Category Archives for "Adults"

0 How to make your parents happy

sunny asks: How can I be a good son, and make my parents happy?

Hi sunny –

What a wonderful question.  It’s a great goal, to want to make anyone happy – whether it’s your parents, or a stranger, or a nice dog who loves to give advice.  There’s just one problem with it:  you can’t.

If you look at the June issue of The Pawprint, you’ll see a big piece I wrote about how to make yourself happy.  But the awful truth is that you can’t make anyone else happy.  I know, it’s crazy!  Giving them what they want should be enough!  But sometimes…

You know, Handsome loves me more than anything else in the world.  But sometimes something goes bad with his work, or a friend hurts his feelings, and suddenly he’s just not happy.  It doesn’t mean he’s mad at me, or that I’m doing anything wrong, but no matter how many chew toys I drop in his Continue reading

1 Why are young people undisciplined

cool asks: What are the reasons for lack of discipline among youths?

Hi cool –

Well I am exactly the right one to ask about this!  Because I was a terrible puppy!  I loved to drive Handsome absolutely nuts with biting, chewing, yelping, escaping, jumping on strangers, anything I could do!  And when I say “puppy,” I really mean until I was around 3 years old (which in dog years means 21!).

So why was I so undisciplined?  Lots of reasons.  The main one was that it felt Continue reading

0 How to prepare for cumulative exams

Angelbrat asks: I’m supossed to do my IGCSE exams in November, and yet I don’t feel like I’m ready! I’m always babysitting my little brother and at times I don’t have time for my studies! What should I do? Do you have any method of studying that can help me? I’m counting on you, please!

Hi Angelbrat –

It sounds to me like you’re dealing with two issues.  As far as the question about study methods, I’d refer you to CaNdAcE’s question about school tips for teenagers.  I threw some good stuff in there, if I do say so myself!

But I think you have a bigger problem than just study techniques.  And that’s called Time Management.  It’s hard for teenagers to manage time anyway, and you’re supposed to be babysitting your little brother – so how can you possibly get everything done?

The answer is the most boring word any teenager ever hears:  Continue reading

0 Why do politicians think they’re so special.

aqib asks: Why do politicians think that they are the honor of the state, instead of that they are the state’s servants?

Boy, aqib, you might be asking the wrong mammal.  Historically, we dogs have always had what’s called “pecking orders,” where our packs are led by the dog who’s the strongest and best fighter.  And even in today’s domesticated world, you’ll see dogs pick fights to determine who’s the top male and top female in an area.  But beyond that, we don’t really have leaders – and we certainly don’t have politicians.  Now that’s not to say that our method is better than the ways you humans live – it’s just different.

But as I look at the history of the human race, I see so much about this issue – kings and queens and dictators and presidents and prime ministers, all wanting to think they’re the best thing there is… but almost always figuring out at some point that they’re actually just Continue reading

0 Our responsibility for our own health

ankita asks: Are we ourselves responsible for our certain type of ill health?

Hi ankita –

Well of course I’m not a doctor, I’m a dog!  But I see enough to know that the answer to your question is… Sometimes.

Clearly, if I eat some rotten moldy maggot-infested 6-day-old meat, and I get sick, I’m pretty responsible for it.  And clearly, if I’m just saying hello to another dog and she gives me Parvo or Kennel Cough, I wasn’t responsible for that at all.

The part of the question that gets difficult is when two dogs, or two people, do the same thing, and only one gets sick.  Maybe another dog could eat that meat and not get sick; maybe another one could play with that sick dog and not get sick.  And the medicine that saves your life might be poison to me.  It’s really hard to make specific rules.

But here’s the one thing I can say for sure.  There are certain things that have absolutely no positive Continue reading

1 How to recover from lost love.

ammo asks: I lost my love and I really miss him. I can’t live without him. What should I do? I can’t do anything without him coming in front of me all the time. Help me out please.

Oh ammo, I’m so so sorry.  And I’d love to help you out…  But the truth is I can’t.

I’d love to tell you that there will be another…  And there will be, but I know you won’t believe that now.

I’d love to tell you that you’ll be better off, that the love you want is one that will last…  And that’s true, but I know you won’t Continue reading

0 What to present in three minutes

tueman84 asks: if u have 3 minutes to present something, which subject will u choose?

Hi tueman84 –

Hmmm…  Well there are things I love to present to Handsome. Dirt,

sticks, old Continue reading

0 Good topics for practicing conversation

Aree303 asks: Please give me some daily English conversation to use with my 10-year-old son. I like to practice with him. He is in bilingual school but rarely speaks English.

Hi Aree303 –

Congratulations to you for caring so much about your son’s education, and working to help him navigate a multi-lingual world.  I’m happy to help.

In fact, I think I can help a lot.  Because what you really need is help finding things that interest your son, that can both help him learn English and give you good topics to talk about.

May I recommend…   Continue reading

1 Why we sometimes feel alone.

nanny asks: Why am I always alone?

Oh nanny, I know that feeling!  It’s so painful!

But then there those days when I wake up and feel like I’ve got so many people and dogs around me I can’t find space to think!  So if that’s true, I can’t really be alone, can I?!

The truth is that we often feel way more alone than we really are.  We might spend a day by ourselves, but that doesn’t really mean we’re alone.  We’re still in the minds and hearts of our families and friends, and we have so much effect (good and not) on others all the time.  But when we feel alone, that’s about our Continue reading

0 How to write a speech

Danish asks: Write a speech on the topic: ‘Preservation of ozone layer is the most pressing need of the time.’

Hi Danish –

A speech?  Me?  Umm… my speeches tend to sound something like “Woof, arrrrgggh, ROWH, umf.”  Dogs certainly express themselves vocally, but I wouldn’t recommend you ask us for advice on public speaking!

But I do know a bit about arguing, and it sounds like this is supposed to be a speech that argues a point.  So in order to do that well, what you need to do is, first, to show that you have a good amount of knowledge about the issue.  What is the ozone layer, what’s happening to it, what are the different theories about why that’s happening, and what’s the effect of its depletion on our world…  all these.  Then, you need to argue the issue of the word “Most.”  Is preserving the ozone layer more important than dealing with, oh, say, population, the world economy, disease, nuclear weapons, or the fact that I can’t find enough rabbits to chase?  You need to find a way to argue your point, whatever it is.

But definitely, you need to write that speech yourself.  Don’t even trust another person to do it, because after a speech people usually ask questions, and you don’t want to come off as not knowing what you talked about!

And definitely, NEVER trust a dog to teach you how to speak.  People train dogs to speak, not the other way around!

Good Luck,

Shirelle