Posted on October 18, 2011 by: WayCoolDogs

The world is a much better place without cruelty, unhappiness and misery. And it is such an easy thing to do, especially with dogs.

To make your dog happy, a person needs to understand how a dog thinks—not the other way around. “What are my best options in escaping from this stupid pen,” and “Why should I eat this crap, while they eat steak and chicken in front of me—my FAVORITEST foods of all! Woof!” A dog is happy when they are loved and respected, with their needs met. Not yours, as that will come on its own.

In Paxvobisca, it was posted that during the early times of the New Testament period, love was described using  four major Greek words, expanding further the teachings of Jesus Christ, the greatest teacher of humans about unconditional love.

Eros Love - A word that was not actually used in the New Testament but was alluded to. It meant physical passion; its gratification and fulfillment. The Greek word is probably not used in the New Testament because the origin of the word came from the mythical god Eros, the god of love. It is inferred in many scriptures and is the only kind of love that God restricts to a one-man, one-woman relationship within the bounds of marriage (Heb. 13:4; Song 1:13; 4:5-6; 7:7-9; 8:10; 1 Cor. 7:25; Eph. 5:31).

Storge Love - Storge is the natural bond between mother and infant, father, children, and kin. William Barclay states, “We cannot help loving our kith and kin; blood is thicker than water” (N.T. Words, 1974).

Phileo Love - Phileo love is a love of the affections. It is delighting to be in the presence of another, a warm feeling that comes and goes with intensity. The Bible encourages it but it is never a direct command. God never commands phileo since this type of love is based on the feelings. God Himself did not phileo the world but rather operated in agape love towards us. I cannot have a warm tender feeling toward an enemy but I can agape love them.

Agape Love - Agape love is God’s kind of love. It is seeking the welfare and betterment of another regardless of how we feel. Agape does not have the primary meaning of feelings or affection. Jesus displayed it when he went to the cross and died for you and me regardless of how He felt. In the gospels Jesus prayed, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Mt. 26:39; Mk. 14:36; Lk. 22:41-43; Jn. 18:11). Jesus sought the betterment of you and me, regardless of His feelings. Matthew 7:12 states it this way, “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets”

Obviously, the latter two are associated with caring for animals, especially agape love. Since 1999, we at Way Cool Dogs have had dogs in our life–almost 24/7. Once we retired, we turned our entire life to rescuing dogs and educating the public about them. When we were younger, both Sandy and I had dogs, cats, birds, pet rats and anything that was not human in our lives.

I cannot say we knew the correct way of caring for them this whole time, because we were basically young, human and pretty darn stupid. I cry tears as I look back on how ignorant we were. I guess you could say that life got in our way of being a better person, but impromptu’ aging has certainly changed that, believe you me…impromptu–made or done without any previous preparation on our part!

Ways to make your dog happy

Image: iStockphoto/Harkamal Nijjar

Here are a few of the things we have found out that make dogs happy, content and more than willing to die for you…at least to the end of the driveway:

• All dogs like to sleep on a blanket, a piece of your clothing, a soft towel, and so on.  They will carry their “blankie”  to their favorite spot, After rummaging around and circling for what seems to be hours….they will be comfortable and content. If you give them two to three pieces, they will be  in dog heaven but may take longer to get the pieces “just right.”

• Dogs prefer to sleep on or under an “up” piece of furniture, unless they have been trained not to. Place their favorite blankets and toys on a piece of furniture of YOUR choice, not theirs, that has an area beneath they can crawl under. (This is similar to the den atmosphere of their ancestors, going to it when they are too hot, too cold, scared or hiding when they think they are in trouble)  There are hundreds of dog beds available in all prices, or you can make one for them, allowing them to doze off the floor or under it,dragging their favorite blanket or tody with them.  Die hard dog owners simply go to a rummage sale or grab a chair or cot from a family member. Dogs need the pads of their feet and stomach/genitalia areas protected from extreme weather, to maintain their body temperature.  Panting means they are too hot and need to reduce their body heat; shivering or burying their nose into their body while curled up in a fetal position means they are too cold. Each dog is an individual and has its own methods to achieve balance in their life, which their owners should be able to recognize.

• Most dogs prefer cool and clean water in a clean bowl, changed at least twice a day — more often during the summer or for larger dogs.  This is why many dogs prefer to drink out of the toilet, especially when the owners work all day and the dog is an inside dog, no matter how ‘tasty it sounds.  Dogs who prefer drinking out of toilets need to have its owner and associated family members/friends ALWAYS flush after toileting.  :) The water is always cool and fresh, which is their preference. NOTE:  (1) toxic metals like aluminum, mercury, copper and lead are often found in household drinking water, which cause serious problems in many pets. Compare water filters for use in the home to solve this problem, with Aquasana the very best between $124 to $179 with $48 dollar  cartridges. Besides, using filtered water is easier on the planet than bottled water purchased at the store.

• Make grooming a ceremony of joy and love.  Brushing a dog with one hand can easily combine caressing with the other, while speaking in a soothing voice.  When grooming,  I use Natural Wonder’s Triple Sure, a natural flea and tick spray for both dogs and cats. Number one, it kills fleas and ticks on contact; number two it repels bees, flies, mosquitoes, ticks and fleas; and number three it retards new insect infestations. Its natural ingredients make it a perfect and safe product for dog grooming.

“Not only is cedarwood oil excellent as an insecticide, but its greatest benefit lies in its ability to sooth and calm nerves. It is known for its ability to relieve insect bites and reduce intense itching with its sedating ability.  Its other advantages are that it has a very calming and soothing effect on the mind and body; it has been used throughout history for conditions associated with nervous tension and anxiety; and it is excellent for arthritis and rheumatism.” (Triple Sure)

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