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
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
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
Years ago, my first soulmate dog, Finn, and I took a hiking trip to Asheville, NC. Finn loved walks and exploring and was far enough out of a second ACL surgery that his veterinarian had no concerns about our rambling through the Blue Ridge Parkway. My spunky boy wasn’t great at self-regulation, so I searched for… View more
One of Mabel’s favorite activities is sitting at my kitchen door, nose smashed against the glass, and lazily watching people walk by. I love that she’s derpy and unphased, even if she sees a dog. And you can bet that I reward my sweet girl for every calm “look” while I do dishes, fill her… View more
It’s fitting that Mabel started her trial week with me on Earth Day. My sweet girl loves all things natural, eating poop, rolling in vomit, eating bees (thankfully, she’s not allergic), belly-flopping in mud puddles, laying in the dirt, zooming on ice, and squirming in freshly cut grass. I can’t believe it’s been almost a… View more
When we finally sit down at night, leaving a list of to-dos untouched because we’re just too exhausted, how often do we pick up our phones? Or think about cleaning one more crevice? Or, get up to make tomorrow morning easier by prepping a meal? Why don’t we make our precious, few down moments precisely that?… View more
