a love letter to claire.

Dear Claire,

It's been five years since I first went to the Nashville Humane Society and found you. Well, since you found me, really. You're the first friend I made in this city, and my life here (and in general) would be so different if we never met. Where did the past five years go?! We've been through a lot together during that time, both good times and bad. And while it's so wonderful to enjoy those good times together, I think it's even more of a blessing that you've been able to help me so much through the darker days. A stranger once told me that you're my guardian angel, and I have to say: I believe it!

My favorite memory over the past five years is from last summer when we were back home. We got up really early and went down to the beach before the lifeguards showed up. You'd never been to the ocean before and, at first, you were a little afraid of the waves. Soon enough, you were running as fast as you could up the dunes and then back down past me to jump into the water. I remember that there was a landscaping crew hanging out in the parking lot, having breakfast before starting their day, and they came over just to watch you. When you were done running in circles (showing off again!), you came over, covered in seaweed and sand, and jumped all over them. One of the guys said he'd never seen a happier dog.

Not a day goes by where I'm not laughing at something you've done. You are silly and mischievous and curious and just so smart! You love to show off for people - whether there's something in it for you or not. You love having your tummy rubbed and you get annoyed if there are people nearby who aren't doing so. You are the best squirrel/rabbit/cat hunter around, and I dread the day that you bring one back to me (so please don't). You love walking the neighborhood kids to school in the morning and saying hello to everyone on our typical route. Running is one of your favorite things to do, and I love watching you zoom by with your little baby ears flapping in the wind! Chase is still your favorite dog to have play-dates with, and I've honestly never seen two dogs love each other more. You sleep the best on Grandma Sue's Pier One blanket (that she so kindly parted with on your behalf), and you never go to bed without bringing Lambie and Moosie with you. You love coming with me to run errands on Saturday mornings, mainly because the people at the stores we go to always have a special treat for you. Fetching anything except the peanut butter jar is still beneath you, no matter how many different kinds of balls or frisbees I try to entice you with. You enjoy watching the Food Network, but you're not such a fan of Animal Planet. You hate when I'm on the phone and will go to great lengths to get me to stop using it - like the time you wedged your face between my ear and the phone over and over again until I hung up from my conversation. Whenever someone comes to our house, you always think you're the reason they're there, and you bring your toys to them immediately - but just to show them, not to play with them. And there is nothing that makes you more excited than when I come home from work!

Naturally, ClaireBear, I could go on and on. But the bottom line is: I love you more than anything! You are, by far, the biggest blessing in my life. I can't imagine spending my days without you, and I certainly don't want to! You are a huge part of our family, and even though you don't get to see your relatives very often, you can rest assured that they miss you and love you dearly. I know I say it a lot, but it's only because it's true: you are the MOST loved dog in the world!!

Happy Gotcha Day, little one!

happiness is...

...a sweet puppy playing on the beach!

We've been back in Nashville for a month and I'm JUST getting around to sharing this?! What's up with that?! Well, here it is: the video of Claire's first time at the beach back in August! Love seeing this girl so happy!

I apologize for the poor video quality. Blame the iPhone 4.

these are my confessions.

My sister sent me a link to this yesterday - the signs that you treat your dog better than you treat yourself. If you haven't seen it yet, you MUST check it out because the pictures are awesome. Here's what I have to say about the whole thing:

1. You shiver half the night because you let them steal all the blankets. Truth. I also sleep curled up in a ball because she tends to sprawl out in the middle of the bed.
2. They have their own personal tablet to watch animal shows on. Um, no, that would be weird. She uses the TV in our bedroom so she can get comfy and relax. Also, Animal Planet has some shows that are not age-appropriate for Claire, so she tends to watch The Food Network.
3. More people show up to their birthday party than to yours.  Again, truth. People and dogs. The neighborhood pups aren't willing to come to mine...
4. You take your job super seriously but you never get mad when they slack off at theirs. Yes. I mean, how can you get mad at that sweet little face?!
5. You sing them lullabies to help them get to sleep... every night. Well, I sing along with the Spotify playlist that I made for her. She finds The Civil Wars very soothing.
6. You pay top dollar for their groomer but you haven't been to a hairdresser in ten years. She has short fur so she doesn't need a trim, but she does get "manicures" - and I haven't been to get my nails done in a really long time... Pretend you aren't looking the next time you see me.
7. You took the time to teach them to surf, but you can barely swim. Not true; I'm a Cape Cod girl, so I love the water! Though I did take up running because it's Claire's favorite thing to do.
8. You take the day off work to make sure they don’t overheat on the hottest day of the year. I have done this in the past. Thankfully I won't have to do this at the job I have now because I can work from home and personally make sure that Claire is comfortable with the temperature set on the AC control.
9. You spend your life savings on emergency surgery for them and would definitely do it again. A few things about this: (a) I'm a social worker, therefore I don't make enough to have savings, and (b) I'd cash out the ol' 401K if I needed to. But praise God that she hasn't needed emergency surgery because my heart would break for her!
10. Your significant other is convinced you love them more. I don't  have a significant other. Probably because everyone knows that nobody puts Baby in the corner. No second place for my girl!
11. You take them to the dog park everyday after work instead of going out and having fun with human people. I did this every day for the first three years of her life - and I met some of my good friends because of it (humans, not dogs). Now she tends to have more low-key afternoons since she's a mature 4-year-old.
12. You sleep on the floor with them when they're not feeling well. I have done this on the few occasions that Claire was too sick to come to bed. When she had pancreatitis, she couldn't get off the couch one night, so she slept there and I slept on the floor next to her.
13. You spend more money on toys for them than your parents spent on you as a child. Hahaha! When we were home on Cape Cod, even my mother commented on the endless supply of toys!
14. You spent more time stressing out about their doggy wedding to the neighbor’s dog than your own. Not applicable, people! Besides, the neighbor's dog hates Claire. And Claire's many boyfriends would be jealous...
    
