Zak George and Mr. Wilson

Mr. Wilson is a good dog, and to keep him so training is key. He doesn't want to run around like a wild animal any more than we want him to act that way, so training is imperative. We found Zak George on YouTube, and have followed his advice ever since.

From Mr. Wilson Makes it Home, (Skyhorse Publishing, Feb. 2015) http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Wilson-Makes-Home-Happiness/dp/1629145734

 "I never wanted to control my dogs, any of them, and Mr. Wilson even less so. I like to let living things live their way, at least when it doesn’t interfere too much with my way, and the philosophy of positive training appealed to me. It can be confusing, the thought that an animal can be trained to do what he needs to do to have a better life being accomplished by taking things away in a positive way nearly drove me nuts until I was able to comprehend it. If a dog; say an incredibly cute Schnoodle named Mr. Wilson for instance wants to walk around the neighborhood, and sniff and pee and say hello to the other dogs doing much the same, he needs to do so in a way that does not impinge on the rights of all the other dogs and dog walkers. By letting him live life his way, and running around like a wild animal, and jumping on people, and scaring little dogs, and some big ones the ultimate goal of true happiness is elusive. By learning and following some simple rules all of our lives are much more serene and satisfying."

     Doing things with the help of an expert is much more fun and effective than going it alone. And, Mr. Wilson pays attention when Zak is on TV, then already knows what is expected of him when we get to work!

Forgiveness

Is the ability to forgive something that must be learned, or is it part of all living things? Somebody treated Ole' Mr. Wilson badly, and he might have not forgiven that person, but there isn't a speck of resentment or bitterness in that little brain of his. He's gotten over the pain that put him on the road around this time last year when a nice lady from Arkansas rescued him and began the process that ended when he arrived here.

I'm glad he has the  ability to forgive, for forgiveness releases us from our past and allows us to experience life fresh every day, and to cast off the baggage that accumulates as life progresses. Pain, lonliness and sorrow are heavy burdens to bear. Not that long ago a little dog was chained to a coal stove in a cold barn with icicles frozen to his face and no food to eat or water to drink, but he managed to let that all go, and to accept the gifts that destiny had in store for him.

It would be a terrible thing to live here, in our home, with all of the love and food and water and acceptance anybody could imagine, and to not be able to bask in it, and enjoy it, and know that it is real, because it IS real, just as real as that old coal stove, only the stove is gone, and the love is eternal.

Simply

I guess it's human nature to question our existance, and wonder what this is all about. It can be difficult to believe that there is something greater than ourselves responsible for everything that happens, and the temptation to wrestle control from the flow of the world around us, and bend it to our will can be overwhelming.

I'm not a big fan of being overwhelmed, so it makes sense to me to loosen the imaginary grip that I have on my surroundings now and then, and to just let things go. I may be able to control the little things in my life, but the big things?

I'll leave that to Mr. Wilson.

Now don't getting all goofy on me, I'm not saying that Mr. Wilson is the Supreme Being. I am saying that when things get crazy, and overwhelming, and it seems like noting is working, or ever will, I take a lesson from my four legged friend and return to the moment, and just live.

Simply. Looking out the window with my pal is a great way to bring it all back in.

Mr. Wilson makes a friend

http://getarescuedog.blogspot.com/2014/03/so-this-may-sound-bit-strange-coming.html

I was pretty happy to see that Mr. Wilson made a friend, check out the link if you get a moment, and as always, consider adding a rescue dog to your family, it's awesome!

This is a picture of some guy who was waiting with us when we picked Mr' Wilson up at a rest stop near exit 89 off of route 395. I didn't get a chance to talk with him, he looked kind of intimidating, until...

Wow, what a difference a dog makes!

Getting Warm

It has been nearly a year that we first set eyes on Mr. Wilson, his eyes looking through our computer screen and sinking into ours. He managed to stand out over the thousands of homeless dogs that were displayed on various pet adoption sites. Every one of those "other" dogs has the potential to give just as much meaning, fun and a sense of balance to anybody who chooses to adopt them, for in a dog resides the perfect combination of thought, feeling and energy. Mr. Wilson was made for us, and we for him, of that I am certain. Sometimes the universe works so perfectly I have to stop what I'm doing, stop what I'm thinking, sit down in a warm spot, preferable with the sun shining on me, pick up my dog, let him nestle in and be thankful for the miracle sitting in my arms.

Then we take a walk to the beach, and he finds dead things and rolls in whatever it is that had the misfortune of washing up on shore, chases some birds, runs up to people who don't know how awesome he is, refuses to come when I call him, but then runs toward me as soon as he realizes he's too far away, pulls on his leash, poops on a cranky old coot's driveway and tries to take a bite of a hundred pound pitbull who just wanted to say hi.

With his morning work done, he finds a quiet spot to rest, and get ready for the afternoon's adventure.

Why Mr. Wilson Loves Firefighters

My dad's a firefighter too!

Dad

I was twenty-three when I met my daughters. They were five and seven years old. It was love at first sight for me, not quite sure what they thought. It took a few years but I became their dad, but never had them call me that, Michael did just fine. One day, one of Brittany’s friends asked her why she called me Michael and not dad. She thought for a moment, those dark brown eyes under her bangs deep in thought, then her face brightened, and she said, rather casually for something that has brought me to tears for nearly thirty years, “because Dad and Michael mean the same thing.”

I asked Danielle to read my latest book before I sent it to the publisher. One of my favorite parts has to do with my pleasure at becoming first a friend, then a father to the girls. She called me the other day, and told me she knew what my next book should be about.

“You have to write a book about how to be a good step-parent.”

I had always wondered, and thought how I could have done better, and regretted the mistakes I made, and continue to make.

But when one of your daughters tells you you should write a book about being a good step-parent, well, it just doesn’t get much better than that. Dad, Michael – it doesn’t matter what they call me, because they are mine, heart and soul.