Made Just a Little Lower Then the Angels

For those who know, caring for loved ones can be tiring and at times without anybody's fault, hurtful. But there is  a light to all of this and I would like to share it as I have worked with people and animals.

We are like our animal friends in one aspect.  We get hungry and thirsty.  We are demanding and want our needs fulfilled at this moment.  We have instinct.  We also have a Spirit.  God has given us more things, like a Soul.  He has given us intelligence to reason to understand and to create.  We are told to be stewards of all living things on the earth as well as the earth.

I worked with an Alzheimer's Patient who was fortunate enough to be one who laughed  and joked and as my father used to say,  "ornery".  Always kidding and being stubborn about eating lunch or taking his medicine and laughing about it, he would talk to me about everything and I would try to follow along, kidding and joking with him.  This man was a jewel.  He showed me how wonderfully we are made.

Each day, as the cognitive and reasoning part of this man was taken from him, I realized that special gift God gave only to us.  I was thankful that in spite of this disease's progression on us, it doesn't take our Soul away.  We are still wonderfully made.  We do have a bond with our animal friends, but it doesn't bother me because God loves all His creation.  God loves us by the proof of what He did just for us;  His Son.

A devotional and just my two cents.....................

Five Things Your Dog Wants from You

5 Things Your Dog Wants from You
by VETDEPOT on MAY 11, 2015
  1 2 277

If your dog could dream up the perfect life, you might think it involves a lifetime supply of treats and endless trips to the dog park. While these things may be on your dog’s wish list, most canines crave simple things that make them feel loved, happy, and stable. Below are five things your dog really wants:

1. Guidance: No dog wants to be yelled at for using the rug as a potty spot or chewing up your favorite pair of shoes, but canines don’t instinctively know not to do these things. Setting consistent boundaries early in life and committing to training will not only boost your dog’s confidence and happiness, but it will also strengthen the bond you two have with each other.

2. Stimulation: Dogs may not be able to ask for it with words, but they need both physical and mental activity to ward off boredom and undesirable behaviors. Regular walks, hikes, runs, or games of fetch are all great options to get your canine companion moving. Training sessions, agility activities, and puzzle toys are good ways to keep your dog’s mind sharp.

3. Consistency: Your dog doesn’t want to tag along on your emotional rollercoaster. It can be confusing if you come home one day in a great mood and super grumpy the next. While it’s natural for your days to differ and your moods to change, try to keep your reaction to your dog the same. Dogs need a leader who’s cool, calm, and collected. Consistency applies to a lot of other areas of dog ownership too, including feeding schedules and house rules. When you keep things consistent, you’re giving your dog the best chance to thrive.

4. Socialization: When dogs are exposed to a variety of people, other canines, and situations, they’re less likely to feel fearful or aggressive. If possible, start this exposure at a young age and keep it consistent. Keep in mind that even with the best attempts at socialization, every dog is different and may not have the same level of comfort around other dogs and people. Tailor the socialization to your pup’s individual needs. For canines that don’t do well at the dog park, opt for walks or agility classes instead.

5. Attention to health: Your dog may not know the meaning of a healthy body weight or arthritic joints, but he does know what it’s like to feel good and energetic. Keep up with your canine companion’s health by committing to regular vet checkups, opting for a healthy dog food, keeping up with flea control, and not neglecting things like dental care. A healthy dog is a happy dog.


- See more at: http://blog.vetdepot.com/5-things-your-dog-wants-from-you?utm_source=Email_marketing&utm_campaign=Tuesday_October_6_2015&campaigner=1&utm_medium=HTMLEmail#sthash.n8WKKORH.dpuf

I had a sandwich and something to drink at the Atlanta Bread Company Thursday with some new colleages and friends. Two fairly new (about two years) companies in the pet sitting, dog walking and horse care area have been doing business in Pelzer and the southern Greenville area.  We talked for about an hour or so before we all had to leave and do evening pet sits and walks.  It's great to have fellow pet sitters to talk with as this business can be somewhat lonely because of the lack of human contact.  Pets are great to relax you and to lower your blood pressure and have fun with, but it is a good respit to come home to or call another human being and talk for awhile.

