Last month, we got a new dog, Big Dan.  As you can imagine from his name, which was given to him by the fine folks at the humane society, he's a big boy.  Like, he's huge.  He's so huge that I am not even sure he can stand up in the biggest crate I've seen at the three pet stores I've visited thus far.  So, Big Dan has the run of the house.
 
So far, Dan has scratched our windowsills, chewed a pot holder, and put teeth marks on our antique hope chest.  Each time, I've made excuses.  We're getting new windowsills anyway.  When do I ever use a pot holder?  And, I never liked that chest very much.  I love this big galoot.  But, I don't want him to destroy our house.  This is where the library comes in.
 
On OverDrive I found books about dog training.  They suggested things like keeping music on, hiding "acceptable chew toys" around the house, and generally setting him up for success.  In our collection, I found a few recipes for dog treats so I can make perfectly-sized snacks to stuff into his Kong.  And, among my staff, I have found such great support.  They have listened to Big Dan stories for the past five weeks and have offered similar stories of their own.
 
Whatever your current challenge may be, the library has resources to help you.  Whether it's an article or book with suggested solutions, or the comfort in telling a story to a library staff member with a sympathetic ear, we're here to help you in any way we can. 

Lynn Hobbs
PCL Director