Dyno is almost 3

Dyno used to be my baby, I had to take care of him and train him strictly. I wanted him to be obedient, well-trained and perfect. As he grew older, we gained some mutual understanding and he has become my best friend. I don't even want to change his imperfections anymore because that's what makes him special. A well-trained dog is great, but there is nothing like a happy dog.

There are many things I would not have done if it wasn't for him. I would probably still be working endless hours, wasting life away. He is my main motivation to get off the couch and to go on an adventure, and to live a life on my own terms. He really resembles me, he is calm, smart (ugh...yeah I call myself smart), a bit wary but generally confident. He is of course his own personality and has his shortcomings and I have mine, but the parts where we differ make us compliment each other so well. He is relaxed, and I'm mostly a stressed person. He is patient, and I'm impatient. I learn a lot from him and he always needs a little push from me.

When something bad happens to me, I look at him and think to myself, at least I have him. Nothing else matters. He's still there sleeping peacefully, always content and easily satisfied. I know exactly where my place is, I feel content and my life is full. I don't really have to do much to keep him happy, all I have to do is to be myself. 

He never complains and always willing to follow, even when I do crazy stuff like sleeping in a car, long suffering hikes, sleeping outside in the cold instead of sleeping in a warm bed. I feel less crazy with him by my side and everything is more worthwhile. I'm thankful he's here to accompany me in all my adventures and misadventures.

He is almost 3...it's bittersweet how time flies. 

Dyno's first real mountain hike

Dyno is not a big fan of the cold, but this week was kind of warmer so I decided to take him on a small hike. He is pretty good off leash, if he walks in front, he always looks back to make sure I'm behind. Otherwise, he usually walks right behind me.

I've taken my parents to that same mountain few years ago, the hike took 3 hours and my dad couldn't take it. My dog did it in under 2 hours. Hopefully, next summer I'll be able to take him on real hikes :)

Dyno's 1st Birthday

Dyno has taught me so much about life in general, he loves everybody, he wants to meet every one. Even though he is generally wary and skeptical of new things, he still finds the courage to face his fears...and sometimes his fears can be something as stupid a blanket that is not at its usual place. The other day, I waited a good 20 minutes for him to walk pass the blanket that fell on the floor. He probably thinks there is a monster under or something. I was so proud of him even for something simple like that.

Most importantly, he has taught me to be more patient. I'm the type of person that can do some outrageous things when I'm mad. There were 2 times that I lashed out on him. The first time was 2-3 weeks after I got him, I locked him in the bathroom inside his carrier where he could not stand or sit because he still cried in his crate at night. The next day, my mom told me that he looked retarded and got dumber than before, and he is not peeing on the pad. Then I learned something, dogs can only strive with love.

The second time was after 3-4 months, he kept barking at another dog in the hallway which got me very mad. As soon as I got home, I started throwing things, even threw my keys at him and I yelled at him. I cried after because I'm afraid that he will be scared of me and will not trust me anymore. Some things cannot be repaired when damage is done, and it's never worth it for a moment of anger. I've decided then that I will never ever act that way again no matter how mad I am.

Today is Dyno's birthday and I wanted to spend all day with him. I even baked him a cake that is safe for dogs and humans. To him, today is just like any other day though. He doesn't think about yesterday or what's to come tomorrow, he just lives in the moment. He doesn't know what I've done or what I will become, but he definitely knows me better that I do, he can feel things and notices every small gestures and the world around him...unlike me who usually avoids eye contact and don't really try to observe strangers. Because of him, I get to connect with people more. He is just a happy dog living his best life. I love him so much and I can never get tired of talking about him <3

Canoe-Camping, part 2

There is something I did not mention about the canoe-camping trip, but I actually left the day before I was supposed to leave.

Here is what happened.

I was relaxing on my the beach and I wasn't really looking at Dyno. He can't really do much nasty stuff, or can he? He was just sitting next to the cooler and 2 bags containing food. Everytime I turned my head, he would be just sitting there and looking at me innocently.  

Then I went to check on him, and saw some sort of foil papers on the sand, and I thought it was probably the wrap used to bake potatoes last night which I was just left in the fire ring. Later, I went to take a nap in the tent, and he slept next to me, but then he vomited twice shortly after. Dyno has a fragile stomach so I don't worry much when he vomits. I cleaned up his vomit and decided to go grab snack. I looked for my chocolate in the bag and could not find it anywhere, even though I'm sure I've left it there.

