This time of year, the holiday spirit invites us to participate in gatherings of all kinds. The opportunity to connect with friends, colleagues and family in the spirit of kindness and sharing is an amazing gift that we can strive to carry with us the other 11 months of the year. But it can also be a stressful time when expectations can overwhelm us. This year, I invite each of you to stop for five minutes when the pace is most hectic. Sit quietly, stand quietly, breathe out (the breathing in part always takes care of itself). Focus on your heart, think of someone or something you love unconditionally.
When I get stressed, I stop and think about my dogs or the antics of my evil but lovable cat. Mind you, there are many people in my life I love - but honestly, just thinking about my dogs (or cat) makes my blood pressure drop instantly. Actually, studies have consistently shown that dogs (in particular) help lower stress in humans (being with dogs or truly, even just thinking about them). Amazing, but true.
So,when the stress of all the to do's starts getting to you, center your thoughts for just a moment on something greater than yourself. Remember that the holidays will be just fine without every detail being perfect. Remember the point is to connect with friends and family and share the love. Everything else is just window dressing.
Happy holidays!
Read more!
12.07.2009
The Circle of Kindness
My last post was about Kate Titus's company, A Loyal Companion. She provides canine massage and she's recently branched out into prosthetics for canines. While that might seem lik
e a bit of a luxury, for working dogs or very active dogs, it can be a solution that brings new joy, life and most importantly, restored activity to a dog who otherwise would be sidelined. But that's not the point of this post - keep reading...
Kate texted and said to set my DVR to record an early morning local news show on Sunday morning she was appearing on. I did so and watched one of the most moving segments I've seen in a long time. Kate and her dog are part of a group called Gabriel's Angels (www.gabrielsangels.org). The organization is dedicated to changing the circle of violence and neglect by bringing everyday dogs to visit children at risk - those in shelters, domestic violence shelters and juvenile detention, among other places. The volunteers are trained to understand the situation but beyond that, they are everyday people with their dogs (dogs are certified through the program). Gabriel's Angels believes that the bond between a therapy dog and a child is strong enough to break the cycle of violence. Those of you who love dogs know the power of that bond.
The founder, Pam Gaber , was interviewed (as was Kate and her
companion pup, a gigantic Great Dane mix named Harley). Pam talked passionately about the impact these dogs have on the kids. Her explanation was quite moving - she talked about the importance of developing trust, compassion and empathy in these kids and that more often than not, these dogs do the trick. In fact, the organization has sponsored studies to validate their result - that these children are forever changed and healed by experiencing the unconditional love dogs offer.
In this season of giving, consider giving to the charity of your choice - funding has been severely cut in this economic climate; non-profits are struggling under the burden of being tasked with ever larger work loads with continually dwindling funding. Help fill the gap by making a generous donation of whatever size to an organization in your neighborhood that makes a difference, touches your heart and contributes to the circle of kindness.
This year, I'm going to stretch a bit more than usual and make sure I help the organizations that make a difference. I hope you'll consider helping out as well.
One by one and all together, we can make a difference.
Happy Holidays from all of us at shopOrganic.com. And remember, during the holiday craze, you still gotta eat. We've got plenty of healthy, organic food for quick and easy meals for you - and yup, we've got some great green and organic gifts for your last minute shopping as well.
Here's your reward for reading the whole post - watch this really fun dog video on YouTube - it will make your day! Now go out there and enjoy your day! Read more!
e a bit of a luxury, for working dogs or very active dogs, it can be a solution that brings new joy, life and most importantly, restored activity to a dog who otherwise would be sidelined. But that's not the point of this post - keep reading...Kate texted and said to set my DVR to record an early morning local news show on Sunday morning she was appearing on. I did so and watched one of the most moving segments I've seen in a long time. Kate and her dog are part of a group called Gabriel's Angels (www.gabrielsangels.org). The organization is dedicated to changing the circle of violence and neglect by bringing everyday dogs to visit children at risk - those in shelters, domestic violence shelters and juvenile detention, among other places. The volunteers are trained to understand the situation but beyond that, they are everyday people with their dogs (dogs are certified through the program). Gabriel's Angels believes that the bond between a therapy dog and a child is strong enough to break the cycle of violence. Those of you who love dogs know the power of that bond.
