Alex’s Insights

So here is my story: In a previous e-mail I talked about racing Nancy when she was on her bike and always winning when I was younger. I didn’t win because she let me win but because I was that fast and could maintain that speed for quite a while. I am older now and…

I have spoken about Hanks, my Portuguese water dog friend before, but today I want to talk about another remarkable talent he has. I think it is a window into what motivates Hanks. Hanks loves people and he especially likes to feel like he belongs. So, if two adults are talking in a room where…

When I was going through my training to be a Medical Alert Dog for Nancy we lived in Southern Oregon. Several miles out of town and at a higher elevation was Lake of the Woods. It was a beautiful lake and because of the higher elevation it was much cooler in the summer. Nancy and…

I meet Sofie when I was young. Nancy had taken me to see Rebecca, my groomer at the time, to get a bath and get my hair cut. That morning on the way to work Rebecca had seen Sophie running down the side of the road. She was obviously lost or had been abandoned. Rebecca…

Is your collar choking you?? So here is my story: Several years ago, when Nancy and I were attending a conference, a woman approached us during a break. She began telling Nancy about her background in dog training and her level of expertise. She also divulged that she really like dogs and she especially like…

I love winter, and I also love Spring. So, why do I love winter? In winter the temperature drops and many of us often encounter snow. When this happens both the snow and even the temperature dropping can almost instantly change our perceptions. Once that happens, we can see things more clearly and respond from…

There are many stories about where April Fools’ Day and the custom of making fools and/or playing harmless practical jokes on April 1st originated. Some historians suggest that April Fools’ Day originated in the Middle Ages, while others have different theories. In my mind it doesn’t really matter where it originated or has been used…

When I was a pup, I developed a habit of kissing people’s ears that I really liked. (I am the pup with the purple ribbon.) Everyone one thought it was really cute, but assumed that this behavior would stop when I got older—but it didn’t. I can remember the first time I met Nancy’s son.…

When I was growing up, my mother said that everyone one has a purpose. You can see it in their true nature, what gives them the greatest joy, and how they move through life. I never realized the significance of what she was saying until I meet Hanks. Hanks was and is a Portuguese water…

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? If you do, do you know the history behind St. Patrick’s Day? Here is what I have discovered: The story of St. Patrick begins when he was captured by Irish raiders at the age of sixteen and brought to Ireland as a slave where he herded and tended sheep…

So here is my story today: A couple of months ago, Nancy was having a conversation with one of the workers at Trader Joes. In that conversation the worker told Nancy about an incident that had happen in their store. Someone had brought their dog into the store under the pretense that it was a…

I think we have all experienced scary and even traumatic moments. In these experiences we can feel crushed or gain the ability to breath deeper and feel more deeply loved. So here is my story: Nancy and I were heading home after a long morning walk. We were about 3 blocks from home when out…

I think we have all experienced loneliness and the need for someone to witness the challenges we face at one time in our life. In the witnessing, we can provide the gift of listening, not giving of advice, but rather the gift of being present and open-hearted compassionate listening. Here is my story: It was…

It is hard for me to grasp the lack of sensitivity in some humans. Here is my story: Nancy and I were walking across the parking lot to go into a store. Ahead of us I saw a man and a woman walking out of the store and walking towards us. The gentleman was walking…

I love music! I love dancing! I love weddings! Whenever Nancy brings out my sparkly red bowtie, I get excited and begin dancing around the room. Why do I get excited? I know we are going to do or go someplace special. We have gone to parties, and special events, but on this day, Nancy…

When my trainer was discussing what kind of dog would be good for Nancy Marie, she suggested a poodle. Nancy asked why. The trainer said two things: First they are hypoallergenic, and you will be in a lot of places where people are allergic to dogs, so you are thinking about them. The second reason…

When I was young, I used to run like the wind. I would race Nancy on her bike and would always win even when we were on a downward path. I can remember it like it was yesterday. She would carry her bike over the railroad tracks to get us on a trail that wrapped…

I know I am not supposed to interact with other people when I am wearing my Medical Alert jacket, but this day was different. So here is my story: Nancy and I were walking across the parking lot heading to a store when I felt this deep impulse to head over to a specific car.…

  I like people, but their behavior often confuses me. They say they want to accomplish something and yet they never find the time to develop the skill set necessary to accomplish their desired outcome. When I was in training, I had to learn a lot of unique skills. This didn’t happen miraculously. This was…

Do you know that the celebration of New Year’s Day on January 1 is a human-made creation or a civil event? This is because it is not precisely fixed to any natural or seasonal marker. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, where daylight recently ebbed to its lowest point and the days are…

Winter is the time when all of nature takes a deep breath and goes inward. It is a time for self-reflection, deep healing, changing of perceptions, and gaining clarity about who we are and what we want to do in the future. It is a time of great joy over what we have accomplished and…

I love to travel, but sometimes difficult situations arise. Now before I proceed with my story you need to know that when I fly, I need to fast for 24 hours before the flight, because there isn’t any place for me to relieve myself when we are in the air. Okay so here is the…

When I was a pup, my momma told me that dogs are gifted with the ability to give unconditional love and that medicine is great for the heart and soul of a person. She also said that it was important to pay attention to how we give and how much we give. This awareness is…

We have very sensitive noses, and we like to smell!! We also like a variety of smells—don’t you? Now sometimes a dog really likes to roll in a smell they discover on the lawn. I personally don’t. Often humans find the practice of rolling in a certain smell “gross” but then they go home and…

It seems to me that many people today are so used to being stress that they no longer know when they are stressed. They also don’t seem to know how to approach life in a relaxed and unstressed out state. Now consider that science has found that when you pet a dog, and I think…