Today is a bittersweet day here.  It is the 10 year anniversary of having to put down my first cat, Pookie.  Pookie taught me a lot about animals, especially cats.  And this Valentine’s Day is the first one without my perpetual puppy, Teddy.  To honor these two, I’d like to share with you Pookie’s beautiful picture and the post Teddy wrote last year about Pets and Valentine’s Day.

It is possible for a person to simultaneously hold two such contrasting emotions as I do today: missing Pookie and Teddy and wishing all of you a wonderful, harmony filled Valentine’s Day.  The secret to this is to honor both emotions, and to ride the flow of the emotions.

May you have a glorious Valentine’s Day!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

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Faith n Begorrah, ’tis St. Paddy’s Day!  And who better to send you well wishes on this day than an orange tabby cat?

Harmony,

Janet Roper

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Wishing all of you and the animals in your life a wonderful, healthy and prosperous 2009!

Harmony,

Janet Roper,

Horse Shiloh, dogs Emmie & Teddy, cat Billy, Mitzie & Raven

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Talk2theAnimals wishes you a very wonderful Christmas Day.  I know I’ve mentioned this dog video a few times, but it always reminds me of the joyous spirit of the holidays!

Blessings and Harmony to All

Janet Roper,

Horse Shiloh, Dogs Emmie & Teddy, Cats Billy, Mitzie & Rave

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Ho, ho, ho!  ‘Tis the season to play holiday music and Christmas carols.  Being a musician, I started wondering just how many times are animals mentioned in seasonal music?  Here’s a smattering of what I discovered.  I’ve sometimes mentioned my favorite arrangement, and all the music is available at iTunes.

Reindeer was the top contender:

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  So many arrangements of this to choose from!  My favorites are Jewel’s and Bing Crosby with Ella Fitzgerald.
• The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire).  The song asks if reindeer really know how to fly.
• Up On the Housetop.  Reindeer pause….
• Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
• Here Comes Santa Claus.  Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer are pulling on the reins.
• The Holly & the Ivy.  Doesn’t mention reindeer, but the running of the deer

How about a horse?

• Jingle Bells Dashing through the snow On a one-horse open sleigh,
• Jingle Bell Rock. Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
• Sleigh Ride.  Horse is not specifically mentioned, but certainly implied!

Frogs and Bugs?

• Nuttin For Christmas. I hid a frog in sister’s bed;……I made Tommy eat a bug

Sheep are mentioned a lot.

• While Shepherds Watch their Flock by Night
• Little Drummer Boy.  The ox and lamb kept time
• The First Noel.   …in a field where they lay keeping their sheep
• Do You Hear What I Hear.  Said the night wind to the little lamb

Cattle

• Away in a Manger.  The cattle are lowing

How about some mice?

• Twas the Night Before Christmas. No creature was stirring not even a mouse

Now for some birds.

• Winter Wonderland. Gone away is the bluebird, here to stay is the new bird

What’s a Christmas song without a hippopotamus?

• I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.  Title says it all!

And the song which includes an entire menagerie…..My favorite, absolute favorite rendition of this is done by The Muppets….of course!

• The Twelve Days of Christmas.
  Eight maids a milking, (cows or goats implied),Seven swans a swimming, Six geese a laying,
  Four calling birds, Three French Hens, Two turtle doves And a Partridge in a pear tree.

I hope you enjoy these tunes!  If you know of any others holiday songs mentioning animals, pass them along, please.

Harmony,

Janet Roper

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Hey Ho, Teddy here!  Dog pals, have you noticed that I’ve been adding a lot to this blog lately?  Pretty neat, huh.  I might even have to change the title of my posts, cuz I’m writing about more than going to our dog park!  HA!  But I have important things to say, and I’m asking you dog pals to bark this message to your humans!

Dog pals, I know all us animals are cute and cuddly and adorable, but you know what? The holidays are coming up and sometimes people want to give other people pets for gifts!

You know what, dog pals?  Pets and gifts are not synonymous.  HA!  That’s a really big word I just learned, so I’m using it on all you dog pals.  You can use it too, I’ll let you.  Anyway, that’s just a fancy way of saying we pets are not the same as gifts.  And it’s not a good idea to give pets as gifts.  Here’s why, dog pals, I’ll tell ya:

