I for sure love my dogs, all of them, past and present. But love is a funny thing. For me it is how my dogs make me feel when I am around them. Sometimes it is an easy love, where our personalities and energies mesh so perfectly it feels seamless, as one. Other times, well it…
Tag: Franny
Living with an Actively Dying Dog
Death, a conversation about it, the word itself, or a thought, use to be hard for me, really hard. I use to call it my life’s lesson, to understand that in death there is completion in the circle of life. It is the finality of it, death is not a side effect, it cannot be…
my cautious, fearful, Ocean – part 1
In August 2002, someone told me about a litter of pups, border collie/aussie crosses, that were for sale. $45, they needed to go fast! I called the family and made a time to go out and see the puppies. It wasn’t hell, but it wasn’t good either. When I pulled up, the adult dogs came…
my lost boy
We all have our own way of grieving. We all take the time we need, or should learn to do so. We all have different hearts, feelings, and emotions that dictate how we will handle loss. Or not handle it. For me, I’m historically knocked to my knees, no matter how prepared I think I…
Dogs that take, Dogs that give, and those waiting to …
I hear on the daily – my dog loves to please me, my dog is so loyal, or conversely I wish my dog was more loyal, I wish he wanted to please me. Personally and professionally, I’ve always found this a bit odd. Simply from the stand point of slavishness, is that even a word?…
living with a dog outside of neutral – part 7
Living is the foundation. While we have spent 10+ years with Franny, and have had to learn and grow a great deal so we could all be successful, living our lives together was always at the center of our thoughts. It sounds rather obvious, but you might be surprised by the great number of professional…
living with a dog outside of neutral – part 6
Franny is still very much alive so it would be unfair for me to conclude if the choices we have made for her have been right or not. The story is still being lived. I hesitate in the biggest kind of way to be a trainer/owner who works with a dog for a year or…
living with a dog outside of neutral – part 5
the years – Fran was now turning into Franny, Frannie Girl, Franny Bear, and about a dozen other names. She was settling in with us and us with her. While there was comfort on some level, there was still the side of her that caused some stress. As she started to age and come into…
living with a dog outside of neutral – part 4
moving forward – When you have a dog that is wanting to learn, it makes training fun. It doesn’t necessarily imply that behaviors will come easily, sometimes yes for sure, but at least you have a partner that will hang in there with you and go for the ride. You can make some minor mistakes…
living with a dog outside of neutral – part 3
Mr. Toads Wild Ride, the first year – If I look back at my choice in dogs, I’m definitely drawn to a particular type. I like my dogs athletic and agile. I value stamina and endurance. I want my dogs to have opinions, fire in the belly. And most importantly, dogs that are great problem…
Nancy Tanner 