Miracles Happen: A Miracle Story about Adversity, Fate and Joy

 

Photo from pretendtious

By Colleen Kettenhofen

 

Miracles happen. This is a miracle story about what happens when we look for the lesson in every situation. After all, business and personal success is about attitude, overcoming adversity, and successfully managing change as well.
It was Easter, March 31, 2002 and I was on a hiking vacation with my husband in a California desert near where we lived. Our baby daughter, Caroline, was supposed to have been born on this date, but there were complications with the pregnancy and we lost her five months earlier on October 30. Three weeks later in November, we had put my 18 ½-year-old cat, "Baby," to sleep. Needless to say, with all this adversity we needed a vacation.
It was now late October, 2002, and we were living in Atlanta, Georgia. We'd been contemplating adopting a dog, yet it didn't seem right with our travel schedules. My husband was an airline pilot, and I was an international speaker. Still, I walked into an animal shelter having convinced myself I would "just look." In the shelter was a calm, sweet-faced puppy, eight or nine weeks old, who caught my attention. Sensing our chemistry and trust, I did what you're never supposed to do. I put my hand into her cage. While looking up at me with her big brown eyes, she licked my hand over and over. This innocent puppy was also highly intelligent and obviously knew how to sell herself. After many minutes, I pulled away and forced myself to walk towards the door. Already in love with her, I turned around, and there she was...still looking at me with those eyes.
A new puppy sounded wonderful, except that it didn't seem to fit into the lifestyle of an airline pilot and international speaker who traveled. And my husband kept telling me how much attention puppies require. Still, my gut feeling was that it was fate. We were supposed to have her. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I was going back to the Peachtree City animal shelter later the next morning to visit.
The next day at a garage sale, two smiling women walked up to me holding a puppy. As I looked more closely, I realized this was the puppy. The same one I'd been thinking of adopting. They placed her in my arms and said, "Would you like to adopt her? She's from the Peachtree City animal shelter. We can't have anymore pets, but she had only two hours to live. And we've named her Joy because she's already brought such joy to our lives."
Joy fit perfectly in my arms as she gazed up at me with those puppy-dog eyes. There was an inexplicable connection and incredible bond. I wanted to talk to my husband first, even though I had a feeling he'd say yes about her this time. They even offered to pet sit her for free.
Later that day, lunching with a friend, she said, "My gosh, Colleen, it's fate. You're supposed to have that puppy! Let's go see Joy tonight." We drove to their home and as we pulled in the driveway, my friend shrieked, "Oh Colleen, it's fate, it's fate!" I had no idea what she was talking about. She pointed to the car in front of us in the driveway, and in huge letters was a bumper sticker that simply read, "FATE." How many more "signs" did I need?! The family explained to us that night that their son had died unexpectedly a year earlier, that this was his car, his bumper sticker, and that he'd always believed in fate. They believed it was fate that I was supposed to have Joy. This was a miracle story about overcoming adversity, following fate and literally finding joy.
After playing with this happy puppy named Joy, I went home empty-handed that night. I needed to read some inspirational literature, and really think this over. After all, I wanted to make certain this puppy would be with us forever. As I pulled out this little book with its daily word message, I gasped. In big letters, the word of the day was JOY. It was fate! The next day my husband and I brought our bundle of "Joy" home. On Caroline's anniversary, October 30, 2002, there I was with Joy sitting in my lap riding in the car. And it was the only place she would sit. She refused to be anywhere but my lap.
My ex-husband and I are no longer together. Joy is a healthy 47 lbs, happily living in Portland, Oregon with me and her big cat brother. Pacific Northwest scenery is gorgeous. There's lots of family history here and many large fenced dog parks. My mother's cousins love to pet sit Joy since I still travel as a motivational speaker and author. They have a spacious backyard and a wonderful dog of their own.
Miracles happen. The lesson of this miracle story is that eventually, even through adversity, everything has a way of working out. Especially if we will roll with the punches, trust our gut, and follow our fate. Often, we get what we need, not necessarily what we think we want. Joy has literally given me pure joy. She is a miracle of love. A miracle story.
Copyright 2006 Colleen Kettenhofen

Colleen Kettenhofen is a motivational speaker, workplace expert, & co-author of "The Masters of Success," as featured on the Today Show, along with Ken Blanchard and Jack Canfield. http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com She has spoken in 47 states, 6 countries. Popular topics: leadership, management, difficult people, success, presentation skills. To order the book online, or for more free articles visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com colleen@colleenspeaks.com
You are free to reprint or repost this information provided Colleen Kettenhofen's name and website are included with the article.

