SoMeTiMeS iT TaKeS a TeRrOrIsT tO PuT ThInGs InTo PeRsPeCtIvE....

Hey friends!!!

So, I know you've heard from me twice in the past week but I've been doing a lot of thinking this evening due to some unfortunate circumstances and need to get somethings out.....

Today, I had another unfortunate interaction with an individual that has been attempting to make life pretty hard this past semester.  By the time Andrew picked me up this afternoon, I was in tears and beyond frustrated at the situation.  Fortunately, I get to come home to a pretty great guy who makes things SO much better for me.....

But, I digress, this blog is about the terrorist after all.....and that's exactly what this post is about!  As I sat in the kitchen doing my homework while Andrew was in the living room on a skype meeting and Lana was in her kennel (due to indiscretions I'm not going to disclose at this time), I reflected on today's events.  I was upset, frustrated, annoyed, confused, and every other emotion that goes along with having to deal with a snarky, hurtful individual, but I happened to look to my left to see my big monster laying on her bed and, what we affectionately call, "tranqing" with her gorillas......and, in that moment I felt like I was hit with a brick and was completely overwhelmed by the love I have for her!

It never ceases to amaze me that something that can't speak a single coherent word can put life into perspective in an instant without even knowing it!  As I watched her tranquilize with her gorillas a flood of emotions swept over me and in that moment I realized, despite the hurtful events of the day, my life is full of so many blessings!  I have been blessed with a wonderful family, great friends, a super supportive and sweet guy, a puppy that always makes things interesting and is so darn cute and a big ol' shepherd that, despite the frustration, worry, anger, and annoyance she can cause, makes every single second of every single day worth it for me!

When Brear died last December 2nd, I never thought I could ever love something with the same unconditional love that I had for her but, God has been so good to me and blessed me with another shepherd to love with the same, if not more, unconditional love!  In some bizarre twist of fate, I have been blessed with two wonderful dogs that happened to have their lives cut short before the age of 3.  When I lost Mag I didn't think another dog would come along that I could love like I did him but then came along my Brearsy girl!  I loved her with every ounce of love I had to give and never imagined I would have to say "goodbye" before the age of 3, I just couldn't imagine that curse would strike again!  But, sometimes things go array for reasons we may never know or understand....and then enter Tier.

When I got Tier the wounds from losing Brear were still so fresh and I worried that I would resent her, always compare her to Brear, never think she was good enough.....boy was I wrong!  Tierney has been not just my dog but an angel on earth for me and is the perfect mix of Mag and Brear!  She has gotten me through some really difficult times when I have missed Brear to the point my heart felt like it was going to stop, when I wanted to lay down and give up on it all, when things seemed too scary and difficult to go on.....and, through each difficult situation she has always given me nothing less than 100% of her heart!  And, yet again, in a single instant this evening she has put things back into perspective and made me feel loved beyond compare, without ever uttering a single word!  Like I wrote above, it never ceases to amaze me the power of a dog's love and kindness.....if only us humans could realize the true beauty of what a dog's love is all about; we could really benefit from letting go of anger and loving more unconditionally!

As I sit here writing, with Tier by my side with one of her favorite toys in her mouth, I will leave you all with my favorite poem that, to me, embodies the true essence of my big shepherd, Tir Na Nog.....

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or "that's a lot of money for just a dog."
They don't understand the distance travelled, the time spent,
or the costs involved for "just a dog."
Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."
Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.
Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by
"just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch
of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."
"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship,
trust, and pure unbridled joy.
"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience
that make me a better person.
Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long runs and look
longingly to the future.
So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog"
but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.
"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts
away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that its' not "just a dog"
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being 
"just a man" or "just a woman."
So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog,"
just smile,
because they "just don't understand."    

CiAo,

TiEr & sHaNnOn

NeVeR a DuLl MoMeNt In ThE LiFe oF a MoNsTeR

Hey Friends....long time no see!?

I know I haven't written about the big monster in quite some time but it's been a busy fall/winter - grad school is beating me up, my research project keeps getting crazier, we're training for a marathon, I'm frantically trying to finish making my Christmas gifts.....oh, AND, Tier decided to throw us for a loop and develop a heart arrhythmia before her scheduled surgery which resulted in us spending an exorbitant amount of time at CSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH)....we probably should just move in considering the amount of time we spend there, hope the rent isn't too expensive!! I know those are all lame excuses but it's the best I've got for right now!

