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Emma Zen's Network ?!.

So I heard Oprah is starting her OWN network and there was plug on TV about casting your idea for your "own" show. Well, no one asked me and I, I have an idea. It may not be grand and spectacular. It may or may not be film interesting. But it is the grandest of all ideas! It is an idea that can change your being, an idea that can change your life, ideas that are contaigous and effects the daily well-being of others. An idea that is a do-able action. There's the word, I propose ACTION.

There are NO excuses, no reason for delay, no reason for lack of effort, no reason to not try. I am one of the worlds laziest dogs and I have accomplished so much. If I can do it, so can you!

Oprah has become a peak of this industry, of my idea. She has the means to make a difference on such a grand scale that sometimes I think humans would rather sit and watch then try to do something that would pale in comparison. But collectively we are a much bigger wave.

So for this New Year 2011 I am asking all we know to "Do Something". To "Take Action". You maybe one of those people with influence? More power to you. You may think you have nothing to offer? SMILE! (Those are extremely contaigous!) Let the elderly in your neighborh talk to you for a minute instead of rushing by them. "DO" the smallest action!!! Help. Lend a hand. Be patient. Listen. Sit on someone's lap! People seem to love it when I do that one!

You may be young and think it all about you and that this doesn't apply? Are you kidding? Youth makes up such scale of humanity, you are an ocean! You may know or feel exactly what I am talking about. If so then you know you can make a difference, so just do it. NO EXCUSES, it is so EZ! to do!!

"I would like more average people to know they can make a difference."


Emma Zen

Be there

Sometimes the best thing in life you can do is just be there.

You don't always have to something.

I have heard humans say things like: I didn't know what to do. I couldn't' be of help. I felt useless. They didn't care that I was trying. I wasn't doing any good. Everything I did was wrong. I was just in the way.

Seems humans aren't to comfortable being, well uncomfortable.

As a dog I am often in this positions. Times when you as a human need helping hand or a pat on the back. Or simple direction. Or just a hug. Times when a "it will be okay" would do and guess what I do...? NOTHING.!

I do nothing and I am one of the best comforts a human can have!

So you either figure out how that is or you just accept that it is and do the best thing that you can, which sometimes is nothing!!!

Just be there!

Emma Zen

When my job is done... A nighttime story.

Most nights I go to bed with my humans. All three of us and even the cat crowding a king size mattress. Some point early morning I arise and sneak off to my own bed. A dog bed fit for a king, covered in a fuzzy blanket with a small white pillow for my head and laced with all my favorite night time toys. It occasionally smells like biscuits as I have been known to eat a night time snack or two upon it.

My humans might think: she really loves her bed. Because we fall asleep with her at our feet and awake most mornings to find her fast asleep in her big dog bed. Little do they know: my job was done.

As a canine I have intuition. I know when they are safe. I know when it is okay for me to leave them and retreat to my own oasis. They are the ones who take me to bed, it is not us dog that simple follow you into the sack. We truly are not that simple. We have purpose! And when the night as fallen our instincts to keep you safe, comfortable, adjusted is well something bed time stories are made of!

So how do you relax? How do you unwind? What gives you that sigh of relieve that allows you to drift asleep?

Is it a warm blanket? A cold sheet? The feel of a partner next to you? Is it a body position? An extra pillow? The familiar sound of your own yard? Does a clock tick in the back round? Does the wind chime ring softly in the distances? What makes you sigh that sound of the days relief and allows you to drift asleep?

Me, I think.. it's the dog!

Email from Michigan

A note from my human:

Today I received this email.

Today my husband and I were driving down the 90 frwy near Rapid City when we passed a dog on a motorcycle. Later that afternoon we were talking about at a restaurant in town when the waiter said, "You saw Emma!" she eats here too. He gave us your postcard and that is how we found your delightful website.

What I want to sure with you are our observations from when we first saw you.
The dog was rubbing it's head vigorously on the front of the bucket she was sitting in and pushed some glasses off her face. My husband said, "watch her smack that dog now." The lady on the back reached over and took the glasses off even more. Then wiped the dogs eyes and next took the heal of her hand and gave the dog a good eye rubbing! She put the glasses back over the dogs eyes and then... kissed the dog on the nose!

All this love and care at 60 MPH.

I have a lot I could say about what I saw though I will end with just one statement, "it was beautiful".

Marcie from Michigan



I can't believe the kind of emails I have received about Emma since we have been on vacation. The number of people she touches and the time they take to express themselves to us. It is just amazing how many people her life touches. If this is the by-product of loving your dog as much as I do and from taking them everywhere with you, even on vacation. Then I will never leave home without my dog...

Oh yeah I never do. :-)

First Five?

My Mom would like to take credit for this thought, though actually the question came out of my Dad. He is watching a show about an undercover operation in Pet Land Pet Stores. People, go to Animal Planet and see this show or educate yourself. So that first we can act different, then make better choices and then make a difference. The program is shocking. http://animal.discovery.com/tv-schedules/special.html?paid=15.15976.129051.0.0

But in the middle of it he said, "Do you know how a child's personality they say is form in the first five years. Do you think that is true for dogs?"

Could this be the reason so many "pure breeds" from some pet stores and breeders are so spastic or sickly?

Give us your input. Conversation starts awareness.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER!!!

Signed, Emma Zen the Shelter Survivor!

I am...

This evening I chased a rabbit behind a barn under a rainbow.

I am dog!

