Dog Charming

14/10/2026

When I lament your passing,
And miss you in this place,
When I gaze upon your image,
And tears stream down my face ...

I'll remember to be grateful,
For the miracle of your staying.
Defying charts and tests and scans,
I will celebrate your greying.

Thanks for hanging with me beyond a poor prognosis and all expectations, Willow. How lucky were we to have chosen each other?

I chose a song originally for the post to reflect the theme of "grey". Then I read the rest of the lyrics. (Willow going grey, her colour is yellow, mine is blue)

Shame I don't believe in signs. 🤔🤷🏼‍♀️💛🤍🐾

12/10/2026

This is a great explanation of how behaviour works for all species. Behaviour follows natural laws. Learners discover what behaviours get their needs met and use those more often. Become an observer of behaviour you want more of and reinforce the s@&t out of it to keep it coming. 👊

09/10/2026

Willow's pedigree name: Kalypsy Lasting Impression

That's exactly what she left. 💛🤍🏵🐾

05/10/2026

How does one ever get used to the physical loss? The love remains, that's for sure, but the absence of comfort from her physical presence is undeniable.

02/10/2026

I keep rising to see the sunrise. It didn't feel right standing alone to watch when I used to have a buddy beside me. I started walking with the hope it would help with healing. But I couldn't outpace the pain. I tried challenging my body to the stairs, thinking the physical effort would lighten the heavy emotional load. The weight didn't shift. I bought bright, sentimentally coloured running shoes for the latest plan: I will outrun these tears. It meant it was the first day I didn't wear my half of our matching jackets which, ironically, induced a tear before I'd left the house. Grief is a tenacious athlete. I'll have to run faster tomorrow.

02/10/2026

One of our favourite places: bed 💛🤍🐾
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd-faxkzYDm/?stkn=ZWhldXBraXJiZ3V5

21/09/2026

Things that help. I took Willow to watch the sunset. Her Willow tree carving in my pocket. Was OK today. Until I wasn't. They say to roll with the waves of grief. Sometimes it's more like a tsunami.

17/09/2026

At 14.5 weeks, Willow was demonstrating how powerful positive reinforcement can be. She went from my bed to the crate all by her widdle self (which I was rather miffed about). 💛
https://www.facebook.com/share/19WVvC58Kk/

Willow usually sleeps on the bed with me. I've heard people say this can create separation anxiety in a dog. I haven't read anything reliable (scientific) that indicates this is the case. The genesis of separation anxiety is way more complex than that. Tonight I put Willow on the bed and went to the bathroom. I came back and she was gone. I hunted her down and found her in her crate. I'm pleased with her independence and that the crate training during the day has made it a comforting place for her to be. I'm a bit miffed to be writing this tucked into bed ... alone. I might go ask her if she's sure about this sleeping arrangement 😉

16/09/2026

Things that help. I spent half a day creating a fairy door. It was hard to summon the energy for a 2 hour drive so soon after Willow left but I knew it would be therapeutic and I appreciated my friend organising it with me in mind. When my hands are busy, my heart and mind are quieter. I didn't know what I was going to make except, yellow! The door would be yellow for Willow. I waited many weeks before feeling ready to drive back to collect it. It's full of meaning that developed as my hands moved over the clay: A love heart window for Zuri (who had a love heart on her chest) and a star window for Willow. Pink for Zuri. And I cried when I saw the final fired result It's not just a fairy door. It's a tangible expression of grief, loss, love and gratitude. How lucky was I to have had these two?

15/09/2026

I don't believe dogs give unconditional love! There, I said it.
I do believe they give love. And more.

Dogs are lauded as the ultimate providers of unconditional love. They love their people regardless of an almost inexhaustive list of human foibles and frailties. I understand the sentiment. Dogs...