So, I know many of you out there have asked what's been going on with Tier's heart and I've been pretty coy about the details but, it was up in the air there for a bit as to what we were potentially facing so I decided to keep the details within the immediate family until we knew what was going on.  Here is the rundown of what happened with the one who must always do things her own unique way....

Andrew and I scheduled "the girls" surgery for the same day to make sure they were both down at the same time....keeping the two of them from playing with each other is literally impossible so we figured if they had surgery at the same time then they could recover and NOT play together! We dropped the girls off at VTH on the afternoon of November 12th to spend the night and then have their surgeries the next morning. Of course, me being the big baby that I am, I was in tears before we even made it out to the car! We were called later that night and told that the girls were doing great and would be heading into surgery early the next morning. The vet student told us they were playing with each other and having a great time at the "hotel" and she would call us after the girls were out of surgery in the early afternoon.

The next morning around 10am I was sitting in lecture and happened to look down to see an unknown name calling. That unknown was Sara, a fourth year vet student and the one that was going to be doing her spay surgery.  She explained that when Tier was given the pre medications for her surgery her heart developed a supraventricular arrhythmia.  She told me that Cardiology had been called in and that they recommended pulling Tier from surgery because there could be a number of things wrong with her heart that could jeopardize her survivability through the surgery.  She told me she had called Andrew but that he hadn't picked up and that I needed to make a decision as to what to do within 20 minutes.  I hung up the phone and immediately started crying.  All I could think of was, "Why is this happening? I just lost Brear less than a year ago, how could something be wrong with Tier? She just ran 9 miles with us the other day and did great, how could she have a heart problem!?"

After I got myself back together, I tried calling Andrew about 100 times.  Of course, the girls were having surgery at the same time he has his weekly staff meeting....poor timing on VTH's part, but I suppose the world doesn't revolve around our girls even if I think it does! I also called my parents about 100 times to no avail! All I could think was, "What in the heck!? How the heck am I going to deal with this all on my own?" Ya, I can make it through all these crazy things alone like law school, moving to San Diego, passing the bar exam, etc, etc,.....but I CANNOT make it through making a decision about Tier's health on my own.....yep, I'm a wuss when it comes to that big ol' shepherd! I was finally able to get a hold of my dad but only through text messaging because his phone was broken.  He had just had his eyes dilated at the eye doctor and couldn't see any of my messages but had the wherewithal to know something was wrong by the numerous times I had called and sent me a message to meet him at the gym near CSU where my mom was working out. So, without even thinking, I headed out without picking up my computer, notebook, backpack, jacket, etc., in my lecture.....it's a good thing I have nice, honest friends who will take care of my things when I become MIA!!!

On the way to meet my parents, Andrew finally called me back and we decided together to pull Tier from surgery and set up a consult with a cardiologist.  When I got to the gym I had to pull my mom out of pilates and I won't ever forget her face when she saw me, I have never seen someone's face get that white that fast before! The three of us, my mom, dad and I, called Sara back and had her explain to my dad what exactly had happened.  My dad is a Physician's Assistant so he essentially translated all the specifics to me and gave me his recommendations regarding Tier's heart.  Fortunately, we were told that once they got her stabilized we could come pick her up and she could go home. Good news for us, bad news for the little beige one (Lana)....she does NOT like to be separated from her shepherd!  But, fortunately when we got to VTH that afternoon we were allowed to see Lana for a few minutes and set up the time to pick her up the next day!

After visiting Lana, we set up a consult with a cardiologist for the following Monday and we took the big monster home.  She was still heavily sedated and had to be monitored for 24 hours because her heart was still arrhythmic.  She loved having all the attention at home and she got to cuddle with her most favorite person in the world.....her "force cuddle" buddy Andrew!

FORCE CUDDLE.....she looks like she hates it, doesn't she!? ;)

The next Monday we headed to VTH for the consult with the cardiologist, of course, Tier was pumped to be back at VTH with lots of people and animals everywhere!  We were taken into an exam room with 3 vet students and asked extensive questions about Tier's history.  We were then left in the room by ourselves while the students went to present Tier's case to the cardiologist.  After about 30 minutes the cardiologist came into the room with the students and let us know her recommendations which included an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram and blood pressure test.  Once it was determined whether Tier had any structural defects in her heart then we would potentially have to put a Holter Monitor on her for 24 hours to determine how many irregular beats she has during a normal day.  After about 15 minutes of explaining, Tierney left with the doctors and Andrew and I went to have coffee while we waited for the first round of results.

