Day: May 28, 2013

I had the privilege to be with and photograph two spiritual beings as the met and talked with one another, each having a different language but each able to reach and speak to the other. There was so much communication going on yesterday between Red and Scott Carrino, my Tai Chi teacher at Scott’s farm outside of Cambridge, N.Y. Scott dropped to his knees when he saw Red, and Red connected with him, as he does to people who are open to him. Like Maria, Scott is an emotional being and his emotions are close to the surface, unlike most men, and Red could sense them. I took a series of photographs of these two, they were touching to watch and inspiring to photograph. I will put up an album on Facebook, another chapter in spiritual and beings that connect with and  recognize one another. Scott is a spirit human and Red is a spirit animal.

Big day at the farm today, Todd Mason (right with his helper Tyler), one of the world’s best fence-makers is fencing in a new pasture out behind the farm, it is rough work – they found two old cars and three dead deer carcasses out back – and worked through bugs, swamp, snakes, bugs, ticks and heavy brush. We are putting up a five-wire electrified fence most for the donkeys, the sheep will also be able to go back there. This is a big step for the farm, it opens up an old cow pasture and gives us enough grass to get us comfortably through what is likely to be a dry, warm summer (they all seem to be now.) Red kept the sheep out while the fence was down. He didn’t move for an hour. I brought Todd and Tyler coffee and donuts and they took a five-minute break. If you don’t bring Todd food, he will never eat or rest.

Todd works harder than any human I know, and is as honest as he is hard-working. I consider him a very good friend, there is nobody I would rather have around in a pinch. The fence will be done today, we will open up the pasture to the donkeys tomorrow. A ceremony for the evolving New Bedlam Farm.

Minnie was keeping me company on the stonewall as I sat there to meditate. She loves sunning herself there, and I suspect she was flirting a bit.

I’m happy to report that “Listening To Dogs: How To Be Your Own Training Guru,” is the number one dog training book on Amazon Kindle’s Training Book Category and moving up on a number of other lists rapidly. The book surpassed Cesar Milan’s “How To Have A Perfect Dog.” On the first day of my blog and facebook discussions about dog training, a riotous debate broke out on Facebook about  Cesar Milan and whether he is abusive to dogs. I do not believe Milan is in any way abusive to dogs, the people who argue that do not, in my mind, understand the real life of dogs or of training.

Having said that, I do not use Milan’s theories in my own dog training, I use my own and that is the point of “Listening To Dogs.” My wish for this book is that after people read it, they will begin the process of coming to believe that the best trainers in the world for their dogs are them. This is an empowerment book, it seeks to begin the process of reclaiming training back to the individual and away from the gurus and corporate marketing experts who are taking over the earth. Dog training is not simple, but it is possible and very few experts who don’t know you, your dogs, your family and environment can really give you the answers you want. You can help yourself, and for free. I am excited about “Listening To Dogs” and it’s great first day. I want to keep this going all week, more topics on training tomorrow on the blog and Facebook.

I wrote on Facebook today that I have never seen an angry person who has a well-trained, calm or grounded dog. That is very important. I write about attitude in my book. What’s in our head is as important as what’s in our dog’s head. We are always talking about what they are thinking, but we need to talk about what we are thinking.  Check out my book. In the e-book world, no one is promoting this book but me and the blog I love and my community of readers. If you like it, feel free to make some noise for it – share it, like it, review it. I thank you.