Flashes of Insight

HAPPY THE HELLION THE FIRST STORY
The only reason that I can even begin to tell you about my new little love Happy,a Flat-Coat Retriever/Golden Retriever mix is because I so wore her out yesterday and today, that she has slept most of the evening which has allowed me the uninterupted space to begin her story.
I had put my last dog Apple down in February and had been dogless these months waiting for my dog to appear and not really in any big rush. I had hoped that my dog Bear aka Spirit was ready to reincarnate with me again. The message I had gotten from another Shaman was that he was in a more angelic form and was with me in that dimension.
This opened me to the possibility that I might just look for the kind of dog that I wanted and see what happened and which one of my kids on the other side.might return.
Late on the night of May 16th, I became obsessed with finding my dog. I had originally wanted a young dog and didn’t think that I could handle a puppy. I did want either a Flat Coat Retriever or a Golden and a mix was fine with me. After searching for several hours on line through Petfinder I saw Happy’s little face beaming up at me and I was a goner. Oh my Goddess was she cute and those eyes would melt the coldest soul.
I tried to talk myself out of a puppy and asked other psychic friends about her and their votes were pretty split.. I knew that I would not be able to resist her in person and waited a few days to see if the thrill would subside but it didn’t and even got stronger.
I talked with the woman who ran the Rescue in Clermont where Happy and her whole littler had been housed. and MADE A DATE TO SEE HAPPY! Thursday May 22 gulp!! I called my friend Deb, another psychic and animal lover to come with me on this road trip and she gladly obliged.
I know how I am and this was going to be a lifetime committment and nothing to take lightly.
When I walked over to the kennel where the puppies were kept I saw her and I was melting on the spot . I had agreed to hold the other pup whose name ironically was Apple but when I held Happy to my breast,her whole body just collapsed and relaxed against me like she was finally home and she licked my face and smiled that Happy face. Of course she was coming home with me, the Love Connection had been made.
Happy was so taken with me that she didn’t even look back at her littermates that she was leaving behind and snuggled against my chest. She even walked nicely on my leash over to Deb’s van.
I was prepared for any problems in her transport but there were none. I had a box, a stuffed tiger, flower essences, a little blanket and she just fell asleep in my lap for the whole 2 HR trip.
We made a puppy pit stop at PetSmart because they were open and I could even bring my new baby into the market in the shopping cart.
This adventure was a total joy for everyone and especially Happy who commandeered the cart with licks and smiles for everyone there. She was an instant hit of course and was adoring being adored. This new Mom, me, was just beaming and in ecstasy. I was also a little nervous about how she would mesh with my kids when we got home. Fortunately Deb hung around to help that be a mellow experience which was a blessing for us all.
Star, my sweet flame point Siamese mix [some call him Tonkanese],who had been the baby of the family for the last 3 years or so.was my major concern as he is his Mama’s shadow.
I can’t tell you how incredibly proud I have been of the little white guy who right from the beginning loved the pup and took on the role of big brother. It has been so amazing. He is so caring and patient with her and all three of us even slept together the first night. I never expected it to go that well but it did.
The following 2 months I might call the “agony and the ecstasy” as both have been true. I have experienced periods of bliss and exhilaration as well as physical pain and frustration. This has been a real learning curve for me. I never have been the greatest disciplinarian and I knew that this pup would need some major boundaries to become the wonderful dog that she could be. I wanted her to be the kind of friend that everyone would love to have visit and who would be my dear companion. I knew my dreams for her were reachable but I needed a plan, and I needed help.
One of my clients who counsels new single mom’s listened to my plight which was totally like any other single mom’s story and told me to find a way to get some help. As she put it, “If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s gonna be happy” I knew that she was right and found a wonderful trainer who shared my thoughts on training with positive reinforcement.
Her trainer Melanie is a combination of Santa Clause, the Dog Whisperer, and a kind country dog lover. I had tried to use all of the more dominating principles that friends had offered who were dog trainers but none of them were really working. Partially I think because I really don’t like to dominate as a style of conflict resolution and because from what I can tell of Happy’s chart, that style absolutely inflames her and makes her worse. Truth be told, I didn’t need to look at her chart to see how poorly she responded to domination.