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How I Lost My Dog - A Charming Story

Photo By scragz
Story By Orio Group

It may be hard to believe but the best day of my life started out as the very worst possible day imaginable. I had just moved into a brand new house in a city where I didn't know anyone, but I had my beloved pooch Princess with me to keep me company.

Princess is a large dog, part Border Collie and part Labrador Retriever, and she is really friendly and lovable and just makes me feel terrific no matter how bad my day at work has been. I honestly can't imagine what I would do without her, especially on that day as I didn't know anyone else in town.

I had arrived home from work but was in a hurry to get to the gym and didn't spend much time with Princess at all. I basically fed her and put her in the fenced back yard while I headed out to do my workout and get rid of the stress of the day.

When I arrived home I pulled into the garage and walked over to the gate of the fence. I was a bit surprised because I didn't hear Princess giving her usual welcoming bark, but I thought may be she was asleep and I would just surprise her.

Imagine my shock when I looking in the back yard and she wasn't there. I was immediately frantic and panicked, running around calling her name up and down the street. My neighbors, who I had yet to meet, immediately came running out to see what was wrong. They were so nice they started calling around, everyone out looking for Princess and phoning vets, animal hospitals and the local pound.

Finally, after several hours of calling, driving and walking we called the hunt for Princess off. I invited everyone to come back to my house for coffee and a snack since they had looked so hard for the dog. To my surprise, the minute I opened the door to the house Princess came jumping out, happy to see me and upset about being locked in the house all day. I guess I didn't really let her out in the backyard after all!

My neighbors were very gracious and everyone was just happy the dog was safe and sound. The next day my next door neighbor came back over with a welcome to the neighborhood gift. It was a beautiful charm bracelet with charms of kids, people, dogs and dog toys, plus charms of the major attractions in my new city.

She said it was to help me remember my scary yet happy first day in the neighborhood, the day I didn't really lose my dog! Now, years later, I still look back fondly on my charms and bracelet and remember how I got to know all my neighbors in one very stressful day.


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This article is free for republishing
Source: http://origogroup.articlealley.com/how-i-lost-my-dog--a-charming-story-1620132.html

The Benefits Of Walking Your Dog

The Benefits of Walking With Your Dog

Some rights reserved by mikebaird

By Gerry Restrivera

Walking is one of the easiest and best exercises to keep ones body and mind healthy. Of course one of the best ways to enjoy your daily walk is to do it with your loving pet. Enjoying the benefits of walking with your dog is not just fun for you but to your canine friend as well.
Parks are the common place to walk with your dog. Of course you should know ahead of time if your dog is allowed in the park to avoid hassles and breaking the law. So do your homework before walking your dog in the park to make sure you and your dog will have fun. There are many benefits of walking with your dog and here are some of them.
Walking is good for the health. Walking is good not only for your heart but also for your overall health. You can do it every morning before going to work or on weekends. This physical activity is also good for your dog especially if your place is not big enough for your pet to move around. One of the best benefits of walking with your dog is to keep you and your dog healthy.
A chance for you and your dog to socialize. If you are working all day, walking will give you the chance to socialize with neighbors and other pet lovers. We all need to socialize to relax especially if your work is too stressful. Dogs are social animals and one of the benefits of walking with your dog is to allow your dog to socialize with people and other dogs. Like humans, dogs need social interactions to relieve stress and learn good behavior. This activity will help your dog to be friendly with people and other animals. If your dog is exposed to social situations, his social skills will greatly improve and he will be less afraid of people and less likely to engage in fights with other dogs. The exposure in public places and the experiences in interacting with people and other dogs will teach your dog the proper behavior in greeting people visiting your home.
The best chance for you to train your dog. Walking with your dog is the best chance to conduct obedience training with your dog. This is the best time to review your dog with the basic commands and good behaviors you taught him. Being on a different territory while walking with your dog, the mental ability of your dog will be stimulated and improved with this kind of activity. All his senses are working while investigating the new territory and performing the tasks that you taught him therefore, increasing his mental ability and alertness.
Bonding time for you and your pet. Of course one of the greatest benefits of walking with your dog is you get to spend time and bond with your lovely and loyal friend. Dogs want to spend time with their owners to feel loved. Although your pet is living with you, at home your attention is usually divided between household chores and your family. Walking your dog gives you and your loving pet the chance to bond and enjoy each other.
Of course aside from the benefits of walking with your dog, you have to be cautious when you are out with your dog in public places. Keep your dog on a leash when walking with you. Letting your dog roam freely in public places can be dangerous not only to people and other animals but to your dog as well. Continuously training your dog is important to teach him the proper behavior.
Learn how to raise an obedient dog using the proper training visit Secrets to Dog Training.

Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including The Benefits of Walking With Your Dog. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerry_Restrivera

A Dog Story

By Martin Magano

Note: This story is unaccompanied by a dog photo, as it would ruin the end of the story. This is such a delight to read! Enjoy!

Its a very peaceful morning here at home. I'm sitting here at the porch watching the rain, the great gardener watering her plants patting them with little drops of joy. It's one of these days that I feel grateful to be alive, although sometimes I still miss her. My summer love and friend in a whole package.

Her name was Cory but in my world, I see her as my Juliet and the beauty incarnate that I be so lucky to have met. The first time I saw her was when she came in to our house, and it was a momentous occasion. I was eating breakfast and I didn't even notice that the food in my mouth fell back out because I seemed to have lost control of it with my jaw hanging down as i gazed unto her. She looked back at me and her eyes smiled, then she lowered her eyes to my mouth and the steady flow of food out of it, and she giggled.
Soon after, we hit it off. She said they were to stay there for a portion of summer. My heart was so pleased with all the anticipation of spending time with her but my mind just cant stop calculating how many days, hours and seconds are slowly fading before she goes away. But with just one of her giggles or her smiles, all my worries go away.

I trembled at the sheer power from those giggles and smiles for they have the power to stun me and sometimes make me do things I don't usually do.

Things I never knew I could...like on the third day of her stay here, I was watching her as she was having a lovely stroll out in front of the house when Butch came by and in one glance at her, came zooming back. Anyone would be okay with me, I'd accept it if she likes him. But its Butch! The neighborhood bully and notorious heartbreaker. Now I'm just an average guy and not much good for anything, especially against Butch who I think is so huge that I'm just a match for one of his legs.

But courage flickered inside me when I saw Cory doesn't like him and is starting to get irritated as he kept coming on to her. I jumped from where I was sitting and dashed for Butch's side. My head collided with him with much force. He fell down from my surprise attack. I remember my head hurt insanely. Butch must have muscles like steel for I had a bump on my head for a whole week.

After smiling intently at each other, we realized that Butch was about to recover. So we ran away as fast as we can and paying no attention to where we were going. It felt good, running with her. Soon after, our rugged breaths became laughter and giggles. We wound up in a tulip garden just outside our small town. We played there the whole day running around and just... laughing. Those were one of the things I'll remember for the rest of my life, I think I was falling deeply in love with her.

Then it suddenly rained hard, the first rain after summer. The rain felt good. I was about to run for it when I saw in the corner of my eyes that she's just staring at me smiling. I wanted to tell her that we better get out of the rain but she had that kind of look on her face... then I smiled back and we played in the rain. I could almost hear the rain performing a symphony just for us and the tulips dancing to the music.

I woke up on my bed the next day flaming with fever and colds. I would have felt miserably awful but then I felt her beside me smiling. As it appears, she has a fever as well, we laughed about it the whole day. Onto the next days, we spent much time together... nursing each other back to health, making sure the other is warm enough and properly fed. We just stayed indoors watching the rain outside sitting on the porch side by side. We didn't even notice that we already got well.

After a few days, they left. I just woke up without her by my side and nowhere to be seen. I even went back to the tulip garden, but she wasn't there... it was a clean break, like waking up from a very very great and fantastic dream back to my lonely colorless life... I'll never forget her... my summer love.

