Uphill idealist

I have a toddler friend named Sailor who spends a good amount of time at my home on a regular basis. She has gotten the hang of navigating our wandering back steps with a little hand-holding help, she has no problem cuddling up on the sofa for nap time, and enjoys pointing at our 40-pound-beagle-cattle-dog and shouting with glee, "Aggie-Dog!". Sometimes we set up a gate to keep her in a play space of the living room and that usually works out just fine; but yesterday "Aggie-dog" decided to mix up the afternoon activity just for kicks. Sailor was happily playing with her baby, "Beba" when I came home and let Aggie-dog out for a bathroom break and dinner. Aggie was so happy that she began running and jumping throughout the downstairs. She was even so clever to effortlessly leap over the living room gate like a hurdle in a race. As the dog was leaping from side to side, Sailor would laugh uncontrollably and shout "Aggie-Dog", louder and loud...

Canine Happy is... Wagging of tail, running to see if that person at the door is  you know who... Me! My requests are small - food, water and love. I'll cuddle, and huddle and protect  for all the above. Canine happy is you with me. On warm days and wet days and the days that go all the way down to 3'. (Aggie is our 5 year old rescue dog - a beagle, cattle dog, corgi and maybe Dalmatian mix. She is especially good at going on long jaunts, dancing in circles and loving her people. She is the subject of projectlife365's assignment for today - what makes me smile. :) Hope she makes you smile too!)

What are the things that wake me up? Quite literally my alarm clock that goes off at 6am every morning to wake me up. Alarm noise is followed by a robust greeting from not-so-dainty 40lb. beagle cattle dog - Aggie. She plops on top of me with great anticipation of the great outdoor trek just minutes away from her Alphas feet hitting the floor. If I don't move fast enough, doggy kisses are on the way. Doggy kisses at 6am have an effective wake up call for just about anyone - espically me. When I think about the awareness of my dog, and her ability to be present to the moment, I'm challenged. In my very human way, I will so often be in a moment but at the same time be thinking, planning, or working out the moment that has passed or is yet to come. Dogs don't get caught up in the past or the future. Dog's live in the present. Even in the midst of a snoring canine sleep, Aggie will hear a noise and jump to attention barking at whatever has upset her rest. Often times, she w...

Image a following quote from 'Baby animals' blog. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sugar (pictured above) is a white boxer puppy. She is deaf and to complicate matters she was left at the door of animal control facility with a broken leg. Fortunately, a vet was in the parking lot in a mobile van used to spay and neuter and took Sugar into his care. If she had crossed the door at animal control, her fate would have been to be put to sleep immediately because of her injury. Sugar made her way to Atlanta Pet Rescue where her injuries were treated, as you can see her cast. Sugar has healed completely and has been adopted since this image was taken. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This morning as I was leaving a local elementary school, I was greeted by a gangly white with a few black spots boxer puppy. He was very friendly and proceeded to fol...

On this last "official" day of winter, Aggie and I are very happy to say farewell to cold winter mornings, layers and layers of winter gear, yak tracks and icy roads for our early morning treks. We are also happy to greet the now tangible signs of spring: temps above the 30 degree mark prior to 7am, did I mention no more icy roads, and this lovely bunch of crocus that sprung up along my walk this week. Can I dare say it - I think spring is finally here! I've made it through my first running sometimes walking western NY winter. In April it will be two years since I started this process and journey of almost always daily exercise and jogging. It has been possible for me to get our the door with the help of my canine trainer coming to wake me up each day. Who would have thought that getting a dog from the Humane Society would be part of the key to becoming more active? Now where did Aggie hide my shoes?

Image from the blog - Jacko the Sleeping Dog. Sleeping dog lies beside me, growling to her dreams. She seems like an infant dozing happily next to me. If I rise to switch the laundry or to make a call - she will rise, with blinking eyes and follow me. She is content to be close to me as she sleeps. She is content to go where I go. She is content to simply be the black and white dog I found at the SPCA, but now she has a home. If only I were like this small creature - content to sit and live close to her master, not fretting about what is to come. Then I would not be planning what is next and be content to be who I am and where I am. I could sit with my master and rest, dozing at his side. T.L.Eastman 2010'

To read this at the original blog site, go to Sleeping with Bread . Image from BBC.com I spend some time every day taking my dog, Aggie that we adopted from the humane society in October, for a run or walk every day. Yesterday morning it was so cold (3 below zero) that for the first time she was not into the "walk" once we got out the door and down the street a ways. She took to picking up each paw, hopping around on three paws, switching the foot that was up in the air, and hopping around on the other three till she made it all the way around her too-cold paws. It took me a little bit to pick up on her hint to me that it was TOO COLD for a walk, but then again I have to admit that her one foot up, hop, hop, hop and other foot up, hop, hop, hop dance routine had me laughing very hard and very much out loud. Today was much warmer, well at least it was in the double digits - so I took her to one of her favorite places to bound around. We took our morning hike today at the sn...

