The Effort and The Outcome

I decided a few weeks ago to take this day off from work today. This was the day that I had scheduled Charlie to take the Therapy Dog test. I planned to keep everything low-key so as to keep Charlie's energy level at a nice quiet range.It has been a day that has been not as I had anticipated it should be. I had taken the day off to refresh and prepare Charlie for the test. But the day started out a little different than I had imagined.

I had planned on waking up leisurely this morning, maybe stay in bed and listen to the news, read a little from a book I started and you know... just lounge somewhat before starting the day. But that was not to be. I woke up to an early phone call  at 6:35. Just one of those "good morning" ones from the spouse. The one that translated says, "I've been awake and at work for an hour, so you should be up also".

So up and at it at 7:00 am, I let the dogs out and began to get ready to face the day. From a distance I heard water running in the front of the house. When I went to check it, I found that ,once again, Charlie had turned on the faucet and water was running at a steady force all over the front yard. Not sure when he decided to fill up his water bucket by himself, but from  the looks of it, it must have been awhile. Sometimes I feel like I am so outsmarted by the Aussie.

I brought the other dogs in and when I called for Charlie, in he bounded, covered in mud. Not only was he covered in mud, but he had a not so aromatic scent about him. I am still uncertain where or what he rolled in, but he was as happy as a....let's say... smelly pig in mud.

Determining that I could not dry him and get the mud completely off, let alone the stench, I was left with having to give Charlie a bath. Time was ticking by and Charlie's fur is thick and long enough to know that it would not be dried out by test time which was 3 hours away. But into the tub he hopped and the process of bathing a furry 65 lb dog began. He thoroughly enjoyed the bath, but insisted on giving his body a shake every chance he could. Needless to say, I was completely saturated along with wet precariously smelling Charlie. He was quite impressed with the hair dryer that kept blowing warm air at him and his energy picked up.
Two hours had passed and Charlie was clean, somewhat sweet smelling and had fluffy fur sticking out. The Australian Shepherd version of an Afro.

I had planned on taking Charlie for a long quiet walk at the walking trail just before we left for the test, so as to refresh Charlie on a few things, such as don't pull on the lead and please, please no sniffing where you shouldn't. But alas, we needed to be in the car heading in the direction of the test. So I hustled Charlie to back by the field and told him to hurry up and "do it", meaning go to the bathroom so it doesn't happen, God forbid inside during the test. He complied and I got him loaded into the Jeep.

Memorial holiday, everyone getting off work, construction and the fact that I should have left earlier began to allow anxiety to creep in and I found myself feeling rushed, annoyed at the drivers ahead of me and nothing I could do to speed up the drive to the test. We got there with 5 minutes to spare.

We walked in, or should I say, Charlie bolted in pulling me behind him. Definitely an entrance that is not one that will convince people that you are with a passable Therapy Dog. In fact, some people with there beautiful dogs and designer leashes actually turned away from us and pulled their dogs closer to themselves, looking appalled.

I attempted to fill out the paper work, while all the while, Charlie was bound and determined to sniff at every dog within 6 1/2 feet of him (I had a 6 foot lead). Needless to say, my forms are less than desirable in the legibility department. I stood there handing over the check, wondering how much of a fool we would be making of ourselves


As soon as I finished the paperwork, it was our turn to be called out to the center of the ring where everyone now began watching with anticipation to see how foolish we would look. The tester explained what she expected and would call out each instruction. Charlie looked directly at me and it was then that I saw him switch into work mode. The lights were on and he was home. He completed each skill with such mastery that I only had to let him do the work and go through the paces. One of the final skills was to have 5 children run closely by him, screaming and jumping. This was the skill that would later cause several dogs to not pass, especially the herding dogs. Charlie sat there without a flinch as the kids went by him. Just another day for him as this is the constant motion of the household with the grand kids always running by.

Charlie performed without distraction, or unnecessary use of the leash by his frazzled handler (me). He passed not only the therapy dog test, but also the canine good citizen test. He is officially a therapy dog....in spite of all my plans to not cause stress to him or me today before the test. His being able to complete the task and skills is not a result of a one day refresher course that I had planned to throw in right before the test. Rather, it is the result of many hours of being together and learning who I am and what I am expecting of him. It has been a long-standing communication between us, both verbal and non-verbal.

Today let me be reminded that I need to spend consistent and plentiful time with my Master in order to know what is being asked of me. Let me hear audibly and  be still to quietly feel my Master's presence beside me.

                                                       Charlie the Therapy Dog

This Moment

I have been reminded lately by my dog,Charlie, about taking the time to live in the moment. Charlie and I spend an evening every week at dog (personally I think it is people) training class. For the past several months Charlie and I have gone to "school" to learn how to work as one unit in whatever we do together. In a few days, our togetherness is going to be put to the test as I have signed us up to take the Therapy Dog test.

