KateThoughts

I have a dog, now.

I am a very far distance away from being the person my dog thinks I am. Yes, I know it's a cliche'...and it's still the best words I can think of, too.

I found this in this blog post at Aging Gratefully

Rev. Stephen V. Sprinkle, Ph.D.: 

The Souls of Our Dogs: A Valentine's Day Tribute to Our Best Friends

February 14, 2013 13:04:43

No treatise on the soul ever taught me as much as my dog, Winston. What a happy irony! I am a theologian being patiently tutored on friendship, loyalty, and love by a brown-brindle English bulldog. It seems only mete and good to pay tribute to the soulfulness of humanity's best companions on Saint Valentine's Day. For many of us, our dogs are the epitome of love incarnate.

Since our species, Homo sapiens, and our domestic dogs, Canis lupus familiaris, have shared a partnership through the good times and bad befalling the human race for better than 35,000 years, we have had ample time to learn many of the answers to life's deepest questions from them. "Who are my neighbors, and how am I to relate to them?"
Dogs have demonstrated unfailing help in time of need: herding our flocks, hunting alongside us, using their superior senses to warn us of dangers we could neither see nor hear, and watching over us while we slept. "Are we alone in the universe?" Dogs have shown us unstinting loyalty and companionship, offering us warmth to ward off the chill of the void, nuzzling us time and again out of our existential angst with their cool, damp noses--peering into our souls with their unfathomably rich brown, and blue, and hazel eyes. In the bargain, they have won a dependable source of food, shelter, and companionship from us. Little wonder, then, that the earliest elevation of dogs to the status of persons in prehistory took place by burying our faithful friends alongside us in human graves as early as 14,000 years ago.

My bulldog, Winston, knows nothing of these things intellectually. But I am convinced that he possesses all the best hallmarks of his race instinctually. He does not care about my ethnicity or race or gender or sexual orientation, whether I am rich or poor, whether I occupy the clifftop of my theological guild, or inhabit a more modest spot near the bottom of it. All that matters to him is that I am his human, and the joy with which he greets me at the door, flews all aflutter, and toenails skittering across the floor in his ritual dance of hello lets me know that I am home, and all is well. For to the world I may be only a single person. But to this bulldog, I am the world.

The ancient Romans believed that a great she-wolf (a lupus) suckled Romulus and Remus in her cave-den, the Lupercal, along with her own pups. True or not, her gentler great-grand-pups and we humans have been mutually caring for one another long enough for us to know that something of the best within us emerges in the company of the single species on earth who will be faithful to us to the last beat of their hearts.

Pagan Roman priests, the Luperci, and the Christian bishops who succeeded them argued theology to a fault, as the petty wrangling over the festival of the she-wolf, the Lupercalia, and the Feast of Saint Valentine demonstrates. Which was the correct god of the Lupercalia: Faunus or Inuus, Mars, Juno, or Bacchus? What rendition of the Holy Trinity proved orthodox enough to consecrate Valentine's martyrdom and make him a bona fide saint? But the dogs of then and now, Winston's kindred, fetched love away from abstraction and made acts of love obvious in each generation until this very Saint Valentine's Day. For us humans willing to learn from our dogs, it was never the finer points of dogma that counted a biscuit--the celebration of love and companionship is all that ever counts in life: canine, human, and divine.

So, do dogs have souls? When they die, do all dogs go to heaven, as the animated film of the same name suggests? I may remain agnostic about the obscure points of such a theology, but I am not undecided that, as St. Francis of Assisi prayed, all our pets manifest the beauty of creation and the holy joys of lives wholeheartedly lived. Prepare your best Saint Valentine's Day cards for them, then: our pets are our sisters and our brothers, and they call us to be better people and better stewards of creation than we are now.

Winston sighs as he nestles at my feet while I write. He looks up at me with his harlequin face, half white and half black, the yen and the yang in fur and wrinkles and underbite. Theologically, I wish I had something "profound" with which to conclude this post. All I can manage is a cliché I cannot better no matter how I try. In my life, I only wish I could be half as good a person as my dog believes that I am. Happy Saint Valentine's Day, Winston, you soulful dog, to you all your kin!  

