It's no wonder my life is like an animal. Even before I didn't know anything other than the womb, I heard a furry friend right next to me. Every day my mom would lie down with her pregnant belly, our dog Savannah would lay her head right on top of her belly, by me. 

“My parents had a competition on whether my first word would be dad or mom, but to their surprise, it was doggy. My favorite treat was cupcakes which I pronounced as pupcakes”.

Dogs are more than a pet or even a companion to me, they are my best friend. My mother was raised in a family that bred and showed german shepherds, I was raised to do the same. It's more than a hobby or a time killer, it was and still is a burning passion. After years of observing details of my mother and my peers, I began handling shepherds in real shows at the age of 8. The first dog I handled was Rainey, my best friend. It wasn't me controlling her or her controlling me, we went as a pair working together in unison, even though Rainey wasn't a show dog, and I did less than a professional handling job; I was on top of the moon with joy. Rainey and I had done our first show together.

From then on, I enjoyed watching the famous handlers at shows, watching their tricks, taking their criticism to heart, and becoming a better handler. It's not easy to handle, you get different dogs with different personalities, sometimes even puppies. It is much like working with people, some shy, some cranky, and children who need to be guided with gentle care to flourish. I observe my animal before I take it from the owner, then I train, not the dog but myself. I train myself to fit with that dog, do they need a gentle loose leash or a tight leash that will keep them in line, my voice to sweetly talk to them so they aren't nervous or a stern voice to correct them. I bring this into my life as well, getting along with people is easy if you observe them and understand why they are the way they are. I get along with most people because of my ability to fit with them. I can be quiet but I can be very loud, I can be funny or serious, I can be myself but create a connection with people through what I have learned from my animals.

 I've learned every way to understand my dog's emotions from the way they walk to the angle at which their ears point, where they look, their tails, and mostly their eyes. Looking into the eyes of a creature such as a german shepherd is very telling. Beyond the dark eyes is something deeper, it's a being. My animals have taught me the greatest life lessons are to work with those around me, to be a team greater than myself.