I know, I'm sorry!
I think a lot of it is lack of free time, but we I could write excuses all day and still it amounts to the same thing: I don't update my blog often enough. For that I apologize and will soon be finishing up a list of "other blogs you may like" for people to check out when I'm on a no updating spree.
In any case today we're going to follow the slogan of this blog and have something not barefoot related (for those only here for that there will be a small note of "things to come" that regards barefooting at the bottom of this post).
Back in March there was a new member added to the already too large family- A Pit mix whom, after much debate, was named Stark. Stark is my sweet little shelter mutt who on all the paper work is labeled a "Hound x Boxer mix."
This fake title is not at all due to a dislike on my part of Pits, but a general dislike of them mostly by insurance policies. My apartment complex has a strict "No Pit or Pit mixes" policy based thankfully on what the vet says and my vet said he's not a Pit.
But boy oh boy have we seen some stereotypes. Someone at the vet said he would sit there and wait to pick up his animal until "that monster [was] no longer in the room." Stark was sitting and watching me as I fed him treats and worked on some basic commands with him. We've had people come up to pet him commenting how pretty he is, but as soon as they hear "pit bull mix" we've had some people stop with the petting and leave a very happy dog sitting there confused as the person walks off. I just don't understand personally. I'm a young woman holding a brown leather leash, with a dog in a pretty blue collar at the end who seems to be getting a bad reputation for simply having a large head.
So here I'm going to simply urge my readers on one point- Don't judge a dog by the breed, judge by his behavior and even then take a hard look at the owner.
My dog is not running around the neighborhood without me. My dog is not being rewarded to show aggression. My dog has been temperament tested and we're slowly working to getting him a canine good citizenship award to show he is truly a good doggy citizen.
Irresponsible owners with poorly handled dogs are the biggest danger, and when all the Pits are gone (sweet or not), will it be your dog's breed they go after next? Your dog who they want to put down for simply looking like the dogs some idiots decided would make them look tougher.
My animals truly are my family, and like anyone we deserve a chance to show our own colors.
On that simi-depressing and hopefully thought provoking note I'm going to go ahead and put this out there and cross my fingers that I actually get it done.
June 16th to June 19th Stark, a close friend, and I are piling into a car to drive a little under 740 miles to the beautiful Cape San Blas, Florida. Now I know I'm cheating a bit in the fact that I'm going to a beach but I will be hitting 6 states , driving for a little over 13 hours (each way), and be out and about vacationing for multiple days. The important part of all this though is that I'm challenging myself to do it all barefoot.
My friend is very sportive of my barefoot lifestyle, my dog of course is non-judgmental as can be, and I'm ready to enjoy myself as much as possible.
I will have an Iphone, a laptop, and internet access at the bed and breakfast I'm staying at so I'm hoping during my downtime I can type a bit each day, but failing that there will be a post regarding my barefoot travels at the end.
If anyone has any tips for this trip and doing it barefoot feel free to let me know!
And I'm simply going to wish myself luck.
