Who Are Your Animal Stress-Relievers?

Many studies of human-animal companionship show that people who have pets live longer, have lower blood pressure, are less lonely, and remain emotionally connected to the world around them. Petting an animal turns out to be one of nature's best stress-relievers.

One of our favorite ways to de-stress with pets is to laugh about the funny things they do. One of the main benefits we've received by sharing our home with animals is that they bring a smile to our faces every day.

In a world that seems to try and top itself each day with creative ways to add stress to life, animals with their honest playfulness and expressiveness, provide comic relief. When our dog and two cats roll over on their backs for tummy rubs or the bird spreads his wings as we compliment his beauty, our pets remind us to stop, notice, and smile.

We hope you had the chance last week to go to our cocker spaniel Leaf's three-minute video and new web page. At www.thisdogforpresident.com/video.html you'll have the chance to watch him in action along the campaign trail.

It's been so much fun to see the This Dog for President fan club grow on Facebook. Go to http://is.gd/3TpR to view photos of dogs and cats people are nominating in the race to the White House.

What do your pets do to make you laugh?

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On Wednesday Linda received over twenty insightful and touching questions about pet loss for the one-hour live chat she did on the Washington Post website. Read the transcript from the discussion "Advice for Pet Owners, Grieving the Death of a Pet at www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/discussion/2008/10/02/DI2008100203292.htmlor or http://is.gd/3IhJ

If you live in or will be visiting Minneapolis, you're invited to the book launch of ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION. It will be on Saturday, October 18, 1:00 p.m. at Borders, 1501 Plymouth Road in Minnetonka. Local contributors to the book will also be there. We'd all love to meet you.

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This week's story is a response we received to a blog we wrote about our dog Leaf. We wanted for you to read it because it may give you insight into your own pets' behavior and special gifts.

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STORY OF THE WEEK



WHO RULES YOUR HOUSE?
By Sue Tanida and Allen and Linda Anderson

A couple of weeks ago in this newsletter we wrote about how our dog Leaf tends to be an alpha guy at doggie day care and the dog park. He's not aggressive; just a natural leader.

Yet at home our two cats, Cuddles and Speedy, seem to tell Leaf what to do, especially with extended claws if he doesn't get it right away. We also noticed that our bird, Sunshine, squawks if he hears sounds at the door. Leaf comes running at the bird's command.

All of this made us wonder whether or not Leaf is only an alpha outside of our home.

Sue Tanida, an intuitive animal communicator, read our blog and wrote the following letter.

Linda and Allen,

I checked in with Leaf after reading about alpha. He wants you to know that despite what dog trainers say about dogs being pack animals and the alpha issue, and that the whole family is a pack, there are individual dogs who are more sophisticated.

There are those dogs who really obey ideas of pack mentality just as there are individual people who have creativity or ambition, and those who want to sleepwalk through life, working at mind-numbing jobs and being entertained all the time.

Leaf wants you to know that he is an intelligent and adaptable animal. If he's alerted to some danger by Sunshine, Leaf takes his job seriously. As a warning-dog, he will bark to carry on the message. Humans aren't necessarily alerted naturally by hearing a bird to know that there might be an intruder or something amiss.

He also said that Cuddles is NOT his boss, but that it's not nice to be hissed and swiped at. It's simply easier for him to defer to her.

He is proud to be alpha at doggie daycare, because the other dogs think he has fun ideas, admire his creativity, and enjoy his leadership. He says if he weren't fun, he wouldn't be as successful being alpha there. It's not about dominance so much as that the others find following his plans rewarding.

Leaf is a fun dog with lighthearted and enthusiastic energy, and I enjoyed our talk. He seems very practical!

Blessings,
Sue

Well, we thought Sue must have definitely tuned in to our Leaf. At doggie day care, on a day when we'd only had him there for a short time, the owner didn't charge us. His reason? "Leaf is so much fun. He gets the other dogs playing." Thanks, Sue. Thanks, Leaf.

BIO:
Sue Tanida is an intuitive animal communicator, shamanic practitioner, and Angel Therapy Practitioner(R). She makes her home in Southern California with her partner Rick and their kitties. You can reach her through her blog at http://angelicinsights.blogspot.com.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

What are your pets telling you about themselves and their leadership