I love dogs......
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The Jungle
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I love dogs......
I love dogs. Of all of God's creatures, I love them best. I hate to admit that I have this bias but I do.
I had a great dog named Oscar. We called him Oz or Ozman. He was a German Shepherd and I swear he could read my mind. He trusted me. And I have no doubt that he would have given his life for me if the need had arisen.
One of the many tricks that Oz would perform is the ol' treat on the nose trick. I would place a biscuit on his nose and tell him to wait for it.........wait for it.......wait for it.......and he would. He waited until I gave him the ok and he'd toss it in the air and eat it enthusiastically. He trusted me.....he knew I'd give him the ok to eat that biscuit eventually.
So.....what the heck does this have to do with my recovery? I have to ask myself......do I trust my Higher Power (whom I choose to call God) as much as Oz trusted me? Will I wait patiently turning my will and my trust over to Him? I haven't done that well in my past. But Oz, my beautiful German Shepherd, left a lasting impression on my heart and taught me so much about how to trust and how to love and how to be patient.
I'll keep praying. I'll keep waiting with an open and loving heart......just like Oz. I'll trust my Higher Power to guide me each and every day. I'll turn my life and my will over.......because I can't do it alone.
I don't think it's a coincidence that dog is God spelled backwards and I hope I didn't offend anyone with that. The God of my understanding gets it.
Have a great day everyone. I love you all.
gentle hugs
ke
I had a great dog named Oscar. We called him Oz or Ozman. He was a German Shepherd and I swear he could read my mind. He trusted me. And I have no doubt that he would have given his life for me if the need had arisen.
One of the many tricks that Oz would perform is the ol' treat on the nose trick. I would place a biscuit on his nose and tell him to wait for it.........wait for it.......wait for it.......and he would. He waited until I gave him the ok and he'd toss it in the air and eat it enthusiastically. He trusted me.....he knew I'd give him the ok to eat that biscuit eventually.
So.....what the heck does this have to do with my recovery? I have to ask myself......do I trust my Higher Power (whom I choose to call God) as much as Oz trusted me? Will I wait patiently turning my will and my trust over to Him? I haven't done that well in my past. But Oz, my beautiful German Shepherd, left a lasting impression on my heart and taught me so much about how to trust and how to love and how to be patient.
I'll keep praying. I'll keep waiting with an open and loving heart......just like Oz. I'll trust my Higher Power to guide me each and every day. I'll turn my life and my will over.......because I can't do it alone.
I don't think it's a coincidence that dog is God spelled backwards and I hope I didn't offend anyone with that. The God of my understanding gets it.
Have a great day everyone. I love you all.
gentle hugs
ke
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Cleveland, OH
Posts: 1,191
Gotta agree with you! I think dogs are the best example of the type of unconditional love that God has for us.
For example, when I get home from work after being gone for 9 hours, my dogs are just overwhelmed with joy they pace around the house, tails wagging and usualy bring me a toy. After I let them out and they come back in, I leave and walk down the driveway to get the mail. Doesn't take any more than 60 seconds. What do the dogs do when I come back in? The same thing they did when I came in from being gone for 9 hours! They're just so happy Ive returned.
I think God is the same way. Almost daily I play the role of the Prodigal Son and get off track from where He wants me to be. Inevitably I catch myself and turn back towards Him. I think regardless of how long or how far we get off track, God always rejoices when one of his kids returns. Good stuff!
For example, when I get home from work after being gone for 9 hours, my dogs are just overwhelmed with joy they pace around the house, tails wagging and usualy bring me a toy. After I let them out and they come back in, I leave and walk down the driveway to get the mail. Doesn't take any more than 60 seconds. What do the dogs do when I come back in? The same thing they did when I came in from being gone for 9 hours! They're just so happy Ive returned.
I think God is the same way. Almost daily I play the role of the Prodigal Son and get off track from where He wants me to be. Inevitably I catch myself and turn back towards Him. I think regardless of how long or how far we get off track, God always rejoices when one of his kids returns. Good stuff!
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 499
Dogs mean everything to me, I really don't know what I would do without them. In some ways it's almost like I took all of that desire to improve my family, to make them into people who love themselves and can love other people, and I put it all into a dog. Over and over again.
Dogs come into the rescue system in all sorts of shape, but rarely are they perfect, well-behaved dogs with a repertoire of tricks - people don't abandon dogs that have already had all of that training put into them. People abandon dogs because they think that dogs just magically become those well-trained dogs of their fantasy without loads of effort, and then they're surprised when Roscoe pees all over everything and tears up the couch even though they have made little effort to train him otherwise. So Roscoe is a goner.
But I learned that I can fix Roscoe, and many more just like him. If I can help these down and out dogs become the dogs people want, instead of the ones they throw away, then I can help them find loving forever homes. I can't make my sister or my cousins stop using drugs, I can't stop my family from enabling them, I can't change that I was raised by addicts surrounded by the dysfunction of addiction, but I can teach Roscoe how to get the remote control - and who doesn't want a dog that can bring you the remote?!