    

last week's headlines.

Headlines from the past week include:

1.  Claire meets the neighbors!

2.  Claire gets beaten up by a cat!

3.  Claire watches the Red Sox!

4.  Claire takes over the car!

5.  Claire continues to swim!

I've been letting Claire roam around the front yard over my lunch break because, well, she needs to be able to run and explore, and most people are at work during the day so there are even less cars running through our quiet neighborhood. Last week I attempted to play frisbee with her, but I'm apparently too boring, so she trotted over to my neighbors yard to sniff around their bushes for rabbits. As I called her to come to me, my neighbor opened the door to say hi and Claire just waltzed right in. My neighbor thought this was hysterical and didn't mind at all, so as we caught up, Claire explored her house. Every so often, she'd come back to the front door to check in with me, and then she'd run off to explore their house some more. At one point, I asked where she went and my neighbor found her snuggling on her daughter's bed among her stuffed animals...

In other news, my mother's forsythia is a hiding place for the neighborhood cats. Claire stumbled upon them one day and tried to engage them in playtime. She wasn't catching on that the hissing wasn't an invitation, and she was ignoring me as I told her to leave it. In an split second, one of the cats swiped her across the face and scared the hell out of her. I think it's safe to say that she's learned her lesson and gives the cats a wide berth when crossing their path now. We'll see how long this lasts before they have to teach her another lesson. In all fairness, she did get a variety of warnings...

Massachusetts is, of course, a state that mainly consists of Red Sox fans. If there's a game on, you can bet we're watching it in my mom's household. The Sox played the Yankees (boo) a few days ago and Claire joined my mom and her boyfriend to watch our team win. Please note that while she got to sit on the couch, I was relegated to the floor -- which is also where I am sitting currently as she snuggles with the fam once again. Super! (Also, check it out: the furniture is still covered haha!)

With the car trouble that I've had lately, a family friend offered to help out and fix what he could while I'm home -- especially before I make the 19-21 hour drive back to Nashville in a few weeks. In addition to installing new brakes, fixing a broken visor, rotating the tires, and completing a 60K check, he changed my cabin air filter. Now please, don't judge me -- think of who my main passenger is! Can you imagine what the inside of my car looks like if this is what the air filter looks like? Can you imagine what my LUNGS look like if this is what the air filter looks like? Good grief...

Claire and I took a very long walk on the beach over the weekend. It was the PERFECT day in terms of weather, I was feeling great, and Claire was ready to get moving. I drove down to the beach and we walked a few miles before stopping for a swim. It still takes her a little while to get used to the waves rolling in before she goes swimming, but after running along the shore for a few minutes, she's brave enough to bound in. Rumor has it that people have spotted some sharks off the coast, so hopefully neither of us will run into them over the next few weeks. I'm not a fan of JAWS reinactments -- though I'm sure Claire could take 'em, I don't want the chance to find out! Here's my happy girl walking along the jetty right before our swim:

 

cape life.

Here we are, a full month after our last post. Where does the time go?! Claire and I took a little road trip from Nashville to Cape Cod last weekend and we'll be here for the next month. Whenever I'm here, I feel like I can just exhale. I can't think of any other way to put it, so... that's that.

Can I just say that it is a VERY long drive from Tennessee to Massachusetts? It was quite eventful, too, as the air conditioner in my car broke halfway through the extremely large state of Virginia. If it hadn't been a sunny 90*F day, I would have tried to ride it out until we got here, but because it was just so hot, I had to stop and get it repaired. Thankfully it was an easy fix and we were able to get back on the road after three hours or so -- and I have to give Firestone a huge shout-out (the one in Nowheresville, VA) for being so awesome and letting Claire hang out in the lobby. They even gave her treats and water while we waited. Talk about service!

We finally made it to Harrisburg PA where we stayed in a hotel for the night. Claire got her own queen-sized bed, which she was quite excited about, as you can see by the blur of her wagging tail in this picture:

 

We made it to the Cape the next day without any hiccups, and I cannot emphasize enough how glad we both were to get out of the car. I actually have no recollection of what we did that night because my mind was blank from driving for so long. The one thing that I did not anticipate was how rough the drive would be on my body. My fibromyalgia flared up like mad and after a full week, I'm finally feeling better. Note to self for the next time: break up the drive into three days, not two.

 

The next morning, Claire and I woke up early and took a long walk on the beach. It was her first time there, and y'all, I can't wait to post the video of her reaction. But that will have to wait until I get back to Nashville, so hang tight in the meantime. At first she was afraid of the waves, but by the end of our walk, she was running straight into them. She tried to drink the water like she does when I take her to the river in Nashville, but the salt from the ocean made her sneeze. Puppy sneezes are the cutest! But she didn't try to drink it again, which was a safe bet. And hey, this is a picture that I took of the sunrise that morning. Can you tell that it was the perfect day?

