PUP NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS

Pup Night! I realize I haven't written too much about my experiences at the last few I've attended. Before the next one comes, I wanted to share some thoughts here. There's lots to say, but for now...

Things I've learned at Pup Night:

1. What a "getting a burger" means.

2. Being a pup amongst pups is a lot of fun,  but crawling among and between the legs of handlers and onlookers affords one a chance to interact with all kinds of friendly folks, and opens up the opportunity for lots of attention, scritches and pats & pets.

3. It's fun to make paw prints on a window that's covered in condensation.

4. Some pups wanna wrestle for dominance, but some are content to just chill.

5. I so appreciate my handler, and the helping hands that assist me in getting in and out of mitts and hood, before I "...go and play!"

6. Although it may prevent you from receiving an unexpected burger, wearing a wrestling singlet is a lot of fun when grappling with other pups on the mat.

7. Pups are fun to observe eye to eye and sniff from nose ...to wherever :)

 

Also, some advice:

1, On the mat, watch out for injuries! I've only had a few minor ones, I'll share some evidence  later :)

2. If you're drinking from a water bottle held between two paws, careful not to squeeze it, or else get a faceful of water.

3. If two pups beside you get really rowdy, duck for cover!

4, If you're saving up for those deluxe locking mitts or are looking for a great alternative, a triple layer of black tube socks does a decent job of creating paws for you :P

 

And lastly, on the mat or off, Hawk's 3 rules of being a good pup are:

1. Be yourself.

2. Be honest and true.

3. Pounce! (Play and have fun!)

Thanks for checking in. I appreciate it!

STEAMPUNK PUP

HAWK'S INTERVIEW

 

QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED

A NEW PUP FOR HAWK

Had a great time this evening introducing a friend to his pup self. Took lots of hot pics :P I'll be posting them here, on twitter, and my tumblr soon!

PUP WITH iPHONE

FEBRUARY

Check out some pup Love & Show a pup some Love...

FUN FAB FEB

February isn't usually my favourite time of year, but so far it's lookin' good. It's been unseasonably warm here, the sidewalks aren't slushy, and there's lots of fun things occupying this pup. I've spent the past few days composing responses for a pup interview (Posted! Click here!). Yesterday, I spent a wonderful afternoon mitt shopping, and losing my bowl-eating & drinking virginity with a fellow pup (Thanks Ajax! :P) . Tomorrow I'm off to Pup Night, and looking forward to a session with my handler later this week. Yay!

PUP OVERWHELMED?

It's not so bad, really. Lately, this pup has felt overwhelmed in a few ways.

Hawk's qualities and personality existed before there was a "Hawk". However, I've come to see certain of those as being the domain of Hawk.

Hawk has a desire to nurture and develop these traits:

Playfulness, spontaneity, openness, honesty, steadfastness, focus, creativity.

There are more I'm sure, but even that list is overwhelming to me. It's as if the bar has been raised, and my desire to bring these qualities into my life in an even more profound way has grown stronger.

Encompassing the list above is a desire to live more in the moment, to let go of the past, and worry less about the future. Hawk wants to cherish the present and not be torn between the worlds of what he's done or hasn't done or what he'll do or not do.

Its time to let go of self-judgements and doubts, or at the very least not dwell on them so much. As a friend has always reminded him: "More Joy!".

Time for less clutter, inside this pup's head as well as his living environment, both physical and virtual (does a pup really need a dozen email addresses?).

Hawk is making a promise here, to himself, to take better care of his pup mind, pup body, pup spirit. His emotional self has been on a whirlwind ride, but he always lands on his paws eventually. (ok, is that too much? :P)

I'm grateful to be surrounded by a support system of pups, handlers, masters and other peeps who have been generous with Hawk in sharing their own perspectives and experience. They, together with my Bf and our 2 bio-dogs have formed an extended family around me. Sometimes the outpouring of support and love is overwhelming and the overflow of generosity not easy to accept. But Hawk is learning to accept it and bask in it. Enjoying it and thriving.

Importantly, I've recently learned how much I rely on others for approval and acceptance (I thought I'd dealt with more of that then I really have!). So, another thing to add to my list of present aspirations is my desire to be more accepting and loving of myself. Really, that was always on the list, but the ink got a bit faded, and I sometimes forget to apply myself. So, I will continue to learn and grow with the help of those around me, but also learn to stand on my own and grow in the confidence that this pup has everything he needs :D

No need to go overboard with being overwhelmed. Sometimes it just means we're head over heels!