It's a beautiful day

Happy Grandpuppy Cash on a walk 

Cheery-O
If you smile, the day will be alright
If you think good thoughts you'll be happy
And everything will work out right
So don't let a frown turn you sour,
Don't let bad thoughts make you blue
Always remember to think positively
For how you feel is up to you
~author unknown?

 You may ask yourself, Why is there a ? at the end of that quote...
To answer your question, I received it in my Christmas card from my dear cousins this year. It was written in my Aunt Marianne's writing. My cousins (they are her children) claim she used to copy verses down and had hundreds of them.

Aunt Marianne 

They told me most likely she is not the author. I searched for this online and cannot find it, so in my mind she is the author ... because this is how she lived her 90+ years on this earth. She lived them with zest and joy.

She was one of my hero's. No matter what the day looked like when she saw you, she would ALWAYS say, "Wow, it's a beautiful day." That was her philosophy in life. She lived with joy, grace and beauty, not wasting a second. She once told me she jogged in front of the microwave to make the best use of her time while waiting. She always made you feel special and had the biggest smile. I miss and admire my Aunt Marianne and strive to live like she did. She made the most of everyday, not wasting it ,but making it beautiful.

Aunt Marianne , always a joy

Recently I met a very sweet and kind woman, Denise, who shared some beautiful stories with me about her dad, Clyde Arthur Hedges, "Art". She told me about how he and his wife "subscribed to 'furry philosophy” and lived in the moment with his German Shepherds and Irish Setters. Art, his wife Zella, and their dogs, lived in the Northern Michigan woods and would ski, walk and swim together, living life to the fullest.

Art and Dutchess

Each day Art and his shepherd Dutchess would walk together through the apple orchard. Dutchess loved to munch on fallen apples. One afternoon they came home from their walk and Art had an apple he found. He said to his daughters, "Look girls, here is the perfect apple, the colors are beautiful." He did a watercolor of it, finding perfection in simple beauty. Art loved the rainbow bridge philosophy. When someone was parted from him, he was quoted as saying, "Just remember a farewell is only the beginning of another hello."

The apple watercolor

These two special souls, who now have angel wings, lived life to the fullest, into their 90's. I believe their positive outlooks deserved to be admired and shared.

It seems to me our furry friends try to share this philosophy with us on a daily basis. I think of my grandpuppy Cash, who just visited. She is a big, sweet, goofy lab mix. When asked a simple, "Cash do you want to go outside? She leapt straight up, all four feet in the air, and ran to the door with such exuberance you would have thought she won the doggie lotto. When I took her into the woods for a hike, a simple everyday walk made her so happy. I could not get a photo of her with all four feet on the ground at one time, most of them looked like she was doing hand stands. Every little thing seemed to make her jump for joy. I am certain if she could talk she would be shouting Aunt Marianne's, "Wow, it's a beautiful day!"

Recently Odin and I have been working on Nosework games, where the dog learns to identify a particular scent such as birch.  One game we play involves two empty Altoids containers and some treats. When I bring those little metal tins out, Odin looks like a child about to open a birthday present. He is so happy with something so simple and to play a game with me (and of course get treats). He looks forward to something as simple as sitting on the floor with something that is usually just discarded as trash. He gets happy feet as soon as I pull out the bag with the tins inside.

Odin says, "Mom I am ready to play a game"

I believe if we can hold this Furry Philosophy of finding beauty in simplicity, from our furry friends,  and wise souls such as Aunt Marianne and Art Clay, in our heart, we will start each day with a smile.

Scout's Story by Lisa Gendhar

A few months ago, I wrote about the group, Paula Smith, from Dog Blessed and I formed called "Camp Kylee".  It offers an affordable opportunity to train with like minded people and dogs. We want people to understand their dog is not bad, just because it is reactive to others.

This group helps to give owners the proper tools to live happily with their reactive dog, and not set them up for failure. There are many activities you can enjoy with your reactive dog that can help strengthen your bond.

