Paws of Happiness

A lot of people cringe when you say dog mom or refer to your dogs as your kids or when you say you’re a parent. I’m in the unique space of being an actual human parent, and dog guardian. I understand both children and dogs are a huge commitment.I did not get Holy into the dog community until my child was a teenager and was starting to gain some independence for me.

In fact I believe it is a great hobby to get into, dogs need constant care and attention and when your children are starting to spread their wings and fly you have some thing else to focus on love and nurture.

It is possible to be a great human parent focused devoted and caring as well as a great dog parent but, it is difficult and not everyone can do the juggling. The expense, the time, and all the other things that go into both being a dog owner and human parent can be overwhelming for some. While, othersfind it to be pretty simple as long as their structure and routine. I let people watch her that were not so great. I went to groomers that were even worse. I did all the wrong things that I would cringe at now. When it came to my child of course I was a lot more careful I did the research I homeschooled I searched out pediatricians I never left him at a daycare I was picky about babysitters. All the over bearing helicopter mom things I did because I knew there was information there was people to support me while when it came to the dog not so much and that was not so unusual for the time.

By the time my child was kindergarten age I had gotten a couple more dogs in I bought better dog food I found a different veterinarian, I was picky or about my groomers. I even got a thunder shirt for anxiety started buying treats and tried a little harder. I boarded my dogs at the vet rather than just leaving them with whoever and that was a little better. I started to learn more about dog care and what a dog needed and got better about shots and grooming.more information was available so I did a little better. I still probably did not have the time and resources that I do now. There wasn’t as much support. With each dog I got a little better and learned a little more. With both kids and dogs there sacrifices to be made. Time, resources, you have to be humble enough to admit when you’re wrong or when you do not understand and you have to be strong enough to stand your ground when it comes to issues that you feel strongly about.

I can look at so many things I did not know. I did not know that all dogs need a training up until I was 37 years of age. I thought dog up until I was 37 years of age I did not know all dogs needed training. Up until then I thought dog trainer were special qualified people to work with dogs. Only certain people could work with dogs and train them and only certain families need a training. Boy was I wrong? I also thought that a pet sitter was just whoever you could get. I did not know that you needed to check out these people they needed to have experience and some sort of accountability. There was just so much I did not know. I want to change the narrative. I want people to know there’s information and there’s so many resources out there for people who want to be great dog owners and you do not have to be rich or a genius to have well behaved dogs that are healthy and happy. Having dogs as a choice. Just like having children is a choice. There are people out there in the world who desperately want children and cannot have them. I’m sure there’s some out there who desperately want dogs and cannot have them. In the same way their people out there who have children who should not and there are people out there many people, who have dogs that should not. For each group whether it’s children or dogs there should be in our resources out there to help. To help you be better to achieve the dream of being good with your dogs and children. All you have to do is work? All you have to do is try!

There are people out there who have dogs and are great with them but she’s not to have children. Like I said having children is a choice just like having dogs are a choice. So if someone wants dogs but not children. I respect that. I feel that they are making a good decision. People know what they’re capable of and they know what’s too much and what’s not enough and they feel like they do not want children but are probably the best dog owners in the world. Great wonderful nothing wrong with that.

In the same way I know people who have children but do not feel like they have the money, resources or time. I feel that smart, it’s humane. It’s the right thing to do. Admitting what you can and cannot handle and being mature enough to admit it. Maybe these people will get a dog when their children are older or maybe not. Either way they’re doing what’s best for them and any potential dogs they might get. To be honest I feel like people who do not have children and just have dogs probably are better dog owners they have time for exercise they have money for vet bills and recreation they’re more likely to spend more time with their dogs. A lot of times when people who have children have dogs they expect the children to take care of the dogs and some of those children do a great job and well some of them do not.

I noticeSingle people or even married couples who have dogs doing so much more.

When I want to learn about dog ownership and doing better I usually learn from people who either have raised their children like me and are having dogs at a later point of life or young people who have never had children and are putting dogs as their full focus. I definitely think there’s a balance

Dog ownership for younger people is easier. They’ve had more information, they’ve grown up with the Internet and they’ve been raised in a generation were research, self teaching and development is normal. They’ve also been brought up with dogs being members of the family. They’ve also been told that dog ownership is inclusive and dogs are a huge integrated part into the society.Not to mention the enormous increase in anxiety and situations where people need dogs to be with them it has just made Dog ownership more positive for the younger generation.for the older generation it’s different. Some of them are not able to connect with the new way of thinking. Some people stick to what they’ve been taught what they see or what they know. For some self education is just extremely difficult to comprehend. In either case dogs are becoming huge priority. In rescue, in homes, and therapy and all other parts of society.

We are always looking for those must have Dog items that are reasonably priced. For the dog owner finding items on a budget is a big deal. Even items that you just really enjoy or do not necessarily need but definitely will use and will purchase. They must be reasonably priced and have good quality or they are just not worth it.my top place to find dog items that I need, or maybe just would like to have, ischewy. Com .

I would say 85 to 90% of the time the customer service is fabulous. I have had issues but I ordered from them quite frequently. I started ordering from them about five years ago and I have not really had many problems. Not only that they get the items to you rather quickly. I really enjoy that, also they have a huge inventory of items with a lot of diversity. Items I did not even know existed for dogs.

Their pricing is incredible. Like I said so much variety. If you take something as simple as dog food. They have so many different brands, types, even rare things such as vegan dog food or do it yourself mixes for homemade dog food, free diet dog food and brands I had n never heard of and even things such as do it yourself mixes for homemade dog food. They even have the old fashion brands that have been around forever and even the very bottom of the barrel cheap brands for people who need that pricing just to feed their dogs.

