"The Blessing of the Animals"

 

Today, October 4,  is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and has been set aside for “The Blessing of Animals”.  Many people will be lining up at their church with their favorite pet by their side to have it blessed by the priest.  What a wonderful feeling it is to have your furry friend blessed with good health.  There are many animals in this world of ours that do not have good health, a nice warm place to nestle down for the night or a companion who loves them and sees that they are well fed.   

Since we cannot provide for every animal the love, protection and security they deserve; we can do our best to see that the special ones we have chosen to care for are safe and secure.  Today and everyday take good care of your pet and see that he is protected from the outside forces of nature. There are many good and effective ways to keep your pet safe.  The larger pets requiring outdoor containment systems give the owner options from various sized kennels, tracking collars, to electric fence systems.  Smaller pets which are kept inside need a crate designed to accommodate their particular built.  You want to be sure that he can stand up and turn around in it with ease.   

For such an occasion as “The Blessing of Animals” where many pets will be brought together, please have the little ones in an appropriate carrier. A lightweight carrier is a necessity while standing in line and will provide the safety and security your pet deserves.  They offer protection from the weather at the same time providing plenty of ventilation and allow your pet freedom of movement without being traumatized by the other animals.  Pet Carriers can be very stylish and if made of durable quilted nylon material they will last a long time.  Look for a carrier that has top and side entry doors which make for easy loading and unloading of your pet. 

Make today a special day for your pet and give him extra love.  They deserve and have earned the right to special attention for the unconditional love and devotion they give us every day. Keep your furry friend in a kennel or crate that is clean and properly suited to his needs.  It is my prayer that your devoted companions have good health throughout the coming year. 

Crates are Great Training Tools for Your Dog

We know that our dogs have been found to improve the immune system and reduce blood pressure as well as other health benefits. Canines have been trained to assist the blind, help with the rescue of trapped individuals, sniff out drugs; and work with the law enforcement to curb crime. Another idea has been presented and that is to increase your child’s language skills by reading to the family pet.

A dog crate can be a great tool in training your dog to be patient. What better way to teach your dog to sit in one place for a short period of time than in his kennel with a small child sitting near by reading him a story. Learning to read without being embarrassed about how you pronounce a word or if you miss a page makes learning exciting and fun for a child. It promotes self esteem and makes the child feel important and that he is in control. It also gives parents a break, they know where the dog is and they can hear where the child is. Putting this into practice everyday; teaches the dog patience, builds your child’s self-esteem and thus benefits the whole family.

Studies have shown that using dogs as reading partners for children will increase their language studies and improve their report card. I quote, “Dogs not only help children learn to read, they help children learn to love reading” says Michael Amini coauthor with his wife, Linda, of the children’s book, Shellie, the Magical dog (www.shellietremagicaldog.com). “And that’s true for children with and without learning disabilities.”

PAWSitive Readers, a Minnesota pilot program to help children to read found that dogs helped 10 out of 14 grade-school children to increase their reading skills by one grade level. Across the coast at the University of California a study of children who read to their family dog improved their reading skills by an average of 12 percent.

Crate or kennel time can be fun for the dog and a Win-win situation for the entire family. Your dog will learn to have patience and discipline while your child steps into a world where schoolwork becomes fun. Most children like to play teacher and what better way than to have a loving companion who enjoys the sound of a calm voice telling them a story.

Dogs are excellent listeners since they are unconditional in their love and nonjudgmental; but best of all they will not laugh if and when we make a mistake. If you let it become a ritual to have the dog go to his kennel for reading time; there will be no need to shut the door as he will look forward to the one on one time.