It takes a village to raise Nitro.       Part of Nitro’s village is the yoga class he attends three times a week. The pup lays on his blue blanket at the front of class, chews on his bone and fights the urge to get up and roll around with the yoga students as they stretch.        “Every once in a while, he thinks we’re done and he’ll get up, but I’ll just say, bed, and he’ll go lay down,” says...

Anchors Away Pet Sitting: Providing a home away from home for your pets — plus pictures to keep you in touch while you’re away. 443-608-9306; www.facebook.com/anchorsawaypetsitting   Crunchies Natural Pet Foods: Guiding you to good food choices for your pets based on weight, age, preferences and routine. 2421 Crofton Ln., Crofton; 410-721-5432; www.crunchies.com Dog Thrive: A full-service dog-care business including daycare, boarding, dog walking, dog sitting, training,...

    Anne Arundel County Animal ­Control Shelter  The central Anne Arundel County location for lost pets reunites hundreds with their owners and operates a shelter that annually finds new homes for about 1,500 pets. As part of Anne Arundel County Police Department, it enforces all animal control laws. Services include a weekly $5 rabies vaccination clinic: 411 Maxwell Frye Rd., Millersville; 410-222-8900; www.aacounty.org/animalcontrol; open Tuesday-Saturday   Friends of...

       “A dog,” Mark Twain wrote, “can’t be depended on to carry out a special providence.” His case in point was Prov’dence’s failure to depend on Uncle Lem’s dog — appointing Uncle Lem instead — to soften the three-story fall of an Irish hod carrier. The Irishman lived, but Uncle Lem’s back was broken in two places. “Why didn’t the Irishman fall on the dog?” Twain’s storyteller asked...