Kristina's Kristmas Miracle

'Twas the day before I was to board a Denver-bound plane for the Holidays, and nothing but confusion was stirring, as to whether or not I would bring my service-pup-in-training, six month old Kristina, home with me.

As her sole trainer since she was four weeks old, I so badly wanted to provide her with this growth experience. But for many reasons, namely that her presence around my Dad's pets would likely cause more stress than not, I intuitively felt like it wouldn't be the best idea.

Conflicted and frustrated, I had turned all possible scenarios over and over in my mind; and ultimately - by the day before my departure - had determined that I should probably leave her behind. Though I was decided, I certainly was not resolved. I knew what I needed to do, but it made me sad - and worried that I would feel regret and/or guilt - to have to do it.

So, for our last day together, I took Kristina to Spring Lake for some quality outdoor time. At the end of our long walk/jog, we sat on a bench alongside the trail to breathe in the beauty of the afternoon and watch from a distance as the ducks splashed in the lake. Within a few minutes, a lovely couple walked by with their eight year old golden lab, Kobe, who had the sweet, gentle eyes of an old soul, and jingle bells around his collar. With the dogs as common ground, we struck up a conversation that quickly morphed into an excited exchange of magical possibilities.

The couple were Kat and Sandrew, who, by the synchronistic powers of fate, happen to know Bonnie Bergin, and have in fact raised puppies for CCI - Canine Companions for Independence. Not only were they already versed in service dog training vernacular, but it also turns out that Kat is an animal advocate in heart, soul and practice! She runs a nationwide animal rescue database, and for so many other reasons, struck me immediately as someone in whose care I would feel more than comfortable leaving Kristina.

Throwing the caution that generally accompanies "random meetings of strangers" to the wind, I told Kat and Sandrew my story. I poured forth my dilemma, and - intuitively feeling like it might actually interest them - asked if they might consider fostering Kristina for the next two weeks.

At the mention of the idea, we all marveled at the notion that it just might work, and predicted that a "Christmas Miracle" just may be unfolding. For the next 30 minutes, Kat and Sandrew took turns with Kristina's leash, walking her up and down the trail, having her interact with their dog, and thinking aloud as they began pondering a big decision of their own. At one point, two women passed us coming the opposite direction on the trail, and all three of us heard one of them say, in no discernible context, something about a "Christmas Miracle". As we had just used those exact words in reference to the dog, this was uncanny, and a very "meaningful coincidence". I think for all of us, this kind of "sealed the deal". We said our goodbyes, and my new friends told me they would let Lauren at the school know by later that afternoon what they had decided.

Before I had even made it home, Lauren called and told me she had spoken with Kat, and that she would be taking Kristina to their house the following morning (to meet the couple and, if all went well, drop the puppy off with them).

Kristina and I spent our last night together, happy and snuggling in front of the Christmas tree. Relieved, and elated that she would be having an adventure all her own, I dropped Kristina off at the school on my way to the airport the next morning. I took off for Denver knowing that this amazing puppy would indeed have a growth experience, and would be in the hands of two loving, highly capable people...and their golden boy Kobe!

I also felt so thankful that I could spend my vacation relaxing, enjoying a break from training, and getting the very most out of time spent with my human, canine and feline family members at home in Colorado.

Kat and Sandrew, I can't thank you enough. What a GIFT it was to meet you that day in the park, and to know you now. God and Dog Bless, and Merry Christmas!

Kristina and Kobe on Kristmas Morning :)

MacDuff & Bianca

E-MOTiON. iN-MOTiON.

A great healing revolution is underway in the universe. Healing energy is available to every single one of us IN ABUNDANCE. All we must do to utilize its power is understand that it is there, and choose to tap into it.

There are mediums through which healing can be expedited, and catapult us to worlds more empowering and beautiful than any we've known. Specifically, I am referring here to the bond between Human and Dog. When connected by the common goal of health and balance, both can reach our inherent God-given greatness.

People who know and love dogs, and who have had dogs save them in one form or another (literally or metaphorically; physically or spiritually), understand that dogs' energy has inherent healing potential within it. But that potential energy can only become kinetic energy, when we SET OUR DOGS IN MOTION.

Dogs thrive on movement, and on work. They need sufficient outlets for their multitudes of energy. We (people) thrive on the same things, whether we realize we do or not. There is a misconception that 'walking the dog' is a rather mundane, even meaningless task. But overlooking the potential that lies subtly hidden in the leash, we miss out on the opportunity to tap into something profound, and highly productive on many levels.

The act is simple, yes. But meaningless? Hardly. Without the primal activity of the breath, enlightenment through meditation wouldnt be possible. Much like without the simple act of walking our dogs, we cannot reach the expanded potential of the human-dog bond.

When we fulfill our dogs - heal them, save them them from the weight and boredom of immobility - our primal needs are fulfilled simultaneously. While it's true that the simple act of walking can't solve every problem, it is true that even a few breaths of fresh air and a quick spin around the block can change our perspective for the better, and point us in the right direction: FORWARD.