Of course they help out shelters and I’ve heard of them contributing to so many big-name shelters and they even have the wish list like Amazon have. I enjoy purchasing from a company who has a lot of humanitarian and community spirit.

I really believe they have everything a dog could ever need or want. They even have gift items for a dog lover. Such as T-shirts, jewelry, mugs, magnets things that you might give someone for a gift or just enjoy yourself.

Just yesterday I was looking on the website because yes that’s what I do in my spare time it’s just look around on there to see what they have and I found a section called items under $10. That’s definitely something I will check out. Also they have today’s deals which is basically their clearance rack. I frequent that very often and you never know what you might find.

I also noticed recently when prices everywhere went up they started doing bundle packages where you could get two or three things for one price I don’t really know honestly that the items are any cheaper getting them that way but it is a nice idea. Example one bundle that I took advantage of that was slightly cheaper was the celestial collars for flea prevention. I have to get two of each sides because I have four dogs and my four dogs are in two different size groups I have to buy two collars that are over 18 pounds and two collars

AutoShips are amazing. Here are the great things about their auto ships. Number one you can change the date each time if you’re someone like me that gets paid on a different day every month you can make that flexible you just have to go in and manually do a lot of things with your AutoShip. You can add and take away items every month. So my subscription is slightly different every month but when it comes to medicine, food, supplements, any of the need items you say 5% and sometimes even more depending on what kind of deals are going on. Also the items that you do not save 5% on such as clothing, decoration gifts training equipment things like that that you would not buy every month you can still put them in your AutoShip ahead of time that way they will ship out at the same time. Now depending on what you’re getting and what warehouse it’s coming from you might have a lot of different packages and some of your items might come on different days but for the most part your items come very quickly. I’m not sure now but you could even space your subscriptions out for 13 weeks in the past I’m not sure what it is now but you don’t have to get it every month or every week or really often.

Another thing that I find financially beneficial is the pharmacy. I never was one to have my dogs on regular medication until about a year or so ago and I use their pharmacy monthly. They work really well with my vet and the only thing is you have to have a vet willing to call in prescriptions. In fact the pharmacy actually will call your vet for you and get everything taken care of. Recently I had an issue where my veterinarian was calling in a medication and we had some discrepancy on dosage and price and things like that and they were super to call my vet and keep working with me so that my dog could get her medication.

I will say their pharmacy prices are a lot cheaper than veterinarians and I really feel like they do a really good job getting the medication and I love the bottles. They even have some medications that local veterinarians do not have. So I feel like their pharmacy has a large variety.

The only other subscription service that I have tried out is pet flow. I found their prices to be very expensive. I did not like their customer service as well. I will say the items came rather promptly. I also found that they did not have a very good variety of pet items. I ended up having to shop at two places when I was using pet flow and I felt that I would rather get everything from one place that had reasonable prices. I also noticed that pet flow did have very rare breeds of dog food that you might not find other places and so that is a plus if that’s the type of food you need. I just did not see the need to shop at multiple places when I could get everything at one place.

Another place that I Also I like to buy dog items is Walmart. Yes good old fashion Walmart. Their prices are great. You can find basic types of dog food at basic prices. I also like to buy dogtoys there I feel like some of the other places sell dog toys for an insane amount of money and my dogs are not extremely hard on their toys so the Walmart ones work best for us. Pretty much any Dog item that you would need in a quick pinch would be sold at Walmart and probably be at a reasonable price. The problem with items at Walmart are the quality can be good or bad so you just have to do a lot of trial and error to see if that’s what you need.

I also like department stores that sell things for lower prices. Such as T.J. Maxx, Ross, the kind of department stores that sell name brand things for cheaper prices or use last year‘s fashions. Those places are amazing for clothes, toys, bowls, dishes, leashes. Basically items that people buy based on their looks. Sometimes you will find treats or bones there but be careful because sometimes their past the expiration date.

I do not understand people who have dogs and say that when the dog passes away, they will never have another dog. It’s hard for me to understand that people do not comprehend when first adopting or getting a dog that at one point in time these dogs will no longer be with us. Most of the time it’s a given that a human is going to outlive their dog.

I fully comprehend it knowing that your dog is going to pass on is not going to make it any easier. In fact it’s one of the hardest losses a human can suffer when their dog passes on. No matter if it’s traumatic, or some thing that comes from old age it’s still hard and when you have to make the decision to humanely euthanized that’s even harder.

I’ve had to see four different canine friends pass on three from euthanasia and one from sickness. All four were difficult in different ways. I kept thinking that she would pass on naturally and kept putting the decision to humanely euthanize off. I feel like that was a huge disservice to her, it was unfair and basically making her suffer. I did not have the skills or understanding to know that I had to make the decision for her. She even at some point ran off to try to go off and die herself and I kept bringing her back.

When I finally made the decision to euthanize her. I took her to the veterinarian and they were nice enough to come out to the car that way she could take her last breath surrounded by family and we didn’t have to be in a stuffy vet clinic dealing with our pain and grief around strangers. We were in the privacy of our own vehicle where we were free to cry and it express our grief .

Actually in the past few weeks I’ve been looking in my Facebook memories and seeingPosts about her sickness her decline and of course having to humanely euthanize. That was the first experience I’ve ever had with humane euthanasia. Yes I had been someone who said I would never do that unless I absolutely had to and I guess I always thought the veterinarian would let you know when it was time but it as their , best

I remember the funny things about that specific dog. How she was super well behaved except when it came to hamburger meat. She would climb on tables steal food and do very devious tactics to get to hamburger even and especially Krystal burgers.

It is hard to euthanize a family member. It is hard to make that decision. I know a lot of dog owner say they would never humanly euthanize their dog. Under any circumstances. You really do not know what you would do in that situation. It is the humane thing to do you never want your dogs to suffer. I always saw a veterinarian helping someone make that decision but sometimes as their guardian you have to.