I love to hear success stories of such bonding. It proves that just because your dog is reactive, doesn't mean that you should give up on them. This story of "Scout" by Lisa Gendhar, touched my heart and I felt compelled to share her story
Thank you Lisa for sharing your TEAM success!

Scout's story by Lisa Gendhar
Scout's Story Hi my name is Lisa and I have reactive German Shepherd Dog named Scout.
I adopted Scout from our local animal control shelter in January 2009. They estimated that he was about 11 months old at that time.
I spent some time with Scout at the shelter getting to know a little about him. I have 2 other dogs and 6 cats. I wanted to be sure he would fit into our pack. Scout seemed like a "normal" dog. Nothing unusual stood out about him. He let me pet him, pull on his tail and touch his paws. He seemed a little confused about where he was and why but other than that nothing unusual.
Shortly after Scout came to live with us (me and my pack), I discovered he had severe separation anxiety. He broke out of and dissembled three wire crates. Once out of the crate he proceeded to tear up any of my clothing that he could get to, knock things off the counter and break dishes. Thankfully he never hurt any of the cats.
I consulted a veterinarian who suggested we put him on medication for the anxiety and recommended a certain type of crate. I immediately went out and purchased the crate he recommended. I am very happy to say that was the perfect crate for Scout. He still has that crate and he has never been able to break out of it.
The medication approach didn't work out so well. The medication that the Vet put Scout on changed his personality. It did help with the anxiety but Scout had that glassy eye drugged up look. I also I didn't like how it changed his personality. Although Scout is a little high strung and at times very anxious, I still liked his quirky personality. I decided to pursue behavioral training instead. Scout responded very nicely and seemed to be adjusting really well.
Up to this point, Scout never showed any aggression or dislike toward other dogs. He got along great with other two dogs. My daughter stayed with me for about a year after college. She had two dogs and they all got along very well.
One day, I decided to take my dogs to a dog park. It was a nice day. I just wanted them to be able to run. All my dogs were doing very well.But while were there, I noticed a Black Lab chasing a little Jack Russell Terrier. The JRT did 2 not look like he was having fun at all. I looked around for the owners but there was really no one watching them. I decided that I didn't like that Lab's behavior so I gathered up all my dogs. I put Scout on leash and we headed toward the gate to leave. All of the sudden, what seemed like out of nowhere, that Lab came flying up behind us and circled around me to meet Scout face to face. The dog tried to bite Scout and Scout bit back. It was the most horrible day in my life. In that split second, all the trust I had built with Scout up to that point was completely destroyed.
Scout was a different dog after that. He was never the same. I would try to take him for a walk and he would constantly be looking over his shoulder in fear that another dog was coming up behind us. He became very reactive toward other dogs and would act like he would attack them if they even looked like they were coming toward him. It was very heartbreaking. I suddenly had this dog that I couldn't do anything with anymore.
I decided to have Scout temperament tested to determine if he had become aggressive. I was concerned that I would have to have him put down because I really couldn't trust him anymore either. The trainer said he had fear aggression. He was reacting out of fear and he didn't trust me. That was a very painful thing to hear... that my dog no longer trusted me to protect him because of that moment in the dog park.
I started on a journey to earn his trust again. I began learning about reactive and fearful dogs, how they view the world, other dogs and other humans. I started learning about different ways our dogs tell they are uncomfortable with a situation and how to diffuse that or how to work through it. I started doing different training exercises with Scout. But it seem like for every one step forward we fell twenty steps backwards.
 There were many times I felt like maybe Scout would be better off with someone who was more knowledgeable about this type of dog than I was or more equip to deal with him. I felt like I had failed him.
 In my journey to rebuild trust with Scout, I felt like he needed a job. I felt like he needed something to build his confidence level and give him a purpose. However, being a reactive dog, there were not many options available to us. He 3 couldn't be in a ring with another dog without losing his mind so Rally, obedience and agility were out of the question.
Then one day, a friend of mine, told me about nosework. She had just become a certified instructor. She thought nosework would be a fantastic sport for Scout. She said he didn't have to be around other dogs to do this sport and that it would help build his confidence. I was pretty skeptical but I checked into it.

