b'Part 1 in an exclusive series for The New Barkerwords by Katie Young Monahan, edited by Carol CohenSail Away With MeDoes the perfect companion exist, or is it just some- a lot of clothes, or have unnecessary items clutteringthing someone finds in movies and books? For me, my tiny space. that someone would be smart, athletic and handsome. Was I insane to get a high-drive, energetic dogSomeone outgoing, eager to explore, kind, compas- from a working cattle ranch? Probably. Did I stop insionate and loyal. Someone who wouldnt mind my Tennesseeonaworktripandfallinlovewithanwork which took me all over the country. The differ- AustralianCattleDogpuppyinApril2018?ence between me and a lot of women in their late 20s, Absolutely. Did I pick the perfect dog for me? 100%.was that the someone was a dog.I knew that breed was not the most important factorI had worked in dog training for 10 yearsat for a successful human-canine bond; it was trust. AndSoutheastern Guide Dogs as a Service Dog trainer for that you had to build.Veteransaswellasabehavioraltechnicianatthe With the leash of a working Labrador in my leftHumaneSocietyofPinellasCounty.Iknewthe hand and a tiny ten-pound Cattle Dog puppy in myimportanceofpetparents right,Iarrivedbackatmyandtheirdogsbeingwell- sailboat and thought, Did Imatched in energy level and really just do that? I didntlifestyle.So,whenIwas even have a name picked out.ready for a dog of my own, But as the puppys punky per-thereweremanymust- sonalityblossomed,Iaptlyhaves. named him Logan after theThe purpose-bred, obe- X-men character Wolverine. dient Labradors and easygo- LogansherdinginstinctsingGoldenRetrieversI were strong; he tried to herdworked with at Southeastern moving cars, bicycles, scoot-GuideDogsdidntfitmy ers, small childrenanythingpersonality. I needed a dog thatmoved.Heresistedsit-tokeepupwithmyactive ting still and was always readylifestyle,challengeme,and togo.Heonlysleptwhenpush the boundaries of my tucked away in his crate; oth-dogtrainingknowledge.I erwise,hewaseagertobewanted a dog to join me on part of the action. I had metmarathon training runs and my match. 5-mile trail hikes; a dog who wasnt afraid to get his Thefirstweek,IbroughtLoganswimmingatpawswetandwouldenjoymyfluidlifestyle.Not Lassing Park where he confidently plowed through themany dogs appreciate change; most dogs (like people) surf.Hegotmoreconfidentjumpingfromtheenjoy consistency. So, I had to find a dog who could marina dock to the sailboat on his own. Perhaps tookeep up and stay confident. Enter the resilient, strong, confident. One day, I was grabbing a hose from thesturdy and loyal breed of the Australian Cattle Dog.dock, and heard PLOP. Logan had misjudged theSo, what was the problem? I lived in a setting the boat-to-dock distance, and dropped four feet into theopposite of a sprawling cattle ranch. I lived on a 30- water. I jumped in after him and we doggie-paddledfoot sailboat named Opal in a marina in downtown St. back to the dock. Petersburg.Asapenny-pincherandminimalist,I The same week, Logansporting a life jacket andcouldnt bring myself to rent an apartment when my sungogglestookhisfirstsailonOpalnowjob had me traveling three weeks out of every month. equipped with safety netting on the lifelines. LoganI enjoyed the austerity of my 180-square-foot, floating was completely at home underway at seatossing hishomebeing forced to think about how much elec- head back and letting the sea spray cover his face. Sotricity I used, and how to change oil, live without a muchforbreedingforsingularityofpurposethisfreezer and cook meals on a camp stove. I couldnt buy Cattle Dog loved to sail! Continued on page 32 g30 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'