Bunk House All-Weather Dog Houses Review by gmadden

Bunk House All-Weather Dog Houses Review by gmadden

Doesn't Everyone Buy Groceries? Review on APSense RevPage

Doesn't Everyone Buy Groceries? Review on APSense RevPage

The Old Man and the Dog

This is a moving story about what a pet can do for an elderly, lonely person ... and how God can answer prayers.  Its author is unknown ...

"Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me.
"Can't you do anything right?" 

Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle.

"I saw the car, Dad . Please don't yell at me when I'm driving.."

My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.

Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts.... dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about him?

Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon . He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and had placed often.

The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his prowess.

The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do something he had done as a younger man.

Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing.

At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He obstinately refused to follow doctor's o orders. Suggestions and offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone.....

My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.

Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue.

Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the close of each session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad 's troubled mind.

But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up to me to do it.

The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I explained my problem to each of the sympathetic voices that answered in vain.

Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you! Let me go get the article.."

I listened as she read. The article described a remarkable study done at a nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic depression. Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were given responsibility for a dog.

I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. After I filled out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after the other for various reasons too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the breed.

Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hip bones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me unwaveringly.

I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?"

The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." He gestured helplessly.

As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror. "You mean you're going to kill him?"

"Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for every unclaimed dog."

I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him," I said.

I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me.. When I reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch... "Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad !" I said excitedly.

Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house.

Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded into my temples. "You'd better get used to him, Dad . He's staying!"

Dad ignored me.. "Did you hear me, Dad ?" I screamed.

At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and blazing with hate.
We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw..

Dad 's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw. Confusion replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad was on his knees hugging the animal.

It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the pointer Cheyenne . Together he and Cheyenne explored the community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at is feet.

Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years.. Dad 's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night I was startled to feel Cheyenne 's cold nose burrowing through our bed covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at night.. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night.

Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad 's bed. I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad 's peace of mind.

The morning of Dad 's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life. And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it."

"I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.

For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article...

Cheyenne 's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter. . .his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father. . and the proximity of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers after all.

Life is too short for drama or petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly. Live While You Are Alive. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.

God answers our prayers. (Author Unknown)

Update on Nico the Deaf Shelter Dog ... Happy Ending!!

The efforts of one individual, multiplied by those who responded and got involved turned the story of a hard-luck dog around.  When a guest blogger for the L.A. Times, Janet Kinosian exposed the story of Nico, a blind and abused shelter dog, Southern California rescuers and a group of animal-loving Facebook users got involved.

Before and Since

Now, you can read ... the "rest of the story" in the L.A. Times by following this link:

A Happy Ending

If you're like me, you just may shed a tear of happiness.

Bathing Your Pets ... Can be This Easy

How often do you bathe your Pets? Now, bathing your cat can be a challenge and I am working on an article to help you with that ... but what about your Dogs? Vets recommend that you wash your Dog at least every two weeks or more if they are outside where they may get into mud puddles and such like.
Mani is a beautiful Papillon who's owner gave us permission to use her videos. Below is a video of her getting a bath using the HydroSurge Rapid Bath system. Next, I will post a video of Mani doing some of her many tricks ... her owner is a dog trainer and you'll be amazed.



You may purchase the Rapid Bath system through Nice Dog Shop at a discount off the retail price.  I know you will be very pleased with it and you will find bathing your pets to be a much simpler and quicker experience.  They will love you for it too!!

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This Dog Could be a Star !!

For all Dog Lovers ... this is hilariously FUNNY!! Dogs have great senses of humor.

Vital Info on Common Types of Dog Health Insurance

By: willson

As of 2005, only about three% of American puppy house owners carried canine health insurance however that quantity is steadily increasing. As prices for vet services and scientific strategies continue to upward push, many canine house owners are choosing puppy insurance coverage so as to meet those expenses. There are lots of different types of puppy insurance coverage insurance policies available, and choosing the right one on your puppy may also be confusing.

Here's an outline of the five such a lot commonplace forms of canine insurance coverage coverage.

Routine and Health Protection: That is on a regular basis the least dear form of canine health insurance. It covers routine and preventative care equivalent to annual assessments, vaccinations, deworming, spaying and neutering.

power Condition Protection: This kind of puppy health insurance provides protection if your canine develops a prolonged scientific condition equivalent to arthritis or diabetes. The phrases of protection range widely among insurance coverage firms, so make sure to understand the details of any policy before you purchase it. Some firms would possibly only quilt the power condition as much as a undeniable age, and others would possibly place lifetime limits on the protection benefits.

Genetic Condition Protection: This is likely one of the such a lot dear forms of canine health insurance protection, and only a few insurance coverage firms even offer it. Relying on the breed of your canine, this sort of policy may also be individualized to hide quite a lot of genetic conditions. If you select this sort of puppy insurance coverage, make sure to discuss with your insurance coverage supplier what stipulations are coated and any limitations on coverage.

Leading Medical Protection: Also referred to as "Catastrophic Protection", this sort of canine insurance coverage covers emergencies, accidents, and other unexpected incidents. This protection on a regular basis has a low monthly top class, however prime deductibles mean you'll be able to pay quite a little bit out of pocket before the protection kicks in.

Comprehensive Protection: This kind of puppy health policy is on a regular basis some combination of Routine and Health protection and Canine Leading Medical insurance. Deductibles may also be prime with this sort of policy - steadily as much as $500 or more. Many puppy insurance coverage suppliers will customise a policy and combine different types of protection to meet your puppy's person needs.

You'll be expecting to pay monthly charges in the range of $15-$60 monthly for a good canine health insurance policy, and probably the most complete insurance policies can price $one hundred or extra every month. All the time evaluate prices from a couple of firms - just like other forms of insurance coverage, policy charges and limitations can range widely. Some insurance policies have breed restrictions and other exclusions, so you must learn the fantastic print carefully. Many canine house owners make a selection to forgo puppy insurance coverage altogether, and use a financial savings account to hide any canine-related expenses. Your vet is a superb supply of data on the different types of canine health insurance, and can assist you make a decision what's absolute best on your person situation. Checkout more other useful articles about define term life insurance, term life insurance definition and family term life insurance

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