In 2012, we began our nosework journey. We still had to be around other dogs in class. That was unavoidable at times. But it was manageable. Whenever I have the opportunity to work with Scout around other dogs or people, I embrace that as long as I know he is comfortable. If he starts getting anxious, I just move him to his safe place (which is typically his crate).
Over time, I started noticing changes in Scout. We started bonding. He started asking for affection from me again. He started giving me his attention and started focusing on me more.
Scout LOVES nosework. I feel it has brought us back together. I feel like it has really given him purpose, a job, something fun to focus on and something he knows he does really well.
 When I decided that I wanted to start competing in nosework with Scout, there were many people that told me Scout had no business competing in nosework because he is a reactive dog. They felt he was untrustworthy. They felt he couldn't handle the stress of a trial. There are still people in the UKC world that tell me Scout should not be doing nosework with UKC because he is a reactive dog. I am not really the kind of person to be telling "you can't do that" because that just inspires me to prove them wrong.
Scout is now 8 years old. He holds 5 NACSW (National Association of Canine Scent Work) Titles. One of our biggest accomplishments in 2016 is earning our NW3 Title on our first try. It took some of my nosework friends 2 or 3 tries to earn their NW3. I am extremely proud of the team that we have become. Scout also hold 12 UKC Nosework Titles and we continue to work toward our Elite Title.
Reactive dogs are a challenge. For every one step forward, you could have twenty steps backward. It can very frustrating. I still have to be careful and aware 4 of my surroundings when I am out with Scout. I have to know what is going on all around me at all times when I am out with him.
Will Scout ever NOT be a reactive dog? Probably not. Does that mean he is hopeless? Definitely not!
I have to know what he can tolerate and what he can't tolerate. I think that is the biggest key to understanding our reactive dogs. We have to get out of that mindset that our reactive dogs are handicapped. They aren't. They are just wired different and we have the awesome challenge of getting to know them on their level and helping them navigate this scary world and find their niche. Having a reactive dog is not a curse, nor is it the end of the world. Just ask Scout!!

To learn more about nose work contact Dog Blessed, at 616 430-0297 for an upcoming seminar in the Muskegon area, on January 26, 2017 or Lisa Gendhar 269-873-2976 in the Kalamazoo area.

Keep connected on Facebook: Memory Stones by Jodi, Furry Philosophy, Camp Kylee, Odin J.s Earthly Treasures, Dog Blessed LLC and furryphilosophy.blogspot.com

Red thread

Odin my soulmate

“An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break.” – Ancient Chinese Proverb
I believe this proverb. I feel every soul we encounter, is for a reason. Some to learn lessons from, others are put in my path to lead me down the right road of life to teach me  how to live with purpose. I think  some are brought into my life  to teach me about who I am, others to teach me who I don't want to be.  Some are to experience what true unconditional love can be. Some beings you can feel with your soul. Some you can feel over the miles or time and space,  that are  so connected, you can feel them even when they pass to the next world.
My dog, Odin J. is my soulmate, I know this with all my heart. Our red thread is pretty thick and straight. We are so connected it just baffles me. If I drop something he picks it up. If I don't feel well , he mopes. If I am not with him, I mope. When I am my happiest he is with me.  If I have a piece of flax toast he gets the crust. The other day I was in my truck and grabbed a piece running out the door. If possible Odin comes with me when I am on the run. This in-particular day I could not bring him.  I finished my toast, and had the crust left, I sat looked at it and actually felt sad ..no one to give my crust to. Of course I had to wrap it in a paper towel until I got home. In past articles, I  have mentioned Odin has some fears of being rushed at and needs personal space. He has a yellow leash snap on that says, "I need space." This ensures people will greet him the polite way that he needs. I feel we are the also connected that way. I need one of those signs. I do not like to be smothered or rushed at and need my alone time. Odin and I just "get" each other and seem to also mirror one another. He has taught me by his fear, to try to be alittle more open to new situations and judge less.
In my book, "Furry Philosophy and Memoirs Set in Stone and my blog about  I have written bout those sending messages once they have passed on. You can see some of these  accounts at : http://furryphilosophy.blogspot.com/2015/04/animals-are-divine-messengers.html
When my dog Cheyenne passed on I had a hard time with circumstances that happened. I talked to two different spiritual people that did not know each other. One told me Cheyenne sent me yellow butterflies, and the other said Cheyenne sent me yellow in many ways. One of Cheyenne's favorite things to do was paddle boat with me.  I don't think it is coincidence that almost every time I paddle boat with Odin,  I see a yellow butterfly. There is one particular spot in the woods, I mention in the blog link above, where I feel especially connected to Cheyenne. It is a place I stop to tell her I miss and love her. A short time ago, Odin and I stopped there and I sent Cheyenne love. The moment I did, a cute little bright yellow inch worm dropped down from a tree on a web and hung in front of me, I held out my hand and it climbed on. I sat with that little creature for some time sending it love, knowing it was Cheyenne sending me that gift of love.

