Adopting or buying a pet? New site lets you review dog merchants

Rescue enthusiasts celebrated National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day on April 30 -- a day when we raise awareness about dogs who need good homes who languish in shelters.

Pure breed dog lovers celebrated National Purebred Dog Day on May 1, "celebrating the heritage, diversity and predictability of the purebred dog."

No matter what side you fall on in the debate over adopting a pet vs. buying a pet, we can all agree that you should make sure you are buying or adopting from reputable breeders, shelters or rescues.

A new site wants to help people do just that. And they need your help!

Why I will continue to hug my dog (and she'll hug me)

Confession time: I hug my dogs. 

Or rather, they seem to want to hug me. 

Earlier this month, a story by a popular writer on dog behavior threw my habit of hugging into question, as bloggers and websites everywhere treated this writer's "study" as absolutely gospel.

Well guess what? I'm not going to pay this writer any mind. And if you and your dog like to hug, you shouldn't either. 

Wordless Wednesday: Breaking in the new car with a trip to the park

We got a new car!

This is Frankie.

Someone hit my car a few weeks ago, and we needed a new one. We got a beautiful Hyundai Elantra from Orlando Hyundai!

After about a week of getting used to her, I finally let Lulu and Jasmine check her out. So we took a drive out to Lake Baldwin Park!

7 facts about domestic violence and pets

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month.

Readers of Life With Beagle will know we take a special interest in one particular form of animal cruelty: domestic violence.

This coming Saturday, Harbor House of Central Florida, Orlando's domestic violence shelter, is hosting a walk to raise money for the Paws for Peace Kennel, a refuge for the pets of domestic abuse survivors.

Here are 7 reasons why this kennel is needed in Orlando -- and why more like it should exist all over America.

Barkbox and Sherlock Homes: Unboxing video

Who has a Barkbox account?

We signed up in December, and we especially love this month's theme. So much so that we are going to unbox it for you right now.

In Lulu's words: The Easter Beagle returns

Hello, everyone, Lulu here.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Easter. As you can see, I am the Easter Beagle. Again.

This year, though, I'm not giving mom a hard time about it.

For one thing, she did try something different. She bought these giant eggs, and was going to have the cat hatch out of one.

But Galadriel wasn't in the mood, no matter how much food mom put in the egg.

Today, Mom decided to buy some plants for Easter.  Vegetables and things, she says. She was carrying this big bag of fancy dirt through the house to the backyard, and all of a sudden she screamed and dropped everything and was freaking out!

There was a bug on her. A big ugly bug. The kind Mom is really scared of.

So she had to kill the scary bug, and get the bag outside, and there was another one in the bag. So she dumped the bag in the garden and was running all freaked out. Then she jumped in the shower. She was all hot and sweaty, but she was really freaked out about the bug being on her. Which I get. I don't like bugs on me.

And now, she has a migraine. And none of us fur-kids want to play with these Peeps things she bought us at Pet Smart.

So I decided to be a good Easter Beagle this year. No complaints about the ears. Mom deserves a break. She's a good Mom, even if she is a little crazy.

All dogs are puppies on National Puppy Day

This is Lulu as a puppy.

This was taken in 2010, a couple months after she was adopted.