September 12, 2011

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Rubin

In Remembrance…

The past few weeks have given me pause. Two friends – Modoc on the left and Zoe on the right — are no longer with me and while I only saw them sporadically of late, they are always in my thoughts whenever we are out walking.

Modoc loved to play fetch and often, when Gretchen and I would wander over to the little field, we’d see him with a ball in his mouth hiding in the bushes. Yeah I know, it sounds kind of odd, but Modoc LOVED his ball and when he saw me coming he knew I’d try to “borrow” it so he’d wander into the bushes, lie down, and chew on the ball he didn’t want me to steal. (When he didn’t have a ball, we’d greet each other like normal dogs — wagging our tails and sniffing all the important places). I will always remember this about him and wherever he is now, I hope he is surrounded by multi-colored balls that get tossed over and over and over again in a huge green field surrounded by bushes in case he feels the need to take a rest.

Zoe loved life. Whenever we went to her house to pick her up, she’d bark and spin and race down the stairs announcing her joy all the way. No matter who we brought by to meet her or where we went on our walks, Zoe was happy — her big, black tail swaying her giddiness. My favorite memory of Zoe was that first walk. We picked her up, Zoe and I greeted and got along fabulously, and then I noticed that she had something on her head. “What’s that?” I asked her. “Paint,” she said proudly. “I helped my family paint their room! Don’t you just LOVE the color?” That was Zoe through and through — helpful, cheerful, and filled with enthusiasm.

Modoc and Zoe’s passing was painful for me and yes, it made me do all those things one does when they’ve lost friends and family — it made me reflect on the beauty of my life – my adventures, my family, and my friends.

In fact, all week the world looked more alive and every step I took, I took in honor of Zoe and Modoc. Every friend I saw, I appreciated more deeply and told them exactly how much they mean to me. And when we ended up at my grandparents’ house and I got to spend time on the beach with a new friend, I reveled in that as well. In other words, I did my best to live life to its fullest and each day I’m going to remind myself that that is exactly how Zoe and Modoc would have done it and that’s exactly how they’d want me to do it.

It was a full week and even though I was busy, Modoc and Zoe stayed at the forefront of my mind. I shared their losses with each of my friends. At the start of the week, it was Rosie and Tyson who didn’t ever have the chance to meet Zoe, but who knew Modoc since he’s a neighbor of theirs.

“That makes me very sad,” said Tyson, who if you didn’t already know, is a very sensitive guy. “He liked to play fetch as much as I do and he was so speedy and fast! I loved watching him run.”

“And that tail!” added Rosie. “I wish my tail curled like that!” As you can see, Modoc made quite an impression and so, while we stood at the lake’s edge, we thought of our lost friends and smiled.

On Tuesday, I got to help Rosie at the vet’s office. She goes in for cold laser therapy for her arthritic hips and back. I get to lie under a blanket and offer moral support while the warmth penetrates her aching joints. She appreciates my assistance and then we pile back into the car (after our walk) and head home.

“Do your joints feel better?” I ask her.

“Oh Rubin, you wouldn’t believe how much more fluid everything feels,” she reports. “You should give it a try sometime. It’s bringing life back into these old, tired bones of mine!”

And we’ve noticed as Rosie is more full of life and bounds around me as we go on our walks. It’s good to see her enjoying life and it makes me enjoy it all the more as well.

Monty knew Zoe and Modoc as well and when I told him of their passing, he was very sad. “Zoe was so cute and playful,” he said. “She was sunshine on a rainy day. And that Modoc, he loved to play as much as you do!”

“Well said, Monty!”

Monty and I took our friend Lulu for a walk on Wednesday and while we talked about our losses, Lulu smiled with glee because she could hang out with her two best friends. “Thanks for sharing this day with me,” she said.

“Any time, Lulu,” I said. Often, when you lose friends it makes you realize how important friends are and so I really meant it when I said to Lulu, “We should spend more time together.” She agreed with a big smile!

After our walk with Lulu Monty asked, “Can we see Rosie today?” Monty really likes Rosie and the feeling is pretty mutual.

“Sure,” I agreed. “Any special reason?”

“Well, I’d kind of like to tell her how wonderful she is because with Zoe, I was much too shy. And now that’s she no longer of this world, I wish I had.”

“I understand. And I know Rosie would love to share with you how much she loves you,” I said.

So off we went on a short walk with Rosie and found a place where we could smile our love for each other at the camera.

And when the time came, I gave them some privacy so they could share their inner most thoughts.

This week while sad and reflective was also more like August than September. The sun was out and really hot during the day, though the temperatures dropped 30 degrees in the evening, which made sleeping nice. Still, when I got home from work, I was beat — wiped out by the exercise and the heat. Good thing our house stays really cool.

On Thursday, I got to spend time Roux. She didn’t know either Zoe or Modoc, but she did her best to make me feel better by making me laugh. If there’s one thing Roux can do, she can make a fella laugh! And she and Lulu (who we also walked that day) reveled in their new friendship!

Rosie needed another cold laser treatment on Thursday so after my time with Roux and Lulu, Rosie and I headed back to the vet’s office and then we went for a nice walk in the neighborhood. She was pleased.

On Friday, I got to see Woobie — from afar. I had to stay in the car with Monty (we got a walk after) while Gretchen went into Woobie’s house, carried down the back stairs and let her in the backyard for a break.

And speaking of breaks…yep, Woobie broke her foot! Oh how Woobie wanted to go with us on our walk, but her activity is restricted and much to her disappointment, walks aren’t in her future for awhile. Still, as only Woobie can do, she stayed cheerful and was thrilled to see Gretchen, who broke the news to her about Zoe (and Modoc, though Woobie only knew Zoe). Woobie sent her condolences to the families and told Gretchen to give me a hug for her (which she did).

