The Powerful Influence of a Mother

By with Comments Off on The Powerful Influence of a Mother

Every life begins with a mom who accepts a long term, often stressful, job, and we celebrate Mother’s Day recognizing the awesomeness of mothers. They laugh with us, cry with us, and love us with unfailing love. Who is the queen of everything we cling to with all our hearts? It was, it is, and forever will be Mom. . A MOTHER MAKES LIFE SPECIAL was a Paw Prints piece published several years ago, and I was asked to repeat it at this special time of year. Enjoy!

“Most beautiful things in life come by two and threes, by dozens and even hundreds. Plenty of stars, sunsets, rainbows, flowers, and friends—but most of us are privileged to have only one mother in the whole world. There is no influence so powerful as a mother…with limitless patience, continual encouragement and unswerving love…and for those six little words that help us through so many trying times: “because I said so, that’s why.”

A mother makes life special….the moments of love and laughter, the traditions and memories we will carry with us throughout our lives, and most of all, a Mother shows the true meaning of love in everything she does.

As Mother’s Day approaches, a dog-lover friend recently browsed through her Mother’s memory album, and found this poem on which she had written, “How blessed I am to be a mother… even though I sometimes hide in the bathroom to be alone! I am learning to appreciate mud puddles, dandelions and hairy creatures called dogs, thanks to my wonderful children.”

MUD PUDDLES, DANDELIONS, AND DOGS

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my garden.

My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff to wish on.

When I see a bedraggled, old homeless guy, and he smiles at me, I figure he wants something.

Kids see someone smiling at them, and they smile back.

When I feel wind on my face, I worry about it messing up my hair.

My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall down laughing.

When I pray, I say ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ and ‘grant me this, give me that’.

My youngest always says, “Hi, God! Thanks for all my toys and my friends,

and for my new puppy and especially for my Mom who puts up with the messes that we make.”.

When I see a mud puddle, I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.

My kids splash in it with the puppy, happily anticipating hours of fun.

When I see a starving, frightened dog standing by the side of the road,

I think of my clean car, and hope that “some Good Samaritan” will help him.

The kids see a wonderful, beautiful, loyal companion and insist that WE are the “Good Samaritans” sent to rescue him.

I wonder if Mothers are given kids to teach or learn from? No wonder God loves the little children!

I have learned to enjoy the little things in life, knowing that one day, I will look back and realize they were the big things.

I am so blessed to have learned and hopefully have taught my children:

  • Life is too short to waste it on petty things. And it is petty to think you have to win every argument. Forgive everyone everything.
  • Never compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is about, and envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
  • Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful.
  • Forgive everyone everything ..in five years it won’t matter that the puppy ruined your carpet, your couch, and half your shoes. He will grow up to become the love of your life.
  • Enjoy your family, both two legged and four legged. Miracles are waiting everywhere
  • ENJOY MUD PUDDLES, SUNNY YELLOW DANDELIONS, AND UNCONDITIONALLY LOYAL DOGS!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

 

The Truest Friends We Have

By with Comments Off on The Truest Friends We Have

“A mother is the truest friend we have when trials fall upon us, or adversity takes the place of prosperity, and friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when darkness falls. Though trouble thickens around us, still she will cling to us, and endeavor to bring peace to our hearts. Her arms are always open when we need a hug; her heart understands when we need a friend. Her gentle eyes can be stern if we need a lesson, but her strength and love guide us and give us wings to fly.”

Mother’s Day comes once a year, but one day is not sufficient to honor our mothers. Our mothers are the truest friends we will ever have, and every day is Mother’s Day!!

To all moms and special women in our lives, we offer this special tribute of devotion:

“If I could give you diamonds for each tear you cried for me… if I could give you rubies for every heartache I have caused…if I could give you pearls for the wisdom that you’ve shown… then you’d have a treasure, mother, that would mount up to the skies, but I have no pearls, rubies, or diamonds, as I am sure you are well aware, so I will give you gifts more precious: my devotion, love and care. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!”

