I love this post! I have 2 large dogs and I agree--it's all about energy. I tend to tense up when I see a Rottweiler coming towards us but even the little ones can cause a reaction. I try to praise them when they are calm. Nice to hear others are going thru the same thing. Thanks for posting. Nice to read something apolitical. Sabrinalabow.substack.com
I laughed til my belly hurt as you wrote about encountering other dog walkers on your walkers. (Notice I said dog walkers, not dogs). It’s the walkers who cause the problems as you oh so wisely and cleverly pointed out. I almost spit out my coffee over the two Maltese with the pink bows - oh hell no. 😜. If I attempted to walk your sweeties, I’d need a skateboard to put under my behind as they pulled me along. Hah!
Thanks for the lovely mention, my friend. I have enjoyed working as a couples therapist over the last 31+ years. And have quite a lot of success stories in my memories. The process is not easy, nor intuitive. That said, it works. Chapter 4 of my book is entirely about the Not me, but We attitude.
I love this Dee, and I miss my big dogs. I have a cute little poodle now. But having some lawyers most my adult life, well they are like sleigh dogs and you really have to brace yourself when you walk them. At least when they see a squirrel. The only time they never chased anything was a rattlesnake. There was a baby rattler in the road outside Las Vegas, at Redrock Canyon. They knew not to get near it. You can learn so much about yourself this from your dogs. Thank you for putting this piece out there. I enjoyed reading it this afternoon. Stay beautiful!😍🐶😍
I can relate to this. My dog has been on protection detail since we became homeless. Her energy and mine are connected. The healing we are doing is helping us navigate this new path we find ourselves on.
This one made me smile. I only have one large dog but have often considered adopting a second to keep her company. Dezi is a dog dog...she lives and breathes playing with other dogs. But she's also a handful on her own, with typical anxieties of rescue dogs.
Thanks for sharing the reality of having more than one rescue!
Not meant to be discouraging at all. Having more than one is joyous in every way. Many people walk multiple dogs each day effortlessly. The issue with mine is that they’ve grown up free-ranging on acreage—chasing me up trails on my mountain bike without leash. The whole leash-walking thing of the last couple months is a tough adjustment for them ☺️
My best friend just adopted a rescue and for the last couple months we’ve been taking them out together regularly. They have become inseparable and each of them are more confident dogs when they’re with each other. And as wild as they are offleash, they have learned to walk like superstars together on leash. It’s been great practice for my normally leash-reactive dog.
“You’ve seen, chased, and treed hundreds of them. Can we let this one go please?”
We all know the answer to that question. My little chiweenie would chase a squirrel up a tree and sit on a root by the hour unless the squirrel finally died of old age, but I never had to worry about where Romeo was. Sitting there, staring straight up, right where he was two hours ago.
I love this post! I have 2 large dogs and I agree--it's all about energy. I tend to tense up when I see a Rottweiler coming towards us but even the little ones can cause a reaction. I try to praise them when they are calm. Nice to hear others are going thru the same thing. Thanks for posting. Nice to read something apolitical. Sabrinalabow.substack.com
Thank you Sabrina 🙏
I laughed til my belly hurt as you wrote about encountering other dog walkers on your walkers. (Notice I said dog walkers, not dogs). It’s the walkers who cause the problems as you oh so wisely and cleverly pointed out. I almost spit out my coffee over the two Maltese with the pink bows - oh hell no. 😜. If I attempted to walk your sweeties, I’d need a skateboard to put under my behind as they pulled me along. Hah!
Thanks for the lovely mention, my friend. I have enjoyed working as a couples therapist over the last 31+ years. And have quite a lot of success stories in my memories. The process is not easy, nor intuitive. That said, it works. Chapter 4 of my book is entirely about the Not me, but We attitude.
Thanks Teyani. No offense to Maltese or any other purse dogs ☺️
Can’t wait to read Chap. 4!!!And yes—you’d need a skateboard or an ATV 😂
😜🤪🤣 give me a big ‘ol’ dog any day. (And I’ll keep my cat versus a purse pooch)
🥲☺️
I love this Dee, and I miss my big dogs. I have a cute little poodle now. But having some lawyers most my adult life, well they are like sleigh dogs and you really have to brace yourself when you walk them. At least when they see a squirrel. The only time they never chased anything was a rattlesnake. There was a baby rattler in the road outside Las Vegas, at Redrock Canyon. They knew not to get near it. You can learn so much about yourself this from your dogs. Thank you for putting this piece out there. I enjoyed reading it this afternoon. Stay beautiful!😍🐶😍
Thank you my friend. Yes—we learn so much from our furever friends 🙏
🐶
Beautiful pups! Enjoy them all you can, forever is never long enough!
Agreed. Having just lost our senior member of the pack of 4 back in early June—I’m well aware how precious the time is. Thanks for reading 🙏❤️
I am glad you have time and money to take care of several large dogs, I would love to take care of many but we don’t have the land , time or money.
I can relate to this. My dog has been on protection detail since we became homeless. Her energy and mine are connected. The healing we are doing is helping us navigate this new path we find ourselves on.
Thanks for reading 🙏
This one made me smile. I only have one large dog but have often considered adopting a second to keep her company. Dezi is a dog dog...she lives and breathes playing with other dogs. But she's also a handful on her own, with typical anxieties of rescue dogs.
Thanks for sharing the reality of having more than one rescue!
Not meant to be discouraging at all. Having more than one is joyous in every way. Many people walk multiple dogs each day effortlessly. The issue with mine is that they’ve grown up free-ranging on acreage—chasing me up trails on my mountain bike without leash. The whole leash-walking thing of the last couple months is a tough adjustment for them ☺️
My best friend just adopted a rescue and for the last couple months we’ve been taking them out together regularly. They have become inseparable and each of them are more confident dogs when they’re with each other. And as wild as they are offleash, they have learned to walk like superstars together on leash. It’s been great practice for my normally leash-reactive dog.
Awesome to hear. So glad you all have each other 🙏
You’re welcome Kristi! Thanks for reading 🙏
“You’ve seen, chased, and treed hundreds of them. Can we let this one go please?”
We all know the answer to that question. My little chiweenie would chase a squirrel up a tree and sit on a root by the hour unless the squirrel finally died of old age, but I never had to worry about where Romeo was. Sitting there, staring straight up, right where he was two hours ago.
I understand 🙏
This was such a great read. I’m originally from New Mexico, and reading this felt like spending a little time at home ❤️
Thanks Chloe 🙏
Glad you are physically strong!
Me too ☺️
That turnabout is amazing isn’t it? They can plant and pivot and there goes the shoulder ☺️
Thanks the for fun story about Rambo