Wow! It doesn’t seem like it’s been 6 months since that surprising moment on a stage at the Flamingo Resort in St. Pete. But, yep, come the 9th, it will be six months since I became International Puppy 2014. Halfway there! And, damn, what a ride it has been to this point! And there’s just as much ahead in the 2nd half (actually, a little bit more).
Yes, it IS true that my step aside is in July, when IPC’s
International Puppy 2015 takes the banner for his/her year, but I’ve been told
I can still finish out a full year as the 2014 titleholder. And, looking at the
schedule from mid-July through the beginning of November, I’ll definitely be
out there!
Yes, the travels and the events have been fun, and I’ve
enjoyed it all immensely. I know they’ve been mainly on the eastern side of the
Mississippi ( I did get to cross it in New Orleans!), but that’s going to
change in the 2nd half of the year. From Tampa to New York City and
New Jersey, Ohio in both Columbus and Cleveland, from New Orleans to Toronto,
and a few points in between, I’ve been fortunate already to meet so many great
pups (and their handlers) and to make, not just new friends, but new brothers
and sisters.
No matter where I’ve gone, the energy that we all share has been amazing! Be it a fund-raiser bar night, an educational presentation, or a major event like CLAW, there’s just something special that draws us all together. Quite often, it has been part of the energy that has kept me going.
And no matter where I’ve gone, I’ve always come back having learned so much. We really are a very diverse community, with a wide array of interests and needs. That our common bond of being pups brings together so many who are so different is truly amazing. And no matter what the difference, you’ve all taught me so much more about being a pup and our community.
No matter where I’ve gone, the energy that we all share has been amazing! Be it a fund-raiser bar night, an educational presentation, or a major event like CLAW, there’s just something special that draws us all together. Quite often, it has been part of the energy that has kept me going.
And no matter where I’ve gone, I’ve always come back having learned so much. We really are a very diverse community, with a wide array of interests and needs. That our common bond of being pups brings together so many who are so different is truly amazing. And no matter what the difference, you’ve all taught me so much more about being a pup and our community.
And, for all
I’ve learned thus far, there’s so much more yet to be learned, and I look
forward to all of it! As such, I can comfortably say I will never be an expert
on pups or the pup community. I’ve never thought of myself as such, and now I
really know why. But I can say I’ve gained a lot of new insights and increased
my understanding. And, more than that, I can say I’m more proud and blessed
than ever to be one of you!
I don’t want to start saying too many thank you’s just yet (I’ll save that to for the step aside in 2 months, and even then, I’ll try to keep it brief). But I have to acknowledge that I wouldn’t have made it this far without a lot of support from people throughout the community and from IPC. Y’all have made sure I’ve been taken care of. I haven’t had to ask for much of anything. Y’all have invited me in, made sure I had what I needed, and opened the door for fun and successful events. More often than not, a phone call or an email was all I needed to smooth the road. I’m looking forward to that continuing over the next 6 months!
And as I go into that 6 months, I want to repeat something I said at the beginning of my title run. I don’t see this as my title. It belongs to all of the pups out there. I’m the one that’s been chosen and entrusted with carrying it and representing our community in a positive light, and to bring us all closer together. But it also means I’m here, to hear what you all have to say, to hear your ideas of what the future can look like, and to do my part to make it happen.
Whatever that future is, it belongs to all of us, and we all deserve to be heard. There isn’t a one among us who can claim to know what’s best for us all (well, aside from safety concerns), and no one voice should be any louder than the others. We’re in this together, and together we can build a future pup community where we can all be proud to belong.
I have a feeling the next 6 months are going to kick ass! ARUFF!
I don’t want to start saying too many thank you’s just yet (I’ll save that to for the step aside in 2 months, and even then, I’ll try to keep it brief). But I have to acknowledge that I wouldn’t have made it this far without a lot of support from people throughout the community and from IPC. Y’all have made sure I’ve been taken care of. I haven’t had to ask for much of anything. Y’all have invited me in, made sure I had what I needed, and opened the door for fun and successful events. More often than not, a phone call or an email was all I needed to smooth the road. I’m looking forward to that continuing over the next 6 months!
And as I go into that 6 months, I want to repeat something I said at the beginning of my title run. I don’t see this as my title. It belongs to all of the pups out there. I’m the one that’s been chosen and entrusted with carrying it and representing our community in a positive light, and to bring us all closer together. But it also means I’m here, to hear what you all have to say, to hear your ideas of what the future can look like, and to do my part to make it happen.
Whatever that future is, it belongs to all of us, and we all deserve to be heard. There isn’t a one among us who can claim to know what’s best for us all (well, aside from safety concerns), and no one voice should be any louder than the others. We’re in this together, and together we can build a future pup community where we can all be proud to belong.
I have a feeling the next 6 months are going to kick ass! ARUFF!