...and then I clicked. The foil looking paper was not aluminium foil but the chocolate wrap. 

I was like...crap. Chocolate is toxic for dogs and can kill them. I was on an island, far from civilization so there wasn't much I could do. So I googled a calculator to calculate the risk level depending on the type of chocolate, quantity and weight of the dog. He had milk chocolate which is the least toxic, and the calculator said the risks are low. Then I googled what to do, and it said to have him vomit. He already did, great. 

At this point, it was around 6pm...and there was 1 hour left before sunset. Dyno wasn't feeling well, he seemed low in energy and he was shaking because of the cold and probably because he wasn't feeling great, and I was worried about him although logically, I knew he should be fine. There was rain forecasted for the morning when I planned to leave...and I debated for a while...is it better to leave in the rain or in the dark? And I think it's probably better to leave tonight considering the situation. 

I packed up my stuff fast, because my island is quite far and I don't want to struggle with directions in the dark. I left at 6:36pm and sunset was a few minutes before 7pm. It took me a good hour and a half to get to the island, so even if I paddle non-stop, I estimate I would make it in an hour which would already be past sunset. I left the island and started paddling, the waves crashing agaisnt my canoe was pretty scary and I thought to myself, even if it gets dark, as long as I stay in my canoe, I should survive, and apparently canoes are stable.

First, I had to reach the big islands but there is quite a bit of distance not to mention it was windy that evening. It was probably the roughest part as there was nothing to protect us from the wind, but at least there was still day light and it was manageable. There was brief rain, which is fine. I was tired but I kept going. I wanted to take off my jacket because I was hot, but I didn't even want to waste time doing it. I was racing against time and every second counted. It seemed never ending as the current kept pushing me back.

Once I finally reached the big islands, I tried to stay close so I won't be hit by the wind. Also, I think that was not the route I used at the beginning which worried me. At this point, there was probably 30% of sunlight left. I crashed into an island because I was going too fast and I could not stop the canoe. There was still wind, just a bit less terrible.

It was getting darker by the second. I made a turn somewhere and I recognized a tree that I have seen at the beginning and I remember it because I thought it looked like a statue. At this point, it was all dark but I remember the dock was diagonally ahead from that statue-looking tree. There were 3 lights that I could see and probably one of them was the dock. I went towards the brightest, not realizing that the brightest was actually on the opposite side of the river, but it was already pitch black and I could not distinguish dimensions anymore. Lights on both sides seemed like they were on the same side.

I could not see the dock until I was 2 meters from it, and struggled a bit to tie the canoe to the dock but that was the easy part. It was definitely scary but I'm so happy. The drive back was scary too but less scary than being in the water.

I monitored Dyno for the next couple of days and he is fine now. 

Groceries with Dyno

I'm not going to lie, I sneaked my dog into grocery stores on several occasions. I don't do it as often anymore now that he got heavier. This time, we visited Ferme Regis which is one of the first grocery stores in Quebec accepting smaller dogs inside if they are placed in a wooden basket. There are lots of local products inside which I love.

There was also a corn maze where you can get lost in, empty silos in which you can hear your echo, old cars to take pictures with and a little farm with animals to entertain your dog. I personally think dogs should be accepted in more places but I agree that most dog owners are terrible, which ruins it for the rest of us, but I'm not going to let this stop me and Dyno :)

We tried SUP for the first time

I saw this video some years ago, it's about a guy contemplating the meaning of adventure as he crossed the Georgia Straight from Vancouver to Victoria. He explains that adventure can be as simply as wondering about the possibility of doing just one thing differently than before. It really inspired me and made me want to try SUP.

So, I finally went to Riviere Rouge to try it last weekend. It was a rainy, which sucks but we pretty much had the whole river to ourselves. When the rain finally stopped, we could see the clouds surrounding the mountains and made me feel like we traveled to another country.

Unfortunately for Dyno, he did not know he was going to do SUP. I pretty much dragged him onto the board and took off. Right when we took off is when it started raining pretty heavily. We got all wet and he was shaking from the cold.

After an hour or so, we took a break on one of the many beaches. I let him off leash so he can run for a bit and stretch his paws. When it was time to get back on the board, he really did not want to go back and wasn't listening to me anymore. It took me a good 10 minutes to catch him. I put him on the board and started paddling. Seconds after we left the beach, I don't know what he wanted to do, but he fell in the water, and it kind of pushed me and the board further. Also, the current was not helping. I was a good 3-4 meters away from him at this point. I went on my knees but almost lost my balance.

