Pozy Gets a Shot

Yesterday — just shy of four months old — Pozy finally got her first ever vaccination.

I did plan to delay it but not quite THAT much. We have had a wee bit of drama with the clinic where my veterinarian worked (note past tense) and so I waited until she landed at a new clinic.

In order for Pozy to be vaccinated as I wanted — and yes, I always discuss The Plan with our veterinarian — I had to order an entire flat of the vaccines…

I sent some to Lupine, Clover, and Chase and will save the rest to send home with the future litter.

At some point I have a lot to say about new puppies, vaccinations, veterinarians, and critical thinking — you would not think it would be hard to avoid over-vaccination but surprisingly, it is.

Pozy weighed 32 pounds yesterday and is in excellent health. She was her usual kind and friendly self at the new clinic — what a wonderful puppy she is!

Pozy and her siblings will be four months old tomorrow and you know what that means! We start four-month-Wildflower-updates tomorrow. FUN.

Have an amazing day, all things considered.

More on Pandemic Life

It is important to acknowledge the ways in which Pandemic Life is tough — not to have an endless Pity Party but to be able to accurately assess and respond to our own needs. If I do not understand why and how this is a challenging time, I will overwork my 100 Little Soldiers, and that never goes well.

My Pandemic Life motto is Dial Back.

This means things are undone — without shame and guilt. After all, why give Little Soldiers a well-deserved break if you are just going to beat them up for what is undone?

I also like to focus on what I can still do.

Claire

It is not about finding bright sides or silver linings to a pandemic that has killed 200,00 Americans — there isn’t one.

But there are opportunities. Challenges, after all, always bring along an invitation for transformation.

Claire

If all goes according to plan, I will finish Claire’s CD this year at long last — and breed her. Staying home has allowed me to focus on her training, and it is going well. I am excited to show her.

That is my plan — we will see what the Universe has to say about all that. 2020, after all, seems to involve a particularly malevolent Trickster and so it is best to have only loose attachments to our plans.

Daisy and Pozy

Pandemic Life offers obstacles at a time when our abilities to find creative solutions to achieve plans are understandably low. Dialing back means that I am not also trying to do sixteen other things with my dogs at this time. Instead, awareness of limits means I can focus my energy and time on my priorities, understanding that 50 of my 100 Little Soldiers are on pandemic duty and simply not available to help with Normal Life and my typical overachieving hopes and wishes.

Pozy Clarkia is a priority for me. Pandemic Life has offered a unique opportunity to be 100% present for this puppy — and it shows.

Please take good care of your Little Soldiers — they are working so hard to keep you upright and somewhat functional.

#goteam

Social Change and Training Dogs

Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade. (RBG)

I have a puppy.

This means I am in and out all day long as we support her excellent housetraining progress.

Sometimes these two are in the yard when we go out.

I quickly got tired of their loud protests that Pozy — not them — was having the extremely amazing privilege of peeing on the side lawn.

Further, I did not want Pozy to learn unfortunate behavior — she already enjoys her vocal talents enough.

I needed a Plan.

In my world, a Change Plan has to be both kind and effective.

Therefore, I do not beat up on dogs when they annoy me. It doesn’t fit my idea of what makes a Good Person and besides, it is ineffective in creating change and violence ruins relationships.

I can now walk outside without drama — even when the two most …lively, shall we say… are in the yard.

How did that happen?

I thanked and rewarded them for small efforts at being quiet and gradually increased the quiet criteria over a few days. I can now take the puppy out and there is zero barking from Claire and only occasional barks from Sparkle, who finds it very hard to not register at least a small protest at the unfairness.

I get that.

Being an ethical, kind, and decent human being does not mean we give up strongly held beliefs or commitment to change.

But don’t ever make the mistake of thinking nice means doormat. It does not.

Rather, being an ethical, kind and decent human means being committed to creating needed change in effective and ethical ways, allowing us to be part of the solution and not the problem — REGARDLESS of how others behave.

If one justifies abuse with, “they started it” or “they deserve it” or “I have no choice” — well, take a hard look in the mirror, Friend, because you are part of the problem.

Nobody — human or dog — deserves a beating, with words or fists.

Ever.

And make no mistake — the choice is not between Beating and Silent Complicity.

Creating Change is a reasonable and important choice. Respectfully and effectively.

…is such great practice for Life with Humans.