A Year in Review

Today, Facebook reminded me that it was a year ago today that I officially launched this site.  Looking back on it, I can hardly believe it.  All at once, it both feels like I’ve been doing this forever, and at the same time like I can’t believe a whole year has passed already.

If I don’t think about it too hard, it just feels like normal life.  When I stop to consider though, man, has it ever been a crazy year.

One year ago today, I was just walking dogs full time.  One year ago today, I hadn’t even started at The Karen Pryor Academy.  One year ago today, Athena had full use of all four of her legs.

Here are a few of my favourite moments from the past year:

• My life changing trip to the Middle East.  I had been before, but it was prior to my working with dogs.  Being there, and seeing the conditions in rescues, gave me a real appreciation for how lucky our pets are in North America.  It gave me real motivation to create change.  It helped me find a sense of purpose.
• My awesome interview with the CBSA.  Meeting Paul and his drug-detecting dog Sawyer was one of the coolest things I’ve ever gotten to do.  It was my first experience with a dog trained in scent detection, and with a true working dog.  Hiding hash in my car and watching her sniff it out was amazing in the truest sense of the word.
• All my hard work finally paying off, and becoming a dog trainer, full  time.  The past few years are the first time in my life that I really knew what I wanted, knew what direction I was headed, and worked my ass off and did it.
• Being lucky enough to have friends to write articles for me and let me share their work when I was up to my eyeballs in school and work.

I  don’t want to ramble on and on, but it hit me today, seeing that reminder on Facebook, how lucky I have been to have so many people supporting me and cheering me on, and reading my work that I pour my heart into.  I am so thankful.  It’s been a hell of a year.