Shay - Our Cavalier King Charles

 Dog

It just hit me Dog spelled backwards is 

God!!!

Now we know why dogs are man's best friend.  And so it is with us and our lovely, beautiful, gentle, and graceful member of the family Shay.  Shay is our 12 year old Cavalier King Charles that was a gift for our 10 year old daughter Morgan. Morgan is the first girl in the family after ten consecutive boys and the girl that Grandmom K always wanted.  

So, when she began asking for a dog at the age of three she planted the seed with Mom and Dad. We had three  little lovebirds at the time so things were a little busy, so we waited when they could all chip in and help nurture our little precious puppy. Cavaliers are wonderful family dogs, so gentle, and terrific with children. And of course she is so cute! 

Now fast forward twelve years Morgan is a college graduate and an independent strong successful young woman and our puppy is now 84 and the Head of the household.  What wonderful teachers dogs are and this our loving best girl Shay.  

Why do people love dogs? 

Unconditional love is the reason.  Always a wagging tail to greet you. Our Shay always has a smile and kind word, is ready to snuggle and sit on your lap or snore in your ear to put you at ease. She's never grumpy, mean, or angry.  She just wants to sit with you enjoy your company and be your friend. 

Friendship and love is really just about being there for each other. The room can be silent but you can feel the love. Just her gentle presence has brought so much joy and happiness to our home and taught us all to be better human beings.  I asked my bride what was the one thing we did for the family after 35 years. She suggested travel as a family, but I think Shay rates much higher.  Will have to poll the Lovebirds.  Shay wins hands down. 

Our sister just got a tricolor puppy named Remi and she had the same wonderful spirit just a tad more energy. 

Our new family slogan is, "Get Yourself a Cavalier".  Our children gave me a wonderful Father's Day gift with a picture of Shay and I with the very same caption.

To state it simply Cavaliers are great lovers!  Can the same be said for us. 

Do yourself a favor and Get Yourself a Cavalier!

 

With Love,

Coach K

A Little Dog - Do you Believe in Miracles?

Miraculous! Miracles. Sounds like such a mysterious, daunting word doesn't it. Yet, they happen every day and all around us if we are open to them.  They probably have happened to you on an individual basis if you think about it or reflect on the things you perhaps attributed to luck or good fortune.

I had my own little miracle encounter the other week.  I was walking our 15 month old Cavalier King Charles, Shay, who of course is adorable and very lovable. My daughter Morgan has been asking for this dog for the past 10 years of her life! Well, we have a beautiful open space park of 20 plus acres right across a busy road from where we live. So, out we went for a little exercise crossing the busy road late on a Friday afternoon.  We got to the park with the sun starting to set and were enjoying our walk.

As I sometimes do, I let her off the leash to romp and roam chasing the birds. She never wanders too far and always comes back. Well for some reason when she was bird dogging, I decided to do a headstand in the nice soft grass, I've been working on balancing myself on my head for several months, and after my headstand of about one minute, I looked up and Shay was gone!

I thought she has to be close so I started calling her and my walk now became a brisk jog. The only other person at the park who was jogging around the area and spotted us earlier asked if I was looking for my dog.  As if it wasn't written all over my face, I answered yes and he kindly mentioned that he saw the dog a few hundred yards away near the house by the road.  My jog turned into a sprint and I was grateful that at least someone spotted her and I knew she was in the area.

I began calling her with a little more desperation. Twenty minutes passed and the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon and darkness was settling in. At this point, my mind started with all the chatter, "you knucklehead, you lost the dog! How will you face the family, what will you tell your daughter!" I told myself to be quiet, that Shay will be fine and that everything would be OK.  I was now debating whether to go back home and get help or continue looking for her. I kept telling myself that there was no way she would cross the busy road on a Friday night, and the very thought sent a shiver through me. I did my best to remain calm and keep the gremlins at bay. Not easy!!

At this point, we had been gone for over an hour and I was ready to head back home with MY tail between my legs, beg forgiveness, and organize a search party. I then heard a voice in the distance calling "Tom, Tom!" My wife Lisa, I knew instantly Shay was safe!!! The tone of her voice told me that everything was OK. She then provided the details that Shay had crossed the busy road, one of my son's friends, Noah, was in a car on the busy road had seen Shay running toward our home and followed her back to our house.  Noah called my son and asked if he knew where Shay was. My son explained that yes Shay was with his Dad out for a walk! Noah said that he was pretty sure he was following a solo Shay as she made a beeline for home.

Shay had crossed the intersection on Friday evening with heavy traffic and made it home safely all on her own. I can't tell you how relieved I was and how the first words out of my mouth were Thank You! Noah later explained that the traffic "parted" for Shay and that drivers pulled their cars sideways so that others vehicles could not pass while she crossed safely. Once she navigated the highway, she took the same shortcut we traverse to get to the park running like the wind.

My intellect wonders how Shay made it home on her own that evening. May be it was luck, may be it was good fortune, but I know better. Maybe just maybe it was one of the every day mircales that happen if we just pay attention.

Good girl Shay Shay!


Continued success and all the best.

Much Love,

Tom Kaufmann
Coach K
tkaufmanncoaching.com