I'm JackJack and I am a canine explorer! I live in West Michigan and like to share stories of my adventures. Come along with me as we explore the Michigan and learn about wildflowers, woodland critters, and life's lessons that get me thinking as we journey down this path called life together.
I never really cared for the command “leave it”. It never fails. It seems whenever I catch a whiff of a deer sneaking around my woods, and I take off to investigate…I hear my hooman off in the distance shouting “LEAVE IT”. Even if I am hot on that whitetail trail, I do my best to be a good boy, and return to my hooman’s side. My hooman is usually overjoyed when I leave my woodland friends alone. She claps and smiles and rubs my ears. Often repeating how good I am! So, “leaving it” does pay-off.
Sometimes tho, I don’t want to leave it. Sometimes I pretend NOT to hear my hooman. Like when I find a fresh salmon skin on the side of the creek. My racoon bandits are often generous and leave me some of their tasty leftovers. My hooman does not like it when I eat these delicious snacks and usually loudly repeats the command “leave it – leave it – leave it” as she trys to pry my teeth open while I am desperately trying to swallow my fishy treats.
The times when I don’t “leave it” – my situation usually ends badly. I have chased deer in the wrong direction and gotten lost. I have eaten old fish that didn’t agree with me and gotten sick. I have even chased woodland friends up trees and barked and barked so they would come down – only to be ignored.
Leaving it is hard to do. Sometimes leaving “it” can be a feeling. Once I was too close to the road and a truck blew his horn at me. Scared me so bad I just started running! My hooman had to call me back so I could find my way home. I still think about that truck and when I do – I can feel that scared feeling creep back like it is happening all over again. I know I should “leave it” and stop thinking about it – but sometimes I just can’t. Upset feelings and problems are much harder to leave than tasty treats or woodland friends. Sometimes they haunt me in my sleep and I twitch in my dreams.
To get my mind off it, I usually bark out to my buddy Nixin and meet him at the no-dog-dog-park (the NDDP). This is the park that is supposed to be for dogs but no dogs are ever there when I go – thus the NDDP. Nix knows what I mean, and how important it is to just run free for awhile. It’s important to have a friend to help you “leave it” when times get tough.
So friends, if you find yourself twitching in your dreams or chasing something in the wrong direction – take my advice and “leave it”. Stop all that you are doing and return yourself to those who love you most or spend some time with a good friend. Leave your troubles at the gate – even if only a moment.
I went into the BIG town this week, friends! My hooman loaded me in the car and we hit the road. Our mission: visit the grand-hoomans. They live an hour outside of my woods – so I don’t get to go see them very often. Once we got to Grams place in Big town, I gave their place a sniff down, walked the perimeter of the yard to ensure our safety, then spent the afternoon kissing and cuddling my Grands. Gram gave me one of her famous back scratches and I showed Gramps a trick or two.
I love spending time in Big town with my Grands. That is why I was so surprised we had to cut our visit a bit short. Turns out we had an errand to run – my hooman needed to stop for canine supplies. So I gave my Grands a press goodbye, jumped back into the car, and before I knew it – arrived at a strange and wonderful land called the “pet store” and there my canine adventure began!
When we first arrived at the pet store my senses practically EXPLODED. There were so many sights and smells. My hooman gave me a job to pick out a new treat and I couldn’t wait to get started. Only where to begin? There were rows and rows of stuff. One row just for balls – all shapes and sizes. Another for stuffys, a row for collars and leashes, racks of clothes, bins of bones, and aisle after aisle of FOOD!
My head was spinning and I could not stop panting. Birds, reptiles, and gerbils oh my! I was so overwhelmed – I had to take a break in the furniture section where I tried to regroup by testing out the canine couches (not too shabby).
After a quick break, I collected myself and re-engaged to find some treats. I became mesmerized at the pup pastry counter. I am not sure how long I was staring at those delicious cookies and cakes but knew my time was running short. I double backed down the food aisle, and settled on choosing some good old fashioned milk bones – then called it a day.
