My Peace of Heaven: April 2012

Stay. Stick around... this is important. I've reached a threshold, you see. This is about passion... love... what I'm truly meant to do (other than being Collin's mommy).

Training Man's Best Friend.

Of course, to be fair, this title is so restricting. Man's Best Friend... no... Dogs (in my honest opinion) are the best companion for all who's lives they touch.

For the record... Miss Lexie (Retriever above) is not wearing a 'muzzle'. This is a Gentle Leader for leash walking. She may bite whomever she chooses.

I come from a family of... well, dogs, horses and trainers. My father... a nationally recognized Arabian horse trainer.

I know what you're thinking... He's so darned good lookin'.

He's not the only person in our family who trains.

My sis, Julie, worked with, among others, Joe Montana's horses (you know, 'Golden Joe'... Hall of Fame Quarter Back for the 49ers... yeah. THAT Joe Montana). Over time, she turned in her spurs and went to the dogs. Literally. Breeding Labrador Retrievers, that is.

Thanksgiving at my parents' house. Yes, most of these bells belong to Julie.

Animals have always been a huge part of my life. I had no choice in the matter... although, I would never change a thing about it.

Llamas.

Cats.

Horses.

Horses and Cats.

Dogs.

Crawfish.

Oh, wait... not a pet.

And don't even get me started on the bird aviary. Let's just say, I will probably never get myself a parrot.

Yep, this girl grew up on ranches from California to Mississippi (including a few in between). Being around animals was my life. Though I am the youngest of my dad's eight children (Dad lovingly calls me "the caboose"), we never actually lived under the same roof. Animals were my companions. I usually hung out in the dog house. Really.

I had always hoped I would follow suit and become an outstanding horse trainer. Just like my Daddy. Just like my sister.

Ultimately (and not without some heartache), I accepted the realization that riding horses was all I would ever do. Although I loved to ride, training was not in the cards for me.

Only a fellow rider would agree with my following statement... Oh, how I miss the smell of oily, worn leather and horse manure!

So, over the years, I picked up a few jobs. Mostly working for Veterinary Hospitals...

Kennel Assistant at Hunter's Glen Veterinary Hospital - walking, feeding, cleaning up after (think poop smeared all over kennels, runs, my work clothes... I don't have a weak stomach, mind you). Sometimes, nearly a hundred dogs twice a day. Oh, the holidays were a mess.

Banfield Pet Hospital - Client Service Coordinator (Receptionist). This was one of my favorites. Checking patients in and out all day gave me the opportunity to develop quite a few long lasting friendships. Every so often, some pet parents would go out of their way to let me love on their babies. Talk about a rewarding job!

From that point on, it started to become clear to me that I found my niche. I found myself going to the dogs. Literally. I moved on to Petsmart as one of their dog trainers.

It was at Petsmart that I learned to approach people, speak in front of large groups... really connect with pet parents. I am still friends with many of the people I met while I worked there.

Just a couple of my graduates!

At that point, my husband, Tommy, encouraged me to build my own training program. Dog's Town... my own business. Private training and boarding. I fell in love.

I started with training my own dogs, of course.

Frosty.

Reba.

Bindi.

Don't let the Bible fool you.

This puppy has fallen from grace. She's completely deaf, which makes training incredibly challenging without a shock collar. A shock collar??? I just can't do it. My poor back yard... Although, she did help with our mole infestation.

Thereafter, I was unstoppable.

Until...

Life happened. My life. My baby boy. I came to a full stop to stay at home with my boy.

I have no regrets. I put my career down, with the intention of making a comeback. I had started attending school at Animal Behavior College before I got preggers. It was a little bit of a struggle, taking care of a baby, our house, and my certification.

But, I did it.

My boy, Collin, is two years old now. So, I ask myself... self... is now the time? Should I make my comeback? I don't know. Maybe. Am I ready?

I think so.

Have I lost my touch? Can I do it again?

I think I can... (choo choo! says the Caboose)

And so, I begin again. Moving forward. Will it be the same? Probably not. I'm going to love it, regardless. This is my passion. My first love. My niche.

So, thank you... my beloved clients and friends whom I have been blessed with over the years. Thank you for making me a part of your families. For letting me roll around on the floor with your babies. For letting me help you understand them and communicate with them. And, thank you... for helping me love what I do best.

AND NOW... pictures.

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Look at that face! That's our Frosty.