WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.789 --> 00:00:06.320 Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who 00:00:06.340 --> 00:00:12.000 see dogs not as toys or tools, but wise souls worth our respect and care. 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:14.559 I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host. 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:20.560 I talk to poor some humans, people who do great work for dogs and their people. 00:00:21.099 --> 00:00:23.360 So come and join us for today's conversation. 00:00:25.219 --> 00:00:27.059 Anke: Hello and welcome, Ellen. 00:00:27.109 --> 00:00:29.119 I'm super happy to have you here today. 00:00:29.929 --> 00:00:31.319 Ellen: Thank you, Anke. 00:00:31.319 --> 00:00:32.659 It's really good to be here. 00:00:33.619 --> 00:00:34.019 Anke: Awesome. 00:00:34.039 --> 00:00:39.999 So, well, before we get started, I would love you to tell people where 00:00:40.009 --> 00:00:42.099 in this beautiful world you are based. 00:00:43.289 --> 00:00:47.499 Ellen: So I'm located in Gold Hill, North Carolina, that if you know North 00:00:47.499 --> 00:00:51.329 Carolina, it's mostly the center of the state, northeast of Charlotte, 00:00:51.909 --> 00:00:57.629 and I live on 11 magical acres, and I have, there's a labyrinth here, 00:00:57.629 --> 00:01:00.379 there's a vortex here, hiking trails. 00:01:00.379 --> 00:01:05.949 I have five Airbnbs on site, as well as, I mean, when they're not rented for 00:01:05.949 --> 00:01:07.779 retreats, they're rented for Airbnb. 00:01:08.379 --> 00:01:11.559 And, um, it really is a magical place. 00:01:11.579 --> 00:01:15.139 A lot of times storms go around me and I'm just sitting here. 00:01:15.449 --> 00:01:17.689 I didn't lose power for the last hurricane. 00:01:17.689 --> 00:01:20.359 So I feel like it's blessed on many levels. 00:01:20.639 --> 00:01:21.439 Anke: Wow, wow. 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:24.549 So basically, in short, you're saying you're in paradise. 00:01:26.109 --> 00:01:26.929 Ellen: Paradise, yes. 00:01:27.619 --> 00:01:28.069 Anke: I love it. 00:01:28.329 --> 00:01:32.759 So now we met, um, in the most delightful circumstances 00:01:33.059 --> 00:01:34.849 because we've just published. 00:01:35.629 --> 00:01:37.359 Well, not just the two of us. 00:01:37.739 --> 00:01:38.789 There were more people involved. 00:01:38.789 --> 00:01:39.809 We're getting onto that. 00:01:39.929 --> 00:01:45.224 But, um, My fur baby wrote this book and you wrote the foreword to it. 00:01:45.254 --> 00:01:48.914 So that's in the project, you know, in the context of this 00:01:48.914 --> 00:01:50.064 project, that's how we met. 00:01:50.574 --> 00:01:56.234 And I would love to hear how did you hear about the project? 00:01:56.234 --> 00:01:59.284 How did you, you know, what sparked you to get involved? 00:02:01.724 --> 00:02:05.844 Ellen: Well, I tell you, I, I have my, my LinkedIn picture has a 00:02:05.854 --> 00:02:08.514 picture of me with Murphy on my lap. 00:02:09.104 --> 00:02:14.474 And this woman who must have been friends with Lonnie, Lonnie was 00:02:14.554 --> 00:02:17.844 the brainchild behind creating this book that we did together. 00:02:18.364 --> 00:02:22.184 And she wrote to me and said that she knew this woman, Sally 00:02:22.184 --> 00:02:22.908 Good, who I've been working with. 00:02:23.889 --> 00:02:27.379 on LinkedIn said, I know this woman that's looking for authors to be a 00:02:27.379 --> 00:02:31.559 part of this book that she's doing about pets and it's called Pothers. 00:02:31.559 --> 00:02:35.979 And I was just captivated from the moment I heard the word Pothers. 00:02:36.049 --> 00:02:37.229 I'm like, what? 00:02:38.049 --> 00:02:43.369 And coming from a dog's point of view and I'm always speaking. 00:02:43.689 --> 00:02:47.709 I mean, Murphy, I usually am always saying what he's saying, you know, 00:02:47.709 --> 00:02:49.569 I just I'll have a voice for him. 00:02:49.579 --> 00:02:51.369 I just am always talking. 00:02:51.409 --> 00:02:52.569 Murphy is my dog. 00:02:52.619 --> 00:02:54.929 So that's how I found out about it. 00:02:54.929 --> 00:02:56.799 And I contacted Lonnie from there. 00:02:57.479 --> 00:02:58.249 Anke: Oh, I love that. 00:02:58.569 --> 00:03:01.739 See, I have a similar reaction because, you know, I mean, you 00:03:01.749 --> 00:03:04.719 would have seen it when you booked yourself in for the podcast, like 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:09.009 they're, You know, I call them their conversations with porcine humans, right? 