Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

If I could talk to the animals…(Day One Hundred and Seventeen)

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Vernon had a Health Fair today.  I started out at the table for the Vernon Trails system and had a lovely discussion with the Scott and a lovely older woman.  I expressed my desire for dog friendly trails where my sweeties could run off leash. 🙂

 I was excited to attend the fair as there were a number of workshops I wanted to participate in.  One of these workshops was “Creating a Bridge Between People and Animal” by Deborah Ravenwood.  If you haven’t guessed it; the workshop was about communicating with your animals.  By taking this workshop I discovered that a lot of the communication is really just speaking to your pet and trying to envision communicating your message.

When I got home I had a few chores to take care of before I could leave to take the dogs on their walk.  One of the tasks was cutting up and packaging the dogs raw meat for the week, naturally I had two very interested onlookers.  Sampson is very good (of course) and usually lies somewhere in the kitchen or right outside, Delilah on the other hand likes to be right at my heels; licking the floors and cabinets and waiting for me to drop something.  I decided I would try my new-found communications skills.

I walked Delilah over to the edge of the kitchen and said, “Delilah, I promise if you sit here until I am finished, I will let you lick the spoon.”  Then I walked back to the task at hand.  Five minutes later, she was STILL sitting there!  I was finished and so I let her lick the spoon. OMG!

I tried this again while I was doing dishes.  I brought her to the same spot and said, “Delilah if you sit here until I am done with the dishes, I will give you a cookie.”  She sat for a minute and then moved over into the spot that Sampson usually occupies, but she sat until I was done.  (Except for a quick relapse when I opened the cabinet to throw out the garbage, she rose and I said, “AICK” and she sat back down.)

Delilah sitting and waiting for her cookie.

She sat until I was done and then I gave her three green beans!  Of course when I left the kitchen she went in and licked the floor, cabinets and oven.

Delilah Stone…Role Model (Day One Hundred and Sixteen)

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Today after agility class I was chatting with Ann (who does all  the intakes for  Labs 4 Rescue organization).  Ann is very complimentary about Delilah and what a good dog she is.  Today Ann said, “Delilah would be a good role model for any rescue organization.”  I take that on behalf of Delilah and our entire family as one of the highest compliments I could ever receive about Delilah.

I am all for encouraging people to rescue animals, but as I was discussing with Ann, rescuing is not always easy.  When you look at Delilah and see the amazing dog she has become, you are looking many hours of blood, sweat and tears (mostly my tears!) 🙂

You don’t always get their history, the dog may have behavioral issues that are very steeply set in their past life.   Some dogs will be able to put their pasts behind them and move on, while others may always carry their issues with them.  The best we can do is to try to work around those issues so the dog “wins.”  For instance, if you have a counter surfer (someone who likes to take food off the counter) you may never break them of this habit, the trick is to not leave anything out on the counter that the great Kahuna can reach.  When you leave something reachable out on the counter; you are setting your dog up to fail. 

When we are running agility, even if we haven’t done as well as I think we can, I need to end my run with a task that Delilah performs well.  Then I reward her.  She ends her session on a positive note and feels like she has won.

Delilah on the See Saw

 Delilah isn’t the only one who has won, we have a wonderful dog that would be an awesome role model for any rescue group.

All Dogs Go To Heaven…(Day One Hundred and Fifteen)

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Do you wonder if that statement “All Dogs Go To Heaven” is true?  I have struggled with it for years.  I’m not really sure where I got the idea from, but my understanding was that animals were not allowed in Heaven.  This has weighed heavily on my heart, as I’m not sure I want to be somewhere that my beloved pets are not.  The issue has really tested my faith.

I asked my cousin Karen who has been involved with the church her entire life; her response was uncertain.  She was under the impression that animals did not go to heaven because while they had a spirit, they did not have a soul; still she tried to reassure me that “It doesn’t hurt to ask GOD” once we are there.  I wasn’t satisfied with Karen’s answer.

Somehow my question must have come up in conversation with one of my work friends (Di), because for Christmas I received a gift from her; a book titled “Scarlet’s Garden The Visit” by Penny Taylor.   Di said, “Read the book, then tell if you think animals go to heaven.”  Each time I spoke with Di she would inquire whether I had read the book or not, and each time I told her it’s right on the top of my list, as soon as I have a free day I intend to read the book.

Last Sunday I had a free day and so I sat down and I read the book (anyone who wants to borrow it just let me know.)  I have to admit; I cried, a lot, but I thought the book was beautifully written.  I don’t want to spoil the book by revealing too much, but I do have to say, I once again have hope that my babies will be with me in heaven and my faith in GOD has been renewed.

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