A Happy Accident

For the last 8-9 months, one of my biggest challenges every day has been trying to get Kino to drink water.  Since his stomach is frequently upset, he has almost no interest in drinking. I can understand that because I don't crave water when I have an upset stomach either yet I also know how important it is to keep him hydrated.

Multiple times a day we go through the frustrating ritual of me sitting on the floor holding his bowl and asking him to drink some water.  He will have a couple sips and then step backwards.  I ask him again to please drink some more water - sometimes he'll have a few more sips - sometimes he won't and sometimes the begging on my part continues.  If I don't hold the bowl and insist he drink some, he won't go near it. If I am wearing shorts, he thinks it's great fun to lick my legs instead of drinking from the bowl.  I try to roll with it most days, although I can't say I enjoy the sensation of his tongue all over my legs, but I often follow up my "bath" by saying, "You've got to wash all that salt down, why don't you drink some water." Fortunately, he will usually have a few more laps of water.

I realized in recent months that the whole "get Kino to drink water" is one of the biggest stresses in my life and one I really want to change.  I have tried giving him ice cubes because he likes them but his stomach is so sensitive to cold that if he swallows an ice cube, he vomits within about 2 minutes, sometimes sooner. Not fun for either of us.

A few weeks ago,  I cooked up a batch of chicken thighs and chicken livers in the crock pot, since Kino is now allergic to beef.  While I was attempting to stir it and ensure it was cooked all the way through, I somehow managed to fling a chicken thigh in such a manner that it went up in the air and then splashed back down into the crock pot, throwing water up out of the pot, all over the counter, down the front of the cupboard and into Kino's water bowl by my feet.  I was trying to contain my frustration at the mess I had just made when Kino came running into the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about.  He sniffed his bowl and then drank the entire contents.  I stood there in disbelief.  Had Kino really just drank a bowl of water - on his own??  Without me holding the bowl and begging him to drink???

Would it work again?  I wasn't sure if it was just a one time thing so I pulled out more of the water from the crock pot and put it in a bowl.  A while later, I put a teaspoon of the chicken water in his water bowl and within seconds, he had finished the entire bowl.  I was overjoyed!  And that may seem like a bit of an overreaction but if any of you have ever struggled to get your pet to drink water, I know you understand.

So, now we have a new ritual.  Kino and I play for a bit and when we stop I say, "Do you need some water?" and he stares at me.  So then I say, "Do you need me to add the magic juice?" and he excitedly runs into the kitchen and stands next to his bowl.  I don't even know how I began calling it the "magic juice" but in some ways, it truly is exactly that.

With each new batch of food I make for him, I strain off a cup of the water so that we have enough "magic juice" to last us until we make the next batch.  I am shocked at how much easier life is these days.  Kino is still throwing up every three to four days but the fact that I have a way to get him to drink water throughout the day is enough to keep my outlook positive.

When I told my dad about my "happy accident" he said I should bottle the "magic juice" and sell it to other people who can't get their pets to drink water.  I decided instead to just share my experience here so if any of you reading this are having an issue with getting fluid into your pets, maybe something similar will work for you.

Another Set Back

Just when I thought we were making some headway on getting Kino healthy again, we had another set back.  After all we went through a year ago dealing with his food allergies and finally finding something he could eat, it appears that he has developed an allergy to the limited ingredient food I have been making him.  To say this was disappointing is an understatement.

The other day I was sitting at the dining table, with my head in my hands . . . I could feel the fear swirling up inside of me and the feeling of hopelessness.  I know it's not a place I want to "sit" - not only because it's uncomfortable and unproductive to sit in fear and hopelessness - but because I know that if I stay in that place, I will draw in more experiences that match that vibration.  I was sitting there pondering all of that and trying to determine how I was going to shift my attention, and therefore my vibration, to something else when Kino walked into the room.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him sit in front of the sliding glass door as he keenly focused on something in the yard.  I finally looked over to see what he was looking at and much to my surprised there were 3-4 birds walking around the yard, a couple feet away from the sliding glass door.

I couldn't believe my eyes for a minute . . . Kino was WATCHING the birds.  He wasn't barking and throwing himself at the door the way he did when he first came to live with me.  He wasn't coming unglued because "something was in his yard!"  He was just watching them.  In that moment, I felt like my request had been granted.  Something positive for me to think about instead.  Wow - my boy really has come a long way.  I hugged him and thanked him for helping me shift out of the mindset I had been in.