After about an hour and a half the fourth year student called to let us know we could come back and the cardiologist would go over all the results.  We headed back to VTH to meet with the doctors and were met with great news....Tier does NOT have any major structural defects in her heart!! I was elated until the cardiologist then told us that there is a possibility she has an inherited disorder in the German Shepherds called sudden death syndrome. Yup, it is exactly what it sounds like.....the dog will die suddenly during their sleep from the same type of arrhythmia that Tier had developed during surgery!  My elation quickly turned to panic thinking that she might have this disease!  The next step was to fit Tier with a Holter Monitor for 24 hours and see how many irregular beats she has during a normal 24 hours at home.  After our consult we headed home with the big monster only to bring her back the next day to be fitted with the monitor....I told you, we practically live at VTH!!!

The next day Andrew took Tiers to VTH and they fitted her with a Holter Monitor.  We were told that we had to keep a diary of Tier's every move for the next 24 hours in order for the cardiologists to figure out what she does that potentially creates the irregular beats or when they occur the most frequent. She then got to hang out with him at the Air Force ROTC at CSU (his work) while I finished class and could come pick her up.  When we got home that day I made the mistake of opening the back sliding glass door that has a dog door in it.....Tier immediately went bolting outside with her Holter Monitor vest on and completely ripped the dog door out of the door frame!!! Never a dull moment with that crazy beast!

Rut roh...where's the dog door???

Holter monitor harness...

After 24 hours of wearing her vest, I took it off and brought it back to VTH for more waiting on results.  It takes about 24-48 hours to get results from the monitor and we were told they would call us as soon as they determined what occurred with her heart during the 24 hours.  On Thursday afternoon we were called by VTH and informed that Tier does NOT have sudden death syndrome and only experienced 1 irregular beat within a 24 hour period!!!!  I was so happy when I got the results I cried like a baby sitting in my office....fortunately I was the only one there and no one saw me acting like such a cry baby!!

After we got the results from the cardiologist, Tier was scheduled for the original surgery and went under on December 4th to have a spay and gastropexy.  The doctors called late in the afternoon, well past the time they said they would, and let us know that Tier made it through the surgery successfully but that she had to be monitored closely after it because she lost a lot of blood.  I swear, that darn terrorist can't make anything smooth sailing for anyone, she always has to throw a curve ball to keep life interesting!  The doctors also informed us that Tier's arrhythmia came back, however, it was brought on by the pain meds she was given and normalized once the pain meds wore off.  The culprit of the arrhythmia has been preliminarily determined as opioids in the pain meds, however, because it was an invasive surgery there is nothing they can do but monitor her on the meds and keep them to a minimum.  I swear that dog has always got to be causing some trouble wherever she goes and whatever she does, but I can't imagine it any other way with her!! And, I'm so thankful that she is spayed and has her stomach stapled to the side wall....now let's hope we can take a break from VTH!!! :)

On another note, Monday, December 1, was the one year anniversary of Brear's death.  The day was spent taking Tier and Lana to PT with Andrew's cadets in which Tier ran around for 50 minutes and popped 4 dodge balls belonging to the cadets! That's what they get for wanting Tyranny to come play with them, haha! I spent the next three days worrying about the monster during her surgery so I didn't have a ton of time to reflect on the past year without that big Shepherd in the sky.  However, Thursday night, after bringing our girl home, Andrew mentioned that we need to "force cuddle" her before bed.  I told him he needs to because that's his game with her....of course, being still a bit groggy from her surgery, she was quiet and just laid there while he cuddled her in her kennel.  I then decided it was my turn, climbed partially in the kennel and laid my head on her shoulders......and that's when the waterworks started!  I think there was so much pressure and my nerves were running high during the anniversary of Brear's death and Tier's surgery but when she finally was home and safe all that pressure and anxiety was released.  I laid on her shoulder for 20 minutes, crying the entire time and reflecting on the past year.

The past year has been full of heartache, love, frustration, laughter, sadness but most of all....pure unbridled joy and that joy has been the direct effect of spending the past year with my big ol' monster!  I think back to when I had Brear and how much joy she brought me and I think about the day she died and how I never thought I could ever love something with the same unconditional love that I did with her.....but, God sure does work in mysterious ways and I have, yet again, found another unconditional love that I cherish every single second of every single day!  As I've said (or written) before, "when one wonderfully beautiful journey ends, it opens the door for another of equal beauty to begin!"  And, I can say wholeheartedly that the past year has been beyond my wildest imagination and I can't wait to spend many more years to come with my goofy monster!

