Making A Difference... Cesar Style!

So, I have been home with Ripley A LOT. And with all things turning up shitty- I feel like I am doing neither of us justice. I could go out and play but if it is for more than a couple of hours, I need to bring her and my recent experience with that just shows that it just doesn't work. And maybe because of her troubles, I worry when she is home alone too long and when I am home with her for too long. She gets upset when I go on the other side of the gate without her. Crying, shrieking, barking as if I just stabbed her in the eye. I have a really hard time with it.

I am really good at ignoring crying babies. I am not good at ignoring crying dogs.

And then I found this article by Dog Whisperer, Cesar Milan. I generally agree with Cesar- he believes a dog deserves to be a dog, he believes the blame is never on the dog, and he has this order in which to love your dog (body/exercise, mind/training and then, affection) and I think he is on to something there! Of course, he IS also the Dog Whisperer, so there's that.

Anyway- the article talks about Cesar's best method for making a difference in dog/human relationships... And I know that Ripley and I have only been together for 5 weeks, it is never too early to work on our relationship! This is what Cesar says to do:

1) Make a list about things you do not like about yourself- and be really honest about it.

2) Make a list of things you love about yourself.

3) When you're done with both lists, see which list is longer. "It's your job to balance it out until you see the list filled with things you don't like about yourself disappear. That's where the transformation exists. And your dog is ready to help you. Because if you HAVE ISSUES IN OTHER AREAS OF YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL HAVE THEM IN THE DOG AREA."

Considering that list A is 76 times the length of list B- Ripley and I are seemingly both fucked. And that makes me feel worse. Thanks for that, Milan. Clearly, you are no People Whisperer.

Poor Ripley, I have enough issues to choke a horse and my poor pup is going to drown in them.

I need a nap. Ripley, recognizing that a nap is needed, is taking one. Maybe I should start peeing on the paper and let her deal with everything else....