Puppies bring light and joy into family life, a never-ending source of new experiences. The same can be true of their always renewable energy. Boone, our bouncing 10-month old, has kept us on our toes—for different reasons—since his arrival. Over our short history he has offered generous helpings of love, play, laughter, cryptic furniture and floor hieroglyphics, and love tattoos on unsuspecting skin.

But, here is a snippet of a problem I didn’t foresee when we brought our bundle of brindle home. Who knew shoelaces could fasten and floss at the same time?