This is MY space!
One of the things I like the most about observing Grace is how literal her communication is. The same is true with our cats. Their body language tells it all. If we could observe human interactions with that level of objectivity and detachment, I think we’d often behave differently. There are two instances that illustrate […]
Sometimes you really need to state the obvious—sometimes the obvious just isn’t that obvious Part 2
At last weekend’s “Show and Go” agility event, there were lots of obvious things going on as I described in Part 1. There were also things that weren’t so obvious to me. The whole point of this particular event is to expose the team (handler and dog) to a new environment. We were in a […]
Sometimes you really need to state the obvious—sometimes the obvious just isn’t that obvious Part 1
This weekend, I took Grace to an agility event called “Show and Go.” It’s a mock competition – designed as a way to introduce handlers and dogs to a competitive experience without being judged. We were in a new, outdoor area, with different equipment, surrounded by more people, lots of dogs. My goal was to […]
It’s not my fault!
During a conversation with friends at dinner last night, we were talking about taking responsibility for our own actions. I mentioned someone I know well that is often blaming another person for any and every little bad thing that happens – even though they are the one that created the situation in the first place. […]
Being on top of the world changes everything
We’ve all had that experience when we feel on top of the world. We’re not just happy; we are ecstatic with a sense of accomplishment, achievement, complete satisfaction, and enjoyment. It’s the feeling that a professional athlete must have after years of training to win a national title. Or a health care provider that saves […]
Getting to know you
Memories of the first time you meet someone linger. Those initial moments create an emotion that sticks with us. Quite often, we then allow our mind to focus on that (good or bad) feeling, and it builds into an elaborate impression, reinforcing and rationalizing our first instinct. I remember talking to the woman, Denise, who […]
The nuances of communicating do matter
Grace was out of control. In a happy way. She bounded into the agility room on Friday and all bets were off for getting her attention. She wanted to greet the other two dogs. Say hello to her favorite trainer, Rachel. She jumped over the hurdles. Ran through the chute. Leapt over the A Frame. […]
A gentle leader approach
It was truly much easier than I expected. I’m referring to my new walking regiment with Grace. As noted in my last post, I made a commitment to have Grace comply with my walking standards instead of hers. Rather than having her skip along in front of me, I asked her to walk beside me. […]
Even walking requires leadership
Grace is very vocal when she wants something. It’s obvious when it’s mealtime or when she wants to sun herself on the deck. She is very explicit in her requests, using her voice (persistent whining) and body (sits in front of me, scratches her paw on me, jumps around if the first two don’t work) […]
“Change starts with myself”
Grace really thinks that everyone—any dog, any cat, any human—should make adjustments to her needs. I know that comes from a lack of confidence and we continue to work on that, and in many ways it is endearing. She only wants to know we love her – more than we love her feline brothers, for […]