• We pets take a lot of care because we deserve the very best!  HA!  The person may not be ready for or up to taking care of us the way we need to be taken care of.
• We pets can live a long time.  Look at me, dog pals.  Would you believe I’m fifteen years old?  And I got some good years left, let me tell you.  HA!  So we can cost a lot, what with treats and food and training and vet bills and toys and did I say treats?  We can be pretty spendy and not everyone can afford us, especially if they’re on something called a fixed income.
• And dog pals, don’t you think that humans might prefer to pick out their own pet?  I mean, what if one human gave another human a dog pal, and the human receiving the dog pal actually wanted a bird or a fish?  That wouldn’t be good dog pals, not good at all.
• Here’s another thing, dog pals.  Sometimes human parents give their kids cute little puppies, cuz the puppies are cute!  But you know, dog pals, that cuteness changes and when we dog pals get older–we’re cute in a different way!  What I’m saying, dog pals, is that the cuteness can wear off when the kids realize how much work we can be!  Like taking us for walks, and letting us go outside when we need to, and remembering to keep our water bowl filled with fresh water and feeding us and training us.  You know, dog pals, all that A+ good service that we need and deserve and expect!  HA!
• Besides all of that stuff, dog pals, bringing a pet into a family works best if it is a family decision, and a lot of thought and planning is given as to what kind of pet would make that family complete!  And who’s going to do the training, and the feeding, and the treats.  Don’t forget the treats!  HA!

So dog pals, long story short, bark it out to everyone you know, yes even cats, to tell all the humans they know not to give us pets as gifts.  If they want their human friend to have a pet, tell ‘em to give that person a gift certificate to a humane society or a rescue organization.  That’ll help everybody!

See ya, dog pals.  Good talking with ya, as always!

Over & Out,

Teddy

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Dear Pets,

My name is Janet Roper and I Talk2theAnimals.  Simply put, I tell your humans what you ask me to tell them, and I tell you what they ask me to tell you.  It’s fun, and I enjoy talking with all of you and helping you and your human renew your relationship!

My horse Shiloh has already reminded me special pets get special treats at this special time of the year.  And he’s right!  His comment got me to thinking, what would be the perfect gift for any pet this holiday season?

Here’s what I came up with: ‘Human’ communication gift certificates so you can tell your human what’s on your mind, and so you will know exactly what’s on their mind!  Two way communication – it’s a great thing!

I know all pets know the benefits of a good relationship through open communication, so I’ll list the benefits to remind your humans:

♥ learning what your friend has to tell you
♥ deepening and improving your relationship with your companion
♥ understanding your companion’s needs and feelings
♥ discovering possible explanations for communication misunderstandings

Pets, you can tell your humans a ‘human’ communication gift certificate is just the gift YOU want!  Bark, meow, tweet, hiss and neigh to tell them to email me with ‘Human Communication Gift Certificate’ as the subject line and we’ll get it all set up.  Won’t it be fun to finally be able to share with your human everything you’ve been thinking about?

(Humans, shhhhh, don’t tell your pets about the ‘human’ communication gift certificate you’re gifting them!  Let it be a surprise!)

Thanks for listening, Pets. Talk to you all soon!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

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I’m happy to introduce you to Therese at PetSitUSA, our guest blogger.  Therese can be found at PetSitUsa and in today’s post she offers some excellent tips, hints and insights about pets and the holiday season.

The holiday season is here again, and so is all the frenzy and excitement that comes along with it. With everything that goes into making the holidays special it’s easy to get overwhelmed and let things slip through the cracks. When it comes to our pets though, it’s important to keep their safety in mind. All it takes is a little bit of planning and preparation to keep your pets safe during the holidays, and here are a few tips to help get you started.

• Stabilize your Christmas tree by tying it to a railing or even a hook in the ceiling. Cats are notorious for climbing trees, inside or out, and even the smallest cat may be able to knock a tree down, causing broken ornaments and/or furniture, electrical problems and more. Tying your tree in place will make it harder for a pet to tip over.
• If possible, put your Christmas tree in a room you can close or block your pets out of when you go to bed or leave your house. If that’s not possible, put all ornaments and lights up high enough that your pets won’t be able to get to them.
• Christmas tree water can make your pets sick, so be sure to block the tree stand if you use a real tree. An e-collar works great for this purpose. It can be wrapped around the base of the tree, including the water pan. Then to hide it, wrap a sheet or tree skirt around it.
• Don’t use tinsel, especially if you have cats. Most cats will swallow tinsel, which can cause obstructions in the intestines and become a life-threatening situation.
• Poinsettias, mistletoe, and other plants are poisonous to pets and should be kept out of their reach.
• Unplug holiday lights when you’re not around to supervise your pets. Just turning them off isn’t good enough – unplug them. Even when the lights are off pets can become interested in the cords and the lights themselves, and bite or chew them. (Remember the charred cat in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?)
• Keep lit candles in a place where your pets cannot get near them.
• Be sure any outdoor decorations are out of reach of any outdoor pets.
• If your community celebrates the new year with fireworks, be sure your pet is inside. Fireworks frighten many pets and if they’re outside they may get out of their yard in an attempt to escape the noise.
• Keep the holiday treats out of your pets’ reach. You may not like Grandma’s fruit cake, but your dog may think it’s the next best thing to raw meaty bones! Anything containing chocolate, sugar, artificial sweetener, and many of the foods we gain weight on during the holidays can be very bad for your pets.
• If you have a party during the holidays, make sure your pets have a secure place to be away from your guests. A bedroom with soft music is ideal. However, if your pets are social and want to be around your guests, make sure everyone knows not to feed your pets. It’s also a good idea to use a baby gate or some other barrier at your front door so your pets don’t get out as your guests come and go.
• If you’re leaving for the holidays and a pet sitter or someone else will be caring for your pets be sure to put any decorations away that may be dangerous. Keep in mind that even the most well behaved pets may get bored and get into things they normally wouldn’t get into if you were around.