And so here I am watching the rain here on the porch, remembering the good old days...
I hear footsteps behind me but I don't turn and look, I'm too depressed for it. He sits at the chair beside me and slides a bowl in front of me with "CODY" written on it.

"I bet you miss her... yeah, I miss her master too." my master said as he watches the rain with me. He then gently tussles my hair and pretty soon my tail starts to wiggle...
I won't be completely lonely, still have my master...
"A Dog Story"
by martin magano

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Magano

By diveofficer

Dog Depression - A Story About Dekker

By Donna White

Many dogs came and went throughout our career as Dog Trainers for Law Enforcement. There are a few that stand out for different reasons. Dekker is one of them.


Background

This is a story about Dekker, a Belgian Malinois we trained as a K-9 Police Officer. This story is also the reason we quit training dogs for Law Enforcement after 15 years.

During a trip to Europe to purchase dogs, we traveled to France to attend a Ring Sport Competition. It was this trip in 1985 that changed our way of thinking regarding the best candidate for a Police Dog. As we watched each dog work the obstacles and protection trials, we felt that the Belgian Malinois was superior to the German Shepherd in agility, and equal or better in all other areas.

In 1988, we acquired Anka and Dekker, two Belgian Malinois. We absolutely loved their drive and enthusiasm to work. After a few months of tracking, agility and protection training, we sold Anka to a Fish and Wildlife Officer. Feedback reports indicated Anka as being an exceptional tracker for poachers and protected her Handler perfectly. We were pleased with Anka's placement and her Handler was more than satisfied.

We continued to work with Dekker. He was always happy to do anything we asked of him in his training lessons. He had a well-rounded life with us as part of our family. At one point, we had two litters of Bouvier des Flandres puppies totaling 22. They were a handful once the younger litter reached six weeks old, but Uncle Dekker would spend time with all of them, grabbing his long rag and teasing the puppies to chase him, latching on to the rag for a ride. He was a wonderful, well-adjusted dog.


Dekker's Career

The day came when we received a phone call from a police department inquiring if we had another dog like Anka, as word had spread about her outstanding performance. We informed the Police Officer that we did indeed have another Belgian Malinois that would fit his requirements. Every dog we placed with a Police K-9 Unit received 2 weeks of instruction and training, which included evaluation of the bonding process because believe it or not, not all dogs like their Handlers. The first reservation we had about this K-9 Unit was that the dog was kept in a kennel at the police station instead of living in a family environment. The Handler assured us that Dekker would spend the majority of his time with him and only be in the kennel when absolutely necessary.

On the third day of Dekker's 2 week probation as a K-9 Officer, he made a felony drug arrest. The Handler was very pleased with Dekker and we felt we had placed him where he would do the most good.

There are Police Dog Trials that K-9 Handlers can enter for prizes and recognition within the Police K-9 community. Because Dekker was so good at his job, his Handler started entering him in these competitions. Dekker was now working regular shifts as a K-9 Officer, training for competitions, attending competitions and winning. During a conversation we had with the Handler regarding Dekker's success at yet another Police Dog Trial, we reinforced the fact that he needed "down time" to relax, play and forget training and his job. The Handler assured us that he was doing as we had suggested.

Time went by and as is normal, the phone calls from Dekker's Handler became fewer, but eventually we received a phone call from him expressing concern that Dekker was being lazy and listless on the job. We asked if he was still competing in dog trials and the Handler gave a negative response because Dekker had lost the last few trials he had entered. Our advice was for rest, play and cut back on training sessions outside of on-duty hours.


Depression

A short time later, Dekker's Handler called again, complaining that the dog was not performing at work and he wanted to return him for a refund. We convinced him to send Dekker back to us for evaluation and to see if we could remedy the situation.

Upon picking Dekker up at the airport, we opened his dog crate to let him out and he just sat there with his head lowered and big sad eyes. We inspected him and could see that he had lost weight, his posture was submissive, his coat was dull and he did not want to make eye contact. The word anxiety seems the best word to describe the body language of tail wagging because he was happy see us, but weaving around our legs and whining indicated he was apprehensive, worried, and had mixed feelings about what was going to happen next. We brought him home, having confidence that we could help him past this behavior which was far from his normal self.