It happened so fast

One day I was a pet. One day I belonged to the world. One day I was me. One day I was famous. One day I was a dog. One day I was an actor. One day I was a family member. One day I was a model. One day I was young. One day I was older. One day...

Whatever your day brings may you enjoy it... It is but a page in your own book!!!

A note from my human

Today I took Emma to Therapy. There was a man with a cane who was laid out in a recliner stretched all the way back. I took the other recliner and pushed it up next to his and had Emma get up and lay in it. She curled up in a little ball and rested her head on the now 2 wide arm rest. Soon she fell asleep with the man's hand on her head. As I watched them both from a few feet away I saw him too close his eyes and then simultaneously, as if on cue, they both took a deep breath and sighed.

It was beautiful.

This is life.

There are no camera's allowed in this center and yet the picture was so beautiful. It makes me pause and wish to remind everyone to stop doing and just be. To put down the cameras, the computers and the cell phones. To go out and then come home with the vision of a yellow flower, or the memory of a good smell or the visual of such contentment. It is within those moments, the ones documented from our own accord that we actually feel alive.

Live on!

(Emma's human.)

What my human learned from me

Yesterday I had a bad day or at least that is what one could assume. You see, me at home all day without my human is stressful. I suffer from separation anxiety. But when Mom walked in the door I stood up and gave her my happiest slow, head down, ears cute, butt wiggle walk I could! I was so happy to see her and it was that happiness I wanted to share first.

Debra, my human, took off early in the morning. Early of a terrible morning, after a terrible nights sleep, with terrible news. Her head had so many things running through it. She was off though to lunch with a friend. She thought of the story above, or days like that where I had met her with such enthusiasm even after the following of a no good day and she though, I will not go to my "friends" house, lay my woes at her door. For then I will only have to complain and be more negative and no time to heal or be possitive. So she did this and yet even though it was a struggle it was far less traumatic then pouring out what made her day bad to begin with.

Then she left and her day got worse. Much worse and it wasn't much better the next day. But what I have seen my human do is to try. To know in her own head what has to been done and to do it and to not perpetuate the negativity by overly repeating it too much or everywhere she goes. I have watched her smile, hold back a snarly, listen to others and I swear today I saw her wag her butt!

I think it is working. She looks like she is getting grounded again.. My human has learned from my behaviors. Dogs, be good. You never know who you are affecting!

Emma

It's all in our heads

So today Mom and I were in the car sitting patiently in the driveway of a gas station in the ready to exit position. The cars in the first lane were at a stop due to the light. Then car two inched up as close as possible to car one, anxiously starting back and forth at us as if it were one for all race for second position. Mom and I just sat there.

We weren't going to go anywhere so we sat there while she rubbed my head and then all of a sudden, "honkkkkkkk" a car screamed. We looked up and there was car three, completely inpatient, constantly looking at us like we weren't in enough of a hurry to take the now mile long space she was offering.

Mom noticed. One person did the wrong thing or a mean thing at least, and one person try to attempt a nice move. However both people were in the same head.

Dogs, unfortunately suffer from this too. See tell me to sit and stay and I am find. Have my Mom leave the room and I look good on the outside but on the inside "I'm Panicking!" It all in our heads too.

I don't think actions speak louder than words: I think it's all in our heads. Don't aim for perfection just be aware and they aiming for more often then not, they could be a great improvement for many. I am not perfect either I suffer from the same internal chatterm however my episode seam to few and far between in comparsion to your kind. So I suggest, when your listening to your head you stop and put your dog, it may give you a different perspective and allow you sit where you are in peace.

Emma

They called me what?

So this week I have been referred to as a celebrity, a movie star, award worthy and beautiful. If I were human it might go to my head and then my actions might lean more to trying to prove that they were right. However, I am dog. My human heard the labels and being part dog herself, she was able to hear, recognize and continue to be herself. Which means, I will wake up tomorrow (God willing) and go to morning Therapy so I can see my favorite person. And then go to Pasadena so I can visit Granny and hang out in the family room with all the dog lovers. Then go to GrandMEM's just to get my weekly kiss. In short, tomorrow I am no different then today. And my actions reflect who I am and yes it made some of you call me some names, but sticks and stones people, even if the name calling is Grand! (BOL, Sticks and Stones.... that is what you say even if you like the names they call you. It does give you a way to recenter yourself and be your own dog! No matter what they are saying.)

ME.

It's okay to say!

I know I haven't written for awhile. I have been busy doing Therapy for causes I never dreamed I would have the honor to represent.

Today, some one referred to me as "a celebrity" and I have to tale you how that made me feel. If I were human, I would have shed a tear!

I have had wonderful, incredible opportunities to enjoy my own life and to help some many other lives in so many diverse ways. I was just being myself and stepping one paw at a time in front of myself. It wasn't until recently that I looked back and realized I had laid a path.

A path for others to follow. A path for my human to continue when I am gone. A path whose road is lined with the happiness, the hearts, the hopes of many. In looking back I can see why someone might refer to me in a name I haven't called myself.

I am not full of myself but I am proud of my accomplishments, and that's okay to say.

Thank You.

Emma Zen

Feeling Lucky

Someone posted that I was a lucky dog and I you know.... I am. Not your, stick your snout in the air kind of "I am", but the in my heart I really "feel" that way "I am." I think that is okay to say you feel lucky. In fact, I feel lucky when things are going great. I feel lucky when things don't seem to change. I feel lucky when nothing is going right. I just "feel" lucky.

Maybe that is another key to life? To "feel" the way you wish you did or to "feel" the way you would like to be. It's all about what we tell ourselves anyways not what others tell us to be.