Dog moms celebrate on Mother’s Day too, and Carol Bryant shares this confession with us:

“I am a dog mom. I love it when folks call me a dog mom…a sense of pride swells over me. I do things with my dog that perhaps those who went before me did not with their dogs in days gone by. I look back on my childhood and cringe: the “family dog” wasn’t allowed in the main part of our home, and I wonder to this day if she ever even saw anything above the basement, where she was “allowed” to sleep if temps fell below zero.

The attitudes toward pets are slowly changing; in fact some argue that “dogs are the new kids” is becoming a worldwide epidemic. Science has finally acknowledged the special connection between humans and canines, and even big name journals like Psychology Today admit that dogs have the propensity to feel many of the same emotions that humans do.

My dog isn’t a child…I understand that. If I am honored to share life with my dog for 15 years or more, unlike a teenager at age 15, my dog won’t be asking for the car keys, won’t enter the dating world, and will never become a source of grey hair as I worry if he is 10 minutes late past curfew. The lifespan of a dog is short, a flicker if you will, compared to a human. There will be no dating, college funds, job search, or prom nights. He will pass from this world too soon, leaving a horrendous hole in my heart.

Since becoming a dog mom, I have learned many lessons including the importance of living in the moment. I have yet to see my dog worry about what happened yesterday or panic about plans for tomorrow. Dogs have taught me to live life to the fullest because, at any time, it can end. Yesterday is gone – tomorrow may never come. Today is best day of my life.

Yes, I spoil too much on my dog, and I certainly spend too much on him. I buy cotton swabs…I use baby wipes on his feet after a muddied walk or rainy day, and I could probably circumnavigate the globe with the amount of paper towels I use. I know he does not need eight leashes, four water bowls, regular trips to the pet supply store, and organized play dates.

I believe that all dogs should be well taken care of and kept out of harm’s way. They live such short lives, and they depend on us to accept the responsibilities of caring for them. They have no voice; they have no choice, Dog moms understand that, and do what is right for them. Dog moms celebrate their dogs every day. Dog moms shop. Dog moms buy….some dog moms even tuck their dogs in at night, and I enjoy the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, and the satisfaction of being a dog mom. Happy Mother’s Day to all dog moms of the world.”

 

A Time to Honor Remarkable Women

By with Comments Off on A Time to Honor Remarkable Women

Mother’s Day in the United States was first proclaimed in 1870 in Boston by Julia Ward Howe, the first official recognition of the holiday was by West Virginia in 1910, and a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day was signed by U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson in 1914.

Actually any day is appropriate to honor our mothers.

A mother is one who understands the things her children say and do. She overlooks the faults and sees the best in them. A mother is one whose special love inspires and encourages, never imagining that what she does may become unforgettable memories in the hearts of her children. God bless mothers!

Mother’s Day is a time to pay special tribute to mothers who understand that a kind word and a hug can heal a broken heart. Your mother, and those who have been a mother figure in your life, are your first love, and nothing on earth can separate you – not time, not space, not even death. Animal moms are special, and life sometimes becomes complicated for them too:

  • They deal with poop all the time. Unlike two legged babies who outgrow their need for diapers, our dogs never become competent at cleaning up their own poo.
  • Life is busy, so sometimes we have to take them to day care, and, much like mothers of human babies, we worry about what they are learning at day care. Some day-care dogs are not as well mannered as ours!
  • From whimpering for attention, to legitimately needing to pee, some nights we may be up with them several times, even though all we really want to do is sleep
  • From the sniffles to being bitten by another dog at the dog park (another place to pick up bad habits), dogs need medical treatment, and vets are almost as costly as pediatricians.
  • Then there is the need for toys and treats. Do they really need so many? Probably not, but how can we resist buying something when we are in the pet store. After all, human kids’ toy boxes are full and overflowing…
  • We probably won’t admit it, but sometimes we talk baby talk to them…and yes, they respond… with paw hugs and nose kisses.
  • Much like moms with their wallets full of baby photos, our iPhones are cluttered with dog pictures. We know our friends probably don’t want to see them, but they are so special, how can we resist sharing just a few?
  • Who’s the cutest baby ever? Well, it’s not up for debate who is the cutest four-legged member of the family. Every pet mom is convinced that her dog is absolutely the cutest, smartest, most well behaved in the entire universe.
  • Just like soccer moms team up together in their Nike outfits to discuss sports, dog moms team up together in their dog-walking clothes with a pocketful of poo bags. It’s a shared bond.
  • Conflicting parenting styles can become a source of argument. If we see someone handling a dog in a way we don’t agree with, we say something, knowing that our wisdom will be appreciated. Moms on the playground do the same thing.
  • Much like all moms, we wouldn’t trade our perfect pets for anything in the world. We are moms and we love them unconditionally.