We set out to do everything that was familiar to him; same kennel, same routines, lots of play, same dogs to play with, our loving attention, and so on. There was nothing different at our home and kennel, except Dekker. Months of coaxing and trying desperately to have just one happy moment was breaking our hearts. He moped, slunk around, no eye contact, heavy sighs, lying in the corner while the other dogs played, no interest in his surroundings, eating only enough food to keep going, and then eventually skipping days of eating. We gave him special attention, enticing food, more of our time and basically put him in our back pocket, taking him everywhere we went. We spent hours analyzing his behavior, both past and present, to try to come up with more ideas or a solution to the whole mess. We brought in other Dog Trainers to observe and evaluate him for some clue to work with. Nothing.

After 4 months we finally concluded that Dekker was not going to find his way back to what he was. His weight was alarmingly low and we couldn't help him anymore. He was finally euthanized. That was the day we said, "That's it, no more." We quit training police dogs.


Conclusion

Back then, we referred to this behavior as broken, sour, or lazy. We really didn't associate Dekker's behavior with depression, but in hindsight that is exactly what it was. A dog so far in the dark zone that he couldn't fight his way back to the light and happiness.

We will never know what actually happened to him during his career as a K-9 Police Officer. People tend not to reveal every detail of a spiraling situation if it is their fault, so we can't pinpoint the cause. We can only guess that he was worked to the point of exhaustion with no rest or rewards.

Yes, there is such a thing as dog depression. Please take note of the above behaviors. We couldn't help Dekker, but if you have a dog that you suspect is showing characteristics of depression, seek help from a professional dog psychologist.

Donna White is an experienced and responsible dog owner, retired dog breeder and wife/assistant to a retired Police K-9 Trainer. We are "paying forward" what we have learned throughout the years as professional dog trainers, family dog owners, and dog breeders. Visit her website for more training articles and quality products for your dog - http://www.dog-crate-shop.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_White

How to Choose Your First Dog

Photo By smlp.co.uk

By Staz Johnson

Once you've decided that you are ready to have a dog in your life, the next step is to choose the right one. But how do you choose your first dog? There are many things to take into consideration, including the breed of the dog (what breed and whether you want a purebred or a mix), what you will do with your dog, and even gender.

Purebred or mix?

This is one of the decisions you will have to make when choosing your first dog. There are advantages and disadvantages to both and you have to choose which one is the best for you. For example, if you are interested in breeding or showing your dog, it is recommended that you get a purebred. As a result of this, purebreds are generally much more expensive than mixed breed dogs. Mixed breeds, on the other hand, can be found much easier. Mixed breed dogs are much more likely to be in animal shelters as well, so if you are looking to adopt a dog, this would be your best bet.

Should I Adopt?

When deciding on where you should get your new dog, you should definitely think about whether to go to a breeder, a farm or even an animal shelter. This is an important decision so be sure to look at all the options available before you make a choice on the matter.

Breed

The breed of your dog is also very important and ties in with what you want in a canine. For example, if you have small children in the house, you want a breed that will treat your children well and have a lot of tolerance around them like a Labrador or Golden Retriever. If you want a dog to protect your house and yard, then you might want to look into getting a watch dog/guard dog such as a German Shepherd or Doberman Pinscher. If you are highly active and need a companion to run with, you might want to look into getting an Australian Shepherd, or if you hate all the barking and just want a couch potato to keep you company, check out the Borzoi. There are many different types of dog breeds and you have to look around to be sure you are getting the one that is perfect for you.

Gender

The last thing I will mention in this article is gender. Generally, male dogs tend to be more independent (can be more difficult to train but adjusts better to being left alone), and female dogs tend to be more attached (less likely to run away). Good luck choosing your first dog!

For more information, check out Train Your Dog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Staz_Johnson

Home Remedy Tips for Dog Owners

Photo by torbakhopper

There are a multitude of different dog issues and problems, and there are many more cures for these issues. Puppy Pause has chosen a few interesting remedies to share with you today! Here goes:

Mouthwash - If your dog has bad breath, mix a capful of your own mouthwash in a cup of water, pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray your dog's mouth. Some people even like to mist the dog's coat so the dog's breath and coat all smells great!