Example: If I see my human walk over to the treat jar, I feel lucky! If I get a treat, I "feel" really lucky again. If I see my human walk over to the treat jar, I "feel" lucky! If she passes it up and looks back and smiles at me, I still "feel" real lucky too. You see, I "feel" the same, weather I got the treat or not. I just "feel" lucky.

What do you feel?

Today has a title

Today has a title: Mothers Day.

The key to knowing if you truly hold the properties that the title days describe, is by finding out if you do anything different.

I will explain. Today I am not doing anything different then any other day. I am not feeling anything different, then any other day. I am not acting, trying or reaching for anything different. Today, I love my Mom!! Today, I love my Mom like I did yesterday and like I will do tomorrow. As I see it, I really do, Love my Mom.

The title Day's are there for you humans, I think. I have no idea why you need so many reminders? But that is all they are. If you live at one level and then get all excited for Valentines day and then return to your level of being, and then get all excited about Mothers Day and then return to your level of being again. Aren't you creating your own roller coaster?

Be a dog! Love always and often. Love consistently and with matched enthusiasm everyday and then each day will feel like it has a title on it and eachday will be grand!


Don't overlook our sometimes seaming small gesture as insignificant, a dog kisses, a noses nudge, a tail wag!

Today I do the same, feel the same, think the same: I love my Mom!!!

Emma Zen

SEEING is beautiful

I have an advantage as dog for I can not video tape, I can not hold a camera heck I can not hold a phone. My eyes are my lenses and my memories are my pictures.

I heard my human tell a story about the first time she went to Italy. After her return she had hundreds of pictures and years later it was those pictures she remember not the experience of that first trip. She is lucky, she returned many times.

I do understand the concept of what is coming tomorrow. I only understand today.

Today was beautiful. Technicolor. That is what I believe you call it. The greens where so light they looked fake and trees came in orange and white and red. Mustard weed field fields with yellow and the air with sweet aroma. Orange fields, the Apple fields looked as good as they smelt. Raccoons crossed the street and the sky was abundant with birds. The unfamiliar sound of hooves on pavement lead way to the smells of a horse. The winds were gentle, the sun warm upon my fur and my paws tingling cold with feel of the snow. Today was an experience I saw with my eyes and I heard with my ears and I smelt with my snout and I touched with my pads and I tasted when I eat. Today was beautiful

Try to be as nature intended once in awhile. Put down your camera, stop talking outwards and let what be in. For all that I am, I am made of my experience and they linger as long as your film.

I have an advantage, I know seeing is beautiful.


"What touches us, lingers." Emma Zen!

Leftovers

Knowing me as you all do, you probably all assume this is about food! It's not. Today I had to wait around. My Dad had to go get something from Harley Davidson. My Mom had to get this and that too. It got me to thinking: Why do humans need so much?

If you take away my collar, my leash and my toys what is leftover is me. And I, am dog! If you were stripped of your things who would you be?

Just curious. (The cat is wearing off on me.)

Emma the dog.

Canine Lit Program

I am a P.A.W.S. Therapy Dog (Pets Are Wonderful Support) a program sponsored by the Orange County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (that's a mouth full) OCSPCA! They invited me to join a six week program implementing the R.E.A.D. program of Utah. Confused yet?

Well, I here it's all that and a box of biscuits! I know everyone would understand if I stuck my snout in the air over this. But I don't think then, that you'd being seeing it from my point of view.

Today, I was lying on a blanket and this kid was reading "Alice in Wonderland" to me. He was telling me all these tails about rabbits, caterpillars and cats! I was laying down when I rested my head on his leg. The child kept reading and with his left hand started stroking my head. When he got to the end of the page he showed me the picture on the page. I licked it, because I knew I was suppose to do something. Then he turned the page and did the most incredible thing. He held the pages in my direction and he sort stretched his neck to read on an angle to me. And when he was done with his chapter he got down on my level and held onto my face and asked, "Did you like that story Emma?"

I know everyone would understand, being a part of such a prestigous events, if I stuck my snout in the air. But instead I choose to nuzzle my new friends, kiss those I can get away with kissing and tell everyone I know, "I love reading with kids!"


Emma, the other student

Postmaster

Do you know why we bark at the mailman?

It's not because we are being dogs. It is because everytime I bark at him, he goes away! And like all dogs, I love success!

There's a lesson there in positive reinforcement.

And you thought I was being bad? Learn to look for the good!

Emma

Listen Up

I just want to be famous. I want people to know me, notice me. I want to have more recognition then I already do. I want to be famous.

I don't want to be a movie star. I don't want to walk up and not be able to walk around dog park. But I want to be a star! I don't want to do paw prints at signings or stand in the light on a red carpet. But I want them to say there she is!

I want to be famous. I want to be famous so I can have a louder voice and people who listen. As I climb the tree of recognition I have met humans with hearts as big as dog! Some save, some teach, some humor. Some help, some assist, some ride! If I were famous more people would hear. I love to sing a song of praise and I have so many wonderful friends to sing about. I want to be famous.

No one told me that is what fame was. No one told me that fortune was in the presentation of others. No one showed me that recognition gave you the ability to introduce. I love it!

I am good at it.. I am proud to do it. And I want to be famous!

A moment in self absorption.

