I think I’ve mentioned before, the past couple of years, I’ve really struggled with the writing of this blog.
I’m struggling to get this dish full. Can you help a dog out?
In part, I think it was a depression of what was going on in my life.
- I was in an incredibly toxic job. Initially they just cut my hours down, and six months later they cut my hours again, but this time they wrote me up. If I’m being honest, I could have been putting in more effort, but the bulk of what I was written up for was bogus. That was when I saw the writing on the wall and knew I’d need to find another job, before they chose to fire me. (FTR, I did and now have the nicest boss!)
- Things aren’t great at home. I won’t go into details here, but will just say, sometimes people drift apart. People grow, people change and sometimes there are real struggles with that. I’m not sure how it will resolve, but eventually we’ll figure it out.
- The dogs are aging, and with that comes health challenges and decisions, and the reality of facing some hard and painful events.
- With the aging of the dogs, they do less. Sampson is limited physically, so they don’t get to play much together. They do make me smile or laugh every day and I do try to capture that for a post. Thankfully, I do have the DADO’s in my neighborhood to help, when the dogs aren’t doing their job. 🙂
Truthfully, there were times when I just wanted to quit. Stop blogging all together, but something just wouldn’t let me. (It’s true, it could have been Jan, she forbids me to stop.)
Honestly, I think it’s the community that revolves around this blog that kept me going. All of you reading, and commenting, helped keep this blog alive.
I want you to take a moment and really let that sink in. YOU kept me going. YOU made a difference for me, and I’d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the reason this blog still is active today.
Things change. All the time.
The pet bloggers are seeing that right now with BlogPaws. BlogPaws has been acquired by a larger company, and with the exception of one, all the people we know and love, who have mentored us over the last ten years, have either been let go, or chosen to move on. Whether this is a good move or a bad move for the community is yet to be seen.
The purpose of this blog has changed. Originally it started out to garner an online presence. (Mission accomplished, I think.) 🙂
Then it became something so much more to me. It was a place to connect with people like me, people who loved their dogs like crazy and totally ‘got’ that I had to skip happy hour to hurry home from work, because…dogs.
A place where I had friends, where I didn’t feel so alone or lonely.
Delilah’s training was at times extremely challenging. I was struggling trying to find what worked for her, so I knew others must be too. I wanted to give those people hope. I wanted to find the humor in and share the struggles I had with training a crazy chocolate lab. I wanted to let people know that even when it felt hopeless, find the humor, pause and laugh, then carry on. Some dogs just need more time than others to find their happily ever after, but the struggle is SO worth it when it pays off, and it WILL pay off.
We faced medical issues. Sampson with his CCL’s, heart issues, adrenal issues, and those little hormones that keep rearing their little heads. Delilah with elevated liver levels. I like to approach these as holistically as I can. I thought maybe others might too, or perhaps something we did would help another person deal with the same issue. So, I wrote about those.
At various times over the years, people have reached out and thanked me for a particular post, as it gave them an option for their dog that they weren’t aware of, or hadn’t considered.
Helping became important to me. Whether it was a supplement, or a training tip, or making you laugh or smile, or just making you feel like you weren’t alone with whatever you were facing. If I touched your life in some way, I’m truly grateful for being able to do so.
I think that’s where I’m at right now. I want this blog to be somewhere you come to, for help, encouragement, inspiration, humor, or just to sit down and not feel like you are alone in whatever you are dealing with.
Change as they say (there THEY are again, who ARE they?) is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be bad, right?
Yes, change is inevitable in one form or another. One thing that won’t change is that I love you as much as I would a blood sister. You, whom I have never met face-to-face yet feel as though I’ve known you my whole life. You, one of the first pet bloggers who befriended me. You, who I called to tell that Sampson would be okay while he was going through his first CCL surgery not long after Callie went through her first one. You, who I called as I sat on the floor of the vet’s exam room with Callie, trying to fight back the tears of grief coming from the knowledge that her time with me was coming to an end. Thank you, Jodi, for not quitting, for not giving up, and most of all for being my friend. BlogPaws may change for better or for worse; but I think with people like you and many others, our community will find a way to stay together.
We all go through “stuff” in our lives. Some of us get continually knock down over and over again. It’s those of us who stand up again and again that builds our characters and our strengths. Those lessons are there as teaching moments, not as failing moments. Sometimes we never find out why we need to learn what appear to be such cruel lesssons. But this I do know, it’s all ok. Life is a series of ups, downs and twists and turns. The people we allow to be involved in our lives are the ones that get us through, those people include our fur babies! Sometimes those people are with us throughout our lives, and sometimes they are put there just to help us get through a particular moment. Keep in mind that you help a lot of people get through a LOT of moments! Thanks for not quitting, and standing up again and again! You are incredibly LOVED!! Never stop being YOU!! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
You scared me. I thought you were going to quit! Change is life, and we have to continuously adapt. Our blog has evolved over the years just naturally. BlogPaws is a sad thing, but who knows, it could turn out to be a good thing. We just remember the purpose of our blog was to have fun, entertain and educate people. We are in control of that part and will continue to do so. We started without BlogPaws, and we hope to continue with them. Time will tell where it all goes. I know we love to visit your blog, and you, as you know are how we found dog sports…actually, you cost us a lot of money because of dog sports, but we are alright with that 🙂
Your story is so familiar. I’m not going into deatils now, but I do relate. I’m so happy I found Heart Like A Dog. Thank you! If it weren’t for my dogs, not sure where I would be in this crazy life.