Peppermint Extract - A few drops of pure peppermint extract in your dog's drinking water on a regular basis will keep his/her breath fresh at all times.

Liquid Fabric Softener - To give your dog's coat a soft feel and fresh scent, mix one capful of your laundry fabric softener with one-half gallon of water and use as a final rinse.

Steel Wool - To prevent your dog's hair from clogging the drain while giving him a bath, put a ball of steel wool in the drain, The steel wool will catch the hairs while allowing the water to drain.

Baking Soda, Flour, or Corn Starch - Any of these can be used to give your dog a "dry bath". Simply dust the dog with your choice of these, work it in with your fingers, then give the dog a nice brushing to brush the powder from his/her coat.

Fennel Seed - Fennel is a natural repellent for fleas. Purchase fennel seed, then use a mortar and pestle to grind the seed into a powder. Then sprinkle your dog's bedding with this fennel powder to keep fleas away.

Chap Stick, Flour, Baby Powder, Corn Starch - If you are trimming your dog's toenails and cut too close into the quick, it will bleed. Any of these items listed can be used to stop the bleeding. Simply cover the affected area with your choice remedy.

Plastic Trash Bags or Plastic Sheeting - If your dog is digging where you don't want him to dig, cover with plastic and secure with rocks or logs to break him of the habit. After enough time has passed to where the pet has broke his habit, then you can remove the plastic.

Speaking of Plastic - To break your dog from getting on your furniture, cover it with plastic for a period of time. The dogs won't like the slippery feel of the plastic and will choose to stay off the furniture.

Black Pepper or Ground Cayenne Pepper - If you have a neighborhood dog, or even your own, getting into your outdoor trash cans, sprinkle black pepper or ground cayenne pepper around the container. The smell will deter the dog and he will go looking for something else to do. Note that the cayenne pepper is the stronger of the two.

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When We Lose Our Beloved Dog

Photo By SuperCarly

Mr. Cooper was a Miniature Schnauzer that my parents once adopted from friends of theirs as the friends had aged and had to go into assisted living. Previously my parents had not been fond of having dogs, but they felt that they really wanted to help Mr. Cooper for their friends. Once Mr. Cooper moved in, he quickly stole my parents' hearts. He didn't live but several months as he was elderly himself, but my parents both were terribly saddened by the loss.

I found this story on line and it reminded me so of Mr. Cooper - what a great story it is with a wonderful lesson for us about our dear "best friends".

