Talkfest Blog

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Merrie Meyers

2023 Writing Contest Opens

Today, the Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) announced the kickoff of the annual DWAA Writing Contest. Journalists, authors, bloggers, photographers, illustrators, editors and young writers can compete in a variety of categories for the…

Contest News | September 11, 2023

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Lauren Marcotte

My Journey to Becoming a Therapy Dog Handler

It was a normal day during sixth grade when my class, along with other sixth-grade classes, were brought to the library for a presentation. Little did I know that this presentation would change my life…

Young Writers on the Web | August 31, 2023

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Samantha Schwarz

The Building Blocks of Dog Tricks

Canine trick training is a great way to build your dogs confidence; learn what learning styles work best for your dog and have a lot of fun with them. When doing tricks with your dog…

Young Writers on the Web | August 6, 2021

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Young Writers On The Web: A Midnight Walk

by Nikolas Anthony Klimenko, Age 12 The following is a story submitted for the DWAA’s Young Writers on the Web program.  As I walked into the misty forest the cold air hit me like a…

Standard | August 4, 2021

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Young Writers On The Web: A Night With Summer

by Jayson Kimberly, Age 15, Montgomery, Texas The following is a story submitted for the DWAA’s Young Writers on the Web program. In the fall of 2019, I was invited by Abandoned Animal Rescue (AAR)…

Standard | February 8, 2021

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Young Writers On The Web Fiction: A Peach Among Pups

by Mia Marie Lussier, Age 12, Charlton, Massachusetts The following is a story submitted for the DWAA’s Young Writers on the Web program. Peaches! Out of the flowers! Peaches! Off the pool cover! Peaches! Not…

Standard | August 25, 2020

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Young Writers On The Web Fiction: Running With June and Blu

by Kate Gallagher, Age 17, Fargo, North Dakota The following is a story submitted for the DWAA’s Young Writers on the Web program. I have been competing in dog agility events as a junior handler…

Standard | August 25, 2020

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Young Writers On The Web Fiction: The Perks of Having a Press Pass

by Kathryn Prerost, Age 14, Naperville Illinois The following is a story submitted for the DWAA’s Young Writers on the Web program. We hopped onto the bus to get to Pier 94. I watched the…

Standard | August 25, 2020

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Young Writers On The Web Fiction: Puppy In The Rain

by Mohit Singh, 16, Jaipur, India The following is a story submitted for the DWAA’s Young Writers on the Web program. One rainy evening Harsh was coming home from school when he heard a whining…

Standard | July 26, 2020

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Coping With Dog Loss And Grief In The Midst Of The Pandemic

by Dr. Joel Gavriele-Gold Do Dogs Grieve? In short, yes. I remember writing the following when Fergus my 15 year old wonderful yellow  lab died. At that time I had four dogs: Fergus, and three…

Standard | July 8, 2020

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Out of Sight, Out of Mind

by Kate Kuligowski, DWAA member Seldom do my husband Wally and I find ourselves in the Southwest quadrant of our city where crime statistics have intimidated outsiders for decades. During that visit, we frequent only…

Standard | July 3, 2020

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Young Writers On The Web: X Marks The Heart

by Victoria Cororan, 15, Holbrook, New York Sometimes you have to deal with awful things for great things to come. Our family dog’s name is Jaxx, and he got his name in a very special…

Standard | June 11, 2020