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I am a pretty quiet person. . The sound of my own voice scares me sometimes. But the reactive dogs in my life have forced me to locate it so I can advocate on their behalf. . I communicate with other dog owners constantly on the trail. Much of the time I am ignored. Often, my dog is insulted or blamed for something that wasn't their fault. On occasion I am yelled and sworn at. It infuriates me. . But I use my voice. It was scary at first, but with practice comes the confidence. I need to keep my dog safe and I will do what it takes. . I am a dog owner. I am a runner. . In the past few weeks, these communities have seen intolerable acts of racism. This too, infuriates me. . I've used my voice to advocate for animals, who have no voice. Now, I will also speak up for those who do have a voice, but one that goes unheard. . You may not be a runner. You may not be a dog owner. You may not be Black. But we are ALL human. . Speak up for injustice, even if it feels scary. Speak up, if something doesn't feel right. Speak up, even if you make mistakes. Speak up in November when it comes time to cast your vote. Just don't stay silent. #blacklivesmatter
I can't wait for adventures with this boy. He's shaping up to be an amazing adventure dog. When my butt decides to stop being a pain...in the butt and the outdoors is normal again, we'll see you there.
Yesterday, while feeling particularly bored and antsy, I searched in vain to find a local, non-crowded hike. . I settled on a place that I know to be fairly empty and took a chance and drove out there. . My first spot ended up being a private entrance, so I followed signs to the main lot. . It was beyond crowded. . There were cars parked all along the side of the road, overflowing from the main lot. . I was disappointed. Not because we couldn't hike, but because people clearly are not understanding that crowding the trails is exactly what got them closed in the first place. . I'm dreading another closure if this continues. . Sitka and I opted for a paved path I've never been to. It wasn't epic and didn't have mountain views, but it had few people and we could work on training. . I'm reframing this time to discover new places and work with Sitka on his hiking skills. Rather than complaining about where I can't go, I feel grateful for the places I can. . Please, please, if you go hiking or trail running, have a plan B. Pick a "boring" trail instead of the popular one. They'll still be there when this is all over.
I took this guy out for his first paddle the other day and he made a mama proud! . I had spent weeks driving by this boat ramp to practice, but there were always a ton of people. . So then I spent an hour driving around to check out others, and there were always people. . The other day, we walked around this lake and stopped at the ramp, and there was no one. So we rush back home, got the paddle board, and when we arrived, there were of course, a lot of people. . But I wasn't about to turn around after all that. So I said, "we'll, well just see how he does." . We had practiced in the yard and he took to the board without my direction as soon as I lay it out. . "Place!” I said, and he hopped right on. It took him a moment to get his sea legs, but he found them. I can't wait for more paddle adventures once the weather warms up! . #sponsored by @zukespets #ZukesPack #LetsGoZukes #LiveLifeOffLeash
I'm grateful every day to have this little orange fox in my life. . I really shouldn't have him. I went to meet him before heading off for a long term pet sitting gig three hours away, knowing full well I couldn't get a dog until I had finished. But, the Universe knew we belonged together. . He wasn't adopted over the first two weeks. Then @offroadrunning_dog volunteered to watch him while I fulfilled my second pet sitting job. I picked him up just before Christmas. . He came into my life when everything was in shambles. I didn't know a lot about my future, felt financially insecure, and didn't know where I was going to live. All I knew was that I needed a dog. Before anything, I needed a dog. . I often look at him and tell him, "you were worth it. I'd go through that all over again to have you in my life." Happy #NationalRescueDogDay my Sweet Boy.
When I first got Sitka, I stayed with a friend who lives near the airport and Sitka would bark every time he heard the rumble of the jet engine. Planes take off often, I learned. And all throughout the night. . He's gotten used to plane sounds by now, but he's woken me up twice around midnight barking like a maniac and practically giving me a heart attack! . I settle him in my groggy state, heart thumping and listen. . I don't hear a thing. Nothing. . Maybe it's a raccoon or some other animal that he's scared away with his ruckus, but dear lord, is it ever jolting. 😅 . I can't sleep without the window open, so we'll have to figure this one out...
I can't wait to shape this little fox into the running partner of my dreams. . I've never really trained a dog to run with me before. We'd just kinda run. I didn't have the patience for or knowledge of how to do it, but I do now. . And it's sLoW going, man, but I know all those backs and forth and recall sessions and times we stop to walk with be worth it. . Did you train your dog to run or did you just leash 'em up and go like I had in the past?
Our trails are finally starting to open and I ventured out mid week last week. It felt so wonderful to have the dirt beneath my feet and mountain views peaking above the horizon. . I'm cautiously optimistic that everything will continue to stay open and it seems most are complying with social distancing on trails as much as space allows. Are trails opening where you live? . #sponsored by @zukespets #ZukesPack #LiveLifeOffLeash #LetsGoZukes
This is what Sitka and I have been doing most days since quarantine began: walking the streets of the neighborhood. . Sometimes, we make it the full loop of a particular route, some days, we walk back and forth up and down the same street for 20 min. It all depends on Sitka's and my state of mind and the stimuli that are present. . Since working with @kindreddogpdx, I've completely changed the way I think of dog walks. Rather than have a destination or route in mind, our goal is simply to walk nicely on leash. . This means no pulling, no sniffing at leisure, no marking, no reacting to other dogs or people. . I've learned some incredibly valuable tips from my trainer that I've shared in a blog post. They've helped me and I hope they help you, too. See link in profile or in stories.
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