An Inspiring True Dog Story - Hans Was Here

By John Cali

You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us.
Robert Louis Stevenson
In March 1992, some close family members in California gave my sister and brother-in-law, Christine and Dick, a miniature schnauzer puppy. Dick and Christine named him Hans, and we all fell head-over-heels in love with the cute little guy.
In January 2005, I was spending some time after the Christmas holidays with Christine and Dick at their home in Webster, New York. Hans was now aging, but still not terribly old for a miniature schnauzer.
He'd been having some minor physical problems. Or at least we thought they were minor. So Christine made an appointment with Hans' veterinarian for minor surgery. On a cold grey January morning, she and I took him in for his appointment. He was always nervous when he knew he was going to the vet's office. As soon as we got into the office, he made a beeline for the door. "Let me out of here!" is what I'm sure was going through his little mind.
Ever since he'd been a puppy thirteen years earlier, Hans never liked to be held. He was loving and affectionate, but was definitely not a "lap dog." He was so scared that morning at the vet's office, I just instinctively picked him up while Christine was filling out the paperwork. He snuggled close to me, burrowing into my heavy winter coat. In all his life, he'd never allowed me to hold him.
That was the first and last time it ever happened.
Later that day, while Christine, Dick, and I were having lunch, the phone rang. Christine answered the call, and then started sobbing. It was the vet. Dick and I knew without knowing -- Hans was gone. The surgery was normally minor, but Hans' heart stopped in the middle of it. And they could not revive him.
Later that afternoon, the three of us went to the vet's office to pay our final respects to this beloved little creature who had become as precious to us as our children.
The staff ladies had Hans laid out on a table in one of the back rooms. He looked so peaceful and beautiful. Christine, Dick, and I said our separate goodbyes to Hans.
When my turn came, I bent over his body, laid my hand on his head, and kissed him."Goodbye, Hans," was all I could say. Then, tears streaming down my face, I glanced at him one last time, and walked out.
The ride home was silent. The day was cold and grey, and matched our mood.
That night at dinner, we drank a toast to our beloved Hans.
On the following October 15, Dick died. He'd been ailing for years with a lung disease,and his death was not unexpected. So I made the long sad journey back to New York from my home in Wyoming. I spent nearly three months there with Christine and the rest of our family, doing what I could to help her through her own difficult transition.
Two days before I went back home to Wyoming, I awoke at 4:30 the morning of January 10. As I lay there, deciding whether to get up or go back to sleep, I heard a car door slam at a nearby neighbor's house. Then I heard Hans' loud, familiar bark in the living room directly below my bedroom.
Oh well, I thought, he's just barking because he also heard the car door slam.
Then I did a mental double-take. It was almost exactly a year ago, on January 17, 2005, Hans had died! The memory of that day is permanently etched on my memory.
But I knew his bark, and I felt his energy in the house. What was going on here?
The next morning, I said to Christine, "Something strange happened last night. Hans was here."
I spent quite a bit of time thinking about all that had happened. I believe our animal family live beyond the veil of death, just as we humans do. And I believe those who love us, human or animal, never leave us. They often have a desire, from beyond the grave, to help us and to let us know they are still alive, still loving us.
A week or so after Hans died, I received a message I can only describe as coming from the world of spirit. Here it is:
If there is one major lesson your pets have to teach you, it is this: Live in the moment! And this: Love unconditionally.
Your pets find joy, passion, and pleasure in every moment of their physical lives. Even when they appear to you to be suffering from some physical illness or injury.
Pets -- and all animals, in fact -- have no fear of illness or death. And, more importantly, they have no fear of life. Hence they immerse themselves in all the pleasures of physical existence. And they do it without hesitation and without guilt.
They are fully alive in every moment. Not a bad role model for you to follow!
Animals do not live with the same "agendas" you humans do. They have no desire to control or manipulate their fellow creatures, human or animal. Their intent is to simply live freely and joyously. They see little difference between life and death.
No matter how awful (or peaceful) their transition from life to death appears to you, those transitions are always easy and effortless to them.
And when they arrive "on the other side," they continue their joyful, exuberant, and happy lives, romping and playing with abandon.
They often return to visit you. As do your human loved ones. But most of you are not open, at least not fully open, to that happening for you. When you do not believe, you cannot see. You often say, "When I see it, I'll believe it." But it's always the other way around -- when you believe it, you'll see it.
You never lose those you love. If you remain open to them, "alive" or "dead," you will always be comforted by them. You will feel their presence, their energy.
And you will know you are loved.
Hans really was here. Visiting from heaven, I suppose.

John Cali has loved dogs almost all his life. For many years, he's had a parade of canine characters frolicking through his life. A freelance writer since 1986, John lives in a remote area of northwestern Wyoming, just outside Yellowstone National Park, amidst assorted critters, domestic and wild. Visit John at his website http://www.greatwesternpublishing.org
The above article is excerpted from John's recently published book, "Dogs: Heart-Warming, Soul-Stirring Stories of Our Canine Companions." The book is available at http://www.booklocker.com/books/3316.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Cali

Some Dogs Will Eat Anything!

Photo By saikiishiki

Some years ago when I had a horse boarded at a horse stables, the owners there had a Dalmatian that had the name of Lightbulb. When I inquired as to why this dog was named so, the owners told us that the dog loved light bulbs and if any were left laying around, the dog would take it in its mouth, break it and proceed to eat it! WOW! Kinda scary. The dog was in good health and I learned that he had been lucky and had not been harmed by this and they were now very careful not to leave any light bulbs lying around.

I once had a Labrador Retriever who was fond of chewing rocks. If she swallowed any, she must have passed them in her stool as there was never a digestive problem. The big problem was, though that after a period of time, she wore her teeth down to nothing. As an old dog, she was literally toothless. Once we discovered this problem, she had already done severe damage to her teeth and there was nothing I could do about the problem but watch to see that she didn't get to any more rocks - not always an easy task, considering that there are rocks everywhere outside!