00:03:09.409 --> 00:03:12.169 So, you know, when I'm seeing porthos, like it does have 00:03:12.209 --> 00:03:15.355 my attention 100 percent for 00:03:15.355 --> 00:03:16.338 Ellen: sure. 00:03:16.519 --> 00:03:20.739 I know, and I love the, I love the word possum too, you know. 00:03:20.779 --> 00:03:21.119 Yeah, 00:03:21.239 --> 00:03:22.969 Anke: and it's so, you know, it's so spot on. 00:03:22.969 --> 00:03:27.734 So, what was What was your experience? 00:03:27.734 --> 00:03:32.044 Because your perspective is a little bit different perhaps from, I don't know, from 00:03:32.044 --> 00:03:36.104 the four of us writing, but you wrote a story as well, so you wrote the foreword. 00:03:36.424 --> 00:03:38.444 So how does one go about writing a foreword? 00:03:38.454 --> 00:03:40.854 Like, you know, that feels kind of hard for me as well. 00:03:40.874 --> 00:03:42.308 I don't know, I've never written one. 00:03:42.309 --> 00:03:47.769 Ellen: It was my first time, so it was just kind of like, I, you know, I was 00:03:47.789 --> 00:03:53.499 given the number of words to use, you know, and so, and I, I've told the story 00:03:53.499 --> 00:03:58.929 about how Murphy arrived here, which is really my belief that, um, that this woman 00:03:58.929 --> 00:04:00.959 told me you can call your dog back in. 00:04:00.969 --> 00:04:03.329 She told me she'd had three dogs in this lifetime. 00:04:03.669 --> 00:04:07.869 And so I put a call out to the universe for one of my, I've always 00:04:07.869 --> 00:04:11.389 had terriers, so I put out, put out there for one of my past three 00:04:11.389 --> 00:04:13.199 favorite terriers to come back to me. 00:04:13.669 --> 00:04:19.339 And two months later Murphy showed up on a porch in June of 2012. 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:24.669 And, um, it was literally locking eyes with him and we've 00:04:24.669 --> 00:04:26.479 been inseparable ever since. 00:04:26.769 --> 00:04:28.929 I think he was about two when he arrived. 00:04:30.139 --> 00:04:34.189 I remember we had a drum circle that day and he just like 00:04:34.389 --> 00:04:36.499 was just completely chill. 00:04:36.579 --> 00:04:39.589 I have a yurt that we were doing drum circles in and he just 00:04:39.589 --> 00:04:43.474 like, He chilled out like he, he was there only all the time. 00:04:43.474 --> 00:04:44.994 Like he had always been there. 00:04:45.014 --> 00:04:47.124 There was never like getting used to anything. 00:04:47.124 --> 00:04:51.224 And I did make an agreement since he arrived off leash 00:04:51.244 --> 00:04:52.854 that he could be off leash. 00:04:52.964 --> 00:04:53.354 All the time. 00:04:53.374 --> 00:04:57.214 I'm on, I'm in gravel road, middle of nowhere, you know, 00:04:57.544 --> 00:04:58.944 as long as he came home. 00:04:58.994 --> 00:05:04.354 And so he has always been, cause I think that freedom of being able to come and go. 00:05:04.354 --> 00:05:07.339 So he just, He's usually like my shadow. 00:05:07.339 --> 00:05:11.449 So it's like, if he's not arms distance from me, where is he? 00:05:11.999 --> 00:05:14.919 And that's him thing to always be following me. 00:05:14.929 --> 00:05:15.309 So 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:19.929 Anke: that's, I mean, you know, you think if somebody has, has trouble, you 00:05:19.929 --> 00:05:25.538 know, it's almost like that whole idea of, of training a recall seems to be 00:05:25.539 --> 00:05:27.249 like totally ridiculous in that context. 00:05:27.449 --> 00:05:27.679 Right. 00:05:27.679 --> 00:05:30.349 So it's like, that's not something you've ever had to worry about. 00:05:31.339 --> 00:05:32.089 Ellen: Right now. 00:05:32.629 --> 00:05:34.429 I mean, he arrived. 00:05:34.714 --> 00:05:40.024 You know, at two, you know, potty trained, everything trained, just like it was, 00:05:40.034 --> 00:05:42.034 it was like, it was so delightful. 00:05:42.034 --> 00:05:43.764 It was such a magical connection. 00:05:43.764 --> 00:05:48.164 And I, I really feel he has the temperament of a dog named Rasta that 00:05:48.164 --> 00:05:52.194 used to work with me every day when I sold flour, I had a flour cart for four and a 00:05:52.194 --> 00:05:56.924 half years on a street corner in Portland, Oregon, across the country from here. 00:05:56.964 --> 00:06:01.764 And then, um, and he went to work with me every day and his temperament 00:06:01.764 --> 00:06:03.084 is very much like Murphy's. 00:06:03.964 --> 00:06:05.004 So is it him? 00:06:05.114 --> 00:06:09.564 I don't know, but I love that story about the woman that told me this. 00:06:09.574 --> 00:06:12.154 She said the dog, she's had the same dog three times. 