The Start of a New Path (Introductions!)

This is the first time I write a blog entry, and to be honest, I'm not expecting a lot of people to be reading this. Yet, I wanted to keep track of my progress, remember what I've done and how I've felt, and most of all, I want to become a better dog owner. That being the case, making myself a blog seemed like a good idea, so without further ado, it's time for introductions!

Mela of Icy Mountain, a brown and white Border Collie otherwise known as Khali, was born on April 14th, 2006. Somehow, she ended up at a pet store, bound in a cage and unable to get to enjoy her puppyhood in a family setting. She was 4 months old when I saw her, and I was just a 14 year old girl barely recovering from Linda, my poodle toy, that had passed away almost exactly one year before. I have always had a soft spot for dogs, and for the longest time I had been asking my parents for a new puppy, without getting the "yes" I wished for. This big puppy was not the Belgian Shepherd of my dreams, and she had that messy, scrawny look dogs have when they just finish they "adorable puppy phase" to enter their "crazy destruction-machine adolescent dog-thing phase"...All in all, she was the kind of dog you don't impulse buy. But by that afternoon, I had a new dog in my arms. From that moment onwards, it's been a hard road, but she has given me more joy than what I could ever imagine. She might not come when called, she might pull on the leash every now and then, and she might bark at people like it's the end of the world, but I love her and I will do everything in my power to make her a happy dog.

Dani (me!) is the luckiest owner on Earth. I like to think it was fate or destiny, or maybe even chance, but somehow I ended up owning just the dog that would make me grow more than what I thought was possible. I still have a long way to go, though. Other than Khali, I've only owned one other dog, Linda, and raised a pup since he was 1 month old till he was half a year old, so you could say I am 1,5 dogs old. After finishing high school, I studied medicine, a 7 yr old career here, for just one year. Sure, being a physician has its charm, but I kept feeling something was missing. Eventually, the light bulb on my head lit up, and it all seemed clear to me: I needed to work with and for animals, my love for science meant veterinary medicine was the job for me. So, I sent my applications, and I'm currently waiting for the results to be delivered on the 15th. I'm just a 20 yr old student, trying to balance her priorities in life, while striving to give her dog the best possible life.

That's all I've got to say about introductions, and let's hope this blog blooms into something great that will make Khali and me become better. Also, I expect to share all kinds of doggy advice and discuss matters such as choke chains, positive reinforcement, etc.

See ya!