8 State Hurricane Kate

What have dogs taught me about love, life, and myself? This question was posed on the Angel Animals Network today and here is my quick response:

Bandit taught me that sometimes the best friends will find you when you least expect them to, and that paying attention to them is important. Jump on a good opportunity when you see it because life is too short and you may not get the chance again. He also taught me to be a leader, because (bred to herd cattle) he is a “lead or get out of the way” kind of guy. I had to step up to maintain order in my household! I used to think that he waved the rubber chicken at me when I was trying to work because he wanted to play. But then I realized that he did it because he knew that *I* needed to play. He knows me so well!

Kate taught me that an old lost beaten down girl who survived a Louisiana hurricane and flood and was displaced halfway across the country could adapt. It wasn’t easy–everything was different–but she carried on. She taught me that starting over when you’re perhaps past the prime of your life isn’t easy, but you can do it. And you can do it with dignity and heart. She reminded me how important it is to socialize puppies and expose them to all kinds of different experiences when they’re young. A dog who hasn’t had those experiences has a much harder time with new things as an adult. Kate taught me that friends from all over the country and even the world will come forward to help me when I need them. I had to ask for help for Kate and she led me to many new friends. She also took me to new spiritual depths and introduced me to animal communication in a way that I hadn’t known before.

Kate

Chase taught me that another man’s trash would be my treasure. My friend Sarah, who I met through Kate, rescued Chase in Virginia from a man who was going to shoot him for chasing sheep. Chase is the sweetest, most sensitive dog who is so worried about making a mistake, because he knows that it could have cost him his life. Chase trusts me now and we have learned to work together to herd sheep so that he can express this wonderful talent without fearing for his life. He taught me that you can start over again and you can recover from abuse and violence to go back to being who you were meant to be. He is a very loving dog.

Cayenne taught me that a dog who is afraid of her own shadow can eventually bond to a person. Abandoned in the wilderness of Tennessee with her young littermates, Cay had never bonded with a person before. With time and patience and love, this dog who once cowered in the back of her travel crate and needed two people to pull her out, learned to smile and be happy, and run up to a person to be petted. She is wiggly and joyful now and approaches my friends to be petted. She taught me that the waiting is worthwhile. She loves me now and that is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.

Jenny, Chase, Cayenne, and Bandit