When I got Breezy I was going through a rough period in my life. I was newly single, and really just craving that something extra. Things were quite the challenge and I decided after thinking about it for 3+ years that it was time for me to become a dog mom. I applied for Bree and then 4 other dogs. After the 5 applications, and waiting for two weeks to be approved, Bree came home to me! I had a new found love! A best friend that I didn't know I needed. Thus began our amazing adventure of forever friendship ;)
Throughout getting to know one another, I found that Bree was a dog who loved to be challenged, was incredibly active, and VERY social! She adores people and cannot get enough attention. She is SO smart! Having a dog was new to me, so I researched different avenues for her to learn & grow. We took two manners classes which she thrived at. I would actually love to do more of these with her to help her proof even more of the basic dog manners. I took her to swim class to help her feel confident in the water. We started hiking together at county and state parks. We started camping with one of my best friends and her dog. I got much more active & adventurous when she came into my life in order to help her thrive. This in turn has helped me thrive even more!
One of our absolute favorite things to do when not camping, is to go hiking. Breezy loves having the freedom to wander & explore when out on the trails. She is part hound so her nose is always to the ground, finding things to "hunt". When we first started hiking she wasn't good enough with recall to take her off leash, but as we have gotten out more, she has learned to stick close to me and to come sit when another dog passes. I have even got her recall so good that I can call her off of a squirrel or rabbit pretty easily - something that still amazes me. We go out about 2-4 times per week (when I am not injured - more on that in another post), sometimes just for a mile or two, but just being in the woods and on the trails, her and I are in our happy place. Sometimes we even take a little break on the side of the trails for a snack and snuggle! There is just something about the peace of the woods to center you and bring you away from reality for a bit. It is truly magical.
One dream I have for us together is to one day get good enough to go backpacking in Arizona or Colorado. Her & I together, on the trails & in the woods, camping under the stars. So far, I am no where NEAR being able to backpack camp - I am a HUGE over-packer and have learned throughout my life to be prepared for anything. This isn't necessarily bad. It just doesn't work very well for backpacking. Any tips on learning to downsize the packing in order to get closer to this dream?
What is one thing you do with your family or pets that brings you back to your center and give you that sense of peace? Is this something we could incorporate that into your photo session? I am happy to take a walk or hike with you on your favorite trails or at your favorite park and capture your favorite things in photos. This is one thing I always encourage you to think about.
Next week we will get more in depth about our camping adventures and our favorite places so far! I am so excited to share more with all of you!
0 Comments