00:06:12.534 --> 00:06:18.914 Every time she saw him that he would play in his water bowl with his front paws 00:06:19.214 --> 00:06:21.344 to confirm to her that it was him again. 00:06:21.914 --> 00:06:25.734 And, but she said she always recognized him by looking in his eyes anyway, 00:06:25.734 --> 00:06:27.264 but that was the confirmation. 00:06:27.264 --> 00:06:28.974 So I was blown away. 00:06:28.974 --> 00:06:33.074 I've never seen a dog play in its water bowl with its paws, so. 00:06:33.789 --> 00:06:34.719 Anke: That's incredible. 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:35.429 That's incredible. 00:06:35.689 --> 00:06:37.629 She reminds me of a book I read. 00:06:38.564 --> 00:06:41.844 I can't remember, like, yeah, I don't know, it's a long time ago, but it was 00:06:41.864 --> 00:06:47.284 basically, you know, several stories of a dog, of different dogs, you know, in 00:06:47.284 --> 00:06:50.934 different, you know, like one grows up with a family of little kids, the other 00:06:50.934 --> 00:06:55.704 one is, is just abandoned in the dirt somewhere, you know, the next one has 00:06:55.704 --> 00:07:02.589 this, this, um, um, asshole of an owner who was kind of really harsh with him and 00:07:02.969 --> 00:07:06.829 and so it's almost and you know you go all these and it's almost like one ends 00:07:06.869 --> 00:07:09.799 and then it's like and it's almost like the same like you're kind of a little 00:07:09.799 --> 00:07:13.619 bit irritated while you're reading it because you're a little bit like oh so 00:07:13.619 --> 00:07:17.739 he just got dropped off school and now it's like something you know and then 00:07:18.009 --> 00:07:22.159 throughout the book it becomes apparent that it's actually always the same soul 00:07:22.159 --> 00:07:26.449 it's always the same dog Having like these different, different lives in 00:07:26.449 --> 00:07:30.669 different kind of circumstances, that like really reminds me of what, you 00:07:30.669 --> 00:07:35.009 know, just popped to mind when you were saying that it's so, so yeah, there's, 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:36.689 I don't know, it's an interesting one. 00:07:36.719 --> 00:07:39.369 We'll never know for sure, but I think we'll know enough. 00:07:39.504 --> 00:07:42.874 To kind of really feel it. 00:07:43.404 --> 00:07:47.864 Ellen: So whatever, he's the most awesome possum dog I've ever had. 00:07:48.034 --> 00:07:50.864 So that's like, I'm blessed and great. 00:07:51.494 --> 00:07:52.844 He's 14 and healthy. 00:07:52.844 --> 00:07:56.404 Still can walk three miles a day without, without any effort. 00:07:56.404 --> 00:07:57.544 So I'm good 00:07:57.734 --> 00:07:57.964 Anke: with that. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:04.289 I mean, I guess having this, you know, you think when I'm picturing, you know, 00:08:04.289 --> 00:08:09.499 and I've seen just photos of your space there and, and I'm like, well, okay. 00:08:09.499 --> 00:08:13.829 If you're a dog off leash, they're coming, you know, with that agency, 00:08:13.829 --> 00:08:15.339 with that, like, yeah, you get. 00:08:15.859 --> 00:08:18.238 to do whatever the heck you want to do. 00:08:18.239 --> 00:08:20.729 It was like, well, yeah, you know, not hard to see why 00:08:23.489 --> 00:08:29.459 So it's a, seems to be like a heavenly life for a dog, but for people as well. 00:08:29.489 --> 00:08:29.719 Right? 00:08:29.739 --> 00:08:34.169 Tell, tell me a little bit more about what kind of retreats you run there, like 00:08:34.209 --> 00:08:38.589 who comes there, what do, what are people looking for when they come to your place? 00:08:38.859 --> 00:08:42.259 Ellen: I would say a lot of the people, you know, they put on yoga 00:08:42.269 --> 00:08:45.289 retreats, meditation retreats. 00:08:45.749 --> 00:08:48.289 Also, we do plant medicine retreats. 00:08:48.849 --> 00:08:51.939 Um, there's a person that comes all the time for that as well. 00:08:52.549 --> 00:08:55.689 And, you know, a lot of times it can be like family get togethers. 00:08:55.689 --> 00:08:59.979 There's a lot of wedding venues around here, so a lot of times the, the bridal 00:08:59.979 --> 00:09:05.469 party and the groom's parties will stay in two different houses and, or, yeah, it's 00:09:05.469 --> 00:09:10.729 a, it's a great place, especially for kids because Literally, I'm on a gravel road, 00:09:10.729 --> 00:09:15.239 so they can really run around and play without any, you don't have to have fear 00:09:15.239 --> 00:09:17.049 about, are they going to be okay outside? 