On Mother’s Day (and every day), we know that whatever else is unsure in this world, a mother’s love for her children, whether two-legged or four-legged, remains steadfast and true.

God bless ALL our mothers!

 

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

By with Comments Off on Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“Happy Mother’s Day!”

Americans spend millions of dollars every year buying gifts for their Mothers on this special occasion, but there is an old (but true) cliche that stresses ‘actions speak louder than words.’ The founder of Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis, was vehemently opposed to the commercialization of the holiday, but she certainly approved of random acts of kindness to express thankfulness to Moms. It doesn’t cost much to pamper her a little bit on her day, just as she pampers you all year round. Almost every mother would love a “Services Coupon Book.” There are many chores around the house that she would appreciate help with (Just be sure that you honor your promises when she decides to use a coupon).

While honoring our own moms, let’s speak out about the plight of mothers of a different species: dogs who spend their entire lives caged and neglected in puppy mills—mother dogs who are forced over and over again to produce puppies under conditions of unimaginable cruelty. Google the words, “Puppies for sale” and you will get MILLIONs of hits back, and although some of those listings are legitimate and caring breeders, the majority of the listings link to digital venues for puppy mills that use the internet to peddle their “products.” Using sophisticated, convincing tactics, they reach people who are totally unaware of the actual living conditions where little or no consideration is given for genetic defects, or the health and well-being of the mass produced animals. Documentation of puppy mills across the country reveals dogs living in rows of filthy wire cages in dilapidated facilities where the dogs lack adequate food, veterinary care, sanitation, and human interaction. The breeders’ goal? Make money!!! As we think “Happy Mother’s Day, it is important to become involved in the effort to shut down these places that certainly do not have a happy mother’s day or any other day.

  • Never buy a puppy over the Internet or from a pet store. Almost all puppies sold in pet stores are puppy mill dogs, regardless of what the store claims.
  • Use extreme caution with classified ads. INSIST on seeing where the adult dogs and puppies live—do not meet the seller at another location. And if you can’t see the mother and her living conditions, don’t walk away – RUN!
  • Consider adoption from a rescue organization or search carefully for responsible breeders.
  • Support legislation that regulates and reduces breeding of animals. Involve yourself in the legislative process to promote laws that make live better for our four-footed companions.
  • Remember: puppy mills will continue to thrive until people stop buying puppy mill dogs. Use every opportunity to educate people with the facts.
  • Mothers always have great advice, and here are a few reminders for dealing with both humans and canines (on Mother’s Day and Every Day!):
  • Every day is a new day. The opportunity to make a new start. Wipe the slate clean; begin anew.
  • Stand up for justice and practice compassion. One of the most powerful things we can do is to spread compassion toward both humans and animals. Let’s use our power!

HAPPY MOM’S DAY!!!

 

A Perfect Day to Celebrate

By with Comments Off on A Perfect Day to Celebrate

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!

 

It was no Happy Mother’s Day for Puppy Mill Mamas

By with Comments Off on It was no Happy Mother’s Day for Puppy Mill Mamas

As we bask in the after- glow of a wonderful Mother’s Day of love and inspiration, it seems important to speak out about the mothers of a different species:  dogs who spend their entire lives caged and neglected in puppy mills…mother dogs who are forced, over and over again, to produce puppies for profit under conditions of unimaginable cruelty.

