October 2011 and May 2012

If you played both of these things to death, you should stop what you’re doing and listen to this:

I recently finished reading Cesar’s Way by Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer. Here’s what I took away from it for our dog, Bristow:

 - Dogs need at least two 30-minute walks per day. Running around the yard does not count, even if you live in a mansion with a huge backyard.

This is Cesar’s biggest point, and it was a tough point for me to accept. TWO 30-minute walks EVERY DAY? Minimum?! We normally did one 30-minute walk, but it wasn’t a priority.

Now that we have started being purposeful about taking Bristow on walks more frequenly, his usual nervous energy has noticeably diminished.

 - When walking your dog, he should never walk in front of you unless he has been given permission to do so, and then only for a short time. Most of the walk should be spent with the dog at your side or behind you.

Bristow used to respect Kyle as a leader, but he would not listen to me or Adelaide. Ever since I started making him walk at my side or heel, he now obeys me and also respects Adelaide more.

In order to make Bristow walk next to me or behind me, I had to learn to project what Cesar calls “calm-assertive energy.” Powerful but compassionate. “Think Oprah,” he says.

Calm-assertive energy is not a natural state for me, so it does take work for me to project it. But I notice a distinct change in Bristow’s behavior when I actively lead instead of ignoring him and getting lost in thought or conversation.

It has less to do with how I act and more to do with how I think.

 - If your dog gets super hyper when you get home, he is not just happy and excited to see you—he needs more exercise.

When Bristow is well-exercised, he still greets us at the door, but he is much calmer. He doesn’t go crazy and yelp and jump all over us. Which brings me to…

 - Your dog should never jump up on you. It is a sign of dominance. Likewise, you should never let your dog win at tug of war.

This was one of those things that I thought was just a dog thing. But as the leader, you can decide what your dog can do and what your dog cannot do, and you should always assert yourself as your dog’s leader.

As for Bristow (and any dog, Cesar would say) he is happiest when he is a dog in submission to his master.

And in a sense, aren’t we all?

Just a few pictures from our Disneyland trip last Friday.

Blue skies and happy kids made for a relaxing day. The warm weather and Grad Night brought out the crowds, but we avoided the bigger rides in favor of the Mark Twain steamboat and A Bugs’ Land. We also took the train around the park, something I hadn’t done in years.

We accidentally found the most peaceful spot in Disneyland—Miss Chris’ Cabin in Big Thunder Ranch, next to the petting zoo. (I didn’t even know there was a petting zoo!) It is a log cabin with a fireplace and a padded rocking chair, and two long tables with crayons and coloring pages for the kids. The ideal place to sit a spell.

Thinking it must be a new spot, I asked a cast member how long the cabin had been there. She said, “Well, it used to be over by the Matterhorn, but they moved it here eight years ago.” Eight years! It just goes to show that there is always something new to discover at Disneyland.

Rancho del Zocalo for lunch, a parade, Napolini for dinner, fireworks, and then it was time for the Fantasmic! show. Kyle ordered a bread bowl of clam chowder and found us a great spot, front and center. But before the show started, the whole crowd was asked to move about ten feet away from our places.

Three security guards cleared the crowd and kept anyone from crossing to the other side.

“What’s the issue?” I asked the guard.

“I’m not at liberty to say,” was his reassuring answer.

“Are we in danger?” I pressed.

“No…It’s just a safety issue.”

So we weren’t in danger, but there was a safety issue.

A combination of curiosity, persistence, and a sense of impending doom caused me to ask the other guard, but having overheard my conversation with the first guard, he had even less to say.

The third security guard was more forthcoming. “Someone left a package unattended for ten minutes, and we’re bringing in a dog. Happens all the time.”

I quietly urged Kyle to head for the hills (er, New Orleans Square) where we watched from afar as the dog sniffed out the package. All was safe, and the show went on, only slightly delayed.

Bomb scare and all, it was a wonderful day at the Happiest Place on Earth!

Now the question is, do we renew our passes, or wait ‘til next year?

Do you ever feel like you are taking way too many pictures, only to discover later that you didn’t take enough? Story of my life.

Kyle’s family was in town this weekend. Here is our Saturday in the park. Featuring August and his cousin Hudson, Aunt Britt, Grandma Cindy, Grandpa Bob, Uncle Ian, and of course sister Adelaide and Daddy.