Ultimately the main thing to do is to think twice about how and where you use your holiday decorations. While you and the kids may admire them as the most beautiful things on earth, your pets may have a different idea. Sure, they may think they’re wonderful, but instead of standing back to admire everything, they’ll probably want to get up close and personal. This means your pets will investigate everything with their nose, mouth, and paws which can result in injuries and/or illness. So, as you deck the halls, look at your decorations carefully and consider how your pet may react to them. If you think something may be a potential danger, think twice about using it, or whether it might even be best to pack it up in a box and put it back in the attic.

Sometimes even the best preparations don’t prevent accidents from happening, and this goes for any time of the year, not just during the holidays. So, to save time if there is an accident, keep your veterinarian’s phone number handy and know where the nearest emergency animal clinic is located. You’ll also want to keep the number of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, 888-426-4435. Write all the info down and tape it to the inside of a kitchen cabinet, so it’s easy to find.

With a little bit of planning you and your pets should be able to breeze through the holidays safely and have a wonderful time.

Happy Holidays to you and your pets!

About the author:

Therese Kopiwoda started her pet sitting career in 2001, when she established LucyGirl Pet Sitting in Austin, Texas. Then, in 2003, she founded PetsitUSA.com, which is an online pet sitter directory and industry resource for professional pet sitters, dog walkers, dog runners, and dog daycares. She also owns The Pet Food List, teaches pet first aid, and is the Editorial Director for Wishbones for Pets (a pet sitter sponsored pet charity drive). Therese shares her home with Tequila, a lynx point Siamese; Archie, a border collie; Lydia, an Australian Shepherd mix. Therese can be found on Twitter, Plurk, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and StumbleUpon.

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/theresek
Myspace – http://www.myspace.com/petsitusa
Twitter http://twitter.com/petsitusa
Stumble http://petsitusa.stumbleupon.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/people/Therese-Kopiwoda/640442513?

Thanks, Therese, for sharing your excellent tips and insights on holiday pet safety!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

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Recently I began wondering what Turkey has to say about our custom and holiday of Thanksgiving.  With Thanksgiving only 24 hours away, I thought this would be an opportune time to hear what Turkey has to say.

JR:  Hello Turkey.  You play a prominent role in our holiday of Thanksgiving, providing millions of people with food on that day.  Are you willing to share your thoughts with us about that?

Turkey: We are proud to be a part of a day that is about sharing what you have with others.  That is what we Turkeys do, we share ourselves with you, we share in the continuity of Nature.  We share whole-heartedly, we give what we can.  We offer ourselves to you in a fullness that is not often seen in your human world.  We offer ourselves with no strings attached.

We are saddened by the lack of sharing we see with humans.  That is not as it is meant to be.  It is not meant for some to have while others do not.  It is not meant that some go without.  That is not natural, nor is it Natural.

In your world, it is not even some who go without, but many who go without.

We Turkeys now offer ourselves in a new way to you.  We offer ourselves as teachers, so that you can see what it means to share, you can learn from us, and you can share with us and all.

We ask:
As you prepare us for your dinner, do so in a loving, respectful manner.  Remember it is with grace that we come to you, it is with grace that you offer us to others and go to others.  You willingly share our grace with you.

As you partake of us during your dinner, ingest our spirit of cooperation and abundance, as well as the nutrition we offer.  We offer you spiritual nutrition, not only physical nutrition.

After you have finished with us, be mindful we are not finished with you.  Because you have ingested not only our physical self but our spirit self, we remain with you.  We ask that you become conscious of how you share with others.  Do you do so in a spirit of thanksgiving?  Do you share from spite, or guilt or manipulation?  Do you share less than whole-heartedly?  Are you aware of those without? Are you glutinous, giving no thoughts of others, or sharing with others?  Do you carry the idea of Thanksgiving Day forward so that each day is thanksgiving day?

We say this, not to scold you, not to reprimand you, but to enlighten you.  We say this to in-light-in-you.  We are willing to share our innate light and guidance with you.  When you possess in-light, as we do, it is only natural that you will begin to share so whole-heartedly with others, as we do.

Thank you, Turkey, for sharing your wisdom.  We are grateful for that.

Harmony,

Janet Roper

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