P.A.W.S. (Poundhounds Animal Welfare Society, http://www.ohiopoundhounds.com) forwarded to me an email from Thomas Smith, along with two great pictures that perfectly illustrate integrating pets into the family and holiday season. I wanted to share it with pet lovers and those who are thinking of adding a dog to their family this holiday season. Thomas gave his permission for me to print his letter and photos.
Storm and Mauve
Hello PAWS,
My fiance, Brandi, and I adopted Storm, an Italian Greyhound/Whippet mix, a month in a half ago. Just to keep you updated, he is getting along great with us. He and our beagle/whippet mix, Mauve, spend all their time either playing, sleeping or eating, and always together. He does not try to run away from us, even on the rare occasion that he has the chance. Storm does chase our cat once in a while, but just to play, not to be aggressive, and he’s gotten better about that after a couple swipes to the nose by the cat. He does chew on anything and everything, but Mauve is usually the instigator. Storm goes in his crate willingly while we’re away at school/work, does not bark and has not gone to the bathroom in our house at all. There have been a few occasions when we haven’t had the time to let the dogs play outside or take them for long walks, but they wear themselves out by wrestling inside. Both dogs get jealous of getting attention, even when they’re both being given attention at the same time, and it always ends up in the dogs romping through the house in play.
Mauve was also a rescue dog and is shy around strange males due to her past, but Storm is not shy around anyone and, in prompting competition for the attentions of everyone, Mauve has become less shy as well. Storm has noticeably gained weight and gotten taller since we adopted him, and all that playing has made Mauve put on some muscle too! All-in-all, when we’re all relaxing on the couch in the evening, it almost always looks like he is smiling, and he has become an absolute joy to have in our family.
Attached are a couple of photos of the two dogs–one of them in Halloween costumes (Brandi insisted) and the other of them curled up on the floor together, which inevitably happens when they get too tired to wrestle any longer.
Storm and Mauve in their Halloween costumes.
Thanks so much for Storm, after only a month we couldn’t imagine not having him as part of our family.
Thomas Smith
If YOU are thinking of adding a dog to your family, be sure to check out the free handout, “Checklist Before Getting an Animal Pal,” available at http://www.dreamtimepublishing.com/ (scroll down the right side of the books page to find the “More Info and Free Downloads on Books” button). Have a great time preparing for the holiday season with your family and PETS!
—Janice Phelps, Author of Open Your Heart with Pets
Posted by: Opening the heart — jphelps
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