Chapter 16: A Glen of Imaal terrier in the woodpile…

“She’s pit bull and what?” the woman walking her golden retriever asked as Jasmine Blue and I passed by in Buena Vista Park. I get this question nearly every time we’re out... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 17: The pitfalls of breedism

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

“All those dogs should be killed!” the old man with two yapping Yorkies said loudly in the middle of Pet Food Express. Jasmine Blue, then six months old, was standing besid... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 18: Changing minds – and hearts – one person at a time

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

Jazzy and I would like to thank all of you for the supportive letters and kind words you’ve been sending our way. When I first decided to introduce Ms. Blue in April 2007, the id... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 19: Life’s a beach

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

You view the world differently once you have a dog. On a sunny day, instead of thinking, “What can I do?” you think, “What can we do?” TurtleWhen I adopted Jasmine Blue in ... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 20: The squirrelly side of Ms. Blue

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

“You can’t make friends with a squirrel. Squirrels are just rats with cuter outfits.” – Carrie Bradshaw to boyfriend Aiden on HBO’s Sex and the City JasmineMy happy-g... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 21: The haunting eyes of throwaway dogs

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

This month’s column was supposed to be about something entirely different, but a fateful meeting in front of Safeway changed that, as well as my life. Rocket DogI saw a woman wit... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 22: One flew over the Cooper’s nest

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

It is 3 p.m. and the break room at the Wag Hotel is filled with a motley crew of dogs waiting to make their television debut on KOFY TV 20’s Companion Dog Adoptions show, which a... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 23: Cooper undercover

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

After several visits to the “stray-and-surrender” kennels at San Francisco Animal Care and Control with Rocket Dog Rescue founder Pali Boucher, I found myself constantly thinki... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 24: Why did Cooper fall through the cracks?

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

As Steve and I watched Cooper and Jasmine Blue play on the beach at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay, it was hard to believe I’d only had the big boy for three weeks. While making freq... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 25: The luckiest pups in Bakersfield

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

“Death comes softly to the tan dog with the liquid brown eyes. The needle goes in. The injection is made. And the dog, his muzzle wrapped with a leash to prevent a final bite... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 26: Sick Vick

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

“Can anyone imagine the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence embracing wife killer O.J. Simpson as a spokesman? Can anyone imagine the National Organization to Prevent Se... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 27: Pittie in Pink

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

When you have a pit bull, softening her look is imperative if you don’t want to scare the tourists. On our walks around Stow Lake, it’s like parting the Red Sea – as Jazzy an... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 28: Chihuahuas are the new pit bulls

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

When I was looking to adopt a pit bull in the summer of 2006, I turned to Petfinder.com, a wonderful Web site that allows you to enter specific criteria (breed, sex, age, proximity... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 29: Saving Petey

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

I don’t usually read e-mail at midnight, but on the last Thursday of the month we are on production deadline, and for the January issues I was waiting for word from our art direc... Read More

Jasmine Blue's Tails of the Dog Park

Chapter 30: The pit bull showed them the silverware

By Susan Dyer Reynolds

I was picking up perogies at the supermarket when I got a call from Jasmine Blue’s dog trainer, Alan. It was 2 p.m., just about the time he was supposed to arrive to take the pit... Read More

Jasmine Blue’s Tails of the Dog Park