January 4, 2009, Open your mind in 2009

Open your mind in 2009

I have a love/hate relationship with New Year resolutions. On one hand, it’s a new beginning, a chance to start over fresh, a chance to right the wrongs of last year, resolving to do things better. On the other hand, it’s too darned easy to break those resolutions. Change is difficult for all of us. Old habits ingrained in our minds take a long time and a lot of work to change them.
Last year I resolved to do more things with my dogs. I didn’t follow through with that exactly as I had planned, but I did do more things with them. Jasmine did get to do agility and she loves it. I plan to continue that. I resolved to think like a dog and live in the moment. Appreciate today; you never know what tomorrow will bring. I am working on that one still, but it’s coming along.
This year I’m putting in a little more effort on me. What is it with women over 40? Every woman over 40 that I know hits that mark makes life changes and vows to do more things for herself. Maybe it’s hormonal, but I too am finding myself eager to do more for myself, and my well-being than ever before.
I have a client who teaches yoga in Williamsport and I’m signing up for her class next week. I can’t wait to try something new, and work on peace, calmness, and learning to gear down my anxieties. I am also going to try, and I say try because it will not be easy for me, to eat healthier. Time is not a friend to me, and so I tend to take many shortcuts, which don’t necessarily mean healthy eating.
Organization is another biggie on my list this year. I seriously don’t know how some people manage this one. I am going to work extra hard on that and make it a habit. I don’t know too many perfect individuals who master this, but I want to be one!
I’ve already started feeding my pets holistic foods that are free of the bad stuff that so many popular brands have in them. I am already seeing the benefit in them with more energy, super shiny coats, no dry flaky skin, bright shining eyes and ears, and they just “glow”. I guess it’s time for me to follow suit. Not that I’m planning to eat their food, but I have to tell you, the stuff they eat is MUCH healthier than the stuff I eat.
I’ve had clients tell me when they die they hope they come back as my dog! That’s a sweet compliment but I have to tell you, it’s all about priorities. Everyone has to look at their lifestyle, decide what is most important, and decide where to spend their money. I choose to spend mine on what I think is the most important for my pets’ health, what they eat. You are what you eat my friend, and it shows up in ways you would never expect.
I looked at Dreamer my sheltie today, and noticed he has been making some changes. Have you ever looked at something or someone, and thought there is something different about them but you can’t quite put your finger on it? That thought occurred to me as I looked at him and then it hit me, he is so super shiny now, and wasn’t before. His coat just gleams and is wonderfully soft and it’s all from his diet.
I believe that if you feed a pet quality food, your pet will have better health, which equals fewer problems to see the vet for, which in turn equals savings. It’s hard to look ahead and see money savings when we all need our money now, but trust me it’s worth it.
Bogey is 14, Dreamer is 11ish, Jasmine is 4, Dixie my cat is 8, and then there is Butterscotch our kitten who is around 5 months old. I just keep seeing improvements in my old dogs, which is my goal. I want them to have a good quality of life, to be as healthy as I can possibly make them.
I also am doing alternative medicine for them as well with Dr. Alinovi of Hoofstock Vet Service in Pine Village. She does chiropractic treatments and I can see now the benefit of doing that with Jasmine even at her young age. She was blessed with poor conformation, all my pets are rescues, and I have no idea what kind of dogs were bred to make Jasmine but I do know that they had to have poor conformation too, or she wouldn’t be having the cruciate ligament problems (joints popping in her hind legs) that I see in so many dogs. While chiropractic treatments won’t fix her conformation, they can help stave off expensive surgery for her later in life.
This is why I get on my soapbox about breeding. If you do it right with animals that are OFA tested for congenital problems, and if they carry those traits, those dogs are spayed and neutered and aren’t allowed to breed; you produce puppies that won’t have to suffer with pain from these conditions and subsequently expensive surgery to correct the defects if possible. The problem is, nobody I know will do that, it’s all about the money, and nobody thinks ahead to the future of the dogs. So I choose to rescue, at least I do know what I’m getting myself into, I knew it when I saw Jasmine the first time. Those straight hind legs were going to be trouble later; I just didn’t think it would be this soon.
I’m just grateful Dr. Alinovi is around to help us out. I’m also grateful for my human chiropractor too!
My new mantra is “Open your mind in 2009”. Open your mind up to things you’ve never heard of, or didn’t think would work. You may be surprised to find out what you’ve been missing!
P.S. I’ve started a blog online, it has all my past articles in it you are welcome to go there anytime and read and comment. http://groomroompetspa.blogspot.com/
May you have a wonderful open-minded 2009!