Living Life Tails UP

Rachann wants to thank everyone for their patience and understanding during this difficult time. 2024 was a year of loss for her and her family and Living Life Tails Up's happy bubbles were hard to find.

Who doesn't love a drive through? Rachann sure does, and so does her dog Lady Jane. She sits patiently and even talks to the speaker to order her own food!

Fall is here! Decorations are on display - mums, pumpkins, colorful corn, and hay bales. Rachann talks about her love of fall, but also the problems that critters can cause to the decorations at the kennel.

We have rolled our clocks back one hour. Daylight Savings Time is here! We know that, but what about our animals? Dogs, cats, and horses don't understand why they aren't getting fed at the usual time!

When the walnuts fall on the roof of the barn, they make a loud noise. It spooks Rachann when she's in the barn, but the horses and Lady Jane just take it in stride!

When the leaves fall, it makes it difficult to pick up dog droppings and horse manure, because everything is brown!

At Mariah-Belle Kennel there are a lot of walnut trees. When the walnuts fall and roll down the driveway, the dogs get excited because they look like tennis balls!

How does the staff at Mariah-Belle pick the toys for the dogs at the kennel? What do they look for in a toy? Rachann talks you through the process.

Lady Jane, Rachann's 120 pound German Shepherd/Lab mix, loves to go play with her friends at doggy day camp at Mariah-Belle Manor Kennel! Some days, LJ doesn't go to day camp, and she has ways of expressing her disappointment! She gets really sad when she has to stay in the house with Rachann!

Some pups, whether they are older dogs or young puppies, have trouble with going up and down stairs! Rachann gained a new understanding and appreciation of the problem with her recent accident and surgery. Stairs are difficult when your body doesn't work right!

It's HOT!! Remember the days before air conditioning? Rachann talks about the evolution of AC in cars and in her old farmhouse.

Dog groomers do a brisk business! Dogs need grooming, some breeds more than others. Rachann reminisces about her Bichon, Fiona, and her wild hairdos on Independence Day races.

Rachann discusses travel skills for your pets. Traveling with dogs can be challenging, but if your dogs have learned travel skills, it makes things much easier.

It's that time of year for fireworks! Rachann talks about ways to help your pets get through what can be a very traumatic time for them when the fireworks go off.

Rachann has a dog, LJ, that gets so excited this time of year when the lightning bugs start to appear. LJ likes to catch them and crunch them ... but apparently, they don't taste very good!

If you have pets, dogs, cats, or horses, you need to clean up after them--scooping the litter box, scooping the yard, and scooping the stable and barnyard. Rachann is fascinated with all sorts of manure, even bat and bird guano!

Do dogs rest? Of course they do! They play hard and need to release stress. Did you know that a group of dogs in the kennel will sleep, but there is one that will stay awake to watch over the rest?  When we sleep, humans, dogs, and all other animals, our brains are relaxing and processing information. 

Rachann talks about the time her dog, LJ, wanted a piece of cereal that she was eating. Unfortunately, LJ really didn't like the Frosted Mini Wheat and spit it out. Are there some things that your pet absolutely won't eat?

Do you know what a shedquarters is? In Rachann's world, it's a shed on the grounds of Mariah-Belle Manor Kennel that is a combination office, recording studio, and a place to sit and comtemplate.

How important is body language to people and animals? Most animals are very attuned to body language, between their own species and others, including humans.

What kind of conversations do your dogs have with you? Do they move their eyebrows up and down, or tilt their head? Rachann talks about dogs use body language to communicate with us.

What would you do if you had to eat the same thing all day every day? How badly would you want a treat? The horses and dogs at Mariah-Belle Manor will do just about anything for a treat, whether it's a piece of cucumber or a Big Mac (that's just Rachann)!

It's spring and the ponds around Mariah-Belle Manor Kennel are filled with geese. Sometimes, it's too good for a dog to resist!

Spring is in the air! The flowers are blooming, the dogs and horses are shedding out their winter coats, and ... there is mud is everywhere!

Do you talk to your pets? And do you also believe that they are understanding and responding? Rachann does!

Have you ever sat on the floor to see the world from your dog's perspective? You'd be surprised!

A lot of animals like to leap around. Is there a connection to Leap Year?

Rachann discusses teeth, both human and dog, and the importance of keeping them clean.

Rachann is busy trying to find a Valentine's Day activity for the dogs at the kennel. Hmmm, I wonder what she comes up with!

At Mariah-Belle Manor Kennel, the dogs are trained to sit and wait for kibble (food) and cookies (treats). Sometimes, they hear staff talking about kibble or cookies (but it's not feeding time!) and staff is puzzled as to why all the dogs are sitting!

Dogs, like people, horses, and other mammals, can get carsick. If you have a vomiting dog, Rachann recommends that you carry a "Puppy Bag" in the car that contains all you need to clean up the dog and the car.

Does your dog urinate on the Christmas tree, or anything else plant-based that you bring into your home during the holidays? Does your cat knock all of the berries off of the wreath and the garland? Holidays can be a time of mixed scent messages for pets.

Can you believe that there are some dogs that don't particularly like to play with balls? Most dogs love balls, but there are some that don't get the attraction. Rachann talks about dogs and balls and how to make ball play more interesting.

Do dogs have a better sense of smell better than we do? Absolutely!

Would rolling naked on the beach make you happy? It sure did this pup!

Dogs noses are one of their most powerful senses, the sense of smell. Scents elicit a response in our pets, just as smelling things like peanut butter cookies baking does in us.

Just as we as people have boundaries, so do our pets. Is it ever okay for a dog to scoot across the carpet? No, no more than it would be okay for us to do it! 

Walking down the kennel aisle to see your dog is just as exciting to them as a wedding procession is to us. Rachann Mayer open our eyes to see the love our dogs feel when they see us.

Lightning Bugs, Sky Raisins, Jalapeno Sky Raisins, and Jets are the topic of this Living Life Tails UP, and are Rachann's dog's favorite thing to chase ... and catch?

Rachann Mayer reminds us of the inconveniences that surround automatic water and soap dispensers and awkward placement of hand dryers and emphasizes the importance of accessibility. How does this connect to the dogs? Listen to find out!

Are Mariah Belle Manor's boarders and day campers Johnny Cash fans? Rachann Mayer discusses how music impacts the rhythm of our lives and the feelings around us just as much as it effects our pups!

Sometimes Rachann feels like a draft horse, but today she feels like a Tool Cat? Listen in to hear as she explains why!

Despite the mess of mud, Rachann Mayer allows us to find some appreciation for mud and shares her stories of growing on the farm.

Rachann Mayer discusses the joy you can find in the goofiness of everyday life.