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

ThE LiFe oF A TeRroRiSt...

Hey friends!

So, I've been SUPER bad about posting but, it's been a bit busy lately!  Here's a rundown of each day for the past two weeks.....wake, get the terrorist up, get ready for work/school, play with Tier, feed Tier, feed the cats, school, work, work, school, run, MCAT class, go home, feed Tier, play with Tier, try to keep Tier in line, feed the cats, go to bed....I try to fit in eating in there occasionally but it typically doesn't work out real well! Despite the craziness you can see that the terrorist gets quite a bit of attention....lucky for her, sometimes lucky for me depending on what she's doing!

This past week Tier didn't get to go to daycare because when she went in for her 16 week puppy shots she was diagnosed with Giardia.  Major bummer for her because she loves to play with all the puppies, I was told by the daycare people that they call them the "Puppy Gang!"  Apparently this group of pups likes to hang out with each other and I'm sure create a lot of mischief....especially since the terrorist is involved! I'm sure the people at daycare had a nice little respite from Tier and all the craziness that comes with her!  Since she was unable to go to daycare for all of last week the monster got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa quite a bit along with their dogs Reina and Bink! Tierney thinks Bink and Reina walk on water and she drives them crazy with her overt displays of affection....

Bink sure does look excited to have the monster lying next to him, doesn't he!?  

With Tier being a terrorist, of course there were a few incidents at the grandparents' house....I'm surprised Tier survived one in particular....

One afternoon my dad picked up Tier from my house and when he got home he let Tier out of the car thinking she would stick around.....no such luck! Tierney, sensing her freedom, took off like a shot out of the car into the front yard, grabbed one of Badger's (my parents' Great Pyrenes) toys and headed for the sheep lot.  My dad took off after her, trying to get her to stop or to catch up to her.  Tierney made her first stop at the sheep  pen to bark at the sheep and just as my dad was about to grab her, she was off again!  She next headed to a pen with hay in it to see if there was anything of interest in there. When she went in this pen my dad thought, "Oh I've got you now you little.....bleep, bleep, bleep!"  He should have known better......Tier is a) a German Shepherd and b) a full blown terrorist, she's not about to get caught! 

After narrowly escaping from my dad, Tier was off into the pasture to see the sites.  She headed to the grainery first, then went sprinting around the yard.  She would stop every so often to let dad catch up but not quite catch her....she's a tricky little monster!  Then she headed to the neighbor's house!  Dad was getting real nervous/angry at this point because the neighbor has a lot of dogs and animals that Tier could get in trouble with!  Her first stop was the miniature horses but since dad was close on her tail, she didn't stop long.    After her stop off at the minis she was off again running along the neighbor's fence.  Fortunately, Rory (the neighbor's Pyrenes) was waiting at the end of the fence and Tier, making a good judgment call, decided to head back to my parents' yard....Rory can get a little grumpy with dogs she thinks are intruding on her property! Finally, Tierney returned to the yard and stopped long enough for dad to catch her....problem FINALLY solved! And, fortunately for me and her, dad decided to spare her life after the little charade she pulled! 

Of course, the terrorist did not strike just once last week....in addition to her shenanigans at my parents' house, she decided to do a little Microbiology studying and ate a page out of my microbiology book!  She also did a little more GRE studying but fortunately I'm done studying for that test (took it last Thursday) so it wasn't a big deal! 

Although the week was riddled with Tier's misgivings, the week wasn't a total bust! This past Thursday was Valentine's day and Tierney received multiple gifts!  Her main present was a huge gorilla that we named George.....

Tier thinks George is pretty darn cool! He originally came with a heart that he held in his hands with the saying, "I'm ape over you!" Tierney, not surprisingly, immediately ripped the heart from George! Tier also received a couple of new bones and some pretty yummy treats!  Her Valentine must REALLY, REALLY love her!!! 

Over the past couple of weeks Tier has gained quite a bit of weight!  Just two Saturdays ago she weighed 34 lbs., she currently weighs 39.8 lbs. - 

I still can't believe how she's gone from a tiny little puppy to this big ol' mutt in just 8 weeks!  I know I'm a little bias but she has gotten pretty as she's gotten older!  Although different from Brear, I'm lucky to say I have gotten to own two VERY beautiful girls!! 

Since the GRE is over and I will, hopefully, have a bit more time, I will be updating the blog a lot more!  Up next, Tier is going to her last puppy class with my parents' (I will be in class :( ) tomorrow, cross your fingers the three of them survive it.....update to follow!! 

To all of our friends out there, "Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful week!"  And, to that big beautiful girl in the sky, "I miss you so much! Running has been so difficult without you by my side, especially as the mileage gets heavier and heavier during marathon training!  I find myself continually searching for you out on the roads and trails but I know, even though I can't see you, that you're there every step of the way! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the gift of Tier, she has all of your best traits and reminds me more of you each day! I love you so much my sweet Brearsy!" 

Ciao, 

tIeR & sHaNnOn 

ThE TeRrOrIsT GoEs SpLiSh SpLaSh....

Hey friends!

Well, it's been pretty busy in the world of Tier and Shannon for the past week, hence the infrequent posts!  I'm currently studying for the GRE, MCAT and applying to a grad school starting in the fall and to medical school and/or (potentially) vet school to start in Fall 2014!  Tier, is currently studying for the GRE which involves sharing/chewing up the GRE book I'm currently studying from!  She is applying to Good Dog school, cross your fingers that she will graduate from Good Puppy school with high enough grades to get into Good Dog school! We'll keep you all posted!

