Picture This!

Today I went to wall mart and as usual I parked way out in left field as I like further parking spaces it helps me get more walking in. The parking lot is on a downward slope towards the store. It is one cold and slightly windy day and in front of me is a man pushing his cart back to the store. He is dressed in long pants and long sleeve Pendleton and he is wearing one of the kid’s hats that look like animals with long ears or tassels to cover your ears. When all of a sudden he jumped on the cart! The cart picked up speed as he rode it down the parking lot aisle back to the store. You could see him using his body to try and manipulate the directions it was taking. When he got to the sidewalk he lifted up the shopping cart and left it there and turning around I noticed something I didn't expect! He must have been 45 years old! I smiled. As I approached I said, "Nice Ride!" then laughing I continued "how long has it been since you've done that?" I haven't done that in years the man replied with the best expression on his face I have seen in a while and as he passed me he through both of his arms into the air and shout, "I highly recommend it!" I smiled, again! I know this story has nothing to do with dogs. But it's a good story, a really good story!

A Letter to Emma Zen

I don't even know how to write you a letter? A novel, now that I could easily do. Every moment of your story is so incredible, from the 5 days I spent guarding your kennel at the shelter while you were on fire hold so that no one else would adopt you. To all the miles we put together on our Harley and Sidecar to the foundation I started in your name because your presents simple moved everyone you met. I couldn't write you a letter but a movie, I could make that. Emma Zen, you and I have been together every moment of your life with me. I wonder how many people really know what that's like? I took you to work and then you became my job. I don't think you ever been alone for more than an hour since we lived with each other. I touch you every hour, kiss you every hour, and tell you I love you every hour. We see the day together, the road together the wind together our lives together. I know you will probably leave this world before me and when you do I hope I am strong. Never will I have this experience again; everything fell in place when I met you. I am so happy to be your human. I am so in love with you and I am so changed to have lived in your life.

You make us who we are

You see my Human is the President of a foundation that is named after me, a foundation that in its year and a half has made great strides in establishing safety equipment for pets in emergency situations. Great strides! There are those that tell her, Debra Jo you need to take the credit you work so hard behind the scenes doing so way more than people would ever know and while that may be true, it is not this that makes us what this organization has become. What does? Our reputation. Our ability to be where we say we’re going to be when we’re going to be there, our hard work and our honest to do the right thing and our best job. Our compassion for others and for the animals and pets they love. In other words, Our VOLUNTEERS! It is you, each and every one of you who make this foundation what it is. Well I, Debra Jo, am so proud to finally do something in my life I feel is worthy and to have that credit in my life of leaving something good behind. I have to stop and tell you that without you not only could we have not achieved all we have but neither could I have achieved what I have in my own life. We each have standards; mine are to show my best side, to be honest, to try, to put forth effort, to succeed. If we I started this foundation I realized that those attributes on this foundation would have been up to others? I would have never started it. It wasn't until time had passed that I realize how how fortunate not only this organization is but I am, to have each and every one of you represent us with the kind of quality and respect I would wish. How did we ever get so lucky? So here here!!! To the volunteers of the Emma Zen Foundation: I sit with tears in my eyes as I write so grateful for all that has been accomplished, so fortunate to be a part of it and so enriched by those that are involved with us. I love to hear the words when I deserve them, "Thank you" but when I say them to you I hope you understand why they just don’t feel enough. My forever gratefulness for your help and for having the opportunity to work with you and have you in my life as well. Debra Jo Chiapuzio / President The Emma Zen Foundation

Seatbelt Check!!!

This dogs safety harness was approved by an officer of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs department My Human (knock on wood) hasn’t had a ticket or been pulled over in over 20 years, until today. The Officer expecting the worse was none too happy to see a dog flying down the freeway in a sidecar! That was until in examined my rig... He was impressed that I was strapped at three different points in the sidecar and that all three anchors were connected to metal that was connect to or was part of the sidecar and or motorcycle frame. He also noted that at the top of my harness where a plastic clip typically holds the harness together that mine had a metal clip on it so that the strength of the harness was based on the harness and it's anchors and not the strength of the plastic. A point we did not care to discuss with the Officer was that sidecars do not require any seat belts. However exposed dogs in beds of trucks in the state of California must be wearing a seat belt! My human has seen far too dog flying around the back seat of pickup trucks so she was happy that Officer Ferris pulled us over... If he has his eyes out for doggie seat belts than maybe he will get more of those dogs in the beds of trucks! He said his department was cracking down on that!!! (Finally) I find it funny, now that I have been pulled over. That this is the only time in 4 1/2 years of riding any law enforcement has ever stopped to check on me.. He gave me the thumbs up for safety! I hope he is as vigilant where other pet safety is concerned... Good Job Officer Ferris! We APAWS you!!!