Cheyenne my sweet angel girl

As much as there are those special souls that we are destined to meet, I also believe all creatures  are as Bob Marley said, "“One love, one heart . . ."  It seems as the holiday's  approach most hearts feel more connected. We feel it more when the fire is crackling, the snow is falling and the magic of Santa and giving is in the air. When we smell gingerbread , apple pie, pine , popcorn and the magic you felt as a child, our heart becomes more open. My hope and wish for my readers is that you can hang onto that feeling of one heart and show love to all creatures all year long. I also hope you can feel the gratitude in your heart for those special souls we are destined to meet to that we are tied to by that red thread. Cherish those souls and let them know you appreciate them, those are the gifts of the season we need to appreciate and hold onto with all our hearts.

Keep connected on Facebook: Memory Stones by Jodi, Furry Philosophy, Camp Kylee, Odin J.s Earthly Treasures, Dog Blessed LLC

"Nature itself is the best physician" Hippocrates

Nature itself is the best physician" Hippocrates

 A very sad fact: According to studies modern medicine is the third largest killer behind cancer and heart disease.

Recently, my dog, Odin. injured his neck and was in excruciating pain. It broke my heart. I took him to my vet and she suggested a non steroidal anti-inflammatory. I usually gravitate to natural, but sometimes there is a time to weigh options. I did put Odin on this steroid short term.  He was doing great.

About 2 weeks on the medicine he started vomiting and refusing food, a common side effect. I decided it was time to re-do my homework and add some other gifts from Mother Nature to the mix. I am pleased to say it has paid off.  Odin now receives essential oils. With essential oils added to his regimen, he is doing fantastic.

I love my veterinarian and believe all pets should be seen regularly. A good veterinarian, such as mine, will give you a diagnosis and advice, but also be open to the options of how YOU chose to treat your animal.

To practice medicine requires a license. To promote good health does not. I am not a doctor, nor a veterinarian. I just want to offer you support and teach you how to build better health for your pets (and yourself) from my research and experiences.

Plato said, "The cure of the part should not be attempted without the cure of the whole." Sometimes modern medicine only puts a band aid on the wound and does not treat the cause.

I urge you to educate yourself on how to treat your whole pet and not just the symptoms. We do not just develop pain, or an ailment for no reason. There is a cause and effect of every illness. An example would be an upset stomach.  It can be caused by stress, food, allergies etc. Instead of giving a drug with more side effects listed than benefits, an option is to treat your animal naturally with a product.  There is a treatment from the earth such as Young Living 'Digize'.

Young Living Digize has no side effects. It is used to balance the cause with an essential oil such as lavender or 'Stress Away'.  These are all made with the gifts Mother Nature bestowed upon us. In my opinion, these are much better and healthier options.

A large part of my research has led me to researching essential oils. I am so happy they are helping my now 12 year old Odin and his middle aged (but still young at heart) mom. Essential oils trigger numerous immune boosting, healing, or relaxing results.