That said, imagine how powerful movement can be when done CONSCIOUSLY, with the goal of healing in mind! In this regard, movement of our bodies can restructure the foundation of our minds and thoughts. Science has proven that our brains are malleable, and that our choices and actions actually contribute to its pliable formation over time. We also now know that exercising the body, forcing every organ in our bodies to do what they were divinely created to do, which is WORK,  our brain chemistry changes, and we feel endorphin-motivated rushes of potent positivity. We get physically stronger, healthier, stocked with greater stores of good energy. Because of this, we are rightfully proud of ourselves, and are empowered by that feeling. Positivity and forward movement become our new, self-made, self-perpetuating reality.

When we pick up our dog's leash and hit the sidewalk or trail, we make the choice to do something healthy, for both ourselves and our pets. We've taken the initiative to rise above that voice - master of excuses that it can be - inside our heads, that tells us to sit still.

I am a dog walker and general, all-around, friend to your dogs. But there is a lot more to what I do than simply walking dogs. Because my own relationship with dogs has had such a profound impact on my life, specifically while healing through the profound grief of losing my Mom to liver disease, my work has a higher purpose.

Someday I will have a facility that is part shelter for homeless and abused animals, part physical therapy and rehab center. This means there will be treadmills, swimming pools with resistance currents, agility courses and other activities designed to help dogs thrive, and grow into their full potential. There will be a sort of occupational therapy program, by which both physically and mentally challenged individuals, those recovering from loss and suffering from PTSD, people struggling with depression, anxiety addiction and/or grief, can come to get strong in a space of emotional honesty and physical empowerment. Even court-appointed dog fighters, whose rehabilitation will depend on their efforts to help heal the very animals they've hurt, will have the opportunity to grow and heal here. By reversing the life of aggression they've forced on innocent animals who had no choice in the matter, their own inner child will be restored to its vulnerable state.

Dogs have a way of bringing us to that place of trust, in which we become more open to feeling, even where we have built walls thicker than brick. But through a program wherein people are healing dogs and themselves, they will find those walls of mistrust, violence and anger crumbling.

When we fulfill our responsibility to the dogs in our lives, by fulfilling them on (as my hero, Cesar Millan says) the levels of animal AND dog first, what we gain in return is a state of being enriched with greater Love, Health and Happiness.

Night Runs In The Rain...

...are always an adventure!

Ready to Fly!

Well, the dog switch went a lot better than I thought it would. Or, I should say, I did better with it than I thought I might. For the first ten to fifteen minutes after I first handed Chew over to Sam, he cried and moaned and whimpered, and looked over at me as if to say, “Why have you forsaken me?” This broke my heart into a thousand pieces. But then, Sam gave Chew some freeze-dried liver, and he pretty much forgot I was in the room. What a relief! Instead of feeling “sore” that he was then completely attentive to Sam, I was very thankful that he seemed comfortable with her, and that he wasn’t upset anymore.

That afternoon, the four of us with graduating dogs worked on behaviors in the training room (off-leash). I was so proud of Chew. Watching him do exactly what he was asked, following Sam’s instructions and being the mature, focused assistance dog he has grown up to be. He is definitely ready to branch out of school, and start his real career as a helpmate to someone who needs him.

In the meantime, I was paired with Daisy, who is as sweet and wonderful and loving as can be. She also turned out to be a great running partner, which was AWESOME!

Today is Sunday, and this is Chew’s and my last few days together. Last night, we snuggled up on the couch with a new afghan my friend made me for Christmas, rain pouring down outside, Christmas tree lighting up the living room like a rainbow, with bowl of popcorn to share, and watched the movie Winged Migration. Chew’s puppy parents had told me that this was Chew’s “favorite movie”, which I took with a grain of salt until I saw how he WATCHED it: with fascination and wonder and complete attention to every move and sound.

In HD, the flocks of migrating birds practically flew from the screen with ultra-vibrant realism. Not only is this documentary Chew’s favorite movie, (and one of mine), it is also the last movie my Mom and I ever watched together. On the evening before our joint liver transplant in June of 2004, we snuggled together on Mom’s futon, holding hands and preparing ourselves to embark on the profound journey of this surgery together. The Narrator’s first line in the movie is “The story of bird migration is the story of promise…a promise to return.” This New Year’s Eve, it will have been eight years since my Mom passed away. And while she hasn’t returned – and won’t ever return – to earth physically, she most certainly returns in moments, so strongly and with such vibrant realism that her flight into the present is entirely undeniable. Such was the case last night, as her love filled the room, enveloped me and Chew, blessed the journey he and I have shared…and also the new respective journeys which Chew and I will begin this week at Client Training. I couldn’t be prouder of Chew, or of the progress we’ve made together. And I am ready to LET HIM FLY!

What Happens When...

...You add One Rainy-Morning-Turned-To-Sunny-Afternoon + Barefoot Shoes + The Lifeproof iPhone Case + A Healthy Level of Fitness + The Adventurous Spirits of a Human and her Canine Companion?

By The Foot

Our feet root us to the living earth. They move us across it and through our lives. Every organ and bodily system and all biological circuitry meet up in the feet. Our feet connect us to our world, and to each other. You can feel your heartbeat in your feet! Feet allow us to dance. And the best, most sensitive and alive, strongest and most primally charged feet...are bare feet. Bare feet are our animal feet. Bare feet are our human paws.

BiG, HAPPY, HEALTHY PUPPiES!

Kristina, My Sweet

Kristina, King and Keith go after Chew :)

Brian and King

This is what I see when Kristina comes to
greet me from across the field. I am one lucky girl!

My two loves, Chew and Kristina