Yesterday my Human spent all day cleaning. She cleaned all my blankets in the car. She cleaned the car. She cleaned my harness seatbelt too. Then she clean me up after a long dusty desert vacation. Then she cleaned herself.. You should have seen us this morning! All Spic n Span! I had on my pretty collar and my Human had on some nice summer pants and shoes, not flip flops. We were lookin' good. Off to start the days adventures, she had an appointment which she keep and at about 10AM as we left that building she said, "Hey Emma did you know the beach was only a couple miles away!" Well, that was all it took and there we were, me and my Human! Playing on the beach on a warm summer's day, it was perfect and I was as happy as my Human was too. A few hours later you wouldn't have recognized us when we pulled into the driveway... The newly washed blankets were crumbled and wet and I looked like I brought half the beach home with me because there weren't any towells in the car. And my Human,, BOL she was a wreck! Hair all stringy and wind blown her socks and shoe covered with sand and her good summer pants wet all the way up past her knees... We were a disaster! She took everything back out of the car and stuck most of it in the washing machine. She gave me another bath smiling the whole time talking to be about the wonderful unplanned morning we had. She vacuumed the car as I layed down on the tile with my wet clean body to rest from the mornings play... And I heard her taking anohter shower as I feel asleep to the sounds of the clothes drying machine... I love my human's way, where having to do everything twice isn't a chore, proof of a celebration!

OUCH!

My name is Emma Zen and I am pure temperament. You know one of those souls you Humans always hope you get in life, when choosing a canine for your family. I am loving. Slow moving. Gentle. Intuitive. Well behaved. And that's just all in my nature. On top of it I am well socialized, experienced and trained. I am a therapy and service dog. I have passed many test and many will attest to my nature.

Until this week April 2012 I have never been in a fight. I think I curled my lip up once about a year ago but that was a day when I was laying in the front yard after I hurt my knee and I wasn't' feeling good. But I didn't even growl. In fact I didn't even bark until I was almost four years old. I will be five this year.

Last week an extended families dog whose history we do not know decided the hall we were both in was to small for the two of us, and I found myself in my first fight. Don't kid yourselves folks, we are dogs and we turn to wolf the second we need to defend ourselves, even sweet little me... Within that sentences lies a reminder for you to tell yourselves this about your own pet too. Look into those sweet loving I'd never hurt a souls eyes and know, when push comes to shove, your powder puff is going to become a wolf! Know that in your soul, just so your mentally prepared if it ever happens.

Yes this is the point where the 'safety dog' in me tells your Human to take Pet First Aid and CPR. You well more than likely be the first person on the scene when your pet is injured so PLEASE know what to do BEFORE it happens. You do not want to be sitting there with a wounded pet and no idea on what to do or where to go... PLEASE take care of your pet, by being properly prepared.

Some of the effects of trauma are the adjustment in attitude that "can" occur after a pet has been attacked. I use to always hear that old antage that if a dog kills one cat, it's probably going to kill another. So if a dog gets in one fight, is it more likely to get in another? I do not know the answer to this question though I venture to guess that the answer lies somewhere between your pets temperament, training and socialization and your physical and mental reaction to the situation. You know how are you going to act differently passing your next dog on the street, or at a dog park or wherever your situation happened?

Six weeks after this fight, Emma Zen was playing with a neighbor dog who has become friendly in the past few months. Almost just enough time to forget that she had a problem to begin with. She had a new toy in her mouth and Emma Zen to a look at it and SNAP before you could take a breath, dog fight! Good Lord, what is going on here?

This time my dog got a couple of puncture wounds, enter the confidence I have to do the right thing... (Take Pet First Aid & CPR! I have told you that already, right?!)
The wounds are small and only effect the nerve and muscle to the level of tenderness and well heal nicely with time. But now I am worried all over again about my dogs disposition.

