Can Your Relationship With Your Dog Be Like a Marriage

When we think of the words "For better, for worse," we usually think of marriage.  However, there is another type of relationship where I believe this is applicable – our relationship with our pets; specifically dogs.

When we acquire a pet, how often do we promise to take care of him; for better - for worse?

For Better Or For Worse - Our Relationship With Our Pets

We fall in love with that puppy and look forward to many years of joy with him. BUT.....sometimes…

He has genetic problems and requires special care, which can be very expensive. He will NOT stop barking.

He bites people.

He poops and pees in the house.

He is left alone all day and then goes crazy when his owner comes home and becomes a pest, trying to gain full-on attention.

He isn't as cute as when he was a puppy.

He has a serious accident or disease and requires special care for the rest of his life.

He is destructive when left alone... Sometimes, rather than spend the time needed to restore the relationship, we give up.....and give that dog away.

Your Commitment To Your Pets

This is where a dog rescuer comes in. We have rescued over 30 dogs in the past few years who have been abandoned, beaten, or ignored. 

EVERY SINGLE one of them has been a total blessing in our home. 

Every one of them had special needs which required a lot of attention. 

And every single one of them has been the best dog…EVER. Don't kid yourself -- rescue dogs know they have been rescued. They will do anything and everything to please you. All they ask for in return is to be loved. 

Just loved. 

When given the love and attention they need, many of their previous bad habits disappear.

Love Your Pets No Matter What

I believe that dogs who have been rescued have the largest vocabulary and they tell us (to the best of their ability) how much they love us, how much they appreciate us, how they will never leave us.

All they want.....is to be heard and loved. 

They will never break their promise to you – to love and support you to their dying day.

Has there been a special dog in your life? Possibly a rescue dog? I would love to hear your story.

How Far Would You Go to Save Your Dog's Life?

My husband, Clayton, and I have always called each other Babe. It never occurred to either one of us to name a dog Babe. Two Babes under one roof was enough.

We had been out of touch with Clayton’s father for close to eight years. We missed him but distance and circumstances prevented much contact. In the spring of 1995, we decided it had been too long and Clayton made plans to visit him.Only two weeks passed when we got the call from my sis-in-law.  "Dad slipped on the ice and hit his head. He didn't make it. He's gone."  

How could this possibly have happened? But it did. The long trip was made but it was to dad's funeral, not for a visit. 

Not All Surprises Are A Good Thing

When Clayton called me after the funeral, his voice sounded sheepish and I sensed what he was going to say before he ever said it."Uh.....Babe.  You aren't going to believe this but...."I interrupted his sentence, "Dad had a dog, right?"

"How did you know?"

"And you want to bring him home, right?"

I was rapidly preparing my argument in my head against it. We HAVE a dog! 

But then he said, "Her name is Babe. She is a Doberman/Shepherd cross and she's beautiful. She has ears as big as her head and you will love her. Tell Rochelle I got a special dog, just for her."

I hung up the phone and told my daughter that Daddy had a special surprise for her and she was excited.

A Brilliant Idea!

When they got home that evening, Rochelle took a flashlight outside to see her special surprise. Babe took one look at her holding the flashlight in her hand and lunged at her, growling, barking, and showing her teeth. I was screaming and terrified but within seconds, Babe realized the flashlight was not a threat and she settled down."Thanks, Dad. Nice surprise!"

In the years that followed, Babe proved to be a first-rate guard dog and our daughter grew to love her dearly. Babe was trained but only understood commands in German. We did not know the commands but that didn’t matter to her. 

She knew exactly how to protect her family and was always on guard. She was gentle and fun, smart and goofy. She attached herself to my husband's hip and rarely left his side. No matter where he went, whatever room he went into, she had to follow him.

Then This Happened...

We lived at the end of a country road where teenagers liked to party late at night. This disturbed Babe greatly and when she saw them coming she would run up behind them and smash the full weight of her body behind their knees. They would freak out and didn't know what knocked them off balance but they stopped coming around. Babe would nonchalantly walk away as if she was not guilty.

Teeth?  What teeth?

My father-in-law, her former owner, kept his false teeth in a glass on his bedside table. Before going to sleep one night, he had eaten a piece of lemon meringue pie and left the crust on his plate. When he woke up in the morning, Babe had licked the pie plate clean and she must have realized that there were some pie scraps on the teeth in the glass of water. She ate the teeth as well. Yup – she ATE the teeth!

