Wally's Grand Adventure

18/02/2021

… and/or they are touching you.

There is something powerful about the pack-bond.

In my case, last night, I tested that theory. I couldn’t sleep. I’m not sure if its a woman-getting older thing, or the wine I had with dinner. Probably both. But it was a long night.

After much tossing & turning.

Organizing the kitchen.

Watching another rerun of Big Bang Theory.

Another game of solitaire…

I finally reached out to touch our Wally, and the magic happened. I know he often needs my hand on him to settle down and fall asleep. So I tried this myself, turns out, it goes both ways. Being connected to your pack, has immeasurable power to calm, comfort and provide a multiple of strength to all the pack members.

Thanks Wally for always keeping me in the present, and last night - settling me in to sleep.

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.”
– Doris Day (actress)

Raise your paw if you’ve ever been snored to sleep by a noisy pug?

04/02/2021

Have you ever thought about why it is you love your dog so much? I have. And the best I’ve got is this - trust. Our Wally pug is 14, deaf, toothless, gimpy and going blind - he ran smack on into a wall just yesterday. So when he wakes up from a nap, and I’ve left the room - it is truly frightening to him. At night, he sleeps right up on me because well, duh - it’s really dark in there. So that’s the thing, he trusts me to make sure he is safe, fed, warm, and loved.

I was never blessed with kids, but I imagine having them feels an awful lot like this. The bond, ever more special because you respect the responsibility and feel it as a gift.

I’m always curious what it is so hard for adults to also offer each other the gift of vulnerability. The gift of trust. But when they do, it is extra special, indeed.

Drop a “hell yea” below if you’ve ever felt the blessings of the enormous gift of trust and vulnerability. Blessings back to you if you’ve respected someone else with your own vulnerability.

01/02/2021

And this is what we call the Wally Burrito

This weekend up near Winter Park.
When we winter-camp (in the camper van, of course) Wally loves to be swadled up in his “cuddly”.
Anyone else’s dog have their very own “cuddly”???



It’s a dogs life, eh?

15/01/2021

If you haven’t saved all those holiday pics yet - now is an excellent time to consider making your very own video of your 4-legged bestie.

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FurReels Toolkit now available. Checklists, video tutorials, everything you need to finally get those pics off your phone and out into the world.
Because frankly, if they make you laugh they are bound to make us laugh.
The world needs more laughter.
So please, create & share!
Linkinbio

15/01/2021

Never underestimate the power, nor the gift, of the left-paw

Here’s the thing about pugs. They have been genetically bred to sit upon a human lap. It is some sort of weird instinct. Must. Be. On. Human.

Every chance he gets, my little shadow dog likes to climb up onto my lap, and somewhere between nestle and drape himself across me, paws and legs entangled.

The demand for this most often comes between 8:37 and 9:52AM. There is no brushing off the gentle left-paw, politely demanding a quick respite in the depths of my lap.

He is a persistent little bu**er.

So I give in, and sit.

This is his joy. His destiny. And he is determined to have it. He believes he deserves it, and will accept nothing less.

And I am better for it.

Has your dog’s persistence ever inspired you to dig-deep and achieve your own destiny?

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13/01/2021

I was talking to Beavis this morning - and he wanted me to share this challenge with you.

I mean - just look at him. Beavis is one tough dude. But, he is also a sweetheart. And he wants you to live your best life. And he wants you to live your best life. So, here is his challenge to you.

Do one thing that scares you, today.

What is one thing that challenges you? Can you let go of a faulty idea? Have a difficult conversation or learn a new skill?

Go for it!

13/01/2021

One thing that always amazes me about my senior dog Wally. Nothing gets him down. For reals.
Pneumonia… nope.
Gimpy hind legs that keep sliding out from under him…nope.
All of his teeth removed… he powers through meal time too.

Well, there is one thing that slows him down - cold & snow. But even that - he still keeps p**ping, he just finds new places for that (Indoors, unfortunately).

I bet your dog is the same way. Does he just keep going?

When the day feels hard, and our country feels like it is being ripped apart at the seams… we can adapt the of our pups, and just keep going.

05/01/2021

What in the world were you thinking??

All joking aside, a few days of clean eating, or no-eating(?) to give the body a rest - I think I’ll try this this year. Starting, well… tomorrow. Check in Thursday for an update.

Happy New Year all.

03/01/2021

Phew! We’ve put 2020 behind us. Do you think your dog even noticed? Well, I’m sure mine did - he is now permanently glued to my hip, or lap if I’ll let him.
But as I look back to the past year, nothing is more clear than this.

Love is all you need.

When life gives you a pandemic? Love
When life give gives you racial unrest? Love.. political chaos? Love

And nothing reminds me of this more than my dog. Life is short.
Treat each other with love & kindness.
Treat them as if they were your dog.

29/12/2020

Love knows no boundary.

Anyone that has ever shared a home with both a dog & a cat knows it does indeed keep life interesting.

Make your 4-legged famous with his own video.

28/12/2020

…they can trust.

Adopting Wally took us from a couple to a pack. And just like that, the dynamic changed.

When we arrive home, Wally cannot be excited until he sees BOTH of us, and always greets the second one in the door, first. Heaven forbid one of us come home without the other - he goes nuts searching the house for the missing pack member. We are a unit.

I feel so blessed to learn pack dynamics from Wally
* the importance of the whole over the individual
* following once in awhile
* having each others back
* celebrating each member

Happiness is having a pack you can trust.

Make your 4-legged famous with his own video.

23/12/2020

Wally’s second mom and I were recently exchanging Wally stories, and she included a picture. Looking at her home, I was struck by just how different our lives are.

