On Losing a Dog

This is Kayzee. She passed away last week leaving a grieving human. I feel for him, as I am sure we all do. A dogs life being so much shorter than your own I believe you have all experienced this almost unbearable emotion.

It was perfect timing to share a story I had just heard the week before. A friend of mine was sharing her story about her once in a lifetime dog and how he was lost his life to a hit and run driver. She said within a week she found herself at the shelter again looking for a new dog because, "she didn't want to live without that kind of love in her life!" OMD How powerful is that?!. She didn't want to live without that kind of love in her life!

I know it is human to grieve. I know it is human to not want to put your heart on the line again. And for all you humans go through and the numerous lines I could print. I will just live you with, "She didn't want to live without that king of love in her life!"

Our connections are powerful.

Use my name

Using someones name gives them a sense of self.
Using someones name gives recognition and acknowledgement.
Using someones name takes "ownership" out of the equation.
Using someones name gives worth.
Using someones name gives equality to each.

I am not "the" dog. I am Emma Zen!

(Side note: This works with humans too!)

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!

I am...

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

I am dog!

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

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

Dog Park Fast

Today I was a lightening bolt at dog park, I was Dog park fast like I have never been before! Sometimes it's healthy to do something out of character!!!

Crazy Em!

Nine - Eleven

****DISCLAIMER**** Any commentary made here is not meant to hurt or insult anyone, in any way, shape or form. I understand that I am choosing to make a comment on a very emotional subject. My views are that of a canine, which at all cost tries to be happy. Please understand that this blog is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be any direct statement of personal opinion of that of my human or anyone else, they are just dog thoughts. We that I leave you and begin my blog for today with a blessing: if you or anyone you know and love has been effective by 9-11 may you find a way through to your inner peace.****



My human was watching the news this morning. They were interviewing a man who said he felt it was his duty to "Remember" the fallen. That he didn't like holidays filled with BBQ's and parades. That memorials and memorial day was to give recognition to those that gave their lives. I understood him, simply he was correct.

The news media keep asking him somber questions almost like they were "trying" to find the horror in it all again. Saying things like "this is such a sad day, such an emotional day, such a sober day awful day" That I didn't get. Not that I don't understand (read above disclaimer) however just because someone chooses to remember a late person on memorial day, 9-11 or any other day of the year isn't necessarily a reason to still feel a victim.

Let me give you an example. Okay so say you know a dog and then you don't see him for a long time but someone brings your clothes in for the dog to sniff and they get all excited just by the smell. (That's memory) Or how about the number of times they took me over to Granny's house and then Granny moves but I visit their 6 months later and I get all goofy and over wag my tail looking for her. (That to is my memory.)

See dogs remember and typically speaking we are happy, excited. I know there are those exceptions where 2 dogs have been together for a long period of time and then one passes away and the other is miserable the rest of his life. But those are the few in the ground and we refer to them as sad and lonely or neurotic or some other not so pleasant word.

I just want people to heal with pride, to remember the brave and remember the more then few who did so needlessly lose their lives.

So in order to help us all heal and get our own tails wagging. Remember. Remember the smiles, the spirit or how you were touched by an individual while they were hear on this earth. Remember how people who didn't know people all pulled for each other. Remember the patriotism and how infectious it was. Remember the glory that came out of tragedy. Remember the good.

Each of us are still blessed to be under the protection of the United States of America.

Emma Zen