Ezra's Determination

                                                   Pictured is Ezra after treeing a squirrel. 

 I heard the little squeak just about the time Ezra did and the next thing I saw was the squirrel high tailing it, literally, up this tree.  Ezra is a dog of determination.  He does everything with gusto.  Treeing a squirrel, tearing out after a ground hog or doing agility...he does it all with such determination and dare I say passion!

It was a hot day today.  One of those days you want to hide in the house, but at our little farm/training center there were things to be done.  Matt and I decided to take the dogs on a walk in our favorite woods early in the morning before we cleaned stalls and mowed the fields. Mowing the training field means that all the agility equipment; jumps along with the contact obstacles need to be moved.  After mowing all the jumps and equipment need to be set up all over again. It's a job and a half, so it didn't take much for my hubby to twist my arm to take our walk.

 It felt maybe about 10 degrees cooler deep in the woods on a path that winds it's way around a small creek.  It was lovely and just what I needed.  As I was thinking about my busy week with my training business, replaying the interactions with dogs in my mind and how I could do this or that differently or more effectively, I heard the squeak.  It brought me crashing back to the present moment in time to see Ezra tree his squirrel.  I took the picture above...smiling as I thought about Ezra's determination. It struck me how it takes a great deal of determination to keep focused...to meet the training challenges that are presented to me weekly with gusto and passion!  It might sound silly but Ezra's example brought much encouragement to me.  IF Ezra doesn't give up on the thought that one day he will catch that squirrel...how can I.  Each day as I work with dogs and their humans, I will continue to strive to make that connection and truly make a difference in their lives.  It doesn't always happen...but when it does and you see it all click...it truly is a satisfying feeling!

I won't give up...one dog and one human at a time...my goal is to make it a kinder, more gentler world for dogs and their people...it's a worthy endeavor!  Knowing the heart of my dog Ezra, I can say for certain that he is not going to give up on that squirrel...  I'm following your lead E.Z.