Emma Zen

It wasn't me

Last week I witnessed something that was sure different this week in my own house. You see, last week Mom and I walked into a friends house, with the friend and she saw this bowl of flowers on the floor shattered and laying in the water on her wooden floors and the first words out of her mouth were, "Baxter, What did you do!!!" She was mad. Me and Mom just sat quietly in the corner while she cleaned up and stayed out of her way. While Baxter sort of slumped in the corner.

Today while I was home alone the shower door shattered into a million pieces, literally. They were all the way down the hall. When Mom walked in she said in her normal calm voice "Em Emm where you at?" and up I walked and she hugged me and asked me if I was okay?

Here within lays the difference. Not the difference in a dog (Baxter reminds innocent until proven guilty and the cat wasn't talking.) but the difference between humans. Not that one is good and one is bad. But one lives not looking for someone to blame all the time. I am not here to explain all of that, it is for you yourself to learn how to live happy and free. But I do want to point out that your state of mind does make a difference in how you see me or see your own dog.

So if you fall into Baxter's Moms situation, I have one thing to say. In doing your best to take care of your animals, take better care of yourself. It trickles down, believe me!

Emma Zen

Scary Noises

Emma, can you tell me why my 16 year old basset hound is horribly afraid of vacuum cleaners?

Well, in a word, "no."

I assume all dogs and people can be afraid of the same thing for different reasons. The best I can do is to share my own experiences.

I am not real fond of the vacuum cleaner but I use to shiver every time I heard a hair dryer! It could be the noise? Sounds, pitch that we animals hear that you don't. I don't much prefer the hum of leaf blowers either. Even when I am inside the noise just gets to me. My human had a few tricks though to help me overcome my fears.

1. Whenever I am afraid or unsure of something, she turns it into a massage! When the hairdryer or the vacuum cleaner is off the nose or the nozzle can double as a great tummy scratchier! I have learned that these machines I still don't prefer on, our not half bad when they are off! She has tricked me over the years this way too. You know that thing they sell on TV that files your dog nails, heck I thought that things was muscle relaxer for the first two months.

2. Then I learned to not fear the hairdryer when she was using it but if it was my turn to get blown dry I would still be so hesitant to enter the restroom. Thinking it was the noise she put these big human ear muffs on me. (They are the kind you use when you shoot a gun.) I have taken them to a gun range, a live blasting and the race track) I am sort of fond of them now.

3. I believe you humans call all that "desensitizing". If this doesn't work understand one thing. The vacuum cleaner IS scary! Have YOU ever laid on the ground and watched that thing come at you?

4. Maybe a dog can be afraid due to insecurities? Crate him/her when he is scared. If you are not use to crating your dog you should know that the only person that thinks the crate is cruel our humans. Us dogs love the security our own tight little space can bring us.

5. If all else fails, remove me. Have someone take me on a walk while you clean. As much as you want to teach me it's okay, I just may be better off outside.

Note: Speaking of "teaching me it's okay" remember saying "good girl" or "it's okay" while I am shivering up a storm because you have the monster running. Is only teaching me that my scared behavior is correct. Don't use human words of encouragement to try and calm me down. I am a dog and we do not respond to that emotions. Give us reinforcement when we are in a calm state around the object of fear. My human made me sleep with the bicycle trailer for two weeks when we first got that stupid thing! Now, I love it!!! Just a note.

Emma Zen

Facebook | Emma Zen Chiapuzio Did you know? That what a human calls "personal space" a dog calls a "fear circle". A lesson in understanding dogs.

Facebook | Emma Zen Chiapuzio Did you know? That what a human calls "personal space" a dog calls a "fear circle". A lesson in understanding dogs.

Use your own "I" sentences (appropriately)

I think I am special.

I have no trouble saying that line. I think I am special. All my canine friends can say the same line too! Yet, I have never seen a dog with it nose in the air. I have seen a dog point is sniffer upwards but it's not the same thing.

So why is it? That I, the common dog think I am so extraordinary, yet remain so humble? What's the trick to that one? Answer that question and your human race would be so much happier and healthier.

I think it is because when we use the world, "I" we mean "I". We stand only on our own merit and do not judge ourselves against others.

Let me give you an example. I have a friend who can bark so much better than I. I hope one day she makes a CD. I have a friend who can run so much faster than I. I Love to watch him burn up the dog park. I have a friend who rides a motorcycle just the same as I. I love his ears in the wind they are so much more Basset then my own. I have a friend who has been a therapy dog longer than I. I admire the lessons he teaches.

See, dogs we just are who we are in comparison to no other dog. The only ones trying to make us out do each other are you humans. Please, learn to be proud of yourself!

I am a dog who is good at being in the wind and making others smile.

Emma Zen

Being me

What's my thing? How many of you have asked yourselves that one?

At first I saw others who stood tall in paw prints and I wanted to follow a particular path of dogs. Then I started standing in my own. It took time, it took: effort, it took: being myself, before I looked back and realize I had my own story to tale.

I was: A Biker Dog!

And with that came notoriety and fame, a gift which can be used to help others. My human said that is what fame is for. Self surviving fame is, well, it's not dog.

To give is to know love. Maybe that is why a dog has such a great being, we do give more naturally then our human counterparts.

So what's my thing? Being myself. Being Biker. Being leader: showing those where to help and how to help all the canines in the world and in turn becoming a better human.

It's a big task and I am up for it.

Emma Zen

Lesson Learned

This morning I was watching the cat. It was acting weird. She was all freaking out over a feather on a stick, leaping into the air, hunching her back and landing on it firm and solid as if to say, "Got you or Take this". Just weird. You see no humans were around, no one was interacting with her, she wasn't being coerced into this behavior. Their it was, all alone acting as if she was the whole party.