The second time I had to make the hard decision was my Shetland sheepdog. I got her on her second birthday. She had always been heavy and a little lethargic. After seven years of being in my life when she was around nine, she started having seizures. I finally got someone to diagnose her with thyroid issues and got her on medication, but that still did not help. We went to several veterinarians trying to figure out where the seizures were coming from and I spent lots of money getting test ran. Unfortunately no one thought of having an x-ray. And then end up being lung cancer which was diagnosed in the emergency vet after she presented breathing struggles. The emergency veterinarian insisted that I put her down that night. And so it was a quick abrupt decision that broke my heart.

I actually adopted two shelties. They started out at a breeder and then went to a home where they stayed for a couple of years and then they came to me. I adopted them about two weeks apart. They were very different but very close. One was outgoing, obnoxious, loud and somewhat social. She was also quite large. The other one , was standoffish, reserved, not as loud, actually not loud at all. Gentle. I always knew the smaller one would pass away first even though she was slightly younger. I knew she would never be able to survive without the other one. That is exactly the way it happened. They were so in sync they’re barking they’re sleeping they’re eating even though they were slightly related you would think that they were closely related they were so in sync with one another.

She had been sort of secluded because the other dog had such crippling anxiety so we were able to do some traveling and start going to the dog park. I noticed that she was slowing down but she was past 10 years old so I thought that was normal. She started having some weird symptoms and losing lots of weight. I kept consulting with veterinarians but no one seem to know what was going on. I found it hard to even get her to eat after a while. Finally a veterinarian friend of mine suggested kidney failure and I took her to the vet and they said it was just a kidney infection, I didn’t understand how a kidney infection could last for needlessly and so I made a vow that I would never ever make that decision again I would never allow any medical professional whether it’s a human doctor or a animal doctor bully me into doing things I do not agree with especially when it results in my dog suffering.

Unfortunately I got the opportunity to live that statement. You know, the one about not letting my dog suffer and having an idea what I wanted for my dog. Yes. Less than a year later, the senior dog I adopted at age 8 to be her friend started presenting symptoms. She had always been an overweight dog very healthy loved food, but she started slowing down. Like I mentioned, she was a senior when I got her. I do think back and realize she was slowing down but I thought it was age or extreme weight gain. She gained a lot of weight after she came to live with me. Finally she did stop eating and I took her to the vet immediately suspecting kidney failure and unfortunately that is what it was. I took her to a different veterinarian and when they said her kidney levels were off the charts and there was not much they can do I am mediately insisted on euthanasia.

I want to talk about positive lessons. Each situation with a sick dog has taught me something. The first dog that I had to put down. I waited too long. I let her suffer and I feel so bad. She lost her vision, yes that’s fine we can work with that. She lost her hearing yes that’s fine as well we can work with that. When I was having to carry her outside for bathroom breaks set her up to feed her and of course when she was running off to go die and I wouldn’t let her she was trying to tell me things and I was not listening. That taught me to pay attention to listen and to put their needsabove mine. They have to have a good quality of life and she did not that’s terrible. That was no kind of life for her to have that was all about me and how I felt and that’s wrong.

The second dog the small little sheltie who had lung cancer. That taught me too research medical testing. If she would’ve had an x-ray we would’ve known what was going on. She had bloodwork and urinalysis, but she never had an x-ray. As a cancer survivor myself, I cannot believe that I never suspected cancer. So that just taught me to look into testing into really think about the kind of testing that’s being done.

The last situations with kidney failure, of course do what I think is right again going back to the quality of life and not letting your dog suffer. Also the second situation with kidney failure even though we were not able to save her was positive it actually helped me have faith in my vet. My vet in the area diagnosed the first dog with a kidney infection rather than kidney failure at first. That is why I took her to that that that did not listen to me but, my that was able to redeem themselves with the second dog and they of course apologized for misdiagnosing my first dog. Not to mention because I’m the person who had two dogs with kidney failure in one year, they always remember me and they respect my decisions. I was also able to share with them about going to the other Vet who insisted that I do life-saving tactics that just prolong her suffering. They apologized for that even though they had nothing to do with it and agreed with me about the quality of life scenario when it comes to kidney failure. I am not saying euthanize all dogs with kidney failure. In fact I have learned a lot about kidney failure number one early detection just like cancer is the key.

As far as kidney failure. There are things you can do special food, medication, fluids. There are a lot of things you can do with kidney failure if you catch it early and get it into remission. Unfortunately my dogs were diagnosed way too late because of negligence in the veterinary community and just my ignorance. So again that has taught me a lot.

People seem to overlook Dog‘s needs for exercise. I understand they’re little they don’t eat as much as humans and you think how much exercise can they possibly need? Dogs really do need exercise for multiple reasons.

First of all you need to think about what type of dog you have. Different types of dogs have different needs for exercise. It’s pretty simple. When getting a dog you should research the breed, figure out what your level of activity is. Assess your lifestyle your daily routine, and what you’re willing to do on a regular basis. Then factor all that together and try to find a dog with a similar activity level.

a small amount of Energy.

All dogs need exercise. No matter what breed, what age, or what their owner has going on. It’s a definite need. The question is how much how often what kind? All dogs are going to need some type of exercise. So, if that something you are not willing or capable to do you might think of getting a different kind of pet.for me I’m not interested in anything else besides dogs so that’s not an option. So we can discuss some options for people who for whatever reason are not able to exercise their dogs as often as they would like.

You can even bring your phone if you’d like although it would be nice if you would engage with your dog. Dog parks can be fun, you can meet dog friends for your dog and human friends for you. Usually they are in a fenced enclosure and I am fortunate enough to have a good dog park where, and sand in the big dog area which can be messy and I again discouraged my dogs from doing. They have benches. So it is a good place but I know not every area has this option. Some towns that are bigger have more than one dog park so you might have to find one that works best for you or possibly travel to another town if you have that option. I have saw people who come to my town just for the dog park.