On the drive home, I got to thinking about my pet store adventure…it felt like we were there a very long time – waaaay longer than the time we spent at the Grands. And there was so much stuff! The task of picking out a treat became exhausting – and picking out treats is one of my top skills. That got me wondering…why do we think we need SO MUCH stuff? I mean, I like a memory foam bed just like the next hound, but I don’t NEED one! Pup pastries? Extra dog coats? Really not necessary.
Giving kisses to my Gram, cracking up Gramps by showing off my “play dead” trick (gets him every time), belly rubs, walks, and a reminder every so often that I am a “good boy”. That’s the kinda stuff I need. And I am guessing – you probably need more of that kinda stuff too.
So friends, as we go into this next week…let’s change up our spending. Spending time with each other is way more fulfilling than wading through aisles and aisles of stuff. When we have each other – we already have everything we need. Spend your energy making memories with those you love instead of spending your time shopping for stuff you don’t need.
Choose the right stuff and spend wisely.
I’ll bark at you next week.
Your friend,
P.S. I am pretty social – let’s be friends on Facebook and Instagram! You should also sign-up to get my canine adventures right in your inbox – SUBSCRIBE here (it’s free)!!
Woof is me! Just yesterday I was running through the yard, sniffing all the great smells and rolling in the grass. Today my head hurts, I am tired, and all I wish is to be left alone. I almost took my hooman’s head off earlier when she wanted me to play fetch. When I am not feeling well, none of my favorite things are enjoyable. Hunting for wildflowers, laying on the deck, not even sneaking up on the squirrels at the bird feeder can bring me back my joy. Illness has a way of robbing me of my happiness. Good thing it’s just allergies!
I have heard so many of canines who have had back luck when it comes to their body just not working right – things waaaay worse than sinus pressure. Stories like the ones of Great Grampa Kirby and his bad balance. I guess he would fall quite a bit toward the end of his time here. The hoomans would have to pick him up because he was so weak. And my cousin Riley, one day he was fine, the next his ability to run was gone! The thrill of racing along-side his hooman’s quad ATV – now just a memory. Even one of my closest buddies is suffering. He went out for a walk, got bit by a bug, and the next thing he knew – he had something called Lyme Disease. Now he has to choke down peanut butter covered pills twice a day!
You just never know when illness will strike or who may be suffering. That is why it is so VERY important we show compassion to those around us. We can never be sure what others may be going through.
I am so glad my hooman recognized I was not feeling well. Instead of playing fetch, we just laid the grass together. (I think my clue of flopping down and rolling on my back helped). I didn’t mean to snap at her. It was just at that moment, I didn’t want to be ordered around. I was too tired to try to explain myself.
So friends, if you happen to run into a buddy that’s a bit snarley or just not their playful selves, show them some kindness. They may have something really bothering them and just don’t want to bark about it. It is ok for us to not know all the details of each other’s lives. Just be patient and try to understand.
In the end it all boils down to that age old command we all know so well…BE NICE. I’m headed back to the couch.
This week I was reunited with my litter sister! The last time I saw her was four-and-a-half years ago. Her name was Moon Mist back then and my name was Twist. We were the “soda pop pups”, named after the old fashioned Faygo pop and were surrendered to live at Bellwether Harbor Animal Shelter.
I wasn’t sure what to expect at the reunion, since I haven’t seen my sis in so long. Surprisingly, it was not overly eventful. There was not any growling or barking. We didn’t raise our hackles, we just sniffed and wondered around the yard. It wasn’t until we walked for a while that it sunk in…Wynter is my canine blood!
Jack reunited with Wynter.
It was an odd feeling. I don’t really recall being “related” to a canine. All the family I am familiar with has been hooman. Sure, Nixin (my best buddy) feels like family, but he is a whole different breed. Wynter looks like me! She climbs on things like I do. Her tongue hangs sideways out of her mouth like mine, and her ears flop crooked – just like me.
Wynter (right) and Jack (left).
