Happy Paws

On Monday December 19th at 10:58 a.m. I had to say goodbye to my eldest dog, the one who started it all, Brinkley.

I felt the best way to honor his memory would be to share his story as it is so tightly woven into every fiber of the business I have today.

I tell many clients, "Before I was a trainer, I was in the exact same spot as you, an owner, looking for healthy solutions for my dog's countless issues" , and when I say this, I'm always referring to my first dog. As most of you know, I've always had a soft spot for my rescues, and especially for breeds most people label "difficult", and Brink was no different. A little Miniature Pinscher with a BIG personality...

We were an instant team, and in alot of ways he was the perfect dog. Loyal and loving, bright eyed and bushy tailed ready for play time with personality to spare. But life before I adopted him had not been as kind. He was kept in a crate 24/7, forcing him to soil the tiny crate he slept in. He had never been around other people or other dogs, and his owner at the time only bothered to let him out of the crate long enough to beat him.

When he came to me he had been labeled "damaged" and had two broken ribs, as well as 6 fully rotted out teeth from malnutrition.but he simply couldn't handle the stress associated with me leaving him for any period of time. He suffered from severe separation anxiety, far worse than I had ever seen before, or since. He would defecate on himself if you left him alone, constantly soiling and destroying whatever he had been contained in. On top of that he was highly aggressive to anyone who entered his home and if we tried containing him he would just bark for hours until he was hoarse. It was tragic to see an animal battle with such stress, so I sought out every behaviorist, trainer, vet, friend, relative, forum, anything and everything I could think of to find a permanent, lasting solution.

In the end, nothing anyone could tell me offered us any relief. It was through this desperation that I began to trust my own instincts when it came to training a dog with such unique needs. I took one day at a time, working to desensitize him, socialize him, build up his confidence so that he could finally relax and just be a lazy lap dog, and I'm glad to say it worked. So well in fact that he received his AKC Canine Good Citizen Award exactly 2 years after I adopted him; one of his many accomplishments during our time together.

In the coming years he would become my greatest personal training victory. I regularly used him as an Ambassador for rescue outreach, speaking engagements, training seminars, classes, to raise awareness against animal cruelty and to promote rescue and adoption. So many amazing dogs have been saved because of his selfless dedication to me, his Master.

I'm grateful for the 10 years I shared with Brinkley as I experienced so many firsts. My first love, first year of college, my first apartment, he was there every step of the way serving as a constant source of inspiration and companionship. He was as much a part of my life as any relative, or friend. I'm thankful to him for that and the limitless love we both so fiercely protected.

There is nothing quite like the love of a dog, it is something of exquisite beauty, respect, and loyalty that truly knows no bounds.

Brinkley 1995-2011

"Always by my side, always in my heart" R.I.P.