Just this side of Heaven is a place called The Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill or old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling to each other in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together…

Commitment, Firmness, but kindness.

Our son has been on a long, arduous campaign for our family to adopt a dog. I have to admit we are weakening.

I have always loved dogs and I can well remember my own beloved childhood friends as well as that desperate desire for my very own canine companion. Plus he is an active child who loves the outdoors and he is an only child with no children his age living nearby so a dog could be a wonderful playmate and friend.

But I also feel in my heart it is simply too soon for me to open my heart to another dog. It has only been a year since I lost my beloved Labrador Shamus and I still miss her terribly. Friends have told me to get another dog, but I find that rather hard-hearted. If my husband died people wouldn’t send me right out to pick a new one and if my son died people wouldn’t simply suggest I get pregnant again. Yes I will eventually adopt another dog to join our family, just as many people do remarry or have other children, but I am not done grieving for the loss of Shamus. You see she was a special dog and she was a very large part of my life.

Shamus joined our family during the first year of our marriage, more than a decade before our son made an appearance, and moved from New York to Kentucky with us.

She was the sweetest, most loving dog imaginable but then she was a lab and we know that is part of their nature. When she was younger my husband would take her hunting and she loved to hunt so much despite being lazy. However, I always swore that made her a better retriever because she didn’t want to waste a step! She was such an agreeable dog that my husband said she was the best dog he’d ever had; she was so eager-to-please (another lab trait) that she was a joy to train.

During the last years of her life she steadily grew weaker and struggled with many health issues but she was still so loving and uncomplaining. It was very difficult for us as we watched her decline and I dreaded being forced to make a decision, but in the end she made that decision on her own. Despite the many months of knowing her death was coming it was still so very hard to say good-bye. It was even more difficult to know that the world contains one less gentle heart and one less being that loves me.

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QUESTIONS (answers below)

1. According to tests made at the Institute for the Study of Animal Problems in Washington, D.C., dogs and cats, just like people…

A. Worry about what they will wear to work in the morning.
B. Enjoy reading while eating breakfast.
C. Need a retirement plan.
D. Are either right-handed or left-handed-or rather favor either their right or left paws.

2. Jackals are different from dogs and wolves in what way?

A. They live on a different continent.
B. They are really alien life forms.
C. They are canids.
D. They have one more pair of chromosomes.

3. Most dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with their ears. However, a few breeds have only about 10 expressions. Can you name those breeds?

A. Bulldogs and Pitbulls
B. Labrador and Golden retrievers
C. Poodles and Dachshunds
D. Beagles and Chihuahuas

4. The fear of dogs and/or rabies is called what?

A. Rabodogophobia
B. Dogophobia
C. Cynophobia
D. Canophobia

5. Of the more than 300 breeds of dogs that exist worldwide, how many does the American Kennel Club recognize?

A. 300
B. 212
C. 145
D. 101

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If your dog could talk, these are some of most important things she would like to tell you…

1. My life will probably only last 7 to 14 years. It will hurt me more than you know if I have to be away from you for longer than a day or two.

2. If you have patience with me and give me time to learn what you would like from me, I can promise you, you will never be disappointed.

3. Trust me with your life and have faith in our future together. If I don’t feel that you honestly believe in me, I will suffer great emotional stress. My sense of self-worth is totally dependent upon your confidence in me.
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You have no doubt seen a blind person being lead across a busy intersection by a Seeing Eye dog. These functional companions have been used to help handicapped people become independent for years. Nobody knows exactly when the concept of a Seeing Eye dog came into existence but it has been suggested that dogs have been used in such a capacity in various cultures for a very long time. It is known, however, that there was no formal guide dog program in existence until after the First World War.

Why German Shepherds?

Many people have probably wondered why guide dogs and Seeing Eye dogs are so often German Shepherds. There are two reasons. First, the German Shepherd has a strong sense of loyalty to its owner, giving it natural protective tendencies. Having a very protective dog as a companion is an obvious asset for someone who may otherwise be easily attacked by someone with bad intentions. The second reason is far simpler; the first guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired were trained in Germany to provided assistance for those blinded in the war.

After the end of World War I, Germany was in a state of financial depression. Many private businesses failed and the Potsdam, Germany school that trained the guide dogs for the blind was one of them.

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You may be wondering, “How can I possibly do resistance training with my dog?” Well, here are a few exercises you can do with the aid of your faithful furry companion.

