This is Peanut Butter Brickle. We go walking every day. That’s just what we do.

They don’t call us lounging around dogs.

They call us traveling dogs. Although we may do some lounging too.

I haven’t had much energy lately in this Florida place because it is so, so hot.

We have to be safe and we can’t stay outside when the temperatures are this hot. But yesterday morning, I felt this strange sense of renewed energy. A lounging for adventures. I felt motivation to sniff and pull on the leash and be a bit mischievous. I wondered what came over me.

But you see, yesterday morning started a little different. Girl Person was having one of her out of sorts mornings when she couldn’t find anything. Including my collar to go outside. I couldn’t go out there without it because there is too much traffic here at this Airbnb place.

So Girl Person looked everywhere and we were getting impatient. Well, Fruitycake was. He started barking and when you are staying at a house that isn’t yours, you can’t do that or the neighbors may get mad. So Girl Person rushed around more. And she still couldn’t find my collar.

But then she remembered where another collar was. A collar that is always in the front seat with us wherever we go. Digby’s collar.

Girl Person looked at the collar closely. She smelled it. She saw Digby’s fur still on it.

And she wondered if we should use it. She just didn’t know. But then all of a sudden she did know. She wanted me to wear it for the day. She didn’t know why. But it felt right. And it felt ok. And it was ok. I wanted to wear it too.

When we save things from the ones we have loved and have lost, sometimes when we look at them or hold them, we can be reminded in a different way of memories.

We can see them. And we can be connected to them again if only for a minute or a day.

And yesterday, I felt Digby’s memory with me on my walk with Fruitycake.

I felt like letting go of my seriousness and being more like Digby. I felt like I was more hungry and my appetite was more like Digby’s.

Digby sure was fun to be around. He sure made me happy. And I loved wearing his collar for the day.

We all have our own personalities. But it’s ok to like aspects of other’s and their personalities and try to be more like them. I try to remember the ways I want to be more like him. Oh, that collar brought back the memories.

Will I wear his orange collar every day? No. Because it is too special.

But for the days I need to be more like Digby, I will. It’s taken us a long time to pick up that collar. But we know it was to remind us he is still with us in spirit. Wherever we go.

–Peanut Butter Brickle

2-Week July 4th Desensitization Plan

The more time you have to prep your pet, the better. Here is an example of a 2-week plan ahead of July 4th.

• Week 1:
  Start by playing a recording of fireworks at a very low volume, while your pet is in the room.
• Gradually increase the volume over several days, always ensuring that your pet is comfortable and not showing signs of fear or stress.
• Pair the sound of the fireworks with positive experiences for your pet, such as playing with their favorite toy or giving them a treat.
• Week 2:
  Continue playing the fireworks sounds at an increased volume, gradually getting closer to the level of noise that your pet may experience on July 4th.
• Begin to introduce visual cues, such as videos of fireworks, while still playing the sounds at a low volume.
• Gradually increase the volume and intensity of the fireworks sounds over several days, always ensuring that your pet is comfortable and not showing signs of fear.
• Pair the visual and auditory cues with positive experiences, and start to add in CBD.

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