Yep, change happens and is often not easy. We are disappointed with the turn of events with BlogPaws, but we all need to remember that Chewy might own BlogPaws but they don’t own the community, we all own it. Hugs from all of us.
I’m glad you are sticking around. I love your humor, and your foul mouth. Lol. It is hard to keep blogging sometimes, I have thought more than once about quitting. But, like you, I would miss the people, and the comments and interactions I get on the blog. Plus, my blog is like my travel journal, and I really don’t want to end that. We will hold each others hands, through everything.
” I want this blog to be somewhere you come to, for help, encouragement, inspiration, humor, or just to sit down and not feel like you are alone in whatever you are dealing with.”
If that’s your blogging goal, you should be very proud of your success. <3
For the record, I look forward to each and every one of your posts and life would be definitely be a little less okay if you weren’t here. Knowing the challenges with living with people and pets, it’s always good to read how others cope with them both. I think the expression ‘misery loves company’ doesn’t apply here. Sure we can be miserable about issues and stuff going on around us, but I can honestly say I’m never miserable when I read your posts. More often than not, I’m laughing out loud and don’t feel so isolated in my own little world. When facing my own demons and DADO’s I know this pet blogging community is right there every step of the way. I hope others feel the same, and if there’s ever anything I can do, just say the word and I’ll do my best.
P. S. Thank heavens for Jan and her influence with keeping you here! 😊 Just know we love you, Sampson and Delilah.
You scared me for a minute there too, I was relieved you are sticking it out. I’m sorry you’ve had such tough times personally; and I understand every other reason you’ve had for considering letting it all go. I’m struggling with the same things right now. All the changes we’ve been through, most of all losing Cricket, made me fear I’d lost so much for the blog too. While I’ve more than once thought about giving it up (mostly because of all the time it takes up!), I enjoy the writing too much, and most of all, as you said, the community. Gosh, I don’t even know what I’d do with myself without everyone I’ve met through blogging. I think sharing our experiences with medical issues is one of the best things we can do, and I appreciate all you’ve been doing in that area.
I am sorry you have been going through such a difficult time. It doesn’t rain it pours in life. I am glad you have found some peace and will keep sharing your stories.
Change is inevitable and even when it feels bad it’s always good and always meant to be. It’s that old gotta-have-rain-to-have-a-rainbow thing. From my own selfish point of view, I’m happy you have been able to stick around through it all, and I hope you continue to soldier-up and stick around. You make me smile.
I know we aren’t here all of the time….(we have had TONS of personal crap going on too)…….but we have stayed with you for many, many years. Often we read and don’t comment. You have always been particularly kind and HILARIOUS to me (and on your blog)……..know that you ALWAYS have a friend over here who cares!
Thank goodness for Jan! I’m glad you’re sticking around. I read about all that is going on with BlogPaws. Hopefully everything works out for the best. Lots going on over here too. We have another litter due at our house and they’re not puppies this time 🙂
If writing makes you happy, then keep on going with it. I have been an avid reader for a few years, i went looking for a blog about labs and i found yours. I instantly clicked with the humour in your writing and now I’m attached to you and the pups.
Today i scolded Merlin for licking the kitchen cabinet and it instantly reminded me of you and Delilah.
❤
I certainly know how difficult coping with change can be and I applaud you for hanging in there with your blog. Have always loved it and though I don’t always comment, I always read it. Love you my friend.
print out a copy of the above photo and put it up somewhere where it will catch your eyes.
that bowl is overflowing with hugs for you from all of us your readers. take as needed as many as needed. the bowl will never be empty.
your blog means so much to us. take good care of yourself including eating right.
thanks so much for your trust in us to open your heart and thoughts to us in this post.
I was a relative late-comer to your blog (not even sure why!), but I was immediately attracted to the “voice” of your posts. When I saw your title, I was afraid you were announcing the end…. I wasn’t ready for that! Glad you are just regrouping and catching your breath!
I think we long timers all think of quitting at some point or another. When someone does, I do miss them. Funny how you can miss someone you’ve never met! I think about stopping all the time. My dogs getting old was part of it, but now with Cedar that excuse doesn’t work. LOL! Not sure why the motivation has ebbed away……
So many things going on in your life. I missed you at the Conference this year. Our connection and friendship is a beautiful thing. Without those kinds of relationships, I’d have quite a long time ago too.
I forgot to mention that I miss your follow-up friday posts ❤