He wore costumes with her & takes adventures with us.
She decorates for Christmas we bought a camper van.
She called him Bacchus. We named him Wally.
Whatever. We are different.
But we both still love him to the moon and back.

Loving a pet, loving another, doesn’t mean you have to be the same. It means you have to be you. You have to be true and authentic and kind.

Because love comes from the heart, not the wardrobe, Pottery Barn or even the kitchen.

21/12/2020

When we first got Wally - his teeth had all just been removed. We thought… omg HOW will he eat???

Let me tell you - he eats. And, eats. Sure we try to soften his kibble with a bit of water (warmed in winter months, ) and make him eggs, and other soft treats when we can.

But somehow this little creature powers his way through with no teeth. I have had teeth removed - hard, scratch or rough food can indeed tear up your gums. But he keeps going.
More interesting though, is the difficulty he has with softer foods. For example, eggs and oatmeal just seems to mush themselves into the right corner of his bowl, where his left-lopsided tongue just can’t reach. The more he tries, the more it seems to flatten itself into the bowl edges. He. Powers. On.

It’s amazing what you can do if you just put your mind to it.

Get Doggo-inspired love to your inbox   Coming soon. Make your dog famous - video making toolkit.  Ever wanted to learn how to create stunning shareable videos of your pooches life story? Watch your inbox for the new toolkit. Perfect for fur-morializing your pups story, or, just the last big adve...

16/12/2020

Do your dogs paws get cracked and crusty in the winter snow & ice?

Here’s my favorite DIY recipe for homemade Paw Balm.
Simply melt - mix up & then rub on his paws once it cools.

*1/3 cup shea butter
*1/3 cup beeswax pellets
*1/3 cup coconut oil
* few drops of Vit. E oil

Put into a mason jar, and set into a pot of boiling water.
Melt. Mix. Cool.
That’s it.

There’s no cocoa butter so it’s even safe for pups that love licking human lotions.

16/12/2020

Seriously.
When Wally p**ps he comes sprinting into the house, tail wagging, a prance in his step and a smile on his face.

Yea. Wally celebrates p**ping.
Truthfully, we do to - even have a little Halje-p**p-ya song we made up for just such occasions when he p**ps outside (not the bed)

If a dog & 2 grown humans can break into full-on choir harmony over an outside p**p, surely you have some accomplishment of your own to celebrate today.

12/12/2020

I knew when I first saw you, that adventure was going to happen. -Winnie the Pooh
Thanks little man for always being my adventure pal.

Oh, the places you went.Celebrate your love, mourn your loss and capture your fondest memories on the FourPaws Remembrance Journey, The relationship with our four-legged’s are some of the most important relationships we will ever have. Unconditional Love. Simple needs - boundless joyPowerful lesso...

12/12/2020

It has been scientifically proven that dogs are not only impeccable judges of character, but they are also the worlds best detectives.

Anyone that has ever tried to hide antibiotics in squash will certainly know what I am talking about.

08/12/2020

Just as I am ready to run, and hide from the year, my dog is finding the one teeny tiny sliver of winter sunlight to bathe in. Seeing that makes me push forward & soldier on. YES there is indeed still sunlight to be found. Just one more way he makes me better.

How does your dog make you a better human? Drop a comment below.

06/12/2020

Looking for cool activities to create memories with your 4-legged bestie this holiday season??? I've just posted to my site. Get it here: www.heatherelle.com/4pawsholiday

Gone. But never forgotten. The day you lost your best friend may be the worst day of your life. Friends and family don’t know what to say or how to help. The Four Paws Remembrance Journey is an interactive journal to capture your fondest memories and “fur-morialize” all that your lost love was...

04/12/2020

How I lost my heart to a pug

01/12/2020

Over the holiday we spent some time with a friend and her dog, whom I'll refer to as CAB (Crazy Axx Bitxx). Good dog. But not a fan of Wally getting too close. So, she bit him. Typical dog-communication.

Though, a few hours later as we were heading out for a hike, Wally pranced on over to her, tail in full on pug-curl-wag mode. I'm not sure if he was asking forgiveness, still trying to get her to like him, or had just completely forgotten that he still had bloody teeth marks in his skull.

I never cease to learn from the love and good nature of my sweet boy.

Drop a comment below to share your own story of love and growth, learned from your doggo.

26/11/2020

25/11/2020

Well hello pet lover! Welcome.
Like or follow for more four-legged-inspired posts as we muddle through life and try to live up to the expectations of our fur-babies.

Cheers Heather (and Wally)

24/11/2020

If you have ever doubted your own perfection, I present to you - a dog who just ate possum p**p… because we all know how perfect our own pets are, even when they are (barking, tearing up the furniture, or demanding to sit on our lap…)

20/11/2020

Is your dog your role model? Mine is. Last night, I woke him up 4 times to get off my covers. He rolled over, and went right back to sleep. Every. Single. Time.
Drop a comment below to share how your dog is one of the best examples of goodness you know.

14/11/2020

A dog gives you his whole heart, and you become his whole life. Such a precious gift. How will you make your dogs life whole, today? Drop a note below or on insta (tag )

13/11/2020

Lessons from my dog
I am in constant awe of my dog's unconditional love and acceptance. Even when I accidentally step on or kick him because I didn’t realize he’d taken a position under my feet… he still loves me. In all my imperfections.

This week I will strive to offer this same love and acceptance to everyone I meet.
We can do this. We can do hard things.

Drop a note below with your own commitment to spread the love and acceptance of your doggo.

09/11/2020

Most of us our really good at spoiling our best buddy. I know I am… I piled pillows under his bed when the bed batting started to flatten, for example. We can’t help but to want the creatures we love to be comfortable. In what ways would your best friend spoil you if he could? Can you treat yourself to the pampering he would want you to have? Go on- make him proud today. I dare ya.