Dogs
By Ara Gureghian
The floor was hard this morning as Spirit romped around, his usual self being the Daily Clown. That is what Pits do. It's vibrations through my own steps I felt, and no, it was not "parquet," it was frozen dirt from this ongoing winter. Crunch... crunch. Frozen mud. Unfamiliar spaces for me, it takes me at least 24 hours to get the lay of the land, this mental "I am here" feeling while the tent is pitched near a fire ring. It takes Spirit seemingly only a few minutes to be "at Home." He lives in the moment, definitely more accomplished than myself.
We have been on the road full time camping for a bit over 6 years now. Time has flown by, and every day is more exciting than the previous one. Our Home has become more mental than anything else. Of course Spirit has his familiar spaces where he feels more comfy than others, such as in his sidecar and his spot in the tent. That is it.
Hard to explain. Home is our togetherness. 365/24/7. Not a moment less. It is the two of us making one. Words too well understood, eye glances saying it all, imperceptible gestures leading the ways to our own dance through this Life of ours together.
There is no beginning and no end in his mind, and what a wonderful way to live as I have taken many lessons from him. Some laugh at that notion. We are after all humans, they are animals. How can that be? It is. Spirit is as I call him also my Pawsome Human and I don't "own him." We cohabitate. There is never a complaint toward the lack of walls, a fence maybe, a gate, a room dark at night where the stars would not glow. We are in the Wild at most moments but far from being wild. I have never trained him as my previous two Buddies in my Lifetime while I am approaching myself 65. It is more of a "mutual understanding" so much based on Love and respect, and much natural communication.
Our Homes sometimes are only limited by the straight line of a horizon miles and miles away while in the deserts, 360 degrees of what many would think of "nothing." Other times, rugged mountains so populated with trees we might have a hard time setting up while jagged edges of the rocks of all colors surround us. He is off the leash within those environments not urban. I subconsciously always know where he is as he wears a bear bell yet not necessary as he is the one that keeps an eye [both really!] on me with every move that I make, following me with his sight or moving on if a bit too far.
Yes, we have grown together these past 6 years without a home. I must say it is amazing to find a few square feet here and a few there and settle sometimes for a week, sometimes more. We are mostly on Bureau Land Management or National Forests as we do not like campgrounds. We eat well as I cook all my meals while traveling without refrigeration; he eats well and switching to CANIDAE his physical and mental aspect changed so much for the better.
We don't know where our next home will be. We move on with the weather as Mother Nature defines our path. We try to stay warm in the winter and cool for the summer, that particular season when we also fight with the mosquitoes. It truly does not matter where we are because we are indeed already there.
I seek for beauty surrounding us, spaces worthy of photography and channeling my mind into writing and growing up with much thoughts toward this Life we have embraced. So far, so good. It can only get better.
We have many friends now. Sometimes we do visit them for a very short while. It is not them that make us escape quickly, but us as the walls seem to close us off from our own reality which in normal times surrounds us, the sounds are absent, the sky our only ceilings painted and no stars so bright or a Moon lit like a light bulb defining the same daytime horizon only of different shades and shadows.
It does not take much for us to be at Home.
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Dogs
Ara and Spirit: Our Home [s]
The floor was hard this morning as Spirit romped around, his usual self being the Daily Clown. That is what Pits do. It's vibrations through my own steps I felt, and no, it was not "parquet," it was frozen dirt from this ongoing winter. Crunch... crunch. Frozen mud. Unfamiliar spaces for me, it takes me at least 24 hours to get the lay of the land, this mental "I am here" feeling while the tent is pitched near a fire ring. It takes Spirit seemingly only a few minutes to be "at Home." He lives in the moment, definitely more accomplished than myself.
We have been on the road full time camping for a bit over 6 years now. Time has flown by, and every day is more exciting than the previous one. Our Home has become more mental than anything else. Of course Spirit has his familiar spaces where he feels more comfy than others, such as in his sidecar and his spot in the tent. That is it.
There is no beginning and no end in his mind, and what a wonderful way to live as I have taken many lessons from him. Some laugh at that notion. We are after all humans, they are animals. How can that be? It is. Spirit is as I call him also my Pawsome Human and I don't "own him." We cohabitate. There is never a complaint toward the lack of walls, a fence maybe, a gate, a room dark at night where the stars would not glow. We are in the Wild at most moments but far from being wild. I have never trained him as my previous two Buddies in my Lifetime while I am approaching myself 65. It is more of a "mutual understanding" so much based on Love and respect, and much natural communication.
Our Homes sometimes are only limited by the straight line of a horizon miles and miles away while in the deserts, 360 degrees of what many would think of "nothing." Other times, rugged mountains so populated with trees we might have a hard time setting up while jagged edges of the rocks of all colors surround us. He is off the leash within those environments not urban. I subconsciously always know where he is as he wears a bear bell yet not necessary as he is the one that keeps an eye [both really!] on me with every move that I make, following me with his sight or moving on if a bit too far.
Yes, we have grown together these past 6 years without a home. I must say it is amazing to find a few square feet here and a few there and settle sometimes for a week, sometimes more. We are mostly on Bureau Land Management or National Forests as we do not like campgrounds. We eat well as I cook all my meals while traveling without refrigeration; he eats well and switching to CANIDAE his physical and mental aspect changed so much for the better.
We don't know where our next home will be. We move on with the weather as Mother Nature defines our path. We try to stay warm in the winter and cool for the summer, that particular season when we also fight with the mosquitoes. It truly does not matter where we are because we are indeed already there.
We have many friends now. Sometimes we do visit them for a very short while. It is not them that make us escape quickly, but us as the walls seem to close us off from our own reality which in normal times surrounds us, the sounds are absent, the sky our only ceilings painted and no stars so bright or a Moon lit like a light bulb defining the same daytime horizon only of different shades and shadows.
It does not take much for us to be at Home.
- Keeping Your Dog Safe On Evening Or Early Morning Walks
By Suzanne Alicie We love hearing from our readers. Mary M. recently gave us a great topic to address to help you keep your dog safe when walking in low-light situations, such as evenings and early mornings. As you know by reading some of our other Responsible...
- Breed Profile: Siberian Husky, Work Horse Of The North
By Linda Cole I have always had a love affair with the Siberian Husky. This dog breed is what made living in Alaska possible for the brave souls who chose to live in a harsh, but beautiful, land. One day I was walking my female Husky, Cheyenne. A lady...
- How To Teach Your Dog Tricks
By Suzanne Alicie Dogs are highly intelligent creatures and they love to please their people. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but in fact a dog of any age can learn to do tricks; it’s just a matter of how you go about teaching them....
- A Pit Bull And A Man On A Journey Of Discovery
By Linda Cole We never know from where or when a friend will come. And sometimes that friend has four legs and needs a friend of his own. Seven years ago, Ara Gureghian lost his 26 year old son, his only child, to cancer. And that crossroad is where a...
- Do Pets Forget About Us Over Time?
By Linda Cole Sometimes, because of situations beyond our control, we have to find a pet a new home. An illness or change in jobs can force a loving owner to have to give their pet away. We develop such a close bond with our pets, we never forget them....