I like having a canine relative. One that I can share memories with – who was there for the big life changing moments. Wynter knows what it was like being dropped off at the shelter and taken from mom when we were only five weeks old. She was there when I first met my hoomans. She’s shared some of the scariest and most wonderful moments of my life. I never realized until we were reunited how important it was to spend time with family. Those who can look back in time and feel all the feelings that big life moments bring. The scariest fears and the most wonderful joy.
Jack in the back – Wynter in the front.
When Wynter and I were reunited – it was like no time had passed at all. We played and chased. Sniffed and wandered – but mostly it was nice to just lay in the grass and be together. That’s what makes having a family so great. We were able to just be ourselves.
So friends, if you have family that you haven’t seen in awhile – it’s time to schedule a renion. If the idea of that makes you nervous – don’t worry. Once you’re reunited, all the love and memories will come flooding back. It’s important to relive the good times with those that made those good times so great. Bark with the old dogs, who can fill in the blanks (if your pupper memory is hazy), and surround yourselves with those who have loved you from the very beginning.
If you’ve lost one of your pack – it’s even more important to keep in touch. Keeping the memory of those that passed on, alive in our hearts. Share in the laughter (and sometimes the tears) – with those that know you best. So make sure you meet up with your family this summer – you won’t regret it. The only thing to lose is time.
June is a time for serious discovery in my woods. I gotta pay close attention when looking for wildflowers in June because sometimes the flowers are hiding UNDER the leaves! Wildflowers are all shapes, colors and sizes. Many wildflowers in my woods are tricksters. They have multiple names as well as imposters that look like one thing but really are another. Pay close attention as you are out and about in June. Look over and under plants and you may be in for a surprise!
Here are my Top 10 wildflower picks for June. Along with my sizing scale (as I see it) – so you know what to look for as you go out on wildflower seeking adventures of your own.
WILDFLOWER SIZE SCALE:
Small dog nose (size of a dime)
Medium dog nose (like mine – the size of a quarter)
Large dog nose (larger than a quarter)
PLANT HEIGHT:
At the Paw (ground or up to 2 inches off the ground)
My dewclaw (3-4 inches off ground)
My dogleg (6 inches or more)
#1 Wild Lily of the Valley (white)
Height: paw
Flowersize: small dog nose (or smaller)
These are native to Canada so sometimes called “Canadian Lily of the Valley” or “False Lily of the Valley”. They look like tiny stars on top of two leaves. They grow very close to the ground so watch where you’re exploring or you will squash them!
#2 Sasparilla (white)
Height: my dogleg or taller
Flower size: large dog nose
This is one of those sneaky plants – the flowers are hiding under the leaves. They look like white round puff balls. Sasparilla is a tall plant, some would argue it’s a shrub – but is actually categorized as an herb. It has been used to treat sores and burns among other things. It is sweet and has been brewed in root beer! I don’t advise anyone eating plants unless they research them themselves – so please don’t take my word for it. It’s safest to look – don’t taste!
#3 Fringed Polygala (pink)
Height: paw
Flower size: medium dog nose
This is a pretty cool looking little flower also called “Gaywings”. It comes from the milkwort family and looks like a pink airplane. Fringed Polygala lays close to the ground and their bright pink color makes them easy to spot.
#4 Woodland Phlox (purple/blue)
Height: my dogleg
Flower size: large dog nose
These flowers light up the woods. They are a blueish purple color (I think) and can grow taller than me! They are sometimes also called “Wild Sweet William”. They grow all over my forest. I know summer has arrived when the Woodland Phlox comes out to play!
#5 False Solomon Seal (white)
Height: my dogleg
Flower size: small dog nose
These are some of the imposters I was telling you about! The leaves look like Solomon Seal and the flowers look like Wild Lily of the Valley. That’s probably why they are also called “Starry False Solomon Seal” or “Starry False Lily of the Valley”. I forgive them for trying to trick me though cuz their starry flowers turn into red berries in the fall – and that’s pretty cool.