I have also noticed a lot of senior citizens at the dog park who filled that they are not able to exercise their dogs as much as they need. The good thing about the dog park is they have long hour so depending on your schedule and availability you might be able to come multiple times during the day.

I have heard some dog parks charge a yearly fee and have structured rules, so every dog park is different so it’s best to check it out.

Another option for people who cannot exercise their dogs a lot, is public parks. Again definitely check into the rules and regulations of your area and the specific park. In my area all dogs are allowed at Og Parks as long as they’re on leash. The only park that does not require dogs be on leash is the dog park. I’ve even heard of some dog parks that are leash dog parks although I don’t know how that would work but it is an option. As far as the public park you can walk, expose your dogs to people, and both of you can get some exercise. Again I would not encourage bringing aggressive or sick dogs to a public area like that. If you have any questions you could always ask your veterinarian or some knowledgeable dog trainers.

Of course there are neighborhood walks and playing out in the yard. If you have that option it’s always an easy effective way to exercise your dog. Fetch, walking, and even training can be sources of exercise that are good for a dog and things you can do multiple times a day in short sessions.

You can go to a training class with other dogs and people. A lot of times the trainers are knowledgeable and there’s distance between the dogs so you do not have to worry about aggression or fights. Make sure you check out the dog trainer check references and of course if there’s any red flags once you meet the trainer don’t go to that trainer. A training class can be a good structured way to exercise your dog and you can get some positive tips from other people and the trainer.

There are Doggy Daycare‘s. Again check them out thoroughly and if there’s any red flags do not take your dog there. Check references and make sure it’s a safe place for your dogs. They of course have rules I’m sure about vaccinations and dogs being healthy and of course a dog cannot be aggressive at Doggy Daycare. I’ve heard of mini dogs being dismissed from Doggy Daycare because of extreme barking or aggression so definitely check into the rules and regulations and assess your dog and their personality before entering into a Doggy Daycare. I’ve heard they’re a good source of exercise although they can be expensive.There are Doggy Daycare‘s. Again check them out thoroughly and if there’s any red flags do not take your dog there. Check references and make sure it’s a safe place for your dogs. They of course have rules I’m sure about vaccinations and dogs being healthy and of course a dog cannot be aggressive at Doggy Daycare. I’ve heard of mini dogs being dismissed from Doggy Daycare because of extreme barking or aggression so definitely check into the rules and regulations and assess your dog and their personality before entering into a Doggy Daycare. I’ve heard they’re a good source of exercise although they can be expensive.

You can hire a dog walker. Dog walkers can come to your home and walk your dog even multiple times a day. This is a good option for people who work or have a busy schedule. Some of them walk your dog with other dogs and some of them walk your dog by themselves. You have to figure out which way you want and what your dog walker offers. Check them out thoroughly. Dog walkers can be expensive.Dog walkers in my area and so I’ve checked rates. Also, I would suggest making sure that the dog walker is bonded and insured just in case there’s an emergency or some thing happened. Make sure they’re qualified and good with dogs and have a good reputation.

You can get your dog involved in some sort of activity such as agility, barn hunt, rally, fast cat, dog diving. There are as many dog extracurricular activities as there are for children nowadays. Do some research, a lot of these require time, money and sometimes travel. Get into a good club with a good trainer. Also your dog needs to have some obedience training before getting into dog sports. Do research, make sure anyone you’re dealing with and reputable. Make sure everyone involved keeps your dog safe.

If you are not sure how to get your dog exercise. You can search out things on social media. Consult with trainers, veterinarians,and ofcourse other dog owners which are the best resource in my opinion. Sometimes professionals do not give ideas that are best for the regular old run-of-the-mill person. Example one time my veterinarian suggested that I find ducks for my dog to herd. That’s not some thing that most people find conducive to ordinary situations.

I am a firm believer in when you do not have something try to, create it or replicate it to the best of your ability and resources.

Some people who cannot access a normal Doggy Daycare create one by asking a friend or family member to take care of their dog for short periods of time. Due to working or busy schedule or whatever reason. The dog goes to another home during the day usually, but not necessarily, and plays with other dogs or access is a big yard or maybe just have someone who can walk them more often. I feel like this is risky because if something were to happen you might get stuck with a big Vet bill or some other expense or worst case scenario your dog be hurt or die but you do what you have to..This is an option and like I said, some people have found it to be very successful. This will give your dog some exercise have a controlled environment and you will know the person who’s taking care of your dog.

Example I do not live in a neighborhood where I can work my dogs or walk them. So I need to go to the dog park or the public park. I don’t drive so, that’s a problem most people do not want to just cart my dogs around so they can get exercise even though I find this to be very important and it helps my dogs mental health and physical health. So I had to find a dog walker, not to walk my dogs but willing to transport me and my dog‘s two places where they can get exercise. I pay the same dog walking rate which is kind of expensive but it’s worth it to get my dogs what they need.

Some of the reasons that dogs need exercise is like I said it helps their behavior. It keeps the obesity rate down because over 60% of dogs are obese which leads to many health issues and a shortened life Spand. Exercise helps mental health development and it’s just good for the whole family. Considering your dogs exercise needs is an important part of being a dog owner.

of anxiety. Going from mild to severe.i’ve only… I had one sheltie who did not have anxiety. People would tell me oh that’s normal shelties just are anxious. No they are not.

I couldn’t find resources or anyone who knew what to do to help my dogs. They would be so scared of everything everyone. They were terrified to ride in the car to go anywhere, they had very odd habits like some were afraid to beoutside. They tend to stay in crates, or corners, or hide out in my bedroom. They never wanted to be in parts of the whole house.

