I’ve been thinking a lot about what people are saying about the canine influenza issue. Many people are struggling with whether to vaccinate for it or not. As they research the news and social media, and talk to their vets and breeders, they may be getting conflicting guidance. People are polarized in two camps – you either vaccinate or you keep your dogs in your van, run like the wind to the show ring and run back, wiping everything with Clorox wipes hoping that you haven’t encountered this nasty pathogen. Maybe you listen for dogs coughing and judge anyone whose dog makes the slightest “uh” sound from their throat, thinking they might be Ground Zero for your area. Fear abounds, and that is not good for anyone.
Of course, immunity is at the center of these discussions. Do you try to artificially produce antibodies to a specific pathogen by injecting a vaccine or do you “give something else” to make an immune system strong? Here’s my advice guys. DON’T DO EITHER OF THESE THINGS. Bet you didn’t expect to hear that!
Immune system strength is absolutely at the center of this issue. However, the vaccines are cultured from a dog’s “sick slime” (stuff from their nose and mouth), cultivated on material from another species (such as chickens or cows) and combined with a heavy metal to make them work. When you choose to inject that vaccine, the person administering it is injecting one of the most potent neurotoxins on the periodic table into your furry friend, and that is extremely difficult if not impossible to fix. You cannot undo a heavy metal poisoning injected directly into a body without extreme expense and heartache down the road.
So, what’s the alternative? Do you stay away from dog shows, parks, boarding facilities, daycares, and vet’s offices? Do you give copious amounts of Echinacea, Bovine Colostrum and Astragalus? Do you rub essential oils from head to tail? Do you wipe them down with Clorox wipes? I suggest none of the above.
I hang out with some of the top naturopaths around, and I can tell you that not one of them is concerned about this flu thing. It’s not even really on our radar other than to observe the discussions that fly around us. This is why we aren’t concerned:
PATHOGENS ARE EVERYWHERE. Pathogens are part of the circle of life and always will be. Some are more virulent than others. This one is virulent (meaning it moves easily amongst hosts), but very low in potential mortality. Those who die are being documented as having another comorbid health issue that made them vulnerable to secondary infection. They were generally unhealthy dogs already, and the pathogen just pushed their immune systems past their ability to mount a good defense. What this means is that immune systems must be strong in the first place. Vaccination is not the key to a good immune system, nor is hiding from the pathogen. You will never escape pathogens in life because they are all around us.
Dr. Jeannie Thomason states that: “Healthy animals (animals with strong/balanced immune systems) are normally able to withstand exposure to viruses and microbes. Just as the world is filled microbes and viruses; so animals have been masterfully designed with innate defenses to resist them (natural immunity) and fight back. The main reason so many pets are not able to defend themselves against viruses or microbes, is that their immune systems have been weakened or compromised in some way.”
I read a comment by Dr. Cynda Crawford in the Veterinary Practice News yesterday that said: “Because there’s no immunity to the virus, which is novel in the U.S., most dogs exposed get the virus.” What this means to us as pet owners is that the dog population needs to develop lifelong natural immunity to this specific pathogen. The only way to do this is to actually get exposed to it. So, in my opinion, getting exposed is a good thing. When a body encounters a new pathogen and its immune system isn’t busy dealing with a lot of other issues, it does its job and makes antibodies that can produce lifelong immunity. The bonus is that this lifelong immunity is more adaptable to the mutagens of that pathogen that will develop as it attempts to survive in the future. That’s a WIN WIN for dogs in general, and for your dog.
Why am I saying “Don’t Support The Immune System?” Because the best thing you can do is to create a strong immune system in the first place. And the best way to do that right now in this moment of fear is to take the leap to feeding a species-specific carnivore diet to your dog. Your dog is a carnivore. Nobody disputes that at this point, right? All dogs who are eating kibble are consuming 40-60% carbohydrates, denatured proteins, and nutrients that are barely bio-available. Those dogs have immune systems that are diverted to combating the inflammation that comes from eating foods they can’t digest properly. Their immune systems have a sign out that says “go the other way – this highway is closed!” So they can’t handle pathogens the way that an idle immune system can.
When you support an immune system dealing with carbohydrates and poor diet, it can sputter down the highway but it will never be at its peak performance without the nutrition required by the carnivore that is your dog.
Consider this canine influenza to be our wake up call to the beauty of natural immunity operating at peak performance. Learning how to do this is pretty simple and there are many ways to do so. Learn how easy it is to feed a raw diet. Learn about natural rearing. Come to our classes. Consult an animal naturopath. Join the growing community of natural rearing pet owners and breeders who are discovering how amazing it is to live with an immune system performing to its potential!

