So we had a bit of a tough day yesterday, and I woke up after having a bit of sleep feeling like a crappy dog parent. And I totally get if that makes you roll your eyes- I probably would too- but being a guardian for this creature is teaching me more about being human than I could have possibly known beforehand. She was being a wild gremlin yesterday, I think because she was both overstimulated by the world (I mean, she is 10 weeks old, and the world is a lot) plus growing. But I didn’t really appreciate that at the time… I was much less patient than I wanted to be, and didn’t do a great job at training her positive behavior, I just said a lot of sharp no’s and had some very stern conversations, of which she obviously understood none of. The time-out, she definitely deserved, though. Anyways, I guess mainly I am annoyed that I was trying to do too many things, and gave her the short end of the stick. And I’m sharing this with you because I don’t want to give off the impression that I’m some effortless dog parent who has this angel pup and has it all figured out. Ha. Nope. I am trying to learn how to make mistakes better, working on learning from them instead of being ashamed or defensive. She is magical and the joy she brings is like, absurd, I mean, just watching her run after a frisbee gives me nothing short of sheer delight, and I’m the kind of person that has always wondered how anyone could find playing frisbee even remotely interesting… she is enriching my life hugely but she’s also challenging me on many levels and sometimes it’s hard, and humbling. This morning, I am trying to slow down with her, taking more time, breathing more, being more present, and also keeping a bag of treats in my pocket… it is such a better day already… although it’s only 9 am, and there’s a whole lotta day left… 😬wish me luck! ❤️
