Dog Appreciation

Have you stopped recently to appreciate what your dog teaches you?

Yes, our dogs teach us many things.

I will start with unconditional love.  Every dog owner knows the exuberant greeting received each and everytime you come home.  You do not even have to leave home to be greeted with such love; just call your dog's name in a happy voice and she is there radiating affection.

Dogs teach us the experience of joy. Every morning as we begin our walk, Ebony is bounding with pure joy. She reminds me that life is to be joyfully experienced no matter what.  Do you find joy in your life and allow it to flow through you?

Dogs have been considered the servant of humanity throughout history. A reminder of the importance of serving others or humanity in some way.

A dog embodies the loving gentleness of best friend and the half-wild protector energy of territorial imperative. They have that ability to sense postive or negative energy.  Are you aware of vibrational energy?

Dogs can be comforting and a companion when needed.  They are healers in the true sense just by their presence.  Our Comfort Care Therapy Progam at Hospice has a Animal Assisted Therapist on the team.

Dogs can put a smile on your face through action or deed.  They can be outrageously funny.  A great reminder to laugh on a regular basis.......it is good for you!

STOP what you are doing right now.
  Tell your dog, THANK YOU!

"Time to Walk!" Says my dog

This morning I looked at the thermometer and it read 29 degrees. The sun was shining and I decided to postpone our morning walk until it warmed up a bit.

Ebony has full freedom of several acres of woods, but loves her morning walk with me. She looks like a small Black Lab, but Ebony is part Border Collie and they are task masters. She does not like it when her morning walks are delayed and will let me know by "THE LOOK."

Ebony came to the door this morning and "THE LOOK" was intense! It was nearly 10am and we have not walked, yet. I quickly got my camera as I have been trying to photograph her expressing her feelings.

Please excuse the nose prints on the window.

Here is "THE LOOK" that says, "Time to walk!"

Music for Dogs?

Recently, I discovered a new music CD called Music My Pet. It was developed for the specific purpose of calming our pets and the science behind it is very sound. It re-orchestrates classical pieces by popular composers like Bach, Beethoven and Brahms using the instruments, sounds and musical dynamics proven to calm dogs, cats and other household pets.

To be an effective relaxation tool, it is said that music must have a consistently smooth, soothing dynamic from start to finish with no abrupt changes in tempo, volume or rhythm. Radio broadcasts or most "off-the-shelf" classical music CDs are not the same and do not have the same affect.

The musical genius behind this pet-friendly relaxation CD is Tom Nazziola, the award-winning musician who was the principal performer on Disney's acclaimed Baby Einstein children's CDs and DVDs.

Gifts From My Dog

I was downstairs in my studio painting when my neighbor came by to share information about my dog. It reminded me about living in a small town where everyone knows exactly what you are doing.

My neighbor proceeded to tell me that she saw Ebony with a large rabbit in her mouth. Ebony is fast, but usually it is the baby rabbits that she can catch. I was amused by her story, but I was thinking how glad I was that Ebony did not sleep in my room as she usually has a bad case of gas after eating disgusting things. AND, I was NOT going to accept any kisses from her!

It is interesting that Ebony usually brings her treats home to eat and I find them. This is great because I can stop her from snacking and remove the carcass. I would not have known that she was in the creek catching salmon until she brought a huge spawner up to the house. Thankfully, I got her to the vet in time! I have not informed my landlord about the truth to the bad smell coming from the trash can.

My neighbor and I came out from the studio to look around, but no sign of Ebony. She has the freedom to roam the woods surrounding our properties. GREAT DOG LIFE! I returned to painting.

Just before dark, I left the studio and climbed the stairs to my home. To my surprise there was this huge dead rabbit on my doorstep.

THANK YOU, EBONY!

Do you think Ebony is part cat?


I found this on the web just in time for Valentine's Day...........
Check it out:
The Kissable Toothbrush from the Cain & Able dental collection.