Get Well Soon, Woobie! I miss playing with you! (Oh and Woobie missed the squirrel climbing up her tree! Boy, she’s really not feeling 100%!)

And the week ended as it began…a walk with the siblings, Rosie and Tyson.

I was feeling like a pretty lucky fellow by then. “I have good friends, don’t I?” I said to Gretchen. She agreed and then, much to my surprise, she loaded me, all of our luggage, and Momma Ann into the car after her work at the pool and we drove through the night to Grandma and Grandpa’s house!

What a way to end a week! I love my grandparents very very much and was so happy we got to spend time with them this weekend. When you’ve experienced loss like I have, it’s great to let the arms of family love envelope you and that’s just what I did.

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Gretchen and I got up early Saturday morning and headed to the beach in Port Townsend (Momma Ann wanted to go, but she was knee deep in the first week of school teacher-work and so stayed back and was pampered by the grandparents).

Not only did I get to play on the beach, but I also got to meet a dear friend of Gretchen’s – David — and his 2 1/2 year old pup, Ruby. Ruby is a Northwest Farm Terrier and as you’ll see in the photos below, the Border Collie genes are very strong!

While I may have lost two friends this past week, I’ve gained a new one and in honor of Zoe and Modoc I will do my best to be a good friend to little Miss Ruby Tuesday!

Ruby, I should let you know, is not only good at herding, but she’s a talker! Still she’s adorable and I really enjoyed meeting both Ruby and her Dad. My only regret is that we didn’t get to spend more time together on the beach.

Even though Ruby and David had to part, our time on the beach didn’t end.

And for that I was eternally grateful…what a beautiful day it was and I love spending time with Gretchen alone on a wide open beach where the life of the world vibrated all around us!

We spent time search for interesting rocks (one I posed on) and playing fetch both in the sand and in the water. (I prefer the water fetch myself, but I have to say, that water is not only salty, it’s mighty, mighty cold!)

Still, life was all around us…oyster catchers and herons…

And time with my Momma G on one of my favorite beaches in the entire world!

We sure hope you have time to pause and reflect on the joys and loves in your life. Time is short and it’s important to spend each moment not only in appreciation for what you have in your life, but also who you spend your time with. I’m lucky to have known and to know such great people and dogs, but not to sound prejudice, it’s knowing the dogs that’s best of all.

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September 4, 2011

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Rubin

One Thing at a Time

Humans are hard to train. They’re stubborn, willful, and easily distracted. They have a hard time focusing on even the most simple requests and my dog, if you try to get them to complete one task WITHOUT attempting to do another, well, it’s nearly impossible.

I’ve been working on Gretchen for over four years now and still I hit my paw on my forehead on a daily basis. She is, I’m almost certain, the worst human I know when it comes to doing multiple things at once. Humans call it multi-tasking and they hold it up to the rest of the world as a virtue. You know, they can be on the phone at the same time they’re typing an email, at the same time they’re sorting through mail, at the same time they’re tying their shoes as they prepare to take their dog on a walk.

Gretchen can’t even brush her teeth without trying to do something else on the side – put out another roll of toilet paper, fold her laundry, or clean up around the sink. She is the Queen of Multi-tasking and frankly, I find it very annoying.

For instance, imagine being at the (closed) back door needing to go out. Without thumbs I’m pretty much dependent on my humans to know when it’s time to let me out. I stand patiently by the door not making a sound while Gretchen flies around the kitchen organizing grocery lists, putting away the detritus that’s accumulated on the kitchen island, and writing down more “to-dos” on her very long list. She knows I need to go out because she’ll say, “Just a sec, buddy,” and then continues on with her multiple tasks forgetting all about me seconds after she promised to let me out.

Duke demonstrating the art of stretching

I’ll shift my feet a bit next making a slight shuffling sound in hopes that she’ll remember that I need to go out. “Oh sorry, Rubin, I’ll be there in just a minute,” she’ll say and then the next thing I’ll notice is she’s emptying the dishwasher while paying the bills online and cleaning out the microwave.

My next request is vocal. It’s not loud, just a low moan from the bottom of my belly but it’s loud enough for her to hear. Still she’s primping the pillows at the chairs, thumbing through a cookbook to make something for dinner, and sorting through the pile of pens we seem to collect trying to figure out which ones work and which ones don’t.

Maybe I’m wrong about this, but I think dogs are far more Zen than humans could ever hope to be. We take pleasure in doing one thing at a time. We find enlightenment just sniffing the ground not letting ourselves get lost in the sounds of airplanes overhead or the feel of the earth on our pads. We sleep without worry. We eat with a singular focus. We enjoy the company of our friends. We track squirrels and rodents so intently we’re unable to hear even the sound of our own names.

Singular focus

I wish humans were more like this. Yes, to be frank, I wish Gretchen were more like this. I think she’d find an inner peace she’d never known before and that mind of her, the one that races ahead and contemplates all the options, might get a needed rest.

But how am I ever going to get her to listen to me when she is so easily distracted? I mean, sometimes I can’t even get her to let me out the back door!

Okay, I should be clear here…she eventually lets me out. I’ve never had an “accident” but there are days when my requests turn into protestations and frankly, I don’t think it needs to go to this extreme, do you?

She’s productive. I’ll give her that. She can get a lot done if given 5 minutes, but I worry about her level of stress, of always having to keep track of all the details of her life so much so that she forgets to take a deep breath or even

Roux focuses on relaxing.

let herself out to pee. (I know, I know…she doesn’t go outside to do this, but you know what I mean.)

So the other night, I sat her down and we had a talk. “Gretchen,” I said, “I think you need to learn to do one thing at a time.”

She was silent.

