The Love & Lessons Learned From My Dog

My pup has not only been my trusted companion through some hard times, he continues reinforcing what’s important to me in life and teach me so many lessons every single day.

For those of you who know me, know my absolute love for my canine companion, Camp. A gorgeous, empathetic, spirited white golden retriever. And I’m honored to be his protector.

Let me tell you how it all began. 



The last day of a job I absolutely loved and cherished with my entire being was October 20th, 2021. To say I cried giving my notice of departure is the understatement of the century. Hysterical, snot running all over the place, tears. I’m so proud of my work and impact in this role, and it really set the foundation for where I’m at today as a credentialed coach with deep roots in technical spaces. 

It was absolutely the right time to leave.

I have so much gratitude for my timing, leaving for another role, as things unraveled quickly after I left and the organization no longer exists. I like to think I am associated with most of what was good about this place when folks reflect on it. 



At this time, I was partnered with someone and we decided to get a dog together. He wanted to get a full breed pup due to past experiences. I always envisioned my first dog would be some 40ish pound mutt I rescued. Instead I agreed to an English Cream Golden Retriever Puppy. I thought my aunt who is passionate about rescues was going to have PETA burn down my house.



We were on a wait list for a little boy. Little did I know what I was getting myself into.



The day after I left this beloved job, I received a call that a puppy, who would be going home with me in mid-December, was born. 



There’s part of me that believes there was some greater force that knew the next few years were going to be a healing journey riddled with some of the hardest and rewarding experiences and I needed to have this beautiful soul by me while I traversed it. It had to be kismet considering he was born the day after I’d make changes that would lead to a world of change in my life, and he would become my source of so much that is good and happy through it all. 



The only name I ever considered for him was Camp. 



On December 12th, 2021, I met this 14 pound little ham that played in the snow for almost an hour before ever coming inside, setting the stage for the many many outdoor adventures we’d have together. 



The spring that followed, I was laid off from the new job I took. My relationship was failing, and I found myself feeling in such a similar place as I was with my failed marriage. I was tired and depleted have given so much energy to all these spaces and feeling not really rewarded, or where I wanted to be.



The path I chose at this inflection point was to work less through a well paying contract job, therapy, and change the only thing I had control over changing. That meant changing me. And change I have. And my best bud has been by my side every step of the sometimes excruciatingly painful way, with miles and miles of walks in the woods almost every day since.



He just turned 3, he’s about 80 pounds of floof and love. People smile at him every single day as we approach them on our walks. He’s amazing. 



And….

There’s three things I’d love to tell you about as it relates to solidifying the things he showed me are important in life:



The first is unconditional love. Many may know the absolute love a dog can bring, but I’m telling you, I feel it to the depths of my being with this guy and important to me as I come from a very broken home without a lot of good examples of love. My conditioning lead to some severe people pleasing and over functioning as well as choosing people that were too familiar to what I’d known without good markers for how to be truly loved for me.

Camp has loved me through all of it. Leaving a relationship, selling a home I loved, digging through the darkest parts of me to heal, and anything about me I might not have loved and am learning to do more of these days.

It’s the best to come home and be greeted by him. He’s never mad at me and doesn’t care if my hair is a mess, I’m sad or happy, or feeling accomplished or like an absolute mess. He’s there. He also doesn’t mind, and even gets excited, if I want to rush out the door at some obscene hour in the morning to catch a beautiful sunrise either.



He does however get upset if I pick up and engage with my phone and will leave my side when I do.

The second is in Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. In the past, I might have been treated with sighs, eye rolls or frustration if I dropped food on the ground. Camp loves it and will energetically help me clean up!



If it rains on a hike, he sucks it up and might even be found chewing a stick in a wet pile of leaves. Enjoying the view. Not getting mad and crumudgeony about the weather.



And who gives a floof about a little dirt! We know that everything is washable and it’s ok if we roll around in a little grass, snow, or dirt.


Seeing the world through his eyes as he can find pleasure in chewing the best stick of the day, often one that’s too big for him to carry, or running into the river like he’s never seen it before, really does ground me in the importance of the small things that add up to a well lived, beautiful life.

I’ve always loved these things, but the people I chose to be in my life haven’t shared the same appreciation and joy I had for things like a beautiful view, a cool bird, an incredible sunset, and all the small things. Camp always does.

The third is discernment
. I have gone into this world for most of my life seeing the good in everyone, and thinking the absolute best in each and every person. I’ve trusted just about everyone fully without question. Camp has journeyed through life this same way. As a smaller puppy, he’d go to greet every single other dog he would come across. When barked at, and I’m anthropomorphizing him right now, he’d have this look of shock on his face like, what’s up bro, I just want to be friends.

He still wants to be friends with just about every pup, but will turn his head away from the little guys that he’s pretty sure will bark and is a little more cautious with the bigger ones. I say we’re learning discernment together as we go a little more cautiously into relationships and don’t give our full love until we learn it’s safe. We don’t have to be friends with everyone, and we’re to some degree, learning that together. 

I used to say I was kinda like a puppy that would keep banging my head against the door coming back for more love over and over no matter how much I’d been barked at. It’s brought me to tears to see this in him and grow out of it alongside me.




This is the story of my trusted companion to date. I have had a Garmin since right after I got him and have logged over 5000 miles since.



He’s been there almost every step of the way. 



Including all the trails, mountains, waterfalls, snow, rain, sun, backpack trips, romps on the coast, dips in the lakes, and more. He snuggles with me inside my tent on cold evenings, and always ready to put some more miles on the dusty or muddy trail without complaint.

He truly has showed me the greatest unconditional love, and the beauty and joy in each day even when things seem hard. To not sweat the small stuff, and finally, how to be a little more cautious as we bravely experience this beautiful world with a dose of discernment. 

I love him with my entire heart, look forward to where this journey takes us, and grateful for his steady presence as I continue to build the best life for myself. For us.

I love you so much, Buddy xoxo