00:09:18.319 --> 00:09:18.739 Anke: I love that. 00:09:19.139 --> 00:09:24.149 And you were sharing something during the writing weekend we had that, that you've 00:09:24.179 --> 00:09:30.189 had kind of dogs who came all sort of anxious from the, from, from city life. 00:09:30.549 --> 00:09:33.289 And, you know, yeah, tell me how they 00:09:34.089 --> 00:09:34.629 Ellen: experience it. 00:09:34.989 --> 00:09:38.139 You know, I think we're so much like our animals. 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:42.319 And so if we are In a state of stress, if we live in the city and we're 00:09:42.319 --> 00:09:46.869 stressed out and our dogs pick up on that and they just, they really 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:49.939 mirror, I think, our emotions so much. 00:09:49.989 --> 00:09:54.419 And I literally have seen dogs come here and they're like all hyped up 00:09:54.419 --> 00:09:57.039 and they're on a leash and they're pulling and they're la la la la la. 00:09:57.479 --> 00:10:03.649 And, um, I used to have two other dogs on the property who were also extremely chill 00:10:03.659 --> 00:10:08.619 like Murphy is, and I think the dogs would look at them and they were, you know, just 00:10:08.619 --> 00:10:11.199 wandering, none of them on leashes ever. 00:10:11.779 --> 00:10:14.559 And the dogs, I think, would just go, what? 00:10:15.054 --> 00:10:18.544 Like, there's another way I can be in the world, because they didn't know that. 00:10:18.754 --> 00:10:21.604 You know, they're in the city, they're on their leash, they're walking, 00:10:21.604 --> 00:10:23.384 they're passing other dogs on leashes. 00:10:23.384 --> 00:10:27.904 There's no freedom just to play and to be, and that they don't 00:10:27.914 --> 00:10:30.414 have to be all anxious and stuff. 00:10:30.414 --> 00:10:34.054 And I literally have seen dogs completely chill out and mellow. 00:10:34.784 --> 00:10:38.794 And I have four dogs on the property right now, and I've told them to go and sit over 00:10:38.794 --> 00:10:44.809 there, two of them are German Shepherds, and the other one I'm rescuing them from 00:10:44.809 --> 00:10:49.299 the, there's huge devastation up in the Asheville area from the hurricane, and 00:10:49.299 --> 00:10:52.599 they're from Black Mountain and they still don't have electricity or water and stuff. 00:10:52.599 --> 00:10:57.189 So they've been here a couple of weeks now, and they have four dogs with them so 00:10:57.189 --> 00:11:01.629 I want them to take them and just sit, I told her to sit by the vortex with them 00:11:01.659 --> 00:11:06.509 and just see if they energetically just start mellowing out a little bit more. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:07.719 Anke: Yeah. 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:13.679 I mean, it's, it's I think, I don't know, I started off like when I was 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:18.119 living in, when I had the first couple of dogs, I was living in the historic 00:11:18.169 --> 00:11:24.459 part of Granada, in this little town here, and it was, you know, and you 00:11:24.459 --> 00:11:25.819 know what it's like, it's beautiful. 00:11:25.849 --> 00:11:27.529 And, you know, Mr. 00:11:27.529 --> 00:11:31.979 Hypersensitive, uh, Kai, wasn't doing well, you know, and it took me a while 00:11:31.979 --> 00:11:37.034 to catch on because he was just like, it's you saying like, Like, you know, 00:11:37.034 --> 00:11:40.364 like a wire up his butt, the whole time. 00:11:40.364 --> 00:11:44.034 He was like, you know, and so never, he could never, and he didn't 00:11:44.034 --> 00:11:45.614 really, and that was the thing. 00:11:45.624 --> 00:11:48.824 Like, I didn't even, uh, and it's funny, actually, like I 00:11:48.824 --> 00:11:49.984 talk about that in the book. 00:11:50.014 --> 00:11:51.314 It's like, I couldn't even. 00:11:51.674 --> 00:11:55.700 I didn't even realize, I didn't realize and certainly he didn't realize that 00:11:55.700 --> 00:12:00.994 there was a different way of being until we went on a holiday where we had 00:12:01.054 --> 00:12:05.584 this house with a garden, you know, and there's a room and there were, there was 00:12:05.584 --> 00:12:11.694 plants, it wasn't just like cobblestones and walls and, and it made just such a 00:12:11.814 --> 00:12:17.304 massive difference that, I mean, that's the thing, it works for us, it works 00:12:17.314 --> 00:12:19.374 for dogs, right, to kind of have that. 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:25.839 time and space to take in the environment and be able to move freely. 