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