Well friends, now you know....the rest of the story!  Tyranny and I wish you all very happy holidays with your friends and family and a blessed year to come! And, to that big Shepherd up in the sky, "This past year has been difficult, I've missed you on every walk, on every run and every second of every day during the past year!  I'm so thankful for the time I got with you, for the laughter and love you brought to my life and for all the memories I have and I will never forget!  Rest in peace my sweet girl and thank you so much for the gift of Tier to watch over and take care of me!! I love you!!"

CiAo

TiErS & sHaNnOn

PuRe UnBrIdLeD JoY.....

Hey friends!!

So, I know it's been quite awhile since you've heard from Tier and me.....but, in my defense, I've written this post over and over again but haven't been able to post it!  If you know me then you know how I feel about running, specifically how I felt about running with Brear.....I think you can figure out where this is headed.....

WARNING - This post is mainly for me to write things that I've experienced and put them out to the world for closure and healing. If you want only happy thoughts after reading this, skip to part two.....

PART ONE -

On December 2, 2012, my running life and my life in general changed drastically in an instant! That morning I woke early because I had a Fort Collins Running Club race to do with some of my running friends.  It was a cold morning so I debated on whether or not to take Brear to the race with me.  I decided against it because we were going to breakfast afterward and I didn't want her to have to wait in the car.  I debated whether or not to leave her outside and give her the garage to get into from the cold. I stood there and debated and debated....it's like I knew.  I finally decided to leave her out and, per the usual, I gave her a hug, kissed her on the head and told her I loved her.....that was the last time I ever saw her.

After the race, the running group went to Fuzzy's Tacos near campus for breakfast.  After breakfast I got a text from my neighbor telling me that Brear was out.  I didn't think too much about it because Brear often opened the gate, let herself out, took strolls through the neighborhood and then came back and put herself back in the yard.  On other occasions, my neighbor Sara would grab her and put her back in the yard.  I wasn't too worried because she never left the neighborhood.  After a few more minute of chatting at breakfast with my running friends I decided it was time to head home and get the monster back in, if she wasn't already back by the time I got home!

When I got home I went to the backyard and there was no Brear.  I started walking around the neighborhood calling her name, but no Brear. At this point I started to panic! I got in my car and drove a 2 mile radius around our house and I remember talking to my nephew Tyler right when I left and having him say, "Ya, I hate when Ally runs away! It's so scary and you want to kill them when you finally find them! But, don't worry, it will be okay!" But, after my drive there was still no Brear.  At this point I was in full on meltdown mode and called my parents to come help me.  They both said they were on their way and not to panic.

Right before my dad arrived a guy walking his dog said he saw a big black dog running with some lady down the way walking her dog.  Of course, I thought it's got to be Brear! I started running down the greenbelt near my house toward the direction the guy pointed me.  When I finally caught site of the lady and her dog my heart sank....yes, it was a big black dog but not my big black shepherd. I was feeling defeated and scared walking back to my car and that's when I received a phone call....

I picked up and the voice on the other end said, "This is an officer with the Colorado State Patrol, I'm calling because your dog Brear has been involved in a car accident."  The first thought that popped into my head was, "What do you mean my dog has been involved in a car accident!? She's a dog, she can't drive!" Fortunately, I didn't ask him that and instead asked, "Okay, where is she? Is she okay?" His response was, "No, she's not okay.  She didn't make it." All I could think was, "You idiot, you have no idea what you're even saying! How could you say something so ludicrous!?"  But, after what seemed like forever, he said it again and asked if I was still there.  And that's when full on hyperventilation set in and the world felt like it came crashing in around me.  I remember him asking me for my address because he wanted to come talk to me about what happened.  I don't remember giving him the address but he somehow showed up at my house a few minutes later.

After hanging up with the officer I called my dad crying hysterically and told him the news.  His response was, "Go home, I'm almost there."  I then called my mom.  I will never forget her response, it frequently plays through my mind when I allow myself to relive that day.  When she answered I told her through sobs, "Brear was hit and killed by a car."  Her first response was to scream, she kept screaming over and over again.  And then she started yelling at me, "STAY HOME! DO NOT LEAVE! DO NOT DRIVE! DO NOT GET IN YOUR CAR! DO NOT GO ANYWHERE! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"  The entire time she kept repeating herself, I kept thinking to myself, "Where in the heck am I going to go? The best thing that ever happened to me was just taken from me! There's no where left to go but home!"  Finally, she told me she would be there in a few and I hung up the phone.  And, that's when the full on breakdown hit.  I remember sitting on the step in my garage hysterically sobbing and hyperventilating, thinking, "What in the Hell just happened!? This isn't true, this isn't real life! This is some sort of sick and twisted nightmare that I'm going to wake up from and everything will be okay! I'll wake up and Brear will be sleeping next to me, she'll come and bump her nose into my cheek to tell me everything is okay and it's time to start the day! She'll be there, if only I could just wake up!" But, unfortunately this was a nightmare that I was living, not dreaming....