This test consists of 10 different phases that the handler and dog are put through to prove them trustworthy to be in situations with vulnerable children or adults in various places, such as schools, nursing homes, prisons etc. Some of the things that will be required of us is to have Charlie walk beside me without pulling, be able to allow another person to groom him, be able to wait patiently with a stranger while I leave the room for 3-5 minutes. And finally the true test of Charlie's attention to me, his handler... being able to walk a circle around a bowl of fresh cooked chicken without paying the cooked chicken any attention.

As the test grows closer, I have found myself not too worried about whether we will pass or not. You see, Charlie lives in the moment. He knows the words and when they are spoken, he knows what he is supposed to do and most of the time he does just as he is told. He has made listening to me his job. He doesn't fret or worry about how well he is listening. He just takes my lead and whatever I am conveying to him down the leash and through my tone and body language, he will pick up and comply. So if I want him to succeed, I am the one who will need to work "in the moment". If I look behind at the times in the past that we weren't the well oiled, lean, mean dog training machine we could have been, I will surely fail with Charlie. If I look out into the future of "what ifs", I will not be able enjoy the moment with Charlie during the test. Right now, right here....that is the moment I choose to live in.

As I go through my day, let me see what is right before my eyes. Allow me to see the beauty of each and every moment. Keep my focus on the here and now, without looking too far ahead or too far behind. Let me live in life's moment.

The Hay Wagon

Most days when it is nice out, I take the dogs out to the back field for a free run. It is a time when they can take off chasing each other, snoop around at all the new gopher holes or just walk out to the open field together as a pack.

About halfway out in the field is a hay wagon that has been parked alongside the property line for the past several years. It is a rather large wagon and is about 3 feet high off the ground. It is a perfect "perch" to sit and watch as the dogs romp around. A wonderful quiet spot for time away.

Each time we go out to the field, Charlie and Makwa will run on ahead sniffing and chasing one another, while Tanner and Belle will stay a little closer to me. Tanner is no longer able to keep up as he could in his younger days and does everything in his power to maintain a slow and steady pace. Belle enjoys the security of being close to her human and will not veer too far from her focal point. All four dogs are at various places in the field as we trek out there together.

It always amazes me that when Charlie and Makwa arrive at the hay wagon, they will stop running and hop up on the wagon and sit together side by side. There they will wait (rather patiently, I must add) for the rest of the pack to catch up. When we catch up to them, the two of them will be waiting for me to give them a round of scruffing and praise for how good they were to wait for us. Then it is off to the back field like two canines hot on a trail of who knows what. On our way in from the field, they will stop by the wagon once again.

I am grateful for the reminders I receive from Charlie and Makwa. As I charge through my day, I need to stop at the hay wagon and regroup, waiting for my Master to come alongside me and give me direction and guidance on the journey into the big field.

Come to Me

I have been working with Charlie the past few weeks on looking at me when he is called and then going in the direction I signal to him. A few weeks ago, I had all but given up on my A.D.D. dog. I usually take him for a long walk up the dirt road on a leash, heeling at my side. We have been training consistently together on different aspects of the human-dog relationship.

Things have been going very well. Charlie has heeled on a leash, sits, downs, stays and does all the things he is supposed to do as an obedient dog. Except for that one very important thing.....looking at me when called and coming to me when asked. I think Spring probably got the best of him a few weeks ago and,without fail, when let off the leash Charlie would walk perfect for 30 seconds and then take off like a speeding bullet into the woods. Calling him, no actually yelling for him to come, was pointless. He was hot on a trail of whatever scent he got wind of in the woods. About 20 minutes after his take off, Charlie would return, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, trotting home, fully focused on me. Needless to say, this was not the way I wanted to end our evening walks. So I got to thinking......I need to get this dog's attention before he winds up hurt by a car (or me because he was getting me riled by not listening).

So off I went to the store, I got an electronic collar that will cover 1/2 mile of space between me and Charlie. Let me explain what an e-collar does. It assists in training a dog by giving either a vibration or a small shock to the dog's neck to get their attention. It is not used as a punishment, but rather an extension of the trainer. When used properly, the e-collar will get the dog's attention and cause the dog to focus on what is being asked of him. Charlie already understands the use of e-collars as he lives in a yard that uses underground dog fencing. If too close to the boundary a beep sounds and then a slight shock is given if he keeps going and challenges to cross over the boundary.

It took all of about 5 minutes to get Charlie to understand that when called (along with a vibration) he needs to stop, look at me and then come when called. Each day we go to the 300 acre fields around us and practice. Charlie is allowed to run as much as he would like, but when I call out his name he stops and looks at me for direction. I no longer need to use the e-collar, he just understands to put his focus on me. Good job, Charlie.

Help me to remember to focus on my Master when my name is called, even when I have strayed a great distance. Allow me to daily look for direction from my Creator and do what is being asked.In other words, let me respond willingly before the shock is needed.