The founder, Pam Gaber , was interviewed (as was Kate and her
companion pup, a gigantic Great Dane mix named Harley). Pam talked passionately about the impact these dogs have on the kids. Her explanation was quite moving - she talked about the importance of developing trust, compassion and empathy in these kids and that more often than not, these dogs do the trick. In fact, the organization has sponsored studies to validate their result - that these children are forever changed and healed by experiencing the unconditional love dogs offer.In this season of giving, consider giving to the charity of your choice - funding has been severely cut in this economic climate; non-profits are struggling under the burden of being tasked with ever larger work loads with continually dwindling funding. Help fill the gap by making a generous donation of whatever size to an organization in your neighborhood that makes a difference, touches your heart and contributes to the circle of kindness.
This year, I'm going to stretch a bit more than usual and make sure I help the organizations that make a difference. I hope you'll consider helping out as well.
One by one and all together, we can make a difference.
Happy Holidays from all of us at shopOrganic.com. And remember, during the holiday craze, you still gotta eat. We've got plenty of healthy, organic food for quick and easy meals for you - and yup, we've got some great green and organic gifts for your last minute shopping as well.
Here's your reward for reading the whole post - watch this really fun dog video on YouTube - it will make your day! Now go out there and enjoy your day! Read more!
12.05.2009
Hands On Care For Your Canine
A few months ago, our black dog (of Border & Black fame) Rosie began to have trouble walking. She was getting up there in years, so it was no surprise that she'd become a bit slower, but this was a dramatic, wake-up-one-day-much-worse kind of turn.
We wondered what to do for her and of course, our first stop was our vet. We've been with our vet for a long time and trust his advice. He took a look at Rosie (whom he affectionately calls Rosie-roo) and said he could check a few things to see if anything was seriously wrong. We agreed since she could not stand on her own at that point. Diagnostics of various sorts were performed but showed nothing out of the ordinary for an aging but otherwise healthy dog.
We didn't know if we'd be making end-of-life kinds of choices for her and we went home to ponder our options. I don't recall how it came up but somehow canine massage came to mind. I know how helpful massage can be to humans, so it makes sense that other animals, especially of the domesticated variety, would benefit as well. I wondered if Rosie's problem was related to a slip (our tile floors are not particularly friendly to aging puppy paw pads) or a twist of some sort.
With the help of our friendly Internet search engine, we located a certified canine massage therapist right here in Tucson. We immediately sent her an email, googled her (for good measure) and she responded almost immediately. After a brief phone call, we agreed to have her come over for an evaluation within days.
Kate showed up at our door with a big smile and a warm, assuring manner. The dogs took to her instantly but they weren't sure what all this was about. Kate's first visit was simply to meet and greet the dogs, talk with us about what to expect and what we expected and to answer any questions.
We agreed to set up a series of 8 massages to see how Rosie would fare under this regimen. The first few sessions Rosie was a bit nervous about the whole process and didn't settle down immediately, but starting on the third session, she sat patiently and allowed herself to be gently rubbed and stretched.
It was clear from the start Kate was an expert in canine anatomy as she explained what she was doing and why. She gave us suggestions for follow-up stretching for in-between massage dates. After about two weeks, we noticed an improvement in Rosie, though we weren't sure if it was just our wishful thinking or a genuine change. We persisted, we welcomed Kate into our home and the dogs began looking forward to these sessions that I'm sure they viewed as a bit of a play date.
Four weeks into it, it was clear Rosie was more mobile, more relaxed and had more stability. She was able to resume her daily walks, stand on her own and generally get around better. As the 8 weeks came to a close, it was clear that Rosie was better. Whether it was just her getting attention for a concentrated period of time each week or whether it was the massage (I suspect a bit of both), she was improved.
We decided to allow the 8 sessions to 'settle in' a bit to see how Rosie fared. We've stayed in touch with Kate and we're happy to report that now, about two months later, Rosie continues to improve. She runs, she stands, she happily goes for her walks.
I don't know what happened to Rosie to cause the problem but I do know that it was working with Kate that fixed what ailed my precious pup.
