“You get the dog you need, not necessarily the dog you want,” said Will Bruner, trainer and behaviorist.

Those words went straight to my soul after my second puppy obedience class at AZ Dog Sports. Thank you, Will. You were dead on. The more Elsa pulled and barked and amped-up, the more ashamed and angrier I got. I could not manage this 12-week old puppy. Me! Puppy-raiser of 4 guide dogs and two of my own well-mannered German Shepherds. Me! The lady my friends come to for dog advice. Me! The successful business advisor to Fortune 100 executives. What do you mean I cannot control 22 lbs. of puppy?!

I was so angry with myself. I tried so hard to calm myself and manage the “emotions travel right down the leash” factor. I know better. But I was just so frustrated. Once Will’s words travelled down the metaphorical leash to reach my soul, I knew I needed to find my Zen. This was a dog that needed 100% of my calm, Zen-like self. That part of me that actually exists, but needs to be cultivated daily.

Wait a minute. It wasn’t Elsa that needed my calm, Zen-like self. It was me.

What a beautiful gift she is. After 35 years of intense, hard-driving corporate life, I needed to learn that finding that Zen, being still and quite and true to yourself, is a path to even greater success. My lesson for BarkBed Covers is to stay true to our course of making high-quality, washable covers for your dog beds. We don’t want to conquer the world; we want to give you a little Zen and peace as you are not struggling with unzipping and restuffing your dog beds.

Namaste.