I have been a supporter of the Best Friends Animal Society since I can't remember when.

Please check out this great article about how they are using yoga to work with traumatized dogs
http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&mode=entry&entry=78F43B72-B91D-F7B7-04FB67E606C1E20B&utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Wag+while+you+work

I have seen great results working with the shelter dogs a PAWS myself.  Doga is a wonderful tool to begin chiseling away fears and bad experiences, and discovering the wonderful animal that lies beneath!

Saturday I took the all the kids to Uptown Station.  Cade & Connor went trick-or-treating through the stores.  Cade was excited - possibly due to sugar overdose.  Connor was trying to soak it all in and figure this craziness out!

I then brought the other kids - Jojo, Tressel, and even Pepper.  Big kudos to Nicole Poch from 3 Dogs and a Chick (http://www.3dogsandachick.com/ )for donating the dog goodies for trick-or-treating for dogs.  It was also the grand opening of Central Bark, the off-leash park at Uptown Station.  Yes, it's a bit small, but it's a great local place for dogs and people to exercise and socialize. 
This event was a great opportunity to see adults, kids, and dogs all together.  The costumes and candy upped the excitement and strangeness factor.  I was concerned by how many children seemed fearful, or at least uneasy, around dogs. 

It is important as an adult (and not only parents) to teach children respect for living things: don't pet a dog without asking first, don't have food in your hands or pocket when  you pet a dog, be calm, etc.  Have we over-emphasized these lessons so that the children are nervous and anxious?  Or have we passed down our own fears to our children about dogs?  As dog guardians, how can we help teach others - adults and kids alike - how to interact with animals with joy?

Saturday was terrific!!  Chillly, but terrific!
Oct 17 was the annual Dog Daze festival at the Fort Walton Beach Landing.  I was there at the Crestview Kitty Group booth, and held three doga demonstrations that day.  BIG THANKS to all those who participated with me!
I had a great time meeting lots of people and their dogs.  Some of the more unusual dogs we saw were a Dogue de Bordeaux, an Affenspincher, a pair of English mastiffs, and my favorites - all those one-of-a-kind mixed breeds!  Jojo and Tressel were on their best behavior all day - momma is so proud!

Tuesday Oct 20 I'll be in Crestview from 12 - 3pm with the CKG at our first rally in the Joe Bruner case.  Please come support the victims of animal abuse.

Tuesday at 5:30pm I'll be at the NWF Fairgrounds for my free doga class.  As the weather is turning colder, this may be my last freebie of the year.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to come and try doga for FREE!  You can get more information about this class on the "Special Events" page.
See you there!

On Sunday I drove to the Niceville dog park with Jojo, Tressel and Pepper - only to find the gate locked.  Presumeably this was because of the upcoming Mullet Festival - but consdering there were only 2 trucks parked nearby and no one was doing any setup, I was irked at being unable to let the dogs run and socialize.

I did let them romp for a few minutes at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds, but unlike the dog park this area is not fenced.  I felt uncomfortable letting Pepper wander without a barrier to keep her safe, so we left after only 10 minutes.

Jojo went back to the vet today for x-rays to determine the cause of her limp.  The good news is she doesn't require surgery.  The bad news is nothing showed on the films, so my vet's best guess is arthritis.  I'm thinking it may also be soft tissue injury.  Either way, I have some more anti-inflammatories for her.

This coming weekend is Dog Daze, and the weather forecast looks GREAT!!  I'm so excited to expose more people to doga - please come join me at the Landing on Saturday.

Yesterday I was back at PAWS.  I was fortunate to be joined by Beate Janssen, a wonderful lady who does dog training and pet sitting, as well as energy work. 

The universe works in strange ways... a few days ago I was thinking about Batman, a dog at PAWS that I'd done a doga session with over the summer.  Imagine my surprise when he was brought out to me for doga yesterday.  Batman is a sweet little border collie mix who calls out to me.  I was saddened to see him still at PAWS.  My mind began to imagine how he could join my already-full-to-the-brim family.

Can you be Batman's hero?  Or maybe you can open your heart and home to another animal that needs you?