A Life Cycle Complete, Saying Goodbye

In the domestication of animals and the taking of them into our lives, our homes, and our hearts, we take on the responsibility of meeting their daily needs. When we ask them to be part of our lives, they try their best to understand us and integrate. In this process, animals gave away complete reliance on themselves, and gained restrictions. They no longer roam or forage for food, Some animals spending their lives primarily in a stall, kennel, or cage. What we ask of our companions, often, but not always, is done for our convenience. They are the ones who have to fit into our world, to what we think is necessary. Animal companions who live in loving, caring homes, and whose essence is honored, still give something up. Chris, an Appaloosa mare, became my companion in the fall of 1987. She gained and lost in coming to my home. We found a balance and navigated the road of our relationship. We grew to become each others companion. On the morning of December 18, 2002 I said goodbye to my mare Chris. I awoke to hearing her thrashing. My heart froze. Chris was 28 with Cushing's disease. The time we had spent together was not long enough. I wanted her with me forever. I tried hard to think of her needs. In the few hours we had left I realized I had to set my pain aside, and with an open heart, fill her last moments of breath with nothing but love and honoring the process of death. I could do nothing else but support her. Was it hard to separate that I too was dying in those moments? Yes. Looking into her eyes I knew taking on the role of the predator was the only gift I could give her. Walking the fine line of balance in both of us, giving and receiving was a challenge. In all her pain, she had decided she wanted to stay. Yet again, she was giving so selflessly her love. I had to ask her heart and mine if that served her best. The answer was "No." The veterinarian came and we said goodbye. Her time in this body was over.

The decision we make with our own animals as to when their time on earth is through becomes part of our responsibility. Chris gave up living and dying as her ancestors once did, she could not wander off and die. I chose to become a predator, and release her from her pain, her physical situation would not have improved. Her giving would have come at to high a cost. Her death would have been excruciating. For some that is not the case, and they are able to die on their own.

From one perspective, our animals gained longer life spans. From another perspective, they have begun dying from diseases related to living in our world. There are pros and cons in both directions of their coming to be our companions and living in our world. We created a life removed from nature and its cycles.

In our daily life many of us have become removed from the balance and cycle of life. We work inside buildings, only being outside on weekends. We have access to all types of fruits and vegetables 12 months a year. We fear death, pain, and loss. We are no longer tied to the rhythm of nature and the earth. The cycle of prey/predator is foreign. We are not part of the food chain. Our role in life and death is not something we consciously are aware of. We have come to believe we are superior in the life cycle process and not part of it. As did our animals, so we too gave away and gained in urbanization. We are all a part of the life cycle of the earth, not superior to it, not separate from it, but a part of it.

Our animals view leaving their bodies differently than many humans do. Domesticated animals retain a closer acceptance of death than their human companions do. They accept, living, and dying in the balance of nature, and knowing they are part of the "cycle of life." With understanding as well as release, and acceptance on the part of the care giver, the animal leaves the earth with and from an open heart.

When we know in our hearts it is time to say goodbye to our dearest friend, it is human nature to try and change it, grieve it, and even deny it. I selfishly wanted Chris with me forever. No one wants to say goodbye. No one wants to let go of a best friend, a confidant, a selfless companion. Grieving is part of the emotional process. It is part of the cycle

Releasing what is best for us, and embracing what is best for them, is always a choice. Knowing the answer to what that choice is, is found in the heart. When the time came for me to say goodbye to Chris, I could have prolonged it, but that would have been for me. But each dying process is different. There is no rule to follow, or formula to gauge when to let go, or even how to let go. Each situation brings different choices.

My mare, Chris, let me know she was grateful I assisted her. That the cycle of love could not be broken, it would go on forever. Loving to the depths of our mutual being, to the places we traveled and grew, will forever be a part of our spirits. I experienced the purity of love with Chris. It was worth it all.

Each animal in our life brings lessons, challenges, and the purity of their love and spirit. What a gift we give to each other and to ourselves, when we say goodbye, filled and surrounded by love. For more information visit http://www.freedomreinsllc.com/

Why God Created the Cat

It is reported that the following edition of the Book of Genesis was discovered in the Dead Seal Scrolls. If authentic, it would shed light on the question, "Where do pets come from?"

And Adam said, "Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me everyday. Now I do not see you anymore. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me."

And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will know I love you, even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish and childish and unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself."

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and he wagged his tail. And Adam said, "But Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and all the good names are taken and I cannot think of a name for this new animal."

And God said, "No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG."

And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail. After a while, it came to pass that Adam's guardian angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but no one has taught him humility."

And the Lord said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration."

And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he was not the supreme being. And Adam learned humility. And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved. And Cat did not care one way or the other.

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Bad Dog Behavior - D Care

How to keep him from chewing the wrong things: For starters, pups tend to gnaw on anything and everything they see. This can be remedied by crate training, or by placing your dog somewhere away from any areas that might be potentially harmful for him (like electrical wiring).

You can also provide chew toys (some are edible) and let him know which things are okay to gnaw on. Do not give him old things like shoes or socks to chew on. This might give him the idea that it's also okay to chew on your "other" shoes as well.