If we believe that a dog is man’s best friend, how can we allow thousands of abused mother dogs to suffer in puppy mills across the nation, where they are confined in substandard, crowded, dirty conditions, without sufficient veterinary care, food, water, and socialization, with breeding dogs bred as often as possible without rest between litters, in order to increase profits.   Mothers churn out litter after litter of puppies, with the puppies taken away from their mothers too young, and   often stacked in trailers and trucked to pet stores across the country.  Others are sold over the internet.  According to Bob Baker, an investigator with the Anti-Cruelty Department of the ASPCA, “We are seeing a surge in the number of dogs being sold online, and we warn consumers to NEVER buy dogs over the internet.  It is disturbing that people will purchase a dog and have it shipped to them without ever seeing where it came from.  Is it any wonder that these puppies often show evidence of alarming genetic disorders, as well as behavioral and psychological problems? “

Consider these facts:

  • Breeding dogs at puppy mills endure constant breeding cycles and are kept year after year, as long as they are productive breeders, with  almost no regard for the dog’s health or any existing genetic conditions that may be passed on to the puppies.
  • Puppy mill dogs typically receive little or no medical care and live in crowded, squalid conditions, in wire bottom cages, without exercise, socialization or human interaction, in blistering heat and freezing cold.
  • Puppies from puppy mills are sold in pet stores, online, and directly to consumers with little or no factual information as to the dog’s health, genetic history or future welfare.
  • Breeding dogs are subjected to dog auctions where mill owners buy and sell dogs for breeding.  Puppy millers dump dogs they no longer want, and other mass dog producers come looking for a good deal.  These dogs are auctioned off like used furniture.
  • Purchasing a puppy for sale at a pet store or online usually supports the horrible puppy mill industry, and buying anything in pet stores that sell puppies support the industry too.

NEVER buy a puppy from an internet site or a pet store.  Be sure to visit the physical facility of an animal shelter or screen a breeder’s facility IN PERSON!  Responsible breeders and rescue groups will be more than happy to offer you a tour. If there is nothing bad to show, there is nothing bad to hide…if you are not welcomed onto the property, you should RUN, not walk, away!

The only way to advance humane and responsible treatment of companion animals is through education and grassroots advocacy.  If you are honestly concerned about their welfare, and want better laws to protect them, GET INVOLVED.  Write your legislators… If you live in Iowa, you know that a bill to regulate breeding facilities got close, but didn’t pass in this year’s legislature.  The dogs will have to wait another year, but you don’t have to wait… GET INVOLVED NOW.   Iowa Friends of Companion Animals works tirelessly to get state oversight of USDA-licensees, and better standards of basic care…larger cage sizes, no wire-bottomed cages, access to the outdoors, and annual vet checks.   I find it incomprehensible that ANYONE can object to what this group is advocating.   If you would like details on Iowa Friends of Companion Animals, and its sister organization, Iowa Voters for Companion Animals, please contact Mary LaHay at mlahay@iafriends.org.  (If you live outside of Iowa contact them anyway.  They could offer you suggestions about organizing an animal advocacy group in your own state).

A tribute to mom

By with Comments Off on A tribute to mom

A TRIBUTE TO MOM

“Dear Mom:

Sometimes I find myself wondering…Did I remember to thank you for all

the times you were by my side to help me celebrate my successes

and accept my defeats?   Or for letting me keep all the stray puppies

that seemed to follow me home, with both of us knowing that you’d be the

one to nurse them back to health and find them good homes?

Or the long nights we sat with the best friend a boy ever had, and cried together

as  our l4- year – old Golden Retriever lost his battle with cancer?

Or for teaching me the value of hard work, good judgment, courage and honesty?

Have I ever thanked you for the simple things…?

the laughter, smiles,  and quiet times we’ve shared?

Sometimes I forget to express my gratitude, so I am   thanking you today,

and want you to know that you are appreciated.”

 

Mother’s Day is a day to pay tribute to mothers!   A Jewish Proverb says, “God could not be everywhere, so He made mothers to be the banks where we could deposit all our hurts and worries.”  Moms are special, knowing that a kind word and a hug can heal a broken heart.  Your mother, and those who have been a mother figure to you  are your  first love, and nothing on earth can separate you…not time, not space…not even death.