I discovered that you should be cautious with the cheaper essential oils on the market. I am all about saving pennies, but in this case QUALITY IS EVERYTHING. Synthetics and off brand essential oils are not safe. "Young Living" provides quality and pureness that has received the highest accreditation from the Better Business Bureau.


There are various delivery methods of these oils.

The most popular are:

1.)   Diffusion. Oils and water are placed in a diffuser that sprays a fine mist of the oils in the air. The molecules are breathed in the body.
2.)   Water Misting. Simply put several drop of an oil in a brown or blue GLASS bottle and spray this mixture on your animal or around the area of the animal.  Avoid the eyes.

Other techniques include:

1.)   Petting Technique
2.)   Rain Drop Technique
3.)   Ting Point Therapy (horses)
4.)   Ingestion.

With these techniques, especially ingestion, I suggest you do your homework.  There are also special techniques for kitties. I will go into these techniques on future blogs and posts on the new facebook group I am launching.

In a graduation speech given by Jim Carey he states, "“You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”
I have been blessed to be able to take a chance and do what I love and help and honor animals in many ways. The page I am launching is called, "Odin J.'s Earthly Treasures" on facebook. It is open for anyone to join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/192366544533259/

On this page I hope to share my experiences and research to help pets and their humans live healthier with the gifts Mother Nature has provided. Please feel free to ask questions here and share stories. You will be able to find out how to get samples and discounts on purchasing your own oils. I will provide free recipes and helpful blogs

Camp Kylee , Making a difference

Kylee with some of her acomplishments that she achieved by bonding with Paula.

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” -Jane Goodall
 Jane Goodall is my ultimate hero. She has made such a difference for so many animals and people in her lifetime. She is eighty-two years young and still going strong.  She makes me look in the mirror and ask myself, "Are you making a big enough difference?" She makes me strive to be a better person and to do better.I feel we are all 'called' to do what our heart leads us to. My heart is definitely being led to help the animals of this world. I want to be the voice for those who cannot speak or stand up for themselves.
 There are many ways I try to do this. They range from writing these monthly articles to honoring life with love through my memory stones. I donate what time, and energy I can to local charities. I often asked myself, "Is that enough?" I think of all Ms. Goodall does on a daily basis. I feel if we look deep our hearts, we will always take the right path in life to follow and the right answers will appear.
 One thing I feel VERY passionate about is helping reactive dogs.  I have written on this subject in the past. You can read this at: http://furryphilosophy.blogspot.com/2015/12/patience-with-reactive-dogs.html .
I have lived with two different kinds of reactive dogs in my lifetime. I can empathize with others in the same situation immensely. I know there were days I cried my eyes out with helplessness because I didn't know what to do to help them. My dear Cheyenne was reactive with certain other dogs her whole life. Odin is very fearful of children, sudden movements, leaning over him and people getting in his face who he doesn't know. With the help of the proper tools and years of building a special bond, he has come along way and improved so much. What I have to remember and share with others is, being 'reactive' DOES NOT make a dog bad. However, it does mean you need to know how to not set them up for failure to keep them and others safe.

Odin loves to play rally and the partnership we have built is priceless.

 I feel one way I can make a difference is by educating our youth on this subject. Another is to be able to help dogs and owners who need the proper tools to co-exist. I now can do this because thankfully my path in life led me to meet Paula Smith from Dog Blessed LLC. I instantly adored her and her true love and understanding of our canines. We are very like-minded and I am thankful to be working for her part time. I feel so very blessed to be associated Dog Blessed!!! Dog Blessed focuses on positive reinforcement, building a bond with your dog and keeping it fun. Dog Blessed offers everything from AKC Star puppy, to rally, to agility, and to many more techniques. What I feel the most passionate about is the group we have formed called "Camp Kylee", which offers an affordable opportunity to train with like minded people and dogs who understand their dog is not bad just because it is reactive to others. Paula states "It is important to me that dogs are understood and appreciated for being dogs. When we learn more about them, we can appreciate them and love them more.  It is just like I love Kylee." Kylee is Paula's Border Collie who the group is named after. She is reactive to other dogs.