When the officer arrived, he explained what happened to Brear.  Brear was running across I-25 south of Mulberry and made it across the southbound lanes but was hit in the left lane of the northbound lanes.  The man that hit her attempted to swerve but due to a car next to him he was unable to miss her.  He called the state patrol and the officer went to her.  Brear was still alive but barely.  The officer made the decision to put her down.  He called me immediately after she was gone.

Now, I realize that it's the officers job to explain what happened, to give me the facts, but there are times when I think back to that day and I wonder what the heck he was thinking telling me everything he said!?  I would have been content with Brear was running across I-25 and was killed by a car.  I even would have been content with Brear was running across I-25, was hit by a car and killed and the guy who hit her called the state patrol.  But, I struggle being content with Brear was running across I-25 and was hit by a car, the guy who hit her called the state patrol, I went to her, she was still alive, I put her down.  Since the day she died I have thought about that statement over and over again and the picture it paints in my mind is one I would not wish on my worst enemy!  I think about her laying there all alone. I wonder if she knew what was happening. I wonder if she was in terrible pain. I wonder if it was quick. But, most of all, I wonder if she was scared.

It literally takes my breath away and makes my heart physically hurt to think that she spent her last moments on Earth scared and alone.  It makes me mad that I didn't get the final decision on what was to happen to her.  It makes me mad the officer took that from me.  But, then I think, "I can't imagine putting a dog down would be an easy task for anyone, especially a dog that is suffering."  So, despite the fact that the decision of her fate was taken from me, I frequently struggle, but I try, to be thankful that someone was compassionate enough to end her misery quickly!

After the officer was done telling me what had transpired over the last 30 minutes, he took my dad to pick up Brear.  My dad went to get her and took her to be cremated.  I will forever by grateful that my dad was willing to go get her because I don't think I would have been able to handle seeing her!  I'm so fortunate to have only memories of her alive, running beside me happy as can be!

PART TWO -

After Brear died running took on a totally different feel for me.  The day she died I had convinced myself that I would never run again, there was not a shot in Hell I was going to run without her.  The day after she died would have been her third birthday and apparently I wasn't too convincing because I found myself at 6:00 AM that morning running down the Poudre Trail and wishing the entire time that she was there.  For two years I ran with a big black shepherd right next to me and now I was left to run all alone.  I can say that I have never felt so vulnerable and exposed before.  But, at the same time I felt peaceful.  I could feel her there and I felt with each step she was telling me I would be okay.  In the course of 24 hours running went from being my happiest time of the day with my favorite thing in the world to my sanctuary where I could heal, remember and be at peace.  Over the course of the next month I ran almost every single day because I needed the peace and healing it brought, I needed to feel close to her and that was the only way I knew how.  Throughout the past 9 months I have continued to run and run more than I ever have before and throughout the many miles I have healed.  I have thought of her every run I've taken, I have missed the roads traveled and the trails traversed, I have used her for inspiration when feeling bad, but most of all I've felt her next to me every step and I'm beyond thankful to run with an angel!

And, now comes the good part.......on July 9th running, yet again, took on a new feel for me....for the first time since December 1st, I took off for a run but this time I took off with a green leash strapped around my waist connected to the other best thing to ever happen to me! Yep, you guessed it, Tierney finally took her first running steps with me! Tier did great and ran right beside me...actually a little too close a few times!  We only ran for 2 miles but those 2 miles felt like a little piece of Heaven on Earth!  At the end of the run I spent a considerable amount of time kneeling on the ground with my arms wrapped around my big black and brown shepherd crying bittersweet tears of joy.....tears for Brear and tears of joy for Tier!

First day out....perfection!!!

Since that day Tier has run with me on numerous occasions and is now up to 4 mile runs! And, every run we take together is like Heaven for me and every step I am thankful....thankful for Brear, thankful for my time I got with her and beyond thankful for her gift of Tiers!  Running with Tier will never be the same as running with Brear, but running with Tier is wonderfully beautiful in its own way!  Tier will never take the place of Brear in my heart, but she fills her spot in my heart in her own perfectly beautiful way!

Beauty...

Ready to go....

Enjoying every step with her!!

