My Constant Companion
Kodi came into my life during my senior year of college, just as I was beginning to discover who I was and what I wanted from life. Looking back, it feels as though we grew into adulthood together. He became my constant companion, joining me on cross-country road trips, new adventures, and nearly every major chapter of my life.
Kodi and I crossed North America together again and again. We lived in Guadalajara, spent months in Alaska, trained in Texas, explored New Orleans more than once, and eventually settled in California. Most of those journeys were just the two of us. We camped our way across the country, discovering new trails, unfamiliar towns, and countless places I'd never have experienced without him beside me.
Learning to Slow Down
When we lived in Guadalajara, Mexico, summer rain arrived almost every afternoon like clockwork. We'd usually wait until the storms passed before heading out for a walk. The streets smelled fresh, the flowers the city is known for seemed impossibly vibrant, and those quiet evenings became some of my most treasured memories. Kodi had a way of slowing me down just enough to notice the world around us.
The Power of Feeling Safe
Back in New York, I began working as a respite counselor with children who had experienced trauma and emotional challenges. One of the boys I met with each week rarely spoke. He was kind, but distant, and no matter what we did together, he seemed content to keep the world at arm's length.
One day, I received permission to bring Kodi along to one of our sessions.
The moment the boy climbed into the back seat and saw him, everything changed. Kodi rested his head on the boy's shoulder like they had known each other for years. In turn, the boy wrapped his arms around Kodi's soft fur, smiled from ear to ear, and spent the afternoon talking, laughing, and running down the beach beside him. At one point I think I heard him quietly whisper the words, “I love you.” It was as though Kodi had quietly unlocked a door no one else had been able to open.
That day stayed with me. Kodi had an extraordinary ability to help others feel safe. He didn't ask for attention or try to win people over. His calm, steady presence simply invited connection.
Finding My Path
A few years later, Kodi and I found ourselves living on a small boat in Alaska. It became one of the most defining seasons of our journey together.
While we were there, I read The Alchemist. One idea from the book has stayed with me ever since: that each of us has a Personal Legend — a unique path we're meant to discover and follow.
I found myself thinking about that idea often as Kodi and I explored Alaska together. He greeted every experience with a joy and curiosity that was contagious. We hiked remote trails, swam in cold mountain lakes, and wandered through landscapes I never imagined I'd see. Seeing Alaska through Kodi's eyes made even ordinary days feel like an adventure.
Hiking Deer Mountain in Ketchikan, Alaska. Where I did my best thinking.
As we explored Alaska together, I found myself wondering what life would look like after this chapter ended. Would I find a path that felt as meaningful and alive as the one we were living now?
On nearly every hike, I asked myself the same question:
What do I want my future to look like?
I somehow believed that if I kept asking it often enough, the answer would eventually come.
It didn't come on a mountaintop.
It came as I was packing my car to leave Alaska.
A woman named Kim, who worked at the local gift shop, had spent enough time with Kodi and me to see the relationship we had built together. As she said goodbye, she asked if I had ever considered staying.
“What would I do?” I asked.
She smiled. “I'll hire you to train my two Labs.”
It was such a simple conversation, but it stopped me in my tracks. In that moment, I realized that what Kodi and I had built together didn't have to end when we left Alaska. It could become the foundation for everything that came next.
Kodi had already shown me the path. I just didn't realize it until that moment.
Respect Has to Flow Both Ways
Kodi continued to remind me the importance of slowing down. During one cross-country drive, I became so focused on making miles that our days grew longer and our breaks became shorter. Eventually, he simply refused to get back into the car.
I remember feeling frustrated.
Looking back, I think he was frustrated with me too.
It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize he wasn't being difficult. He was communicating something, and I wasn't listening.
On the drive home, I did things differently. We traveled on Kodi's timeline. We stopped often, wandered new trails, explored little towns. The journey became just as important as the destination.
Taking a needed break in Seattle in Golden Gardens Park. A good reminder that slowing down is good for our dogs, and good for us.
We found our rhythm again.
He became my emotional barometer. His confidence, curiosity, and willingness to engage reflected how well I was meeting his needs. When he became “defiant” or “disobedient,” something was missing.
Like every dog, Kodi wasn't perfect. He experienced periods of separation anxiety and periods of reactivity. But those challenges never defined him, or our relationship, because we always had something to return to: trust, communication, and a calm emotional foundation.
Kodi gave me a sense of safety that allowed me to be calm, curious, and fully present in the world. He opened doors to a life of exploration and adventure in a way that nourished my soul.
Looking back, I realize our relationship could never have become what it was if I had seen Kodi's behavior as something to fix. His behavior was communication. When he was thriving, I learned from that. When he struggled, I learned from that too. Every challenge became an opportunity to better understand him, to help him.
That relationship changed my life. The Base Training Method™ grew from the hope that every dog and every owner can experience that same kind of connection.