If you are into canine body language than you are one of those persons on this planet that is hyper aware of how a dog uses their tongue. A student of the tongue more or less. It is one of the first overt body language signals a new dog trainer learns to observe, in social…
Tag: Ocean
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…
the last dance …
A couple of days ago I had my dogs over at our gym. I had a crate set up for Ocean in case she just wanted to hang out while I worked the Boyz. I’m not sure why I thought that though, she has never said no to work. Ever. As soon as Ocean saw…
my cautious, fearful, Ocean – part 3
As Ocean and I were growing together, our household grew as well, intentionally I might add. Story came to our home when Ocean was three, and $eeker moved in just two years later. Again, I think it would be fair to state that Ocean would have preferred to be our only dog, possibly the only…
my cautious, fearful, Ocean – part 2
Ocean was growing into the most gorgeous dog I could have imagined. Actually, I didn’t know what to imagine. She was the only ‘mostly white’ one in her litter, the rest were black and white like the Border Collie mom, or blue merle like the Australian Shepherd dad. She was changing, and I loved waking…
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…
Go NORTH Go EAST
Easter Sunday, for as long as I have been married with children, has been spent on mountain trails or the back roads of some place. We wake up early, pack a bunch of food, clothing for all weather (because you just never know in Montana), our dogs, and we head North or East. Mini Vans…
the view never gets old
It seems as though, since January, that change is in the air. I have been teaching, lecturing, training, writing, and working in my office, more than what I had planned. I am grateful, don’t get me wrong, but I have a tendency to work way too much. I am the person who needs to be…
what happens to your dogs when the front door is left open for 3 hours?
My kids and I slept in this morning. It felt so yummy, so luxurious, so needed. When my eyes did open to greet the day, I felt so completely rested and sated. Getting up, stretching, clear eyes, a big smile, please let me remember how dam good this feels! I went to put the kettle…
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…
Nancy Tanner 