March 17th, 2013

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

It’s a beautiful sun-filled morning. Looks can be deceiving, however, as when I let the dogs out this morning, the temperature was a nippy 4°F.  The rest of the week looks to be about the same–winter is still here. So, it doesn’t look good for the return of the Woodcock this week, an event that I am really looking forward to. I remember last spring and how I enjoyed hearing them every evening. That will be fun and something to really look forward to!

Lots of “downs” this week. The first being that I must sadly report that we do not have a litter with Dora and Brier. I was certain she was pregnant, but it’s now obvious she is not. Maybe she was and lost the puppies. Maybe I was crazy and she never was. Dora has always proven very fertile. Brier, even though getting older, sired a lovely litter in the fall, so …. I could go on and on, but the bottom-line, we do not have a litter and instead, many disappointed folks.

Many other “events” going on in my personal life have kept me silent lately. Most of the time, as most of you know, I am not very good at keeping my personal life out of my postings. So, sometimes I just decide to keep my fingers still and not post at all.  My passion about relationships, how we live our lives, the dogs, the world, right and wrong, our freedom and liberty, what we eat… bla, bla, bla, is difficult  at most, to calm, to quiet, and for me to not live full throttle. At times, I am learning, it is best to be still. Give it up. Shut up. Let it alone. It will work itself out, right? Not as I wanted. Not as I hoped or dreamed… but it works out the way it was meant to.

For example—although probably the least of the disheartening “events” in my life right now—it’s becoming apparent—no matter how much I am in denial over it–that I will probably not be able to make it home to PA for Easter, or anytime soon. I’ve been fighting it, too. Not accepting it. furious over even the thought of it. I’ve planned this for months! How can I disappoint the kids? How can I let them down again? And my sister and family and all the plans they have made? Let’s not even mention there is so incredibly much that I need to do there and so many things I need from there. So why am I even mentioning this here? I guess it’s my cowardly way of alerting folks that I may have promises with for training sessions while I was in PA, that I will not be able to be there.

::sigh::

<em”>Everything happens for a reason, right?

It will all be okay.

It’s what I have to tell myself over and over and over.

It has become my motto. It keeps me sane. The realization that I am not in control of anything in the big scheme of things. Try as I might, sometimes things are not meant to go as I planned. Woody Allen is credited with saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” Today, I could add to it and say, “If you want to hear Him laugh even louder, tell Him how much you know.” So, I humbly submit today I know nothing about anything and I have no plans!

I really need to post these things on another blog. I can’t seem to keep things separate. Who wants to hear about all this on a blog about bird-dogs!!!!?

It might be a good day to get out to the woods. I think I’ll take “Allie” and Cowboy and escape to the woods and learn something. Listen to nothing but the woods and little puppy bells jiggling. We’ll see what happens. I’ve given up making plans, remember? If I don’t plan anything, I won’t be heartbroken or disappointed—or more importantly, let anyone else down—when those plans change. Sounds like a plan!

ha ha…

 

These are all lessons in my life that have made me a much better bird dog trainer, too. I long ago realized that I needed to stop trying to be a control freak where these dogs are concerned. The more I “listened” to the dogs–observed, shut-up, praised… the more I let go, the more the dogs learned on their own and the less “problems” I created and had to fix. Any problems with bird dogs are not usually problems with the dogs at all, but problems with the owners. The dogs progress much faster now that I “allow” them.

Yes, it is our responsibility to teach manners and basic commands, but trying to force a dog–or human being, for that matter—into our mold of how they should do things and when, usually doesn’t turn out well. It only lends to disappointment. I’ve taken a different approach with the dogs and we just have fun. I teach them what I have to, and I let them teach me the rest.

It might do me well to apply this more to human relationships and life plans, too. Praise the good, ignore the bad. Have fun and let them learn their lessons on their own as those lessons are better remembered.

I guess that’s all for now. I’ll try to post something uplifting, enlightening, and educational later tonight.

-M.