Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Don't Project – Be The Dog

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I probably shouldn’t admit this, but there are some blogs that I just can’t wait to read.  When I sign into my google reader I go straight for those blogs.  Of course I won’t tell you which ones I read first, because that would be like telling one of your kids that you liked them better than the other. 🙂

I’m going to go on record right now saying, I want to be your favorite blog in your google reader, and I plan on working hard to make it so.

I’m loving the “Be The Dog” slogan, that’s all I’ve thought about since yesterday.  There are so many lessons we can learn from our dogs, not least of which is not to project what is going to happen, but to live in the now.

We all know dogs are not linear thinkers, they do not have the capabilities of projecting (or anticipating if you will) what will happen next.

There have been a couple of times while out walking where I’ve lost Sampson.   Usually it is because he has seen or smelled something and run off to investigate.  In the meantime I have continued walking but Sampson doesn’t understand the concept that I was here and now I’m there.  He cannot project where I will be upon his return.  He only knows where I was when he left me.  Sampson lives in the now.

As you know Delilah has run off on me a number of times, the worst (for me) being the day she got stuck under someone’s air conditioner. Delilah does not project the outcome when she runs off.  All she knows is there is something far more exciting than whatever it is that I have in my treat bag.  She does not project that if she runs off, on our next walk she will be on leash and not allowed those freedoms.  Delilah lives in the now.

We need to learn to live in the now.  To not project what will happen if we write that slightly controversial blog post, or submit a query letter to an agent.  You will never know unless you try.

When you are older, sitting on the porch in your rocking chair telling stories to your great-grand children let them be stories about things you’ve accomplished, don’t let them be regrets for not having tried.

If it is something you want to do, just DO IT.  Don’t be afraid about what might happen. Don’t put that kind of restriction on yourself, live in the now.

Don’t Project – Be The Dog.

Be The Dog

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Back in April, Pamela over at Something Wagging had a post titled, You Can’t Do That! Oh yeah? Watch Me.

In the post Pamela made the observation that there are so many people who tell us what we cannot do.  Pamela stated “Well I like surprises—people and animals that do awesome things because they don’t know they’re not expected to do them well.”

Then she posted a video of a St. Bernard doing agility.

I know.  Not normally a dog you would associate with that sport.

But here’s the kicker, the St. Bernard has no idea that the agility ring isn’t designed for large dogs, he just knows that it’s something he enjoys doing.  And he does it quite well I might add.

In the comments I noted in response to another blogger’s comment, “it’s much harder trying to do something others tell you, you can’t, then doing something when you just don’t know better.”

I ended the post with, “Be the St. Bernard.”

Pamela said it was a lovely mantra.

A couple of weeks ago Pamela had another post, Don’t Worry About Messing Up Your Hair, in which she noted dog’s aren’t self-conscious like humans are.

A dog doesn’t care what it looks like after rolling in that mud puddle, the dog just knows that the mud puddle looks fun.  After this post I noted perhaps the mantra should change from Be The St. Bernard to Be The Dog.

Dogs have a way of living in the moment, it doesn’t matter how their day went, if you come home and say want to go for a walk, the dog seizes the opportunity.

The dog has no idea of what it can’t do.  Can’t isn’t a word dogs understand.

After listening to today’s keynote speaker, Lena West via the live stream from BlogPaws 2012 Conference I’ve decided I need to take can’t out of my vocabulary.

There are a number of things I need to do if I want to take this blog to the next level.

If I want this blog to live up to its full potential, I need to seize opportunities.

I need to be the dog.

Follow-Up Friday

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For those new to the blog, my follow-up Friday provides me with an opportunity to update or revise a post from the previous week.

You know sometimes you post about something and you need an update but it doesn’t warrant a whole blog.  Or sometimes someone made a comment that really resonated with you.  Yup, Follow-Up Friday baby!

Hot Car = Dead Dog – Author’s Note

Your comments gave me so very many ideas, I just don’t know where to begin.

Julie over at The Daily Dog Blog made an excellent poster, “When is it too hot for your dog.”  This poster has lots of great information on it and Julie has made it easy to print off.  I made about 10 copies that I intend to put in my car, just in case.  I also will be stopping at the Dollar Store in the next few days to pick up some thermometers like Jodi Chick suggested to have on hand should I come across a dog in a car.

I did have a thought about making a video but I’m going to need a bit of help on it.  Can any of you who do video-editing suggest an inexpensive program I could use to edit video?

And rest assured it does not require me locking a dog in a car!

WTF Wednesday – Author’s Note

To answer a couple of questions left in the comments.

1) I am 99% sure Hubby does NOT read this blog.  (There is of course always the tiniest chance he will, but I won’t hold my breath.)

2) Delilah does NOT sleep with an eye mask.  Sampson however will.  Once I put one on him and left the room and a short time later he came out without it.  When he was done sleeping he just took it off.  LOL I love that dog.

The Pupperatzi just won’t leave me alone!

It Won’t Kill Them To Miss A Day – Author’s Note

Some of you agreed with Mr. Reluctant in the comments, don’t worry I don’t hold it against you. 🙂

I will say that knowing my dogs, I know how much their daily walk means to them.  The other night when we walked around the block Mr. Reluctant looked at Sampson and said, “Look how happy he is to be out walking.”

With that being said, there are certain times such as weather or time constraints when a walk just isn’t possible.  In that instance, it is my job as the caregiver to provide them with something stimulating which will help them release their pent-up energy.

This is especially true with Delilah, I’ve found the better exercised she is, the better behaved she is as well.

Despite the heat, we will manage to exercise the dogs, whether it be in physically or mentally.

That’s it for us, so how was your week?

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