#6 Solomon Seal (white)
Height: my full dogleg (or taller)
Flower size: small dog nose
The real deal not to be confused with the imposters! Solomon Seal flowers dangle under the leaves – so you gotta be looking for them. They are also called “Ladder-to-Heaven”. Probably because the flowers are staggered like little steps. They can be hard to see, so I am standing behind this one to help you out. See the dangly buds? They will bloom into little white flowers. Cool dontcha think?
#7 White Baneberry
Height: my dogleg
Flower size: medium dog nose (clumped like a lilac)
DANGER! These are super cool plants but are very poisonous. The stems turn bright pink and the flowers turn into white berries. White baneberry is also called “Dolls Eyes”. I guess cuz they kinda look like dolls eyes? I dunno but they are cool to look at – just don’t eat them. I am not sure if it is true but I heard if a hooman eats these berries – it can cause their heart to stop! Who knows what it could do to canines…
#8 Ox-eye Daisy (white)
Height: my dogleg (or taller)
Flower: large dog nose
Ox-eye daisies are tall and look just like a daisy you would see in a garden – only these daisies have thin stems and grasslike leaves. They are also called “Dog Daisies” which makes no sense to me, but I often find them in open fields where they can be in full sun. They originated in England where they are referred to as weed since they are known to spread. If you don’t see them in June – don’t worry. They usually bloom all summer long!
#9 American Speedwell (blue/purple)
Height: my dogleg
Flowersize: tiny – a very small dog nose
This type of speedwell has tiny flowers with four bluish-purple petals. They are also called the American Brooklime because it grows along shallow streams. I found this one growing right next to the creek in wet sandy soil.
#10 Dame’s Rocket (purple/white)
Height: my dogleg or taller
Flower size: medium dog nose (grows in a bunch)
These brightly colored flowers will not last long so go find them while they are out! They have many names like Gilliflower or Summer Lilac. They say their scent becomes more potent in the evening and is also called “Mother of the Evening”. I found these in a sandy open area of the woods. As you can see they are very tall!
So friends, those are my top 10 picks for June. I hope you enjoyed this special edition of my Canine Adventures. Leave me a comment or send me a pic of what you are discovering on your own outdoor adventures and get out there and smell the flowers!
It’s graduation season friends! I have quite a few loved ones that are officially “educated” and ready to start the next phase of their lives. It wasn’t so long ago when I graduated from the animal shelter. I’ll never forget the moment I met my hoomans, and my canine adventures began.
I was so excited! As my family finalized my adoption – I bounced around my kennel, tackling and rolling around with my litter sisters. I could not contain my energy! But once I simmered down – I realized I was also slightly nervous. Being adopted meant I would have to say goodbye to my shelter friends. All of a sudden the idea of leaving my familiar kennel became scary.
Jack Jack’s adoption picture – 2019
Graduation season can be hard on everyone. That is why it is so important to be brave. Grads headed down a new path, litter brother and sisters that are staying home, parents letting a pupper leave the safety of the pack – it all takes courage. I had to be brave when I left the kennel, and I am so glad I did – because I gained a family!
I can hardly believe that was almost five years ago! I am no longer that hyper little pupper (although I still have a wild side). I realized pretty quickly that just because I graduated, I did not stop learning. I still learn something new everyday, like don’t eat bees (long story for another time), hooman socks are not to be confused with stuffy toys, and never eat a whole suet cake (bird food is for birds).
I also know that it is important to venture off the beaten path, but just as important to stay on track. My hoomans give me a lot of leash to explore but it’s nice to stay tethered so I don’t get into danger. But most important – no matter how old I get or how far I wander – I will always have my family. I know that wherever we are in the world – being together is the place we all call home.
So friends, as you head into graduation season, remember it is ok to feel all kinds of mixed up feelings – scared, nervous, and even a little sad. New adventures are supposed to fill you with suspense – so be brave and remember all the lessons you have learned so far. Don’t wander away too far or you will get lost. Check in with your pack from time to time (or they will come looking for you). And most important – know that no matter where your adventure takes you – you can always come home.
