two ways to gift your pets a longer healthier life and how my pets saved me

The last few years have been a flurry of unknowns. High highs. Low lows. Frustrations. Disappointments. What ifs? Trust me I am NOT discounting the joys and the blessings and the laughter. There have been plenty of moments bursting with happiness. But my Eeyore personality seems to teeter on the side of half empty. It's something I have to work on. It's something that will easily trigger bouts of depression, even desperation. I know it. Knowing helps. It gives me some power over it. It allows me to pull out my weaponry to fight it. 

One of my weapons. My dogs.

Some of you will think this is silly. Somebody will just get it. You might be ready to write me off as one of those crazy pet owners. But it's more than just being a dog lover. It's even hard to explain.

Last Thanksgiving we lost our precious Maggie. Six years old. Sister of another litter to our older girl Selah. When she died in my arms it felt - to me - as if it was just one.more.thing. I know she is a dog. Not a human. Not a child. But she was a big part of our family. She and her big sister, saw me through a lot of dark days. I needed them as much as they needed me. My constant studio companions. My constant walk and run partners. My dependable friends.

Maggie's death left a void. Not just in my heart, but in her big sister's heart as well. I watched as Selah mourned the loss of her little furry friend. She didn't eat. She would not leave me out of her sight. She had to be touching me at all times. It was heartbreaking.

this was the week before she died. Selah always took care of her.

I began thinking about a new puppy almost right away. For my sake and for Selah's. Too soon many thought. Too fast others said. But I knew it was right. That's when we found Willow.

There is something that a dog adds to our lives that only people with pets can understand. They ask for little and give so much in return. They seem to know when we need them. They're soft and comforting. It's an unconditional friendship that I only wish we as people would understand and emulate. Feed them. Love them. Give them an occasional treats. That really is all they ask for.

I need my girls. I need their companionship. I need to take care of them. I need a furry head on my lap. A paw on my knee. Sure. I loathe the hair. The muddy paws. But to me. It's worth it.

Selah is 10, maybe 11 years old. She is slowing down. Not interested in food. Wants to run and walk with me but just can't keep up. Moaning and groaning as she gets up from the floor. Cysts around her eyes. I know she is aging. I know she won't live forever. But I want her to live out her remaining years happy and pain free.

I turned to social media. To you. My friends. To ask for recommendations. Help. Cost is a factor so pricey drugs are just not an option. Two things suggested stuck with me. And I decided to give them a shot. If you are sick of reading about DOGS at this point. I understand. If you are a pet lover…stick with me. Life. Changing.

The first thing I tried was adding Tumeric to her food. Why? No. I don't want her to like Thai food, although I'll admit I love the smell :) Simply said. It's an antioxidant. It totally goes after the aches and pains associated with arthritis and aging in general. AND…it supports both heart and liver health. Bonus? She LOVES it. As does Willow. Now suddenly I have a dog that is interested in eating for the first time in her life! I buy a huge 1 lb.  bag of it on Amazon. It's called Starwest Botanicals Organic Turmeric Root Powder - yup, that's my affiliate link. Remember. Pennies for Lisa.


Second method. THIS BOOK! The Whole Pet Diet. This takes effort. And reading. But the first recommendation they make is a doggy oil potion. I created the oil mix (again, all the oils I purchased on Amazon) and within a week I saw a difference. Brighter eyes. Cysts almost gone. Shiny coat. And dare I say a "spring in her step"? Not kidding.

The next step in the book is making doggy stew. Dude. I totally saw you roll your eyes! I cook all the time anyway. This is not a big deal for me. Now, I'm not gonna lie. I've only been feeding them the stew for a few days. I add the oil and the turmeric and they basically are BEGGING to eat. Not strange for Willow. Completely foreign for Selah.

When I think that this maybe could have been the "cure" for Maggie last year it breaks my heart. But then I look in my Willow's eyes and I know she was meant to be here. In my home. In many ways she saved me…and Selah. And I'm committed to giving the both of them the best life possible.

I realize this is a ridiculously long post about dogs. {snort} It makes me laugh just thinking about the time I devoted to writing and YOU devoted to reading. I can already feel the unsubscribes coming in. But I guess, when you are passionate about something…even if it is "just your pets" you do what it takes. And this "secret" is WAY TO GOOD to not share with you.

If you want to know more…any questions really…feel free to ask. I'm just an email away! Now I'm off to feed my girls - they are giving me "that look".

Woof!
lisa