 

 

 

 

Later that day, one of my besties came to visit and it was AMAZING to see her. It had been a year since we'd seen each other, and I fully intend for us to visit a lot over the next month!! We went out to lunch to catch up and then spent the afternoon hanging out on the beach. Claire was so tired after her morning romp in the waves, so I didn't feel bad leaving her for a few hours. She needed the rest!

 

 

I know some of y'all are connected with us on our Facebook page, but for those of you who aren't, you need to know that part of my mother's preparation for our arrival included putting sheets all over the furniture to "protect" them from Claire's fur. Clearly, we never had dogs growing up. Anyway, Claire's new favorite lookout is the window behind the sheeted couch, which gives her a good view of one side of our neighborhood (and, more importantly, of the squirrels and rabbits), so she's been spending a lot of time here. Again, please note the happy tail.

 

 

Interestingly enough, my mom forgot to cover one chair in the house, which has become a great place for naps. Claire is smart enough to curl up here when my mom isn't home. I don't have the heart to tell her to get off, especially when she's as cute as she is. Who wants to disturb a comfortable dog, anyway? Not me. That's just mean!

 

 

 

Of course, I still have to work during the week (though I'm so thankful that I can work remotely!), but Claire and I have settled into a routine that seems to be working well. My "office" is in a room that I only go into while I'm working - I thought that would help Claire understand that I can't play when we're there. We get up in the morning and go for a long walk, eat breakfast, and do a little training, and then I get the work day started. Claire hangs out with me and naps until lunch, alternating between the floor, the couch, and this cozy little pallet that I've set up for her next to my desk.

 

 

 

I've got an hour break for lunch, so after grabbing some food, Claire and I spend some time playing frisbee, going running, and doing more training. After she's gotten out some energy, she's ready to lounge around while I finish up the second half of the work day. At night, we've been heading to the beach after most of the tourists have left, and we'll go for another long walk/run so I can unwind and Claire can get back outside for a bit. Then it's time for dinner and playtime (she likes to play tug with her stuffed animals, and four of them have already succombed to her destruction), and then we hang out with my mom and her boyfriend before calling it a night.

 

 

The other night we went for a walk at the Harbor instead of at the beach - mainly because I was feeling nostalgic for a place where my friends and I hung out a lot when we were in high school. There were a couple other dogs around and Claire did really well by not reacting to them. I was so proud of her! Anyway, while we were walking on the docks, Claire saw ducks for the first time EVER and was absolutely fascinated by them. She didn't cry or whine or bark, she just sat there transfixed. Birds in the water? Who would've thought!

 

So, now you know what we've been up to and where we've been lately! I'll be posting again next weekend, for sure. And of course I'll share more pictures too. Hope you all are well and have been enjoying your summer!

 

projects and painting and planning, oh my!

A title like that can only mean one thing: Mom was in town! She came for a visit this weekend and whipped our house into shape with nine million projects that were able to be completed in a mere 72 hours - and she still made sure that we had time to go out to eat with friends! I am jealous of her energy, especially since it takes me a solid five cups of coffee before I am even 25% as efficient as she is with her time! I don't know how she does it, but I'm hoping she'll share her secret with me someday!

The house projects were as follows:

-- hang up the kitchen curtains that have been sitting in storage for a year

-- hang up the guest room curtains that have been sitting in storage for two years

-- caulk and repair the corner of the cabinet that Claire destroyed from the act of busting out of her kennel when we first moved in... which took place back in 2010

-- caulk and repair the window frame in my bedroom that was damaged during the Break-In of 2011

-- buy new frames for pictures

-- hang up two pictures

-- touch up the paint on the walls in the kitchen

-- touch up the paint on the walls in the living room

-- touch up the paint on the walls in my bedroom

-- touch up the paint on the walls in the guest room [which turned into repainting the whole room because we bought the wrong paint color and didn't realize until it was too late]

-- clean out the shed so my friend can store her things there while she's out of the country

-- search for the Missing Suitcase [this was the one thing that was unsuccessful]

-- decorate the bathroom

Claire was a rockstar this weekend. I really wanted to be able to take her hiking with my mom and me, but as you can see from the aforementioned list [which is not comprehensive, by the way], there wasn't enough time! It was also really hot and humid this weekend, so it wasn't the best hiking weather anyway. So Claire hung out with us while we worked on these projects, and she was happy doing just that: hanging out with us [and getting some treats while doing so, like coconut milk ice cream and fresh strawberries]. The paint made her sneeze, though, so she laid by the bedroom door while we worked in the guest room. That didn't stop her from trying to help out by rubbing up against the freshly painted wall...

Oh, my dog? She's the one that's black and white with a gray butt.

Claire and Mumsies!

happy 4th birthday to claire!

My sweet girl turned four today - making the next six months the only time in our lives that we will be the same age (if you're counting her age in dog years, that is).

She could feel the excitement in the air, which was evident at 730am when she forced me to wake up to begin the celebration! We started the day by going for an early morning hike at a new place, and we will definitely be going there again! It was a perfect day for a perfect hike that included a dip in the creek, a run through some cornfields, and a romp with some horses. We both loved it and will be hiking this trail a lot over the next few months!