I got Jill on her second birthday she came from a dog hoarding situation. She was living with close to 20 dogs in a small home. She did not receive much attention and they described her as aloof and standoffish. They said she would not bond with anybody and was not close to any of the other dogs in the home. I got her home. She was afraid of everything, every sound every person except me. Somehow I gained her affection, I’m not sure how. She followed me everywhere. Preferred to stay on my bed or near my bed in my room. She followed me to the bathroom even if I showered or brushed my teeth. She would not go out for a potty break unless I was the one to take her out. And didn’t interact with anyone but me. The only thing besides me that she seemed interested in was her food and the other shelty that we brought from the same home. Jill was actually Casey’s biological ant. They slept together and were very close. Jill was also afraid and anxious around other dogs except Casey of course. She disliked other dogs except Casey and growled at them. Even if they were bigger or smaller than her. At the time I thought maybe she had little dog syndrome because she was on the small Side. Unfortunately Casey and her were there a little clique and did not embrace other dogs. Jill died at age 9 from lung cancer. Unbeknownst to me when she was at that bad home she had developed a Lakia which is a tick borne illness similar to limes disease and she had undiagnosed thyroid problems. Her increased weight contributed to arthritis which she developed at a very young age possibly even before she came to live with me because she never did anything physical so I know she was never injured.

Casey came to live with me a couple of weeks before Jill. She was about 2 1/2 and like I said they came from the same home. I believe I had Casey for about two weeks when I went back and got Jill. It was a long story I didn’t plan to get Jill Jill was claimed by a friend of mine who was unable to keep her so Jill came to live with me. Anyway back to Casey, I thought Casey did not have anxiety because she loved people but she barked a lot! Which is common for shelties but she barked at every sound every person and every shadow every leaf. Yes I know that can be common but her barking was annoyance and anger and frustration. She hated noise she hated anything out of the normal. It was a form of anxiety much lower ban Jill‘ lower than some of the dogs I have had but she had anxiety and the older she got the worse it got. At first she liked other dogs especially dogs that were smaller

than her but as she got older I feel that she got intolerant with other dogs. Nothing violent but just she was reclusive standoffish and harder to bond with. She unfortunately passed away of kidney failure at age 12 and 2019.

I had a few other shelties that I kept for brief amounts of time anywhere from three months to two years. A lot of them barkeduncontrollably or would not interact with humans under any circumstance even to eat.

Disengage, and just cower in fear all the time.

I did my best to find them retirement homes with people home all the time no children some of them went to single homes where they were the only dog and then some of them went to homes where they were with other dogs depending on what their needs were. I felt like I couldn’t help them and I gave them adequate amounts of time to try to decompress but my home was just not cut out for some of their needs.

I got Amanda in 2017 and she was amazing Social happy loved People loved everything there was not anything about life that she did not like she like to be inside but she like to be outside she would sleep in the bed or sleep in the crate Amanda was the perfect dog and gave me hope that I could find a sheltie without anxiety.

UnFortunately I didn’t have Amanda very long she was eight years old when I got her in at 10 1/2 she developed kidney failure as well. It broke my heart and I was so sad to lose the most happy well-adjusted sheltie I’ve ever met.

I got Carly and she was again fearful anxious cripplingly so, hid in crate disengaged standoffish ran off because she was afraid all the characteristics of the fearful shelties from my past.

I wanted to be different I was desperate to figure out how to fix this. So I began looking for help I join Facebook groups I read things I bought products anxiety this anxiety that. I bought a basketball to put in the water when I gave her a bath. I gave her anxiety over-the-counter supplements. Everything that said anxiety I tried. I even gave her the stuffed dog toy that you put in the microwave, that was supposed to encourage were to help them calm down. I did all the things. Nothing seem to work. I contacted someone who said she was studying to be a dog trainer and she told me I was not a good home for a Carly. Even though carlie had been with me nine months she said I was not the right home and that Carly just needed a huge area to run and play and would be better off going back to the breeder

after consulting with friends and a supportive shelty environment on Facebook I decided that was not the answer. People helped me see that her problems were not my fault. So then I went to my vet and took the plunge and put her on Prozac.

He warned me that the results would not be immediate that it would take about six weeks before I saw a difference. She ran off again and stayed gone for three days scared me to death but after that things seem to change not only that he told me to continue giving her supplements for anxiety and I started taking her to obedience class. After that I started putting her on a home cooked diet and completely moved her off kibble and I saw major improvements. Now she’s not Amanda. She’s not super social but she is able to live a good quality of life and we have started to bond.

At first I was stuck in the past. Her running off her being scared and did not want to see that things could be different. Dogs live in the moment not the past and I had to see if I saw Hope that would help herAt first I was stuck in the past. Her running off her being scared and did not want to see that things could be different. Dogs live in the moment not the past and I had to see if I saw Hope that would help herto help her see hope and calm in her future.

Anxiety journey

Why on earth would someone rehome their dog. Well, I can say. Illness, death, financial disaster, homelessness, abuse, there are many reasons that are very acceptable to rehome a dog. Yes, I understand a dog is a lifelong commitment and I believe it should be taken very seriously but there are some times when rehoming is just the only way to be kind.

Another instance where rehoming is the best decision is if the dog is aggressive toward other dogs or people in the home. Not to say that dog needs to be euthanized, sometimes it does but there are times when being the only dog or being with a specific gender or age group might help the situation and the dog can go on to living a happy life.

I also think that quality of life for the humans and the dog should be considered. If the humans lifestyle doesn’t afford for the dog to have a good quality of life then rehoming might be a good choice. If the dogs lifestyle is not conducive to the humans of course rehoming again might be the right choice.

