My Wonderful Dog

09/08/2024

Wow, did I need this. How about you??

You don’t have to be the perfect dog owner.

I’ve spoken to a few dog owners this week that feel immense pressure to be perfect for their dogs. I suspect social media plays a huge part in this.

We open up Facebook or Instagram or TikTok and are flooded with videos of dogs doing amazing training, going on beautiful hikes, eating bowls of gourmet and perfectly arranged food. I know that’s the sort of thing I post of my dogs on my socials because put quite simply, it’s more fun and engaging!

However I want to tell you, that if you feel like you’re not the perfect dog owner, don’t be so hard on yourself. The secret is, none of us are!

A training session that’s done while you sit on the floor in some grotty pjs and isn’t TikTok worthy is absolutely okay.

A walk that’s around a dreary industrial estate because you haven’t got the energy that day to take them up a mountain and film a beautifully curated reel is okay.

A bowl of food that’s nothing but their normal kibble with a blob of yogurt and a couple of wrinkly blueberries on top that isn’t Instagram worthy is okay.

We put huge pressure on ourselves and if we aren’t attaining ‘perfect dog ownership’ every day we are often horrible to ourselves. The thing is, your dog still loves you. He still loves the little training session at 9pm in your pjs. He still loves the dreary industrial estate. He still loves the biscuits and blob of yoghurt with the wrinkly blueberry.

Dogs are incredible and they just live in the moment, and they don’t EVER think less of you for not being perfect.

Take the pressure off yourself. Comparison is the thief of joy after all and often when we compare our dogs lives to the social media dogs lives, we feel like we aren’t meeting expectations. The truth is, that social media is a snap shot in time and isn’t the whole picture. You don’t have to be perfect and filtered and edited to have a happy dog.

31/07/2024

Invite Wonder

What if you bowed
before every dandelion you met
and wrote love letters to
squirrels and pigeons
who crossed your path?

What if scrubbing the dishes became
an act of single reverence for the gift
of being washed clean, and what if the
rhythmic percussion of chopping carrots
became the drumbeat of your dance?

What if you stepped into the shower
each morning only to be baptized anew
and sent forth to serve the grocery bagger,
the bank teller, and the bus driver
through simple kindness?

And what if the things that make
your heart dizzy with delight were
no longer stuffed into the basement
of your being and allowed out to play
in the lush and green fields?

There are two ways to live in this world:

As if everything were enchanted
or nothing at all.

There is no in between, although you
keep trying to live this divided life knowing
deep down something is awry.
You have lived long enough
with this tearing apart.

Come out into the wide world
and discover there companions and guides
at every turn, and even those who summon
curses from your heart have
a divine spark within them bright enough

to invite wonder.

31/07/2024

I am enjoying sitting for this little guy

30/07/2024

Not getting much done on the computer tonight

14/07/2024

Who knew my dog needed a brother? Both these dogs can be unpredictable (or at least were) around other dogs but this is some nice play and some lovely sharing.

I’ve seen it work out often enough that getting another dog as a companion for a dog with behavioral problems, doesn’t actually work out the way that people anticipated. But I have to say that in this particular situation I think Charlie gives Sunny confidence and life there is so much more predictable.

It hurts a bit, but it also helps me to feel good about the decision I made. Now I feel as if I can go off and start my new adventure because she is clearly very, very happy.

07/07/2024

Facebook is being a pain in my butt. Please share this. I have a ton of stuff for sale and I’m selling cheap. Furniture, sporting equipment, tools, rugs, furniture, TV, games, all kinds of cooking stuff.

27/06/2024

Just so true

27/06/2024

Selling this stuff and more. Too tired to take any more photos

13/06/2024

A lot of you who have worked with me know that I love using find it in a lot of different situations. Melissa McCue-McGrath explains how she uses it and why in this video. Have a watch https://www.facebook.com/share/r/qqKxFRYicEbN2NLw/?mibextid=WC7FNe

11/06/2024

New adventures on the horizon

21/03/2024

Dog trainers love to train, even in their off time 

10/03/2024

I love getting updates on the dogs that I have worked with. Here’s one I received today:

We are celebrating one year with Angus this weekend! Time flies! For both of us never having a dog before, we can’t thank you enough for helping us get going with Angus and giving him a strong foundation–we truly would have been lost without your guidance.

Wanted to send along some pics for you!

Again, can’t thank you enough!
-Sam, Tim, Angus

29/01/2024

Lost dog in Cape Elizabeth. Please share

** UPDATE 1/29/24 * Ellie has been found!!!!

***1/28/24*** LOST DOG IN CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE

Ellie was last seen on Shore Road headed towards Surf Road in Cape Elizabeth, ME. She is a 35lb 7 year old spayed female Border Collie with black fur and white markings. She is wearing a collar and is a shy girl so please DO NOT CHASE. If you see Ellie, please call Charlotte immediately at (207) 331-1071.

Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

27/01/2024

For the first time in years, I have space to take on a few more dogs in my off leash walking groups. Your dog must have excellent recall, get along well with other dogs in close proximity (they ride in my car together) and have no food resource guarding.

The walks are 45 minutes not including pick ups or drop offs. We walk in the woods in Cape Elizabeth so depending on the weather conditions, your must understand that dogs will come home some times muddy and wet. While I do my best to wipe them off, I cannot assure a pristine dog when they are dropped off,

My walks are a combination of romp and train. We spend a lot of time working on recall but the dogs also get to spend a lot of time just being dogs and doing doggy things. Quantities of treats are consumed which vary from kibble, to cheese to salmon skins.

Cost for the walks are $35. And slots are available M-F. Please feel free to share or if you are interested in perhaps signing your dog up, please contact me and we'll do a meet and greet at no charge. Clients must reside in Cape Elizabeth or South Portland.

20/01/2024

It’s so cold out and this poor guy has no fur. Please share.

***1.22.24*** Happy pupdate, Macon has been found and is safe and well!

*** 1/20/24***
There has been a sighting of Macon on B Street, S. Portland.

*** 1/20/24 *** LOST IN SOUTH PORTLAND ME
Macon is missing from Ocean Street in South Portland Me since yesterday 1/19/24. He is a gray and white neutered mix, a year old and weighsi 35 pounds. Macon is microchipped and wearing a collar. He is newly adopted so is not familiar with the area. PLEASE DO NOT CHASE. He is very shy and is very fearful so please do not approach Macon. If he is seen please contact Micah or Kate at 207-272-6560 immediately. ACO Maggie Maxwell at South Portland (Maine) Police Department 207-874-8575 opt 1 ask for aco.
Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

22/12/2023

I have the best clients

10/12/2023

Latest update on 'mystery illness in dogs

Spoiler alert: there’s not a lot new to say about the ongoing situation with canine infectious respiratory disease in North America. Most of this I've

09/12/2023

Every day I am absolutely amazed by these wonderful creatures who share their lives with us

03/12/2023

This is a great article about how to treat a mild cough and how to distinguish something mild to something more serious.

Home remedies for a dog's cough include humidity and humidifiers, and home made low-sodium soups. Severe coughs call for a vet.

01/12/2023

This summer I got to wrangle the dogs for this series. It was a lot of hard work very cool and exhausting all at the same time. And more than a little stressful.

Many thanks to my pal and wonderful dog trainer Diana Jordan Logan. She and I were responsible for coordinating all of the shots with the dogs.

Special thanks to the black dog’s parents (Ella In the series and Buddy in real life) they put up with me and my ever changing schedule for weeks while I got to know Buddy and work with him enough so he would trust me as a handler.

I haven’t seen it yet but the trailer is awesome. It’s fun to see the Final Cut.

The ABC News Studios true crime series follows the case of a woman who vanished with her dog while hiking Blood Mountain in Georgia and premieres Thursday on Hulu.

23/10/2023

Some good and some obvious advice 😂

23/10/2023

Anyone want a sweet old Lab lady?

Where are all of our older lab lovers out there?

Haddie is just sitting here, waiting for her shot at a do-over, Maine style. 🌲🌊🐕

In the land of labs, we're sort of surprised no one has reached out asking about her!

She is a big black lab weighing in at about seventy five pounds. She's really pleasant to be around. She likes kitties. She's a bit bossy with other dogs and she can be rude- she wants to be the queen. 👑 But she is a typical labby-type lady otherwise.

She's still in pretty good shape, although she is showing some signs of those older lab hips. And she will come with a year's supply of cosequin supplements to help with that a bit.

She's got a couple of years left in her, and we sure would like to find her a family to give her a nice comfy spot in their home and hearts. 💗

https://peaceridgesanctuary.org/adopt/

20/09/2023

Friends, this is kind of cool. I’ve never been able to get booties to stay on in deep snow.

And for all of the owners of dogs who get snowballs between the pads and clumps of snow clinging to legs, this could be a great strategy. You’d want to spend some time acclimating your dog to the feel of the leggings of course.

08/08/2023

I love this video and I LOVE that she continues to pay her dog even though these behaviors are clearly very solid. She says it’s because she wants to clearly communicate to her pup how much it means to her that her dog works so hard for her. I couldn’t agree more.And the proof is how happily (and speedily) her dog responds to her cues.

More paychecks, less drudgery

17/07/2023

Had to share this. Lololol

25/06/2023

Anyone out there willing to take on loving these beautiful ladies? Please share!