I went onto explain all my concerns — she forgets things because she’s doing too many things at once; she’s not relaxing completely; the house looks like a scattered mess; and most importantly, she forgets about me.

“I never forget about you,” she argued.

“Even when I’m at the back door wanting to go out?” I asked.

“I know you’re there, but I also know you like to just go outside and sit in the sun. It’s not always urgent.”

Tyson and Rosie focusing on treats!

“But that’s my point,” I explained. “Sometimes sitting in the sun — just stretching my curly body out in the warmth IS urgent. You need to try it sometime.”

“I agree,” she said, “But there are a lot of things that need to get done and sometimes lying in the sun is a waste of my time.”

This then is the precise reason why humans will never be dogs. Time cannot be wasted in our books. In fact, time is far more enjoyable if it’s taken one moment at a time. The joy of doing one thing and one thing only is lost on humans and to me, that’s a very sad fact.

But I’m not going to give up. I know that I’ve made progress with my humans (Gretchen in particular) and even the littlest headway is important growth. She’s a tough nut to crack, but with my dogged persistence, I know that eventually she’ll understand the deep, spiritual pleasure of living like a dog and mastering the skill of doing one thing at a time.

Until next time,

Rubin

PS: Here are more photos of our clients demonstrating the Zen of Singular Concentration

Duke came to stay for the weekend. We went on lots of walks and even spent one day hiking in the mountains!

I played with Roux one day, too. She’s really good at taking a moment and enjoying the shade!

I went swimming with Monty one day, too, and a small little poodle watched us intently from the shore.

Rosie and Tyson are masters of focusing…on Gretchen…who has the treats!

And poor Woobie. She fractured her foot so now her focus is on hobbling around with her pretty blue cast.

But you can see that she was happy we came by for a visit!

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August 18, 2011

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Rubin

Deconstructed

I try, sometimes, to deconstruct my life. You know, kind of dismantle all the big parts and spread all the little pieces out before me just to see if there’s anything especially insightful and curious, something I may have missed in the greater scheme of things. I did it this week as well. I think I was inspired by this guy –

–his name is Mike and he’s deconstructing our downstairs bathroom at the moment. I like Mike. He’s tall and funny and I like to follow him around because he pets me and consults me about all sorts of decisions he needs to make.

Anyway, our bathroom is torn apart. Yep. The walls are down, the toilet and bathtub are gone, and the floor boards are stripped down to the boards of the original house (built in 1901). It’s kind of scary. It’s surprising, after all the baths we’ve had in there, that none of us has fallen through the floor or that the bathtub didn’t crash through to the basement given the shape the floor was in.

But it’s also interesting, too. Mike found old vintage nails that had never been used stuck behind the walls. He showed us where previous owners had tried to extend the bathroom and did a crappy (excuse the pun) job and when everything is gone — the walls, the old hallway closet, the door, all of it — the space looks kind of big.

My favorite part of the whole thing though is this hallway door Mike put in. Gretchen calls it a “hallway condom” because it stops unwanted debris from getting into the office and kitchen, but I like to think of it as my own personal tunnel. Unfortunately, I always seem to be on the wrong side of the door and must whine and whimper so someone can unzip the door and let me through. Oh what I wouldn’t give for some opposable thumbs!

Anyway, all this deconstruction has gotten under my curls and this past week, I’ve done a bit of deconstructing myself.

No, I haven’t torn anything up (or down as it were), but I have taken apart my daily routines and learned a few things about myself.

First, I’ve learned that we’re all aging. Okay, that isn’t some big “wow” for most of you, but now that I’m 4 1/2 years old, it suddenly hit me that time is moving forward and the young, agile pup of my youth, is a bit more stiff and tired these days. And when I looked around, I realized that all my canine friends are older than I am.

Monty, my dearest friend (and the guy who’s been with me from day one) is going to be 9 years old this Christmas. Sure, that’ four months away, but still — NINE YEARS OLD? When did that happen? Often, when we’re out together, he turns to me now and says, “Hey buddy, can you slow down a bit?” or “Perhaps we should take a nap?”

At first I just told him to suck it up, but then I realized — “We can’t speed through life like we’re a year old anymore!” — and so I’m slowing down and soaking up the sun by the waterway, smelling the roses in the park, and taking as much time as I can to enjoy friends and family — canine and human.

See, it’s those little things that make you appreciate the big scope of your life, but unless you take time to deconstruct, you kind of miss all that “debris” which is really important stuff, if you know what I mean.

Other friends offered me insights in my deconstruction, too. Tyson, for instance. He’s slightly older than I am and normally he’s a super-serious guy, but this week we got to walk him without his sister (Rosie) because Rosie was having back pain. Not that Tyson doesn’t love his sister — he does and mightily — but Rosie’s a bit high strung and when she wasn’t with us, well, Tyson showed me a side of himself I had never seen.

He danced! Oh how I wish Gretchen had her camera out and that the lighting was right, but as Tyson and concluded our hour outing by walking through the tunnel, he slapped on this big old smile and started racing and galloping ahead. “Woo-hoo,” I screamed and the echoes of my excitement reverberated through the tunnel. Gretchen, who doesn’t run much these days, took off with us and we giggled and galloped in delight.

Deconstruction? Let the detritus of your protective, older brother persona take a break every once in awhile and underneath it all you might find a gleeful abandon on a bright sunny day!

Rosie, poor girl, still wanted to be her goofy self, but she was on strict bed rest and while we got to walk her before the back incident…and look what we found! Signs of fall fast approaching!

…we didn’t get to walk her for the rest of the week (not Tyson either as their family went out of town and the siblings went off to Mystic River Retreat).

But I got to see two unexpected friends and that’s the beauty of deconstruction — you never know what’s going to pop up next!

One morning, we picked up Monty, headed up over the big hill, and landed at Olive and Duke’s house!

