Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thankful

Usually this blog is a source of information for many.  I'll answer questions or post interesting tidbits (well, interesting to me any way).  But, today is Thanksgiving, so I'm taking a little break from that.  I could post information on how to keep your pet safe today, but the reality is that many of you have heard all the tips before.  And, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Today, I want to take a moment to express my thanks to everyone for all their support in this growing business.  I couldn't be more pleased with all we've accomplished in just under two years, and we would not have been able to do this if it weren't for your help.  I know Thanksgiving is just one day out of the year, and I'm thankful every day for you, but today just seems like the perfect day to really let you know how appreciative I am.

That said, I'm also thankful for a few other creatures in my life: Cody, Lollie, Mo, and Stolte.  My two dogs and two cats do so much to help keep me sane when life seems to be going crazy.  Anyway, I thought I'd tell you a little more about them and why I'm so thankful they're around.

-Mo has been mine since he was 4 hours old (you read that right).  He was tossed in a Walmart trash bin along with his 3 brothers and sisters and was rescued by a woman who happened to notice something strange about the bag they were in.  I was only 16, but I bottle fed them and took charge of the 3am feedings.  He's my needy child, but he's also a constant reminder of what can come when people do a little good.  If that woman had decided to just keep walking, or if the rescue she took them to had turned them away, or if my mom had simply said we couldn't take them in, then he might not be here today.  It took a lot of people doing a lot of good to make up for that one callous and cruel act, but those people exist.  I'm thankful for that.

-Stolte was also bottle fed, although her story isn't quiet dramatic.  Her mother was accidentally locked away from her (it's a long story), and by the time we found her and reunited mother and kitten, the mom wouldn't take her back.  I happened to already know how to bottle feed a kitten (thanks to Mo), so I said I would take her in.  It was my senior year of college, and I was freezing in Minnesota.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little depressed.  Stolte made me happy.  She made each day a little easier.  I made friends with new people simply because they wanted to snuggle with a kitten too.  She may be a bit undersocialized and my in-laws may call her demon-kitty, but she loves me and Hans, and she's happy when she's with us.  I'm thankful for that.

-Cody I consider my first born.  I love my cats, but I am admittedly a dog person through and through, and Cody was the first dog who was wholly and truly mine.  He's the reason I went into dog training, and he was my motivation behind opening a kennel.  If Cody had not come into my life I honestly don't know where I'd be or what I'd be doing.  I could write a whole book on all that Cody has given me, but let's just say that I'm grateful for his mere existence.

-Lollie is my court jester.  She came into my life through training, and she makes me laugh on a daily basis.  She is by far one of the smartest dogs I've known, but I'd be eternally grateful if she'd learn to use her knowledge for good instead of evil as I tire of finding new ways to hide food from her.  Whether she's snoring so loud she sounds like a chain saw or whether she's figuring out how to use a Bosu ball as a trampoline so she can grab a pizza box that's resting on a file cabinet that's four and a half feet tall, she is a barrel of laughs.  I'm definitely thankful for that.

OK, so here's the question I'm sure you'll hear more than once today: What are you thankful for?  I, however, am adding a bit to that question.  How does your pet (dog, cat, bird, horse, cow, squirrel, etc) make you even more grateful?  It's important to remember how much they've impacted our lives.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!

4 comments:

  1. About 5 months ago, my family adopted a 1 ½ year old neutered jack Russell/poodle mix (we think!) named Jack from the SPCA. He has proven to be a challenge, but until recently we have not had any issues that aren’t fixable through simple training. On thanksgiving day, Jack somehow got a hold of a cotton swab and took it into his crate with him. I idiotically reached in to get it from him, and he left some nasty bite wounds on my hand. Yesterday, my dad had the leftover turkey on the kitchen counter, and when he left the room for a minute, Jack managed to grab a turkey leg and bring it into his crate. My dad had to use a garden rake to retrieve it, which Jack proceeded to bite and attack the rake throughout the process. Today, my mom had the turkey out on the counter, and when I stepped in front of Jack in attempt to get him away from the turkey, he immediately went into attack mode; if I had not been wearing plush slippers, there’s a good chance I’d be in the emergency room right now. Other than this newfound aggression over turkey, Jack is a sweet, affectionate and playful dog. It would be my worst nightmare to have him put down over this. I understand that there are no quick fixes to such severe behavioral issues, but my family and I obviously cannot go on living in fear of Jack attacking every time we eat. PLEASE HELP!

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  2. I'm sorry. I don't ever do any google blogging or anything but I cannot find any help on this situation.So please forgive me for asking in a comment rather than a blog post.

    I have a shed in my back yard with about a foot gap under it. My puppy is only 7 weeks and is not fully trained. He doesn't always come when called yet. I don't want him going under the shed. I don't want him getting hurt under there, chewing on something he's not supposed to or getting stuck as he get's older. He is a mini Aussie. Currently, when he gets under there we say NO sternly as he goes under, coax him out, pick him up and carry him inside, making outside play time OVER. Is this right, because he's usually pretty quick at learning and he doesn't seem to show any signs of understanding we don't want him under the shed.

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  3. What about a dog thats pooping on my bed recently help

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  4. She is an 8 year old Rottweiller

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