Someone asked me today why so many animals are transitioning.   It seems that so many breeders that I work with are losing puppies; more than usual.  Many animals are not living out their "normal" lifespans and we can't understand why.

I must admit that I had a very long conversation with one of my boxers that spanned over a year about this subject.  She suddenly told me one day that she was "done" with her job here and just let me know that she would be transitioning soon.  I was totally freaked out and asked a couple of friends of mine who are professional Animal Communicators to connect with her and have a conversation.  The information was consistent - she was planning to go and there was no talking her out of it.

Then she literally began to die before our eyes.  Over a period of days, she became gaunt, pale, and listless.  She stopped eating.  I cried; I pleaded with her; I threatened her (never a good idea).  I told her I would lock her up in the house so she couldn't get hurt, and her response was "I'll just throw myself down the staircase when you're not looking". 

What was this all about?  She felt that her job in this life had been completed.  She came to teach me some things, to offer us some new lives and abundance in the form of puppies, and she needed to move on to consider what she had learned and choose a new job.  She even had an idea of what it might be.

I talked with my AC mentor for advice.  I didn't want to "lose" my beautiful Ginger.  She advised that I "negotiate", so I did.  I asked her what I could do for her that would entice her to stay in this body longer.  She took a long time thinking about it.   Hours and days, in fact.  It was agonizing for the whole family.  Then, she announced that if I was willing to learn to work with her in agility, she would delay her transition and stay with me.  I agreed, and within a day she became her rosy self again, bounding around like a puppy.  Now how would you explain that to a veterinarian who would have wanted to hook her up to all kinds of life support when she intended to die anyway?

So back to the original question - why are so many animals transitioning in great numbers these days?  I knew about the puppy deaths, because those who have no jobs do not live.  Some of them have lessons to teach their caregivers about how to handle a particular birth defect, or that they need to be better prepared if they want to breed babies and have the right supports in place before they make the decision to breed.  But I wasn't so sure about the adults.  So I asked my guides.  This is what they said:


Many jobs are ending.  Many animals have taught the lessons they came to teach and are transitioning to help with the newer, higher frequencies that abound on the planet.  Animals are always concerned with the growth and health of their human caregivers, and once a lesson is taught (such as how to deal with a particular health issue, behavior problem, etc.), they also teach us about unconditional love and how to handle grief.


They ALWAYS come back.  Have no doubt.  The Rainbow Bridge is not a one-way street.


BTW, we have been doing agility at every opportunity and she absolutely loves it!   When you make a promise to your pet, always be sure to follow through to keep the trust between you.  I followed through and so did she.

Some of you know me as a dog breeder; some as an animal communicator; some as both.

My best friend of 45 years said this to me recently:  “The Universe seems like it is trying to tell you to get out of the boxer/competition world and into the spiritual/healing aspect of the animal kingdom.  A world without haters, competitors, jealousy, and judgment and live in the world that you love - calm, serene, loving, intuitive.”  Those were her words, not mine; but it gave me pause for thought.

It’s been a rough few weeks and I’ve wondered why I’m drawn to the judgmental world of dog showing – is it to validate my breeding program or something else?  A life lesson perhaps?