April showers brought May flowers to my woods! I love this time of year when the flowers and leaves begin to bloom and grow in my woods. In Michigan, Spring can happen very fast. One minute the woods are bare, the next it is filled with leaves, ferns, flowers and so much more! I created this Special May Wildflower Edition, to share with you what is blooming in my West Michigan woods. I kept this list to my top 10 favorites – I hope it inspires you to get out and enjoy the springtime!
Wildflowers are all shapes, colors and sizes. They can be teeny-weeny like an ant or large and fragrant like you would find in a hooman’s garden. I created a sizing scale (as I see it) so you know what to look for as you go out on a wildflower seeking adventures of your own. The flowers are sorted into sections by color (my hooman helped with that part) to help you figure out what you’re seeing.
WILDFLOWER SIZE SCALE:
Small dog nose (size of a dime)
Medium dog nose (like mine – the size of a quarter)
Large dog nose (larger than a quarter)
PLANT HEIGHT:
At the Paw (ground or up to 2 inches off the ground)
My dewclaw (3-4 inches off ground)
My dogleg (6 inches or more)
#1 Trillium (white)
Height: My full dogleg (6 inches or taller)
Flower size: Bigger than a large dog nose
Trillium remind me of a flower you would see in the hooman’s garden. They are big and bold like a daffodil. Probably one of the biggest wildflowers that I have seen. I have found them growing on a wet hillside but also right along my trail in my sandy woods. Tri means 3 – so Trillium is easy to remember. It has 3 big petals and 3 big leaves to match.
#2 Bloodroot (white)
Height: My dewclaw
Flower size: Large dog nose
Bloodroot are cool flowers that don’t have leaves. They only have one big stem that stand straight up out of the ground like giant clovers. The one white flower is pretty fragile (don’t ask me how I know) and you will want to be careful if you snap the stem. It contains red juice that can cause a rash or blister skin. These are one of the first flowers out in my woods. They tend to bloom when it’s still pretty chilly out.
#3 Hepatica (white/pale pink/lavender)
Height: Paw
Flower size: Medium dog nose
Hepatica are some of the first to show up in my woods. They may trick you into thinking they are wood anemone but if you look close they have cool little white bits jumping out of the middle of the flower. One of my favorites that make me smile when I discover them hiding under trees in wetter areas of the woods. Mostly when I find them they are white, but I have seen them pale pink and even pale lavender (I think).
#4 Large-Flowered Bellwort (yellow)
Height: My dogleg
Flower size: Large dog nose
The Large-Flowered Bellwort is droopy and looks like it needs a drink. The leaves on the stem are pretty awesome – looks like they are sewn together. I find them close to the creek and growing in sandy soil.
#5 Marsh Merigold (yellow)
Height: My dewclaw
Flower size: Large dog nose
Found these along the creek bank (very close to the water). Grows in clumps so usually find more than one flower together. Leaves are dark, shiney and round.
#6 Swamp Buttercup (yellow)
Height: My full dogleg (or taller)
Flower size: Large dog nose
These look a lot like a marsh marigold but are taller and from what I’ve seen – usually two flowers to one stem. These guys are a bit late to the May party – they will most likely be blooming into June.
#7 Wood Anemone (white)
Height: My dewclaw
Flower size: Medium dog nose
I usually find these guys in groups but every so often one may be off by himself. They have 5 petals on the flower. These are usually sprouting in old leaves in the woods.
#8 Wild Geranium (pink)
Height: My dogleg
Flowersize: Medium dog nose
Wild Geranium are taller and skinnier flowers. You will spot them cuz their blooms are bright pink. These are just starting to pop in mid-May so they are a welcome to the woods after the trillium and a bloodroot begin to disappear.
#9 Jack-in-the-pulpit (green/purple)
Height: My dewclaw or my dogleg – lots of sizes
Flowersize: Like a dog snout 3 inches long or more
These guys have a cool name but are also pretty cool flowers. The “jack” is the little guy inside and the “pulpit” is the canopy over him. Sometimes these are all green, sometimes they are striped purple. I even found a cool white one! They are all over my woods but blend in so it’s not until I am just about to squash them that I see them standing there. I’ve seen them between 3 – 6 inches tall. I am not sure why – buit these guys always make me chuckle.