Two weeks ago, we adopted a two-year old female dog from our local Humane Society. Aggie is settling into home life very well and seems to be a very happy dog. I have question though, concerning what breed the Humane Society tagged her as. Yes she is obviously beagle , but as the the Australian Cattle Dog , I have some questions. She has a curly tail that goes off to either side. She cleans herself like a cat, including licking her paws and "washing" her face. She has a wrinkly forehead that makes her expressions quite interesting. She also has bigger ears, that flop over due to being part beagle, but are larger than the average ACD. She will often stand on her back feet to greet people. She very rarely barks. In fact, she may make a single bark if a stranger comes to the door, or will squeak bark at other dogs while on a walk, or when I put her in her kennel when I take off for the day. But she does not bark very much at all. All these qualities remind me of a breed of dog ...

Image from Best Weight Loss Now . Darkness surrounds, but the jingling sound of the leash calls us to greet the street with our feet. Your feet are bare and mine are tied up snugly in my sneakers. You don't wear a coat, except the one you were born with - but I wear layers of clothing. Tank top, long-sleeved running shirt, over-sized hoodie, track pants, skull cap and hobo gloves. It seems too cold today, even for October. Step by step my body warms up, you happily prance by my side. You are sniffing here and there as your tail wags almost in tempo with our moving feet and the song on my Ipod. Our breath hangs in the air as the darkness begins to lift. I take the top layer hoodie off as you rest for a moment. Tying to hoodie around my waist, we head up the big hill and you graciously stay with me, even though my pace slows a little. You are asking me lead. You need me to be the leader. As we reach the top of the hill, I look back and see the sky erupting in colors of cotton candy b...

We met Aggie last Saturday when a local restaurant owner of Cooper's ,(Who's business helps to support the Humane Society by donating all their tips to the organization.) made sure to tell me there was a very sweet dog at our local chapter. At her request, we went to visit Aggie and I'm happy to tell that on Tuesday evening we brought her home with us. It's been an exciting few days of remembering dog commands, going for "rides" in the car, snuggling on the sofa in the evening while she snores and going for an early morning jog every day - all in all we are getting to know each other rather well. What is best, is I think the whole household is happy about the new addition: both human and canine. Welcome Agatha Christie Eastman, otherwise known as Aggie. She is a two-year-old Australian Cattle Dog/Beagle Mix who was a stray in Chautauqua County. She was brought to the Chautauqua County Humane Society and surrendered after she had a litter of pups. Happily, no...

In an effort to not chase after material things, I wasn't planning on making a 'wish list' this year. I have so many people and good things in my life, its hard to ask for anything more. But, then I remembered the fun of looking through the Sears wish book as a child and circling the items I most wanted. I think my parents would say: "Choose ten things you'd really like, but three that are your favorites." So here goes my jumping back to childhood wish lists and wonder with the three favorite things I'd like for Christmas... A cuddly dog friend to go jogging with me: A movie to unwind with: Mamma Mia and SHARPIES! In all the colors of the rainbow to doodle with. Have fun this holiday season with your family, friends and wish books. Merry Christmas! Tara Click here to join in on NaBloPoMo 25 thankful posts down, 6 to go!

I went Christmas shopping today. I traveled to Erie, PA in hopes of wrapping up my holiday wish lists and for the most part I think I've covered it. Most of the day was spent with my daughter Heather, her friend Kassie and our buddy Liz - she even offered to drive since she had the only car with four wheel drive. So I had the opportunity to sit back and be the passenger. How nice. Lattes, Americano's and coffee freezers kept us fueled through our three-hour marathon shopping leg at Target, then linner at Panera's, Wegman's and then the mall. Our last stop of the day was the mall pet store where Liz fell in love with an English bulldog. I learned that they have financing for the pet store. Financing is necessary when you find out the pup your holding is more expensive than what I paid for my first car! The store was asking $3900.00 for the caramel ball of puppy fun. Liz wanted to take "Olive" home ... but we left her at the store for the next millionaire to buy...

A few days ago I was visiting a friend and her golden retriver came bounding up to me the way she does and simply leaned against my legs the way dogs do when they expect to be petted or paid attention to. It's almost a hug when dogs do this gentle lean and wait. In that simple moment, Tasha leaned and I remembered my dog that passed away this July. It was not so much a moment of grief, but one of missing dog hugs and the company she provided for the past 11 years. I honestly think dogs have a way of picking up on this missing feeling, because everywere I go that last few months dogs have been greeting me with this leaning hug. Dogs at my friends house, dogs being walked by neighbors, even a dog down at the plaza the other day while I was running errands tried to lean and hug into me even though the owner was apologetically tugging on her leash to keep moving. I didn't mind, really. I miss dog hugs. Maybe its time I started looking for a dog to hug back, maybe. Click here to joi...

I was recently amazed to learn about all the training and preparation service and guide dogs are required to go through. After pups are one year old they are assessed for intelligence, temperament, aggression and sensitivity to touch and sound. The dogs are scored in character and temperament and if they pass they are deemed that they are ready for formal training, not ready and have to try again, or are unsuitable is a guide dog. If initially found suitable as a service animal, the dogs then undergo a four-month training program. During this time they will learn and have to be confident in: Walking in a straight line without sniffing. Walking on the left hand side slightly ahead of the trainer. Stopping at all curbs. Waiting for a command before crossing roads. Stopping at the top and bottom of stairs. Avoiding head high obstacles. Avoid spaces too narrow for a dog and person to navigate. Board and travel on all forms of public transportation. Take the trainer to an elevator button. L...