Later that day, he gave me another one of those little "gifts" when we were out for a walk.  We were walking down the street when out of the blue a cat walked across the street in front of us.  Kino's ears perked up and I felt his body get a little rigid so I said "Kino, leave it" and while he didn't look at me immediately like he's supposed to, his body did relax.  I laughed to myself as I thought about the "old Kino" . . . I'll never forget one of our first walks after he came out of the shelter . . .  he saw a cat and the most frightening sound erupted from him . . . a combination of a howl and bark that was so loud and so manic, he sounded like he had just been gravely injured.  The sound continued as he added in lunging and odd body convulsions.  That was how Kino used to respond to seeing a cat and I took a moment to feel very very grateful that those days are behind us.  :-)

Thanks to Kino, I had a couple examples of how to shift my thinking and therefore my energy.  Since then it has been much easier to move myself out of the fear when it comes up.  Kino is still sick and I still haven't figured out what to do to help him get better but with his assistance, I'm having an easier time finding things to be grateful for.

Eclipse and Full Moon Energies

For many people, the last three weeks have been pretty turbulent.  There were some major influxes of energy coming into the planet between the partial eclipse earlier this month and the full eclipse that occurred a couple of days ago.  Some folks are still experiencing the lingering affects that may continue for the next week.  I came across this explanation of what's been happening and how it has been affecting many of us and everyone I shared it with said "Wow!  Exactly!" so I figured it might be helpful to share it with a wider audience.

These energies have also been affecting animals.  Has your pet been uninterested in eating some days?  Or not interested in drinking water some days? or throwing up?  Has your pet been more lethargic? Has your dog been on edge and barking more than usual?   I have seen all these things occurring with my animal clients and with my own dog.  They are so in tune with energies, they often feel them more intensely than we do.  If the symptoms come and go, most likely it is a result of these powerful energies we've been experiencing.  Give them some extra love and be as gentle and kind with them as you can.  And even more importantly, be gentle and kind with yourself.  These energies are more powerful than anything we've ever experienced before and they've really pushed us out of our comfort zones.

Setbacks and Steps Forward

I normally try to write a new blog post every two weeks but I've been sidetracked by Kino's health the last few months and haven't been keeping up with my writing.

Kino was very sick last year - food allergies, IBS/colitis, etc.  He was finally on the mend by the end of the summer and I was hopeful that the worst was behind us.  Unfortunately, that wasn't going to be the case.  Earlier this year, his colitis issues showed up again, then we were back to his early morning vomiting every four mornings and by April, he wasn't able to chase more than 10 balls in a row without having to stop.  (He normally chases about 80 before needing a rest).  No matter how much I fed him, he kept losing weight. When the vomiting was occurring every other day, I really got scared.  During this time, my intuition kept telling me that he had cancer and I kept wanting to ignore that nudge.  I just didn't want to believe it.

I asked my angels and guides for help, as I felt I had exhausted every avenue that I could pursue to help restore his health and I was feeling pretty discouraged.  A day or so later, I got on the computer and a folder was open on my desktop - a folder I hadn't looked at in almost ten years and didn't even remember was still on my computer - but there it was - right in my face.  It was the folder where I had collected information on holistic cancer remedies when Lucky had cancer.

An odd feeling of calmness come over me, which surprised me - I expected it to freak me out but instead I heard myself say "Ok, so this is what we're dealing with."  I ordered some of the alternative treatments that day.  After a month, there still wasn't much improvement and once again, I was feeling discouraged.  My sweet boy is only 5 years old - which is way too young for him to succumb to this.  Once again, I asked my angels and guides for help.  Nothing immediately came to me.

Oddly enough though, I felt nudged to sign up for an energy healing session for myself that week and when the topic of Kino's health came up, she had a suggestion for me . . . someone she had worked with who was able to clear toxins, bacterias, viruses and parasites from the body (human or animal) remotely.  (Remotely was very important because she is in Australia).  It felt like the right thing to do so I got Kino started on healing sessions with her.  If we could reduce the load on his system, I felt his immune system would have a better chance of healing his body.