Remember that puppies don't differentiate between things that he can chew and those that he shouldn't. Anti-bite liquids, which are available in pet shops, can be sprayed onto items he shouldn't chew ' these liquids are bitter and will often keep him away from the item after a quick taste.

How to keep him from straying during walks: During walks, your dog may yank the leash to get closer to spots that interest him. To avoid being "dog handled," stand still and do not reinforce the dog's direction. As soon as he is settled (he comes close enough to have a slack in the leash), praise him for his good behavior.

How to keep him from making a fuss when you leave or arrive: Since he usually becomes agitated before you leave the home or after you return, your dog may be overly frantic when he sees you. When you see the signs of separation anxiety, take five minutes to just sit and ignore his pawing, whining, or any other attention-seeking action. Don't speak or look at him. After five minutes, go ahead with what you plan to do with your day.

How to keep him from greeting guests too enthusiastically: Similarly, he may become overly emotional when it comes to greeting guests. One technique would be to let your friends visit your home often. When your dog starts jumping around, both you and your friends should ignore him. This way, your pet can practice curbing his tendency to become very overwhelmed. When your dog has calmed down, ask your friends to praise him.

How to keep him from being rowdy for no reason: Sometimes, dogs can appear to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) too. Behaviors like chasing inanimate objects or persistent barking for no reason are a few manifestations of doggy OCD. This usually means the dog is bored, or has energy that he'd like to find an outlet for. This is remedied by taking him out for exercise more often ' twice daily should be enough.

These are only a few examples of bad behavior in dogs. If he has other behaviors that bother you, check with his veterinarian for advice. Vets can help you train your dog to be the best friend you want him to be.

Best Gift For bird Lovers

Choosing gifts for any animal lovers can be quite a pleasure, as it is often a gift that is shared by the recipient with her animal friends or pets. This is especially so with bird lover gifts. People who really love birds tend to want them to enhance their gardens, to encourage real wild birds to visit time and again, or even stay for the breeding season.

A gift for a bird lover can therefore be a gift of life, a promotion of nature around the home, visible from the windows or while tending the garden. Encouraging wild birds to their gardens is something that millions do in the northern hemisphere, especially in the winter when many wild birds suffer from food shortages.

At Christmas, cards are commonly adorned by robins, their red breasts contrasting so vividly with the white snow. But that pretty picture can be deceiving, with the harshness of winter depriving the robin and other resident birds of the sustenance and warmth they need to survive until spring. It is that threat that brings out the best in bird lovers through those winter months.

It is not just winter, though, that encourages true bird lovers to think about the birds. In the summer, too, many Americans and Britons have taken to encouraging birds to nest in their gardens or on their homes.

What Gifts Can You Choose For A Bird Lover?

Christmas comes as the coldest of winter approaches, so if you know someone who cares for the wild birds, it can be a good time to buy a bird gift that will help them with their feeding of the birds in their garden. This will not only help the regular bird visitors to their garden, but encourage new visitors too. Sometimes in the worst winters, some rarer birds may give lots of pleasure and excitement to the garden's owner as they come seeking food and shelter.

If you are not a bird lover yourself, and are not sure of the sort of things you can buy as a gift, here are a few ideas for you:

Bird Feeders

Bird feeders can be the winter saviour for many birds in a cold winter. This is especially true with small birds, who have to eat continually from dawn to dusk to survive the night. Those nuts that are put out in a simple nut feeder could save those birds lives on many a night when there is frost and snow around.

The variety of bird feeders is very wide nowadays. Window feeders have been around a long time, but they too have grown in the variety available since the first plastic versions appeared a few decades ago. In more recent years, some very decorative, and attractive feeders have been created, and there is a wide choice of these available now as gifts for your bird lover friends and relatives.

Remember also that you can get feeders that are for particular species of bird. You will find feeders for bluebirds, hummingbirds, orioles and other beautiful birds.

Should you decide to buy a bird feeder as a Christmas gift, it may be a nice touch too if you added a supply of an appropriate bird food. That could mean the happy bird lover setting the feeder up Christmas morning, and having some very special feathered visitors for Christmas lunch. And I’m not talking about the turkey!

Bird Houses or Nest Boxes

If you want to brighten up Christmas by looking ahead to spring, then you will find another range of bird lover gifts with bird houses, or nest boxes as they are more commonly called in the UK. While bird houses may not be used until spring and summer for nesting, there are two good reasons for setting them up early.

Firstly, some birds will use them as shelter in bad weather, so again, this is a gift that could be a life saver. Secondly, house prospecting amongst birds can go on long before nesting. If the bird house goes up in December, you can bet that this new piece of prime real estate will be eyed by many a bird passing through the garden or by the house.

Bird houses make for quite an exciting gift for bird lovers, as the gift will bring lots of pleasures once the first birds use it for nesting. It is also a great way to teach children about birds as they watch the parents building the nest, the laying of the eggs, the hatching of the nestlings, and then the feeding of the young before their departure. A real pleasure for bird lovers young and old alike. Nature Forever Bird Feeder, Transparent