Little, the new big

Small dogs: A lot of people believe that small dogs do not know they are small. This is why they will try to take on much larger breeds. Personally, I think it may be a Napoleon complex, the need to prove themselves equal or better than the bigger guys. I would like to help them.I am thinking of starting a self-esteem camp for small breeds in which they get to do all the stuff the large breeds do. Of course it is not realistic to expect that a 5-pound Yorkshire terrier can equal say, a 60-pound malemute. In my camp we will have dog sledding, but instead of malemutes and huskies we will have the equivalent in Yorkies and chihuahuas. So let’s see, 8 x 60 pounds equals 480 pounds of huskies divided by 5 pounds equals 96 little dogs. Sure, it will take a bit to get them all pulling together, but just think how good they will feel at the end of the day — once they get untangled, that is.How about some police dog training? Piranha-like my 16 pip-squeaks (80 pounds divided by 5 pounds) will engulf the perp and bring him down. One of the advantages here is that unlike a German shepherd, which can be stopped with one good shot, the bad guy won’t have time to get them all before they have him hamstrung.Search and rescue? My 16 dogs will cover more ground in 10 minutes than your average bloodhound will cover in a day. They can get into those impossibly tight places that little children are so good at finding, too. You might want to dye them in bright colors to make them a little easier to find at the end of the task, or you could glue those little visibility flag antennae onto their little craniums.Watchdog? What could be better? This is one case where we can use the little guys where their bigger cousins cannot even function. Let’s say you are going to be in a crowd and you are worried someone might snatch your purse or pick your pocket. Just put your valuables in that PBS tote bag and pop your Pekingese in there with them. Now just wait for the fun to begin as Benny the Dip tries to lift your billfold.Little dogs are famous for giving copious kisses. That is not really what they are doing. If a dog licks your hand, he is probably being affectionate. When they lick around your mouth they are exhibiting puppy behavior, trying to get the adult to regurgitate its food so they can eat. Eeewww!Now that you are aware of this, it just might work.Bill Abrams resides (with his 75-pound dog) in Pine Plains.

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Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Help Wanted

PART-TIME CARE-GIVER NEEDED: possibly LIVE-IN. Bright private STUDIO on 10 acres. Queen Bed, En-Suite Bathroom, Kitchenette & Garage. SHARON 407-620-7777.

The Salisbury Association’s Land Trust seeks part-time Land Steward: Responsibilities include monitoring easements and preserves, filing monitoring reports, documenting and reporting violations or encroachments, and recruiting and supervising volunteer monitors. The Steward will also execute preserve and trail stewardship according to Management Plans and manage contractor activity. Up to 10 hours per week, compensation commensurate with experience. Further details and requirements are available on request. To apply: Send cover letter, resume, and references to info@salisburyassociation.org. The Salisbury Association is an equal opportunity employer.

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To save birds, plant for caterpillars

Fireweed attracts the fabulous hummingbird sphinx moth.

Photo provided by Wild Seed Project

You must figure that, as rough as the cold weather has been for us, it’s worse for wildlife. Here, by the banks of the Housatonic, flocks of dark-eyed juncos, song sparrows, tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees have taken up residence in the boxwood — presumably because of its proximity to the breakfast bar. I no longer have a bird feeder after bears destroyed two versions and simply throw chili-flavored birdseed onto the snow twice a day. The tiny creatures from the boxwood are joined by blue jays, cardinals and a solitary flicker.

These birds will soon enough be nesting, and their babies will require a nonstop diet of caterpillars. This source of soft-bodied protein makes up more than 90 percent of native bird chicks’ diets, with each clutch consuming between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge. That means we need a lot of caterpillars if we want our bird population to survive.

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Stephanie Haboush Plunkett and the home for American illustration

Stephanie Haboush Plunkett

L. Tomaino
"The field of illustration is very close to my heart"
— Stephanie Plunkett

For more than three decades, Stephanie Haboush Plunkett has worked to elevate illustration as a serious art form. As chief curator and Rockwell Center director at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, she has helped bring national and international attention to an art form long dismissed as merely commercial.

Her commitment to illustration is deeply personal. Plunkett grew up watching her father, Joseph Haboush, an illustrator and graphic designer, work late into the night in his home studio creating art and hand-lettered logos for package designs, toys and licensed-character products for the Walt Disney Co. and other clients.

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Free film screening and talk on end-of-life care
‘Come See Me in the Good Light’ is nominated for best documentary at this year’s Academy Awards.
Provided

Craig Davis, co-founder and board chair of East Mountain House, an end-of-life care facility in Lakeville, will sponsor a March 5 screening of the documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light” at The Moviehouse in Millerton, followed by a discussion with attendees.

The film, which is nominated for best documentary at this year’s Academy Awards, follows the poet Andrea Gibson and their partner Megan Falley as they are suddenly and unimaginably forced to navigate a terminal illness. The free screening invites audiences to gather not just for a film but for reflection on mortality, healing, connection and the ways communities support one another through difficult life transitions.

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