00:12:25.849 --> 00:12:27.619 It's just life changing. 00:12:27.969 --> 00:12:31.039 And it's almost like, you know, now I go back and that's the thing, like 00:12:31.059 --> 00:12:34.759 I'm living somewhere where it's like super chill, super laid back and, 00:12:35.119 --> 00:12:37.789 and, you know, nature and ocean. 00:12:37.829 --> 00:12:41.689 And, and so I go back to Granada now and I'm like, well, I'm 00:12:41.689 --> 00:12:42.979 feeling kind of all tense. 00:12:42.989 --> 00:12:46.259 Like I, I like literally, I never felt it when I was there. 00:12:46.609 --> 00:12:52.109 You know, if I go back to Granada or, like, bigger places, it's like Okay, 00:12:52.109 --> 00:12:55.709 this is all right for a day or two, but I could not live here anymore 00:12:55.729 --> 00:13:01.369 because I think you just sort of get used to a different energy and around. 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:05.979 So you, you do, do you do like retreats that are specifically for, you know, 00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:10.699 people like stressed out dogs or stressed out people with dogs or something? 00:13:10.779 --> 00:13:11.389 I mean, you could. 00:13:11.439 --> 00:13:14.179 Ellen: I think that would be something that I should look into. 00:13:14.219 --> 00:13:16.909 You know, I'm doing a woman's empowerment retreat. 00:13:17.464 --> 00:13:22.244 That's a treat that I personally and a friend and I put on twice a year. 00:13:22.254 --> 00:13:27.934 And so I have that going on, but I've, you know, I think of a dog one, a dog and 00:13:27.954 --> 00:13:30.674 owner, you know, are you totally stressed? 00:13:30.684 --> 00:13:35.624 Like come for the weekend and just, and just watch because, um, labyrinths 00:13:35.674 --> 00:13:38.474 also are used for dog training. 00:13:38.964 --> 00:13:42.424 And if you walk a labyrinth with the dog, it balances the, the 00:13:42.624 --> 00:13:44.164 both hemispheres of the brain. 00:13:44.789 --> 00:13:46.879 Cause you're going left to right and winding. 00:13:47.229 --> 00:13:50.519 And that a lot of times they use, I've heard they use labyrinths 00:13:50.529 --> 00:13:54.629 for dog training to help them calm and balance out their brains. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:58.159 So that could be a, we could do a labyrinth walk with the dogs, you know. 00:13:58.719 --> 00:14:01.119 So thank you for that idea, Anke, because I 00:14:01.269 --> 00:14:05.329 Anke: think, I think, you know, I mean, there's, I think there's several kind of 00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:10.229 things you can risk because one of it is this like, yeah, if your dog's stressed, 00:14:10.299 --> 00:14:14.539 chances are you're not chilled out either, you know, so there's that, you know, 00:14:14.569 --> 00:14:20.919 and the other part is, if you, you know, if, if I'm now going and thinking, oh, 00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:22.769 yeah, that retreat, that would be lovely. 00:14:23.349 --> 00:14:23.869 Yeah. 00:14:23.909 --> 00:14:25.849 But now I have to find somewhere for the dogs. 00:14:27.289 --> 00:14:32.829 So then all of a sudden, like, I probably won't go to the retreat because if that 00:14:32.829 --> 00:14:38.309 means now I have to find like a kennel or a doggy hotel or somebody I trust. 00:14:38.479 --> 00:14:40.679 And I'm like, yeah, I'm not easy with that. 00:14:41.779 --> 00:14:45.599 So it's like, if, if there was a retreat where it says, 00:14:45.599 --> 00:14:47.329 well, okay, you can come here. 00:14:47.524 --> 00:14:53.514 To ground yourself, to do whatever the thing but like bring your dog 00:14:53.604 --> 00:14:58.544 and and reconnect to nature and and kind of calm the whole nervousness 00:14:58.604 --> 00:15:02.874 like I feel in that car so fast you can't you couldn't look twice you 00:15:02.874 --> 00:15:05.294 know because it does It does give me 00:15:07.704 --> 00:15:11.934 space to be with the dogs, not just to have the dogs around, but to actually 00:15:12.004 --> 00:15:14.314 be with them and be with them in nature. 00:15:14.344 --> 00:15:17.374 It like, it sounds like most delightful to me. 00:15:17.844 --> 00:15:20.974 And I would guess that probably would be other people. 00:15:21.864 --> 00:15:22.484 Ellen: I love it. 00:15:22.504 --> 00:15:26.334 Well, I'm going to put that idea out there because I love that, you know, I 00:15:26.364 --> 00:15:30.164 think that that I hadn't even thought of that, but I have witnessed it. 00:15:30.574 --> 00:15:33.464 And I know people love to be able to go on vacation with their dog. 00:15:33.494 --> 00:15:37.894 I mean, I love being dog friendly, because that's, I've always been a dog person. 