The sensitivity and dedication to helping those that society has thrown away, the patience for failure, the boundless love, the traits that, as codependents, come naturally to us, turn out to be excellent skills for working with dogs. I honestly think that working with dogs helped me grow and improve right along with the dogs I was working with. Just like that bumper sticker says: "Who saved who?"
Dogs come into the rescue system in all sorts of shape, but rarely are they perfect, well-behaved dogs with a repertoire of tricks - people don't abandon dogs that have already had all of that training put into them. People abandon dogs because they think that dogs just magically become those well-trained dogs of their fantasy without loads of effort, and then they're surprised when Roscoe pees all over everything and tears up the couch even though they have made little effort to train him otherwise. So Roscoe is a goner.
But I learned that I can fix Roscoe, and many more just like him. If I can help these down and out dogs become the dogs people want, instead of the ones they throw away, then I can help them find loving forever homes. I can't make my sister or my cousins stop using drugs, I can't stop my family from enabling them, I can't change that I was raised by addicts surrounded by the dysfunction of addiction, but I can teach Roscoe how to get the remote control - and who doesn't want a dog that can bring you the remote?!
The sensitivity and dedication to helping those that society has thrown away, the patience for failure, the boundless love, the traits that, as codependents, come naturally to us, turn out to be excellent skills for working with dogs. I honestly think that working with dogs helped me grow and improve right along with the dogs I was working with. Just like that bumper sticker says: "Who saved who?"
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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Beautifully put, KE. I love dogs and cats so much as well and don't know what I would have done without my 5 animals. They sure teach us about trust and unconditional love. No grudges, no sulking because they can't have their way, just always ready with forgiveness.
Have you seen the movie or read the book Life of Pi yet , KE?
Have you seen the movie or read the book Life of Pi yet , KE?
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 3,335
I just got a new puppy! I guess I didn't have enough stress in my life with a demanding job, raising a seven year old boy on my own, and a big possesive cat. What was I thinking!
The pup's name is Rocco and he's 5 months old. He's a bijon frise and shih tzu mix. I grew up with dogs but I've never had one myself and it's a LOT of work. This potty training this is for the birds. Human babies are easier. I live in a high rise condo and everytime I have to take him out to go potty it takes about an hour. I have a more than fulltime job and I've been playing a lot of hooky this week trying to get a handle on this but so far I still don't have a grip. Today while I was at work he had a "big" accident in his kennel. That was a nightmare to clean up. Tonight I removed all our furniture from our breakfast nook and built him a little pen with lots and lots of puppy pads. I don't know what else to do. He just can't hold it for 6-8 hours. I don't blame him.
He is so cute and cuddly. He just fell asleep in my lap and he's snoring as I try to type this post. I tried to post a picture but I can't figure out how.
Any hints on puppy potty training?
The pup's name is Rocco and he's 5 months old. He's a bijon frise and shih tzu mix. I grew up with dogs but I've never had one myself and it's a LOT of work. This potty training this is for the birds. Human babies are easier. I live in a high rise condo and everytime I have to take him out to go potty it takes about an hour. I have a more than fulltime job and I've been playing a lot of hooky this week trying to get a handle on this but so far I still don't have a grip. Today while I was at work he had a "big" accident in his kennel. That was a nightmare to clean up. Tonight I removed all our furniture from our breakfast nook and built him a little pen with lots and lots of puppy pads. I don't know what else to do. He just can't hold it for 6-8 hours. I don't blame him.
He is so cute and cuddly. He just fell asleep in my lap and he's snoring as I try to type this post. I tried to post a picture but I can't figure out how.
Any hints on puppy potty training?
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Eastern Time Zone
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Great Kindeyes: Yes, dog is God spelled backwards.
Speaking of which, go to YouTube and search for "God and Dog" by Wendy somebody. Just a little two-minute video/song about her observations about her canine friend and her Higher Power.
Tell me what you think!!
Sojourner
Speaking of which, go to YouTube and search for "God and Dog" by Wendy somebody. Just a little two-minute video/song about her observations about her canine friend and her Higher Power.
Tell me what you think!!
Sojourner
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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I loved it sojourner! Now lets see if I can get a link to work so others can see it.
GoD And DoG by Wendy J Francisco - YouTube
Enjoy.
gentle hugs
ke
GoD And DoG by Wendy J Francisco - YouTube
Enjoy.
gentle hugs
ke
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: In the present
Posts: 30
My dogs were a godsend to me. It is when my AH was gone for all hours of the night that I formed such a bond with them. Dogs are always happy to see you, they don't talk back and they could care less what your hair looks like! Gods greatest creation in my opinion.
Interrupted, love your post. I too have gotten involved in dog psychology through volunteering at my local shelter and it is very rewarding. I look at no dog as untrainable, just takes someone with patience to make it happen.
Interrupted, love your post. I too have gotten involved in dog psychology through volunteering at my local shelter and it is very rewarding. I look at no dog as untrainable, just takes someone with patience to make it happen.
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