Moon Has A Lot To Teach Me Part 3 Labeling

When describing Moon I have been working on being conscious of what words I choose to use to explain who this little girl is. It is quite the exercise to listen to the words we use to describe our dogs and to change our language from saying something like, "Moon is a fearful dog", and then leaving that to hang in the air and not following up with, "Moon is also a resilient, silly, intelligent, snugly, super fast runner, who loves to play with toys, other dogs, and us!" Yes Moon has some fear stuff we are working on. So do I. Yes Moon can be suspicious when meeting new people, so am I. Yes Moon is hesitant about new things and has to go slow in the beginning to build up to being ok in a new environment or with new people, so am I! But that is not all she is, just like that is not all I am.

Baggage comes along with all of us as we journey through this life. Sometimes our bags are fuller than other times.  We tend to carry our baggage around with us but sometimes we leave some of it behind. Moon has some fear in her bags, and knowing this helps me to know how best to build our relationship, but Moon is sooooo much more than a fearful dog and she is showing me every day what she's got packed in those bags and a lot of it is super fun and positive! I am enjoying being part of Moon's journey and helping her to unpack those bags and taking a look at what she's got in there. Labeling her a fearful, shy, or skittish dog would just be so limiting to who she is. I have made that mistake with my personal dogs and am bound and determined to learn from my myriad of mistakes and use what I've learned to help Moon and the next foster and the next.

So who is Moon? 

Moon is a rich assortment of all sorts of wonderful traits and treasures. She is a gorgeous white and tan Rat Terrier-Chihuahua who is full of life and possibility. She has been a mom to two pups who also made it into foster homes with New Rattitude. Moon is intelligent, fiesty and silly and playful and sweet. At times she is frightened, hesitant, suspicious and cautious. Other times she is snugly, and cuddly and goofy and curious and LOVES to explore. She is a hunter when she pounces on toys and wants to chase birds and butterflies. Moon is fassssssst and runs like the wind. She loves to do rattie runs and sniff around in the snow.  Moon is nothing less that a wonderful dog with many many sides to her personality. These are just a few labels we could place on Moon, but the best label to describe lovely Moon is Pure Potential. This is what Moon is teaching me......everything.

Moon loves opossum.

Sleepy Moon

Sweet dreams....zzzzzzzzz