00:15:37.894 --> 00:15:39.014 I never had kids. 00:15:39.634 --> 00:15:44.704 And I really, I just always, most people that travel, I'd say almost 00:15:44.724 --> 00:15:48.004 everyone that travels with their dog, the dog is well behaved. 00:15:48.509 --> 00:15:51.139 You know, you're not going to be traveling with the dog that you have 00:15:51.139 --> 00:15:53.259 to worry about only all the time. 00:15:53.299 --> 00:15:55.949 I mean, some people do, but it's like majority of people 00:15:55.949 --> 00:15:57.649 traveling with their pets. 00:15:57.649 --> 00:16:02.589 The pets are, they're well maintained, they're well kept, they're, you know, so 00:16:02.929 --> 00:16:08.359 I've had no issues for, I've been here 18 years and I've always been pet friendly. 00:16:09.689 --> 00:16:13.049 Anke: But I think like really having that focus on, you know, 00:16:13.049 --> 00:16:14.749 so what's, what's an offer. 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:20.399 It's not the yoga, the, the, the, you, it's almost like what you 00:16:20.439 --> 00:16:24.739 come here for is quality time with your dog, you know, in nature. 00:16:26.269 --> 00:16:28.189 Yeah, I think it's a good idea. 00:16:28.809 --> 00:16:28.959 I love it. 00:16:30.259 --> 00:16:33.329 I guess you can always tack on a yoga class or like a meditation. 00:16:33.389 --> 00:16:38.369 Like you can do these things, but, but almost like bring the, you know, the, 00:16:38.389 --> 00:16:42.869 the, the objective, the whole, the whole thing, the reason people come is to 00:16:42.869 --> 00:16:46.619 spend quality time with their dogs, you know, and that's like, if you're busy, 00:16:47.009 --> 00:16:49.809 you know, busy city person, you know, 00:16:52.769 --> 00:16:54.089 Ellen: I love that, Anke. 00:16:54.089 --> 00:16:55.379 Thank you for that idea. 00:16:55.429 --> 00:16:58.609 I mean, there's, you know, I keep looking at this because it really, 00:16:59.009 --> 00:17:05.834 this collaboration with this book of meeting I mean, and I love the 00:17:05.864 --> 00:17:12.094 intimacy of it being basically, is it five or six, six of us, right? 00:17:12.144 --> 00:17:13.184 Yeah, with Lonnie, 00:17:13.194 --> 00:17:15.644 Anke: Lonnie, you and, and, and our school. 00:17:15.704 --> 00:17:18.914 Yeah, it was just six of us, which I thought was beautiful. 00:17:19.524 --> 00:17:20.434 Ellen: I did too. 00:17:20.454 --> 00:17:22.624 You know, at first I was like, Oh, we need to have more writers. 00:17:22.644 --> 00:17:23.724 And I was like, no, we don't. 00:17:24.054 --> 00:17:25.014 It's like perfect. 00:17:25.044 --> 00:17:26.704 It's divinely perfect. 00:17:26.734 --> 00:17:31.724 And, and everybody to me, everybody's energy just matched so beautifully 00:17:32.114 --> 00:17:36.584 that it was just, it just wove this beautiful picture of creativity. 00:17:36.584 --> 00:17:41.814 And every time I was on, you know, just tapping into the zoom 00:17:41.814 --> 00:17:44.044 where everybody was, I just felt. 00:17:44.224 --> 00:17:49.164 enlightened and, and just energized from just the magic that was 00:17:49.164 --> 00:17:51.084 created by the energy of everyone, 00:17:51.534 --> 00:17:52.034 Anke: um, 00:17:52.234 --> 00:17:53.144 Ellen: that chose We felt that 00:17:53.174 --> 00:17:55.514 Anke: too, totally, totally. 00:17:55.994 --> 00:18:00.384 And it was almost like, you know, what I found really amazing was when, when 00:18:00.384 --> 00:18:04.374 we met last on, on Saturday, right? 00:18:04.604 --> 00:18:09.629 So it was like, I can't even, I looked back on my calendar and I'm thinking, I 00:18:09.809 --> 00:18:14.499 had that first call with Lonnie like two weeks earlier, you know, it almost felt 00:18:14.569 --> 00:18:20.369 like as if we'd been in this tight knit group for a long, long time, you know, 00:18:20.369 --> 00:18:26.519 like it didn't feel like we were Yeah, it was that from stranger to family in this 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:30.259 like instantly condensed kind of space. 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:30.499 Yeah. 00:18:30.529 --> 00:18:30.679 And 00:18:30.679 --> 00:18:32.349 Ellen: I love when that happens. 00:18:32.419 --> 00:18:36.979 And what was beautiful about it was like, we all felt the same energy of that. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:39.469 It was like, it's like, okay, here we are. 00:18:40.104 --> 00:18:41.704 Strangers, but not strangers. 