From there we walked to the Bakery and then to the scary grated park (though I found a safe and happy place) and chatted about the view…

…made funny faces…

…and begged as best we could for nibbles of croissants from the humans.

I love those unexpected journeys.

I was hoping to go on another unexpected journey — to Woobie’s house where I could meet Skyler — but Gretchen decided I needed to rest and that Monty needed the company so we stayed home, supervised Mike’s continued work on the bathroom while Gretchen met up with Woobie and her buddy Skyler!

The week ended with another surprise — Duke was spending the weekend! I like Duke. He’s a good guy — very thoughtful and extremely talented. He can open cupboards and he can surf the counters. When he comes to stay, everything gets lifted up and I love to watch Duke “deconstruct” his plans as he tries to figure out how to get the bread (he LOVES bread the most) from the top cupboard 7 feet above his head.

And Duke can look like a tuning fork, which is pretty impressive!

Roux likes everyone and the other surprise of the day was an outing with the Wild Roux!

It’s a full life. If I look at it with a wide angle lens, I smile. But when I zoom in on all the parts, my heart skips and dances, sings and yodels. It’s a good life when whole. It’s a great life when deconstructed!

Until next week,

Rubin

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August 10, 2011

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Rubin

No Complaints

Well, summer has finally arrived. I know, I know for many of you it has arrived in spades (hot spades at that), but for those of us in the Pacific Northwest who have had to cope with cooler and wetter weather for most of the summer, the heat and dryness of this past few weeks have been quite a blessing. Of course, we’re not used to it in the least so it’s made for some slow going as dog walkers.

But I’ve decided I can’t complain anymore. That’s right…I’m giving up complaining. Or at least, I’m going to try to give up complaining. Why? Well, I’ve been inspired by this woman:

Diana Nyad. Do you know who she is? Have you been following her efforts?

Well, Ms. Nyad is a swimmer (among other things) and at 61 years old, she attempted to swim from Cuba to Key West – a 103 mile journey across shark-infested, stormy seas.

“Attempted” — that’s right, she didn’t make it. 30 hours into the swim she was blown 15 miles off course, was vomiting from persistent asthma and had injured her shoulder (just hours after she got into the water).

But still — that’s pretty darn inspirational, isn’t it? I mean, even if she were 21 years old, it would be phenomenal, but at 61 years old, to make such an attempt — to train for such an attempt — is phenomenal.

So every day that we’ve been out with our pals, with my paws warm on the ground and my tongue gasping for air in the summer heat, I think of Diana. Stroke after stroke she just kept going. When I get tired after two hours of walking I think, “Two hours ain’t nothing compared to 30 hours! Keep moving, buddy!” When my muscles are sore and tired, I sing songs (just like Diana) to keep me moving forward.

True, walking dogs for a living is nothing compared to swimming across an ocean. There aren’t any sharks. There aren’t any waves (unless I’m swimming, but I use the waves to bring me to shore!). There aren’t any rules about how I can’t touch the boat. There isn’t any salt water cutting into my skin. I get to sleep when I’m tired and my food doesn’t come in a squeeze tube.

Yep, I’ve got it pretty easy.

But I’ve been so inspired by Diana that I’ve told all of our clients about it (especially when they start to complain). They’ve been impressed, too.

Roux: I’m going to try to run for 30 hours, okay? You count the time Rubin, and I’ll run and run and run…oh wait, I need your help. Run with me. No wait. I’m not sure I can keep going. How long has it been? Three minutes? Are you sure? Wow. Okay. I give up. Whew!

Monty: I could probably do it if it were raining and the cars drove by and made that sound with their tires. I love that sound! Makes me go crazy wild! But then again, I think I’d rather just sit and smile at stuff. Preferably in the shade. Like this lion here. He’s got the right idea, don’t you think? Got any treats?

Rosie: Swimming? I used to never like it, but then I’ve been swimming with Gretchen at the pool and you know what? I’m pretty good at it. And ever since I’ve been swimming at Wellsprings K9, I’ve got a ton more energy. Maybe I should start training for a 103 mile swim. Wait. Would Gretchen swim next to me? That’s the only way I’d swim that far.

Tyson: Could I touch the bottom? I don’t go anywhere unless I can touch the bottom. And what’s a shark? Would I need to protect someone from a shark or would I like them? This is so confusing. I don’t know. I think I’d worry too much about it all. Maybe we should just do our daily walks. That sounds a bit more doable.

Woobie: Well, if some people wouldn’t pull me out of the water to constantly take my picture I could keep training because frankly, I COULD swim that far. Really. I LOVE to swim. Maybe I could meet Ms. Nyad and train with her for her next swim? I’m sure she’d like me. I’m very likable. Could I wear a swim cap though? I think that might help.

Rubin: I love to swim, too, but I think I’ll stick to my routine. And work really really hard on not complaining!

Congratulations Ms. Nyad! This is one puppy who is very very proud and inspired by you!

Rubin

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July 22, 2011

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Rubin

Some Kind of Crazy

I’m not just talking weather here, but the world seems a bit off its access, don’t you think? I shouldn’t complain because frankly I’d much rather do my job in 60 degree weather on an overcast day than 100 degrees and 95% humidity. And I’d much rather being doing my job — walking dogs — than trying to find a compromise in Washington DC. And I’d much rather be busy — going places, visiting friends, seeking out new adventures — than sitting at home watching the spiders build their webs.

But I’m just sayin’ — things feel a bit crazy of late.

We had a house visitor — a 13-year-old cousin from France — and I fell instantly in love. She helped me out in my work, but mostly she just kissed me on my head and I melted.

We took her to lots of places and she got to see Seattle in its wide range of weather conditions from rain and grayness t0 brilliant sunshine. I think she had a good time. Dog knows I did!