Twenty-three Speakers in Videoed Conference/seminar for two weeks Sept/Oct.

I have just finished participating in an online, free, 2 week seminar/conference about the various aspects of pet sitting.  Topics included things like Burnout, Ways to ease the Administrative burden and really "do what you like", having the enjoyment and fun in your work, franchises, make what you are worth and pet first aid.  All of the speakers have very successful businesses and I got some ideas and have gotten motivated through what they had to say.  Mostly, these speakers validated many of the thoughts I have had over my twenty years of pet sitting through trial and error.  This was very satisfying  to me as it confirms I have been on the right track all along.  Also for those who have smaller businesses, there was plenty of information we could use and implement.

The themes that seemed to permeate all the video interviews were 1) take care of yourself first 2) learn to say "no" 3)Keep in contact with your clients  4)Ask for help and hire  5) You are worth more than you think

All in all, this was a great way to continue to learn about the pet sitting business and all the "new" things that have come about since I first started in 1994.  If there is a chance to participate in free seminars that you are interested in, remember, no matter how experienced you are, there is at least one thing, idea or thought you should be able to take away with you.

Find a professional pet sitter at petsit.com/find

Pet First Aid: Snakebites & Your Pet

Pet First Aid: Snakebites & Your Pet

Check out the above site.

Snakes and pets don't mix. The best way is to leave all snakes alone and keep your dog safe by staying away. Just in case, here are some tips for first aid. Then take your pet to the vet immediately; don't wait.

Balloo's BRAC Sunday's Standard, 2011

Balloo's BRAC Saturday's Standard in May 2011

BALLOO 2011 Fletcher Agility Trial in May

Out For A Walk?

Teaching Fido Not to Pull on the Leash

There are many things that tempt your dog when you’re out for a walk, like new smells and other animals. Your dog will try to get where he wants to go, even if that means pulling you along with him! If he pulls on the leash and you allow him to, you’ve reinforced him for pulling, and your pup got what he wanted. Once you’ve allowed him to do this, he’ll do it again. American Kennel Club® Canine Good Citizen® Director and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Mary Burch, Ph.D., offers the following two techniques to stop your dog from pulling on the leash.

Technique #1

• When Fido starts to pull on the leash, stop in your tracks. Stand still and don’t move forward with the dog.

• Wait right there where you are. Your pup will pull, but he’ll eventually stop.

• When he does stop pulling, praise him and move forward again.

• Anytime he starts to pull, repeat the procedure and stop where you are. It won’t take him too long to figure out that you’re not going anywhere as long as he pulls on the leash.

Technique #2

• When your pup begins to pull off in his own direction, briskly turn around and begin walking in the opposite direction. Fido will have to come along, and most likely he’ll hurry up to keep up with you.

• When Fido begins to follow in the direction you are walking, praise him. If you’re at the beginning stages of training your pup, give him a treat. This will train your dog to watch you when you’re out for a walk and not pull on the leash.

Additional tips on how to train your dog can be found in "Citizen Canine," the official new book of the AKC Canine Good Citizen® Program sponsored by The Hartford.

Grab Fido and Head to the Beach!

Dogs love trips to the beach. It has it all -- wide open spaces for running and playing, water to

swim in, sticks to chew and fetch, and fascinating smells to discover. As a dog owner, the

beach comes with special challenges and rewards. You'll experience the great joy of walking on

the sand with your dog, watching your puppy get tuckered out by a day of playing and

swimming. But you'll also need to find a beach that's dog friendly and make sure that you and

your pup follow certain important rules of etiquette.

Dog Beaches

Not every beach allows dogs, especially near and in big cities. Some beaches allow dogs but

require that they be on a leash during their visit. While most beaches in the U.S. and Canada do

not allow dogs, there are hundreds of dog-friendly beaches on each coast. The key is to do your

research before you go and find a place where your furry friend will be welcomed.