00:18:41.704 --> 00:18:42.654 We're family now. 00:18:42.654 --> 00:18:44.774 We've been together five minutes and we're family. 00:18:45.294 --> 00:18:45.564 Anke: Yeah. 00:18:46.094 --> 00:18:47.964 I mean, you know, animals do that. 00:18:48.224 --> 00:18:49.884 Like dogs and cats really help with that. 00:18:50.284 --> 00:18:54.264 You know, I think that they have a lot, they have a lot to do with that. 00:18:54.494 --> 00:18:58.474 I remember when I first got Leo, it was like within two weeks, I met more of my 00:18:58.474 --> 00:19:02.033 neighbors than in the six months before. 00:19:02.034 --> 00:19:03.894 Like nobody was interested in meeting me. 00:19:03.914 --> 00:19:09.009 But when I had cute little puppy there, You know, boom, conversation, you 00:19:09.009 --> 00:19:14.209 know, I think the connection where we had that golden thread of, you know, 00:19:15.009 --> 00:19:19.719 love and lessons and, you know, loss sometimes, sometimes not, but we've 00:19:19.729 --> 00:19:22.479 all had experiences of, of loss. 00:19:23.334 --> 00:19:24.394 in some form. 00:19:24.644 --> 00:19:28.374 So I think there was this really, that the stories were different, like we're 00:19:28.374 --> 00:19:32.384 like extremely different when you think about it, you know, like the way we're all 00:19:32.384 --> 00:19:35.944 different places, like really different types of personality as well, different 00:19:35.944 --> 00:19:40.154 writing styles, which I like too, you know, and also the book's not that big. 00:19:40.434 --> 00:19:44.774 If it's just, you know, you think you don't have to go through like 500 pages of 00:19:44.774 --> 00:19:47.194 people waffling on about the thing, right? 00:19:47.194 --> 00:19:51.583 So it's these short, yeah, it's like not this. 00:19:51.944 --> 00:19:52.994 It's drawn out. 00:19:53.154 --> 00:19:57.904 It's a really quick read and you can kind of get the tissues out really fast. 00:19:59.844 --> 00:20:05.484 Ellen: It's a quick read and I think, you know, basically any dog lover, 00:20:05.854 --> 00:20:11.424 any dog lover, animal lover, will be inspired and it will, it opens your 00:20:11.434 --> 00:20:16.064 heart and you, it doesn't matter the length of it, it's just like, oh my god, 00:20:16.104 --> 00:20:20.684 these are fantastic stories and I feel inspired and I love this book and I want 00:20:20.684 --> 00:20:26.194 to share and give it to my best friends because any dog lover would love it. 00:20:26.404 --> 00:20:27.024 I mean, just. 00:20:27.389 --> 00:20:29.209 In my eyes. 00:20:29.869 --> 00:20:30.859 Anke: Yeah, in mine too. 00:20:30.899 --> 00:20:36.929 And my hope really is that, that people read through this and think, 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:41.929 oh, almost like I'll never look at my dog the same again, you know, because 00:20:42.299 --> 00:20:44.349 that sense of, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:20:44.349 --> 00:20:48.899 You know, like they get a lot more than we give them credit for, you know. 00:20:48.909 --> 00:20:53.439 So I think, yeah, if I had one wish for the book, it's like, yeah, I would want 00:20:53.499 --> 00:20:56.539 people to look at their animals with. 00:20:57.239 --> 00:20:58.069 With more, 00:20:58.679 --> 00:20:59.348 Ellen: you know, a little 00:20:59.349 --> 00:21:01.929 Anke: more respect, more, more, you know, 00:21:03.379 --> 00:21:03.649 Ellen: more 00:21:03.649 --> 00:21:04.729 Anke: admiration, perhaps. 00:21:06.089 --> 00:21:10.579 Ellen: You said at one point, Anke, was that, um, that, you know, the 00:21:10.579 --> 00:21:15.499 whole thing about that we, as humans, think that dogs should strictly learn 00:21:15.499 --> 00:21:20.889 our language, but really looking at it is like, they're our teacher. 00:21:21.314 --> 00:21:24.864 We get to learn their language and learn their cues. 00:21:24.914 --> 00:21:30.404 And just because we're humans doesn't mean we're the most evolved race. 00:21:30.434 --> 00:21:32.644 And they have a lot to teach us. 00:21:33.074 --> 00:21:37.264 I mean, they are the epitome of what unconditional love 00:21:37.334 --> 00:21:39.044 and forgiveness looks like. 00:21:39.264 --> 00:21:44.404 And those are two absolute spiritual practices to me that is just 00:21:44.404 --> 00:21:48.464 like, alright, you've got It's like, they're the great example. 00:21:48.464 --> 00:21:50.114 Anke: Yeah, I couldn't agree 00:21:50.114 --> 00:21:50.484 Ellen: more. 00:21:50.954 --> 00:21:55.444 That in English, you know, dog is God spelled backwards, hello. 