And then random craziness happened (Helena’s visit was planned craziness) like waking up one day from a brief mid-day nap (after I’d done my dog walking work) to hear a band play next door. Not like a radio blaring music, but an actual LIVE band playing what we affectionately called Mexican New Orleans Klezmer music. Not only was there music, but everyone was dancing as well. I looked to Gretchen for answers.

“It’s a going away party,” she said, “And they are celebrating.”

We tried dancing, but it was hard to take a photo of it =-)

The next day, we even ran into friends at the park with their two babies. Yes, that’s random and crazy and since I love babies (and Monty and Woobie do too) it was a wonderful kind of crazy if you ask me!

And amidst the crazy randomness of life, there was our normal routine…

…Rosie and Tyson on Monday and Friday…

…but even that was kind of crazy. Look at the right corner of this photo. Do you see the head of a bird? Well, that’s a swallow that decided to torment Rosie (and Gretchen who was trying to take a nice photo of the siblings with the city behind them). And torment it did!

Rosie was on the lookout for that pesky swallow, which made taking pictures rather difficult. Once we changed venues — away from the swallows — we did get a good photo though!

And the normal routine attempted to continue…we had…

…Rosie, and her bubble blowing abilities, every day of the week…

…Monty on Wednesday and Friday…

I know I look kind of grumpy in the photo on the left. That’s because whenever we stop to take a photo, I like to roll all over in the grass.

Gretchen makes me stop so she can set us up for the photo and that makes me kind of grumpy! Monty is never grumpy, though!

…Roux on Monday and Thursday…

And Woobie on Thursday…with Roux…

And just for good measure…Duke on Tuesday!

Okay, so I guess even my “normal” schedule is a bit crazy!

Still, I’d much rather be lost in my own kind of crazy in my own crazy, kooky city with it’s sad excuse for summer weather than melting in the global warming silliness of our political capital in Washington DC — or just about anywhere else in the country.

Have a great weekend and we’ll be back at the craziness next week!

Rubin

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July 15, 2011

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Rubin

Bad Dog

Summer is like this. Everyone wants a piece of me. The schedule is all thrown off. It’s crazy. First we must go visit these people, then we’re packing our bags and going over here, then I’m left with my Auntie Jessica because my moms are traveling out of town, then we have breakfast at this person’s house only to be followed by dentist appointments and visits to the ophthalmologist to get new prescription — a whirlwind of activity and when I pick my nose up from all the craziness, it’s the middle of July.

Whew.

Double whew.

And now, before another busy day of dog walking and helping Gretchen at the pool, I find myself tossing and turning, unable to sleep — my mind spinning with the detritus of summer. Of course, that’s when it hit me — I haven’t blogged in over two weeks.

What a bad dog I am.

Gretchen says I need to give myself a break. “Summer is always like this,” she says and while I know it’s true, I still feel bad for not keeping up. “It is what it is,” she tells me, “You do what you can.”

I understand all of that but I’m not really sure why life speeds up so much during the summer. Why is it that everyone wants to get together NOW? More importantly, why is that everyone can’t see that I am a creature of habit. I LOVE routine and when it gets interrupted, I get bent out of shape (like not sleeping). If I had my way, we’d do the same thing everyday with a small variation in our schedule every once in awhile — like a trip to see Grandma and Grandpa. Like an occasional excursion to our friends’ cabin by the river. Like a long hike on Sunday (after we sleep in).

But this constant change in our routine (and by constant I mean DAILY) is enough to make this Doodle wary and nervous…

…and sleep deprived.

And anxious…I mean, how am I supposed to explain all the day’s events in a blog when the time span of that blog is more than two weeks in length?

Gretchen is calling me from the living room right now (she can’t sleep either) — and she says, “You can’t! Just let it go. Do your best and then move on. Tomorrow will be better.”

When you can’t sleep though, tomorrow is today and ironically, today is tomorrow and still the blog is not finished.

“Now it is,” Gretchen calls again.

Well sort of, but I want to sift through photos and see if I can briefly share my life with those of you who seem to care about my curly little self in this swirling, busy world of mine.

So here it goes…a pictorial review…

Our week started out normally -- a walk with Rosie -- only it wasn't so normal since we started our week on a Wednesday.

The summer heated up quickly. We were all hot and it felt good. Roux decided to hang out on the chaise lounge to cool off.

Woobie stayed with us for a long time. It was great. She has a very calming effect on me.

...but Roux couldn't figure out how to get the sun on her belly.

Woobie was a house guest and so was Paige. I was a little worried about the crowded house.

...but everyone slept -- Woobie slept on my blanket...

...and Paige cuddled up to Ann and while it looks like she's sucking Ann's thumb, she's not.

Paige gets hot, though, so she moved to the other end of the couch and rested.

The next day we all hung out on the porch in the warmth of the summer sun.

Well, Woobie hung out in the shade.

Paige cooled off by rolling around in the grass.

I saw it as an invitation to play and play we did!

Usually we scare each other when we play, but not this time. This time we made silly faces at each other and wore each other out!

The next day I tried playing with Rosie how Paige played with me. Rosie got scared.

But later, in the shade of our backyard, Rosie decided to give playing a try!

But it got hot and so we took a water break.

Four friends at the museum

We took Tyson and Rosie for a walk in the summer heat and decided walking through the shady park was in order.

Monty got to play fetch. I had to rest.

Woobie could play fetch, but she rested too.

While playing fetch, Rico showed up and got silly.

And then we took a trip where everyone had goodies at Sweet Laurette's -- compliments of Woobie's parents! Thank you!!!!

We went for a walk in the woods on our vacation...

We hung out on our friends' deck in front of the flowers...

...and posed.

Well, some of us slept.

And then we went to the beach! I chased the gulls in a happy glee.