 As my hero Jane tells us we have to decide what kind of difference we want to make. I am hoping I can continue to be inspired by her and help as many animals as possible. I'm hoping Camp Kylee can help offer some hope and solutions for people and pets in similar situations, as Paula and I have lived with.
 To find out more about Dog Blessed check out: wwwdogblessedllc.com. To connect with others with reactive dogs, that are like minded or keep updated on Camp Kylee dates and times join our group on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1729313153996104/ or call 616-430-0297.

Remembering happy memories of furry friends by Mary

In my book "Furry Philosophy and Memoirs Set in Stone" I was fortunate enough to have others share stories of special memories of their pets and photos of the art made to honor them with love.

I am now collecting new stories for a revised addition and for my blog. I do this so that others may help heal their hearts by reading and resonating with these special words. I hope these special lives will live on forever through these stories. I believe when we lose a special love, it is comforting knowing others have loved as much and felt the same.

I was for fortunate enough to have Mary share her beautiful stories of many furry friends. She also allowed me to honor them by making a sun catcher with her special memories in mind, with their fur lovingly fused inside. . Thank you Mary, for sharing these  stories, and for trusting me, to honor your special  lives with love.
Mary starts her story with her first dog...

With the the exception of Romper, my first dog, they all grew up surrounded by pine woods and some hardwoods.  Mahoganie and Katy started out in my tiny house with 2 acres of land and a pond.  But we would go to the cabin in the  woods and when I married we moved to 2.5 acres of old pine tree plantation surrounded by Reenders blueberries.
Romper:  I was 16 and a club at the High School had a fund raiser by raffling off a puppy....something I would cringe at these days.  They brought her from class to class and put her in the middle of the floor.  She laid there with her head on the floor, big nearly black eyes looking at everyone and her tail wagging like mad.  She was all black except  a bit of white on her chest and the tip of her tail.  I fell in love and asked my mom if I could keep the puppy if I won.  Well my friend won her and a couple days later called me to say she couldn't keep her so she became mine.   Adored by the family , even my older brother played with her.  She went along with my parents when they delivered meals on wheels and walked to the beach with me everyday.  She didn't swim that I remember except when I carried her in and then she'd roll in the sand-what a mess. My first dog...my Angel dog.

Mahoganie Rose.

Next was Mahoganie Rose.  I just bought my tiny house and saw an ad for Aussie puppies.  I was expecting blue because that's all I had seen but these were all red.  To this day, I've never seen a dog move like this one....close but not the same.  You know how they talk about  Michael Jordan's hang time?  Well that's how I remember her.  It was truly magical to watch her leap over, around, under, through barriers of any kind.  And oh what energy!  Frisbee was her favorite but I remember one day when she was still very young.  I came home from grocery shopping and put a container of cherry tomatoes on the counter.  She was behind me but I sensed she was suddenly very excited about something.  I looked at her and saw she was staring at the tomatoes "Look at all those balls!!"  SO I gave her one and she proceeded to toss it all over the living room until the skin split and then ate it.
This girl would also float in the pond...yes float.  She make a couple strokes and then just float....after chasing the taunting killdeer
I tried for a couple playmates for her.The first one the came along would have been perfect but I was not ready at the time.  The next one I brought home from the HS and he was a brat so he went back.  Then an abandoned litter showed up.  I took one of those in and he was wonderful but died of cardiac arrest on the vet's table when he was to be neutered.  Tore me apart!!!   Then I had a long weekend, went to the humane society and spotted, on my way out, a newly arrived litter.  I picked one out - Katy.  She worked out perfect!