I do most of my work quietly and joyfully, most of it teaching, mentoring, and welcoming those who are new, afraid and feeling alone.  Yes, I can get pushy with my beliefs in using the gifts that Mother Nature offers us for healing, because I’ve had so much experience with the failures of trusting big pharma and corporate agendas with our pet products.  So I admit and embrace that part of me.  But why have I chosen the world of judgment to operate in?  We are all judgmental at some level, but showing dogs in conformation provides it in overdose levels – not just judging the dogs, but also judging those on the end of the lead, judging the slightest mistakes in many aspects of this hobby.  Everyone is looking for the elusive “perfection”.  It makes people afraid to admit mistakes, afraid to discuss health issues in their own animals openly, afraid to discuss their need for help with behavior issues.  When we discuss these things, we can help each other.  But the dog breeding/showing world can also be full of gossip, a game that changes the facts as information moves around.  So people are afraid to ask for help with the serious issues – afraid of judgment and ostracism.  And social media has made that even more possible than ever.  The true relationships are, unfortunately, few and far between.  It’s the nature of the game perhaps.

And then an unsolicited email arrived this weekend, with a cover stating that it came from the heart and inviting me to use it in any way on my websites or elsewhere.  Is this the Universe talking to me?

“Over the last couple of months I have had an array of experiences with Paula.  I found her when I had discovered Animal Communication, not only for my cat, but learning animal communication for me.

I contacted Paula and we had an instant email dialog.  At that time, I was beginning to go through Spiritual changes and she did a flower essence blend for me.  I took it faithfully, and coupled with the other things I was doing, I felt the blend she provided had helped me on my journey.  I am currently taking another blend which I have high hopes will provide me with additional growth.  She was amazingly intuitive when it came to knowing what I needed without me saying anything more than “what else do I need”.  She was jaw-dropping- spot- on.

In the same initial time, I hired Paula to do a reading for my 18 year old cat, Gurl.  I lost 2 of my furry children last year and Gurl changed all her habits on me, including not wanting to eat her food.  I wanted to know if she was sad and wanted another playmate and what she wanted to eat, did she like her cat box, etc.  I must admit I was skeptical and opened to the communication at the same time.  I did not know what to expect, but I definitely did not expect to hear what I heard.  Paula communicated to me what My Gurl told her and there were things in the reading that only Gurl and I knew.  She also told Paula she was tired and ready to go home to God.  That was both sad and comforting to me because I do know where God is and where Home is and that I will always have her as part of me and my life.  It also showed me Paula would be plum crazy if it wasn’t true and that she did not have a hidden agenda.  It would not be a smart way to keep a paying customer.  She communicates for you and your pet, not for herself.   Because of this reading, I listened to my cat and have changed her cat box, still struggling a little with the food, and we spend lots of us time together knowing she is content being an only child.  She seems happier and she actually brought out her toys she hadn’t played with for months.   Her being happy makes me happy and I would not have known what she needed if it were not for Paula.

I have also had the extreme pleasure of meeting Paula in person when I took the Animal Communication class June 28th.  I drove down the night before and reserved the beautiful Nature room and enjoyed a healthy delicious breakfast in the morning.   The class was full of information and we did practice exercises that were a blast and provided experience.  We did two communications and it taught me enough to know that I wanted to go to the next level.  During the class, she guided us through meditations that sent me into orbit.  Amazing.  I purchased the CD and since have done the meditations at home.  The morning and grounding meditations are hands down the best I have experienced.  If you are looking for beautiful meditations that make you feel inspired, get Paula’s CD.

I have been blessed to get to know Paula and her heart.  I am not sure if her 4 pages of credentials has given her the personality of an Angel or if she has always been one, but I hope to find out one day. 

-LM Sharron

 

The jury is out on this question for me.  The world is shifting in so many positive ways and I want to stand in that positive energy and make a difference.  Reliant World of Dog Shows is right around the corner, and I have two dogs entered in a total of 12 individual competitions.  After nearly 40 years in this hobby, it’s time for me to spend that time in awareness of my feelings, in the moment.  For it is never about the end result – it’s about the journey…

Love and light,

Paula V.

I just read an amazingly perceptive article from my friend Reisa Stone, an Animal Communicator from Vancouver, about her observations regarding how horses behave at horse shows.  She observed a lot of anxiety and offered some wonderful advice based on what is actually going on amongst the horses at shows relative to herd mentality.

