The Magic That is Pozy Clarkia

Since I had 3.5 years between puppies because of too many “misses” in the breeding department, I had a lot of time to hope and dream about my next puppy. I reflected about what I liked about how I raise puppies and what I could do better. In those years, I thought a lot about what I wanted in my next puppy, and what I wanted for my puppy.

And finally, she arrived.

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When something is preceded by a lot of disappointment and tears, you appreciate it even more. I wish all puppies could arrive into their new lives with that aura of magical blessing that Pozy has for me .

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When one knows — really knows — how very fortunate they are to have this puppy at this time, the life of the puppy is enriched and wonderful.

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Those things that are precious to us are treated in ways that reflect their value. All puppies deserve this.

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Pozy’s great-great-great grandmother, the awesome and perfect Mrs. Maize, was a Therapy Dog. She was fabulous with people in any setting, and the kids in my grief support groups loved her.

Pozy has the temperament to be a Therapy Dog and I would love to make that happen. Therefore, I am taking the socialization of Pozy to a new level — even in a pandemic. We live in the country and so this takes effort, time, and driving. On Sunday mornings and one other day each week, we go to Missoula (with masks and a long leash) and find humans in new places.

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Pozy is also training in urban tracking, and a variety of foundational behaviors. She loves all of it.

Pozy and Sparkle

Pozy and Sparkle

Pozy also loves other dogs, including Sparkle (above) and Harper B for Best Great Auntie (below).

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However, Claire is still miffed that she has a little sister — apparently she enjoyed being the baby of the family for 3.5 years. Claire is unwilling, therefore, to be close enough to Pozy to get a photo — yet!

Please have a magical day.

Day 52 A.M.

The Just Say No campaign of the Reagan administration was problematic for all kinds of reasons but one relates to Life with Dogs — saying no doesn’t help a human or a dog know what to do instead.

Lupine

Lupine

Raising a puppy is all about creating desired behaviors — this happens by supporting and reinforcing those desired behaviors and NOT by telling the puppy “NO.”

Mallow

Mallow

I am willing to say if we have said no to a puppy — shame on us for at least two reasons. First, we failed to help the puppy know what to do in a situation and second, we are attempting to teach something using REALLY unfortunate techniques.

Would you enjoy learning a new language and culture by being scolded for every mistake with little/no understandable information and support about how to be right?

That is unfair and mean — and super discouraging.

Lupine and Daisy

Lupine and Daisy

Puppies are not small dogs — they are babies — and so we must manage our expectations accordingly.

Would you shout NO to a baby peeing in her diaper or pulling your hair? I hope not. A diaper change and redirection/substitution — those are the appropriate responses.

Note the leap! Mariposa

Note the leap! Mariposa

Mariposa

Mariposa

I have raised a dozen Berner puppies of my own and what I have learned over the years is to chill out and relax — there is just no need to sweat the small stuff. And most all stuff is small.

Paintbrush

Paintbrush

Too soon they are done with puppyhood…

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…and in a blink of an eye you are bidding farewell.

Sage and his posse.

Sage and his posse.

Wildflowers bloom — but not forever.

Clover

Clover

Don’t waste one second of a dog’s short life being disappointed or upset with her.

Larkspur on the block

Larkspur on the block

#noregrets

Lupine

Lupine

Video HERE from this morning.

EVENING: PHOTOS FROM THE DAY

The talking and flashing red ball is a Big Hit these days.

The talking and flashing red ball is a Big Hit these days.

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PAINTBRUSH

PAINTBRUSH

MALLOW

MALLOW

My latest creation — a raft in the splash pad! Buttercup thought it was big fun.

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So did Lupine.

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Clarkia at attention as she contemplates the lawn mower.

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A neighbor dropped by…

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Buttercup and Daisy — all the feels.

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Good Night, Friends.

Nope.

Sparkle is not pregnant. It is hard to say that knowing it will be disappointing news.

An empathic heart can be a liability as I carry my own sorrow for the news and cringe internally imagining how it will “land” on others.

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At age 6.5+ years and with three “misses” Sparkle is officially done. She is an incredible dog — I so wanted a second litter from her.

Dogs are free to remove themselves from the attention of children — or anyone, for that matter. Sparkle enjoys the kids and their interactions are ALWAYS supervised to ensure the kids learn how to treat animals. Berkeley is enjoying my traveling pil…

Dogs are free to remove themselves from the attention of children — or anyone, for that matter. Sparkle enjoys the kids and their interactions are ALWAYS supervised to ensure the kids learn how to treat animals. Berkeley is enjoying my traveling pillow and her warm friend.

Resilience appears to be one of my Super Powers — and so yes, I am disappointed and sad but I am also okay. After all, I still have my amazing dog — and she is all that and more.

And so we close that chapter and open some new ones, rearranging plans for 2020 to accommodate for those new chapters.

We are planning to breed two Sparkle daughters in 2020: Jordan in April/May and Claire in June/July.

I am still pondering what to do about Daisy. I want a puppy from both Jordan and Claire, and so adding Daisy could be complicated. I do not breed my dogs to sell puppies — I breed them so that I can keep a carefully and thoughtfully bred puppy — and three young puppies, if all went according to plan, would not be fair to any of them.

On the other hand, when do things go exactly according to plan?!

Hmmmm…

And so there you go — more real Life with Dogs. Not all ribbons and awards and fun. But that is the nature of Life in General, right?

And it means that something amazing is up ahead because Life is like that — downs and ups. We ride the downs so we can have those exhilarating UPS — and they always come.