~http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/blackberry/p.html?id=2667424

Cape Cod Catch-up #5

Sunday Morning Showers - of the BEST kind. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a GREAT place for rinsing off beach sand or enjoying a wonderful Sunday Morning. In the second shot, you can see the bench seat and a part of the sliding door. Third is the view from inside looking up. I couldn't get low enough to capture the real height of the trees. The last shot is what you see from inside if you don't close the doors... 

This is one of Bearly's favorite hang-outs. The full-size screen door lets him keep an eye out for Dave coming home. He lines up toys there, too. Too Cute!

 

 

 

 

 

Just one of several garden areas around a nice little shopping area. There are fountains and benches and gardens everywhere. Beautiful. AND there was The Cook's Store (among others)! Fun!
Don't want to shop, or get tired while..? ...enjoy a latte or lunch at a little sidewalk shop. I'm sorry I didn't take more photos... Next Time! :)

I love these little guys. If I get a chance, I'll go back and take shots of one of them in place in the garden.

And the next time we come up here it will be with our own wheels...tons of stuff I'd like to bring home.

 

Well, we'll be off for our morning walk in a few minutes. Bearly's ready for his first time out at about 5:30 here...hope that doesn't translate to 3:30 when we get back home!! The mid-morning walk will be around the neighborhood - don't know how long in miles - can make it anything you want in time 15 minutes - 2 hours... Bearly's getting stronger and his socialization skills, while always good, have skyrocketed.Such a charmer. And yes, I'm biased; sure me! hahahaha

If you've never been to this part of the world, you really must plan a trip. It is unlike anything I have seen.

So, TTFN; check back tomorrow.

Cape Cod Catch-up #4 Bearly on the Beach

This is another multi-day catch-up...it's not that we're doing all that much; it's just that the computer loses out to so many more pleasant things. :)

 

This is about 2 minutes of Bearly's first day of real exploring on the beach here in Sandwich.
Yeah, I know...some things only really interest a mom. :)
It was cloudy and a little windy - all that we got of the storms that hit Boston and that area. Video was taken on Friday, the 20th. I only know that because the computer knows.

We stayed out a couple of hours or more and walked maybe a mile or more eastward down the beach. He seemed fascinated with all the smells; LOVED seaweed; and was not interested in getting wet. So much for the Life Jacket we brought.

Then, yesterday, Joel and I loaded up the golf cart, motored about 2 blocks out to the beach and spent the day. Even Bearly went for part of it. This was a sit still, enjoy the sun, an just veg out day. Wonderful.

Our home away from the home away from home! Yes, it's a bit like George Carlin's take on "my stuff".

Bearly soaking up rays!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was just a wonderful day. When we got there we were 3 among a few; when we left about 4:00 the beach was loaded with teens, 20 somethings, families and some of the cutest kids you ever saw.

Here is just one.  That was on Friday the 20th... who really knows if I have the dates right. I do have one more thing to tell you about though: the after-dinner-hour that night... But you'll just have to wait for it. We're off on a drive to see more sights.

Cape Cod Catch-up #3

No more waiting for a week; there is just too much going on.

Yesterday Joel and Bearly and I took a ride around a part of the Cape from Sandwich to Chatham and a few points in between.

We stopped for ice cream, but my clever attempt at an 'arty' photo failed miserably, to you get this chopped up version. I went for Lobster Tracks, of course. My honey had just plain ol' Black Raspberry. We were both Happy!

 

The very nice man at the counter offered Bearly a tiny bit of vanilla soft-serve. And yes, I know he's not supposed to have it, but really, it was just a teaspoon.. and he was Happy!

 

 

I loved this concrete foot print set among the bricks on the patio.

 

This is the place, but we can't remember the name of exactly where we were! Funky little hippy-type joint we'd go back to in a minute. If we figure it out, we'll tell...

 

 

This is in Chatham - amazing little town just crawling with tourists - The green building is the Cape Abilities Farm to Table shop. It's an organization where Jane volunteers and which is also partnered with the Centerville Pie Company. We also stopped for corn at the Farm in Dennis, but I forgot to take a photo...