Poodles are water dogs and I hoped he would enjoy the water. The week before, I took him to a doggy pool to teach him swimming while he was still young. However, I did not know I couldn't get inside the water with him, which made him even more hesitant to be in the water. I gave the employee a ton of shit and gave up on the idea of teaching him swimming this year.

I debated whether I should jump in the water to save him but I really did not want to get wet. It wasn't one of those hot summer days where we were paddling in swimsuit. It wasn't warm and I only had one jacket to protect me from the rain. I see his head was still above the water, so I waited to see if he could swim to me. Obviously, if I could not see his head, I would jump in right away. I called him several times and finally...he swam towards my SUP. I was so scared but so happy at the same time, because Dyno finally learned to swim!

I'm so proud of my little wet rat!

Why I named my dog Dyno

I've been rock climbing for several years now, and it's a passion of mine. I named my dog Dyno because I think it's cool to give him a name that is related to my passion, and it's also a simple word that could mean several things.

In rock climbing, Dyno is a dynamic movement that requires pushing off, flying through the air to reach the next hold that is far from where you originally started.

Dynos require power, precision, control, incredible core strength...and some faith. The biggest challenge is holding on after you've made contact. While a climber may get to the next hold, the extra momentum created by the climber's mass moving in another direction means they need to grip with even greater strength. 

It's my personal weakness because I'm afraid to hit the wall. 

And if you miss the hold? You fall.

Dyno goes on a road trip

I took Dyno on a 4-day road trip, just me and him. We went to my favorite places in Quebec; Côte-Nord, Fjord-du-Saguenay and Mauricie. I love the Côte-Nord and its ocean breeze, Fjord-du Saguenay for the mountains, cliffs and sea, and Mauricie for the smell of pine trees.

Our first stop was at parc des Chutes-de-la-Chaudiere. I've been to Quebec so many times but never knew about this place. It's much nicer than the bigger falls in the area and you can walk at the bottom as well.

There was a long suspension bridge 23 meters above the river and Dyno crossed it like a pro, did not show much sign of vertigo.

After Quebec, we made a stop in Baie-Saint-Paul where Dyno got to walk on the beach for the first time. At the beach, there were dogs barking at people walking by, dogs peeing on their master...and I look at Dyno and I'm like...what a good boy! I'm so lucky! We spent the night in Malbaie at Chutes Fraser.

Baie-des-rochers is one of the most beautiful places I've discovered on this trip; it's so grand and quiet. This picture does not do it justice. We did not do any hiking but we definitely will next time when Dyno is older.

The traversier to Tadoussac is one of the things I'm most excited about when I go to the North. We walked around Tadoussac and went to the beach.

Our second campsite was on Baie Saine-Catherine with a view of the river. He got to see horses, and co-share spaces with other people and dogs. That helps a lot with socialization and training.

 On the third day, we explored areas along the fjord, it reminds a little bit of Iceland.

This is Dyno about to be blown away with the wind as I try to take a picture of him on the dock of Petit-Saguenay. The Marina at L'anse Saint-Jean is very charming as well.

Our last campsite was my favorite as we had a spot right by the river, and it's pretty relaxing to sleep to the sound of it.

Our last night chilling by the fire.

Dyno was really good in the car, did not complain much about the long drives. I can't wait until Dyno is older so we can do more activities. On this trip, I worried walking him too much, so I carried him some of the times. Travelling alone with a dog has its challenges, such as finding toilets, finding places to eat, but it's all worth it! He is the only one I have patience and want to make effort for right now.

Dyno goes to Maison Lavande

The lavenders are in full bloom, so I took Dyno to Maison Lavande.

There were kids trying to pet Dyno without asking, and I'm not shy to tell them no, even though that may seem mean. I don't really like entitled kids who have not been taught politeness. Dyno is a friendly dog but I think people should show some respect, because it's my dog after all, and yes he is cute but it's not for everyone's entertainment. You won't go touch other people's kids in their face without asking, so why other people's dog?

Other than entitled kids and the hot weather, Dyno had a great time. It smelled nice, there was a live band, and we had a lavender coffee and ice cream. He also got to see chickens for the first time.

Dyno's many first times

I used to think that I'm so busy that I would never have time to take care of a dog, but ever since having Dyno in my life, my priorities just completely changed. You'd think I'm missing out on things because there is so much I can't do and so many places I can't go with my dog, but on the contrary, I would go great distances to have it done with my dog and if I cannot then fuck it, I'm not going either.

