Say Goodbye to Summer
Another summer flies by.
It’s time to say goodbye to summer. Goodbye to short shorts, sunshine and longer days. The cooler temps have blown in, the leaves are falling, the seasons are changing. Summer flew by this year, but only because I was having so much fun. 😀
Rocky Shines at Sterling
Spreading positive vibes wherever he goes.
Rocky and I took a day trip to Sterling State Park today. I chose Sterling because the Rockstar needs to work on keeping it together in a moving vehicle, and a trip to Sterling gives him more time in the car. He tolerated the car ride well and then it was showtime!
Being the handsome hunk that he is, he turns a lot of heads. Most people have the same reaction to him. On the first look, they say, aww, what a cute dog. Then they realize he’s a three-legger and the fawning begins.
There is something about the underdog that reaches people on a deeper level. They want to know what happened to him, they want to punish the people who were responsible for it, and they love hearing that he got the ultimate revenge by overcoming it all and living his best life.
Just seeing him enjoy a summer afternoon in a beautiful park makes their day. It’s like he’s an official uncertified therapy dog.
While Rocky is unlikely to meet the incredibly high standards to become a legitimate therapy dog, he has a gift for lifting spirits and creating positive vibes everywhere he goes. My goal with Rocky is to get him to the point where he can visit dog-friendly retail establishments and interact with more people. I’m confident we’ll make that happen, it’s just a matter of practice.
A Gold Star for Ringo
Ringo was perfect today!
Ringo performed flawlessly on his training ride today, walking nicely on leash, being polite (not barking at) other park visitors, and turning out this beauty of a shot. Today’s gold star performance took place at Crosswinds Marsh, a favorite stop not too far from home.
Four Years with Rocky
Rocky is a role model for gracefully adapting to change.
Four years ago, I was standing in line at the shelter waiting to meet Rocky. It was the height of the pandemic and pet adoptions were at an all time high. This particular shelter has a first come, first served policy on pets, and I was hoping to be the first one to get to Rocky, who had just been featured on their social media channels as available for adoption.
As fate would have it, I was first to see Rocky. He came bounding in, sixty pounds of joy filling the meeting room with his energy, love and readiness. It was love at first sight for everyone, that magical chemistry that removes any doubts or fears and opens up a brightly lit path for a new beginning.
Rocky’s front left leg had been amputated five days earlier, leaving only a gruesome row of stitches across the side of his shaved body. He had already adapted to the missing leg, and wanted nothing more than to play with his new big brother Charlie, despite the veterinarian’s orders that he rest for several weeks while his surgical wound healed.
Rocky found a sense of security in Charlie, a dog twelve years senior to him, and they began a two-year journey together, bonding quickly as if they knew their time together would be short. When Charlie passed, I was concerned about how Rocky would react, but he showed his characteristic adaptability as he gracefully transitioned from little brother to an only dog.
A month went by as I tried Rocky out as an only dog, a situation I wanted for myself. But a one-dog situation was not in the cards for me or for Rocky. I was being called to make room for another dog and Rocky was being called to take on another role, this time as big brother.
Enter Ringo, another dog with a rough start in life involving physical trauma, finding refuge in my home with the help of a more experienced dog. It would now be Rocky’s turn to provide a sense of security and leadership for a younger dog. Once again, Rocky adapted and became the capable big brother he was taught to be by Charlie.
The Rocky and Ringo chapter was meant to be, with a pairing so perfect, I felt the Universe’s magic in making it happen. It lasted about ten months before I had a temporary loss of sanity and adopted a puppy. I didn’t realize it at the time, but by bringing Moose home I was asking Rocky to become the leader of this newly formed pack.
Rocky approached this next step cautiously, observing Ringo and Moose from a distance while they chased one another around the backyard, playing rambunctiously, Ringo effortlessly taking on the role of big brother to Moose. While Ringo and Moose became playmates, it became evident that Rocky was the leader of this pack, and Rocky once again adapted to a new situation and a new role.
Watching Rocky gracefully evolve in his roles from little brother to only dog, big brother and leader of the pack in a matter of three years has been truly inspiring, especially following his ultimate act of adaptability after losing his leg and starting a whole new life here. Any time I feel self-doubt, fatigue or worry, I turn to Rocky and find the motivation I need to keep going, push harder, or try something new.
We were meant to be together. He needed me to provide a safe place to heal and blossom and I needed him as a guide and source of inspiration. We have grown so much together in these four years, and we continue to help each other grow as individuals while we grow closer as a pair.
Happy anniversary to my little go-getter, my daily inspiration, the one and only unsinkable Rocky!
A Rest Break for Ringo
Sometimes you've just got to sit down and take it all in.
Ringo takes a load off and enjoys some quiet time outside. It’s nice to fully experience the relaxing vibe of summer before the season slips away.
Happy Anniversary Moose
Once again, a dog changes my life.
A year ago today, I turned my life upside down by adopting Moose. He was eight weeks old at the time, an adorable blank slate with a horrible case of diarrhea.
An 8-week old Moose at the emergency vet seeking treatment for diarrhea.
My resident dogs, Rocky and Ringo, had conflicting opinions about his arrival, and a weeks-long hullabaloo began as they sorted out the pecking order for this newly formed pack. Three days into it, I broke my foot, as the Universe continued to test my patience and resolve.
As the stress mounted, I worried that I had bitten off more than I could chew. I was in a walking boot for several months, and this made it physically difficult to take photographs, especially of fast moving targets like my dogs. But I was determined to capture Moose’s puppyhood with my camera, and ultimately it was the amazing photos that got me through the rough days.
So much has changed because of Moose. I embraced dog training, completing over twenty-five weeks of obedience training with Moose and transferring those skills to Rocky and Ringo. I started spending more one-on-one time with each dog and now have a stronger relationship with each one. And I’ve established a habit of taking my dogs on weekly outings that have become a central part of our active lifestyle.
Big disruptions bring about changes we didn’t know we needed. I had no idea how much I needed Moose and the changes his presence created in my life. Happy anniversary mighty Moose! You changed my life in amazing ways. I owe you the same and so much more in return. ❤️
Feeling Grounded with Rocky
He's got a great ground game.
We all have strengths and weaknesses. While Rocky is not a fan of being in a moving vehicle, he is great on the ground. Once out of the vehicle, he’s ready to explore and is happy to lead or follow. In addition to being trustworthy while off-leash, as shown here posing for a photo, he’s polite to other park visitors that we encounter.
While the car time is a little hairy with Rocky, the time on the ground is good and continues to get better with each day trip. The impetus for these day trips is preparation for a cross-country road trip that I’ll be making when I move back to New Mexico. The dogs have different strengths and weaknesses related to traveling and I’m working individually with each dog to get them ready for the Ultimate Road Trip.
We visited Crosswinds Marsh today, a short car ride for Rocky and an easy place for him to get around. Afterwards, we got some training time in by making a practice stop at a rest stop on the highway and then taking the FJ Cruiser through the car wash.
It’s great that we can have fun during our training rides, and if we get our practice runs right, the Ultimate Road Trip will be a lot of fun too!
A 180 with Ringo
Ringo turned my day around.
Ringo and I head out on Wednesdays rain or shine, but the issue today wasn’t the weather, it was my mood. I didn’t feel like taking today’s trip but I pushed my bad attitude aside and headed to Sterling State Park with an always-ready Ringo. The beauty of the rain-or-shine policy is that I keep these dates no matter what is going on (including a bad mood) and the policy worked in my favor today as getting out of the house with Ringo is exactly what I needed. His happy attitude is contagious and before long I was out of my doldrum and feeling a really good vibration.