Dog School Is Exhausting Work For Puppies!

Little Timmy Elijah Love started puppy class yesterday.  By the amount of paperwork mama had to fill out and the volume of pre-class homework, you’d think the little one was applying to an ivy league school!

Timmy E. ready to start class!

The school mama chose is called The Right Steps and was recommended by a number of chums plus our vets at Blue Ravine Animal Hospital.  The instructor, Cindy, allows only 6 pups per class — you can see this is very exclusive training!

Timmy has only met a few other dogs and mama thought he might be a barker, as he does bark when he sees other dogs.  As they were approaching the classroom, Timmy woofed at the other students but once they entered, he was completely silent.  Good boy!

Folding chairs lined the room and the class was instructed to spread out, giving each pupil a little personal space.

Max, an extremely hyper and vocal toy Australian Shepard, had to stay behind a screen as he was upsetting the other dogs.  Poor Max — he was just really excited to be there.  Next to Timmy sat a Golden Retriever named Bentley, who was so shy he barely came out from under his parent’s chair.

The other puppies in attendance were Sophia, a tiny miniature Dachshund, Rufus the Great-Dane mix and Sejean, a Husky who was the star pupil of the day.

Lessons for the first class were learning to “sit”, “come” and how to play nicely with new friends.  Timmy, like me, excelled at the social part of the class and he was eager (without barking) to meet and sniff his classmates.

Learning is exhausting work and towards the end of class, Timmy E was having a hard time keeping his eyes open.  He slept the entire ride home and even had a late dinner, as he couldn’t wake from his post-class nap.

Post-class nap time!

Mama and Timmy have loads of homework this week.  I’d like to help from my heavenly place, but to be truthful I wasn’t the greatest with my doggie school lessons.  I may even  have been the first canine to claim “the dog ate my homework” in puppy kindergarten!

Have you pups gone through any formal training, obedience or agility training?  I’d like to hear about your experiences.

Sending you peace, wags and heavenly love!

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Is Women’s Health Is Taking a Backseat To Extreme Ideology

I must admit that I’m completely confused by what is going on in the U.S. concerning women’s bodies and their right to control them.  In addition to most of the GOP presidential contenders, there is a small yet vocal and powerful group already holding office who are desperately trying to dismantle a woman’s right to her own body.

Didn’t we address this topic over 50 years ago?

I can dress like a woman, that doesn't make me one and I won't decide their personal health issues

Today, some members of Congress (all Republican, by the way) held a hearing about the recent brouhaha surrounding birth control.  This furry angel is concerned and pawplexed for a number of reasons. Why is the committee comprised of men?  Why  was the first batch of witnesses made up of humans who cannot give birth (men!)?  Why were no dissenting witnesses allowed to testify?

Women’s health issues being debated and decided by men — Sounds like 1912, not 2012 to me.  It’s like a pack of dogs making life decisions over a flock of hummingbirds.  I know that’s a strange analogy but dogs know nothing of the inner-workings of delicate birds and Rep Darrell Issa (R) knows nothing about women.

Religious fanaticism is on the rise within a faction of our society and even our government.  Stripping women of their rights to access safe and affordable birth control and abortion services is relinquishing rights that women fought for decades ago.

We’ve seen how religious fundamentalism from the government level influences society — just look at the Taliban.  Instead of burkas, perhaps these Republicans will have women wear “freedom frocks” or a “liberty wrap”.  Really people, these men want to control women from conception to death and this dog is frustrated, furious and frightened.

Men like Issa and Santorum are against insurance coverage for birth control pills and devices yet they must be just fine with coverage for E.D. medications like Viagra, since it has never been mentioned.  So, in their minds men have the right to get randier while women have no say in whether they want to conceive or not.

Women’s health is taking a backseat to extreme ideology.  To this thoughtful pup, rule of thumb should be if you don’t have a uterus, you don’t get to make decisions about women’s family planning and women’s private health matters.  Simple and obvious.

Little Timmy Elijah Love sees no love in the GOP's attack on women's rights

Friends — woman friends — vote with your lady parts.  Do not give away your own God-given power to make your own personal decisions.

I’ll close with a few facts from the Guttmacher Institute on reproductive health:

• There are 62 million U.S. women in their childbearing years (15–44).

• Seven in 10 women of reproductive age (43 million women) are sexually active and do not want to become pregnant, but could become pregnant if they and their partners fail to use a contraceptive method.

• The typical U.S. woman wants only two children. To achieve this goal, she must use contraceptives for roughly three decades.

• Virtually all women (more than 99%) aged 15–44 who have ever had sexual intercourse have used at least one contraceptive method.

• Overall, 62% of the 62 million women aged 15–44 are currently using a method.

• Almost one-third (31%) of these 62 million women do not need a method because they are infertile; are pregnant, postpartum or trying to become pregnant; have never had intercourse; or are not sexually active.

• Thus, only 7% of women aged 15–44 are at risk for unintended pregnancy but are not using contraceptives.

• Among the 43 million fertile, sexually active women who do not want to become pregnant, 89% are practicing contraception.

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Love Is All There Is…

Well, it looks like on Earth folks are getting ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day — the day when peeps are hyper-focused on love.  Did you know that dogs Are love?  Truly, we are bundles of furry love overflowing!

showing mama some love a few years ago... I miss being able to kiss her!

