Have you hugged your dog today?

Our good friend Stormy passed to the Bridge rather suddenly. This is her diary entry from shortly after.

Life is always unpredictable. You never know what is going to happen from one day to the next. You should take time everyday to do something fun with your pet. Be it a belly rub, tossing a toy, going for a walk or a big hug. It is good for you and you will make your pet’s day a happy one.

Wise words...

Think...

"Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer

Visit your local animal control shelter, and know WHY you should spay and neuter...

Take tissues.

I am your dog...

“I am your dog, and I have a little something I’d like
to whisper in your ear. I know that you humans lead
busy lives. Some have to work, some have children to
raise. It always seems like you are running here and
there, often much too fast, often never noticing the
truly grand things in life. Look down at me now, while
you sit there at your computer. See the way my dark
brown eyes look at yours? They are slightly cloudy
now. That comes with age. The gray hairs are beginning
to ring my soft muzzle.



You smile at me; I see love in your eyes. What do you
see in mine? Do you see a spirit? A soul inside, who
loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit
that would forgive all trespasses of prior wrong doing
for just a simple moment of your time? That is all I ask.
To slow down, if even! for a few minutes to be with me.

So many times you have been saddened by the words
you read on that screen, of others of my kind, passing.
Sometimes we die young and oh so quickly, sometimes
so suddenly it wrenches your heart out of your throat.
Sometimes, we age so slowly before your eyes that you
may not even seem to know until the very end, when we
look at you with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes.
Still the love is always there, even when we must take
that long sleep, to run free in a distant land.

I may not be here tomorrow; I may not be here next
week. Someday you will shed the water from your eyes,
that humans have when deep grief fills their souls,
and you will be angry at yourself that you did not
have just “One more day” with me.

Because I love you so, your sorrow touches my spirit
and grieves me. We have NOW, together. So come, sit
down here next to me on the floor, and look deep into
my eyes.

What do you see? If you look hard and deep enough we
will talk, you and I, heart to heart. Come to me not
as “alpha” or as “trainer” or even “Mom or Dad,” come
to me as a living soul and stroke my fur and let us
look deep into one another’s eyes, and talk. I may tell
you something about the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or
I may tell you something profound about myself, or
even life in general.

You decided to have me in your life because you wanted
a soul to share such things with. Someone very
different from you, and here I am. I am a dog, but I am
alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I
can revel in the differences of our spirits and souls.

I do not think of you as a “Dog on two feet” — I know
what you are. You are human, in all your quirkiness,
and I love you still.

Now, come sit with me, on the floor. Enter my world,
and let time slow down if only for 15 minutes. Look
deep into my eyes, and whisper to my ears. Speak with
your heart, with your joy and I will know your true
self. We may not have tomorrow, and life is oh so very
short.”

Author Unknown

So true...

I looked...

"I looked at all the
caged animals in the
shelter...the cast-offs of
human society. I saw in
their eyes love and
hope, fear and dread,
sadness and betrayal.
And I was angry."
"God," I said, "this is
terrible! Why don't you
do something?" God
was silent for a
moment, and then He
spoke softly. I have
done "something, He
replied. I created you".

Jim Willis

The Pact of the Fire

When the world was created, First Man and First Woman struggled to stay alive and warm through the first winter. First Dog struggled also. Deep in the winter, First Dog gave birth to her pups. Each night, she huddled in the brush of the forest, longingly watching the fire, which kept First Man and First Woman warm. First Winter was severe, so cold that First Dog dared not leave her pups to search for food to fill her own belly, fearing that her pups would freeze to death in her absence. She curled around them, but the wind was bitter. Her belly shrank with hunger, and soon she had no milk. The smallest pup perished, and First Dog felt her own life draining away as she struggled to care for the remaining pups. Fearing for the fate of the others, she knew she had no choice but to approach the fire and ask First Woman and First Man to share their food and the fire's warmth.

Slowly, she crept to the fire and spoke to First Woman, who was heavy with child. I am a mother, said First Dog, and soon you will be a mother too. I want my little ones to survive, just as you will want your little one to survive. So I will ask you to make a pact. First Woman and First Man listened. I am about to die. Take my pups. You will raise them and call them Dog. They will be your guardians. They will alert you to danger, keep you warm, guard your camp, and even lay down their life to protect your life and the lives of your children. They will be companions to you and all your generations, never leaving your side, as long as Mankind shall survive. In return, you will share your food and the warmth of your fire. You will treat my children with love and kindness, and tend to them if they become ill, just as if they were born from your own belly. And if they are in pain, you will take a sharp knife to their throat, and end their misery. In exchange for this, you will have the loyalty of my children and all their offspring until the end of time.

