Sunday, December 16, 2012
unexpected learnings from my dog
On the 17th it will be 5 months since KoKo has come into my life. And I often find myself thinking during our walks how much I've learned and even grown from this experience. While this post is meant to be light hearted I was also moved by the reflection of these 5 months and the learnings tucked within. 
Don't go on a picture alone.While I try to tell myself this on a daily basis in the context of online dating -- with KoKo it really proved to be true. I had a clear vision on what I wanted for my dog - age, size, training, temperament, etc and I was less concerned w/ color and oveall appearance. However, some dogs are cuter than others and the pictures draw you in. Well, for some reason KoKo's picture just didn't strike me (see the comparison of him here named Louis and then one from when I took him home :) But his write up/bio seemed spot on so I went to meet him anyway. And maybe it's true, maybe love at first site is possible b/c he put this head on my lap, took one big enhale of my scent, i held him and from there the rest is history. He was mine, I was his. So glad I make the drive out to meet him regardless of his less than stellar photo :)Listen to your instinctsI've watched KoKo grow from a timid, submissive little boy to a growing teenager who's got some fight in him now. And I've watched him use his own instincts to sort out what's scary and what seems off to know how to proceed. Whether it's checking out another dog bigger than him, or knowing how to lose a dog who seems up to no good at the dog park, he's really come into his own. And it's reminded me that we all need to follow our own innate senses -- we may not be able to sniff people out in the literal sense like dogs do each other but we sure can use our sixth sense to know when to walk away or not get involved at all.
Consistency builds trustI don't know what the first year of KoKo's life was like and I never will. But I know he was left or not "found" at a shelter for 7 days and then shipped to a foster home and then spent a weekend sick at the vet and then was with me for 2 weeks before another overnight trip to the vet and surgery until finally he started to get some consistency here in Brentwood. And I know that with each passing month, the more he learns his routine and my routine the more he came into his own. The more he trusted me. Like when he wouldn't get in his crate for fear of being left, and now he doesn't mind at all. Or he wouldn't eat any treats when he's left and now he'll devour a chew bone while I'm gone, or how he wouldn't eat regularly in the beginning b/c he never knew what the day was going to hold. It's how consistently we make our actions, our words, our feelings and our love that leads to trust. And I'm sure I'll look back another 5 months from now and see how our bond is even stronger but for now I'm honoring how far we have come, the trust that's there b/w us and it's a good reminder to all -- do what you'll say you do, show up consistently time and time again, and don't disappoint.
Unconditional LoveObviously I knew this from my one and only mother but since she's been gone it has felt like a void in my life -- that feeling like no matter what someone is there to just love you just the way you are. Well, KoKo just lights up when I come home, gets so excited to snuggle w/ me on the sofa, loves when I talk to him, hug him, kiss him and is even a doll when I cry on him. He's reminded me what it feels like to feel the love that we all deserve. And his reminder makes me recommit to not settling for anything short of that in a man.
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Dogs truly are a man's best friend. I think KoKo and Sky have given us more than we could EVER give them! xoxo
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