Like a few other people on the forum I struggled to establish my bond with Harley when she was a young pup. What really helped was going to training with her on my own. Fun as it is as a family I would let DH work with her in the classes because I am socially anxious. Then he couldnt due to work and I started in a very small group with people that we knew from previous groups. And we have gone from there. Having Harley takes my mind off my own anxiety and I also have worked on my anxiety because it effects Harley in class. Since the beginning of the year I have been working from home instead of a hospital so I still don't spend all day with Harley because I am seeing clients from my practice at home but I do have the oppurtunity to spend much more time with her. And it is fantastic! She is such a joyful, friendly young dog and I have been incorporating her in everything I do while at home. She fetches and carries items including washing and shoes to help me tidy. She has always been a great pup about not destroying items. Today we went shopping and DH stayed at the front door and sent suitable items with Harley to me in the kitchen. She just loves her "job". Classes start again next week! Eeeekkk! I suppose I just want to gush about this incredible member of our family.
So glad to hear how your relationship with Harley has blossomed. She sounds fantastic, doing her carrying job.
I love reading your posts about your bond with Harley. I think it's fantastic that she helps out with the shopping and washing
Lovely post, thanks for sharing. They really do make your heart swell at times, don't they? When you stop and look at them - really look - and see what absolutely incredible creatures they really are. They have so, so much to give and take so little in return. How do those dogless people get through life?
Today she went out to run some errands with me. I am quite cheeky now. If somewhere doesn't forbid animals I take her in, always on her harness. And only in appropriate environments. I needed to collect some certificates for DH and Harls came with, then we went to the pet supply store and Harley chose a toy, lastly to the vet for a weigh in. She is staying stable at 31kgs. She was an absolute pleasure. If I get into a conversation she will lay down next to me and quietly wait.
If I could take Snowie everywhere, I’d get so much done! But since those places are far and few between, I get very few errands done!! Lovely reading about you and Harley.
So heart warming to read this , the bond is special indeed . I wont ever forget how just looking at Sam made me want to cry with pride at times , love reading posts like this x
So, so true. Willow jumped up onto a big rock on our evening walk. To most people, that would likely be nothing much to write home about, but it made me well up at how brave she was to do it!
What a gorgeous post....thankyou. We too are seeing Maxx slowly (very slowly) mature. Instead of 100% biting and chewing and being totally deaf to any instruction, he now has times when he is quiet, respectful and listening - and gazing at you with those melting brown 'butter wouldn't melt in my crocodile toothed mouth' eyes. In those times you realise that you simply couldn't imagine life without a lab
Lovely to read about the bond you have with Harley. I love taking Vanilla to everything I can (OH always makes a comment 'you and your shadow'). But the relationship we have is nothing I have ever experienced nor ever expected. True on how you look at your dog/s and somethings just make you proud and think 'yep just look at my little girl/boy'.
Does anyone else just find having a dog really odd (but in a good way, of course). It's just this little creature that comes to live in your house (or as Stanley thinks, we live in his ) that you don't speak the same language as and you know nothing about each other. But you just learn to live together and enhance each other's lives and you develop a love and connection that you would NEVER be able to have with a human. And if someone doesn't have one, they'll never understand the importance of them. I can't imagine ever not having a dog now, I don't think our house would feel right without one.
