It's a storm that was in the forecast for days. The epicenter of it was to move right through Madison Wisconsin and it did just that. First ice, then snow, in sheets and with winds pushing it into heaps and piles in places that surprise you. Two steps and you're in a drift. Ten steps and you're out of it. How do you walk a Houston dog in something like that?
It's been a while since we had a blizzard of sizable proportions here. Somehow all the winter storms of 2026 moved along tracks that left us cold and snowless. And now, four days before the official start of spring, here we are -- snow covered. It will start melting later in the week, but today (and tomorrow as well) we are frozen into a white stillness.
Lots of cancellations and closures out there. Including doggie daycare. Understandable, but it does mean that I have to imagine a good day for Sadey, and I have to reschedule stuff that really needed to be done on a kid-free day.
My mantra for the day? We will manage! I think.
Sadey is eager to go out this morning. Ha! Little girl, you have not ever been in stuff like this! There had been one snowfall of the two to three inch type when she was over-nighting at camp. It had mostly melted the next day so I missed her moment of play. They said she liked it, but of course, this is something else altogether. It's windy, it's cold, it's deep in spots. I bundle her up and we set out.
Where am I supposed to do my stuff -- she asks me. (Not with words, but with body language.)
We find a sheltered spot. She is grateful. We continue.
But not for long. It's such slow going, for her, for me. She shakes snow off constantly and still it comes down. At one point she goes up the steps of a random house as if to ask -- can we pause inside this one for a while? We can do this Sadey! Let's keep moving!
Finally, home. And a hardy breakfast for her. The usual for me.
I do repeat sessions of training all morning. She is tough to train, not because she is a slow thinker or not food motivated, but because she is so anxious to move close to me and my treat filled hand that getting her to sit in place or stay or come is a challenge. She comes automatically whenever I move. I can't get her not to come! So we keep working at it.
I also try to work on getting her to bark less. Movements outside inspire her woofs. I can try to tame those, though this too may be challenging. She still barks at Ed when he is here. (His comment -- you sure got the crazy dogs! Thanks for reminding me...)
Just before noon I go out to shovel. There's not much sidewalk to clear, but the driveway has a mountain of snow, blown in from the other side of the road. I do it, but I am wondering if I should get a power snow blower for the future. It seems like a stupid idea for the small amount of blizzard snow that comes our way each winter, but on the other hand, when it comes, someone has to remove it and if it's me, I'd rather not kill myself doing it. (Ed of course says it's good for me, and I have to agree: that which doesn't kill you will make you stronger!)
Sadey is good about my working outside, but once I'm in, she lets me know it's her turn now. Sadey, let's skip the sweater and just keep it short, okay?
I really need to get this pup out to the park this afternoon (once they clear the roads).
But let's not forget the ice! If you have cleats on your shoes, wear them! I am that wise person after the fall. I went out for a second to check on something and did a classic slip and fall on my tailbone. Ouch!! Luckily with just a slight head bump and hand scrape. I had to smile: I'd complained about the ice at the farmette by the parked cars. I'd complained about the abundant salt sprinkled on sidewalks around the Edge. Who can I blame for this slip? Me!
By mid afternoon I deemed the roads clear enough for me to take Sadey Cakes to the dog park. Every day has at least one moment that is just so full of Henry and I suppose today's visit to the park did that for me today. Henry loved to play in the snow. Oh, I suppose many dogs are with him on that, but my boy had the grace of an antelope -- he would soar and leap at Prairie Morraine and I could never catch it in a photo, but it was pure joy to watch. From the day I adopted him in October, I took him to dog parks at least twice a week (on the weekends; sometimes more...). That leaves many memories of our time there -- perhaps the sweetest one being in the middle of a blizzard before the new year. That selfie of him and me as we tried to get to the car is one that makes me sob now. I wont repost it. Bad enough that when I went looking for it on Ocean, I had to scroll through, for the first time since his death, all the posts with him front and center in December. (The blizzard photo was actually earlier -- November 30th.) Will there be a time when I can look at his face and just... smile?
Park time for the girl. She's a runner too. In speed, she matches Henry, though her body is more compact and her legs are shorter.
And here's a truth about Sadey: she is a little like Henry in slo mo, moving in that direction, only not so rapidly and not so forcefully. She is, if truth be told, reactive. Yep. Totally and without doubt. A barker, but not of the kind where the tail is wagging and a conversation is underway. The kind that doesn't really like to see people across the street. (Have I seen this somewhere before?) The kind that views people at a dog park as threats to our existence.
Sadey doesn't have the fierceness of Henry (yet) and perhaps she will never aggress against anyone. (Perhaps.) She is a velcro attention hog who loves cuddles. But then, so did he.
Our trip to the dog park was an eye opener. She loved the snow, the high winds, the thrill of being in this place in this fierce weather, running, mostly just with me, as there were few people there initially.
But, slowly people showed up. Some she liked. Or ignored. Some she did not like. Her bark at them had me turn from being relaxed to vigilant. And when she went up to a guy and nipped him in the leg (not bit, but nipped -- his word for it) I thought -- oh no... Sadey! Really?!
The thing is, do I have the strength to go through this again? For the training that may or may not lead to success? The restrictions on her movement outside where there are people? If you lived through this with one dog and could not save him, you may not be the best candidate to take on another reactive dog. Especially one whose genetic makeup is that of a German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois with pitbull in the mix as well -- all three breeds requiring aggressive training and socialization from puppy hood, neither of which she had obviously. A Malinois is not a family dog. Sadey is a sweet girl in my home. She bonded with me quickly. (Though she still stresses over Ed.)
What now? Well, I have to talk to the people in Texas about her. Should she stay? Maybe. But maybe not. She is a reactive dog, but she hasn't really bitten anyone yet. And still, she just closed the door to dog parks. I have never had any dog on any outing to such a park aggress against me. And now I have had two of my own that aggressed against others. Sigh...
Oh these poor damaged strays from Texas! Such tough lives they've had. Will good intentions help them out of the mess they're in? Sometimes. Not always, but sometimes. And someone has to try. Because they deserve a chance at a good life. I gave my heart to Henry. He deserved it. Sadey deserves that chance too. We'll see what happens next.
Sigh indeed!
with so much love...
