Lessons From Bravo.... Eyes

The number one thing I heard from people was this....."THAT DOG NEVER TAKES HIS EYES OFF YOU!"  Nope he didn't.  He even slept where when he opened them he would see me.  Unless he was told otherwise he always stayed where he could see me! I used to joke that if I stopped to fast he would have a browner nose!

I am a eye person and always have been.  I believe that eyes are the window to the soul!  Every living breathing creature tells a story in their eyes! When taking photos I am always centering on the eyes!  So many times I have wished to hold on to a moment because of what was expressed in another's eyes. Words are just that but to me eyes and actions put meaning on the intent.

Remember yesterday I was talking about SIT MEANS BUTT ON GROUND AND EYES ON MINE?  Part of my thoughts about this got started because of Bravo and his fear and me working towards stabilizing him.  I noticed something...when a dog /human is spinning full force in their emotions the eyes are all over.  When a dog or human is mad they are narrowed and seriously intense with a glint that in your heart you just know. However when they are settled and present in the moment with you there is a softness, a attentiveness, a gentle focus.  I learned to know Bravo his emotions, his presence through his eyes and subtle other body language.  I could show pictures of every one of his emotions because over the years I saw them all and captured them.   From "I want that bird", to "Let me Show you how" , Alerting Eyes, Pissed Off Eyes ( It is true that a chessie is one dog that will not bite without warning you first.....but read their eyes) and the list goes on.  Eye work, attention, and awareness is something I worked on every day of his life.  If my dogs WANT something they have to learn to ask for it nicely with their EYES ON MY FACE AND THEIR BUTTS ON THE GROUND.  You want breakfast...eyes,  you want a treat....eyes, you want me to play.....eyes, after house trained... you want to go outside...eyes.   Eyes for EVERYTHING the dog wants.

Bravo and I learned to communicate through eyes first, then I began picking up on the other ways he communicated


The above is a poem I wrote while he was alerting on a friend and I happened to catch it on camera.  Look at his eyes....look at his expression.  Eyes tell it all.

LESSONS FROM BRAVO:  EYES TELL IT ALL. EYES ARE THE WINDOWS TO A SOUL! THEY COMMUNICATE ALL FEELING AND ALL INTENT! EYES CAN NOT LIE!

FOREVER BRAVO'S EYES WILL HAUNT MY DREAMS AND SOUL.  THEY TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT COMMUNICATION WITH HUMANS, AS WELL AS DOGS.  BRAVO'S EYES WERE ALWAYS FULL OF KNOWLEDGE! AGELESS, TIMELESS, KNOWLEDGE  A LEGECY FOR CERTAIN