| Pet Peeve
Thinking about getting an adorable puppy or kitten to love?
As a former dog trainer, breeder, and show person, I have some advice, remember:
You are not getting a puppy or kitten,
you are getting a dog or a cat!
A puppy or kitten is only a puppy or kitten for a month or two and then it becomes a growing dog or cat who lives 12 to 20 years.
MORE Things to consider:
Your dog or cat will probably NOT grow up to be what you imagine! It will grow up according to its genetic make up and environment.
Whatever you do, you are training your dog or cat: "Oh he's so cute when he jumps up in my lap when I am eating," translates to the dog, "I am alpha, able to take whatever I want, whenever I want."
ALL puppies pee, poo and chew....
Crate training so a dog sees its crate as a doggie den does not mean you should keep you dog in a cage while you are gone all day!
All pets will eventually follow their call to reproduce unless they are neutered. One week of discomfort for the pet eliminates a hoard of problems. There are all ready too many unwanted puppies and kittens not to mention grown dogs and cats. DO NOT contribute to the problem!
Realistically, within a month, your adorable puppy (or kitten) will be poopy, destructive, hyper, disobedient, mean, and/or sick...UNLESS you spend A LOT of time with it. Dogs especially are pack animals and need constant leadership, MOST need to be with someone all day long.
The solution is simple, since you are not getting a puppy go ahead and get a grown dog. Its personality is set so you know what you will live with. It may be potty trained. You know if it can spend the day happily by itself, or if it needs companionship. You know what it will look like.
Take a few minutes and look at the wonderful pets waiting for a forever home. Or just take a minute and read some of their sad stories. You can be a hero to one of these animals. There is one waiting for you.
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| "If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men." St. Francis of Assisi
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Miss Kitty, a Spotted Saddle Horse has insulin resistance. She is an easy keeper. She has a cresty neck. By October 2009, she had gained a lot of weight on very little pasture and no grain. She was lethargic. The dimples above her eyes were puffy. Her udder was swollen and she went lame. Xrays showed 6.5 degrees rotation of her off side coffin bone.
I followed protocols set forth by Dr. Elenor Kellon, the Yahoo Insulin Resistance/Cushings group and associated web site http://www.ecirhorse.com/ . Two and a half months later, Miss Kitty is back at work. Take a look at the video taken December 21st, 2009...you can see she is feeling spunky! Notice she is showing off and putting full weight on that off side fore-hoof.
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| Kitty October 2009 the week she foundered. |
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| Winter 1998 |
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| Lucky and friend Ben |
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| Happy go Lucky!! |
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| 1970 Polly and me- no saddle, or bridle |
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| Zack ... Sadly sent over the rainbow bridge |
Adjusting Your Focus
Luke 9:62
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
As an equestrienne, whenever God mentions anything related to the equine family my ears prick up. Last evening when my pastor was expounding upon why you must not look back when plowing (see note below), I realized the connection with modern riding.
I remembered when I was at the University of Tennessee training in cross country jumping. My instructor Liz Greene harped to not look down (it is so much fun to see what you are flying over). She admonished that on approach, to not focus on the jump but instead, pick a far point and focus on that. When you are well trained you can peripherally and sensorially adjust the stride and take off. Focusing ahead keeps the rider balanced and forward moving. You don't worry about clearing the jump, you trust the trained horse to do his job and carry you safely.
The analogy struck me. If I do my part by staying focused on God, He will carry me over the obstacles of my life with no faults. I need only keep focused on Him and adjust my direction toward His point.
Blessings,
Jane
(note) When one plows with bovine or equine, one focuses on a mark far ahead so that the rows are straight. If you look back or immediately in front of you, the rows end up crooked; not unlike when one drives a car.
Rev 19:11
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
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Leala was a throw away dog. We found her covered with mange, fleas, and ticks. She was hungry and terrified of people. With some TLC she has become a pet therapy dog who ministers to hurting people. She is registered with Delta Society, Love on a Leash, and R.E.A.D.
| Environmental Stewardship
Seven Degradations of Creation
An oh, so cool site. BIRDING BABYLON A military person who is a naturalist has a great blog site about the animals our folks in Iraq are seeing.
| Stewardship - a command not an option.
"Outdoors" was hand made by God. Enjoy it and remember as "rulers" of the earth, people were given the responsibility to care for what was created by God's hands.
Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." Genesis 1:26
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