Heartbroken!

Even though Babe never hurt anyone, she sent a message that her sole purpose was to protect her owners. Some of the neighbors felt threatened by her and a woman complained to the by-law officer that Babe had bitten her while my husband was walking Babe on a leash. 

All she did was smell the woman, didn't even bark. We knew this was a lie and told the officer that when he arrived at our home with bad news.

Babe's demise was to be put to sleep.

"I am afraid you will have to put her to sleep. She is a threat to the neighbors and we have no tolerance of dogs that bite people.""I want you to have the complainant show me the bite. She is lying." my husband demanded.

A few days later, the officer came back and said that we were right. Babe had not touched the woman but she was afraid to go for walks and therefore, he would have to uphold his original decision to have Babe put down. 

We had 30 days to relocate or destroy the dog.

We were heartbroken. She was NO threat and had never bitten anyone. My daughter wrote a heartfelt letter to the by-law officer. She told him that she was raised to be honest and did not understand how he could kill a dog that had harmed no one and was the victim of a vindictive lie. 

The letter went unanswered.

A Brilliant Idea Changed Babe's Life

A few days later, while shopping one afternoon, I got a brilliant idea and I began to laugh out loud in the drug store. I made my purchase and drove home so excited I couldn't wait to tell my family.

I bought three boxes of black hair dye and we dyed Babe's hair black.  

No one in the neighborhood questioned us about the ‘new’ black dog.

To her dying day, she never hurt anyone but there was no question as to who was in control and Chief of Security.

What is the Secret to Handling the Little BIG Things?

I wanted to scream but resorted to talking to myself out loud. Could this day get any worse?

Stress Management. How many articles and books have been written on this subject?  How many medications are taken daily in hopes of managing the stress we experience? What coping mechanisms can we practice?  

4 Funny Tips on How to Create an Awesome Profile Picture

How important is your profile picture? There are many people who post profile pictures that are not pictures of themselves at all. You may choose to do this for various reasons. Some people may be more interested in sharing their brand instead of a photo of themselves. Some may want to post a family picture (which tells a story about who they are). Some may post a picture of their furry friend.

What does someone see when they look at your profile picture? No matter how often we may say that we don't judge a book by the cover, it is human nature to do just that.

Be careful not to judge too quickly

Is Owning a Dog Better Than Being Married?

I never met a dog I didn't like love.  Give me five minutes with any dog and I will create a life-long bond.  After years of rescuing dogs - over 30 so far - I can't imagine life without at least one furbaby in the house. My daughter has six at the moment - the acorn doesn't fall far....

Dogs make us laugh -- every single day.  When you learn to speak 'dog' they will tell you what you want to hear -- "I love you.  I have always loved you.  I will always love you.  Nothing else matters."

A bachelor friend of ours loves dogs as much as we do and has always maintained it is easier to date a woman and come home to his four-legged furry friend than to to be married. WHAT?

Admit it -- I bet some of you have thought that.  And here are some reasons why.......

1.  The later you come home, the more excited the dog is to see you.  You don't have to have an excuse or an explanation.  Giving a dog a pat on the head and a treat will make them forget you were ever gone at all.

For Better, For Worse -- A Language a Dog Understands

 

When we think of the words "For better, for worse," we usually think of marriage. We say our vows on our wedding day proclaiming that we will never leave our spouse, no matter what happens.

But sometimes we don't follow through with those vows.  Sometimes, our spouse is abusive or falls out of love with us or...vice versa. Those words ring in our ears -- for better, for worse -- but......it may be out of our control.

10 Reasons Why You Should NOT Have a Dog as a Pet

Do you wonder if you should get a dog? Have you weighed the pros and cons and stress over the extra work and time it will take? 

Hubby and I rescued over 30 dogs and each one of them became a family member quickly. Each one knew they were loved, wanted, and they would no longer be abused. In our current climate of unrest and stress, NOTHING is more calming than the love of a four-legged fur baby. 

Yes, there is deep hurt when you lose your precious furry family member and may not want to ever adopt another. But, there are hundreds of them waiting for a good home. I am convinced that they are completely aware they were rescued and will do anything to protect you and love you with every ounce of their being. 

Here is my list of why we need a dog in our life:

1. You will no longer need an alarm clock. Dogs have internal clocks with alarms that go off right on time. They know when it is time to get up, to eat, to exercise, and a host of other activities.