Welcome to the Paws & Play Side of Life

While much of my work centers around spiritual teaching and inner exploration, my dogs are the ones who keep my feet firmly on the earth. Off the meditation cushion and out of the classroom, I’m just a regular person who is entirely devoted to her dogs. Here, you’ll find stories, lessons, and everyday moments from the journey of loving, learning from, and sharing life with four-legged companions. Just real life, dust bunnies, and unconditional love.

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Five Facts You Need to Know Before Choosing an Australian Shepherd

/ Dog Training, My Dogs and Me / By / 183 Comments

Australian Shepherd

Updated May 9, 2022

She’s beautiful, isn’t she?

She’s also smart, athletic, a snap to train, devoted, telepathic, and my right-hand girl. In fact, she’s everything you could want in a dog — and more.

It’s the “more” part that gets most people into trouble. The truth is — for as beautiful and brainy as Australian Shepherds are — they aren’t for everyone.

The question is: Are they for you?

Let me walk you through a few key points … Read More

No Mow May

/ Nature / By / Leave a Comment

no mow may sign If you’re a gardener, you’ve already seen the decline in bees, and maybe even experienced a resulting decrease in crop yield.

wasp nest

Maybe you’ve even resorted to hand pollination, as I’ve had to on a few occasions.

So I’ve become all about the bees, as witnessed by this wasps nest.

You can learn more about why I left them alone in this post which talks about the benefits of wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets.

And letting our lawn go … Read More

What Do People Do When They Don’t Have Bark Alarms?

/ My Dogs and Me / By / Leave a Comment

boxes They Buy Home Security Systems

In all my years on the planet, 90% of them have been spent living with animals. Mostly dogs. I’m still figuring out how to find my way without four-footeds always by my side. It’s weird. So very weird.

I promised Andrew that I would try to make it a year. There’s some traveling he’d like to do where we both get to go together. What a concept! But I’m not sure how long I’ll last. … Read More

The Embodiment of Pure Love

/ My Dogs and Me / By / Leave a Comment

Wink

May 11, 2008 – April 15, 2022

Blenheim Cavalier Spaniel

There has been no other dog filled with as much love and happiness as this little guy. He came by way of a dog for Cait, but as life often has other plans, it wasn’t long before he attached himself fully and completely to me. He and I have been inseparable ever since he made that decision. Literally, in 14 years we’ve rarely been out of each other’s sight. One of the … Read More

If You’re Grumpy All the Time, No One Will Buy You

/ Cait and Me / By / Leave a Comment

Yep, pretty true words from my Yoda daughter back when she was 4 years old. She’d randomly throw out one-liners that just cracked me up!

writing on scrap paper

I have a box full of these scraps I wrote down from when she was little. I call them “Caity-isms.” Whenever I start taking life a little too seriously, I pull one of these out, have a good laugh, and get back to facing the day with the proper attitude.… Read More

When You Become Your Dog’s Seeing Eye Person

/ My Dogs and Me / By / Leave a Comment

I’d be lying if I said we’re not struggling to keep going. The days—and nights—keep taking their toll.

Now along with Wink needing me to always be within sight inside (or he cries nonstop until I am back in view), we’re at the point where, even though we have a huge fenced yard and dog door that he’s used since he was a puppy, he won’t go outside anymore unless he’s tethered to me. So all potty breaks are now … Read More

The Peace of Wild Things

/ Nature / By / Leave a Comment

At a time when life’s uncertainties abound, I am reminded of the strength and healing of nature through the imagery in this poem.

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of

… Read More
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