It's only been two months and we still have another couple months of treatment but already I am seeing improvements.  Kino managed to go twelve days without waking me up early for some grass eating and barfing, which was pretty exciting for this non-morning-person!   Some days he is able to chase more than 10 balls in a row without having to rest. Last week, he celebrated his 6th birthday.  He got a stuffed pink dog for a present and he was over the moon!  Not just because pink is his favorite color either.  He carries the pink dog around the house, brings it to bed with him and even uses it as a pillow when he's taking a nap.  It seems he's got a new best friend.

I am encouraged and think we are on the right track.  Hopefully he will be celebrating his 7th birthday next year with all the gusto a young dog should have.  And with these improvements in his health, hopefully his mom will get back to writing regular blog posts.

Earth Changes and Our Pets

There is a lot going on energetically on our planet right now.  Higher vibrational energy has been coming in more frequently than in the last several years.  Geo storms, solar winds, solar flares and spikes in the Shumann resonance scale are becoming a regular thing these days.

Some people don't notice anything with the energetic activity but if you are sensitive to energy, chances are you are going to be feeling something.  It may show up as a dizzy spell, nausea, fatigue, a headache, unquenchable thirst, anxiety, etc.

Being aware of the energy and how it effects us can be helpful  . . . it can keep us from worrying about our health and keep us from rushing off to the doctor's office.  I am not saying you shouldn't see a doctor if you feel inclined to do so . . . I just want to share what effect these surges of energy can have on us physically so we can begin to monitor ourselves as well as our pets.

Animals are even more sensitive to energy than most of us humans so they are feeling all of this too.  I have heard many accounts of animals acting strangely or out of the norm for them.  Cats hiding under the bed for no apparent reason, dogs with tummy upset or less of a desire to play.

It scares people and they wonder if they should get their pet to the vet right away.  The thing I have observed is that - with both humans and animals - if a "symptom" is persistent, it's probably a good idea to check in with your doctor or veterinarian but if the symptoms come and go, it's more likely a reaction to the shifts/surges of energy that are taking place right now.

If all of the sudden you can't keep your eyes open and have to lay down for a nap in the middle of the day but you feel fine the next day, it's probably a reaction to the surges of energy.  If your head starts pounding or you hear ringing in your ears but it goes away in less than an hour, it's likely a reaction to the energy. If your pet doesn't want to eat dinner but had no problem eating breakfast the next morning, then it's probably a reaction to energy.

With the increase in frequency of this energetic activity, we are likely to see more and more of these "symptoms" showing up, so the more we can monitor ourselves and our animals, the more empowered we'll be.  Remember, if symptoms come and go, it's less likely something to be concerned about.

Only you know if it is something you should be concerned about - with yourself or your pet.  With these influxes of energy, one of the best things we can do is making sure we are taking good care of ourselves.  Sleep as much as we need, drink as much water as we can, eat food that is nourishing to our bodies and spend as much time in nature as possible.  If you do all those things, you and/or your pet will probably feel a whole lot better whether you are sensitive to energy or not.

What Do You Want More of In Your Life?

The definition of selection perception is:  What you focus on expands.  To me, this is a vital thing for us to keep in mind, because whatever we focus on, we are going to get more of. If we really want to have a better life and a better world, it's imperative that we pay attention to where our thoughts go throughout the day.

So, what do you want more of in your life?  Whatever it is, it will be helpful to keep focusing on that.

As an example, if I find myself very frustrated when I am on the receiving end of poor customer service and I keep thinking about the bad experience over and over, guess what I am probably going to experience again?  Yep, poor customer service.

But if I had a good experience of customer service and I focus on how nice that was, guess what I am likely to experience again?  Yep, good customer service.

So what if you didn't have a good customer service experience?  You can focus on how you would have preferred the experience to go.  Even though it didn't happen, putting our attention on what we WANT instead of what we don't want will draw in more of what we want.

It sounds too easy to be true doesn't it?  Yet, it really IS that simple.  What we focus on expands.

As you go throughout the day, notice where your thoughts go.  Are you thinking about what you are happy about?  What you are grateful for? What you wish for?  Or do you find yourself slipping into thoughts about what frustrated you and what disappointed you?