1. Leg raises - if you have a male dog, he’s probably already shown you how to do this one.

2. Abdominal crunches with a paw on your forehead - laying down on the floor and grunting in pain can cause your dog to do it’s own investigation to find out if you’re all right. The scratch marks across your forehead are simply a byproduct of that concern.

3. Deadlifts - if your dog has any inkling that you’re taking him to the vet or someplace else he doesn’t want to go and you’ve had to scrape him up off the floor to get him in the car, you’ve just done a lift.

4. Pull-ups - this involves pulling up furniture, rugs, carpets, clothes, etc. to pick up all the fur that gets into the strangest of places.

5. Pushdowns - one for the overly-enthusiastic dinnertime beggar.

6. Lunges - when you’re trying to grab her for a bath.

One final word of advice when doing resistance training with your dog is never yell out “Spot me!” if your dog is not housetrained. It’s a mistake you’ll make only once.

Pet Horoscopes - Discovering Your Pet’s Inner Soul If you know your pet’s birth date, it may be entertaining as well as helpful to read you pet’s horoscope. Just as people enjoy a bit of fun fortune or predictions and advisement involving our daily lives, current affairs, and those events yet to happen, your pet’s behaviors can be predicted too! If you know the birth date of your pet, you can easily look up their horoscope. Many daily pet horoscopes can be found on the internet for free. For detailed information, some will ask for an additional fee. The names and a short description of some well-known online pet horoscope websites include:

Pet Natal Chart - describes your dog’s personality

Russel Grant’s Pet Horoscope - daily horoscopes based on astrological sign, delivered to your personal e-mail or cell phone.

Winky’s Pet Horoscope - monthly horoscopes generically produced for all types of pets.

Mysti’s Pet Forum.com - daily horoscopes based on mixing signs, numerology and astrology charts; even the ‘birthday pet’ gets a special prediction. The entertainment value of a pet horoscope is more than a fun way to guess what’s in your pet’s mind. It also allows you to be more attuned to your pet’s behaviors, needs, and motives. A general description of personality traits according your pet’s birthday, their pet horoscope, is as follows; ARIES: (3/21-4/20) Aries pets are always bursting with energy. They love attention, petting and cuddling and are never shy. In fact, it may be hard to keep up with these hyperactive animals. Quick tempered, they are not the type to back down from a fight. They are easily embarrassed, so don’t scold them in public. Reward good behavior with a special snack. Never give your pet “people food.” Strong flavored and spicy treats are their favorite. The most difficult aspect of keeping an Aries pet is to get them to obey you. They may be difficult to housebreak. Firmness, a schedule, and repetition is what is needed.

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“Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.” — Ann Landers

A year ago, almost to the day, I had an epiphany while exercising at my local gym. I was on a treadmill sweating along with about 30 other people, glued to the latest CNN horrors on the big-screen, when I glanced outside at the absolutely gorgeous spring day.

That was the precise moment when I decided to get a dog.

Okay, it wasn’t the “precise” moment, because I had been toying with the idea for almost a year. But up until that moment last year on the treadmill, I felt there was really no good reason to get a dog other than to complicate my already busy life and to add another mouth to feed along with our 2 children, 4 guinea pigs, 3 cats, 3 fish, and a then-leased horse for our daughter.

But the more I looked outside that day, the more I wanted to be out there, walking, maybe even jogging, alongside a furry devoted friend. Yes, the dog would have a purpose - it would be my walking dog! An exercise dog. A reason to get out of that stuffy gym and into the great outdoors! After all, what was the point of living in scenic New England if I rarely got outside to enjoy it? And I never walked in the woods alone - my New York mentality and paranoia would not allow it — my heart raced with every squirrel or bird that snapped a twig or rustled a leaf. My dog would be my protector - at least a deterrent — against any would-be assassin/rapist/kidnapper lurking in the woods.

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Dogs, aside from being his best friend has also served man in so many useful and varied ways - from shepherding, to cattle rustling, to rescue, and protecting property. It doesn’t come as a surprise that they also are able to assist those who cannot get about by themselves. Assistance dogs are specially trained dogs that serve to complement, assist, and aid those that may have some sort of limitation. They have also become indispensable to some who have difficulty with mobility due to some disability.

Below are a few ways dogs have truly become man’s best friend as assistance dogs.

Guide Dogs:
When you mention assistance dogs, this is the first function they perform that comes to mind. These types of dogs help those who have visual impairment and help them move about conveniently. They help these people cross roads, climb stairs, and find their way around a place. They are usually able to help these people manage even potentially hazardous areas.

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If you can start the day without caffeine

If you can get going without pep pills,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

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