Yes, I do need to be the Alpha in this equation however there are different paths to get to that place and for both of us gentle, firm and positive would for the most part do the trick. There are of course exceptions to every rule and I am betting that both Happy and me are rule breakers. About 2 times a day, providing I get her some good exercise at other times, Happy becomes demon dog flying about wild eyed jaws snapping at all of her toys and anything else near them. Affeer 2 solid weeks of daily tissue damage, I decided that it is best to put her outside when she does this and just let her run it off. That works very well…mostly unless of course she gets the occasional wild hair while she is chewing on something near me as she is wont to do.
I do believe that Hap wants to share the joy of her toys and chews with me so she brings them over to my feet, lays down and begins her frenzy.
She is learning to stay in her chair or pad and hopefully that will take hold as fast as some of her other tricks like sit, slap me five, lay down, and sit up. She absolutely loves to train, Happy would rather train than play and I think that is in her bloodline as well so I will have to come up with some jobs for her as she has a substantial work ethic to be satisfied.
She still prefers playing with cats to herding them and thetas a good thing. Star adores her and was her first and biggest fan. He apparently needs to be a caregiver as he loved doing that for Apple while he was alive. Red actually likes to play with Happy the best and even allows her to stand over him and kiss and rub on him. Of course when it all becomes over the top as it frequently will at her age, the cats swat and hiss when they have ceased to be amused.
Jaz has accepted Happy and has even shown some interest, She always liked dogs better anyway and I am thinking that they will become good friends as Happy matures, Meanwhile, the Crone Cat will make her mind her manners when approaching and wait for signs of intelligent life from puppyworld.
Tucky,formerly the office and then bedroom cat, has relocated into the newly refurbished living room which I have cordoned off to make sure that it stays beautiful through this transition. She seems interested in Happy but content to love her from afar. She also prefers dogs to other cats.
My beautiful Appy mare Chinamoon seemed to immediately want to nuzzle and baby Happy when I held her up to her face to metet and greet. They both seem to be slightly apprehensive of each other’s specie but I can see a sweet warmth growing between them daily. Fortunately Happy has a healthy respect for China’s size and is not one of those little dogs with delusions of grandeur. When I feed China through the computer room window which I call her “Drivethru”,the pup loves to jump up and try to lick her muzzle as it comes through the window or perhaps she is more opportunistic and really just wants some of her feed. Seems like my job this summer is to create a happy healthy home where all in it feel loved and cared for, including me. I take this job seriously and ideally joyfully each day finding those special sacred moments of blissful peace.
In order that I have the time to keep writing this book, I have recruited a dear friend’s daughter Maya who adored Happy from the first meet. I pay her to come over and play with Happy for an hour while I write which gives all of us what we need right now and is a great solution for me to make special writing time and for Happy to have another friend. I really am liking how this is all working as I work on positive ways to move through my 2nd Saturn return which focusses on Home and Family.
Snuggling with Happy is divine and looking into those deep brown eyes when she is not trying to nip at me is even better. I sometimes thought of giving her the middle name of Jaws but I thought that I didn’t want to affirm that behavior.
Speaking of names, when my mother heard that I named the new little one Happy she said in her inimitable joy killing style,”At least you didn’t call her Moon or something like that.” Realizing that I had neglected to give her the family name, she is now officially Happy Moon Silvermoon.Thanks ma!
I am still feeling out which of my furry familiars from the other side of the veil are inhabiting Happy. Another psychic friend looked at a few pix of my departed friends and thought that she was Manuelo Mellow Fellow who was a gorgeous Russian Blue kitten that I had for a year. They both do share that Velcro style personality and he really opened my heart at the time. I can see where she is creating the same opening now so we will know more as she develops.
I remind myself of my mother when I look at Harpy’s angelic sleeping form and tell her how good she is when she sleeps. We no longer have major biting fests at bedtime and I have declared my bad as a bite free zone which I am enforcing with mostly good cooperation.
I have always heard how puppies get you up early, well my little diva likes to “sleep in” which is fine by me. Those morning snuggles when she is still soft and sleepy are ssssso sweet. Brother Star sleeps between my calves and Happy usually sleeps usually pressed against my right side and waking to the image of a white cat my leg and a black dog is quite the sight especially when we are all still wiping the sleep from our eyes.
Yup, I am in love with my new puppy the signs are clear and I am not ashamed to admit it. This time will go fast. Sometimes I think, not fast enough, but I intend to enjoy all of the bounce and joy that this little one has to offer and that my friends is quite a lot.
Blessings Flash the proud mom