Thankful Thursday

Shyla is a sweet and sensitive dog who seems to read every nuance of my state of mind. In these days of me feeling so much stress, her love means the world to me. She is my steady partner who is out on the trails with me every morning. I often sing to her when we're in the remote parts of the forest. Shyla is the only being on earth who loves my singing. I am tone deaf and have a terrible voice - but Shyla comes running to me whenever I sing!

She has come so far since her days of utter fear. She is still a mild-mannered dog who tries to fly under the radar. On our trails, she knows which neighbors she likes and which ones scare her. With the ones who she likes, she sidles up to them to nuzzle their hands, looking for pats. She's formed great friendships with those chosen people.

The people who Shyla fears rarely even know that she's nearby when we see them in the forest. She seems to smell or hear them long before I do. She heads into the forest to hide until I've passed them. If I stop to chat with them, she is hovering nearby, hiding behind a tree or lying in the shade. Sometimes I tell them that Shyla is hiding nearby and sometimes I never mention it.

After she comes out of hiding, I loosen her up with some play.

I feel so lucky to have Shyla in my life. Seven years ago, we saved her from her very fearful start and now she buoys my spirits almost daily.

Many thanks to Brian for hosting the Thankful Thursday blog hop.