Margie Moonshadow win photo!
SO cool! She looks great ❤️❤️❤️ Congratulations Team Margie!
Here is Sparkler Jordan…
Love her so much — and what a great photo. Thanks, Dianne!
Her nephew, Atlas…
That boy is his mother’s son in all ways — good and not-so-good 😂🤷🏼♀️
This is, however, all good 💙❤️ The eleven-year-olds…
You know what else I hope is all good? Your day!
I was thinking this morning how very strange it is that some still think adding something unpleasant is a good idea when training a dog.
Capella is learning weave poles in the basement, and Pozy is working on some basic obedience exercises. Both mess up on a pretty regular basis. When they do, I make it easier — clearly they were not ready for whatever it was that I asked.
Imagine six-year-old (and recently tonsil-less!) Berkeley learning math skills. What is the correct response when she proudly offers that 2 + 2 = 5?
Shame her? Scold her? Scare her?
No — you appreciate the effort, admire her excellent number-writing skills, and show her how ❤️❤️ +❤️❤️ = ❤️❤️❤️❤️.
If she understands, she will get it right.
Dogs are not different. If they understand, they get it right.
But, but, but — they do right at home, people say as they “correct” the dog in ways the dog prefers to avoid.
Yes — and you give a perfect speech at home when nobody is listening.
Performing correctly with pressure has to be trained and practiced. Performing correctly when the human is a hot mess of stress has to be trained and practiced. Performing correctly in new environments has to be trained and practiced.
And so on — doing it right in the living room with a relaxed human waving a cookie in their face means the dog is really good — at doing it right in the living room with a relaxed human waving a cookie in their face.
One of many reasons I do not train in ways that a dog finds unpleasant is because I am imperfect, and that means if something is amiss — it was likely my fault. I did not train for the situation or maybe I assumed mastery before it exists or any number of reasons. I don’t blame the dog — that seems unfair, given all my limitations.
Besides, I know well that someday the math will look like this: ❤️❤️ - ❤️ = 💔
That awareness means I make sure today is all about 🖤💜💙💚💛🧡❤️ regardless of whether the weave pole entry was correct or not…
Have a don’t-sweat-the-small-stuff kind of Saturday ❤️
Congratulations are in order for Team Kiri (Sparklers) — they have a sparkling new CDX to put behind Kiri’s name. Well done, Alison and Kiri!
And speaking of Sparklers, this is Claire…
You cannot know the significance of that photo. Following her pregnancy and repeated knee surgeries, she was so broken. Certain things were just impossible for her — simple things like trotting or controlling her body enough to lie down from a stand. Nothing was easy or smooth.
I was reflected on this yesterday as we walked and I watched her trot confidently and powerfully — no limp or even slight hitch anymore. She can jump again. I am starting to believe she will be able to do a CDX — like her sister, Kiri.
Claire reminds me that a body possesses what it needs to find a New Normal. She is not the same as she was — but with time, patience, and intention the new Claire is strong, resilient, happy, and so inspiring. #gratitude
Eleven-year-old Harper B for BRRRRRR is another reason I feel so grateful.
Harper has always liked to carry things on walks — Pozy does it as well. Sometimes it is best to adapt to the dogs rather than insist they always adapt to us 🤷🏼♀️
Just a funny photo of another reason I feel gratitude — Capella.
Happy Monday! I hope you have much that inspires your gratitude today.