To all our friends out there, we wish you a wonderful week and a gloriously beautiful fall! And to our running friends, may every step be filled with unbridled joy the way every step with Tier is for me! To that big beautiful shepherd in the sky, "I miss you so much, I love you with all my heart and thank you for being right beside Tier and me every step we take together! I wouldn't want it any other way!" 

Ciao, 

TiErS aNd ShAnNoN

Perfection

CaN GeRmAnS, ScOtS, WeLsH aNd BrItS sWiM iN HaRmOnY!?!?

Hey Friends!! I know, two blogs in one week.....WhAt!?!? Well, believe it!!  I've had more time in the past week after my last marathon so I feel like I should get Tier's blog up to date and try to get in the habit of posting weekly!  Anyway, on to the good stuff.....

This week Tier was invited by one of her best friends, Shorty, to go swimming at an exclusive park (not allowed to share the name due to Aunt Cath confidentiality issues)! Tiers, being the water dog that she is, begged me to go and me, being the sucker that I am, said okay!  Monday night we were off to the pond to do some swimming with her friends, Shorty, Tink, Reina, Bink, Rhoddie, and Tilly.  Tiers is still not quite sure about whether she should come to me when she is called so I was a little apprehensive taking her off the leash.  But, with all her friends around, she was not about to take off by herself and, luckily for me, her friends do come when they are called....so it all worked out!

When we arrived we went into the gate of this exclusive park and had to walk across a large field to get to the pond. When I let Roo off the leash it was like shooting a rocket launcher.....she was off like a shot sprinting around, jumping over all her friends (she is quite a bit taller than the corgis and Tilly) and enjoying life to the fullest!

Here are some of her friends sprinting away
from her....wonder why!? 

After about a five minute walk we finally made it to the pond.  Tiers was so excited she immediately bounded into the pond!  And for the next several minutes she ran, splashed, jumped, swam, bit the water, and enjoyed this over sized swimming pool for all it was worth!

When it was time to head home, Tiers was pretty darn tired but not ready to go! However, I promised her that we would go again later in the week......and I lived up to that promise....but I'll get back to that later..

On Wednesday of this past week, Tiers grandparents got a new addition to their family, I'm happy to introduce for the first time.......QUINN!!!

Quinn, aka Quincy, is a year and half old Border Terrier mix that came from a rescue out in Eaton, CO.  He is cute, smart, silly, funny, and full of exuberance....just like a terrier, or terrierist as I like to call them, should be!

Getting back to my promise to Roo.....Thursday (last night) I promised Roo I would take her to play with her friend Shorty at the pond again.  This time her new friend Quinn got to go, along with Reina, Bink, and Tink.  It was a German, Brit, Welsh, Scot party!!  Tier, of course, got in the pond immediately and spent her time swimming and splashing about!  Quinn, on the other hand, wasn't quite sure about the water so he and Shorty spent most of their time on the bank.......

A little history behind Shorty....Shorty has what Aunt Cath affectionately calls "his women".....yep this corgi is a LADIES MAN!!!!  Tierney just so happens to be one of Shorty's "women."  Quinn, being new to the group, didn't know that Roo was already spoken for when he arrived and now thinks she belongs to him.  I'm sure you can see where this is going.....it's a German, Welsh, Scotch love triangle!

Quinn looking on with anticipation,
contemplating his next move on Tier.....

As I said before, Tierney hit the water immediately upon arrival....Quinn, being scared, spent his time  running up and down the bank barking at Tierney trying his very best to get her attention! What he didn't realize was, water is far more important to Tier than any man and thus he was ignored  the entire time!

Tiers ignoring all those around her because....DUH.....
there's water to be played in!!!!

Quinn did NOT like being ignored by his new BFF and took to biting her in the back legs when she got close enough to the bank....Roo didn't find this very amusing but, like I said, when there's water there's no distracting that tyrannical terrorist!!  Shorty, on the other hand, spent his time barking at Quinn in a valiant attempt to make him aware that Tierney was his first and he will not give her up without a fight!  Despite their exhaustive efforts, both Shorty and Quinn's attempts at securing Tier's love and attention were futile.....

Fortunately for the two bachelors, they will have another chance tonight at the pond to win over my rebellious Roo's heart......stay tuned for our own twisted version of the Bachelorette After the Final Toy.....which guy will receive the final toy from our water logged bachelorette Roo?!

Until next time friends, have a safe, fun, water filled weekend!  And, to that big beautiful girl in the sky, "I miss you, I love you and thank you for everything, I had a wonderful time!"