For us precious pooches every act, every breath is running through a filter of love.  You know all that fur that some dogs shed?  Think of it as furry fairy-dust, sprinkling love all over your house!  I bet you have a different perspective about your shedding pet now, don’t you?

John and Paul said “love is all there is” and they were right.  One of the marvels of my transition has been to commune with others who have left the earthly plain.  And, I must say, that I never thought I’d have the chance to witness John Lennon compose angelic love songs, but I have.  If you thought his compositions were grand down there, you should hear what he’s come up with since his passing!

Love is a snuggle.   Love is what I feel every time my tail wags (which is constant).  Love is the happiness you feel when a friend succeeds. Love is food.  Love is in sunshine and rain clouds and every blade of grass your puppy relieves himself on.

Timmy Elijah Love loves his brother Wilbur

Love is romantic.  Love is ever-lasting.  Love is your pack of friends.  Love is in your paycheck.  Love vibrates through the music you adore.  Love is your neighbor and even your enemy.

Love is Everywhere!

Love is waiting for you at the pet adoption center near you!

If you are considering adding a much shorter member to your family, there’s no day like love day to make

Adopt a furry bundle of love at your local shelter!

your move.  A furry bundle of joy is waiting for you — waiting to share his abundant love with you every moment.

Even though I’m no longer with mama physically, she feels my love constantly as I feel her love reaching up to me.

Open your hearts to the love that surrounds you, peeps!  I love all of my FOA’s and hope you feel that in the deepest part of yourself.

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?  How do you define love?

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Puppy Love! It’s Contagious!

I must tell you what a treat it is for me to observe little Timmy Elijah from up here and all he is adding to my family.  In the period after my transition mama, Wilbur and Bella were very sad and had no wag. Bringing Timmy E into our lives has brought back a spring in their steps and warmth in their hearts.

I’ve been taking notes, and these are my initial observations:

Happy, energetic puppy!

  • Timmy is so flexible and limber… ah, youth!  He runs and slips and trips and tumbles, all with a wag and a puppy smile.  Actually, “run” is not the best description.  He bounces and pounces like a bunny.
  • Like moi, Timmy is food-obsessed.  Not a great quality, but typical for our breed.
  • Timmy is a natural fetcher.  He loves to chase the ball and he actually brings it back to mama for another round…again & again.  He’s such a sweet pup that he often presents the ball to Wilbur, dropping it in front of him.  Timmy’s a natural born giver.
  • I’ve always been an extroverted chap, happy to meet and greet anyone.  Timmy, on the other paw, is a bit shy around new people and practically attaches himself to mama’s leg.  I think it’s cute and charming.  Mama’s friend Karin calls Timmy “velcro dog”.
  • Although a bit reserved when making introductions, Timmy is fearless.  He will push a door open

    Fearless Fido!

    without knowing what’s on the other side (something Wilbur won’t do).  He climbs and jumps with confidence.  Grandma’s backyard has huge granite outcrops and all of us pups love to climb on the biggest one and play king of the mountain.  Never have I witnessed a dog leap off the boulder until Timmy.  Instead of cautiously walking down the rock like a billy goat, Timmy took a running leap and landed in a bush!  Remarkably, mama had her finger poised on her camera to document this feat.

  • Timmy is a love-bug… a snuggler extraordinaire, you might say.  He loves sitting on mama’s lap, laying next to her using her as a pillow and sleeping with a paw draped over Wilbur.
  • Timmy’s puppy energy, curiosity, love and zest for life are contagious and my family is feeling joyous and inspired again.

Puppy love… it really is one of the sweetest love affairs any creature can experience.

I want to hear about your puppy stories.  Tell me what your dog was like as a youngster.  Or your cat (I never discriminate!).  See you around the water bowl, friends.

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The Shocking Truth About Angels

I visit mama everyday and she’s feels it.  And I’m not just talking about how my soulful presence surrounds her with warmth and love, but really feeling me.

What's that? Something just zapped me!

You see, young Timmy channels some of my spiritual energy in a shocking manner.  Nearly every time mama touches Timmy they both feel an electric shock.  Some peeps would overlook this phenomenon as simply static electricity…but it’s not.

What they are physically experiencing is my energy…my electrical current touching them tangibly.  Timmy is perplexed when I do this and he frantically looks around for the source.  Mama clearly understands and with each charged jolt, she smiles wider.

We’re all made up of energy, right?  And just because I’m not on earth any longer doesn’t mean my energy has vanished.

I refrain from interjecting my energy when mama and Timmy are enjoying relaxing petting time.  Of course, I’d love to be in the middle of that love-fest but I understand that they need some special bonding without my intervention.  And this takes a bit of serious restraint on my part.

I’ve been cavorting with other furry angels and each has a special way of communicating with their earth-bound family.  Unfortunately, yet understandably, some folks are too deep in their grief to recognize the signs from their transitioned loved ones.  I encourage all souls to be open to messages of love from all realms…to look beyond their pain and open their hearts to the unseen.

No one escapes the loss of a loved one.  It’s part of the cycle of love — if we open ourselves, we are vulnerable to feelings of loss and sadness.  But the alternative is the only truly dead state.

FOA’s, I’d love to hear how you experience your transitioned loved ones.  Are you open to their guidance, support and love?  Do you have fear of opening our heart again to a soul who is physically gone?

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