On our way back home, we stopped by my dear friend Shannon's house and Claire had a great time hanging out with Shannon's adorable kids! Lindsay Miller and Brooke played fetch with her and chased her around their backyard - two of her favorite games. Claire couldn't get enough of the kids and would've been quite content to follow them around for the whole day.

Next, we went to See Spot Eat to get Claire some special birthday treats. Her day wouldn't be complete without some fresh salmon ice cream! Of course, it didn't make it out the door, so we grabbed some other snacks for the next few days too!

Claire was completely exhausted at that point, so we went back home for a little nap. Because it was such a beautiful day, I opened all the doors to get some fresh air in the house while we napped, and it was nothing short of amazing!

When we woke up, Claire was ready to go back outside, so we went on another long walk and stopped by Rebel's house so she could see him and play for a bit before we continued on our way. He is such a good boy, and he was just as excited as she was to get a chance to play. He is so sweet to her and kept kissing her baby face. It just melted my heart!

Once we got home, Claire was just about ready for bed. So much excitement will do that to a girl, you know. But she had to have "cake" first, so I made her one that was made of dog food and mashed pumpkin, and topped with a pumpkin and rice flour biscotti dipped in carob and yogurt. And after that? Well, she's been fast asleep for the past few hours already, which can only mean that her birthday was a success!

Enjoy some Instagram pics from Claire's 4th birthday!

when dating a dog owner.

Petside recently published an article on the top 5 reasons to date a dog owner. As a dog owner myself who has dated other dog owners, I wanted to reply to the Petside article with a few things to be aware of...

1. Your new guy may think it's acceptable to take you and the dogs to the dog park for a date. Or, even worse, for EVERY date.

2. Also, regarding the dog park, if y'all met there, one of you will essentially have to stop going once the relationship is over. Because otherwise it's just awkward for the broken-hearted party to run into the heartbreaker time and time again - especially when they've moved on and started bringing their new love on dates to the park.

3. Petside commented that owning a dog shows that a guy can commit. But who wouldn't be able to commit to a cuddly, nonverbal, playful companion who naps for 12 hours of the day? Committing to a dog and committing to a human are totally separate things that really have no correlation to each other.

4. Two things really say a lot about a person: (a) the type of dog that they own, and (b) how they treat their dog.

5. Make sure that the love is mutual. For things to work, you have to like each other's dogs, the other person's dog has to like you and your dog has to like them, and your dogs have to like each other. If you miss out on even one of those key pieces, it's a recipe for disaster - even if everything else seems perfect.

Anything that I forgot? Add to the list below!

well-matched.

When people ask me what mix Claire is, I like to joke that she's 50% dog and 50% human. But seriously, when I think about how alike we are, I think there's a lot about me that has rubbed off on her over the past almost-four years together. For instance...

1. We have some of the same hobbies: eating, sleeping, exploring, and being with friends.

2. We are both extremely empathetic. Whenever someone is crying and sad, Claire stops whatever she is doing and goes right over to the person to try and make them feel better. As for me, I'm a social worker. 'Nuff said.

3. We love snuggling, but we can't fall asleep unless we both have space to stretch out.

4. We have a strong appreciation for nature, and we love being outside. The weekends have been filled with leisurely walks and romps in the field near my house.

5. It doesn't take much to make us happy. We like the simple things in life.

6. We guard our food. No sharing when it comes to deliciousness! Get your own!

7. We get grumpy when we are tired. And then it's best that we have some quiet time.

8. Two words: peanut butter.

9. We are very sensitive to our surroundings, whether it be the people we're around or the situation we are in the midst of. Change is hard, and it takes us a little longer to adapt - though we always do!

10. We love being around others, but we are most comfortable and happiest when we're with our best friends.

11. When we put our mind to something, we don't stop until we've reached our goal (though for Claire, this mainly has to do with chasing squirrels out of our yard).

12. We're each other's favorite.

staying focused.

After I posted earlier this week about our hike, I got to thinking about some things. Y'all remember how I said that when another dog comes our way during a walk, I have to tell Claire to watch me? When she focuses on me, she forgets to be threatened by what is ahead because she knows I've got a treat that's all hers if she doesn't react.

I realized just how similar that is with me and God. When there is something in my path that I'm afraid of or unsure of, it's my natural instinct to react and try to deal with it myself. But God always reminds me that I don't have to do that - I just need to keep my eyes on Him and let Him do the work of preparing me and protecting me. I'm not I'm control of my environment, but I can learn how to cope with what surrounds me - and that is what God teaches me. My "treat" for keeping my eyes on the Lord may not be venison or lamb... but it's peace.

an update about our downtime.

Claire has been so happy lately with our new routine! Maybe it's a coincidence, but I think not. I mean, more one-on-one time means more belly rubs, and who wouldn't want that?! We continue to go down to the field every few days and I've been bringing special treats so that, while we're there we can work on coming when called - a big confidence-builder. Her tail-wagging has increased the more her down-time has increased. It's like she has completely decompressed! Not only that, but she now bounds out of bed in the morning when I mention that it's time for school at Bark-O-Lounge! There are better boundaries with playtime verse rest time, and it's been really good for her. I am incredibly happy because she is too!