While visiting one of my clients a couple of months ago, we got to talking about our dogs. He is a resident of a gated community with a clubhouse and common recreation area along their private man-made lake. He proceeded to tell me that he walks his dogs around the community every morning early before he heads off to work. One day he chose to stroll in the common recreation area with his dogs, enjoying the view and the well-manicured grounds. Before too many days had passed, he saw that one of his dogs was acting oddly which made him think that the dog had some pain, probably in the stomach area so off they went to the veterinarian's office. After examination and a full set of x-rays, the vet revealed the problem to this gentleman. The dog had ingested a fish hook, barb and all and it was embedded in the dog's stomach lining. Of course, my client suffered a large veterinary bill for the surgery - fortunately the dog has fully recovered. Needless to say, my client no longer walks along those common areas where people fish from the lake.

Years ago, I had a standard Black and Tan Dachshund named Andy Do VonSchnappen. At that time we lived in a two story house with very steep stairs. Andy Do quickly learned that he could easily go upstairs, but when he came down, his short legs couldn't handle the descent and he would slide all the way down on his chest - Andy Do didn't like this at all! So rarely would he go upstairs and if so I would have to carry him down. Andy Do was an inside dog. One day while I was at work, Andy Do forgot about his trouble with stairs and climbed the stairway to see what was upstairs. When he wanted to come down, he was terrified and nobody was there to rescue him. The landing at the top of the stairs had beautiful gold carpeting. When I arrived home from work that day, I found a very distraught Andy Do at the top of the stairs, lying on a wood floor. Andy Do had ripped up all of the carpeting and from what remains were strewn around, it appeared he had ingested a good portion of that carpeting. Yes, Andy Do managed to pass the carpet without any bodily harm. Where the harm was inflicted was to my wallet.

There was once a white Maltese Terrier named Ace, who when his master was at work, pulled a potted plant out of the planter by it's stem, and proceeded to run around the whole apartment while shaking the plant furiously as he ran. You can imagine the shock when his master arrived home to find potting soil covering every square inch of the living room floor, with plenty strewn around in other rooms as well! What a mess!

The Poodle that I now have has a deep affection for upholstery. She has chewed the stuffing out of three dog pillows, started pulling the stuffing out of my old couch (I replaced it with a leather one), picked the batting out of a home made quilt and pulled the wool out of my Uggs slippers. I can't even begin to think what she'd do to my auto upholstery, so when she rides with me, she goes into a crate. I realize that I'm with her in the car, but if she's in the back seat, she could do some damage before I could get the car stopped to stop her! She stays in the crate!

With all those stories being said, the point is that the dogs just don't know what's good for them and what's bad for them. If it appears to be a curiosity, or smells good, or maybe just because it's there - they will have a tendency to mouth it, chew it, and/or eat it. That doesn't make them bad dogs, what it does is make it our responsibility to keep these temptations out of their reach. We need to find out what their passions are and if we can't correct and teach them not to do these things, we need to make their surroundings safe for them.

With the Dalmatian, his family makes absolutely sure that burnt out light bulbs are disposed where he can't find them. My business client doesn't walk his dogs where there is a possibility of hazardous discards being ingested. I purchased a gate to block Andy Do from the stairway when nobody was at home. The Poodle, while in the house is with me in the same room at all times where I can keep an eye on her. Further if you have a dog that has a passion for chewing water hoses - keep the hoses put away and out of reach when you can't monitor the dog. If he loves chewing shoes, keep the loose shoes in an enclosed closet, out of reach. If he likes stuffed animals, keep them in a closed room when the dog is in the house - you get the idea. We are blessed to have dogs as man's best friend, let's return the favor by keeping them safe from harm!

Puppy Pause Introduction

Hi and Welcome to the Puppy Pause News Blog! I'd like to first invite you to my Facebook Page where you'll be able to receive other posts from Puppy Pause - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Puppy-Pause/396767367019937 This is a great page with lots of information for dog lovers. Feel free to stop there and like my page. Here you'll read dog stories of all types, some fictional, some true, some educational, some funny. There will be information on training, health, feeding, care, responsible pet ownership and much more. Welcome and keep checking back as this site is developed! Arf!