Despite the craziness of the past week, Tier got to go to her first swim lesson last Friday!  I was beyond excited all Friday to get to watch her swim for the first time however, Tier did not share the same feelings and was nervous/anxious!  Dr. Steyn, Tier's vet, suggested that she go through the swim orientation and participate in splash sessions to increase her muscle tone and cardiovascular health.  Considering she will someday be running 40+ mile weeks with me, this kid has got to get her muscle tone and cardiovascular system up to speed before she reaches the age of 18 months.  Dr. Steyn also thought that Tier would like to swim because she frequently sticks her entire face in her water dish and splashes around....this was very cute the first couple of times, it's now not so cute and creates a HUGE mess!  I often find the kitchen floor turned into a lake if Tier is left unsupervised with a full water dish and the cats are very much unappreciative of the frequent swimming holes Tier tries to create for them!

Anyways, we arrived at AACC (Advanced Animal Care of Colorado) for our swim lessons at 4:40pm on Friday.  We were greeted by Tier's swim instructor Becca.  Tier was very full of herself when we got there so Becca put her out on the patio while she read the safety instructions to me....Tierney tends to be a bit distracting, especially when she's in her terrorist mode!  After Becca explained all the rules, the three of us headed to the pool!  While I took Tier outside for one last potty break before swimming, Becca found a life vest that would fit properly on Tier.  Tier put her life vest on without any complaints and, finally, it was time to get in the pool! Here she is with Becca before getting in:

Tier was a little nervous getting into the pool but Becca was very good with her and gently set her on the stairs.  Becca explained to me that it would be best if I would walk around the edge of the pool while Tier swam and give Tier lots of encouragement and praise.  Tier was very receptive to me walking around the edge and followed me as I walked a little in front of her.  Up until this point in her life, I did not realize the extent of her attachment to me.  I knew she was bonded to me but the strength of the bond was very evident by her trying to swim as fast as she could to where I was walking.  Here is a video of her following my voice as she was swimming:

Who knew the little terror could swim so fast! She's a natural!

After 2 laps in the pool we let Tier take a little break....swimming is hard for a baby, don't you know!? After a short break Tier got to swim 2 more laps with Becca following alongside her and with me walking along the edge.  After those 2 laps, Becca suggested taking Tier's life vest off because she is such a natural swimmer!  We took the life vest off and this time, much to Becca's surprise, I got into the pool with Tier.  Tier was so fast at swimming that I had to have Becca hold her on the steps while I went to the other end of the pool.  Becca would help her off the steps and set her loose to swim to me.  Each time she came straight to me and I would turn around and walk backwards with her swimming towards me to the steps.

Together, we swam for another 20-25 minutes with short breaks in between laps.  Here are some pics:

 Becca getting Tier into the pool for the first time.....she's a little nervous at this point!

Becca helping Tier start off swimming for the first time!  No help needed from Becca after the first couple of kicks, who knew German Shepherds are such naturals in the water!?

 Becca helping Tier navigate the upcoming corner....she got stuck there a couple times when I wasn't walking fast enough in front of her.

 Tier swimming all on her own before I got in. You can tell she's on a mission to get to me!

 Tier taking a break after her first 2 laps, swimming is pretty darn tiring for a little terrorist of only 15 weeks!

I had such a fun time getting in the VERY cold water with her and swimming with her! Being that she is not even 16 weeks yet, this little monster has gotten to do so many fun things; many of them thanks to AACC and Dr. Steyn!  I often forget that Tier is only 15 weeks old (16 weeks tomorrow) because she is so big!  But, considering she has already almost completed puppy school, she's swam for the first time and has gone to daycare numerous times, I'd say she's pretty well rounded for such a young pup!  My goal is to give Tier the best life I possibly can and I sincerely hope that I'm succeeding in my goal so far....but, that's a question only Tier can answer!

After swimming we headed home and I was of the assumption that Tier would be very tired......

But we all know what happens when we assume......

Yep, that's Tier playing on the couch with a chewy bone filled with marrow.  She was so excited after swimming that full terrorist mode came out and she proceeded to create havoc by sprinting around the house, chasing her kitties, jumping over the back of the couch, and stealing anything of mine that she could get her grubby little paws on! Considering her behavior, I'd say that our time spent swimming was nothing short of a fantastic time had by all.....hopefully Becca agrees with our assessment!

Quick update on Biggest Gainer....this past Saturday saw 34lbs on the scale! She's getting heavy and a lot more difficult to pick up!

This past Saturday marked 2 months since my big beautiful girl Brear left me for Heaven.  And, I have missed her every second of every hour of every day since!  My journey with Brear was beyond any expectation I could have ever dreamed up and I thank God for every second I got with her!  When she was with me, I never could have imagined life without her and it breaks my heart that life without her is now reality!  However, when I wake each day, the first thing I see is Tier and I am immediately reminded by her that when one gloriously beautiful journey ends, it opens the door for another of equal measure to begin! Tierney is not "just a dog," Tierney is my best friend, my constant companion, source of frustration, source of infinite joy and laughter but most of all Tierney is my savior from the unimaginable grief that came with losing Brear!  Tierney makes me smile through the tears, gives me comfort when I am sad and scared, and makes life more than worth it for me!  Yes, one wonderfully beautiful journey ended but, one of equal measure has begun and, just like the one before, it has far exceeded any of my wildest dreams and expectations.....I can't wait to see what's to come!!!!!!

Ciao,

TiEr and ShAnNoN