My name is Anysia, and I am a dog owner.
Yep, that’s it, a dog owner. I’m not a dog trainer. I train one dog – my dog, Riley. So, right off the bat you should know that this is not a dog training site – this is a “life with your dog” site.
Riley has been a challenging dog from the beginning, and we’ve gone through a lot together.
I created Paws & Prosper to share what I’ve learned along the way. Not as hard and fast rules of dog ownership but to provide food for thought that might give you some freedom and latitude in your life with your dog.
Nothing in these pages is me saying, “You must do X, Y, and Z.” Nothing in these pages is me saying, “Life with your dog must look like THIS.”
There’s no room for those kinds of blanket statements.
You are unique. Your life is unique. And your dog is unique. This means that every aspect of your relationship with your dog – from what you allow, to how you communicate, is also totally unique. Sure, there are things you can do and ways you can communicate that look like other people but there will always be facets that are entirely yours – your personality in relationship with your dog in the context of your life.
I will cover a wide range of topics here – defining terms that I’ve found confusing; product reviews (I’ve tried a lot of stuff); information on what I call “the owner mindset”; and exploring training tools and methods. I’ll share posts that I call SPP’s – Story, Paws, Prosper – where I share a story of something that happened with Riley and me, “Paws” to look at it in hindsight and explore what I learned, what I wished I had known or done differently, and then share how we are prospering in that area now or moving towards prospering, finishing with some considerations for how you might apply what I learned to your situation. There will be posts about spiritual, mental, and emotional lessons I’ve learned through my engagement with Riley and some of the general fun stuff of life together.
I hope you’ll be inspired with a fresh perspective even as you’re empowered and equipped for your journey, and your heart will be encouraged as you re-imagine dog ownership through the lens of what you want your life with your dog to look like.
We haven’t arrived. There is always another thing to work on, another area to improve, another skill to add to the toolbox, or something that just needs to be refreshed. Some days are great, some days I want to curl up and hide from the world but all of that is okay, it’s just part of the journey.
That is why I created Paws & Prosper.
This isn’t a dog training site. Instead, this is a place where you can find encouragement and information to help you re-imagine dog ownership. In these pages, I’ll share my journey with Riley, the challenges, fears, revelations, joys, and tears. I’ll share resources I’ve found helpful and information that I wish I had known earlier in the process.
I hope that the information and stories on this site will provide you with opportunities to “paws”, and examine your own stories and expectations while providing you with keys that may be able to help you with your life with your dog.
Enjoy!
