Blog-off #10: Presenting Miss Kia

Kia is a four year old Shitzu with a big personality and I'm afraid to say, a better wardrobe than me! She has brought her family, adults and kids alike, copious amounts of joy and laughter. She has a personality that outweighs her stature and the ability to bring strangers into the 'mush' zone. You know what that is "Ooohhhhhhh what a cuuuute pupppie, mwa, mwa, mwa such a cute puppie, awwwwwe!" What is it about our four legged canine friends that takes us out of ourselves and into completely different state of mind? 

I have recently become addicted to the Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan. If you've never seen the show you can check it out on the National Geographic Channel. I just figured out that they have daily shows and have been taping them religiously with my PVR, whatever did I do without the PVR!?!

Cesar's philosophy revolves around becoming the 'pack leader' for your dog by being 'calm assertive' effectively achieving a 'calm submissive' state from your dog. You communicate your calm assertive self through the energy you project by being in a relaxed state while taking control of the situation. I think it's pure genious! Here is a clip from You Tube demonstrating some of Cesar's techniques with an aggressive dog. 

So what is it about dogs? Why have they become 'man's/woman's' best friend through the ages? I had dogs as pets from the time I was 10 or 11 years old until fairly recently. Each one over the years has had a personality, usually a very BIG personality! What has struck me is their ability to love unconditionally. Sure they'll pull some tricks to get their way, but at then end of the day they lick your face, wag their tail and make you feel like you're 100 feet tall. They do not discriminate or care how you look and act. In fact we can be totally socially inept with other people and a dog will still love us exactly as we are.

I suppose the biggest risk in adopting a dog is the fear that one day he/she just won't be there anymore. But, then again, we take that risk with any relationship in our lives. I'm going to continue with my obsession for the Dog Whisperer. At some point I will adopt another dog. In the meantime, I'm practicing how to be a pack leader in my own life by being calm assertive as often as I can. Maybe those four legged friends have a lot more to teach us than we have to teach them.

I'd love to hear your perspective - please comment away!

Don't forget to check out Songbird's response to my picture this week - I think you'll like it!