All he ever wants to do is playing, eating, and being with people he loves, and that is enough for him. Even though his life is much shorter and he doesn't even know it, his life is full. People say I will be terribly sad when he dies, but my family will die too, I will be sad, but I will still love them with all I have now. People often contemplate the famous question, what is the meaning of life. The meaning of life is not that complicated, and I can see it now... the meaning of life is simply living. Dogs are just so pure.

Dyno is funny...there are things that he was so scared of doing and little by little, he tests the limits. He used to be scared of getting close to the windows or going down the garden. He would not walk when I took him to the shopping center...and I would pretend to leave him behind to see if he would follow me just like my parents did to me when I was younger. Sometimes I forget how he doesn't have much life experience at all, and this is his first summer on earth. How crazy!

This is the first day I brought him home and that's when I took him to my parent's house. He was shaking and didn't know where to go, so he hid under the chair. He was so round and cute!

Little by little, he got out of his shell and discovered the joy of stealing and chewing shoes...

This is the first time I brought him to a coffee shop. He was still in his stage where he slept a lot and was not too fond of going places. Wolves in nature are very scared around 10 weeks of age because they need to go off on their own. Dogs also feel that fear around that age.

This is one of the first times I took him to work with me at one of my client's office. He slept most of the time which is awesome. Now, he is more comfortable and goes to greet everyone when he gets to the office.

This is the first time I took him to a restaurant as I wanted him to see many people and get used to crowd and noises. He mostly slept the whole way...obviously.

Dyno meeting my grand mother for the first time. I used to have people over or go to friends and family's house so he gets used to it. My grandmother loves him, and he impressed her by peeing on his pipi pad.

Dyno meeting another dog, other than his littermates, for the first time. The dog ran after him and he was so scared that he went to see another human for help. After a couple of hours, he was so curious that he went to see the other dog, but every time the other dog gets closer, he would run away again.

This is me taking him to another restaurant for brunch. If you are wondering if you can take dogs to restaurant...you can 80% of the time if you ask nicely and if he is discreet like Dyno (small and silent).

I took a latte art class, and took him with me. I've asked permission before taking him of course, and I swore he will be so quiet that he is almost invisible, and they said yes. Everyone was shocked at how calm and obedient he was.

Finally one of the first time he played in the snow on a warmer winter day, and he enjoyed it. I should get him some boots for next winter though.

This is one of the first time that Dyno walked on a leash without putting on the brakes. I was like...finally, my dog is walking outside! I remember we walked pass a huge truck making a lot of noises, and he was comfortable around it which is good.

This is the first time I brought him to a doggy cafe, where he got to meet other dogs. There was one other puppy that was really pushy towards Dyno, and it's the first time I see him growling with his teeth out and I was shocked because he was always so sweet and innocent, haha.

This is his first time in the woods, this is just near my house, it was before his 4 months and I wanted to make sure he is okay with being in the woods.

 This is the first time I took him on a boat, and he saw a fish for the first time.

 This is Dyno's first time on a terrasse, on the first warmer days of this year. He enjoys watching people walking by.

This is Dyno's first time camping...finally a weekend when he could poop and pee everywhere.

Dyno's first time at a dog park. He was playful and running around, most dogs don't want to play with him though, as his puppy energy was just too much. He was running while making huge jumps, it was funny to watch.

Dyno's first time hiking. I carried him in a bag as he was still young. I can't wait until he is fully grown to take him on a real hike.

This is him wearing my cousin's underwear after his neutering surgery. He doesn't like it but I think it's a better alternative than the cone.

This is when I took him on a bike ride for the first time. He really enjoyed the wind in his face and seeing all the scenery.

People always say to take many pictures because puppies grow so fast, and I feel like I didn't take enough pictures of him...even if you look at my phone, you will only see pictures of him. It's just never enough. 

Summer is almost over and I want to bring him to a new place every week at least once. I must admit I've been a bit lazy as I'm afraid to over-exercise him and injure his growth plates, so I don't really want to drive far. Also puppies can't practice endurance, but rather exercise is small burst of activities, but I will make an effort. You always have to be creative when you are a dog-parent. It would give me an excuse to take some time to myself. That was the whole point of getting a dog, and he is small enough to make it logistically convenient, but robust enough to do fun things :)