Meet Atlanta's best dog behaviorist - and he's a dog!

February 16, 6:13 AMAtlanta Dogs ExaminerSandy Weaver Carman

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Spike - B. Bittner photo

An Atlanta-area Golden Retriever could just be the most famous furry behaviorist ever.

Spike, a lovely Golden Retriever who lives in the Atlanta area with his people, Brett and Crystal, writes an online advice blog. Readers ask Spike about behavior issues they're having with their dogs and Spike enlightens the humans with why dogs do what they do. And who better to know that than a dog himself?

Spike is quite the social butterfly, making full use of social networking to spread the word about why dogs like to act like dogs. You can find Spike on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Spike's Lost and Found and the newest addition, Spike's Shelter Dogs. On the first three, Spike spreads the word about dog behavior, but on Spike's Lost and Found and Spike's Shelter Dogs, Spike is spreading the word about great dogs needing great homes.

Spike's Lost and Found is a web page where people can list - what else? - lost or found dogs, and it's been a huge hit. Today is the official unveiling of Spike's Shelter Dogs, a page intended to make it easy for Georgia shelters, rescues and fosters to list available dogs. They both also have their own Twitter accounts, helping thousands more people learn about dogs that just might be their new best friend.

Spike himself is fairly modest about his achievements, saying only that he wants to help families understand their pet's behavior, the psychology behind it, and what they can do to correct unacceptable behavior. Before he became an online expert, Spike spent seven years as his mom's demonstration dog and teachers assistant in her classrooms. To touch base with Spike, click here.  And if your dog has been very naughty, know that Spike just might tell you what you're doing wrong!