This is the Chatham Lighthouse, a place with a rich history, as the whole Cape does.

 

 

 

 

 

Yep; we were there!

Behind me, the Beach!

 

 

 

 

Then we headed back west and our temporary home, the Dave & Jane 5 Star Resort! :)

Where they served up the freshest Lobsters I have ever had the pleasure to eat. You can imagine, this desert dweller doesn't even see whole lobsters, really. These were in the water yesterday morning, and in my belly last night!

Here is Dave showing us how to get into the critters. Ah...sweet and succulent and served with the sweep Cape Abilitles corn. Ambrosia!

 

 

 

Stay tuned for the next adventures. ; )

Cape Cod Catch-up #1

Bearly traveled beautifully throughout the whole New Mexico to Massachusetts experience. He only used a tiny bit of the calming drug the vet recommended and managed the plane changes and altitude changes, etc. beautifully. He met our host family as if he were ambassador for the whole canine kingdom. I'm one proud Mama, you betcha! He's definitely aware he's not home, but he's taking things in stride very well.

Yesterday afternoon we were included in a block party to celebrate the Grand Centennial for Janet, a neighbor. I have never lived in a place where this sort of event could/would take place. Very impressive!

There was a great little band playing smooth jazz and old standards. Wonderful!

I may have to get a tattoo! the bass player was sporting a bass clef symbol in his picking arm...and playing like I want to. Guess I'm gonna have to get back there! Practice, practice, practice.

What a treat, and what a gorgeous setting!

 

 

 

We arrived in Providence about 5 ish and drove less than an hour to E. Sandwich. After dinner, we made a quick run to the beach (2 blocks away) to catch the first sunset of our trip. We've been to a marina for a great seafood lunch yesterday, and will probably do a whale-watching day cruise from here. Can't wait for that! I've never seen a whale in real life!

The household is awake and moving now. Kids will be off to camp in less than an hour. Time to put the computer away and begin to think of breakfast. yum.

later

 

Puppy Update and new Photos!

Bearly was 6 months old on the 3rd. We celebrated with a trip to Sonic and about 1 tsp. of vanilla ice cream...he got that; we ate the rest!

I see that I have not posted here since his very early days. I am happy to say that he was a Star in puppy school. Janet, the lead trainer, fell in love with him. Maybe because he looked like a toy version of her Dobermanns.

In puppy school, he mostly socialized with other dogs and people and learned how to resolve 'stuff' with other pups on his own. We parents were encouraged to let them work it out, and they certainly did. Bearly is not afraid of any dogs, is eager to meet them (regardless of size), and absolutely knows when to show submission. Mommy is very proud!

 And he also had a little experience on various agility equipment. Fearless he is! In this shot, we're approaching the tire jump (about 6" high for him). He also learned the A-frame, the hurdles, the tunnel - both open & closed, and the plank. Very smart young man if I do say so, myself.

 

 

We added a car seat and a chest carrier to our load of accessories, and he now goes with us LOTS of places. He loves to travel. When we're heading to the car, we have to be careful that he does not leap from our arms into His seat. And we love it, too. He is high enough to see out, and he gets hooked in with a clip on his halter so he stays safe. No puppies in the driver's lap for us!!

 

 

He also has his first plane ticket already. We're all going to Cape Cod later in the summer. His life vest has been ordered and is on the way. I think he will get the biggest suitcase! What a load of stuff to tote and remember. And yes, it costs $75 to take a pup as your carry-on. :)

I'm so thankful to Dog Jaunt and DryFur  for checklists and tips on how to travel with a small dog. We'll have fun reporting back and showing photos.

As for my former angst, it continues but has lessened considerably.
Bearly has matriculated from puppy school and is now in official Obedience School.
Again, he is the smallest dog in class. As of his check-up Tuesday, he weighed 4.9 lbs.

We're not trying for 100% on the 'heel' command. The only leash walk he takes is his own twice daily 1/2 mile for sniffing and exploring the neighborhood, and he gets to choose the pace and direction for that. We DO want, though, a very reliable 'come' and 'stay' for both sits and downs. He is up to 17 seconds on the 'sit-stay', and 23 seconds on the 'down stay'. Good Boy!

