Many many dog behavior and training books

We are getting a dog in about two months. It's been a long road to this dog. Ryan has an allergy so it's a dog that doesn't shed. Dogs make Jack nervous so it's a dog with a kind temperament. I've never owned a dog so we needed a dog that is easier than others to train.

So far, I have read Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz, The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of Skete, Let Dogs by Dogs by the Monks of Skete, The Puppy Primer by Patricia McDonnell, and one other train a puppy guide but I can't remember the title. I've also watched youtube videos by Pawsitive Dog Training and Rachel Fusaro.

I have learned a lot but the real learning will happen when we get the dog. I'll keep you posted.

High school reunion SF

I visited San Francisco at the end of September. Great city! All of my high school friends converged and we had a great time. Not much else to say .. we really enjoyed chatting, walking around the city and eating good food.

I've known these people for 33 years

Canada!

I was prepared to leave Seattle in August if there were fires. It rained a lot instead of burning and I'll take a rainy summer any day.. less apocalyptic. Since there were no fires, we stayed in the great Northwest and went to Vancouver.

My mom came with us which was brave of her. We spent two nights at an AirBnB in the Kitsilano beach neighborhood (a new favorite). We visited the largest pool in North America - over 100 meters long. We walked over the Capilano suspension bridge and visited their Redwood park that looked a lot like a Redwood park we visited in New Zealand. We visited their amazing science center and experienced the Fly Over Canada ride.

The kids fought a lot. It was annoying. Our third night we visited the very cool Fairmont in the Vancouver Airport. When we arrived, I put my feet up and wanted to watch a home decorating show on the large TV in our room. The kids instantly started to complain.. they wanted to watch their own show, this wasn't fair, blah blah etc. My mom looked very confused by this behavior. Her children did not do this apparently. She told them it did not matter what they wanted. Their mom was paying for the room so they needed to do what I wanted. This was news to all of us. The kids were so shocked by this idea they were quiet, and I started to consider that 'it doesn't matter what you want' might be something to add to a book I am writing called 'How to make your children less whiney and entitled.'

Kits beach pool

lots of people can visit the pool at one time

Capilano suspension bridge park

All tourists visit the bridge apparently