#wherethewilderthingsare

[youcantbuyland]

This family is doing it right. #Repost @crusty_p_o_v ・・・ gravel for miles with @alyssasevern & #wherethewilderthingsare #maapinthefield #maapapparel #nohills

[youcantbuyland]

Great wisdom #Repost @alyssasevern ・・・ Having always had dogs, and mostly having had them as a single person, the last year and a half has definitely been full of learning, acclimating, and being patient. And I admit, a fair amount of stress and worry. All of our dogs have different personality quirks that can make it a challenge with a little human. Riggins is over-exuberant and can resource guard his food, Hitch used to be very nervous around kids, and Mavis's age and difficulty hearing and seeing means she can startle easily. My rule of thumb since Wilder arrived has been to never rush anything and make sure that everyone is safe, even if it means more time apart (and subsequently more guilt). I see a lot of photos of babies/kids and dogs that make me so nervous and sad that a dog is being put in an obviously uncomfortable situation. In the 15 years that I've been involved in rescue, I've seen so many dog surrendered and returned because people didn't listen to their body language. (And I feel awful for what can happen to dogs and humans as a result of that.) When Wilder started walking, I had to really dial back how much interaction she had with the dogs- she fell easily and grabbed at things forcefully. Now that she's more steady, she's been spending more time with Hitch (Riggins and Mavis seem to prefer keeping their distance). He's the most mellow and tolerant of the bunch. I hesitated to post this photo because I don't want people to think this is the norm or that all dogs should do this. But, this is also evidence of the positive outcomes of taking things slowly, carefully managing interactions, and listening to what the four-leggers tell me. Wilder loves to hug Hitch, but I only allow it for a few seconds at a time, and I'd like to think that he's okay with it all because he trusts me. At least that's what I'm hoping. 🤞🏼#wherethewilderthingsare

[youcantbuyland]

This is so cool, start them young #Repost @alyssasevern ・・・ Baby's first Rothko. #wherethewilderthingsare #startemyoung