KAHLUA
A Red Sable Havanese born 2-2-2017
I LOVE THIS DOG
I never imagined the PURE joy brought by a furball of LOVE.
STANDING
TALL
With my head held high throughout the 2020 election, I stood my ground, spoke kind words to those who agreed and disagreed with me and went outside a lot to get fresh air.
Kahlua was trained on the invisible fence. She only received 1 static correction (let’s be honest — it was a small shock) and now only receives the auditory warning. She learned to be corrected, stay in bounds, and enjoy the freedom of outdoors off leash and in our yard.
I wondered why humans struggle with being corrected and staying within the boundaries of saying and doing what is kind—especially when we don’t agree.
RECEIVE
LOVE
Dogs (and many other pets) are great at giving affection to their pack — family and close friends. Here you can see Kahlua wholeheartedly receiving love. The protruding tongue is her way of letting you know you found the perfect spot — often under her chin and behind the ears. The belly rub is an anytime favorite.
How are you at receiving the love those close to you offer? This has been a learning and unlearning process, but I am getting better with practice. We carry a lot of soul wounds with us through life.
Sometimes, we forget how to feel the love someone is offering. Let’s work to remember how, and to graciously receive love in 2021.
TIME TO
CHEW
Taking time to chew on her antler relieves Kahlua’s stress or just passes the time when she is bored. She holds it all by herself and is quite possessive if you come near — just like many of us humans.
We can be possessive of our things, even to the point of holding onto our stress. We often chew gum, hair, and pencils, crunch ice, chips, and nuts, or just eat to relieve stress and boredom.
The use of the jaw and the associated compression tap into the positive proprioceptive experience, often reinforcing to us that we are still here, in this space, and at this time. Do you just need to chew or feel that crunch sometimes? Yep, me too.
FACT:
Sometimes, all you need is to
go outside for a ride and get some fresh air.
Lots of people have and love their dog(s). After being bitten by a German Shepherd at age four, I grew up with an intense fear of canines. For years, my kids asked if we could get a pet. The answer was “… once life slows down.”
To be completely honest, I just could not manage another responsibility.
We moved a lot in our military life and were overseas for 10+ years. Yes, many people make it work with many furry family members. When the kids were young, we had cats, but allergies ruled out future felines.
Then, our Marine retired from active duty while in Germany.
After 5 years of deliberating, am I ready to get a dog? The intense research began. One of my superpowers is overthinking, which then leads to exhaustive research.
Did you know online quizzes exist to find the optimum breed for your family and situation?
With the chance we would no longer move every couple of years, the time was right. I knew I wanted a small dog — size matters as there is a direct correlation between dog size: and poop quantity.
Hypoallergenic, non-shedding, family-friendly, intelligent, may like going for walks — but not hyper. The results of 4 quizzes indicated the Havanese was our best fit.
After searching far and wide for European breeders, we found one living 3 blocks away. Waiting for the ideal timeline, we missed our chance on the immediately available litter and were first on the waitlist for the next.
All I could think about was the work, effort, potty training, lack of sleep. When our neighbors got her 1/2 sister, the pups were known as "Sissy pup".
Yes, it is true; puppies are a lot of work. I knew the bulk of the responsibility would fall to me as a part-time therapist, full-time wife, and Mom.
My greatest surprise? The fountains of joy and love the dog gives. Her unconditional love filled a gaping Kahlua-shaped hole I did not know was in my heart.
This is the story of Kahlua—the good, the bad, and all the love.
How Do You Choose a Dog?
Well, the pup chooses you.
Lean down, watch, and wait.
Piles of puppies, loads of kisses.
Kahlua chose us, and we loved her immediately. She nuzzled in our necks.
The first four weeks the breeder sent weekly photos. For weeks 5-9, we visited her once per week.
She loves us, and we adore her—a mutually loving relationship.