Pets for Christmas: Probably Not

Holiday music is in the air, proclaiming peace on Earth and love for all God's creatures, including pets! It is very tempting to rush out and buy your child or your parent or your lonely friend a pet...don't do it!!! Having a pet is a tremendous responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly. Having a pet is a serious commitment of both time and money. No one loves all God's creatures more than I do and I sincerely believe that they are worth the effort and that they give back far more than they get from their owners but you cannot just give a puppy or a kitten or a parakeet like you would a stuffed animal. Pets have needs and they have feelings. Unfortunately, many are taken to shelters during January and February when their human's realize that, athough they a cute and lovable, they do not take care of themselves. Don't be swept up by all the cute puppies in the paper this Christmas. Get a pet when you're ready for a serious commitment and then give them all the love and care that you have! Merry Christmas!

Can a cat and a crow be friends?

Can animals of different species be friends? This little video certainly makes a case for it. Who knows whether the sounds they make help that along or even have any influence on it. No one really knows why or how cats purr (do they?). Anyway, it's an interesting and amusing video. Enjoy!

Thanks to everyone who wrote in about Jack's death

The past almost three weeks have been really hard for us. Jack's death seemed so sudden even though we knew he was getting older and was blind in one eye and beginning to lose his hearing. Still, he could go lickity-split up the steps and loved to go to the office with me and sit in on of my therapy chairs looking like a wise old sage, which he was. Jack had such wisdom about people and such love for people. He really was a little wizard covered in fur!

Now, when I come home at night there's still a little part of me that hope maybe he'll be right inside the door, waiting to see me and that it was all a bad dream. Very slowly I'm beginning to accep that I'll never see him again, not in this life anyway. A dear friend sent me this bit of wisdom:

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all.It's the best deal man has ever made.

Jack gave us his all and we'll never forget him!

In Memorium: Jack Sahner Cash

This afternoon about 4:30, Jack Sahner-Cash passed through the gates of Doggie Heaven. Many of you knew and loved Jack as Crystal and I did. For us, Jack was the perfect dog. He was so loving, so smart and so unbelievably empathic. He did wonderful therapy with many of my clients. If someone was sad or depressed he would curl up beside them and they would pet him and feel the love he had to offer. He was trained to be a lap dog and loved to be as close as possible to whatever human was around him. He remembered everyone he ever met and would lick them all over if they would let him.

In the end, Jack contracted a deadly case of salmonella that two solid weeks of fluids and medication of all kinds could not knock out. This afternoon he began bleeding and having seizures. He went to sleep peacefully at 4:30 PM and is now surrounded by loving parents and siblings in Papillon Heaven. He will be cremated and a memorial service will be announced in the next few days. Jack would have been 14 in January.

Update on Jack

So many people have written to me privately and called me to ask about Jack and how he's doing. He's had a very difficult week and has hardly been able to keep anything down. The vet has decided that he got a very bad case of salmonella, probably from eating chicken that was too old! We feel awful about this but had no idea that the chicken might hurt him because it still seemed fresh to us. Anyway, Jack has been to the animal hospital every day for 8 days now to have iv fluids.
We really didn't think he'd make it through the day today, but since we got him home he's actually been doing a little better and has kept the fluids down and been able to take two of his heart pills.
We thank everyone for your healing prayers and thoughts for Jack and will continue to keep you posted via this blog. BTW, this is an old picture of Jack. We have not been making him dress up for Halloween at all this year!

Can music help Jack?

My dog Jack has been sick for nearly a week now. He's had to go to the animal hospital three different days to get fluids and finally today the vet decided that he probably has salmonella. Poor little doggie has had not appetite and has also been throwing up and has diarrhea. I've had soft instrumental music playing in the background for several days as well as a natural soy candle that is called "warm pears." Tonight he seems a little better but still must go back tomorrow to get fluids and antibiotics again. Tomorrow I will suggest to the vet that he play soft instrumental music for Jack.

Should baby gators swim to the oldies?

Yesterday I was playing miniature golf while on vacation in Sarasota. To my great surprise, the course also houses a baby alligator farm! I was told that these alligators are "moved" when they get to be four feet long. was fascinated to watch these little critters and even more so in person. What amazed me even more was that they had "oldies" playing quite loudly. My sense was that the little gators didn't like it one bit! See what you think!