From my perspective I thought, "weirdo!" and then I stop to watch her. My head titled sideways as us dog sometimes do, trying to figure out what was going on. I realized: She wasn't losing her mind, cats are not suffering from insanity. They just purr and simple (pure and simple) don't rely on others for their happiness.....

There's a lesson there.

The Observer, Emma Zen

The Day After

Ever have a day so exciting? Or a day you had just been looking forward to for a long time? And then the next day comes.... How do you feel?

If you feel down, is it because you thought the excitement was over? Is it because you lack anticipation? Why is it that looking forward is more exhilarating then looking at today?

I think it is that basic desire to want, to crave, to yearn. That keeps you humans looking ahead. I too have the ability to foresee. Teach me how to do a trick and reward me at the end and soon I will be doing tricks on my own without any commands given. I too anticipate.

The difference? Canines are looking at what's going to happen in 10 minutes, not in 10 days. So start writing the "big" stuff on the calendar and mark 4 days before it happens as the day you can start to say "hooray". Next time make it 3 days before, then two and finally one. I think a day or two before, if all humans could do that they would multiple their happiness by a thousand.. For when your not off in the future you find happiness in today!

Today, I went to dog park, had a bath, tested new agility equipment, took a funny picture, took a nap, meet a little dog named Chico that was black with a small white mark on his chest (not to friendly thought) and play with my GrandMEM, all before dinner. I am so glad I wasn't in next week!

Emma Zen

Responsiblity

If I were a human, today I would be stressed. I have an exciting engagement the type you need to prepare for and I have a new venture the type that takes planning and outlook. If I were human, my fur would be falling out.

But, I am dog! I act as if nothing is different. No pressure, no expectation of others or self. I am just, dog. I know the difference for I am the one actively participating in today's event. On the other paw, it is just what I do and no different from any other day I do the same thing. My piece of mind? Well, it's a peace!

Seams to me to be a lesson in that, something humans could take or learn from. How do I do it? By not doing whatever it is you people do. So just stop. It is always the little stuff that is the hardest or the last thing you remember to see. Just stop. Stop stressing, stop putting pressure on yourselves and stop expectations. How do you do that? Redirection, a training technique that works on canines. Every time you get distracted I suggest you sing yourself a little song, "I am dog, I am dog, I am dog." Bet you can't sing and smile and stress at the same time.

Then as yourself you can do your thing. If you are stressed your going to show up as someone different and they may not like that person as well. (Did I just say that?) Anyhow, just sing, just stop and just be at peace!

Not that I am barking out orders or anything, just a thought.

Emma Zen

Ode to be famous

Well I certainly don't want to bite my snout off despite my face, though I have to say as I see it coming and I don't know it's me. I am speaking of the ode to be famous. Being a celebrity means being notable to many and while a cat might think this means thousands some dogs could be please with five or six humans signing their praises. The scale leaves room for the smallest of champions to the largest of renowned beings.

I have things happening. This industry takes push, shove and a go getter attitude usually reserved for the humans with all the gumption. I may be a little to passive to chase the status. But I think I am special anyways. I think I do something a small percentage of dogs do. I am not talking about my Harley, I speak of that human / animal bond you that just is so large whenever I am in the room with another human. I am famous. I am notable. I am a champion. Even though it would still be cool to be more recognized...

Satisfied or confused or both? That is called having a good balance by never thinking to little of self, or to grand.

When they say, "remember her when" I hope they refer to the days after I leave this earth and not while I am here with my snout in the air...

Praying for myself.

Emma Zen

Now it's here, now it's not.

Have you ever seen a crystal clear water bowl? Filled with cool water on a warm summers day. Ice cubes gentle floating freely in the dish. The bowl sitting on a riser just high enough to meet you muzzle. Have you ever seen such a bowl of H2O? And then your visiting canine company comes charging by and whoops! the bowl goes crashing over and you sigh and get on with your play.

But, if you knew that bowl of water wasn't going to be there in ten minutes. You drink from it's fill, savoring the delights of purity. Enjoying all that it is.

Look at your day, your life, your friends, you family, your surrounds, your reality and partake as if you knew when it wouldn't be there anymore. Slow down and do, instead of speeding up and doing over. For sometimes the answers of life are simply found, in your water bowl.

Emma Zen

Paw Blog

I introduced myself as a writer today, then feeling less than for a second or two I had to by clarified by adding that is was more of a paw blog then anything. But then I raised my head and wagged my tail for a realized, as a canine I have a lot to say which I think humans could relate too and be interested in. For I had knowledge. I had what most dogs have and what most people want, serenity, perspective and a sense of self. With a renewed sense of being I told myself, "Blog on big foot, blog on!"

Bird Dog

Today, i say TODAY, I became a bird dog! I spotted them, the flock of 8 to 10, just hanging out around the waters edge. I was with a group of children. (My favorite place to be.) and I couldn't even be in my own fur. All I saw were birds!

For some reason she'll never understand Mom reached over and unhooked me and gave the command to run, "Go Emma Go!" and GO I did...! Me, Emma Zen the big lazy dog I took off like a skinny mini bird chasing fool. I ran those feather things right off their wave and to the right the flew off and landed.

My first run, it was good. It was instinctive. It was successful! Scared a feather off one! I hunkered down and with the concentration of sharp shooter and off I took again, cheeta style, front paws touching rear paws with just the show stopper of strides!

Success Success and off they flew again!