Woobie and I played like crazy dogs.

Crazy dogs!

And we watche the wildlife while we rested.

I didn't chase this guy. I know when I'm not supposed to chase things.

This is one of our favorite beaches and it did not disappoint.

There was a lot to look at on the beach.

All sorts of pretty things if you looked closely.

And interesting details that didn't last long, but long enough so we could enjoy them.

Beach life

We all had a great time

All of us had a great time!

At the end of the day, I got a massage and I went to la-la land.

But then it was back to Seattle and back to work.

And it was warm so we did a lot of cooling off in the shade.

And we walked everyone during our work week.

And then the French cousin arrived and I fell in love!

I mean, I fell in serious love!

And that was the end of that work week. I'm all caught up...though already there's a whole bunch more to share. But I shall wait...until tomorrow, Rubin!

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June 26, 2011

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Rubin

Transitions

Generally, summer slides in slowly around these parts. It gets warmer, the rains are more sporadic, and every once in awhile, the clouds part and these glorious blue skies spread out above us like a silk tablecloth.

Generally.

But this year summer has been for us (and perhaps the rest of the country) anything but a slow slide. Instead, it’s been kind of herky-jerky like a teenager learning to drive a stick-shift. When the rain came down so fierce and complete on Friday evening, I thought for sure any hopes of a warm summer were washing down the drain with all the water, but then Saturday and Sunday opened up to something beautiful and green with such a smell of freshness in the air, my little doodle nostrils almost stuck open in flare mode.

I know this might be a stretch, but the passage (acceptance) of gay marriage around the country has felt very much like the weather patterns of the Pacific Northwest. First there’s all this rain –doom and gloom that the sun will never return — and then the angels sing, the clouds part, and these glorious days of fresh air, bright greens (from all the rain), and brilliant blue skies surprise us.

For awhile, all of us at this household didn’t think marriage would ever be an option, but then New York stepped up and those blue skies of hope wagged their tail at us once again.

My moms have been together for nine years. They’ve raised me as their son for the past four. While they are considered domestic partners in Washington State, they are still not allowed to marry, which means that if one of them (dog forbid) to die, they could not receive the others Social Security. That might seem like a small thing to you, but as they grow older (they are both 52 years old), it’s beginning to mean more and more.

And then there’s the whole thing about not being recognized as a married couple.

Anyway, the point is that the transition to summer around these parts has felt a lot like the transition to acceptance. One day you think the rain will stay here forever (that the right to marry will not happen in your lifetime) and the next day there are 2 million people happily celebrating in the streets of New York City. Wow.

You just never know when those blue skies will brighten your day!

Onward and Upward,

Rubin

PS: Here are some more dog photos from our happy, surprising week!

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June 22, 2011

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Rubin

Generosity

Can dogs be generous? This is a question has haunted me for the past few days. I always think of generosity as BIG GIVING or giving beyond what is asked, but I decided, since I am merely a curly dog employed as a dog dog walker, that I needed to do some research. I started with the dictionary, the place where humans write down exactly what words mean.

Here’s what I learned: Generosity is a noun, which means it is a thing (not a person or a place). It comes from the word “generous” which is an adjective (a word that describes a noun…remember, Gretchen was a middle school English and history teacher before she was a dog walker!)

It comes from the Latin generosus, which means of noble birth.

One synonym was abundant which had to do not only with the act of giving, but how big your heart is when you give. In other words, a person who considered generous is so full of abundance it oozes out of them to others.

Well, this is the way I like to think of it because giving isn’t always about money or material goods. Giving is about that oozy stuff that comes from your generous nature. Once I wound myself around the depth of this definition, I realized that yes, dogs are some of the most generous beings on earth. We express our generosity with wagging, happy tails; sparkling, loving eyes; and through our steadfast companionship. We offer love and trust and commitment. We protect, we nurture, and we’re patient. We make great nurses when you’re sick, great teachers when a lesson needs to be learned, and spiritual guidance for those who are willing to listen.

But recently, I’ve come to realize how generous people can be. Sure, my family is generous and my friends, too, but if I believed everything I hear and read in the media, I’d think that people in general were stingy and self-absorbed.

This is not the case and I have proof.

As you know, Gretchen works at a pool for dogs. She and her co-workers spend time with dogs who are recovering from injuries or surgeries, dogs who are suffering from degenerative diseases, and dogs who are trying to stay fit in their older years so they can continue to be companions to their humans for years and years and years. At the pool the dogs swim in warm water to help relieve aching joints, strengthen their muscles, regain use of limbs, and receive non-weight-bearing exercise to prevent surgery or as a way to recovery from surgery. In addition, dogs get massaged and stretched by the human therapists to help them develop a better range of motion or relieve tension in their overworked or damaged bodies.

As a dog who has received this treatment, I can tell you that it’s wonderful in more ways than one. In fact, it’s so wonderful I think every dog should have the opportunity to receive such treatment. In my humble opinion, their should be a dog massage and swim therapy pool on every corner (sort of a Starbucks for canines), but I’m not in charge of the world so I know that this may never happen, realistically.

Still, there are dogs who really need what Wellsprings K9 has to offer and cannot receive it because their owners cannot afford the service. That’s why Wellsprings K9 has set up a special fund to raise money to help families with dogs in need of swim and massage therapy. A Chip-In blog has been set up so you can read about the work Wellsprings K9 does with dogs in need — dogs like Sprocket, the first post on the Chip-In site. Read Sprocket’s story and learn more about the kind of work the therapists do at Wellsprings K9.

And this is why I’ve been thinking a lot about generosity…after only a few weeks, people have contributed to the Wellsprings K9 Fund in abundance!!! It’s amazing. Gretchen and I (and all the employees of Wellsprings K9) have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the generous spirit of both people we know and people we don’t know. With $10 here and a $100 there the goal of reaching $10,000 by the end of 2011 is getting closer by the day!