First Man and First Woman agreed. First Dog went to her nest in the brush, and with the last of her strength, one by one, she brought her pups to the fire. As she did so, First Woman gave birth to First Child, wrapped her in Rabbit skins, and nestled First Child among the pups by the fireside. First Dog lay down by the fire,
licked her pups, then walked away to die under the stars.
Before she disappeared into the darkness, she turned and spoke once more to First Man "My children will honor this pact for all generations. But if Man breaks this pact, if you or your children's children deny even one Dog food, warmth, a kind word or a merciful end, your generations will be plagued with war, hunger and disease, and so this shall remain until the pact is honored again by all Mankind." With this, First Dog entered the night, and returned in spirit to the creator.


Lakota Sioux Legend
The Pac


"But if Man breaks this pact, if you or your children's children deny even one Dog food, warmth, a kind word or a merciful end, your generations will be plagued with war, hunger and disease, and so this shall remain until the pact is honored again by all Mankind."

Hmmm, makes you wonder if....

A Christmas Eve prayer for all the unloved Dogs in the- World.

by Scamp Ramsay


On this night of all nights Lord, please can you remember
The Dogs who never have the love, that I do in December

On this night of all nights Lord, keep all dogs nice and warm
But please Lord most importantly, keep them safe from harm

On this night of all nights Lord, let them find some meat
For they are cold and starving as they lie upon the street

On this night of all nights Lord, please take the lives of those
Who are suffering and in dreadful pain, from their tail right to their nose

On this night of all nights Lord, please don’t make it snow
It may be nice for lucky Dogs, with homes and fires that glow

On this night of all nights Lord, let them feel no pain
For all the love we send them, will only be in vain

On this night of all nights Lord, please take away their fear
And let them not be kicked or beaten, and shed another tear

On this night of all nights Lord, a gift they do not need
Could they just have a family, to love and give them feed

On this night of all nights Lord, don’t give them a big fat goose
Please just get them rescued, from their chain that’s like a noose

On this night of all nights Lord, Santa knows they’ve not been bad
So why do they get tortured, by their evil drunken Dad

On this night of all nights Lord, why would someone hurt a Dog
Or tie them up outside the house in ice, wind, snow and fog

On this night of all nights Lord, as they sit there cold and wet
Just tell them it is possible, this is as bad as life will get

On this night of all nights Lord, I’m as lucky as can be
I only wish those other Dogs, could spend this night with me.

Amen

BEING LOST -- FROM A DOG'S PERSPECTIVE

The gate was left open
one bright sunny day
So I thought I would go,
explore, run, and play.


Seeing new things,
this is such fun!
But where do I go,
now that I’m done?

Was it back this way,
or maybe that
Where is my home?
I want to go back.

I have on my collar,
it’s red, white and blue
But, I don’t have my tags
to give someone a clue.

A man comes and gets me,
puts me in his truck
He’s taking me home,
Oh, what luck!

Wait a minute,
this isn’t my home
I’m stuck in a cage,
scared and alone.

People come see me,
so I wag my tail
I love the attention
I get in this jail.

The food is okay,
and the bed is too
But I really miss home,
yet what can I do?

I miss my yard,
my bed, and my ball
But, I miss my master
the most of all.

Where is my master?
It must have been weeks
I know he will come.
He really loves me.

Then someone takes me
down a long hall
I’m confused and uncertain,
I stare at the wall.

I feel a prick,
things start to go dark
I think of my master
and me in the park.

I’m going to sleep now
with him on my mind
Little do I know,
my fate has been signed.

I pray when I wake,
he will be there
Holding me close,
stroking my hair.

I’m sorry I strayed,
who knew the cost?
But it doesn’t have to happen
when dogs get lost.

Lisa Williams

This poem is dedicated to the "stray" animals that do not get reclaimed.

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Noobie 's Diary is where I want to store all the good dog rescue stuff I find on Dogster and elsewhere...

This was forwarded to me this morning.

If I didn't have animals . . .

I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.

My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of
hair.

When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.

When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading
through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.

I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking
into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.

I would not have strange presents under my Christmas tree -- dog
bones, stuffed animals ,toys, treats nor would I have to explain to people why I wrap them.

I would have money ....and no guilt to go on a real vacation.

I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put
their yet unborn grand kids through college

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down,
come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.

My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or
barriers.

My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere.

My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an
extra leash.

I would no longer have to Spell the words B-A-L-L-, F-R-I-S-B-E- E,
W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, BIKE OR CAR.

I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.

I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties
them down too much.

I'd look forward to spring and the rainy season instead of dreading
"mud " season.

I would not have to answer the question "Why do you have so many
animals?" from people who will never have the joy in their lives of Knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get .

How empty my life would be.