It was a marvelous evening at the beach. I found myself. I found pride. I was bird dog!

--- --- ---

The night went on and the humans made dinner and talked and laughed around a time for awhile. They told stories of children, funnys at work and shared a laugh about some dance. I also heard them tell the story of my evening. I thought it would be a grand story. A story full of certainly and self assurances. I thought they'd tell the story of the grand ol' bird dog!

Their version was short.

Their version was different.

Their version wasn't very good..

--- --- ---

Funny how we all see things different. What we do verse what they saw. I guess I should keep this in mind so if I ever hear my humans say I did something "so so" I know I really did something really grand!!

BOL Emma Zen The Bird Dog!

This might raize some fur?

::::::::Disclaimer:::::::: If someone asks you to remove a picture from a web social network, you do it! No if's, no and's, no buts. Anything you take a picture of you must have the legal right to print. So the same is said for text and logos. Be aware of copyright and moral practises. It is never, on our own sites, our intent to validate any of your rights. And asking something to be changed, moved or explained doesn't hurt our feelings. It makes us proud that our friends are this responsible! This post was written out of a concern that someone could have been worried about how they looked. If that is not true, how relieving. If it is, read on. This blog is written to let you humans know how much differently we see things as dogs. And I understand that other humans may not have my point of view. But in this human act, I see nothing wrong. ::::::::

There are some topics that people don't want to talk about. I have heard it said that religion and politics are touchy subjects. There are some topics in which people don't want your option. I have heard many a Mother telling their Mother how not to advise them about Motherhood! (yikes, did that make sense?) Well we think we have discovered one more, doggie discipline.

Pictures, stories and real life encounters with humans disciplining their dogs and the owner is the one whose fur gets all ruffed up. Here what I think is happening. I think humans have a natural response to judgement of others. I think humans do care what other think so they alter or choose subjects, stories and more to spin the good their way. I also think you humans are looking at it all wrong. (I am aloud to have my own opinion you know.)

Let me use my own human as an example. What if some saw her jerking on my collar and out of context thought, "oh that poor dog" or "I hate people who treat their dogs that way." Well, when I am in training my Mom makes the short firm jerks to grab my attention. Yep, she does that. And what about my best trick, staying in my front yard without a leash? How did I learn that trick? Well, my human rolled up newspaper in a long pointy tube shape and she taped the bottom of it so it wouldn't come apart and every time I went to far she cracked that thing on the ground or a tree or the flowerbed. It makes an awful sound I tell you, an awful sound. Yet if you were the guy in the Lexus that drove by and saw her raising that thing in the air, you may have looked at her like he did and thought something totally different.

Humans are sensitive and that is a great thing. That's why we love you so much. But don't be concerned with a correction on film. I have a friend who has a talkative dog. But sometimes when her dog gets to hyper she tells her not to bark so much and she holds her muzzle. My Mom and I are proud of our friend. You see, she is paying attention to her pack. She is presenting a boundary for escalation and keeping us canines within those markers. She is showing us who is boss and humanly and correctly giving a correction. If a picture looks different just explain. For I feel that you are doing exactly what we need and it is only the fur of the unknowing that raises on this subject.

One who knows her pecking order.

Emma

I'm not nervous, you are.

When we were wolves, we were wolves. But now were dogs and were family! I get it, believe me I would SO rather be with my human then anywhere else I can think of. I understand, you wouldn't leave your child at a friends house unattended. We appreciate that you take that kind of consideration when having to find a place for us to stay too.

I know that I am just one of those lucky dogs. Living indoors, eating healthy, accompanying my humans everywhere they go. It is true, I do not know I am wolf. But I do know I am dog!

To do this hurts you, I know... But today my humans left me in a safe environment outside with plenty of shade, water and no dangers. There was even a adult who watched from a window. My humans left me there for five hours! I bet she was all bunched up in a ball. Talking about nothing but me. Worrying her little self to tears.

I on the other paw, being dog, was having the best day a dog could have. It was like playtime with no parents. My friend barked and I played in the dirt, and no one told us, "no". It was grand I tell you it was grand! We knocked over a little table and we both spun around like neither one of us did it, but no one was there to care! We chewed up all the toys, we made a mess at the water bowl and life. Well, today life was just so good!

My point is, as much as you want me to be human. I want to be dog! And please, it has taken you people so long to take care of us in the manner in which you now do, I don't want to see anyone going backwards. But if you have to, or choose to: a few hours of being by myself or one on one with another canine, or in a canine pack is absolutely nothing for you to be nervous about.

I just thought I'd tail you...!

Love, Emma!

It's okay to say, "No".

Some don't want to say, no, because they think it is rude. Some don't use the word because they think they need to do it. Some wouldn't think of saying no because they want to help and that person may believe that saying no means the opposite. There are those that think the word is disrespectful to use. There are those who just are doers.

People don't say the word, no, for a multitude of reason.

They say being over loaded causes stress. It is said that stress can cause or facilitate the leading 6 causes of death in the US. (According the CDC, Center for Disease Control) heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the live, and suicide.

Also having too many obligations means something is getting all your attention. So when you don't say, No, you could really be saying, "yes but I am not giving it my all." Is that what you meant to be saying?!

Humans have this funny trait. They feel the need to explain. "No, but..... maybe I could do it tomorrow. "No, because I have too..... blah blah blah. Do you humans know that "No" is a sentence?!...