It has been much easier for her to relax over the past two weeks, also. She hasn't been pacing restlessly at night, and she's been even more of a lovey little girl. I mean, we spent our Valentine's Day evening cuddled up together while watching a movie - her head was on my shoulder and she just curled herself up next to me and fell fast asleep. I couldn't possibly think of any better way to spend the evening. Flowers and chocolates? Who needs 'em when you've got a sweet cuddly dog by your side?!

140 characters of fame.

I'm pretty excited about this shout-out from Thompson Square - even though I publicly admitted that I sing love songs to CBB... (which probably isn't all that surprising, huh?!)

a word from our igloo.

After a rainy weekend in the 60's, it has plummeted to an ice cold 25*F. If I had a Snuggie, I would defy all fashion sense and wear it everywhere. Instead, I am reduced to wearing multiple layers of clothing, which makes me look a little like the Michelin man. People keep looking at me like I'm crazy. And then they say things like, "But you're from the north! You should be used to it!" Well, clearly, I am not. Also, I come from a family whose medical background includes Reynaud's, which makes the cold weather all the more fun for people like us.

However, I, like most people, am on a strict budget. So while I'd like to turn the heat up to 90*F in my house and walk around in a bathing suit, I cannot do that. Last month, I kept the temp at a modest 67 during the day, and 70 at night. But after getting the bill, I turned it down to 65 during the day and 67 at night -- and I also slept in two layers of clothes while lying under a comforter, two blankets, and an electric blanket. One would think an electric bill would decrease after that, right? Well. It went up.

Someone suggested that I turn it down even more and see if that works. But I've got limits, people. I could always throw on an extra layer of clothing to the two laters I already sleep in, but I worry about Claire. You know that commercial for the ASPCA where the camera captures a lone dog sitting in the middle of the road in the pouring rain, shivering? Kills me every single time. Well that dog has Claire's face when I consider turning the heat down any lower. (Though she isn't a stray, and she wouldn't be sitting in the middle of the road, and it doesn't rain inside my house. So it's really not the same thing at all...)

You may be thinking, "She is just a dog! Dogs have fur! They can handle cold temps!" I hear you. But I also know that if my car is not warmed up in the morning before getting in it, Claire sits in the front seat and shivers violently until the heat comes on full blast. She also went from sleeping at the end of the bed to burrowing under the covers and tucking her nose under the pillow.

So, until it gets a little warmer in Nashville, I'll just have to reconfigure my budget or something in order to keep my heat at a balmy 65*F. Either that, or I'll have to order matching Snuggies for me and Claire.

little blessings.

Hi everyone, and Merry Christmas! I hope you all had an incredible day filled with blessings! I didn't get to spend the holidays with my family this year (which was so weird), but we talked on the phone throughout the day so it definitely felt like we were together! I did, however, get to spend most of the day with Claire, which was glorious. She even helped me open presents while I was on the phone with my mom and sister. And can I just say how brave my aunt was to send me another new pair of slippers? Claire has a fascination with slippers and can't resist tearing them up. Seriously, in the past three years, she has shredded more than six pairs. You would think I'd remember to put them away so she couldn't get to them, right? Well, I'm determined to keep this pair around for awhile. Of course, I barely got them unwrapped before Claire bounded over and tried to take them from me... I think she has some kind of radar or something, because she is ridiculously drawn to them. I've never seen anything like it. Anyway, not only was I blessed to be able to chat with my family throughout the day, but I also got to spend time with some friends who couldn't go home this year, either. We had dinner and dessert together last night, which was wonderful. Claire was invited too, but I decided that Otis (our houseguest) could use some company while I went out for a few hours of "adult time", so the kids stayed at home ;)

As for a Christmas miracle, I got mine a day late but it was not a moment too soon! I was on my way to drop off Claire at school this morning and had just turned off the highway when I realized that I had a flat tire - and no man to help me, no Triple A membership, and no idea if I even had a spare in my trunk. Thankfully, I was only a quarter of a mile away from Firestone, so I rolled on down the street and pulled in. They didn't have anyone waiting, so they got me right in. Because I hadn't had a chance to drop off Claire at school yet, I asked if she could come in while they fixed my car. The manager was so nice and said that he didn't have a problem with it, so she was really excited to go and make some new friends in the waiting area. And guys, let me brag for a second: she was an absolute ANGEL. She sat quietly right in front of me and I gave her a little puppy massage while we waited. I was so proud of her excellent behavior! Unfortunately, the guys couldn't patch my tire (and I actually ended up needing TWO new ones), so when I realized that it was going to take awhile, I took a chance and called Stacey, the owner of Claire's daycare. Oddly enough, Stacey wasn't completely swamped with work when I called, and she was incredibly sweet to come and pick up Claire to take her to school. I mean, if you're going to get a flat, there's no better circumstance! When I finally was able to make it to work, I was just so grateful for all of the help that I didn't even mind the unforeseen expense!

What did you all do for the holidays? Any Christmas miracles for you?

claire's christmas list (2012 edition).

I know. I lose major points for posting our annual Wish List so close to the gosh darn holidays. But there might be some last minute shoppers out there. Maybe... In any case, here are the items that are on Claire's wish list this year!

