and hate or fear other things about them at the same time. You can get so mad at someone that you don’t even like them at all, but still love Continue reading

0 Whether Men or Women are more romantic.

Chrisfoxx asks: Between men and women, who is the most romantic?

Chrisfoxx, I don’t know if you realize this, but this is TOTALLY a trick question! Romantic-ness is absolutely in the “eye of the beholder.” So what seems romantic to one person is the complete opposite for another.

There are people who think it’s romantic to get flowers. Other people who say “that’s so Continue reading

2 How shy people can approach their crushes

Harshita asks: I am really a nervous girl. I am feeling shy to ask even this question! If I love a guy, how will he know whether I love him or we are just friends?

Hi Harshita –

Well, first, I’d direct your attention to Sweetparker’s question about her confusion over two guys (it’s listed in Previous Questions, under Growing Up, Life Skills, Relationships, and School). I talk with her about ways to try to find out what a boy thinks of you.

But I want to throw a couple of other thoughts at you as well. First, know that there’s nothing wrong with being nervous and shy. Most boys think it’s really Continue reading

0 How to teach young children manners.

Jass asks: How can we teach 4-5 year-olds about manners?

Learning Manners is something I know a lot about, Jass. Like most puppies, I was very excitable and misbehaved a lot. So I’ve experienced Handsome teaching me right and wrong ways. Here’s what I can tell you:

1) The most important thing by far is what you do. I see grownups all the time who eat every meal in front of a TV, they use bad words all the time, and they ignore what others want. Then they’re shocked when their kids Continue reading

0 How to handle an overprotective parent

Ioanna asks: My father lives in another country, because his job is there. So I live with my mother and my brother who is 2 years younger than me (I am 15 and he is 12). I don’t know how to make my mother trust me. Things my brother does now I couldn’t do two years ago — and not even now! When I go out with my friends, my mother asks about every single thing! Please help me!

Dear Ioanna:

The best and worst thing about me as an Advice-Giver is that I’m not a person. What I know about people is what I see by standing on the outside – watching neighbors walk by talking from my window, listening to phone conversations as I try to sleep, or staring attentively at Handsome’s dinner parties, paying a little attention to how the people deal with each other while I pay a lot more to any possibility of food falling onto the floor! (You know, spaghetti is especially good at falling off forks!)

So when I get a question like yours, I tend to answer in very broad terms, as if all families and mothers and daughters are alike. And of course they’re not! So please forgive me if I make a guess here, and it’s totally wrong!

Having said that, your problem is very common. You’re dealing with two typical human patterns.

First, when parents get their first baby, they really don’t know what they’re Continue reading

0 Who Is Shirelle’s Teacher?

ChrisFoxx asks: Who is your teacher?

You mean my obedience teacher? Oh Handsome is usually my trainer, though I was in an obedience class when I was a puppy. The teacher of that was very nice, but neither Handsome nor I remember his name now. The best thing about him was that he taught the humans never to strike their dogs, just to train the dogs to focus, using treats! So training was something I looked forward to, instead of dreading it as most dogs do.

But if you mean who teaches me the things I write here – wow, that’s a simple Continue reading

0 Good Advice for Applying for a Job

Hassan asks: I want to apply for a job. I’m too much interested. Can you help me?

That’s great Hassan! The only job I ever applied for was “Companion and Protector.” My job interview involved standing up in the little cage in the dog pound and trying to convince whoever walked by that I’d be the best friend they’d ever have. With the first few hundred people who walked past, I was really saying I’d try to be that. But when Handsome walked by, we both knew it was true.

But here’s something I don’t think I’ve ever said to anyone on this site before – Handsome did not buy me right away! We had this great connection, but he was afraid I’d Continue reading