#10 Violet (purple/yellow/white)
Height: Paw
Flower size: Medium dog nose
I put these in the purple section but I’ve seen yellow and white blooms too. I found them in the sandy areas of the woods. They grow pretty low to the ground – easy for me to spot when I am sniffing around. They love the woods and bloom all through May and into June.
I hope you enjoy this special edition of my Canine Adventures and take some time this week to stop and smell the flowers. Keep your eye out for more special wildflower editions coming throughout the summer and leave me a comment or send me a pic of what you are discovering in your neck of the woods!
I was a houseguest friends! My hoomans took me to visit my Great Aunt Kay and my canine cousin Chloe. Chloe is about three times older than me so I knew that this was not going to be the chase-around-the-room kinda visit. Instead, Chloe mostly sleeps… until this last time…
It all started with my favorite pink squeaky ball. Turns out my hooman packed it for the trip and was squeaking it for Chloe! I whined quite loudly about this because it makes me very nervous when my toys are introduced to other canines. My hooman told me to “be nice” and “share my toys”. I do not like to share my toys, so I began to pant and pace.
My hooman tried to calm me down with treats (I could not eat them – I was too upset). Eventually she gave up and said, “Well Jack, sharing is caring and it’s time that you share your toy”. I was not feeling like sharing or caring, but since I consider myself a good dog, I did as I was told and watched painfully from the couch as Chole began to squeak. It raked my nerves as she carried the ball around the house. With every squeak I became a bit more unraveled. Sharing is hard!
As the day went on, Chloe kept squeaking. Everytime I went to play with the ball, she would jump up and take it before I could get to it. She ended up hiding it in her bed and kept it to herself the rest of the day. I felt like my chest was going to explode in frustration!
I listened to my hooman laugh at how silly Chloe was with the ball, and began to notice how much fun Chloe was having. She was actually chasing the ball around the room. As I mentioned, Chloe is not a “chase-around-the-room” kinda canine. This was very unusual for her – she must really love that ball!
As I watched her play with my favorite toy, that angry feeling I had inside began to melt. The hoomans were laughing at how cute Chloe was and I have to admit she was pretty adorable. Before I knew it, those annoying squeaks were making me smile too.
Turns our Chloe loved that ball more than I ever could. She never left it out of her sight. By the time my visit was over, I decided Chloe should keep my pink squeaky ball. I gave it to her because I knew it brought her joy. And ya know what? Giving her that ball brought me joy too!
So friends, as you head into another week – think about how you can spread joy. Find something that you love and share it. It might be kinda hard at first, but just share it and see what happens. You will find that when you share something you love, the joy flows right back to you!
Even though I am home now, I can picture Chloe squeaking that ball and it makes me smile. I wish this feeling for you too – after all sharing is caring right?
I was tricked this week friends. Fooled by my favorite hooman. It’s true! She started by using her sweet talk and saying fun words like “going bye bye” and “go for a ride”. She loaded the car with all my favorite clues – my leash, water, and extra treats. By the time she was ready to leave, I was bouncing all over the yard in anticipation. My ears flapped out the window all the way down the road. When we passed the dog park, I knew something was amiss. So I began to shake. My deepest fears were beginning to take hold. This is not the fun trip I was dreaming of – we were going to the VET!
Most of the rational canines I run with recognize the veterinarian’s office as the last place on earth they would like to spend ANY time at ALL – EVER. I consider myself one of those kinda canines. So when we pulled into the vet’s office and the car stopped, I lost all my senses – including my ability to understand English as my second language. My hooman was saying things to me that I did not understand because all I could think was RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
I won’t go into details (mostly because I blacked out a little and don’t remember everything), but I know we had to go into a small room with other hoomans who held me down and poked me. They stuck me with sharp things and pushed me with cold things. As my loose hair flew around the room, I gave my hooman my meanest, angriest death stare. I could not believe she betrayed me in this way! Finally I did what most canines want to do in this situation and I just SNAPPED! (I do not advise this behavior).