I love finding a reason to get Claire a new collar or leash, especially because there are such fun ones out there! Like these, from Silly Buddy:

My little one always tears up stuffed toys (except for elephants - she loves her ellies), but I don't think that's a reason to stop buying them for her! That's why I have to include this awesome toy from PLAY:

I need some fun posters for my cubicle at work, so I thought this poster is appropriate, even though Claire's only 50% lab... Most of these features are certainly appropriate for her, anyway!

Simply Fido caught my eye when they shared pictures of this adorable moose. I mean, are you kidding me?! Who DOESN'T want one of these?! And they're stuffed with crinkled paper, which I'm sure is easier to clean up than stuffing. It has to be!

If you've been following this blog for awhile, you are very well aware that I'm obsessed with The Black Dog, which is a store in my hometown. It's only natural that I browsed their website to find things to add to Claire's Christmas list. I found this placemat, which will be perfect for her!

Some of Claire's favorite treats are from The Black Dog, too - and it's great because they're free of the millions of things that she's allergic to! They're available in bacon, cheddar cheese, and peanut butter flavors!

Hopefully this list will be helpful for you late shoppers out there. If you've already shopped for your favorite dog, then I'd highly suggest considering buying some of these items for a New Year's Day present. Or maybe even Valentine's Day. Or heck, buy it just because!

  

the one where i seem like a stalker.

You know that awkward moment when your dog is invited in to someone's house, but you aren't?

I know I've mentioned Claire's friend Rebel before... As a refresher, he is the sweet three-legged dog who often runs around the neighborhood during the day and returns to his home at night. Because he roams, he often meets us at the end of the driveway in the morning and accompanies us on our walks.

Rebel's family has a fenced in backyard, so sometimes I let them in so Claire can play off leash for a few minutes before we finish our walk. The other night, as Claire and I were walking by his house, he bounded around the corner and wanted to play. I noticed that no one was home, but figured that they wouldn't mind if I let Rebel and Claire hang out for a bit. After a few minutes, someone pulled into the driveway. I waved, and when the grandmother got out of the car, I explained that I'm not the Neighborhood Creeper - I often chat with her daughter and grandson if I see them, and they are very familiar with Claire. She didn't seem to have a problem with it, and she even told me that Rebel can come live with us "when [I'm] ready" because she needs to find him a good home with someone who can spend more time with him. Then she said she was going to go put some things in the house and would come back out in a second. Totally fine, right? Well, then she called for Rebel. And Claire. So they followed her, and I figured they would be out in "a second" - literally.

But no. A minute went by. Two minutes went by. Five minutes... And then I peeked in the window. Claire was sitting in front of the eight-year-old grandson getting loved on by their whole family. I mean, did they forget I was out there?! I knocked on the door and collected Miss Claire - who was very reluctant to leave all the attention - and we went home.

I know that she is awfully lovable, believe me, I do. And she loves attention from nice people and sweet dogs. But HELLO. I was freezing out there!!

Maybe they were nervous because I was hanging out in their backyard when they got home. I mean, I guess I can see how that might come across as a little weird and kind of creepy, now that I think about it...

a song for claire.

It's Friday night and I am happily in bed. A few weeks ago, I deemed Friday nights to be my movie nights with Claire. She usually doesn't feel like watching the movie with me, but she sticks around for two hours of continuous belly rubs. She's a smart one, and she's not about to miss out on that.

The preview of our movie tonight was for some kids movie were they were singing "Baby Beluga". Raffi's music was the soundtrack to my life until I was like eight years old, thanks to my sister being born three years after I was, so naturally I started to sing along. And then I started making up my own lyrics about Claire and sang it to her. You know, because I'm really cool and all. She was wagging her tail the whole time, so I am going to assume that she liked it. At the risk of looking ridiculous, I figured I'd share:


"Baby Claire in Tennessee,
Run so wild and you run so free.
Heaven above and the earth below,
And a little black doggie on the go.

Baby Claire, baby Claire,
Is the bed so warm
With your mama home,
And you so happy?

Down at Bark-O-Lounge where the doggies play,
Where you chase and dig all day,
Barking at squirrels and chasing your friends,
You just wish these days would never end.

Baby Claire, baby Claire,
Is the bed so warm
With your mama home,
And you so happy?

When it's dark, you're home and fed.
Curled up snug in your mama's bed.
Moon is shining and the stars are out.
Good night, little doggie, good night.

Baby Claire, baby Claire,
With tomorrow's sun, another day's begun.
You'll soon be waking."


...She just brings out the best in me, doesn't she?!

three's a crowd.

Claire and I had the privilege of hanging out with Chase this weekend while Alexandra and Josh went out of town. Let me just say: we both love this dog. He is such a sweetheart, and he and Claire are completely in love. You can practically see the hearts in their eyes when they look at each other. I mean, they spent the first hour of their reunification licking each other's muzzles and nuzzling. So cute. After that, they played nonstop from Friday night through Sunday morning. Seriously. When we got home on Sunday afternoon, Claire put herself straight to bed and slept clear through Monday morning -- it's like she had a complete puppy hangover from having so much fun.

