Silly Celebrations! Love Your Pet Day on February 20th

February 20th is Love Your Pet Day, and in my opinion, is one of those cooky little-known holidays with more merit than most. To those who are entirely enamoured with their pets, this requires no further explanation, "Why of course there should be a holiday!" they say. But there are many of us preoccupied with life's daily distractions, that may need a little reminder as to how wonderful and beneficial it is to own a pet.

Benefits to Owning a Pet:

No matter what kind of day you've had, they are always happy to see you. It's pretty great to come home after a long day and be greeted by a fuzzy wiggling mass of happiness that thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread.

How many people do you know would let it slide if you forgot to bring them somewhere, feed them, or hang out? Pets love you unconditionally, and they are quick to forgive and quick to forget. We could all learn from this.

Having a pet can increase your levels of physical activity. Walking your dog, playing tug-of-war, frisbee, or catch are all great exercises for both of you!

Studies have shown the following health benefits:

Lower levels in blood pressure, stress, and anxiety
For children growing up with pets, they are less likely to develop allergies and asthma
For older folks with dimentia or Alzheimer's, having a pet around decreased the number of anxious outbursts
Exposure to pets helps boost the immune system and foster positive moods and thoughts

My boxer, Boomer, has been a continuing source of happiness, strength, resilience, and support to me since the day I brought him home. Without even knowing, his warm eyes, happy snuffles, and endless wiggles of joy have helped me through some of the most difficult experiences of my life. I can't imagine why we wouldn't have a day to celebrate such a wonderful part of our lives.

There are many ways to celebrate such a wonderful self-less companion. (I'll be saying "dog" throughout this lens, but most of these suggestions can work for pets in general.)

*Take your dog for a walk in a new place, if they are okay off leash, a place where they can roam and sniff as you walk is the best!
*Take them to see a playmate, there's nothing like having fun with peers! One of Boomer's favorite playmates is my Aunt's dog Mattie. They are absolutely smitten with one another and play for hours on end.
*If they have a favorite game, like frisbee, play for an extra long time that day.
*Think of their health- make the switch to organic dog food and organic dog treats.
*Get them a new toy, but this time, think about getting a dog toy made of natural, chemical free products.
*Make them home-made dog cookies, or a special cooked meal (hamburg, rice and peas is like five star dining to Boomer)
*Get a photographer to take some nice photos of you and your pet for a wonderful keepsake...you would with any other family member!
*Enter your dog in a photo contest.....if they win, you'll have even more bragging rights.
*Make your pet a Facebook page! Why not? People get a kick out of pets with pages, and it can be fun to follow them in photos, keep people updated on things like a photo contest, or if your pet will be having a litter soon and you plan to sell or give away the babes.

Did you know there are no government standards for hazardous chemicals in pet products? Sadly since big companies are more interested in turning a profit than minding safety and health- it is not surprising that there are alarming levels of toxic chemicals found. Several pet products have been tested and the results are especially of concern to pets and children. They are frequently close to the floor and put products into their mouths. This leads to greater exposure and mounting health concerns. HealthyStuff.org has a great site for pet products and lists hundreds of products, gives them a warning level, and shows what chemicals were found. Did you know that conventional tennis balls have significant amounts of mercury in them?

And what about the food? Many companies don't want you knowing this, but the bulk of dog-foods that have meat by-products like chicken, should be avoided. Those "by-products" are all parts of the chicken that can't be sold to people as food, and often times (gross alert) its the junk they scrape off the floor under the meat processing assembly lines. Would you feed that crap to someone you love? I sure wouldn't!!

Aside from the "by-products" there are also preservatives, dyes, and fillers. All of which have no business being a healthy food source. Here's an interesting thought:

-------Most people buy pet products that personally appeal to them, not their pets.--------

Think about it, does your dog really care that the food is shaped like little bones and steaks? Does your dog care that the food is four different colors? No. You're dog can't even distinguish those colors. So why feed them those chemicals and dyes that make the food red, yellow, and green? The list of pet ailments is on the rise, and they are developing many of the same health problems as us. It seems obvious to me, that just like us, the quality of food they eat is closely linked to their health. Choose organic pet foods made with real meat, whole foods, and no added by-products, fillers, or preservatives.

Don't expose your pets, and the rest of your family, to harmful chemicals and by-products. Know the facts.

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
3 cups whole wheat flour

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, margarine, and boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Grease cookie sheets.
2.Thoroughly stir in cornmeal, sugar, bouillon, milk, Cheddar cheese, and egg. Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until a stiff dough has formed.
3.Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, mixing in additional flour as necessary until dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Roll or pat out dough to 1/2" thickness. Cut with cookie cutter (I prefer bone shaped), and place 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4.Bake 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool before serving. Store in a loosely covered container.

You can change it up too! Try using chicken boullion and some Italian seasoning for a nice "chicken and herb" treat.

I must admit, several years ago, when I first got Boomer, the thought of having a boxer left me hesitant. I didn't think the breed would meet my expectations. See, I had grown up with German Shepards my whole life, and they are nothing short of amazing, loyal, companions. Regardless, Boomer quickly stole my heart away, presenting many of the same great qualities I had experienced with the shepards in my life, but adding another set of charming characteristics that boxers are well known for. He's sociable, sensitive, affectionate, tolerant and always ready to play.

Anyone that has ever met Boomer, never forgets him. He's truly one of those "dogs for the people". He loves get togethers and social settings. He comfortably trots around the gatherings saying hello to young and old, and quickly reads people. He can sense if someone is hesitant, and presents himself with a bashful hello and passive body language. I know of two people he has single-paw-edly helped recover from traumatic dog experiences. He can also quickly pick out who wants to play and at what level. It's truly heart warming to watch him romp around heavily with a dog or person bigger than him, and then quickly transition to gentle pats of the paw and nose nuzzling with small kids and little dogs.

He is obsessed with balloons and large balls. The bigger the better. He will run at full speed constantly nose butting a big exercise ball around the yard until you take it away- literally-once, his tongue started to turn purple because he wasn't stopping for air! And he dazzles all birthday party attendees with his dancing balloon show. Give him a balloon and watch him go! He volleys it with the best of them!

Boomer doesn't bark. I don't know how I got so lucky, but it's down right wonderful. The funny thing is, that doesn't mean he's not a talker. He could be a voice over for vicious dog noises! It's quite funny, seeing a dog that's clearly all talk and no action. I get into wrestling matches with Boom and he starts his "mean talkin"--which can freak some people out initially, but as soon as they see that about all the damage he's done is leave a good layer of slobber on your sleeve-- they thinks it's quite entertaining. Check out the video below!