It got me thinking about all of my experiences over the decades at conformation and performance shows for dogs, the conversations that I have with my own dogs, and some I have had with client dogs in competition.  For those of us who are
showing in conformation and performance, as I do, we often find ourselves dealing with dogs who are suddenly anxious, overheated, and over-amped.  They sometimes lunge unexpectedly at other dogs, when we’ve not seen that behavior in our home environment.  They often get diarrhea, skin rashes, or other illnesses and we have to consider pulling them from competition.  Sometimes they slink away from a particular judge, run around with their tails down, or generally act fearful.  So how do we help them?


I’ve been contacted by clients with show dogs who want me to check in and see if I can “fix” these behaviors in their show dogs, and I can sympathize because I’ve had my share of these issues in my own dogs over the years as well.  These are not
always easy to fix, but some of these experiences may help you to understand how you can help your own dog.  You may
also see how communicating with your animal can fit in to helping them to enjoy the experience along with you.


The first time I walked into the Reliant World of Dog Shows as a professional Animal Communicator, I was with a friend who was newly practicing her telepathic skills with dogs. When we entered the building, there were several thousand dogs present on the site.  I could feel the anxious energy immediately, and my friend, who didn’t have adequate filters set up for such an event, nearly collapsed once we walked in the exhibitor’s entrance.  I thought she was going to need an ambulance; she covered her ears and said “Oh my God, don’t you hear them all?”  What she was hearing were the telepathic communications of dogs all over the building, talking to one another, looking for help, wondering where their people were, etc.; basically it sounded like an elementary schoolroom without a teacher and the students were running amok!  It was deafening to her and it nearly incapacitated her.

I realized at the time that many of the dogs needed help and didn’t have anyone to talk to, and when she walked in, her telepathic “third  eye” was like a beacon light in their world. They knew we were there and they all wanted to talk at once.  It was literal pandemonium in her head; a cacophony of voices all screaming to be heard over the others.  No wonder she was collapsing!

I have been taught how to “filter” one animal from another, so my communications are always directed at a specific animal. I am very rarely contacted by an animal “out of the blue”, though it does happen occasionally.  That’s for another blog. However, when you realize that dogs at shows are not only bombarded with the noises, smells and sights of hundreds, if not thousands of other dogs and people, along with the telepathic voices of those animals, it makes sense that there is anxiety in the air.  As well, most of these dogs are very good at reading the energy of their people, so they pick up on human anxiety and stress and bring it into their own bodies.

Consider this – there was an experienced performance agility dog who was “missing obstacles” (taking them out of the proper sequence), and the trainer wanted to know why this was happening so much.  The telepathic communication by my mentor revealed that the trainer was so focused on the sequence of the obstacle course that she was thinking about the next two obstacles prior to the one the dog was on.  The dog was picking up on this as a telepathic visualization, and was so
incredibly connected to her trainer that she was paying more attention to the telepathic instructions than to the physical cues that were being given. Therefore, when the trainer thought about the dog walk (which was two obstacles ahead), the dog said
“got it!” and ran to the dog walk instead of the tunnel which was supposed to be next. Once the trainer understood
that it was important to keep her thoughts directed at the current obstacle, the problem disappeared.   The dog followed the physical cues and received her “mental” instructions at the same time.  Problem solved.

This story illustrates how very connected our dogs are to our own emotions and thoughts.  Every thought has an impact; a life of its own. And thoughts can communicate very real intentions to our dogs.  If we are anxious and worried about how we will do in the ring, the dog certainly picks up on it.  In Reisa’s article, she talks about how the horses are so affected by the disruption of herd mentality and energies when they are put into show situations.  Dogs don’t have a herd mentality; they have a human-animal connection.  And they pay attention to the thoughts and emotions of their human and family members.  However, at a dog show, that connection  is disrupted and the dog can lose track of the purpose of being there and become fearful and lonely because he/she has lost the sense of connection with their human – you.