I have learned, however, that Claire brings out the mischievous side of Chase. Because of that, I know that one eye and one ear has to be on them at all times. Like, even when I take fifteen minutes to shower. I left the door to the bathroom open so that I could hear them if they got into something that they shouldn't. I had just finished working up a good shampoo lather when I saw a little black nose move aside the curtain. And then a brown muzzle. I pulled aside the curtain and, for lack of a better word, I exclaimed Chase's name... and he took the liberty to jump into the bath tub. I became somewhat frantic (and may have started cursing, as well), which brought Claire running into the bathroom. As you may recall, Claire hates getting a bath. So naturally, the last thing I expected her to do was to jump into the bath tub too. Which is exactly what she did. I'm pretty sure that was when I started screaming. I leapt out of the shower to shut the door to the bathroom so that the two wet dogs wouldn't go galavanting through the house, and then I somehow managed to grab towels while simultaneously turning off the shower. Once I dried them off really well, I put them outside in the backyard so they could sunbathe.

I wasn't planning on telling Alexandra and Josh because it would've been way more fun for them to find out while reading this post. However, I saw Alexandra at the park yesterday, and she asked if I gave Chase a bath and brushed him because he looked all handsome and clean, so I had to 'fess up...
   

our bucket list.

So, by now, most of you have probably heard about this sweet story of a boy who created a bucket "lick it" list for his terminally ill service dog. When I read it, of course it got me thinking about all of the things I'd like to do with Claire in her lifetime. I have my own bucket list that consists of 90+ things that I'd like to do in my life [getting a puppy was one of them], but I decided to put together a separate list for me and Claire. Here are some of the items, in no particular order of importance.

1. Fence in the backyard so that Claire has more room to run when we're not at the dog park.
2. Go on a vacation to the beach, just the two of us - spend our nights staying at a dog-friendly hotel and spend our days playing by the ocean.
3. Share a cone of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.
4. Walk a 5k together [I'd say that we'd run, but that would be a nightmare because she would think we were playing a game of chase, and I would die of either exhaustion or of embarrassment].
5. Have my friend and fellow photographer Erin do a photo shoot of me and Claire.
6. Let Claire lead a walk.
7. Have a birthday party in my backyard with a cake from See Spot Eat, and invite all of her friends. Send out real invitations, hand out party favors, and have decorations fit for a queen!
8. Go for a ride in a convertible. [I'll have to hold on to her so she doesn't jump out].
9. Take a picture of Claire in a field of sunflowers. Print it on a canvas to hang up in the house.
10. Get a tattoo of Claire's paw print.
11. Get 100 followers on Google Friend Connect, and reach 200 followers on our Facebook page. [This is obviously a personal goal, but I still felt that I needed to add it!]
12. Create another masterpiece and sell copies to raise money for the Nashville Humane Society.

What should I add to this list? What's on the bucket list for you and your dog?

  

guest blogger: amy and kingsley.

If you read this blog on a regular basis, then you already know Kingsley who belongs to one of my dearest friends, Amy. They have had a rough year, as 2-year-old Kingsley was diagnosed with Wobbler's Disease. I asked Amy if she'd mind sharing a little about their journey together, which completely displays true love and companionship at its best. So, grab the tissues, curl up with your pup, and settle in for this heartwarming story.

Some people never plan on getting a dog but end up with one when a stray shows up randomly one afternoon. Or maybe they didn't expect to see that cute box of puppies when they headed to the supermarket that day. I, on the other hand, had dreamt of getting a Great Dane for more than ten years. Everyone always asks me "Why would you want such a HUGE dog?" Well, I grew up on a farm. I had horses, cows, pigs... just like Old MacDonald. I love animals and have always been a "dog person." I was always intrigued when I saw a Dane. It was something about their gigantic, regal, yet clumsy stature that pulled me in. I researched the breed a good bit and only became more enamored. You'll find most anywhere that they are unequivocally referred to as "Gentle Giants." With that moniker, you'll often find images of them with tiny toddlers hugging their necks, which seems ironic given the notion that the bigger the dog, the more they tend to scare people. There's something that speaks to my soul about an animal that embodies such capable power and strength, yet chooses not to wield it.

I finally got to a place in my life where I decided I was ready. It took me a few years to convince myself I could handle it and afford it, but the time came when it was a "now or never" moment. In all my research, I found a  great breeder just west of Nashville at the time. Reading up on Danes you'll discover purebreds have the potential for quite a few health problems mainly due to their size. With the anticipation of being a first time Dane owner and wanting to ease into it, I decided getting a pup from good stock would help ward off some of the genetic issues and give me a better shot at a prolonged lifespan, since the average textbook lifespan of a Dane is only 7 years. Little did I know that my breeder had show stock and had some of the best Danes around. I wasn't completely ready for the price tag of such a pedigree, but I was committed and fortunately, even though I wasn't going to show, they allowed me to get a puppy.

"Sir Kingsley" (as he's AKC registered) was born on December 4, 2010. The breeder called and let me know I could come out and take a look when the pups were a couple weeks old. When I got to the nursery I found four little fur balls huddled together near a heating lamp.

The breeder picked Kingsley up and handed him to me. It was love at first sight. I held him and he snuggled close up into my neck. I was elated! The worst part was having to leave him since I couldn't bring him home until he was seven weeks old - which is prime attachment time. Seven weeks couldn't pass fast enough. However, I had plenty to do to get the house ready for a baby puppy. You quickly learn that the size "XL" sometimes isn't big enough and you hope the pet supplier carries "giant" sized items. His crate was a nightmare trying to put together. I bought one that ultimately fit a full-size Dane, but you also buy this divider that you use to let your puppy grow into it. The crate is slightly smaller than a MINI-COOPER, a beast to maneuver, and took a community effort to put together. I was ready!