Things Will Grow If You Give It Time

A few days ago, it was finally a Spring day instead of blustery winter winds and snow showers.There was actually a hint of warmth in the air and the smell of the field nearby having just been turned over and smoothed out with a disk making it ready to be planted with corn or soybeans. It was just too good to be true...a time to get into the garden and start tilling and planting. I enjoy planting time more than any other phase in gardening. I am not sure why, as it is backbreaking and tedious to take massive amounts of dirt and turn it over with a shovel, rake it smooth and then crouch down and put miniscule seeds into the ground. And all the while wondering if it really truly is going to stay warm and not freeze everything out.

As I stood by the kitchen counter cutting up fruit for Lidiya, my 5 year old grand-daughter, I decided that just maybe this could be that one thing that we could do together to make some memories and spend some 1 on 1 time together. Having 11 grand-kids this is an enormous challenge to try and find special time with each one. I remember time with my grandma and how special I always felt when she gave me her undivided attention. I want to give each of my grand-kids that gift of being special. Lidiya went and got her nice clean tennis shoes on and met me out in the garden ready to "make vegetables".

We spent much time breaking up the soil and smoothing it. Each time we got it smoothed and ready to plant, Lidiya managed to walk through it to pick something up and it was compacted once again. After the 4th or 5th time, she finally remembered to only walk where grandma's feet go. Next it was on to poking holes in the ground and dropping the seeds in the ground. Watching Lidiya with all the intensity and concentration she could produce was amazing. One by one her little hands took each small seed and gently placed it in the tiny hole she had made to accept it. Then ever so carefully she would cover it and tell the seed to "grow tall" just like grandma had shown her. I can only hope those seeds take Lidiya's advice and grow tall for her to see the fruits of her labor and the special time we shared together that day.

As I go through my day, remind me to take the time to carefully and lovingly sow the seeds I have been given. Let me pass on special memories to my children and grandchildren. Allow me to remember to walk in my Creator's footsteps so as not to trample down the soil where growth takes root. Today let me discover time to be 1 on 1 with the Master Gardener.

Mitakuye Oyasin (Lakota: We are All Related)

Yesterday was the first Saturday in May. This may not be a big deal to many, but in my family of origin, it is a day of remembering and honoring those in our family who have gone before us. It is a time when many of my family will make a trek North to the family cemetery up near the small town of Grey Eagle, Minnesota.

This is a tradition that has been passed on through the generations and hopefully will continue with my children and their children's children long after I am gone. The task consists of raking the cemetery grounds of at least a ton of downed pine needles from the massive white pines that stand reaching skyward. Each family takes an area near the family plots and rakes, gathers downed branches and hauls it all to the enormous pile at the other side of the property. It starts early in the morning and usually is completed by about noon, at which time there is a barbecue with many different foods that each one brings to share.

For as long as I can remember, cemetery clean-up day has been around. We have tried to pinpoint the exact number of years this has been going on and the best guess is....well....forever. Or at least 80+ years that my ancestors have taken the first Saturday in May to come to Bear Head Union Cemetery and clean. Since I was a baby, I have been brought to Bear Head to be with my relatives, both above and beneath the ground. Often times, I can rememebr standing by a gravesite and listening while one of my older relatives would tell a story about that family member. Since I have had my own children, we have made the journey back to Bear Head. And in the past few years, my children have begun to bring their children, with rakes in hand.

As the years have gone by, the number of relatives buried there have increased. There are great-grandparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and even one more generation buried at the old homestead on the hill nearby.  With all of the generations there, both above and beneath the ground there were 7 generations intertwined at the cemetery yesterday. The impact the ones who have gone before me have had and the impact the little ones standing beside me have had in my life is beyond what I can comprehend. I stood there looking out at the tombstones of my relatives, while holding the hand of a grandchild and became aware of the blessings that are passed on to each of us through the generations. Mitakuye Oyasin: we are all related.

As I go through my life, let me always be aware of the blessings that have been passed on to me from those that came before me. And allow me to pass those blessings on to those who will come after me. May I have the wisdom and guidance to rake away those things that will not be a blessing to those who will follow.

Little Dog

Belle is a mixture of a poodle and a Shitzu. She came to us when she was about 8 weeks old, weighing in at about 1 1/2 pounds. She has grown to be a whopping 11 pounds now and is about 6 years old. As little as Belle is, she is one tough dog. Belle has managed to maintain her position as Alpha dog amongst the 3 much larger dogs in our pack. With just a look and an assertive stance she can bring the Newfoundland, Makwa, to the ground and on her back...the ultimate submission position for a dog. Never is she mean or snappy when doing this to the bigger dogs. She just lets the other dogs know that she is their leader, and it doesn't matter that the other 3 dogs are 10 times her size.

When Belle is around her human pack, such as the grand-kids who range in age from 1 to 7, she no longer is the pack leader. She becomes the submissive one. She allows the kids to dress her up, carry her around, and yes even take her favorite chew stick out of her mouth. She understands her place in the pack, a leader to some and a follower to others. She understands that in order to be balanced in her life she needs to be able to do both depending on the situation.

As I go through  my day, let me understand submitting my life to my Pack Leader. Let me be able to get along with those around me; allow me to know when to lead and when to follow. Create in me the balance I need to make it through the day.