AND, he can fetch, sit, down, up, and piroette! Our house is very open, so he gets a romp of about 25 feet with each 'fetch' and he loves that; does many each day.

Our backuard has been changed from xeriscaped rocks to lovely soft green grass for this little guy. It has been quite a transition.

 

I can hardly believe how hard we worked on this rock yard just a couple of years ago, only to tear it all out...

 

 

...for this little guy.

It's still a little patchy but is well on its way to gorgeous. Yea Joel! She has done most of this transformation with help from our two favorite strong guys: Jeremy and Manuel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are just too many darling photos... 
these, from left to right show Bearly at my brother's house, with Toby at my sister's house, with dear friend at our house, and a headshot my sis took in our backyard.

Just who is training whom?

I’ve always thought of it as ‘getting crazy’… but maybe it’s the real part, the who of I am…

The Bearly thing has been quite the experience, and I recently got it – really got it – about the duration and weight of it.

I’m hyper-vigilant, and not a soul can do it right, not even (or especially) me.

I am a leader to a great extent. Can’t wait for puppy-mommy school!

 

Anyway, as I prepare for this massage, I just noticed that this IS mothering. It IS of great duration. He could easily, perhaps, outlive us both.

And Bearly is a tiny puppy – three months old; we’ve had him in our house one month. Only 15+years to go.

And I get to go thru this.
OCD shit is up, bigtime.

Control, ditto

And self-judgment –AND judgment of everyone else.
Poor Joel…I know it feels personal to her and I piss her off (preferable) or hurt her (not good at all!).
It ain’t them, it’s totally me.

And I can choose to ‘get it’ which may be painful periodically.
Or I can do the usual – be frantic and frenetic and obsessed and.. blah, blah,..

I think I’ll choose to notice & experience the weight, because this is BIG

A LIVE ENTITY DEPENDS ON ME TO SURVIVE, AND HOW HE MANIFESTS HIS ‘DOGDOM’ IN THE WORLD WILL BE IS BEING SHAPED BY ME.

(not discounting Joel...I just can't comment on her experience, though it is clear she is more relaxed with him than I.)

But I think I can wear it differently. As an opportunity and an honor rather than a ‘burden’, as Joel calls it; just overwhelming responsibility and fear of failure in my egoic mind.
This could be/is becoming a big deal for me on very many different, and some exciting levels.

Help, thou, my unbelief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wrote that on Tuesday - now it's Thursday.   Jim (gently) called me out on using the 'getting crazy' phrase in TC class last night. He's right, of course. If I think of myself as getting crazy, then that is exactly what I will do.
Not a glorious feeling...and I felt, for just a moment, like I did in the early days of this class when I was so willing to be wounded by words.
I can Thankfully say that is no longer true. At that point in class, and one other during a closing relaxation meditation, I walked, consciously, thru another emotional reaction to my seeming inability to relax anything, let alone my whole body. And for now, a still mind seems not to be in the cards at all. It was interesting to walk thru those old feelings with some degree of consciousness. Interesting, and satisfying and encouraging.

And I do know that on some levels this is just a new puppy and all is well. LOTS of people are successful at raising puppies. No reason I can't be successful, too. he's a Chihuahua/Yorkie mix and has an energy that is at times amazingly frenetic. Some of that is breed-related. Some of it is probably reflections of me.

For this woman, our new 2 1/2 lb Chorkie, Bearly, is here to teach me. I feel like I'm failing miserably. I know that is not really true.  I also know I can 'mother' a puppy well. The trick for me is to do so without hooking all my 'issues', as it were. And it is clear that I'm going to learn this shit stuff by getting hooked, then getting as conscious as possible as quickly as possible. And meanwhile... breathing seems like a good idea; I forget frequently.

We're going to puppy school for the first time on Saturday. No, not for him; he's got this puppy thing down perfectly. Class will teach us, the new parents. I'm SO ready for some specific direction. The books just aren't the same thing.

In case you haven't met him on Facebook, here is the little cutie:

 

 

 

Stay tuned for further developments. :)