Take Home Day came and I was so excited and nervous! I went with a very close friend to pick him up. They drove, I held him. It was late January and it was cold, so I zipped him up inside my jacket and he couldn't bury his head in my neck deep enough. He eventually stopped wiggling and fell asleep. When we got home, I immediately took him to a grassy area to do some business to try the potty training bit right away, which was pretty successful. We had friends come visit and he instinctively hid behind my legs when he was unsure. After having him only a few hours, he already seemed to be attaching to me.

Kingsley grew like a weed the first year. I could literally leave for work in the morning, come home in the evening and see that he had grown. He went from being born to weighing 125 lbs in one year. We became very attached to each other. As soon as he was old enough and had his shots, we went through two levels of obedience training, took hikes together and went to the dog park. It was important for me to socialize Kingsley early. When he was a puppy everyone would comment on how big his feet were. As he grew, his feet did too. To this day, he still gets comments on not only his size (often called a "horse"), but the size of his feet.

At the dog park Kingsley met LOTS of dogs and owners. Some welcomed him warmly, some didn't. As he grew and some other dogs were intimidated by his size, he would get picked on, and he would take it. As a mom, you want everyone (including other dogs) to like your dog. Your dog is your child. You feel responsible. Yet, I was intrigued to see the development of his personality and that witness that gentle strength that made me fall in love with the breed in the first place. The best thing Kingsley found at the dog park was his girlfriend, the one and only Claire Baby Butterworth. He's been taken with her from the beginning.  Claire and her mom are the warm welcoming wagon of the dog park. Sweetly, Kingsley would follow Claire's lead and pretty much do anything she did. Claire taught him how to dig and crawl under the park benches. Most of all he learned the art of chasing and racing with her. While Kingsley is not incredibly fast compared to some breeds, watching him run is a sight to behold and always left me in awe. His big, beautiful strides were so amazing to watch as he'd thunder past you at a full gallop with his giant paws. He was a pretty active Dane growing up and he loved to play.

About a year ago when Kingsley was just about to turn two, while at a routine visit to the dog park I noticed Kingsley trying to run to keep up with the pack. He couldn't seem to get coordinated with his front half and his back half. Inevitably, he tripped and fell. He scared himself and wobbled to get back up, quickly marking the end of our play time for that day. The first time it happened, I thought he just tripped. I took him to the park again a little while later, but this time when he fell in the pack he managed to get flipped on his back and it scared both of us. Thankfully he wasn't injured, but he still struggled to get back up. We immediately went home. While driving home I recollected some times when I noticed some weakness in his back end, and that he splayed his back legs when he'd walk/run. I decided it was time to check in with the vet. It took a couple vet visits and a lot of explaining, but they surmised that he might have Wobbler's Disease and said they needed to send me to a specialist to know for sure. 

We went to a few specialist appointments. They did x-rays and an exam and diagnosed him with Wobblers. For those of you unfamiliar with Wobblers, basically Kingsley has a malformed cervical vertebrae that is putting pressure on his spinal cord causing inflammation of the spinal cord and therefore weakness in his body. This is a disease that, over time, can take a toll on a Dane. Immediate treatment consists of steroids and medical management, which includes minimal and light exercise - meaning no dog park, no rough play, no quick jerky head movements (which makes playing tug very difficult and is one of his favorite games), minimal car rides, minimal stairs and other uneven or slippery surfaces. The other not-immediate option is surgery, but the prognosis of surgery is grim at best given that the procedure is difficult, quite invasive, and there is still no guarantee that it will be successful. The specialist didn't recommend the surgery unless his condition was so severe that it prevented him from daily self-care activities such as eating and going to the bathroom. While the specialist explained all this to me, I broke down and sobbed in the exam room. Kingsley was lying on the floor and I laid down with him and buried my head in his cheek and kissed him while my tears soaked into his fur.

I pulled myself together and became determined to take care of him the best I could for the time I'm graciously given with him. I took an inventory of all the things we needed to adjust, and accommodations were made. The steroids definitely helped and I've seen the weakness disappear for the most part. However, the steroids made him gain weight - he's topped out at 180 lbs this year, which isn't good. I don't think I mentioned earlier that the reason Danes don't live longer lifespans is because their hearts can't keep up with their body mass. So weight on a Dane is not a good thing. You want them lean to try and keep the stress of the weight off their heart.

However, I'm happy to report that we're a year in and Kingsley is doing okay. He is on a diet and has already been able to get down to 170 lbs, though I'm hoping he can still lose a bit more. While we miss the dog park terribly, we're thankful for dear friends like Claire who come over to the house to visit and socialize. Kingsley has adapted well and he continues to be such a good boy. He makes the most of his toy box which keeps him occupied for play time. As for me, I try not to take any moment with him for granted and I make a point to try and live in the moment of one day at a time. I love letting him put as much of himself in my lap as possible, cuddling (for the record, he likes to be the baby spoon), playing games in the living room, wrapping him up like a burrito in the bed sheets, and simply just spending time together. 

Looking back, I don't regret a thing - and certainly not my decision to get a Dane. This is the reality and fragility of life. Getting Kingsley was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. We're a good pair and we take care of each other - and I pray that we continue to have many good years together in front of us.