CiAo,

TiErS aNd ShAn

ThE LiFe aNd TiMeS oF A TyRaNt.....

Hey Friends.....long time no see!?

It's been quite a long time since I last blogged about the terrorist but we've both been so darn busy lately I haven't found the time....not a good excuse, I know, but I'm sticking to it!  Tier (aka Roo, Ruby, Rubes, Ooby, Tierney, Tiers, Tyranny, etc, etc, etc) is now a little over 8 months old (turned 8 months on June 16) and has been on quite a few adventures lately!  Quick biggest gainer update - she now weighs 71lbs!!!!  Now, onto the good stuff.....I'm going to give you a little rundown of what the maniacal monster has been up to.....ready.....set.....GO!

First up, Tiers went on her first road trip back in March to visit her cousins in Kansas City!  The drive out was fairly uneventful and pretty darn boring for her -

She's clearly having the time
of her life hanging out with me
in the back seat!

After 11 hours, we finally arrived and Roo spent a good 45 minutes of running as fast as she could around the yard and then it was time for bed!  The next morning, much to Tier's excitement, she got to meet a new friend, Scout! Scout is a little Jack Russell full of energy and exuberance, loves people but does NOT love other dogs!  However, Tierney being the puppy she is, was not going to take "I don't love you" for an answer!  After working and working on Scout she finally broke down the walls and the two became the best of friends!  

A little side note on Rubes....if a dog doesn't like her she will work and work and work until that dog loves her.  She has spent the first 6 months of her life with me working on my parent's corgi Reina (aka The Bitch) and Reina finally loves her and will even attempt to play with her every once in awhile!  If you've ever met Reina you know how big of a feat this really is, I'm one proud parent! 

Okay back to the Kansas road trip......

Here is a video of Scout and Tierney playing!  Scout became such good friends with Tier that she mailed her a bone after we left!

While in Kansas, Tier also got to meet her other cousins Zoey and Amani.  Tierney, of course, thought these two girls were the coolest and spent her time trying to get them to love her! Fortunately, Zoey and Amani were quite a bit easier to work her magic on than Scout and they became friends quickly!  

Amani

Zoey

After a week in Kansas it was time to head home....much to Tier's chagrin!  But, it was a successful first road trip and Tierney made some great friends while she was there! She will definitely be returning in the future and can't wait to play with her Kansas cousins!!!

After the Kansas trip, life slowly got back to normal!  I had a lot going on with school and running (training for a trail marathon and road marathon) so Tier's got to spend a lot of time over at her grandparents house!  Clearly her grandparents are not a good influence....

I don't think German Shepherds
are supposed to drink martinis,
but that definitely doesn't stop Tiers!!

In addition to loving Reina, Roo also loves what we affectionately call, "her binky"!  Bink is a 15 year old Jack Russell (he may be the reason she thought Scout was so cool) and has never been one to like other dogs.  He's not mean to other dogs, just simply ignores them.....clearly Tiers has done a great job breaking down his walls as well...... 

I think he likes her! 

Obviously Bink doesn't think Tiers is too terrible.....that
or he's using her to keep warm! 

A few minutes spent chewing a bone
and staying out of trouble....but
trouble will find her shortly I'm sure!

She's found herself in trouble
yet again.....in the kitchen where
she is not allowed!!! 

Tier's LOVES to ride in the car! She often sits in the front 

and helps me navigate but she also loves to stick

 her head out a half opened window and

 have the wind blow through her hair!

In addition to loving a good car ride, Tiers has discovered she LOVES my bed!  I can't figure out why though, the spoiled pup has her own memory foam bed in her kennel!  I guess she figures what's mine is hers, but, unfortunately for me, what's hers is......hers (according to Tier)!!

Ahhhh.....the good life! 

Tier's "Red Bear" that she LOVES! She

 uses the bear to what I call "tranquilize" 

herself!  She will lay for hours with that bear 

in her mouth as she stares around the room 

or sleeps.  Red Bear is the best gift she's ever 

gotten from her grandma!!!

All tucked in and ready to go back to bed!!

Another fascination of Tier's is water and mud!  Anytime Tier can find a mud puddle or a water feature, she is in Heaven!!!  

Here she is after a late night excursion in a mud puddle.....
let's just say I was less than thrilled to be washing
her right before bed around 10 o'clock at night!
But, such is life when you live with a terrorist! 

Tier recently got a baby pool to play in
and she LOVES it! 

