Back to Joy

Angel and I went on a nice long hike through the woods yesterday. I had to stop saying the word, "walk", because it just makes her so excited that I can't get her leashed! So now I say "hike?" and she tilts her cute little head at me, like "what"? It was a balmy day yesterday and the woods were a bit damp, but we stayed on the trails the whole time. Sometimes I let her take off on a "nose hunt", trying to seek out whatever she smells. I enjoy these times with Angel, just walking through the woods, talking to her now and then, watching her investigate, and getting some much-needed exercise for us both. These walks in the woods have served us both well. I was so upset yesterday over the loss of Yofi, but I chose to spend the day loving on Angel and just enjoying what I already have. We returned to the house relaxed and tired, and one of us took a long nap. It wasn't me! As we walked, I couldn't help but think of Sophie, our beardie who passed in June of 2011. She loved the woods and running like crazy, tongue flying, hair flying; you could almost imagine her laughing as she ran with reckless abandon. She never required a leash and we could just take her anywhere and she'd stay right with us. Before we lost her, I spent hours with this big almost 50 pound baby on my lap, stroking her fur and promising I'd never love another dog as much as I love her. Believe it or not, I find this to be true. Sophie has a spot in my heart that is uniquely hers. And now Angel has a spot that is hers and hers alone. I gave my heart to both of them. Losing Yofi made me realize that I have more room in my heart for lots of pets, and one day I will give yet another piece of my heart away. In the meantime, Angel and I have lots of stuff to do together! We are working on some new training to help her deal with strangers. We watch that show, "It's me or the Dog" with Victoria Stilwell. She had a method using a key word, such as "friend" when someone rings the doorbell or comes into the yard. I spent some time with this training, and it went well (without people) until I actually did it when she heard a doorbell on TV (drives her crazy). I said the word, "friend" while giving her a treat and she'd have nothing to do with it. Just kept looking at the door! She's still in fear of people and the unknown, but I can tell by how she treats my mom and dad that she wants so badly to love other humans. Natalie taught Angel "lay down" just last night! Angel is so smart! Right now we are trying to just handle the stranger anxiety, but it's fun to see her learn other commands too. The other night we took Angel with us on a Christmas Light tour around a neighboring town. It was one of those balmy nights where you could have the windows down in the car. Angel was in heaven, head out the window, on my lap, loving the ride. She loves rides and gets at least two a day! I so love having her around. Can you tell?