pet love

Reflecting on Lessons Learned and Sweet Spots of Love with Dogs

Reflecting on Lessons Learned and Sweet Spots of Love with Dogs
Gidget ready for belly rubs

My favorite time of the day is one-on-one time with Miss Gidget which happens most days shortly after she eats dinner at 4pm.

Yesterday as she lay on her back on the sofa and I gave her belly rubs, as often happens, I felt a huge wave of love wash over my heart.

It’s one of the best feelings in the world.

And I thought about how rough the road was when I first got her two and a half years ago trying to understand some misinformation I was given that she was in need of a pacemaker.

After a visit to the UW of Madison Vet teaching school and an expensive bill I was relieved to find out her heart was perfectly fine.

And just when life seemed to settle into place her seizures began. That was definitely a test of my will and understanding. I honestly thought I’d lose it during that year of trying to figure out why she was having them, and how to best help her.

We are approaching 150 days of no seizures and play time yesterday with her had me thinking about what is sometimes called the “sweet spot” in life.  Those stretches of time when life feels incredibly good and you hope it will last forever.

While dogs don’t typically know when they are seizing, and it is harder on the people in their lives, I certainly hope she never has another one.

But as hard as it was, I learned a lot from the experience. It was a time of standing more into the truth of things that I believe in regarding holistic care and speaking up for what I felt was best for her.

It was also a time that I believe Gidget was a reflection for me. She had me looking at a part of my soul that I’d been trying to push away for a very long time.

The sweet moments with Gidget have me reflecting on how precious these times with her truly are when all is well– and how they become so much more dear because of the tough times.

A reminder to take nothing or any day for granted. To live even more in awareness of how little time we really do have here.

Each and every dog in my life have brought gifts I don’t believe I would have experienced otherwise. And it continues to inspire me that I learn so much about life through the eyes of my dogs. Their lessons somehow find a way into my heart that stick and change me for the better.

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Silly Songs We Sing to Our Pets

joie with flowers 785IMPORTANT:  If you subscribe to my blog via Google Reader, Google is shutting it down as of July 1.  Here is how you can subscribe via another reader.

Just about everyday, at least once, I have to sing a silly little song for Joie.  It first began with a new nickname I came up for her which is Skoodles (pronounced like doodle).  So I pick her up and as I sing, in between I have to smooch the side of her face.

Scoodle-li doddle- li-do, I love you!

Scoodle-li doodle-li-do, I love you!

Scoodle-li, schoodle-li, schoodle-li, schoodle-li

Scoodle-li, doodle-li-do, I love you!

Maybe someday I’ll get the courage to record and share with you via audio. But for now you’ll just have to use your imagination!

Joy is: Doggie Love


Kylie and Frankie snuggling.  Kylie at 3 months old and Frankie is six years old in this photo.

When I brought Kylie home as a pup I couldn’t resist getting this photo of her above with Frankie.  They were almost the same size, but I knew that would not last for very long…


Kylie at six months old, & the last photo I have of the two of them before Frankie was diagnosed with IVDD

After Frankie’s diagnoses of Intevertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) over four years ago I could never allow Kylie and Frankie to play together without supervision. For some reason Kylie was very rough with Frankie when she was in her wheelchair, almost as if she thought Frankie was a toy.  It was heart breaking to not have them snuggle together for fear of Kylie possibly reinjuring Frankie’s back.

Frankie is now able to scoot when not in her doggie wheelchair, and actually can hop like a rabbit, which she typically does when it is time to eat (she loves to eat!).  She has made great progress in her mobility since her diagnoses of IVDD in 2006.  She still needs her wheelchair for walks and school, and therapy dog visits that we do, but when home, she gets around pretty well on her own without the use of her wheelchair.

Kylie turned five years old this past October.  Maybe she has mellowed a bit with age, but all of a sudden she is much calmer around Frankie.  Another thing I discovered is if Frankie is not in her wheelchair, Kylie is not as rough with her.  So over the past few months they have started to hang out together.

Getting this photo (below) of them brought tears to my eyes and such joy to see them so happy snuggling together.  Looking at them together made my heart grow three times its size!


The love of our pets in all its forms truly brings me so much joy…

How have your pets brought you joy lately?