As another example, I talked with a working breed dog that was consistently being aggressive in the ring. His person wanted me to “get it under control” if possible.  When I connected with this dog, his entire energy body was filled with fear and
anxiety, and the dog was not at the show during the session.  When I asked him what was happening in the shows, he showed me in detail, and told me that he hated being there.  He begged me to tell his owner that this was not supposed to be his job.  In his mind, aggression was the only way to get the message across.  I passed this along to his owner, who was pretty insistent that he needed to do this job.  He was a promising show dog and she wanted him to do well and win.  So I ended up having a long talk with him, explaining why he was being asked to do this job, what it entailed, and showing him in pictures and videos how she expected him to behave.  His energy calmed and he became pensive and quiet for a bit after I explained all of this to him.  I don’t think he really understood why he was put into shows, so it took some time to make sense to him.  He was very bitter about being thrust into show situations without being asked if he wanted to be there.  He then asked for something in return.  He said “if I do this, could you ask her to play ball with me?  She doesn’t play with me and I need that from her.”  She agreed, and the next weekend he was pretty much an angel in the show ring, according to observers.  I will say this – if
you make a promise to an animal – FOLLOW THROUGH.  Animals are like children – they don’t understand when you make a promise and don’t follow through.  It creates distrust.  (Note that this dog would have benefited from receiving a flower essence called Star of Bethlehem, which helps with overcoming past hurts, which this dog felt in spades.  He also could have used Willow, which helps with resentment.)

Along with our usual training methodologies, we all need to add a component of communication for our animals to reassure them of their purpose, their job, and our expectations. I often do this with my own dogs. I have one who easily becomes disconnected from me when he is at the shows and exhibits fearful behaviors.  This happens most when I forget to talk to him prior to getting to the show grounds.  Anyone can do this; you don’t need to be telepathic to effectively communicate with animals if you follow three simple steps:

1)     Say what you want out loud directly to the animal.  Don’t worry if they’re not looking at you.  It doesn't mean they don't hear you.

2)     Mentally visualize what that looks like to them.  Animals like to see pictures and videos, so picture what you see them doing in the ring – acting calm, confident and self-assured.

3)     Communicate using a positive tone.  Nobody likes to be talked down to or threatened, so tell your dog what
you want using positive words and pictures.  Don’t start out by telling them what “not to do”.  Show them instead what you expect using mental videos of them acting like rock stars and enjoying the experience.  Thank them IN ADVANCE for what they are going to do for you.  After all, YOU’RE the one who are putting them in the ring, right?

I will give you similar advice to Reisa Stone’s guidance:

1)     Talk to your dog BEFORE you to the show.  Explain what will be happening and what you expect from them. 
Talk in terms of behaviors, not in terms of wins.  (My dog can show me if he’s won a ribbon, but he apparently can’t see colors.  He gets very excited when he shows me the ribbon being handed to the handler.  I can’t tell if it’s the color I’m hoping for; I just tell him what a great win it is.  So don’t pressure them to get points or qualifying scores – just show them performing at their absolute best and tell them you will be proud of them no matter what happens!)

2)     Take a few minutes to breathe, calm and ground yourself when you get to the show grounds. Your dog feels your energy, so give him/her the calmest and most positive energy possible.

3)     Consider using flower essences before the show if you have a dog that has predictable anxiety. 
        
        Mimulus and Aspen are great for fear of the unknown.

        Aspen helps with vague or unaccountable fears, providing a sense of security and fearlessness so they may
        face challenges and difficulties more easily.

        Agrimony is great for sensitivity to disturbances and disharmony.

        Beech is really nice for dogs that are intolerant of others in their space.

        Centaury helps restore assertiveness and confidence.

        Larch boosts self-esteem, confidence and determination.

        Chestnut Bud is particularly good for dogs that have trouble learning from their mistakes and tend to have to learn the 
        same lesson repeatedly.

        Rock Rose is also good for fear, but more in situations of abject terror and extreme fear.

        Vervain assists high strung animals to be determined and not domineering.

        Vine is great for dogs that are over-assertive and like to dominate others.

There are also some wonderful flower essences that help with dogs that are depressed, lethargic, unfocused, needy, jealous or uninterested.  We will cover them in another article.

