A Quiet Month - But an Important One

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all well. September has arrived - one of my favourite months and the beginning of autumn, which is perhaps my favourite season of all. There’s something about the change in the air, the cooler mornings and the promise of those beautiful autumn colours that I absolutely love.

Ulani turned 13 months old today, and I think she is rather relieved that the temperature has finally dropped and there’s a slightly different feel in the air. The hot weather was definitely not her favourite, and I have to say I’m rather relieved to see cooler days arriving too!

A quieter month

This month’s update is a short one!

In one sense, it’s been a quiet month, but in another, it’s been quite a significant one. Ulani has experienced another big milestone in her young life - her first season.

It was certainly a new experience for all of us, and it meant that life was a little quieter than usual. We spent much more time indoors and encouraged her to rest, particularly during the hotter days. She certainly wasn’t quite herself during this time. She was more subdued, less active and a little more erratic in her behaviour than we’re used to seeing from our usually lively girl.

We also noticed that she became much more clingy and wanted lots of cuddles and reassurance. Of course, we were more than happy to oblige! There’s something rather lovely about those moments when your dog wants to be close to you, and although it was a little sad to see her not quite feeling herself, we were happy to give her all the comfort and attention she needed.

The hot weather made things a little more difficult for her too. She found the warmer days hard, and I think she struggled with not being able to get out and about as much as she would normally like. We kept things very gentle, taking her on a few short walks when the temperature allowed and giving her little play sessions in the garden whenever she indicated that she was feeling up to it.

One of the things I’m learning with Ulani is that sometimes you simply have to listen to what she is telling you. There’s no point expecting her to behave as she normally would when she’s going through something new or isn’t feeling quite herself. Some days she wanted to sleep, other days she wanted cuddles, and occasionally she suddenly found a little burst of energy and wanted to play. We just followed her lead.

Now that her season is complete, we have another little period of waiting before her next big milestone. We’ll need to wait a couple of months before she is neutered, so for now we’re enjoying having our happy, energetic girl back and making the most of this in-between time.

It’s so lovely to see her usual personality returning - the excitement, the energy, the curiosity and, of course, her enthusiasm for absolutely everything! She has certainly grown and changed so much over these past 13 months, and it’s hard to believe how quickly the time is passing.

So, although August may have been a quieter month, it has still been an important one for Ulani. Another little chapter in her life has come and gone, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the next one brings.

With the cooler weather arriving, I’m hoping September will bring us lots of lovely adventures, longer walks and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors together. I’m especially looking forward to seeing the seasons change with her - and perhaps capturing a few more photographs along the way!

Until next time, take care and enjoy the beginning of autumn.

Nicola x