Several years ago, I found myself becoming overwhelmed by amount of cruelty, negativity and dishonesty that was becoming part of the fabric of everyday life. I could not ignore it and the stress was compromising my life. For those who don’t know, I have Addison’s which means my body doesn’t make the hormone that is…
Halloween is the day we can officially wear a mask and pretend we are someone else. I also think this is a time where we can reflect on how we allow or don’t allow other people’s appearances dictate our perceptions and judgement of them. The masks provide us with an opportunity to see the truth…
Nancy and I had flown back east to present the ICWIB program. It was a long and difficult trip since some individuals have presented their dogs to be service dogs and then the dog has exhibited behavior that isn’t present in real service dogs. After we landed, we left the airport and headed to the…
In a previous e-mail I talked about racing Nancy when she was on her bike and always winning when I was younger. I didn’t win because she let me win but because I was that fast and could maintain that speed for quite a while. I am older now and can still crank it up…
When I was still with my mom, she often would talk about the job or work we would do when we went to our new homes. She would ask what the word ‘work’ meant to us. She would ask if we thought it was something to avoid or if it was a means to an…
Several years ago, Nancy was getting a massage and as usual I was resting on the floor next to the table. Now it looked like I was asleep, but I was very much awake—just chilling and collecting data. At one point the massage therapist asked Nancy if she could put some cream on her back…
When I was a pup, my mother used to say that learning how to create good relationships was very, very important, because a good relationship can help you change your perceptions and transform your life and the life of your new owner. Nancy once told me that she began her artistic career as a sculptor…
When Nancy and I lived in phoenix Oregon there were several different trails that we would take on our daily walks. One trail was really an abandoned railroad track the ran behind the high school football field. There were lots of trees and shade and it felt peaceful, so we would stroll slowly down this…
My mother would constantly remind us that our job was to provide unconditional love and help our new owners learn to approach life from unconditional love. Humor is a wonderful antidote for stress, a delightful way to release bottled-up emotions, change your perceptions and ultimately help you open your heart to unconditional love. Some people…
In these times of increased stress and upheaval, I think it is important to remember that petting a dog can lower the stress hormone, cortisol and at the same time increase the feel-good hormone oxytocin in both the dog and the human. Petting a dog can also release endorphins which can create feelings of happiness…