03/10/2025
Kali, my soul dog turned ten yesterday.
She remains ten months old in spirit, and in my heart. While many dogs contributed, it’s Kali that truly tipped the scales into my starting this business all those moons ago.
So, as a canine behaviour consultant and dog walker, this is how I celebrated my beloved’s tenth birthday.
Breakfast: we had a big morning planned, so stuck to her slow feeder bowl - a raw egg, tin of sardines, and some dog-safe leftovers (pasta, avocado, bonless chicken; a tiny bit of bacon). She also licked my breakfast bowl clean of yoghurt when I’d finished.
Next we visited my friend’s horses. Usually my dogs are tied in the hay shed with water and all the smells while I do horse things. But, Kali had never “ridden” a horse before, and I believe birthdays are for new experiences - plus as a Border Collie owner, live in eternal persuit of new things for my canines! So after some thought and planning, and a successfully set stage (please enquire for all that went into this. The horse was carefully chosen and I was satisfied there was enough history between them, myself and the chosen location for all to go smoothly)... Kali rode her fist horse! She was a bit nervous, and leaned on her trust in me. I provided heavy physical and emotional support (and a couple of high value treats) while she worked out her positioning; then she found her point of balance! She held it without me for about five seconds; then I lifted her down (something we've practiced extensively), and my, we threw the biggest party! We danced with body and voice; she wiggle-wagged her whole body and tail, I showered her with ecstatic praise and we generally existed in mutual joy, love and play for a bit.
Then we went on a big nature walk in a quiet bush block with some of Kali's closest canine friends (her son Jarrah, and some of my long term walkees). Minimal input from me to her for this, and she remained off leash. This was her 45 minutes of "pure do***ng" - she sniffed all the scents in a place she hadn't been for a while; trotted ahead, circled back, initiated play with one of her friends, rolled in the sand.
After the drop off run, we were home and it was high time for my lunch break, and a big sleep on the couch for Kali. She was passed out a few hours and I left her to it. Then my humanness kicked in and I gave my pair their slightly overdue pawdicure and brush - just with higher value treats than usual, and for Kali her favourite brush. Another "joy party" when each dog was done. I ducked off to an evening training appointment, and by then my partner was home so she shared more couch naps with him.
Guilty admission - I am very busy, and do feed my dogs high quality kibble as part of their daily feed. Honestly, I believe this is fine as long as paired with "real" (unprocessed) food daily. But on her special day, no kibble for Kali! Her dinner was a big outdoor scatter feed in the thick grass, with finely chopped top tier 'dog log'.
More napping afterwards, then they were put out for last toilet break and settled in their "bedroom" (the laundry). But this night, I didn't just say "good dogs" and go to bed. This night I hunkered down by Kali, very close to her. She was a little confused, but rested her chin on my wrist and waited to see what would happen. I studied the gloss of her coat under her eye. I noticed the tiny hairs that twitched independently between her nose and shortest whiskers. She started to drift off. I watched every microexpression that passed over her face; studied the tiny movements of the smallest muscles in her ears, muzzle and eyes. I was truly present with her and sat with my love and appreciation of this dog who has given me so much.
Then I went to bed, satisfied I'd given my soul dog a good day.