 

As we honor our mothers, we also understand that real mothers:

sometimes moan, “Why me?” but know it is all worthwhile when someone says, “I love you,” or the puppy offers paw hugs and nose kisses.

  • often have sticky floors, filthy ovens, and happy, rambunctious two-legged and four-legged kids.
  • know that their kitchen utensils might be in the toy box or the dog bed, or even outside in the sand box.
  • accept the fact that dried play dough and pet urine are bad for carpets, and really don’t want to know what they just stepped in.

 

Real mothers often ask questions like:

  • Are you trying to give me a heart attack?   Keep this up and you’ll send me to an early grave.
  • If you don’t stop teasing that dog, we will take him to the pound.  You want that?
  • Don’t you know that I am doing this because I love you?
  • Why should I be reasonable?  I am your mother.
  • Why?  Because I said so.  That’s why.
  • He’s your dog, so why should I clean up after him?
  • Do I ever get any thanks?  You know there are millions of children in this world who aren’t blessed with mothers like me.
  • Am I complaining?  Not really… I wouldn’t trade the joy and satisfaction of being a Mom for anything!

 

A Mother is a true friend to both two-footed and four-footed kids: when troubles come, when adversity takes the place of prosperity, when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, only to desert us when trouble thickens, she will remain faithful to us, no matter what.   Special blessings to all Moms!

 

A Mother Makes Life Special

By with Comments Off on A Mother Makes Life Special

Most beautiful things in life come by two and threes, by dozens and even hundreds.  Plenty of stars, sunsets, rainbows, flowers, and friends—but most of us are privileged to have only one mother in the whole world.  There is no influence so powerful as a mother…with limitless patience, continual encouragement and unswerving love…and for those six little words that help us through so many trying times:  “because I said so, that’s why.”

A mother makes life special…the moments of love and laughter, the traditions and memories we will carry with us throughout our lives, and most of all, a Mother shows the true meaning of love in everything she does.

As Mother’s Day approaches, a dog-lover friend recently browsed through her Mother’s memory album, and found this poem on which she had written,  “How blessed I am to be a mother… even though I sometimes hide in the bathroom to be alone!  I am learning to appreciate mud puddles, dandelions and hairy creatures called dogs, thanks to my wonderful children.”

 

                MUD PUDDLES, DANDELIONS, AND DOGS

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my garden.

My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff to wish on.

When I see a bedraggled, old homeless guy, and he smiles at me, I figure he wants something.

Kids see someone smiling at them, and they smile back.

When I feel wind on my face, I worry about it messing up my hair.

My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall down laughing.

When I pray, I say ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ and ‘grant me this, give me that’.

My youngest always says, “Hi, God!  Thanks for all my toys and my friends,

and for my new puppy and especially for my Mom who puts up with the messes that  we make.”.

When I see a mud puddle, I step around it.  I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.

My kids splash in it with the puppy, happily anticipating hours of fun.

When I see a starving, frightened dog standing by the side of the road,

I think of my clean car, and hope that “some Good Samaritan” will help him.

The kids see a wonderful, beautiful, loyal companion and insist that WE are the “Good Samaritans” sent to rescue him.

I wonder if Mothers are given kids to teach or learn from?   No wonder God loves the little children!

I have learned to enjoy the little things in life, knowing that one day,   I will look back and realize they were the big things.

I am so blessed to have learned and hopefully have taught my children:

  • Life is too short to waste it on petty things.  And it is petty to think you have to win every argument.  Forgive everyone everything.
  • Never compare your life to others.  You have no idea what their journey is about, and envy is a waste of time.  You already have all you need.
  • Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful.
  • Forgive everyone everything…in five years it won’t matter that the puppy ruined your carpet, your couch, and half your shoes.   He will grow up to become the love of your life.
  • Enjoy your family, both two legged and four legged.  Miracles are waiting everywhere!
  • ENJOY MUD PUDDLES, SUNNY YELLOW DANDELIONS, AND   UNCONDITIONALLY LOYAL DOGS!