Wow! Not only are dogs generous, but dog-people are equally so! It warms my Doodle heart knowing that by simply asking, the gates of generosity have been opened. My tail hasn’t wagged this much since the first day I was brought home by my forever family!

So thank you to all who have contributed and to those who will. Thank you to those we know and to those we don’t. Your generosity has filled me with hope and has renewed my faith that the world is filled with love. It’s not too late to contribute and you can do so here. Thank you for supporting dogs in need. Thank you for not only understanding the definition of generosity but for making it more than a noun — it’s now an action word!!!

Wagging happily and gratefully!

Rubin

PS — I told some of my dog walking clients about your generosity and they decided to show you how happy they are about your giving with smiles of appreciation that you see in this post!

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June 17, 2011

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Rubin

Man Up!

I am delicate. I know, I know. Everyone thinks I’m a crazy boy. I’ve even been called Dennis the Menace and while it’s true that I have my quirks (okay more than most), I have done all I can to overcome some of my more annoying habits.

But today, while doing my very best to be present for my osteopathy (it’s like chiropractic work only more gentle and yet, for me, more effective), the vet technician comes in to draw my blood. “What?” I protested. “I thought these sessions were all about helping me relax, that I was here to un-kink my stressed body, to release the anxiety from my kidneys, to unwind my seriously wound up personality and now you’re coming in here with that huge needle to draw my blood?”

Wanna know how the vet responded? The vet that I have finally learned to trust after all these sessions? The vet that has held me in her strong and knowing hands and made me feel better? The vet who has asked me to trust her repeatedly and I, in my quivering uncertainty, have avoided doing, but have finally done? She said, and I quote, “Oh, man up, Rubin!”

These were difficult words to hear especially because the vet tech had a HUGE needle in her hands and an empty vile that needed filling with MY BLOOD. By simply walking into the vet office week after week to allow a stranger to adjust my spine and manipulate my neck and, on occasion, poke me with acupuncture needles I was being an incredibly brave boy. And now, after all the fears I’ve had to overcome, she has the audacity to tell me to man up?

Rubin wait…

Gretchen, I don’t think you’re going to be able to talk me down from this one.

Oh buddy, Dr. Geisler has helped you tremendously. You’ve been able to walk into that office because she’s cared for you in a very gentle and loving way. She’s given you that bravery.

She has?

Think about it for a moment, little man. Before we started massaging you and swimming you and taking you in for acupuncture and osteopathy, you were a nervous wreck.

I was?

Yes, you were and while you aren’t completely “cured” of that nervousness yet, you’ve come a long, long way.

I have?

You have and frankly, we all just want to see you feel really good about yourself. That’s why the doctor said, “Man Up!” She was just trying to help you find that inner bravery we’ve all been working on for so many months.

Well, okay, but it felt kind of like an insult.

That’s your sensitive nature. You have to realize that we’d never put you in an unsafe situation. That we’d never ask you to do something we didn’t think you could do. I know it’s scary to get your blood drawn, but you did such a great job. You didn’t even flinch! Even I flinch when they draw my blood!

Really?

Yep, it hurts, but you did great today. It was just all the silliness before the shot.

What silliness?

You seriously don’t remember?

Are you talking about how I quivered?

That and how you hid behind my legs and how you burrowed into me to try and get away from the tech who was simply trying to do her job.

I did all that? It’s kind of a blur.

I can imagine that it was. That’s what happens when you go straight to that place of fear — you forget where you are and what’s really happening.

Why do I do that?

Well, look at your friends. How do they handle unique and odd and sometimes scary situations?

Let me think…well Monty, he just flips his head and says, “Huh? What’s going on?”

Yep, he’s always curious, isn’t he. He fights his fear by being gregarious and outgoing, by greeting everyone with a smile…

And a sniff…don’t forget, he likes to sniff everyone’s head.

Maybe that’s how he makes sense of it all. One sniff and he can relax.

Roux just goes into a play bow.

That’s true. For her, everything is an opportunity to play.

Do you think if they were to come in with a big scary needle, she’d bow down and invite them to play?

Yes, I actually think she would.

She sees every event as a happy one.

That’s a good outlook, don’t you think?

I guess if I could be like any of the dogs we walk, I wouldn’t mind being more like Woobie.

Why’s that?

She’s kind, calm, and contemplative. But when it’s time to “man up” she does it.

You mean like at the lake the other day when you wouldn’t go in and get your toy because you thought the water was too cold?

Yep. You asked her to go get my toy and she just walked right in, swam way out there, and brought it back. That’s the kind of calm bravery I’d like to have.

And then there’s Olive who is as steady as a rock – obsidian to be exact.

Remember, Olive is a retired service dog so she was given all sorts of new and scary situations to navigate from a very young age.

I bet she would have put that needle into her own arm, that’s how calm and brave she is!

Yes, I can see her doing just that.

And she stays so calm. It’s amazing.

Well, she knows how to play, too. She chased after Roux the other day!

But some of your other friends are nervous, too. Think of Rosie, for instance.

I know she’s nervous, but she’s also really strong. I mean, she’s been through a lot in her life, and even though she acts afraid, when you show her that it’s okay and that she’s safe, she overcomes her fears quickly.

You know she’s swimming at the pool with me now?

I know. She told me that it was really scary at first, but now she’s swimming better and she absolutely LOVES the massage. I, on the other hand, like to swim all the time!

Yes, you do, and you do a good job relaxing during the massage, too.

And Rosie’s getting more comfortable with the water everywhere, I see.

Yep, I took them to the lake the other day and Rosie fell in because she didn’t judge the steps very well.

