As I write this, Frieda is dozing by my feet, purring like a kit. But I call her the “Demon Dog” and I used to call her the “Helldog.” She is a sweetie, but she is a handful. Yesterday, I got cocky and decided I would take a sweet video of the four dogs running to me on the path. Frieda almost made it to me, and then took off abruptly up the hill after some animal only she saw. You can see a 14-second glimpse into the unraveling of an idea. At the end of the video, I drop the camera and take off after her. I got her too.

This is why I am not a fan of guru training books. They just are not real. Frieda is real. Frieda can get you to move.

A reminder that training a dog – especially this dog – is a humbling experience.