#so she has taught me grace too! unreasonably high standards aren’t fair. it’s ok to be a little unhinged sometimes!

[possibilistfanfiction]

What's your favorite thing about your dog?

literally everything but i think the best thing about charli is her completely honest joy. like when she’s excited about something, or happy, or even peaceful, she has this big smile & her body wiggles & it’s just the best. she means it! her delight!

she’s SO incredibly smart & sensitive & so being able to watch her learn, have a deep bond with her, & give her safe, wonderful & enriching experiences has changed my life & shapes it still. re-parenting myself through a border collie is kind of funny but it’s been amazing to kind of learn about self-patience & compassion thru working w char. if ppl are dog nerds, rly committing to R+ training (& understanding why) has been amazing for both of us. i love to watch her work through problems & understand my cues & marking; i love to make her really healthy, enjoyable, & varied food; i love to come up with a bunch of fun enrichment. i love when she’ll sleep at my feet.

& bc she’s smart & sensitive, i don’t take her love for me or trust in me lightly. it’s a serious honor in my life to be in right relationship & partnership w her silly little self, & i think often abt how i earn it all the time: by being patient, & gentle, & encouraging, & fun. dogs, & especially border collies, are so generous but they’re also discerning. every time charli feels scared or just not confident now, she just comes to me instead of reacting — for treats, for safety, because she wants to. we’ve worked on hard stuff like that & recall since she was tiny & to see her progress as i look back is so fulfilling (for both of us). i’ve had her almost 3 years & our bond really is one of the things i’m most proud of

idk. big star by lorde. she’s my girl. she’s just the best dog