00:21:55.854 --> 00:21:56.594 Yeah, no, 00:21:57.484 --> 00:21:58.694 Anke: no coincidence there. 00:22:00.374 --> 00:22:00.754 Yeah. 00:22:01.184 --> 00:22:06.284 I mean, and that's like, look, this, this very blatant that, hey, they've got way 00:22:06.284 --> 00:22:08.574 more to teach us than to learn from us. 00:22:08.574 --> 00:22:12.044 That's at the heart, that's, that's, to spread that message. 00:22:12.144 --> 00:22:13.904 That's why I created Soul Touched by Dogs. 00:22:13.924 --> 00:22:16.024 That's where that, that's what that's all about really. 00:22:16.044 --> 00:22:18.674 And I've never heard 00:22:18.674 --> 00:22:20.464 Ellen: that and I love that. 00:22:20.464 --> 00:22:22.094 I think that is just brilliant. 00:22:22.474 --> 00:22:23.064 I do. 00:22:23.104 --> 00:22:24.224 I just love it. 00:22:24.384 --> 00:22:24.954 So, 00:22:25.284 --> 00:22:26.414 Anke: well, thank you so much. 00:22:26.444 --> 00:22:31.444 Where can people go and find out more about you and get in touch and, you 00:22:31.444 --> 00:22:32.774 know, come to your doggy retreat. 00:22:36.059 --> 00:22:40.259 Ellen: Um, you can look at my website, sacredgroveretreat. 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:44.279 com, but I can send you, if you want me to send you, I mean my, you 00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:49.469 can send me a message on there says contact or send a message or whatever. 00:22:49.929 --> 00:22:53.879 Or I can also, I'm on LinkedIn, Ellen Whiteside on LinkedIn. 00:22:54.704 --> 00:22:57.674 And um, that's how people can get in touch with me. 00:22:57.714 --> 00:23:02.144 And I'd love to have anyone come with their pet because I am pet friendly 00:23:02.144 --> 00:23:03.824 and I'm having a special right now. 00:23:04.254 --> 00:23:10.624 So if you, complimentary, whoop, complimentary night stay. 00:23:11.294 --> 00:23:15.324 If you stay three nights, you get the fourth night free. 00:23:15.674 --> 00:23:18.824 And on the back, which is hard to see, is the list. 00:23:18.904 --> 00:23:22.374 It has a picture of all the different places to stay. 00:23:22.804 --> 00:23:23.574 Anke: Oh, awesome. 00:23:23.574 --> 00:23:23.884 Awesome. 00:23:24.104 --> 00:23:26.674 Do you have a, do you have like this in a, in a, in an electronic 00:23:26.674 --> 00:23:28.074 format or do I have that? 00:23:28.074 --> 00:23:29.154 Well, can you send it to me? 00:23:29.154 --> 00:23:30.664 Then I can include it in the shout outs. 00:23:31.374 --> 00:23:31.754 Ellen: Okay. 00:23:31.874 --> 00:23:34.264 I will send, I'll take a picture and send it to you. 00:23:35.104 --> 00:23:35.914 Anke: That, that would be awesome. 00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:38.279 Because then it's like, because I don't know how it's going to come 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:41.229 out on the, on the video, whether that's going to be clear and big 00:23:41.229 --> 00:23:42.479 enough for people to scan in. 00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:46.389 So if you have it, then we'll, you know, obviously the, the links, everything, 00:23:46.389 --> 00:23:49.549 if you watch it on YouTube, it's going to be below and on the podcast, it's 00:23:49.549 --> 00:23:51.119 going to be in the show notes, of course. 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:55.059 So we're going to make it easy, get in touch with Ellen and, uh, 00:23:55.109 --> 00:23:58.539 you know, like take your time out in this magical, magical place. 00:23:58.809 --> 00:24:00.119 Thank you so much for coming. 00:24:00.469 --> 00:24:03.629 And I can't wait to connect with you again. 00:24:04.289 --> 00:24:05.159 Ellen: Thank you so much. 00:24:05.159 --> 00:24:06.689 It was such a pleasure to be here. 00:24:08.949 --> 00:24:10.179 Thanks so much for listening. 00:24:10.699 --> 00:24:14.999 If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to subscribe, and leave a review so 00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:16.879 other dog lovers can find the show. 00:24:17.669 --> 00:24:21.159 If you haven't already, head over to soul touched by dogs. 00:24:21.589 --> 00:24:27.159 com and sign up for weekly doggy cuteness tips, recommendations, and personal 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:29.629 stories to warm your dog loving heart. 00:24:29.629 --> 00:24:33.359 And if you know a pawsome human you think I should interview, 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:34.919 I'd love an introduction. 00:24:35.399 --> 00:24:37.229 Email me at Anke. 00:24:37.499 --> 00:24:41.734 That's A N k E at Soul touched by dogs.com.