I thought Finn taught me patience. However, the older I get, the less I’m sure I know about anything—life, love, dog behavior. And, even though Gavin needed a profoundly compassionate, mushy, soft approach to anything and everything I asked of him, I’m learning that I know nothing about patience. Mabel and I are having so… View more
Four people I love have lost (passed away) dogs they love in recent weeks. And, while my sisters (birth and soul) and two dear friends’ loss and grief journeys aren’t mine, they remind me that life is too freaking short. We have so few days on this earth. Why do we squander our free moments? Why do we let… View more
Since most of you humans are recovering from comforting your dog(s) from the sky booms, my human asked me (Mabel) to step in again this week and share more pearls of wisdom for your dog(s). Here goes: Be HelpfulI’m always helping my human when she waters flowers. Sometimes, I assist by watching over her, making sure she lightly… View more
As a child, I composed a non-sensical novella, “My Ice Cream Dream.” I wrote, illustrated, and self-published (cut-up cardboard and contact paper) my debut book. I was so proud of my silly adventure story, racing through Rocky Roads, skidding down Sundae Slides, and my riveting twist ending when I woke up covered in ice cream—was it a dream? I’ve always… View more
This time last year, Mabel woke me up in the middle of the night, unable to breathe. I panicked and stumbled out of bed to get my purse when she started shooting snot rockets all over my bedroom. Thankfully, her breathing returned to normal, but we headed to our primary veterinarian the next day, who… View more
It’s Mabel here. I’m taking over the blog this week because my human always tells me I’m smarter than her on her best days, even fully caffeinated. So, I’m sharing my wisdom today to pass along to your dog(s). Here goes: When your human is in the flushy room, with the door shut, you should lie… View more
In our second (I think) week of Rally Class, Mabel kept walking towards the A-frame with eager eyes and a giant grin. And I felt deep appreciation, causing me to smile with no one nearby to notice. I knew precisely why Mabel told me a piece of equipment she’d never been on with me was… View more
In the first dog training class I took with Finn, he shined. Whenever the trainer demonstrated a cue with my big ol’ simple silly boy, he rocked every exercise. But when she handed the leash back to me and I tried to replicate the request, she’d borderline yell, “You’re doing it wrong.” I remember thinking,… View more
As we embark on a weekend of remembrance, I’ll keep this short as I’m sure you’re ready for extra time with your favorite people and pets. Today and the warm days ahead, let’s remember: Our challenges should be independent of our cognizance. Compassion should swirl in our spirits. During difficult times, loving ourselves is the… View more
I’d planned to write this week about dogs’ gifts to us: their boundless love and unwavering loyalty, the comfort and companionship they give without asking for anything in return, the immeasurable joy they bring, and the lessons we learn by sharing our lives with them. However, Mabel and I just got home from a walk… View more
