On Mother’s Day, we express our heartfelt thanks for our mothers’ unconditional love and guidance.

“Your mother is always with you… She is the cool hand on your brow when you are not feeling well, and the shoulder to lean on when life disappoints you. A mother shows through in every emotion—happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow—and all the while hoping and praying you will know only the good feelings in life. She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space—not even death.”

– Temple Bailey wrote these words in 1933 for Good Housekeeping Magazine, but they ring as true today as they did then.

Mothers are special, and dog moms are especially special. Here are a few thoughts from a DOG mom:

• Before I was a dog mom, I made and served homemade meals. There was never any dog hair in my dinners…or on my clothes. And now most of my homemade treats are dog biscuits.
• I slept in on weekends, and never worried about how late I got to bed… there were no woofs or wags to wake me up to go outside at 6:00 A.M.
• My house smelled fresh and clean, not like wet dog fur, and no one ever tripped over toys, stuffies, or chewies. I didn’t have to scoop poop, retrieve chewed up socks, or decapitated toys.
• How could a furry, four-legged dog affect my heart so deeply? I didn’t even think I liked dogs much, until I held an innocent puppy mill rescue, and was reminded of the plight of mill babies, and the poor mother dogs who spend their entire lives caged and neglected, as they are bred over and over again to produce puppies for profit under conditions of unimaginable cruelty.
• I didn’t realize that one little creature could make me feel so important. When I am on the verge of a meltdown, I can count on my canine companion for inspiration and comfort. I don’t need a psychiatrist when I have her by my side, and she is certainly better than any prescription tranquilizer.
• I enjoy the warmth, the joy, the love, and wonderment of being owned by a dog. He has taught me so many things about what is really important in life. He has taught me that it is more important to seriously play than it is to play serious. He is a good listener, stress reliever, and empty nest filler, all in one furry package.
• I have become better educated about the plight of animals, and am an advocate for the companion animals who have no voice, no choice. I now realize that if I see cruelty or wrong that I have the power to stop, and do nothing, I make myself a sharer in the guilt.
• Being a dog mom has helped me to be a more loving, compassionate mother to my two-legged kids, and although I may say, “I’m not cut out for this job of motherhood”, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. As a mom, I have one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.

Mother’s Day (and every day) is the perfect time to celebrate the joys of having a mother, or mother figure in our lives. It is because of them that we have learned to embrace every day for what it is, and aspire to make it more. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!