Examples. If the dog has separation anxiety and need someone with them maybe has medical needs where they need a lot of attention or maybe just doesn’t like the living situation. Example if the person lives in an apartment with a very active dog. If the person lives in a studio apartment or a very small home without a yard and the dog needs more room to romp around and be a dog. Another home might be a good solution.

Maybe the human has medical needs where they’re sedentary or a bedbound and the dog needs more activity exercise and attention. If the person cannot take care of themselves, how can they take care of a dog? Yes if you’re already in that situation adopting a dog or getting a dog is not a good idea but maybe that situation happened because of an accident or a sudden illness you never know what someone else is going through. It’s best not to judge.

What if the house burns down in the person can barely provide for themselves and does not have a place to live. Yes it’s ideal to think that someone would step in provide a home where they can have their dog or maybe just keep the dog temporarily until the situation gets better but that’s not always possible or feasible so again rehoming sounds better than euthanization or going to a shelter.

I’ve heard all the bad excuses. Don’t have enough time, well unless something major happened it’s hard to believe that I don’t have enough time statement. Now there are some times when it can’t be avoided. I want heard of a lady who got a different roll at her job or she was traveling 3 to 4 weeks out of the month and was barely home. The dog was spending more time alone with people just coming in and checking on it then with someone. She said it wasn’t fair to the dog and I agreed there was no way to get out of that working situation. She was going to be very careful and choose about who she rehomed the dog to and said she bas pay the sitter as possible the in part was to the I can home. BeI’ve heard all the bad excuses. Don’t have enough time, well unless something major happened it’s hard to believe that I don’t have enough time statement. Now there are some times when it can’t be avoided. I want heard of a lady who got a different roll at her job or she was traveling 3 to 4 weeks out of the month and was barely home. The dog was spending more time alone with people just coming in and checking on it then with someone. She said it wasn’t fair to the dog and I agreed there was not a good way to get out of that working situation and so she had decided to rehome the dog, but she was going to pay a pet sitter for as long as it took to find the perfect home for the dog.

Another time I heard of someone who just had a normal eight hour a day first shift job you know 7 to 3 and still felt like she did not have enough time for her dog. Now I would say working a 40 hour work week would be better for the dog because you could afford vet care emergencies food grooming and all the things it takes to care for a dog properly.Working 40 hours a week to me does not sound impossible in fact most people do it or should do it if they have a dog so I did not think that was a good excuse and always felt like there was another reason that she rehomed her dog.

When people say they had a baby or are pregnant and and not care for their dog. Well, I’ve had a baby, and I’ve been a single mom and I know that is very demanding and hard. Not everyone’s the same. Yes people say well I’ve done it well so have I but I’m not everybody and everybody is not me. I don’t know what resources they have, what kind of living situation, what kind of schedule. I didn’t work, so I had all day with the baby and the dog. If I had been working a full-time job I might’ve been overwhelmed.

I also owned my own home if I were renting maybe the baby and the dog and a job would’ve been too much. I’m not going to judge. Yes it would be nice of someone could keep their dog when they had a baby but I also know how demanding a baby can be. What if it has help challenges,? What if the dog has health challenges. Fortunately my dog was elderly so giving her away was not an option and I never even thought about it but if I’d had a younger dog I don’t know what I would’ve done. Fortunately I’m not a puppy person so that would never of happened but I do respect people who make that difficult decision. I will tell you my dog got matted fur and I could not afford to take her to the groomer as often. She also ended up having health challenges that went by the wayside because I was so busy with the baby I wasn’t paying attention. I felt bad, guilty and I still feel bad but I know at the time I did the best that I could.

So the question is maybe if I had made a tough decision at the time things would’ve been different. I think my dog would’ve still gotten glaucoma and went blind but maybe not. I’m sure not getting to the groomer as often did not scar her for life and I remedied the problem.

Have I rehomed a dog absolutely. Do I feel guilty about it, well no not really. I mean A dog was sold to me for my child under false pretenses. The dog had been rescued from an abusive traumatic situation where she had not been worked with and had deep emotional scars. She had already been sold once and returned but I was mislead. I didn’t know any of this when I brought her home. She had a hard time dealing with a small child other dogs and a busy home. This was not the home for her and I’m happy to say I found her a home where they could work with her she was the only dog no kids and she was able to he and recover and do well.

Again when my child was a little older another dog was sold to us under false pretenses. I’m not sure what she had been through she had been in a home from eight weeks old to six years old and they suddenly decided they did not want her anymore she had severe separation anxiety she did bond with my son but she just had so much trauma and again did not get along with other dogs. She went to a retirement home with people that were dedicated to helping her and rehabilitating her.

The third and final dog my child tried to get while he was still under age, well,and I’m not sure. I think she probably had some trauma because she could be slightly aggressive. Again did not like other dogs. She loved my son and did well with him but she needed a lot of time and attention and had been used to having someone around her 24 seven and the biggest part was did not like the other dogs. Again she was given to a home with senior citizens who were home all the time and no other dogs. I did do a home check and checked on her for months to make sure she was well. Let’s just say she never looked back like she is definitely living her best life.

Did I learn things from these situations of course do I feel a little bad about some of them yes but I know a lot more now. I’ve made it my business to learn and study canine so that I won’t make these mistakes again. I understand when you get a dog especially when you’re like me and don’t enjoy puppies, you’re going to get dogs with issues. I have accepted that challenge. I’ve learned, grown and tried to educate myself. I know signs, I know questions to ask and I know how to make things clear with people that I’m getting dogs from. Not to mention I understand about reputable breeders now. Which helps. A reputable breeder will take their dog back.

I was never a podcast person. I thought they were weird and boring. A friend of mine started listening to podcast regularly and I got a brilliant idea to look and see if I could find a dog podcast. And that was the end! I became a true podcast fanatic.

