You've landed on a website mostly run by a small dog. Welcome. He'd like to be the one introducing himself, so I'll get out of the way.
The basics, for the curious sponsors
Benji is a Schnauzer-Poodle mix, born November 4, 2024. He came home at 8 weeks old, mostly slept for two weeks, and then revealed himself to be a deeply opinionated little soul with a strong sense of personal grievance.
He weighs 16 pounds. He has a parti-coat — mostly brown with white socks and chest. His face is roughly 60% beard. His eyes are warm brown and his entire personality lives behind them.
He lives in Lehi, Utah, with me (Nicole, his mom and full-time documentarian), my brother Ryan, and our roommate Scott. The two of them are very kind to him. He has decided they exist primarily to validate his existence.
The anxiety thing
Around eight months old, Benji started showing signs of separation anxiety that went past "normal puppy clinginess." Pacing. Refusing to settle. Genuinely distressed when left alone, even briefly. After a couple of vet visits and a behavioral assessment, his vet recommended Reconcile — which is just canine fluoxetine, the same medication a lot of humans take as Prozac.
He's been on it daily since. It works, slowly. The change isn't dramatic — it's more like the volume on his anxiety dropped from 10 to about 5. He still has opinions about being left alone. He just has fewer of them.
We talk about this openly on the account because there's a real audience of dog parents going through the same thing and not finding much company. The DMs I get from people who've never told anyone their dog is medicated are one of my favorite parts of running this. If you're in that boat too: hi, you're not alone, your dog is going to be okay.
What this blog is, what it isn't
This blog is one new post every Monday, on one of four topics:
- Picky Eater Files — long deep-dives on dog food and treats Benji has been asked to try
- The Anxious Dog Diaries — honest writing on canine anxiety, Reconcile, calming products, and what's actually helped
- Schnoodle 101 — practical guides on grooming, training, and breed-specific care
- The Toy + Puzzle Lab — reviews of enrichment toys ranked by how long they actually buy you
It is not a generic dog blog. It will never tell you that your dog is your best friend in a way that sounds like an inspirational poster. It will tell you what worked, what didn't, and what nobody warned us about — usually in Benji's voice, because that's where this whole thing started.
What to read next
If you came here from a brand inquiry: the media kit is here.
If you're an anxious-dog parent: start with "What 6 months on Reconcile actually looks like." It's the most personal post on the site.
If you're here for treats and toys: "5 puzzle toys ranked by how long they actually buy you" has Benji's honest verdicts and a few affiliate links to the ones he hasn't destroyed yet.
Either way — thanks for being here. Give your dog a treat from us.
Want this in your inbox?
The Tiny Crimes Report — one Sunday a week, written by Benji.