Tuesday after fight one, I didn't take Emma anywhere for 4 days. Then on day 5 I took her to met another ZENfull soul. (By the way thank you Buddy) Day 6 another fight... I guess am going back to my friends house!

I choose to share this story because what I would like to give you are reminders that are "pets" are not us. They are animals with animalistic behaviors. I believe putting yourself in check may aid you in the event of a crisis. Also for you to hear again that a calm and collective demeanor may best give you that "clear head" you need in the case of emergency. And it never hurts again to told that you should take an emergency preparedness class (pet first aid & CPR..)I have said that already, correct?! :-)

life is, well life and anything can happen even to those who you don't think deserve it. And people change, so why not your pet? Make sure your medical attention includes after care damage control.

Emma Zen has already played nicely with both dogs that hit her. She has played with friends, and she has met a stranger. Next week were going to CANIDAE because their family includes a pack of friendly canines.

Ouch hurts. Ouch is not just skin deep. And Ouchs heal! Be well.

Debra Jo (aka Emma Zen's Human)

www.facebook.com/emmazenfoundation

If I were President by an 11 year old

Out of the mouth's of babes. Today I overheard a conversation with an eleven year old about what she would change if she were President. And she said,"Well first of all I would make all shelters, no kill. Then I would make some kind of rule where all the people that worked in shelters had to "like" animals instead of just having a job. That way you'd hear people say "good dog" instead of mumbling and looking down at a piece of paper when you asked about a dog in the cage. I think that the shelters should be first and pet stores should be second." When asked what she meant she explained, "Shelters should be in the mall where people could see them first and then if anyone wanted a pet store dog they would have to drive farther away. I don't understand why dogs that need a home the most are the ones that are somewhere other than were all the people are?" (Whoa) People who work in shelters should work with the breed they like, instead of one person working with all the dogs and then not giving them love because they are afraid of one kind of dog or something like that. And when you go to get a dog you should have to sit down with a lady and tell them how many people live in your house and how much you are home and then they should match you up with a dog. Instead of walking through and getting a cute dog that turns out to not be too good for you. That is what I would do if I were President." I asked if I could post this story if I keep her name out of it and she said yes but seriously I am voting for an eleven year old for President!

2011

I just added up a few of my therapy dog hours. With the PAWS program I do not keep track but I have to have a minimum of 12 plus reading class which was 18 so that was a total of 30 days of service. Probably higher but like I said I don’t have to keep a count, then with The Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs, Inc. I had a total of 59 days! This does not count for the days I spend in the public at events with the Emma Zen Foundation that added up to 27 days. (That did not include any online fundraisers.) Then there were all the days I went to work with My Human. (That was only 49 days) And.... the 21 days I was on vacation. (NEEDED!) So best to my canine addition this is how I spent 186 days of 2011. That's like half a year of specifics! Oh yeah and I spent 10 days on movie sets. The other half I service dogged, lazy dogged,hiker dogged and BIKER DOGGED it! Funny, looking at the numbers I am as well balanced as I feel!

A ride Around the World

Yesterday was the beginning of January 2012, the 2nd to be exact. I was on a motorcycle ride and was a the overlook above Palm Springs CA. My Human and I were sitting on the ground in a tiny piece of shade against a wall, just barely out of sight of the motorcycle and sidecar itself.

A young lady approached with a small child and started telling the child about her father who rode in a motorcycle with a sidecar just like this, except for her story was different, her Dad took with him his beloved pet!?!?!?

My Human and I got up and introduced herself and I followed. The lady begin her story. How her father in the 1940's set off from Italy with his dog at his side and traveled their part of the world together on their motorcycle. He eventually ended up in India, the dog had passed away somewhere on the road and the Dad buried the pet in the sand. It was her fathers most outstanding tale.

A biker dog man in the 1940's! Oh those that come before us! I thought my Human was going to tear up, she so totally understood his feelings here so many years later. There is always someone that came before us and instead of thinking you are the first and special it is more of a distinguished feeling to know you are part of something bigger.

It gives me and my Human great honor to be apart of something that even this lady's father understood so many years ago. We remind in a moment of silence to acknowledge who he was and what he did and a little bit of the why he did it too. And then ride on being proud to call myself, A BIKER DOG!

Emma Zen and her Human, Debra Jo