Their dog stole their breakfast. Those are the stories I love. That way I feel like I’m not the only one. We all love our dogs but let’s face it they’re not perfect and I don’t want to sit there and listen to a podcast where someone’s telling me about their perfect dog in their perfect home and their perfect life. That’s really going to kill my confidence level.

So I look for podcast where people laugh and joke and make mistakes and talk about their dogs having weird habits or the bad habits that maybe they have unknowingly encouraged in their dogs. I live hearing about their dog mistakes, the things they would do again and the things they would not. I love hearing about how they learn and grow and change things such as food, treats, or just make more boundaries for their dogs. I love to hear about the way other people trying, fail, good days, bad days, how they found their dog and maybe the day they had to lose their dog. It’s all part of life and very important. Podcasts can be entertaining, encouraging, educational, they can make all the difference or even help you with something difficult you’re going through. Learned so much about dogs from podcast. I also love product recommendations, when they share new information they learned about recalls or dangerous things or even things that will help. When it comes to dogs there’s probably nothing that is not covered in a podcast somewhere somehow. Whether it’s dogs and significant others, dogs and holidays, Doggy Daycare, pet sitters, illnesses, food, anything you can think of when it comes to a dog is covered in some podcast.

It’s hard for me to believe that I’ve only been listening to podcast for about six or seven months. Once I started I could not stop. I look forward to the new episodes of my favorite podcast and even remember the day that they get new episodes.

For me I enjoy the podcast from just real people not necessarily pet professionals. The pet professional one seem to be more like a lecture or a course where the real people just seem like hanging out with a friend or getting some advice from someone you respect.The “experience is the best teacher has not been marketed for nothing. I believe in that experience is a great teacher and it’s the best way to learn and grow. So hearing other people‘s experiences with their dogs has help me immensely. Most of us do not have the same level of training or education as a dog professional so I like things put in terms that the regular old dog owner can understand.

I Believe that you can probably find a podcastfrom someone in your walk of life whether it’s a person that single with just a dog or married with a dog or someone who has dogs and kids, maybe a senior citizen with a dog, maybe someone with a therapy or service dog. You name it there’s someone out there going through the same life style you are that has a dog and probably a dog podcast.

There are even podcast it talk about how to get into a dog business. They can tell you ideas about marketing, money management, finding customers. You name it anything involving a dog there is a podcast for it.not to mention there are podcasts about breeding, dog breeds, dog sports, dog grooming, of course dog training and dog medical issues. Veterinarians have podcasts, behaviorist, trainers, groomers, every person that’s involved with a dog has some sort of a podcast or has been interviewed by I have learned so much from aa podcast aboutinRichmond and playing with my dogs. The dog human relationship, and the good thing about Dog podcast are you can listen to them while you’re doing other things. Cleaning, cooking, brushing your dog, riding in the car. Especially on a long trip. They’re convenient. Not like sitting down to read a book. Not like having to watch something on a screen.

A lot of podcasters are very approachable and helpful. Some of them give you ways to contact them by message so that you can ask questions or offer topics for them to discuss on their podcast. They’re usually very down to earth realistic and helpful I have never reached out to any of them but, I’m sure I will.

Most podcasters have other ways of networking on social media such as Facebook or Instagram or Twitter. So you can see other aspects of them and maybe get more information. You can also get previews of the podcast before it happens so that you’ll know which ones you want to make sure you listen to.

A few years ago when I got into poodles I discovered a cozy mystery series about a woman who solves mysteries and has poodles. That got me hooked on the cozy mystery field. Not only that it got me hooked on dog books.I did not know cozy mysteries even existed and the fact that they have dog cozy mysteries! That sent me over the top. They are so interesting and of course I never normally solve the mystery.aren’t just for entertainment they tend to have really good ideas about training, nutrition, medical, all sorts of information to help you care for your dog better.

The locations are really interesting, and they pretty much have one set in just about every part of the United States. They might even have some international ones but that’s not something I’m really interested in.most of them of course are murder mysteries but they’re not super scary and fax sometimes it’s kind of hilarious the way the people die. There’s everything from pet sitter solving mysteries to just simple pet owners, to breeders and of course people who show dogs. I’ve learned a lot about dog shows dog handling breeding, and all sorts of other aspects of having a dog. Most of the dogs are written from a very responsible point of you. They talk about giving dogs heartworm preventative keeping them groomed, breathing responsibly, and even encourage fostering and rescue.

Of course a good romance with a dog in it is the best. I love romances who have the main character have a dog. Or maybe even more than one dog. Usually there’s not as much practical dog knowledge in the romance genre but the dogs have a lot of personality are usually quite realistic and usually imperfect. Some of the romances have dogs with bad habits,are poorly trained but it makes for a good story and it’s very entertaining.

I have not read a whole lot of factual non-fiction books about dogs. Only for my canine specialist course but they have their place and can be very informative and important but I read for fun so I have not read as many of those. A lot of the well-known dog trainers have written books to help you train your dogs yourself and of course those are very good and can be very helpful to people.

I also love women’s fiction that has dogs in it. Those books again can be educational because they talk about abuse, trauma anxiety and the ways that dogs can help. It always impacts me the way a dog can help someone and also dogs are such good teachers and such good examples of love.Another way to appreciate the dogs in our lives.

Enrichment is a big topic for me I’m always looking for fun things to do with my dogs. I thought I would share some of the ways that I stimulate my dogs both mentally and physically.of course going to training class is my favorite. I alternate taking my dogs to obedience training and some of them are at the advanced level. It’s always good to practice no matter how well they know their commands and I only take one or two at a time which means someone is always left at home and they all seem to enjoy going to obedience class. I had a negative experience with someone in school to be a dog trainer or just studying, but the one good thing this person taught me was, hiding treats around the house in corners and under things to get them working with their nose, moving about and stimulating their mind. All my dogs love that game and it keeps them occupied for a very long time. The funniest part is after it’s all said and done all the treats have been eaten and there’s nothing more to find they still go looking in the same spot hoping to find another treat that they have missed. I guess their noses are so strong they still smell The food even though it’s long gone. I use cheese, blueberries, or some homemade treats.