But, unfortunately, she loved it so much she destroyed it!  However, my mom found her a new baby pool that is much sturdier than her first one and is now spending many an afternoon playing in her new pool!  I've never known a German Shepherd to love water so much but Rubes rarely follows the rules so I guess her love of water shouldn't come as much of a surprise!

She had mud all the way up to her shoulders, on her face,
all over her stomach and in her tail!  I think she was a pig
in a past life! 

Tierney found another mud puddle while
I was in Spokane, WA, running a race.
Unfortunately,
Aunt Cath had to clean up the monster!

Reina in the dog house, Tier supervising!
What you can't see is that my little cousin
Tanner is on the inside of the dog house, being
hidden by Rein! 

At the end of May, Tier got to go on her second road trip!  On this trip we were headed to San Diego, CA, to visit my second family.  Tier, happy to be in the car, thought the trip was great until about 14 hours in and that was when she had, had enough! She spent the next two hours crying and throwing herself down in the back seat in an attempt to let us know that she was done with the car and wanted out!  

Calm before the storm! Fortunately, I had the
wherewithal to bring "Red Bear" to keep her
happy for a few hours!

Much of the day was spent with
grandpa in the back seat sleeping!
She often pushed him to the very
corner of the back seat so she could
have more room!

After arriving very late to Mary Jo's house, it was straight to bed.  But, the next morning was full of excitement when Roo discovered Mary Jo had not one but TWO water features!!!

Tierney frequently found herself
submerged in the pond.... 

Or attempting to bite the water as it
fell down the fountain!

At least it made for some good
pictures! 

And, a good video!!!

In addition to the pond, Mary Jo also has a pool!!!  Tierney thought the pool was a little more intimidating and only made it in there a couple of times! 

Trying to convince her the pool is okay! I was successful
only twice! 

I was very appreciative for the momentary calmness....
it didn't last long!

Water features sure do tire out a
terrorist!

Working on her golden tan in beautiful
Southern California! 

Tier's new best friend Bru!  I don't think
he shares the same feelings but he will! 

The life of a water dog can be rough.....not everyone
can handle it!! 

Grandma, Bru and Tiers enjoying the pond.....
Bruin looks as if he's contemplating an escape!

After a few days at Mary Jo's it was time to head up to Solvang, CA, to visit more family.  Tier got to spend a few hours at my cousin Allison's house looking at the Coy in her pond and watching me ride a beautiful Arab show horse!  Then we headed to Utah to visit Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Chuck....and boy was she one happy dog to spend a night at their house because......I'm sure you guessed it.....they have a WATER FEATURE!!!!! Tier's spent hours upon hours playing in their pond!  She also discovered that they have fish in their pond and the game was on to try to catch one!  The fish, fortunately, were smart enough to hide under the rocks in the pond and she was never able to catch one.....I think Chuck would have killed me, or her, or both if she had!  She sure did try, though!

Tier's also got to go on a really fun hike with grandpa while I ran the trail in Salt Lake.  My dad said that the second she caught my scent it was like a heat seeking missile trying to find me!  At the top of this very steep trail, I stopped to wait for them. When they were about a tenth of a mile away my dad let her go and I have never seen her run so fast before....I was a little concerned she was going to plow into me and we would go tumbling down the mountain!  Fortunately, she didn't!  It never ceases to amaze me that such a small act of her running as fast as she can to get to me can make my heart melt!  Those are the times you realize the infinite capacity of a dogs ability to love! I can't wait for all the years to come with this wonderfully crazy girl....she makes my days more than worth it!!!

After a night at Aunt Cheryl's and Uncle Chuck's house it was time to head home!  Much to Tier's dismay, it was back in the car but this time for only 8 hours.  Fortunately the trip was short enough that she was content to sleep curled up with "Red Bear" for the duration of the drive.....

Overall, the trip was a success and Tierney had a GREAT time! 

As you can see (or read), Tiers has had quite a busy couple of months!  I can't believe how much she has grown and she is learning more and more each day!  It's mind boggling to me that just a short 8 months ago she was a tiny little newborn! I can't wait to see what the future holds for her.....it has and I'm sure will continue to be a crazy, fun, exciting, eventful, joyful journey with my tyrannical terrorist!!

Well friends, I think that's enough for now! We wish you all a happy, safe, not too hot summer! And, to that big beautiful girl in the sky, "I miss you so much and I often find myself looking for you out on the trails as I navigate through running without you!  Each day Tiers reminds me of you, thank you for sending me the best friend a girl could ask for! Love you Brear!!!!"

cIaO,

RoO and sHaNnOn