Listener
November 4, 2009
News from Tom McMahon of AllVoices.com –
PETTING A DOG is soothing for both giver and receiver. It can lower your heart rate, calm you down, improve your mood and reduce stress. Researchers call it the “pet effect.” It’s no wonder that dogs “volunteer” in assisted living and nursing homes, children’s hospitals, libraries and schools.
The latest is the dog listener. “The philosophy is simple,” says Rachel Rodriguez in a recent CNN article. “Children who are just learning to read often feel judged or intimidated by classmates and adults. But reading to a dog isn’t so scary. It won’t judge, it won’t get impatient, it won’t laugh or correct if the child makes a mistake. In a nutshell, dogs are simply excellent listeners. And for shy kids or slow readers, that can make all the difference.” The dogs also can provide confidence.
Although some dogs are trained as a registered therapy dog, your own dog could become your child’s listener. Help them find a comfortable spot together. Let your child know that some dogs can still hear you when their eyes are closed. Happy reading with Fido! – Tom McMahon
Clever
September 4, 2009
I am a bit slow on happening upon the notion of teaching your dog to read. What a cute idea!
Bonnie Bergin, Ed.D. and Sharon Hogan have written an ebook, that shows you how to teach your dog to read – and how to be an all-round good dog person.
Naturally, I much prefer the idea of reading to your dog. Of course, being an advocate of reading stories to dogs I must confess a bias.
On the other paw, I personally enjoy reading to myself and someone reading a story to me. So maybe it is the same with dogs? LOL
I can see how you can teach a dog to read. A dog would recognize words just as they recognize any other shape – toy, bone and so on – and attach that sound to the shape/picture/item/thing.
But what a lot of work for a dog, although it would certainly be fun for dogs who love learning and who’re very biddable.
I hope the folks who are teaching their dogs to read will relax afterwards by reading a story to their dog. Wouldn’t that be nice? It’s only fair.
Weekend
August 22, 2009
Bliss. The weekend. Quiet time together. How lovely life is when you can have a person read you a bedtime story for dogs, close your eyes for a moment and let that moment drift on into a little nap, your head resting on a thigh and a warm arm around you.
Bubba and Donny have a peaceful, rejuvenating nap after reading Silly Dog from Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul which funnily enough, ends with “do you want a cuddle Bubba?”……. zzzzzz
Soul
August 13, 2009
Do dogs have souls?
Wait a minute – do we have souls? What is a soul exactly anyway? I love how Deepak Chopra describes “soul” in a recent article he wrote for Care2.com:
“The soul is best understood not as a wispy ghost but as your true self, present in you at this moment. You don’t see it, although when you feel the impulse of love, you have contacted it. There can be no doubt that you have a self, therefore to step onto a new level, that of your true self, is not actually so formidable a task.”
So, yes, I do believe dogs have souls. Otherwise I guess I wouldn’t have written a book of stories to read to them called Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul LOL.
Here’s what a few other random people have to say on the question ‘do dogs have souls?’:
“Dogs definitely have souls, no two ways about it. I don’t care what any church or religious group says, I know for a fact that dogs have souls. Here’s the proof for my point; any creature capable of overcoming its built-in programming (instincts) and acting against its own survival in an act of heroic self-sacrifice, must therefore possess a soul. If it were truly “just an animal” it could not, and would not be able to, defeat its in-born programmed “hard-wired” instincts, and thus would always fight to save itself instead of bravely sacrificing its life to save other animals and humans.
“There are countless examples of dogs who were not trained as rescue animals, yet who gladly gave up their own lives to save others, and that capacity for self-sacrifice is absolute proof of the presence of a soul.” /Gary, Ontario, Canada
“The dogs spirit is connected to god it is like an angel. A part of God’s soul is inside of the dog. When it dies it returns to who created it for further instruction. God is love, love is inside the pet, love never dies it is immortal and it remembers all love given and received.” /Jasmine, New Jersey, USA
“There is a wonderful book called “The Souls of Animals” by Gary Kowalski that is very enlightening.” /Fran, Illinois, USA
“Well have no idea really but hope they have… my dog was my best friend. I miss her…;-( /Ms D, UK
Dogs DO have souls. /Haley, Georgia, USA
Do you think dogs have souls?
Silence
June 30, 2009
There was a sharp-intake-of-breath-silence on the blog yesterday because … we received our proof copy of Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul from the beautiful people at Blurb Inc.
Gosh.
It is wonderful. We are impressed with ourselves. Good dogs! Em, good people!
After the fluttering hearts quietened a little we read a few stories to our canine tribe member, Bubba. He has already heard all of the stories, as chief canine story tester he has heard them a lot! However rather than be jaded he was all perky as usual when he heard the familiar beginning, “Hey Bubba! It’s story time! Do you want a story Bubba? Are you ready?
We must confess this is in no small part because Bubba knows that a story always ends with a treat or a massage or a walk or something similar.
Apart from the novelty factor, and our back patting, we wanted to see if the book felt OK to hold while reading it to your dog. If it was comfortable to have in one hand while cuddling your dog, having them on your lap, squashing you on the sofa, pawing at you and so on. Yes, it has passed the test!
Buddy Dog and Christmas Dog (rather unseasonally but we have a festive fairy lover of gifts in our midst) stories were requested. Hi-paws all round!
Now we have to woof proof it thoroughly and try not to slobber on it too much.
Woof
June 15, 2009
Woof – oops, since you’re not a dog, I’ll write in people-speak.
Here I am in the crucible of creating something magnificent. With my dog and three cats by my side.
I’m feeling a little trembly with the enormity of the responsibility so it’s comforting to look at my animal family and realise that this new world is for them, for them and their kin. And that I am just a channel for something bigger than me.
BIBLIOPET, my business baby, is a new niche publisher of gift books for pets. That’s right FOR pets. We will begin our celebration of pets with our charming gift book for dogs, Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul, a treasury of barkalicous stories for dog people to read to their dog.
Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul will be released on 1 July 2009. Until then I am hoping to write in our blog every day and keep you updated with any juicy details.
Let me say for now that the purpose of writing Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul is to give back to dogs. It is my deepest desire that a Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul story will be read to dogs throughout the world.
Pampered pooches, a child’s bestest friend, wise, old dogs who dodder around with wise, old folks, sick dogs, lonely dogs, dogs in shelters, dogs who are tired, dogs who are scared, dogs who are happy and dogs about to be euthanised. Dogs who live in packs of chaos, dogs who work for their food, dogs who guide people who can’t see, dogs who nuzzle the hands of people who are in hospital. Dogs who find bodies in snowdrifts, dogs who pull sleds, dogs who win Championships, dogs who save people’s lives.
I begin to think of the millions of ways that dogs have helped people and it is overwhelming. I am reminded of people including those who are depressed, addicted or lost who are given purpose as a dog owner and who find inner strength. A child who longs for a dog who is handed a puppy. A widow who is claimed by a local stray.
When I imagine a dog being read a Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul story I tear up. Yes! I really do. This is something very beautiful. An intimate way to celebrate our loves of dogs, and our gratitude.
We can never repay the love and loyalty, companionship and fun that dogs give us so authentically. But I do feel that by taking a few minutes to sit down with your dog and read them a story written just for them, there is a gift in that moment, a serenity of connectedness that is to be celebrated.
I look forward to sharing Beef Casserole for the Dog’s Soul with your dog, you and the world.