One of the other fun games my dogs and I do together is the fact that I have an agility tunnel that you can fold up and stick in a closet or under a bed. Sometimes I set it up in a doorway and they have to go through the tunnel to get into another room or sometimes I just set it up in the middle of the kitchen. I entice them with treats, or sometimes just laugh and encourage them. Sometimes I put a chair at the end of the tunnel so they have to tunnel or I put an elevated dog bed at the beginning or the end. They like it. Of course when there’s food involved they like it even more.

I also try to take my dogs to the dog park as often as possible. In a perfect world I would take them once a week, but that does not always happen.It’s a good time for all and the smaller dogs and Carly my anxious sheltie seem to like the park a little bit better than Sarah my other sheltie. Sarah enjoys riding in the car so of course she likes going to the park.The dog park has a tunnel on the small dog side so they all get practice doing that as well. The big dog side has sand and a lot more open space and sometimes they go over there if they’re the only dogs in the park. All my dogs do well with other dogs which is essential when going to the dog park so that’s never a problem.

I’m not an outdoorsy person but I try when it comes to my dogs. The other thing I have done a little bit of in the last year or so is taking them to a public park and practicing leash walking. They actually enjoy that as well. Probably not Sarah, my sheltie with arthritis but the others really like going for walks in the park. I guess some people would call them hikes, but we don’t walk that far. It’s mostly just exercise stimulation and getting out of the house and getting into the fresh air for all of us. Again they really like it. Anytime they can go on a car ride they’re all for it.

Something that I have discovered recently our activity puzzle toys where you hide treats and they have to move treats in compartments under latches and they have to do a series of activities to get to the treat. I get them from chewie.com. There are multiple brands that I have tried but,Trixie activity mat my absolute favorite. My shelties are better at it than my smaller dogs. My sheltie Sarah is super smart and loves them she gets so excited when I bring them out. The other dogs enjoy them but they’re not nearly as good at figuring them out. There are different levels so if your dog has not done them before I suggest it starting at level one or two. Levels three and four are quite challenging.

Of course we’ve gone on road trips. Most of my dogs love being in the car and love traveling. I have Doggy seatbelts to ensure their safety and off we go. They get so excited. My smaller dogs jump in the car any time they can. Even when they’re not invited on the trip. They love riding in the car. I’m not sure why. My anxious sheltie Carly does not enjoy going on trips in the car as much but the others are in love with the car. Probably because they do not get to go places in the car very often. I do the normal things like taking them to Home Depot, pet stores and things like that. I’m not so sure that it’s exciting for them the car is the most exciting part.of course we go to Dunkin’ Donuts and get pup cups. They’re all happy to do that. Starbucks also has pup cups but we don’t have one in my town so we’ve never gone there before.

Years ago I always wondered why people could not embrace balance in their lives. People referred to themselves as mommy to their dog. I thought those were misguided eccentric people. I always said I would realize the balance and make sure I kept it all in check. My dog was my dog my kid was my kid I was not my dog‘s mom. I said owner or guardian. I still like guardian but owner sounds a little detached for my taste.I didn’t give her as much as I should have or even knew about. I didn’t know how to return the love she gave to me. I didn’t know how to be her best friend. Do not get me wrong I didn’t abuse her or mistreat her I just didn’t know a whole lot. I did the best I could. One of my favorite sayings is when we know better we can do better. I had a lot of boundaries no dogs in beds no dogs on furniture no people food no this know that there were a lot of rules and regulations. I felt like that made me a good dog owner. Do not get me wrong I still believe in boundaries. Boundaries are important for any relationship. The thing is, I think I was detached. Emotionally from her. In 2010 I became a three dog home. Sadly I was still very detached.I remember thinking one day when was the last time I cuddled my dog or pet my dog. I felt bad but I think my dogs got used to that so then they sort of were a little more detached for me. They were very odd. They were great dogs but I just didn’t give them as much as I should have. Thankfully I got my act together before those particular dogs passed on.

Through years of research experience and just learning about life I’ve become a better dog owner. I’m very attached to my dogs and they are very attached to me.Ironic. The person who once could not remember the last time she pet her dog now has been told I give my dogs too much attention. The veterinarian said that’s a great problem to have. He’d rather see me do that then miss treat them.

I think about their personalities and they add so much joy and happiness to my life. Yes I still have boundaries regulations and guidelines. And sometimes I don’t stick to my guns on things because they’re so cute. Yet I do feel that when you embrace the Dog lifestyle truly embrace it it’s a deal changer. You can’t remain detached or distant from your dogs and have a functional relationship.

Whether you consider yourself a dog mom, dog owner, or dog guardian or maybe something else. It doesn’t matter. It matters how you treat your dogs and how you make their quality of life great. I sometimes refer to myself as aSometimes people say people that are obsessive with dogs are just dog crazy. Well whatever it may be as long as you’re doing your best, learning, growing and your dogs are healthy and happy that’s all the difference. Whether it’s dog mom, dog owner, human owned by dogs or some thing else. Whatever it means to you, and stands for in your life should equal to your dogs living their best life.Sometimes people say people that are obsessive with dogs are just dog crazy. Well whatever it may be as long as you’re doing your best, learning, growing and your dogs are healthy and happy that’s all the difference. Whether it’s dog mom, dog owner, human owned by dogs or some thing else. Whatever it means to you, and stands for in your life should equal to your dogs living their best life.