Life lessons from getting a dog

irisjonsthovel
Nov 2, 2025
4 min read

An illustration of a circle of fruit and veggies.

It’s been a while since my last letter, and I’m excited to reconnect and share why. October has been beautiful here, with the garden turning orange and yellow, and I was a little sad to see this golden month draw to a close. But October also brought about a pretty big life change that has made me very, very happy…

If you read my previous blog, you might remember me talking about maybe, one day, owning a dog. Well… that “one day” arrived sooner than expected!

Meet Ziggy!

A golden Australian Cobberdog lying on the floor of a living room, surrounded by some dog toys.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that this month would quietly come with a handful of life lessons from getting a dog. Let me share with you how this all came to be and my experiences so far.

The joy of an unplanned decision

A few weeks ago, Kjeld and I found ourselves driving home with this small, fluffy Australian Cobberdog. We were actually looking for an older dog to adopt, because we’re practical people and figured a house-trained dog would be a lot less trouble than a puppy. Somehow, we ended up with a seven-week-old puppy who was advertised as seven months old. (Yes, that’s quite a difference.)

We visited him on a Sunday, fell in love instantly (obviously), and by Wednesday he was sleeping in the crate we had bought just the day before. We were in many ways not ready for a puppy, but here we are. You could say it was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions that make you question your sanity halfway through, but I’m so glad we did it. Because as it turns out, I really like the puppy phase. Except for the sharp teeth. And the biting.

Dogs make your life more joyful

A few years ago, I read a list of twenty things that supposedly make you less stressed and generally happier. Owning a dog was high on that list, for two big reasons: they make you live in the present and give you a loyal companion for life. Walks, training, potty breaks... these practical, everyday rituals apparently pull you out of overthinking and into the moment. Turns out, that theory holds up in real life! Somewhere in this past month, it became clear to me how getting a dog changed my life.

How getting a dog changed my life

Ziggy has completely reshaped my days. I’m outside at all hours, which means I get to watch frost form on the grass, feel the temperature shift by the hour, and see both sunrise and sunset, all while following one very excited little muppet. I also have to monitor how many sticks, acorns, stones, and unidentified objects end up in his mouth (and somehow get them out again) on every single outing. It’s both exciting and terrifying, and every day feels like a crash course in patience and delight.

My hands are covered in scratches, and my voice now has a specific tone reserved for saying “drop it” seventy times a day. But it’s all part of the training process, for both him and us. We went all in on crate training and potty training from day one, and I have to say, it’s been a success so far. We’ve become slightly obsessed with reading and watching everything about puppy behaviour, learning how to help him regulate his energy and, of course, how to buy his love with food and snacks.

I’m hopeful about what a dog might bring to feeling more at home here in Norway. Practical hopes include meeting neighbours during walks, joining a puppy class, getting to know other owners, and building small daily rituals that connect me more to this neighbourhood. I’ve already had the little social nudges - random chats and shared tips - that seem to come naturally when you’re walking around with the little guy.

A picture of a woman in hiking outfit, surrounded by a lush green red valley full of trees.

Making plans for the months ahead

Next to all this puppy work, most of my energy for Alta lately has gone into 1:1 sessions. I’ve been guiding people to design their lives with more clarity and intention, and I still find it fascinating how powerful design thinking can be when applied to life. The other day, one of my clients told me she had to explain to her HR department why she wanted my help instead of a therapist. She said, “I can talk about things for hours, but that doesn’t get me anywhere. I prefer a structured design approach over endless talking because I need concrete steps to move forward.” That felt validating and it’s exactly why I love what I do: turning conversation into a practical plan people can use straight away.

I’ll be using the last two months of the year to make a plan for expanding Alta into the movement space as well. When I started Alta four years ago, I imagined it as a place where a healthy body and creative mind go hand in hand. This year, that vision has started to take shape: I got my STOTT Reformer Pilates certification in July and have been teaching since. I’m still in the dreaming phase of how to bring those worlds closer together, but it looks like I’ll be offering 1:1 Pilates sessions from my home studio in the new year. That thought alone makes me excited for what’s next!

A small prompt to go from thinking to doing

To wrap up, here’s a little prompt I’d like to share with you — one to get out of your head and into doing mode:

Name two character traits you're not fond of about yourself.
Write down the two opposite traits you’d prefer.
List two small actions you can do today that move you a tiny step toward those preferred traits.

In addition to this prompt, here’s a link to the short YouTube video I made last year that walks through a simple, practical way to move from idea to action.

Okay, I won’t keep you much longer, may November bring you joy and ease!

Warmly,

Iris

1:1 Get Unstuck Sessions ♡

♡ Tidying your headspace with me ♡

Over the course of 1.5 month I will personally guide you in bringing structure to your mind and creating a more fulfilling (work) life. We will do this with the help of: