Wow, when you hear stories like this it really changes your perspective of professional athletes. Maybe they really are human with real emotions and genuine interests. Whom might I be referring to you ask? Well, let me start by saying, I am not a baseball fan and most certainly not a fan of the overly paid athletes who play the game but when I read the story about Ken Griffey Junior and his three dogs I had to lighten up a bit. According to an article by Seattlepi.com columnist Jim Moore, Ken Griffey Junior is a big dog fan and considers them apart of the family even going as far as researching what hotels accepts pets before embarking on the family vacation.
Particularly touching, is his love and devotion to his aging 12 year old Rottweiler. Akiba’s been through a lot — she had E. coli as a pup and almost died, and more recently, she had a basketball-size tumor removed from her chest. Moore explains that Griffey and his wife, Melissa, were at a loss with what to do but weren’t ready to give up, It’s no different than one of your kids, you want to try everything you can. With the help of an experimental drug administered through shots given once every two weeks followed by a cycle of once every four weeks the tumor disappeared.
Ken Griffey Junior lovingly talks about the rest of his dogs in the article and shows an honesty of emotions rarely shown by athletes, unless of course, they are found guilty of using muscle enhancements…sorry, but I had too. Haha. Anyway, aging dogs always find a way of tugging on my heart strings and this story reminded me that we really must find ways of keeping them in our lives happy and active for as long as possible. They are great companions and when they give you 12 plus years (as in Griffey’s case) of unconditional love we owe it to them to do what we can.
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This is a story that reminded me that when one door closes another one opens. Paddling Paws Pool is an indoor heated swimming facility in the U.S. that is designed to restore a quality of life to dogs that suffer from mobility issues. Here you can take your crippled companion and enjoy the benefits of warm water activities. These can include increased circulation, balance, and the loosening of tight muscles for increased range of motion. I think the biggest benefit though is the happiness that the dog (and dog owner) enjoys from discovering another opportunity to be active and have fun. Companies like Canada’sDogQuality.com and U.S. based Paddling Paws are the hidden doors that are sure to add years to your loved one’s life.
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Jan 24
2009
Ann-Marie Fleming
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Any dog owner has heard the phrase human grade to represent a higher standard for dog food. In other words, if it good enough for a human to eat then it must be safe for our dogs. I am not arguing this point…there should be a standard by which we equate our dogs health and safety to our own, but it has me thinking lately. Maybe instead of saying human grade we should be changing the perspective and describing top-tier dog products as being of dog quality. Yes I realize that dog quality is also the name of my business, but I picked it for the same reason I am writing about it. A higher standard for dogs is not restricted to dog food and should be across all dog products. The coats they wear, the toys they chew, the dog strollers they ride in etc should all be held to a high standard to make sure it is… well …of dog quality.
I guess part of my reasoning for not wanting to describe higher standards for dog products using ‘human’ is that I think dogs can stand on their own. What I mean is that dogs have unconditional love, they are loyal, they see the glass half full and live life to the fullest. Are we selling them short by not using the term dog as the standard by which all is compared?
I just thought I’d share my abstract thoughts…dogs are great, people at times disappoint so why do we use humans as a standard for higher quality? I for one may start using dog quality for anything I think raises the bar. 
Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of www.DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.
Jan 10
2009
Ann-Marie Fleming
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Opinions
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A recent article by Pete Keesling about older pet care reminded me about a very important point when taking care of your senior dog. He describes the need for keeping your dog active to help keep both mind and body healthy. As dogs get older they typically become less active because of arthritis or other health issues that slow them down. However, this is something that with the help of your vet, you can help to alleviate in most cases. The bottom line is that you need to do what you can to keep your dog walking, exploring, and playing to keep his or her mind active as much as his or her body.
This point is something I had almost forgotten. I have a 12 year old Pug named Mackenzie who suffers from arthritis. I have just put him on Metacam to help him since he has been in pain due to one leg in particular, and as a result we have not been able to do much walking. My focus has been on alleviating his pain which of course is the most important thing, but at the same time I was ignoring the benefits that having him mobile can bring.
Even with his pain under control I realize that Mackenzie will not be able to go on long walks, but that is ok. He has his dog jogger, which is our favourite thing in the world because it allows him to walk for a bit and then ride for a long period of time. This accomplishes two key things. He gets his much needed exercise to help keep his body healthy and he gets to enjoy the fun of riding in his jogger, which keeps his mind stimulated as he sees new things, new people and gets out of the house.
Often we are so worried about our older dogs that we treat them like fine china. Senior dogs still need to get out, move around, play and experience life to the fullest. The health benefits of keeping them stimulated are numerous so find the right balance and start enjoying life with your older dog.
Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of www.DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.
Nov 02
2008
Ann-Marie Fleming
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Anyone of us who have lost their dog has probably asked the question “what happened to my dog after death?” Even those people who are not religious have posed the question of afterlife. I know because I have done the same. I read a great article the other day entitled Do pets go to heaven? It depends on your religion and what I liked about this article is that is showed the various perspectives across a variety of religions such as Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Buddhism, Judaism, American Indian, Hindu and others. Each religion sees the question of a pet’s afterlife differently. If I was to pull the most consistent point made across the different belief systems I’d say that if a pet makes your life better then once they pass they will be reunited with you once again in the afterlife.
So what if you don’t believe in the afterlife? Many people don’t believe in Heaven for humans let alone pets. I believe that religion and spirituality is a very personal experience and how much or how little is up to each person. Religion offers comfort for many but questions for others. One thing I do know is that the idea that there is a perfect place where we will all be reunited with our pets is a dream come true…do I believe it exists? Well that’s a loaded question.
As I have mentioned in previous posts I have recently lost the love of my life, my French Bulldog named Churchill who was 12 years old. When he left I wanted nothing more than to know we would meet again or to somehow get a sign from him. I can’t say that I believe in a dog heaven, but I have been thinking about another theory which says that energy cannot disappear and that it needs to go somewhere. What form that takes or where it goes I have no idea, but if this theory is true it means that Churchill is still around and that is comforting. Am I 100% sure? No, not at all, but maybe that is the point. Maybe it is good for us to not know everything. Maybe the quest for answers is more important than getting to the absolute truth.
So what does that mean exactly? Well it means that if you believe in dog heaven then great because it means you always have your dog in your heart and on your mind. If you believe that energy transforms but never leaves, then the same holds true. The bottom line is never stop thinking about the pets you have lost because one thing I do know for sure is that if you keep remembering them and how much love they brought to your life, then they can never be truly gone.
Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of www.DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.
