Being a lover of a good nights rest you would think I might find this disruption to my sleep inconvenient but honestly…I am grateful for the world that owning a dog has shown me.

I call it “Dog Hour”…those brief few minutes, in the early morning light before the sun’s intensity starts to be unbearable. All the dogs and their two legged companions leave the comfort of their beds and head in to the fields and forests.

Honestly I have gotten some truly amazing images in the 2 weeks we have been living this way. That beautiful golden morning light with it’s long shadows and finger like rays touching the yellowing fields.

The rest of the day may be a bit unbearable…but in those early morning and just as the sunsets…are pure magic.

Before there was the adored Clover, there were 3 little equally adored cats named Larry, Moe and Curley.  They were brothers and they very much lived up to their name.   The introduction of a puppy into their lives at 14 years old was perhaps not the best idea…for them or Clover.

One summer just after we moved from Belgium back to Germany I noticed a strange power shift happening in the house.  Curley our normally timid and shy cat began to assert himself.  I came into the living room one day and found a very frustrated Clover squeezing himself into one of the cats beds…while on the other side of the room a very self satisfied Curley…was snuggled smiling in the HUGE bed reserved for the dog.

I think this is a great example of “With Rank comes Privilege.”  Curley sure felt he earned his position….Clover just thought him evil.

The best advice I have been given about cats and dogs living together is…you can have a dog then introduce a cat, but not the opposite.  Now I know.

At first glance they are pretty sharp, but once you put them into practice….it becomes more revealing.  So..you pull a baggy from the bottom and dispose of the used product in the larger garbage bin like opening at the top.   As yourself this…how high does a dog pee?  Yep, you guessed it right into the baggy hole….PLUS, as you bend over to remove the bags…you are exposed to a nasty whiff of the bin above.

Just my unwanted 2 cents….Cool design…Poor function….BUT Forgivable if people actually use them.

Once we moved to Germany we found a new trainer for Clover and she told me every time you find it hard to get his attention or if he wanders off…Go hide.   Let me tell you, this works!

A trick to living with a Wheaten Terrier is to turn all “Learning Experiences” into a game.   He loves to go in search of me now and I love being interesting to him.

To my great surprise, coming towards us, bumbling along on the rugged path are two older women pushing a baby carriage.  Along side I make out the shape of a small dog.  Out of courtesy I put Clover, my own dog back on his leash and  together we continue our way along the dark path, all the while squinting to make out further the approaching fellow wanderers.

Squinting and clearing my eyes, I can not believe what it is I am seeing.  There, reclining gracefully in the baby carriage is a small black poodle, greying about the face due to age.  My face breaks into a huge smile and I hold my camera in the air, (international code for “can I take your photo”).

With friendly faces the women return my excitement.  I rapidly snap images in awe of what I am seeing, with equal speed I fire off hundreds of questions at the ladies.  “How old, Is it blind, can it walk…” to my surprise the dog lazily slides out of the stroller and stiffly stands beside it on trembling legs.

The one friendly woman starts telling me the story.  The little dog is called Bibi and yes, she is blind in one eye and the other eye is completely missing.  She is 16 years old and has had major back surgery, but is now very happy with her daily rides through the forest in her baby stroller.  She can hop out when she wishes but mostly she just likes to go along for the ride.

Amazing, I say to them and we continue along, with me surrendering my walk plans and falling into pace with this little group.   From time to time they take turns who pushes the stroller, these two best friends.  While Clover flitted and chased their other little female who provides lead on their walks.

In the parking lot,  I gave them my card and offered them copies of the photos.  I let them know I was going to write about them and show off their wonderful gift to this precious creature.  Their faces lit up at the thought.  Such a simple gesture for all the years of friendship this little creature has provided.  Some may think this story is sad or in that fact the images, but it honestly isn’t, these ladies and their precious cargo are all tremendously happy together…living out their days on friendly chat filled walks in the forest…with their favorite companions.

We returned to Germany from a few years living in Belgium when Clover was about 2 years old. We lived a quiet rural life in Belgium and other than Clover’s big city brother, Bosco who lives in Brussels, he had little contact with other creatures of his own kind. Being a cat person I never knew how great the importance of socializing with other dogs was in the canine world. I always thought…wasn’t I enough?

Quickly we started to see the error of our ways and Clover began to have aggression issues. At one point we actually asked ourselves did we just get a bum dog or a bad breed. We read all the books, we watched the Dog Whisperer….why wasn’t anything we were doing reaching him.

Luckily I met a woman who had a similar issue with her dog and she recommended a local trainer and dog group. CLF,Canis lupus familiaris is a mobile dog school in the Rhine Neckar area of Germany and their Leader or Alpha is a woman named Helga. Her ability to read dogs is just amazing and she and her partner, the soft spoken and obeyed by all canine is Dirk. Together they have created this group and started a monthly Hundewanderung or dog wander.

When Helga suggested to me that I lighten up on the leash and perhaps introduce my aggressive Terrier to her “pack”, my stomach dropped. Would he ever come back to me if I let him off the leash…wouldn’t he attack the other dogs out of fear? She explained to me how my fears were creating a serious issue with my best friend and I needed to get them under control, so I could help Clover have a better life.

Once a month her pack meets on a Sunday morning for a long walk in the forest and then a nice meal together in a restaurant. She calls ahead to let the place know there will be a large group plus dogs. It is all organized beautifully.

On that first Sunday of the month, we arrived at the meeting point deep in the Odenwald national forest on a bitter winter’s day. I think you could smell our nervousness and fear in the car….I am sure Clover could. What must he have been thinking when he looked out the back of the car on that morning at a pack of dogs milling about and people sipping warm spiced apple juice. HOW would I ever let him out of the car….is this even possible for my “Special needs” dog?

Helga approached us and said it is fine let him out on his leash….as all the other dogs were on their leashes still. In this situation it is important that if one is on leash they all are as it is the leash that creates the aggression. Part of the fight or flight response. Everyone gathered and Helga climbed up on a rock to see over the crowd. It was a small group she said on this day…only 40 plus dogs. They can get upwards of 60 on a nice weekend and then double that with people. She then explained the rules to us, that if we see a walker or runner all dogs must go to the right side of the path and sit and wait to be released again.

Then it was time, she signaled for me to release Clover…I tried to breath normal but I remember looking into my husbands face with a look of “ARE WE DOING THE RIGHT THING?”. With a breath I released the clasp and off he went. He ran in a perfect circle around me like he was in orbit. Slowly a few dogs joined him in this race, Clover speeding up thinking they were chasing him…I didn’t know what to think. Helga said to me…”What is he doing?”..then I realized. The poor fella had been on a retractable leash for the first 2.5 years of his life, he only knew to run in it’s allotted circumference.

Quickly Clover’s canine senses kicked in and he realized he had created a game. They other dogs were just joining in, he stopped turned and faced the first and biggest dog. Again my heart stopped…and then it happened, Clover bent his front legs and arched his back similar to a cat….with his tail happily wagging in the air, the international dog play sign! Success!! He knew all along what to do, he just never had the chance to meet fellow dogs on neutral territory.

I would love to say Clover has never had an issue since starting with this group, for him it is a daily struggle. He has a great opportunity here in Ladenburg and each day he meets new challenges and grows….and so do I as a Dog Person.

If you live in the Rhine Neckar Area and are interested in this group here is their link:

http://www.clf-mobile-hundeschule.de

CLOVER HIGHLY RECOMMENDS THEM!