You might think canine massage is a bit la-de-dah but having seen it with my own eyes, I am convinced that it's a great option to have available. If you have a dog with any muscular or skeletal issues or if your dog takes a sudden (or gradual) turn for the worse, certainly seek professional veterinary advice to make sure it's not something major. But if it's inconclusive, give some serious thought to canine massage. Your best friend on four legs may not be able to tell you where it hurts, but a great canine massage therapist like Kate Titus can - and she can fix it too.
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for a dog lover? How about the gift of a canine massage? There are certified canine massage therapists throughout the U.S. and if you're lucky enough to live in Tucson, Arizona, you can contact Kate Titus at A Loyal Companion.
Of course, if you want to keep Fido fit and happy, consider natural and organic pet food from your friends at shopOrganic.com!
Read more!
We wondered what to do for her and of course, our first stop was our vet. We've been with our vet for a long time and trust his advice. He took a look at Rosie (whom he affectionately calls Rosie-roo) and said he could check a few things to see if anything was seriously wrong. We agreed since she could not stand on her own at that point. Diagnostics of various sorts were performed but showed nothing out of the ordinary for an aging but otherwise healthy dog.
We didn't know if we'd be making end-of-life kinds of choices for her and we went home to ponder our options. I don't recall how it came up but somehow canine massage came to mind. I know how helpful massage can be to humans, so it makes sense that other animals, especially of the domesticated variety, would benefit as well. I wondered if Rosie's problem was related to a slip (our tile floors are not particularly friendly to aging puppy paw pads) or a twist of some sort.
With the help of our friendly Internet search engine, we located a certified canine massage therapist right here in Tucson. We immediately sent her an email, googled her (for good measure) and she responded almost immediately. After a brief phone call, we agreed to have her come over for an evaluation within days.
Kate showed up at our door with a big smile and a warm, assuring manner. The dogs took to her instantly but they weren't sure what all this was about. Kate's first visit was simply to meet and greet the dogs, talk with us about what to expect and what we expected and to answer any questions.
We agreed to set up a series of 8 massages to see how Rosie would fare under this regimen. The first few sessions Rosie was a bit nervous about the whole process and didn't settle down immediately, but starting on the third session, she sat patiently and allowed herself to be gently rubbed and stretched.
It was clear from the start Kate was an expert in canine anatomy as she explained what she was doing and why. She gave us suggestions for follow-up stretching for in-between massage dates. After about two weeks, we noticed an improvement in Rosie, though we weren't sure if it was just our wishful thinking or a genuine change. We persisted, we welcomed Kate into our home and the dogs began looking forward to these sessions that I'm sure they viewed as a bit of a play date.
Four weeks into it, it was clear Rosie was more mobile, more relaxed and had more stability. She was able to resume her daily walks, stand on her own and generally get around better. As the 8 weeks came to a close, it was clear that Rosie was better. Whether it was just her getting attention for a concentrated period of time each week or whether it was the massage (I suspect a bit of both), she was improved.
We decided to allow the 8 sessions to 'settle in' a bit to see how Rosie fared. We've stayed in touch with Kate and we're happy to report that now, about two months later, Rosie continues to improve. She runs, she stands, she happily goes for her walks.
I don't know what happened to Rosie to cause the problem but I do know that it was working with Kate that fixed what ailed my precious pup.
You might think canine massage is a bit la-de-dah but having seen it with my own eyes, I am convinced that it's a great option to have available. If you have a dog with any muscular or skeletal issues or if your dog takes a sudden (or gradual) turn for the worse, certainly seek professional veterinary advice to make sure it's not something major. But if it's inconclusive, give some serious thought to canine massage. Your best friend on four legs may not be able to tell you where it hurts, but a great canine massage therapist like Kate Titus can - and she can fix it too.
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for a dog lover? How about the gift of a canine massage? There are certified canine massage therapists throughout the U.S. and if you're lucky enough to live in Tucson, Arizona, you can contact Kate Titus at A Loyal Companion.
Of course, if you want to keep Fido fit and happy, consider natural and organic pet food from your friends at shopOrganic.com!
Read more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