The choice is ours - we can think about whatever we want - it's just important to remember that our thoughts will keep creating our reality.  Do you know what you want more of in your life?  More peace?  More harmony?  More acceptance?  More appreciation?  More joy? Whatever it is, keep putting your attention there.  You might be amazed at the results!

If Only We Could Stop Judging One Another

I believe very strongly that our thoughts and emotions create our experiences.  The cool thing is we have a choice what we do with our thoughts and emotions.  We can focus on positive things or we can focus on negative things.  We all have that free will choice.  I just wish more people would choose to avoid focusing on the negative.

It is heartbreaking to me to see how judgmental we have become towards others.  It seems that at every second people are ready to pounce with all their judgement and negativity.  Not only does it hurt the person on the receiving end, it also hurts everyone else who sees it, hears it and feels it as the ripples of negative energy go out into the Universe.

I have been seeing this a lot in animal groups lately.  These are groups that were formed to help animals and yet they spew unbelievable negativity and judgement at the very people who are reaching out for help.  People who have a litter of puppies they need to find homes for, people who need to rehome their pet because of life circumstances, people who can't afford medical procedures that their pet requires.

Each time someone posts in these groups looking for help, there are people ready to bombard them with their judgement . . . I read things such as:  people shouldn't be allowed to have a pet if they don't make a lifelong commitment or if they can't afford it, people shouldn't ever, under any circumstances, surrender their pet to the shelter because it's a sign they are a terrible person, if you haven't spayed or neutered your pet you are an irresponsible awful person, etc.

Yes, in a perfect world all animals would have forever homes and owners who knew how to care for them but we are not in a perfect world.  We are in a world where we are all learning as we go and doing the best that we can with what we know at any given moment.

I think the reason why I am especially saddened by the bashing that occurs in these instances is because every single dog I ever had, (with the exception of our first dog Maggie who came from a pet store) came to us from one of the frequently judged circumstances.  If each of those dogs had stayed in their first home, I would have never had the joy of living with and learning from each one of those incredible dogs.

Brandy came to us because a neighbor's dog accidentally got pregnant.  Do I support spay and neuter programs because of the volume of unwanted pets in the world?  Absolutely I do and at the same time, I can't imagine my childhood without Brandy.

Clancy ended up with us because someone dumped him on the street.  He ended up being rescued by the dog groomer who did Brandy's hair.  She put up fliers, checked the lost and found at the shelter and no one was looking for the beautiful Westie mix, so she decided to find a new home for him.  Fortunately, that home ended up being ours.

Murphy was our next dog.  He had been hit by a truck, which broke his leg in several places.  The man who owned him could not afford the surgery and asked the vet to just put him down.  The vet couldn't do it though so she paid for the surgery herself and then looked for the right family to adopt him.  I am not going to sit in judgment because the man couldn't afford the surgery.  I am only going to be grateful that the vet decided to do the surgery anyway and that she found US because Murphy was a wonderful addition to our family.


After that came Mickey, who had been dumped at the shelter with untreated medical conditions which my parents addressed for years after they brought him home.  If someone hadn't given him up, we would have never had this sweet and wonderful new dog who also helped keep Murphy on his toes.

Each one of these dogs played such an important role in my life.  I was profoundly and beautifully affected by each one of them.

In the bigger picture, maybe they were meant to come into my life and that was why their previous families were in the positions they were.

I think about Kino and how different my life would be right now if his previous family hadn't surrendered him to the shelter.  Sure, I complained at first that he was never trained or socialized but the truth is, I don't know their circumstances so I don't know why Kino ended up like he did.  Maybe there was a family hardship that prevented them from being able to focus on him during that first year.  I do know that I would rather focus on the love and joy he brings into my life, rather than focusing on judging the people he used to live with.

I wish we could look at these situations with the eyes of compassion instead of judgement. I wish we could remember that we don't know all the circumstances behind pregnancies and pets ending up in shelters.  Throwing out harsh judgements against others doesn't do anything to improve the circumstances and doesn't do anything to help the people or the animals who are in these situations.

As I said at the beginning, I believe our thoughts and emotions create our experiences so if we constantly sit in judgement of others, I believe we will continue to manifest more negativity.  The choice is ours.  My personal choice is to try to keep viewing things from a place of compassion.  And I keep hoping that more people will do the same.