For those who are interested in using natural, homeopathic supports for performance anxiety, consider giving your dog Gelsemium sempervirens prior to showing.  The dry pellets can be dropped directly into the patient's mouth. If the situation does not allow for that or you are not comfortable with a dry dosing method, simply drop one to three pellets into a volume of water (the exact amount isn't that important.)  Stir or shake well.  The pellets may or may not dissolve, depending on the hardness of the pellet, but this doesn't matter as long as the solution is stirred or shaken well.  Dose the patient by placing some (1 or 2 drops, teaspoons or fractions of teaspoons) of the solution on the dog's nose near the nostrils or directly into the mouth. The exact volume isn't that important.  The goal is to use adequate volume to ensure good contact with the patient's mucous membranes.  (The potency - 6C, 30C or 200C - is fairly forgiving in acute crisis situations, so just use the potency you have available and watch the dog for any changes and redose when the remedy action wanes or ceases.  Redosing may be in 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 1 hour - or whenever needed.  You cannot really overdose.

You may find that one remedy or flower essences works better than another, but usually when you find the right one, it's like a little miracle.  So don't give up.

I want to thank Reisa Stone for inspiring this article and offering tremendous insight to those who breed and show horses as well as other animal species.  If you would like to read her article, you will find it at www.reisastone.com. Or click on this link to be sent to her article entitled “Minimize Your Companion’s Anxiety”.

A NEW ANXIETY FORMULA IS NOW AVAILABLE - We have been conducting trials of various combinations of flower essences mixed with homeopathics to test their effectiveness on performance dogs who exhibit various fearful and/or anxious behaviors. We were also fortunate to be able to test these formulas on human volunteers as well.  By researching and consulting  higher guidance/intuition, the formula was improved over a period of six months to optimum results.  Volunteers charted specific behaviors such as dogs "refusing weaves in agility", people feeling "heart palpitations prior to business presentations", people feeling "panic attacks when driving on strange roads or meeting strangers", dogs "trembling/leaning in the conformation ring when approached by a judge", dogs "shaking/vomiting ringside prior to a performance competition".

We saw an overall improvement in symptoms of at least 60% in fearful and anxious behaviors after using this formula for a month.  Trials are still underway and we appreciate feedback from anyone who purchases this formula for their pets or themselves.

This formula includes:

Homeopathics:
Gelsemium sempervirens
Argentum nitricum
Aconitum napellus
Arsenicum album

Flower Essences:
Aspen
Beech
Chestnut Bud
Larch
Mimulus
Rock Rose
Vervain
Vine

I conduct sessions for so many people who believe that thay cannot do what I do, but nothing could be further from the truth.  I wasn't born with this skill.  In fact, I am extremely left brained and have to work at this.  Yes, even meditation can be "work" if your brain wants to go on with its endless monkey-chatter about emails and bills and errands.  I truly believe that anyone
can become telepathic as I have. It's all a matter of understanding how to go within, become silent, listen/see/feel/believe what you are getting and then PRACTICING. 

Nobody gets to be an expert at what they do without practicing, making mistakes, learning from them, and practicing more.  It helps immensely to have support and mentorship as I have been blessed to have.  Many of my friends have been guinea pigs for me, let me talk with their animals, and provided feedback.  I had to put myself out there as a potential crazy person, open to ridicule and judgment, but I trusted in myself and became a professional.  Sometimes I still can't believe that I have a job that I Iove so much!

How does Animal Communication work?  I sometimes wonder if I am communicating with the animal's physical body or something beyond that.  Is it the electrical impulses of the animal's brain, or the emotional signals of the animal's heart?  Why am I able to communicate with animals who are not sitting directly in front of me?  Why am I able to access animals (and people) who are transitioned into Spirit already?