And it looks like she went in for a treat!

Yes, and Tyson, he went in…almost…after your toy. Only then he didn’t and I had to swim in after it.

…hey, stop laughing.

I love it when we can make you do stuff like that.

Tyson, Rosie’s brother, is kind of jittery, too.

Yes, but don’t you think he’s good at projecting bravery?

He is, but I think that’s because he’s such a strong and muscular fella.

Strong, but very gentle. And sensitive just like you, but he’s able to stay relatively calm even in the face of his fears.

That, I suppose, is something I need to learn how to do.

Precisely! That’s what Dr. G is trying to help you with — staying calm in the face of things you fear.

But that was a big needle!

How do you think Duke would have handled it?

Duke is an interesting guy, isn’t he?

He is interesting. He’s nervous like you, but unlike you he seems to move slower when he’s anxious — more cautiously — while you move at the speed of light.

When we walked him this week, it was interesting to watch him on the grate at the park…you know, the scary one with nothing underneath it.

He was nervous about the grate at the park, alright, but he just slowly checked it out.

Whereas I was, “Take the damn picture, Gretchen, and get me off this thing!”

Yes, you could learn some patience when you’re anxious.

So, when Dr. G told me to “man up” she was asking me to be patient?

And to relax and to trust her and to realize that we were all in that room to take care of you…

Do I owe her an apology?

What for?

Well, I kind of cursed at her and at the vet tech. Did you hear me?

Yes, I heard you.

It just slipped out.

I know. Maybe you can send them a card apologizing.

That’s a good idea. Should I send them some tennis balls?

Tennis balls?

That always makes me feel better when I have a tennis ball in my mouth.

Humans don’t really carry around tennis balls. Maybe I could bake something and we could drop it off next week.

Okay. You know humans better than I do so if that’s what you think they’ll like, then I think it sounds like a good plan.

Way to man up, Rubin!

I did? How?

Owning up to your mistakes is very courageous. And making amends is a great step towards being a very brave boy!

How many steps are there until I’m there?

You are one silly boy.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Rubin

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June 13, 2011

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Rubin

Shortcuts

I am not a dog of few words. I have lots to say and I often take the time to say it.

Monty ate something he shouldn't have. Trust me, you don't want to know...

But some days…well, some days I get behind and no matter how fast I type (or walk or talk or race around), I can’t catch up. This is when I must rely on shortcuts. Sometimes, in my work, this means that instead of taking one dog out for a walk at a time, we take three. In essence, we’re squishing a 3-hour duty down to one and while that might not seem like a lot to you, it’s HUGE in our busy lives.

Sometimes we drive the car traveling on wheels to each walking job instead of by foot (which we try to do most of the time). Five minutes in the car can save us a half hour because even though we walk fast, we usually can’t go faster than 4 miles an hour. The car, on the other hand, does much better.

Sometimes we eat lunch on our walks or in the car. Sometimes we don’t eat lunch. Sometimes get up early to finish up our billing statements or go to the store to buy food for dinner or clean the house.

Sometimes we don’t clean the house.

And then, after weeks of not catching up (shortcuts or no shortcuts) everything kind of slams into us and we must take stock of our lives and reassess the use of our time. That was what this weekend was all about. We had to say “no” to a number of really fun options. We had to hunker down and get stuff done or we were going to pull our hair out. In other words we had to implement short cuts not only in our work life, but in our personal life.

All of this is to say, we are behind on our blog and the reasons are too many to list here, but suffice it to say, we’re taking a short cut today in review of last week. The short cut comes in the form of a slideshow, which, I hope will review for you the many and fun outings of our work and of our weekend. I’m hoping captions can capture it all — it’s the best I have to offer — and when I am fully “caught up” I promise to do the opposite of a short cut (which would be called what?)…promise.

And let the new week begin! (See the slideshow below…)

Rubin

Play Prev|Next

This is Rosie's "Aren't I beautiful?" look. It's her way of begging for a treat!

Monty and I walked Olive last week. Monty thought "olive" was food. He forgot it was also the name of our friend.

Monty ate something he shouldn't have. Trust me, you don't want to know...

It warmed up a bit, though I was still hesitant about getting my belly button wet.

It was warm enough, in fact, that even Tyson showed his tongue.

The pea patch (behind us) is really blooming!

Woobie has no fear of getting her belly button wet.

Post swim, we posed in front of a huge rhody!

We'd just finished racing around. And it was good...

Roux met a new friend -- Scruffy.

A field of happiness.

Once I got my belly button wet, nothing could keep me from swimming!

No, not a beaver -- it's Woobie retrieving my toy since I was a bit hesitant to, yes, get my belly button wet.

Once she gets wet, it takes a long, long time for her dry.

This is Tyson's "Am I going to get a treat now?" look.

Brrrrrrrrrr....

The sun came out a bit this past week. And we were very happy about it!

There's nothing like rolling around after a romp.

Rosie thinks I'm nuts. One day I'll get her to give rolling around a try. She'll love it!

Woobie likes to swim. And then she likes to sit on the sidelines and watch us swim.

These two always stick close together.

Huge flowers. Hard to see here, but they were HUGE!

Once I've had my fill of rolling around, I'll comply with the photographer's wishes.

Fully immersed, Monty thanks us for a perfect outing.

Monty LOVES to chase waves. He can wear himself out in a matter of minutes.

That's a whole lot of water coming off of Woobie!

This is my idea of a perfect day.

Still sunny. Still smiling.

We met a new friend at the park -- Scruffy. He was really good at playing fetch.

Woobie usually doesn't play fetch, but when I wouldn't go into the chilly water, she heroically volunteered.

We went to the Furry 5K run to mingle and mix. Many of the dogs in the race were rescues. This guy is one of them -- given to his new home just 5 days before the event.