~Do a 1-minute stretch. Put your arms over your head and reach for the sky for 5 seconds. Next put your arms over your chest as if you’re hugging yourself tightly for another 5 seconds. While standing, try to touch your toes with knees only slightly bent. You can also do trunk twists – face your whole upper body to the right side but letting your lower body face forward. Do on the other side~

 

The Loss Of A Heart

This is a poem in memory of a beloved pet who have gone ahead to heaven. It’s really devastating to lose a pet who’s become part of our lives.  This one’s a tearjerker alright, but somehow it gives comfort to pet parents like me.  Some believe there is a dog heaven, others don’t. We are entitled to our own opinions…

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep….

I could see that you were crying

You found it hard to sleep

I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear

“It’s me, I haven’t left you. I’m well, I’m fine, I’m here”.

I was close to you at breakfast,

I watched you pour your tea,

You were thinking of the many times,

your hand reached down to me.

I was with you at the shops today,

Your arms were getting sore,

I longed to hold your parcels, I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today,

you tend it with such care.

I want to reassure you, that I’m not lying there.

I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your keys,

I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said “It’s me.”

You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair,

I tried hard to let you know, that I was standing there.

It’s possible for me, to be near you everyday,

To say to you with certainty, “I never went away.”

You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew….

In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.

The day is over…I smile and watch you yawning….

and say “Goodnight, God Bless, I’ll see you in the morning.”

And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,

I’ll rush across to greet you and we’ll stand side by side.

I have so many things to show you,

there is so much for you to see,

Be patient, live your journey out…

then come home with me.

–Author unknown–

 

Dog letters to God

Hahaha! So hilarious! Come to think of it, some of it does make sense

• Dear God, How come people love to smell flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another? Where are they thinking?
• Dear God, When we get to Heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it the same old story?
• Dear God, Excuse me, but why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not one named for a dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We dogs love a nice ride! I know every breed cannot have its own model, but it would be easy to rename the Chrysler Eagle the Chrysler Beagle!
• Dear God, If a dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad dog?
• Dear God, When my foster mom’s friend comes over to our house, he smells like musk! What’s he been rolling around in?
• Dear God, Is it true that in Heaven, dining room tables have onramps?
• Dear God, More meatballs, less spaghetti, please.
• Dear God, When we get to the Pearly Gates, do we have to shake hands to get in?
• Dear God, We dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent IDs, electromagnetic energyfields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand?
• Dear God, Are there dogs on other planets, or are we alone? I have been howling at the moon and stars for a long time, but all I ever hear back is the beagle across the street.
• Dear God, Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize?
• Dear God, When my family eats dinner they always bless their food. But they never bless mine. So, I’ve been wagging my tail extra fast when they fill my bowl. Have you noticed my own blessing?
• Dear God, I’ve always lived at the shelter and I have everything I need. But many of the cats here have names and I don’t. Could you give me a name please? It would be good for my self-esteem.
• Dear God, The new terrier I live with just peed on the Oriental rug and I have a feeling my family might blame me because they think I’m jealous of this stupid dog. Since they have no sense of smell, how can I convince them I’m innocent? Does PetSmart sell lie detectors?

 

~Find a book about a topic you are not familiar with but have a keen interest on. It can be about a certain skill or a classic novel. Read a chapter a day, developing a deeper understanding and appreciation of its subject matter~

 

On Giving Away Pups…

To start with, we didn’t really plan on having a lot of dogs. Back in the 90′s (forgot the year) we had one male dog. When my father came back from his vacation in the province, he had brought along a female dog! So we had a dog couple – just what are you up to dad? That bitch (a term for female dogs) gave birth to pups. Now those female pups grew up and gave birth to more pups! To cut it short, old/sick dogs that had passed away were replaced by their offspring.

It’s always so painful whenever I have to give away pups. My mom and I would always argue about it. I do the bargaining like, “this will be the last one I promise!” and she’d agree. I get easily attached because technically, I’m like their second mom right? Besides, I felt that nobody will ever be good enough to be their other mom – that I’m the only one who can give them genuine love. That’s just foolish and selfish. I know! I can’t help it though, I’d really cry for days and convince my mom as hard as I can until she gives in. Just recently, it didn’t work. So you can just imagine how heartbroken I was. I know this is something not to be proud of, but I didn’t talk to my mom for 4 days – unless needed. I just stayed in my room, tried to get sick (I have asthma so I know what triggers it), and drank a liquor or two (with less than 10% alcohol content haha). I just got sober after I read something that’s supposed to be private. So I made amends with her as if nothing happened. I’m still not completely over it though, because that pup was extra special.. But life moves on right?

 

Just a Dog

We all respond emotionally to dogs, sometimes with curiosity, sometimes with fear or dislike, sometimes with anger or amusement or disbelief. And sometimes with love.

–Patricia M. Sherwood

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or, “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog.”

Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.” Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,” but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you will probably understand phases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.” “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

“Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a human.”

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog.” just smile, because they “just don’t understand.”

 

Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he’s owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.

–Gene Hill

 

~Get some time off in your day today to do some sport or some physically challenging activity. See if you can make this a regular part in your day. Some stuffs to do in the confines of your home: jump rope, aerobics, sit-ups… Don’t forget to stretch first. Put on your favorite music to motivate you~

 

Dogs are…wonderful. Truly. To know them and be with them is an experience that transcends–a way to understand the joyfulness of living and devotion.

–Gary Paulsen

 

Money will buy you a pretty good dog but it won’t buy you the wag of his tail.

–Henry Wheeler Shaw