I believe that the answer lies in something profoundly simple, and that's the "space between the electrons", or the Universal Energy that connects us all together.  How is it that you "sense" someone is bad just by looking at them or getting close to them physically?  Perhaps your energy body is reading their energy body and realizes that there's something not not quite right with them.  You pass them, your dog growls at them for seemingly no reason, and you get the heebie-geebies.  You wonder if that person is a child abuser and you can't even believe you're thinking it!  Or you meet another person that you just instantly like and you want to be their friend.  I think that you are simply finding a person who is vibrating at your frequency, or even higher, and it "feels" good to be around them. 

Obviously there's the eye contact, the handshake, the way the person is dressed or even how they smell that affects you.  But there's got to be more to it than that.  Or I couldn't do what I do as effectively as I do.  My clients will tell you that I "see" their passed on relatives without having ever met them, that I visualize events in their lives that I could not have possibly known about, that I sense/see and even smell things that go on with their animals and can articulate them very accurately.  It's not a parlor trick; it's a way of communicating on a very subtle level using the soup of Universal Energy that connects us all; the "space between atoms" that spins and vibrates with a frequency that gives information to those who are tuned in and willing to listen.

Foster Gamble of THRIVE fame articulates this concept very nicely in this short video that will get you thinking about that Universal Energy soup and how we might be connected in ways that our normal five senses don't detect.

Most of my videos are educational, so this borders on educational and hysterical.  Here's the context:  Ginger is in standing heat, and we've gone to Agility and left Dash alone in the house with hubby Jeff.  I'm an Animal Communicator and my dogs are accustomed to being informed about things.  However, I forgot to tell him what we're up to. 

He does this the entire time we're gone, and when I get back he says to me "Mommy, I thought you took her to breed with someone else.  I was sad."  I set him straight that Ginger is not out offering her naughty hind end to anyone else.  I love that he had to check to be sure his manly parts were still there when he finished each song.  I love my Dashy!!!  :-)

Every day we are presented with choices to make, from the insignificant to the critical ones.  Often you are standing in a product aisle at the store looking at all the choices, reading labels and trying to sort through which to buy.  I find that when I’m facing numerous choices and have to make the decision myself, muscle testing (using kinesiology) to help find out which is the best or most appropriate path is very helpful and can give you something "right brained" to add to your process of logical deduction.  If you don’t know how to muscle test, it is very simple and just takes practice to get good at it.  It follows the same principle as dowsing, that the “energy” will show you the way to the truth.

I use muscle testing every day and sometimes dows as well.  You can test using questions like “is XYZ the best meat for my dog right now?”, “is XYZ salve the best choice for this rash?”.  Be very considerate about how you phrase the question, because if you ask something like “is XYZ salve going to help the rash?”, you will probably get a yes, because it might help a little bit.  But is it THE BEST choice is the question I like to ask.  If you get a "NO", then research more choices and ask about them as well.  It may take time to find the BEST solution for the problem, but when you do, you may be blown away by how accurate it is when you implement that choice.

I have been in stores and seen people discreetly using dowsing pendulums or muscle testing to make such simple choices as which watermelon to purchase.  It's amazing when you tune in to the subtle energies in your environment and see what's really going on around you.  I see people from all walks of life accessing their inner wisdom in quiet, graceful ways.  You'll miss it if you're not tuned in.

Here is a tutorial video on how to do it. Perhaps it would be worth investing some time learning this important life skill.  You can use it in nearly every walk of life.  Use it at first to help with decisions that are not critical or life-altering.  But as you get more practiced and confident in the outcome, you can use this skill to assist you to make life-changing decisions with confidence. 

As a dog breeder and professional Animal Communicator, I often encounter clients who want help with undesirable behaviors such as aggression or fear.  When I connect with these animals, I can find out "why" they do what they do, learn about past life issues, and even often can negotiate some changes in behavior from a mutual understanding at a higher level that the relationship will improve if they behave differently.  However, I often hear them say "What do you expect?  I'm a dog!" (or something to that effect).  So even my dogs have behavior issues that need addressing - I am not exempt.

I'd like to share something that can prevent or change aggression/fear in dogs, especially if you start at a young age.