Mahogonie and Katy 

Katy

Feather was next.  My odd colored miniature Aussies (I don't care what the Aussie people say - her pedigree says she is an Aussie)

Feather 

She earned quite a few badges and titles, loved to camp and hike and as I mentioned before play fetch with pretty much anything.  She also loved to be chased.  I saw that the day I went to get her when she got the whole litter running after her.  One session of obedience, there was only one other dog, a Beardie.  They spent play time running around in circles ...crazy herding dogs.   lol
When 8 yrs old, we nearly lost her due to Addison's.  Once we determined that's what it was, we had her another lovely 8 years when she suddenly succumbed to lymphoma.
2002 was a crazy year.  Katy was still with us, then in March I got Feather.  In August I got PJ and in Sept Cappy, my male.

PJ.

Ken had agreed since we were going "rare breed" that we would try showing and breeding.   Well Feather had the temperament but the co-owner refused to let me breed her because of her odd coloring.   So I kept looking for a red and found PJ.  Oh my spunky gal caught me off guard from day 1.  She was called PJ for Plain Jane since she was a red try with minimal markings.  Fine by me because I don't like the big white collars etc.  She was flown into Chicago and when I went into the bldg to get her, I walked past a bunch of luggage and crates.  Just as I passed there was a puppy half bark/half yelp.  It was her and it was like she knew I was there for her!
She was spunky, athletic and incredibly quick at learning new things which she loved to do.  She was very very intuitive!!  At a training session  we were working on a new trick step by step.  I didn't even know the final goal and yet the second time I gave her a touch command she stepped into the hoop, touched the target, turned to face me and sat.  I was in shock when the instructor said that was what we were working for!  Blew my mind.  She loved playing on our homemade agility equipment and always had to find the highest spot.  I continued to call her PJ...not for Plain Jane but for Pacific Jewel since she came to me from Washington State.  Losing her really tore me to pieces.  I could barely eat for 2 days and lost 5 pounds in the week after.  Nearly 2 years and I still cry - sometimes very hard.

Future voices shelter reading program

"Love is a four legged word" ~Author unknown

There are so very many dogs in shelter. Another sad truth a lot of dogs get returned to shelters because of social issues. These issues are not the dog's fault, but the the result of countless situations such as being abandoned, a tragic event that caused behavior issues, being re-homed into a not ideal situation, or lack of time spent to train the dog in the first place. One of the best things that can be done to help  dogs in shelters is to have someone spend time with them in a loving, innocent non judging manner. This helps a very scared dog or anti-social dog become more adoptable and less likely to be returned.
For children, especially those struggling with reading, one of the biggest challenges of learning to read is the embarrassment and  fear of making mistakes. That being said, I believe one of the most accepting , non-judgmental creatures in the world are dogs. There are numerous programs that allow dogs to go to libraries so the children can read to them. World News with Diane Sawyer reported, "A study this year by researchers at the University of California, confirmed that children who read to Fido really do perform better. Young students who read out loud to dogs improved their reading skills by 12 percent over the course of a 10-week program, while children in the same program who didn't read to dogs showed no improvement."
So partner these two programs together and you get a harmonious WIN WIN. Let the children go to the dogs in the shelters , drop a pillow on the floor and read to the dog in the kennel. While I cannot take credit for this genius program, I sure would like to make it happen in the Muskegon area! The Humane Society of Missouri and others have a very successful program. I have been in contact with some of our local shelters and am working on getting this program going in our area.
I wish they had this program when my dog, Odin was in a shelter maybe children wouldn't scare him so much.  To help other dogs like Odin, he and I would like to request the assistance of our readers in helping this program get going. I have worked with kids in our area in the past, promoting bite prevention and local charities, kids partnering with animals to make a difference , "Future Voices Kids Club." (see us on Facebook for more info and info on me visiting  your school locally for bite prevention too)We would like to name this program "Future voices shelter reading program."  I believe our the children, our 'future leaders', can of course benefit from reading, but also benefit from learning kindness to the voiceless. I would like to see the future leaders of our country continue that kindness into their adulthood.
What we would like to request from our readers:
Volunteers that would be willing to donate an hour a month, week , year.. whatever time you have to give.
Networking of the program to recruit children ages 6-16 in our area, that could benefit from this program.