Example, how many times have you walked up to your dog laying in the hall on the nice cold floor taking a nap and said, "come on rover lets go for a walk" and the I have lifted just my head to look up at you and then let it crashed back down to the floor to continue my nap. That is dog for NO... You've all seen that, you don't take it badly or personally and in fact many of you have laughed and done it again to see if you get the same response.

A, No, can be acceptable.

Being as wolf was

Today my day was no different than any other day. My human and I ran errands, we played with my toys together. I helped her separate the fighting tortoise in the backyard. I took a nap. Mom came over and gave me a kiss. Dad gave me a hip rub. (Those are the best)It was a day like any other day, for me.

What was interesting is that today my humans had no electricity for over eight hours. They were having something done to our home.? There was no TV for them to watch. There was no computer. There were no distractions.

For me today was no different then any other day. Though I have to admit, I know I am fortunate. But if you had no electricity, if you lived as they did when dogs were wolves. Would you treat your canine different? Would you have time to pay more attention to them? To your family?

When the power returned and the TV and the Internet and the distractions reappear, my humans and I left the house to have dinner with friends. It was a day like any other day, for me.

But it made me think of this perspective I would like to share. When your day goes your way and you head off to work, or deal with other humans, or get on the computer or watch TV. You think your dog is okay because he is (or is not) doing what is normal for him or her. Maybe your dog is laying there with you on the floor. Then you go to the TV and the dog follows and is laying there with you on the floor. Once again, perspective, you see for us it is like there is no electricity, everyday! We don't go to work (okay so most of us don't) We don't watch TV or Internet (on a regular bases) LOL For us, as I said, it is like living without electricity.

So, turn yours off. See what you'd do. How fast did you get bored? What did you revert too to keep yourself occupied? Remember the days when people gardened, read books and kissed their dogs!

Today was no different then any other day for me. But would it have been different for you?

Emma Zen

How to

Be as, dog is: Don't sweat the small stuff.

Okay so that was today's post on Facebook. Great idea and all but "how" you do it would be nicer to know the "what" to do. (So responded one of my online friends.) So I gave it two woof's of thought and here is what I came up with.

When training a dog you don't just say "no" and take away the shoe they are chewing on. You say "no" take away the shoe and replace it with a more desired behavior. (Hand me something I "can" chew on) You replace the undesirable behavior with an acceptable one.

So you humans could use that technique. If you have to go somewhere in traffic, instead of sitting there angry on the verge of road rage, bring music "you" love to listen too. If you have to go to dinner with someone you don't want to be with, then maybe you could add to the conversation, choose things "you" are interested in. If someone makes you mad, choose to "not" react over reacting. Replace getting upset with being happy.

Get the idea? That's how us dogs do it. I go to dog park and their is always some meanie there who comes up and tries to pick a fight. I replace it with running. It gets me away from the trouble maker and makes me feel great to sprint across the park. Next thing I know, Me, Mom and usually some other fun canine are running through the park with glee. Yes, dogs glee.

So in answering the question, "how to not sweat the small stuff" replace sweating the small stuff with something that is of more value to you. That is how a dog does it...

Emma Zen, the Pet Philosopher.

Daylight savings

Wow can I tell summer is here. Okay, so I live in California and for me there only seams to be winter and summer and today, summer is here. Not because the time jumped forward this morning, not because it was a beautiful clear blue sky 75 degrees, not because we were in the RV this weekend either.

It is summer because today there was so much to do. Or it felt like there was so much that could be accomplished because of the extra light? We should learn a lesson from that. A little light, a little different attitude, a little extra energy and poof a different frame of mind. So that's it: The key is light!

Lets all remind each other in times of darkness to look for the light in our lives!

Emma Zen The Pet Philospher

formspring.me

Questions for Emma http://formspring.me/EmmaZen

Commerce

So is it kind of weird for me to wrap my tail around it, but my human is trade marking a couple of titles for me. To use some day in the future on printed publications and products.

I know that is what runs your world and yes, benefits mine with all the custom collars, grain free products and special toys. But why me? And why Mom? She doesn't need an extra job and I am really not that type. My human has never been fooled by the fancy dressing, the beautiful store front or the extended premiere article. She understands that somewhere down the road it is a business, it is for profit. So why is she doing this? So I asked her.

She said, "It is so I can remember you. It is so I can always be on the right track. It is so they can remember you. It is so their smiles can maintain." She said, "You have brought health, balance and wealth into my life and for that I am ever grateful." "And when your time has come to pass, may the essences of your touch live on, the way we feel when you touch us here today. So that this may happen, I take these steps."

And with that I understood how a dog crossed over to commerce without the milestone of financial gain but all the heart of sharing.

Business

Granny-isums

I overheard my Mom sharing with her 94 year old Granny. She was telling her about a young lady she had meet that day who spoke 5 different languages. Without hesitation Granny replied, "Oh just imagine how many friends you could have!"

That's our Granny. Full of wisdom, the meaning of life and Granny-isums. Her FIRST thought always possitive: Oh how many friends I could have. With the light of her insight I carry on aware that I will continue to learn. And to benefit in ways I may have never thought of first.

Now if I could just learn to speak cat and mouse, I'll have it made!

Woof, Meow, Shriek!!!

A Multicultural Dog

The Dog Gardener

Out of the thoughts of canines! This morning a quick tap/tap and I had updated my facebook status to read: "This moment is powerful it is like a seed planting the fruits for my next moment. I am the Dog Gardener!" The truest statements come to be when you speak what you feel, inside of talking what you've rehearsed. (See there's another one.)