After I snapped, I had to be muzzled. It was slightly humiliating, but eventually it calmed me down. The vet checked my ears and then my heart. She gave me some medicine to keep diseases away and keep me healthy. She said that I was a handsome boy but could stand to shed a few pounds, and told me to cut back on the hooman food (whatever).
All in all, it ended up being a good trick my hooman played on me. Turns out she did it out of love. Ya see, I am really important to my hoomans. They love me a lot and my whole family is gonna change when it’s time for me to go to that big dog park in the sky. So I gotta stay as healthy as I can – even though going to the vet is VERY scary for me. I go for my family. I stay healthy – so they stay happy. That is how I show them how much I love them back (that and my puppy eyes I give them sometimes).
So friends, if you haven’t been to your vet in awhile, it’s time to go. It can be confusing and scary. It will probably not be fun, but remember, you are not going for yourself. You are going to make sure you stay healthy for those that love you. I am just guessing, but I bet you are pretty important to your hoomans too. So if you have a lump or bump you should get it checked out, and if you haven’t been to the vet in awhile – just go for a check-up – cuz you’re pretty important to me too.
Stay healthy friends and I will bark at ya next week – your friend,
Whelp you are getting me on a ruff day friends – my hackles are up and I am on high alert! The weather has been less than stellar in my neck of the woods. April showers this past week couldn’t be truer than here in Michigan. This weather has me suffering from not-enough-outdoor-time and I have been growling all week. Since I couldn’t really play outside, the second best thing to do is to curl up with my hooman and snooze the rain away. Unfortunately, it felt like whenever I went in for some cuddles – my hooman was using technology. Grrrrrrr!
I try my hardest to get right between my hooman and the tech to make sure she realizes that I am sitting here waiting for cuddles. I am at least 20 inches tall and a svelte 60 pounds (dont judge), so why does she prefer to be sitting with her screen, when she could be sitting with me in her lap?
My best buddy Nixin getting his homework done for Mrs. Graff.
I understand that technology has its practical purposes, like telling you a story, playing a favorite tune or if you’re like my best buddy Nixin, doing his homework for Mrs. Graff. But COME ON, rainy day snuggles should rank higher than checking your social media right? Lately, I feel like technology can get in the way of spending time with the ones you love. Spending REAL time – not REEL time together.
I first began to notice my second rate status earlier this week. My hooman came home and changed into her “fast shoes” and grabbed my leash. These are easy clues that let me know we were going out for a run. I was so excited – I hadn’t been out for a run in days. I jumped up and jumped again, I could hardly contain my enthusiasm!
She put my leash on and down the road we went! My ears were flapping in the wind, my tongue began to swing, and were going at a good pace – but then she stopped. My hooman stopped on the side of the road. She began tapping her watch, then her phone, then her headphones. She seemed upset because her tech was not working. Now, I am not a tech savvy canine so I started pulling, “lets go – lets go – lets go!”, I silently willed her. She COMPLETELY ignored me. I started whining and pulling harder. I was doing everything in my power to get her to get off the tech and back on the run. Then…she yelled at me to “wait”. Grrrrr!
Being yelled at made me feel angry. My hooman invited me to do something and then acted like I was bothering her when I wanted to do it. Why do hoomans choose spending time with technology over time with their loved ones? I am not sure I will ever find the answer.
Eventually my hooman realized what she had done and apologized for yelling at me. She gave up on her tech that day and we had a nice time together. But she hasn’t given up on her technology forever. I still have to squeeze between her and her tech, or jump on her to help her remember she needs cuddles.
So friends, as you head into a new week, I have a “Tech No” challenge for you. If you find you or your hooman spending too much time on tech, put it down and spend some time together. You might have to squeeze right between the hooman and the tech, but let them know you are there – ready and waiting to go on your next adventure – together.
Hiking Jack: Canine Explorer 