For Dog Lovers...

We all love dogs.  Here is a beautiful perspective on our relationship with them...

Friends for Life Animal Rescue and Adoption Organization (in Houston) Executive Director, Salise, wrote this:

On Zeus:

Brene Brown wrote that the truest measure of courage is vulnerability. The sheer, raw courage it takes to offer your heart again and again knowing that it will be broken is mind-blowing. We animal people love these tiny, fragile beings who outnumber us and whom we will almost always outlive. We struggle against odds, to save them—even to save waves of them sometimes.

We invest our spirits and our hopes in them. We let them into the core of us. We let ourselves need them—see them as bedrock. But they are not bedrock. They are fleeting and fragile. Imposing ourselves on their timetable is like trying to hold back the next phase of the moon—the cycles are older than we are as a species. The rhythm is untouchable by anything we believe or need. Whether we throw rocks at it or land on it, the moon remains the same. But if we are wise and very present we will not miss the deep orange smile of a harvest full moon or the wisp of a white crescent. Animals move and breathe in a world we can only briefly intersect. For a precious time, two worlds overlap. If we are wise and very present, we will not miss it. But unlike watching the moon, we risk everything to be there.

There is a lesson for the taking about loving without reserve or regret. Everything we care about is transient and our task is to love anyway. We rush into loving them like firefighters into a burning building. Firefighters will tell you that heroes do not deliberate. They rush in. They commit. But in our equation it is we, the courageous heroes risking it all who in the end are truly saved. Honor the courage in us it takes to be so vulnerable. Honor the resolve it takes to hold our hearts open like blinking into the noon sun. Every impulse is to close off—protect. But that leaves just dark.

And though there is a moment the line of the x axis intersects the line of the y axis, each has its own unique trajectory. It is arrogance to think that one may re-plot the course of the other beyond that single instant of intersection. That single plot point may be a moment, a week, a month or years. But never forget that it is not ours to control or to live beyond. We move in our experience with these marvelous beings within this tiny plot point in their greater journey.

The magnificent characteristic of animal lovers is our willingness to live in their time. We know from the beginning that it will never match ours. But we rush in. We bolt up the stairs, toward the fire and toward the light.

We are heroes but they are our saviors.

  We thank you Salise for writing such a poignant perspective on our relationship with animals...

Tips on Dog Boarding

Dog Boarding Tips

Prices and services for kennels vary, but whether you choose your vet's office or a lavish "bed-and-biscuit" resort with complementary grooming and aromatherapy, keep these considerations in mind.

•     Trust your senses (as well as your common sense) when visiting a kennel as a possible "vacation" spot for your dog.
•     Make sure that the whole kennel, outdoor and indoor runs included, is clean and orderly.
•     Make sure there are no offensive odors. There should be adequate ventilation. A well-run kennel should not stink of doggy odors.
•     Make sure the temperature is adequate, not too warm and not too cold.
•     Ask to see the outdoor running area. It should be close to spotless and made of gravel or concrete.
•     Ask how frequently the areas are cleaned.
•     All responsible kennel owners and operators will ask you about your dog's vaccinations and will require proof of certain shots.
•     All responsible kennel owners and operators will show you each area in which the dogs are kept.
•     The outdoor runs – and the whole kennel should be very secure. Many dogs will attempt to break out, so talk to the kennel owners about this if you're worried.

Some last tips...

Bring along your dog's bed or favorite toys. When you leave, be positive and upbeat. Tell your dog "Here we are, Fido--it's your summer vacation. Good boy/girl!!" Do not apologize to your dog, he will sense your discomfort and become upset himself. Keep the goodbyes short and sweet.You may return and find that your dog enjoyed his "vacation" just as much as you did!

Good luck!  Keep checking back as we compile a list with the best dog boarders in San Antonio TX!

 

San Antonio Dog and Puppy - Boarding.. just like home!

My own life-size play toy! 

Nothing can compare to a kiss from your baby or puppy, or the love you give them.  However, I have been busy searching, and there are a few unique boarding homes in San Antonio that will be a home away from home for your dog or puppy.  They even come with their very own kisses.  Check back soon for San Antonio's best dog boarding homes with all exclusive pictures and reviews!