I want to point out how all good dogs are always good and all good humans are always good. And bad dogs and bad human, well they are just mostly bad. It is because of their seeds they are planting.

So it is not my labor or effort to create lifelong change for someone. We each need to find our own ways. But for today I shall make sure someone plants a seed with more morality, less judgement, more compassion, less selfishness, more peace and less negativity. In hopes that their growth turns to a direction more positive, more in tune, more canine! And with that flower, may you run....

Farmer Emma

Is it me or the image?

Everything I do seams to be for others and everything I do seams to be for myself too. How can both those statements be true at the same time? How can anything be two opposing things at once? I do not know. Though as a dog when things like this happen I just accept it and go on. Humans seam to fight it until they can prove whichever end of the spectrum fits them better.

There are those that use saying like, "that is so Western thinking" or "that is such Eastern philosophy" Next time you can't figure out if it's you or the reflection. Just smile and say "This is so dog!" and carry on!

Canine, Emma Zen

Valentine Gift

I have watched the humans in my world. Seams many are "celebrating" love today. As a dog, I don't understand this. Why? One day? Can't you love all year?

I know there is probably some grand ol' story about Saint Valentine or some strange thing like that. But I have seen some humans "tell" others I love You as if it is the You that makes the I happy. As a dog, I don't understand this either.

Humans are more I oriented then dogs. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just a canine observation. When it comes to this idea of singular love, or love on a singular day. I prefer the method most often used by hounds.

Facilitating giving energy increases abundance for us all....

This is my gift.

Emma Zen

Life before Death

My humans heard and oddly comforting sentence the other day. It was addressed to another human speaking of the lost of their pet who had been suffering in old age. He said, "Death, is not the worst thing that can happen to us in life." ? ! .

Death is not the worst thing that can happen in life ? ! . It hurts us, not the dying. For them death is not the worst thing that can happen in life. Weather that life is animal or human.

Oddly comforting ? ! .

How did I score?

Life, human life.

Seams to be something that you people have no control over. One minute everything is fine and smooth and the next your all hectic and panic over outside influences. I doubt I, a canine, am suppose to be able to figure it out. I am not sure you humans even know what it is all about?

What I do know is this, we the dogs are you best friends and then life gets in the way and without you know to, mean to or realizing it we become second fiddle. We are left home alone in an emergency. Our exercise plan goes out the window while you help a friend or family member. Dinner hour changes because you got a different job.

As you do, we don't. Or in other worlds, as you life gets busy ours gets messed up too. Consider this/us when these times arrive in your life.

But me... how did I get so lucky? How did I score? Mom's Granny is struggling slightly and needs family attention. She is 93. And Mom's friend had a health issue, a stroke, and wants Mom to take over here business for a couple of weeks.

So that is my humans added outside influence and then their is "my human"!!! I heard her telling Dad about her plans and I heard her talking to the lady on the phone about "my" accommodations. Even in the midst of what most find overwhelming and at a point when all dogs get betrayed. She just takes me, includes me, acts quietly as if there were no other options. And together we shall go! Together we shall go!

How did I score?

Life is a Gift

Life is a gift

Today before you bark
***think of one who has no voice.

If you do not like the taste of the same old food
***think of one who has nothing to eat.

If you do like your siblings or companion
***think of one crying out for company.

Complaining about life is time to
***reflect on those who have already gone to heaven.

If you don't want your job (I am a therapy dog!)
***think about those who are disabled or unemployed.

If life gets you down, smile.

Life is a gift!

Talented Paws

It has been said a more then one of my social profiles that I have talented paws or that my humor is innate. These are "my" qualities and characteristics I have you know. Let me give you an example: I must truly want to have my own web presences or my human would never be on line. It is only for me that she struggles to learn the pros can cons of myspace, twitter, blogspot, facebook, linkedin, digg, stumbled and my own website. She is more of a nerd (please don't tell her I said that!) As she would be happy with no Internet service and sitting on photoshop all day.

And lets be realistic here: have you ever noticed my facebook? You may think you know my humans because you here about my daily life but you don't. You never hear her talking about her family, her friends, her job, her life. You don't' hear about my days either. So even though it seams like I do a lot it is still a partial effort of each their days.

So may talented paws type! (okay Mom does it and I only pose for pictures!) but you only hear my story! And my humor: that is all my Mom just translates. She is so not as funny as I am!

I am a dog as large as life. My humans translate my words, my emotions, my expressions, my actions, my life and my desires. In this way I have had the opportunity to touch more people and more lives then I ever would in a dogs life time of therapy, modeling and traveling! It is truly what I love, it is truly who I am and it is truly a case of talented paws!

Emma Zen Chiapuzio!

Trip

Experience is a byproduct of action. Go on vacation and learn something!

The beginning of a year

Well being a dog I don't believe in resolutions. I also don't believe in guilt, shame or fear. Life is what life is and to be overly enthusiastic about it or the yin of that: depressed just adds in an emotion that wasn't suppose to be here today. (Did that make sense?) Take me, I was started this blog this past year with the intentions of logging an entry everyday. Of that I fell short. So it became, what it is! And I am still here. If I were a human I could see me betting myself up over the guilt of not being able to do what I said I was going to do or if I was embarrassed and couldn't function because I was ashamed or if I thought my friends were going to post something mean about me so I didn't' come back. I would not be healthy, or in "my own" space, or a blogger. Three things which I am! So begin a new doesn't necessarily mean to start something new, you could just drop all the stuff you don't need and continue forth with what is left! I am very, me!

Let Go and Be Dog!