The King of Calm.

Before I had Enzo, I could not be still. I simply could not quiet my mind. There was always a tick, a fidget, pacing, anxiety that had to be moved thru my body somehow. I found this to be true for him as well.

Anyone that has ever been around Enzo and I know that if we are not working on that stillness, we both pace. Excessively. Mindlessly. Back and forth without even knowing we're doing it. I would see him doing it and realize I was too. I was setting an example of how to "be".

So I had an idea. What if I practice being still and sharing space with Enzo. Just for 5 minutes to start. So we went into the woods and we would sit. We had to hike to get there. We just walked in silence except for my commands and verbal praise. After several tries, we sat for longer. Every time I would get nervous or want to move or pet him, I would remember that anxiety is a wave, it washes over and passes. It won't last. He needs me to be calm. I need me to be calm. I would take deep breaths and be still. And the whole time, I could see my dog becoming calmer. More confident. He began to have an easier way about him.

Then we started watching the world together. Observing, quietly with each other, the people who move in the world. The cars. The other dogs. The sounds of a tire shop. The inside of any store that would let him in. And as we did that, people saw us sitting quietly. A huge dog people fear, instead calm and clearly trained to be in human spaces.

I began to answer questions about how he is so calm. I began to share about balanced training and the benefits to the working dog. We were changing and teaching what we had learned. And it wasn't because I promoted myself or him. It was just attraction to our vibe.

Our vibe: Attitude right. Fit right. Always where we are supposed to be. Always represent for women, for bully breeds, for Oklahomans. Be kind. Laugh loud. Work hard. Play hard. Be accountable. Be healthy. Make it one hell of a run because I only have this dog for a short time. He's a star. I'm a star. We want you to see that you are a star.

He used to be so scared of the sounds here. Now...King of Calm. 💜🐶