Young puppies typically act so wonderful around other puppies.  We all think  that taking them to a class at Petsmart is exactly what needs to be done, and
it  is.  I always recommend that to my clients.  Puppy socialization is critical.   We need to get our babies out and about to learn how to greet other dogs and  play, right?  However, once they are moving into adolescence, sometimes my  clients contact me because their wonderful snuggly puppies are now acting like  jerks or they are seeing fearful behavior. This is very common with adolescents,  and you can affect this positively in a big way.

I want you to watch this very important six minute video and think about what you are doing with your dog now. I have personally dealt with leash aggression, fearful behaviors, and barrier guarding, and if  you've been to my house, you may have seen it in action. What this trainer has  to say is imperative to how your  puppy develops over the next couple of years,  and the way you handle him/her around other people and dogs greatly affects how  well they behave around others.

Don't think for a moment that this same  behavior isn't going to happen to you, because it eventually will if you have dogs in your home. I love how he describes our training response as a "reprimand sandwich with reward bread on each side". My husband still sometimes doesn't understand why I package my response with a reward when we deal with leash and barrier issues. He sees it as "rewarding bad behavior"; however,  properly timed and executed, this handling as a trainer can save you a lot of  problems down the road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfSFw5NJ01w&feature=player_embedded

Dr.  Sophia Yin also has some wonderful videos on her site to help you avoid and deal  with aggression and fear. Please go there when you have some time and look over  her free, short videos as appropriate. You will have a better future with
your  puppy if you invest the time now. http://drsophiayin.com/about

Much thanks to the Dog Star Daily for allowing me to embed this great video here!

Euthanasia and Death in the Whelping Box

This is a photo of a struggling puppy from my 2013 litter; something we all deal with as dog breeders.  We are exposed to so much difficulty and sometimes death in our whelping rooms,  and sometimes it haunts us.  Some of us have grown steeled to the death of  our little ones in order to continue on, but it’s never easy.  I know that some  who read this are dealing with the issue of compassionate euthanasia, or have dealt with it in the past and wondered if you did the "right thing at the right  time".  Or you wonder "Why did that puppy have to die?  I did everything I could to save her and she left me anyway." 

Obviously there is a scientific rationale for everything that happens; a terminal diagnosis, a "fading puppy" (never understood what that meant to me personally).  Those are important and we always learn something from the medical end of things.  However, consider the possibility that there may be even more than meets the scientific eye...

As a professional Animal Communicator and dog breeder,  I’ve talked with infants on the verge of death and it’s surprising to hear what they have to communicate.  Some are teaching us lessons; some know that there are too  many babies for mom to safely raise; some know they have nobody waiting for them.   That was this puppy’s situation.  I promised him a choice; that he could be  involved in the screening of potential homes and that we would find the perfect  fit for him.  I allowed him to access every inquiring potential buyer, and he  actually chose the person he wanted to go with.  He was able to explain to me  precisely why he chose that buyer.  I’d like to think this helped him to survive  and that he is now living with the man for whom he found his life’s work and he is doing it as I write.  

I wasn't an Animal Communicator when my last adult dog was  really sick, so I had to trust my intuition to know when it was the right time  to let him go. We all have varying degrees of intuition in my experience. If you  feel that you can tell how they are feeling, you're probably well connected with  your pet and you should trust it. Sit with them in a quiet space and tell them  how you feel. THINK it as you say it - animals communicate telepathically and  they understand your thoughts on an energy level. Listen for an answer - you may  hear it if your intuition is strong and your mind is uncluttered.

Understand that animals are here in service to us, and they each have a job to do.  Even those who are suffering teach us compassion and balance.  Rescue dogs help to elevate the global consciousness by engaging us in selfless acts of love.  Animals who are ill teach us about how to heal.  Animals who transition at a young age teach us how to handle grief, or in some cases, they actually take the illness intended for us to keep us from suffering.  I know that seems really far out for some people to understand, but I've heard it many times.

If you're dealing with grief, I'd like to share a wonderful resource that you might  find helpful. There's another excellent Animal Communicator named Teresa Wagner who specializes in the grief of losing an animal companion, and her website has  helped many of my clients. http://www.animalsinourhearts.com/