On the West Coast, you'll find a number of dog-friendly beaches. In California, head to Kings

Beach in Lake Tahoe, Long Beach in the Long Beach area, Pacific Grove in Monterey, and

Laguna Beach or Corona Del Mar in Orange County. San Diego has four dog beaches

(Coronado, Imperial Beach, La Jolla, Ocean Beach), and the Bay Area has Half Moon Bay,

Pacifica beach, and Pescadero beach. Oregon has dog-friendly beaches in Cannon Beach, Coos

Bay, Depoe Bay, Newport, Rockaway Beach, Yachats, and many other seaside towns. In

Washington state, visit Bainbridge Island, Blaine, Everett, Federal Way, Ocean Shores, Edmonds,

Port Angeles, and the beaches of the San Juan Islands.

The East Coast offers dog beaches up and down the seaboard. In Florida, head to Amelia

Island's Fernandina Beach, Dog Island, Fort Myers, Key West, Pensacola, Miami, Naples, and the

three dog beaches of Tampa Bay (Dunedin, St. Petersburg, and Tampa). The Carolinas offer dog

beaches at Cape Fear, Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout, Charleston (four beaches), Edisto Beach,

Myrtle Beach (Murrells Inlet), and on Hilton Head Island.

Further north, you can visit Brooklyn beach, Long Island's Montauk beach, Cape May Point,

Manasquan, and Newport. Southern Rhode Island has four dog beaches (Charlestown,

Narragansett, South Kingston, and Westerly), and Cape Cod offers eleven, including Barnstable,

Chatham, Sandwich, Truro, and Wellfleet. In the Boston area, check out Manchester beach.

There are also two dog beaches on Marthas Vineyard. Maine offers beaches at Bar Harbor,

Kennebunkport, and South Portland.

Etiquette at the Beach

If you're headed to a beach that allows leashed dogs, be sure to follow the rules. Keep your dog

on a leash at all times. When people disregard leash laws, local municipalities are more likely to

close the beach to dogs altogether, ruining the fun for everyone.

If your beach allows off-leash dogs, be sure your dog will respond to your verbal commands. In

other words, your pup must be able to come when you call it, even if it's engaged with another

dog or investigating a great-smelling bit of beach debris.

Bring poop bags with you and be vigilant about cleaning up after your dog. No one enjoys a

poopy beach! This is another reason why beaches are often closed to dogs. Do your part to

keep your beach dog-friendly by being a responsible dog owner. Many beaches impose fines on

people who don't clean up after their dogs.In general, keep your dog from being a pest. Don't let it

race up to small children who might be afraid. Don't let your dog shake itself dry next to

sunbathers and picnickers. Keep your dog from visiting other beach-goers, especially if they're

eating. And if you can, visit the beach with your dog in the early morning and evening, when the

beach is less crowded. By taking a few precautions and keeping courtesy in mind, you and your

dog can have a fabulous time at the beach and be welcomed by everyone. Once you find a

great dog beach, you'll want to do your best to keep in dog friendly, so you can your pup can

visit again and again

from:camping.com, articles and info, camping with pets - 1823

Poison to Your Pup - Human Food That's Bad for Dogs

It's hard to resist a wagging tail and a pair of big, brown, begging eyes. And while certain human

foods are palatable for dogs, it's important to know which are not, because unfortunately, the

bad ones can severely harm and even kill your dog. The following list of bad foods and their

dangers may seem dire, but if you familiarize yourself with these harmful human foods, you'll be

better equipped to keep your dog healthy and happy.

Enemy #1: poultry bones. Bones and dogs go hand-in-hand, so it can be easy to forget that only

the bones from hoofed animals are right for dogs. Poultry bones - everything from chicken thighs

to turkey drumsticks - splinter and can puncture your dog's gastrointestinal tract. These bones

are dangerous to dogs of all sizes, and the decline and death that results can take several days.

Instead of giving your dog bones from the table, buy specially marked dog bones at the store.

Enemy #2: chocolate. The general rule of thumb with chocolate is that the darker it is, the more

dangerous it is. You also need to take into account the size of your dog and the amount of

chocolate eaten. A small dog who eats a bar of baking chocolate (very dark chocolate) may be

in serious trouble, call your veterinarian immediately in this case. On the other hand, if your 100-

pound dog eats one milk-chocolate candy, it will probably be fine.

Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical that's toxic to dogs. Combined with chocolate's

caffeine, which speeds up the heart rate, this human delicacy can lead to vomiting, diarrhea,

hyperactivity, seizures, and coma. Also, because dogs process chocolate more slowly than

humans, your pup may seem fine after eating the bar, but could still become very ill over the

course of the next twenty-four hours. Cocoa powder is also very dangerous. Milk chocolate and

white chocolate, which contain less cacao, are less dangerous.

Enemy #3: onions. For you, onions are foods that spice up nearly any dish, but for your dog,

they're deadly. Onion poisoning develops symptoms slowly. It can be caused by one large dose

of onions or a small amount eaten steadily over the course of several days. All onions are

dangerous -- fresh onions, dried onions, cooked onions, and even onions on pizza.

Onions (and garlic, to a lesser extent) contain a toxin that causes haemolytic anaemia, in which

the dog's red blood cells burst while they're circulating through its body. Initial symptoms include

vomiting and diarrhea, followed by lethargy, dark urine, and trouble breathing. The full affect of

the poisoning won't be felt until a few days after the dog consumes the onions. Again, both the

size of the dog and the amount of onion eaten are important factors.

Enemy #4: fatty foods. A neighbor hosted a wedding at his home recently and was puzzled to

find that his dog was weak and restless afterward. The veterinarian diagnosed pancreatitis

caused by wedding guests giving the dog fatty treats. This dog had to spend a night in the animal

hospital, receiving fluids to help her inflamed pancreas. Pancreatitis ñ and its sister condition

gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach, can be caused by fatty foods of all types,

whether they come from the table or from a garbage can. Both often require hospitalization.

Enemy #5: macadamia nuts. We think of them as tasty Hawaiian treats, but these nuts contain a

toxic substance that causes paralysis, tremors, swollen limbs, and horrible joint pain.

Other dangerous human foods:

Raisins and grapes - can cause severe diarrhea and acute kidney failure.

Bread Dough (with yeast) the yeast continues to "rise" or expand within the dog's belly. This can

be fatal in both dogs and cats.

Moldy Food - this can cause an array of nasty reactions including seizures, coma, and death.

Even in very small amounts, it easily causes diarrhea, which isn't pleasant for anyone.Looking

for more information and other great articles about camping with pets? Visit PetCamping.com

from: Camping.com, articules and info, camping with pets -1411

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life gives me the gift of a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all parts of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are."

-Author Unknown

From the Sayings of Smudge, the Cat

"It is better to wait until the gate opens then jumping over it. This way you know that you have been invited in."

From the Sayings of Smudge, the Cat

"Don't lick out the can. You will get more food from the dish."

From the Sayings of Smudge, the Cat

"Meow sparingly, so that your human will understand you better."

"The Greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too." - Samuel Butler

Before the Pine Tree Died

By Sharon Graves

A mini-ecosystem was never discovered

Until Sharon bought the house and uncovered

A wondrous place only found

In the hills of Southern mountains.

Three pines there were standing tall

Not the prettiest ones of all

But underneath them cool and damp

Wildflowers grew, undisturbed plants.

What were they? No one cared

Until Sharon happened to spare

Leaves of green

That she assumed were weeds.

June came and surprise was on the way

When something pink began to display

On that weed of green leaves

that started to produce colorful sheathes.

The flower grew and revealed who it was-

A Pink Lady Slipper from the mountains above

My little house in the foothills below

What a blessing it bestowed.

I looked everyday, taking photos

Among the scrubby pines and weeds of my "Eco"

Two, three, maybe four seasons she displayed

Her pretty slippers in June days.

One pine tree died and then was cut

Now there's death, heat, and much dry mud

Will my pretty flower survive?

No more able to safely hide?

Today I see the leaves of green

That once I had assumed were those of weeds

June will be here again next year

Flowers will bloom somewhere near.

And maybe I will see a flower revealed

A pink lady slipper just for me.

Balloo's qualifying Open Standard Run

Sharon and Casey's Standard qualifying run at Fletcher

Sharon and Balloo my two year old at Fletcher, NC