What pets can teach us about healing, loss and moving forward.

Photo Credit: Charmaine Hammond, Team Toby

Guess who?

It's me Toby.

A dog with a blog.

Photo Credit Charmaine Hammond

Just like the T-shirt says.... we animals help you humans LIVE, LOVE and LEARN!

Dealing with the loss of a pet is tough...

Mom talked to grief expert Marybeth Haines on our PAWSitive Radio Show. 

Marybeth Haines empowers people to make choices that promote action, personal growth and healing.

As a grief consultant and educator, Marybeth’s specialized focus is providing support in pet bereavement. She holds the strong belief that pets can teach people many things about life and so can the grief associated with their death. The pain of such a loss can be debilitating for many people. However, people can recover and Marybeth’s passion is helping them move beyond loss. Her work focuses on practical and supportive strategies for coping during this difficult time. 

She wrote a book!

She talks about the 7 Effective Tools for healing through the loss of a pet:

  -    Recognition

-        Permission

-        Learning

-        Personal Empowerment

-        Receiving Guidance

-        Taking Action

-        Gifts of Many

You can listen to her and mom talking here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/teamtoby/2014/09/10/the-power-of-pets-and-dealing-with-loss-at-work-and-at-home

 

Her fave quote is “Pets come into our lives to bring us many gifts. It is when we open our eyes fully, that we can then truly see the magic that each gift brings."

Dog on national tour to spread kindness and prevent bullying

Photo Credit Airdrie Echo newspaper

Check me out!

I'm a traveling dog.

Traveling dog with a blog!

And

I'm on a mission to spread kindness.

We just finished the first leg of the tour in Alberta and BC Canada

Now, in October, Bully Prevention Month, we are touring Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

I'll be filming the whole tour with my very own GoPro video camera.

Capturing kindness...animal human bond... lessons dogs teach people...and the places we eat, stay and play.

Would you like me to come to your school?

How about your workplace?

Want to have your business featured in our tour?

Contact me to get your community, school and business on the PAWS Across Canada map!

Together we can make a difference.  We'll also be raising funds and awareness for local shelters and rescues with our Twoonie for Team Toby fundraiser.  Watch our website to get involved  www.TheOriginalTeamToby.com

A dog labelled as "unadoptable" becomes therapy dog and star of her book

Peek-a-boo!

It's me Toby

Yup!

A dog with a blog!

Mom meets the most pawsome people and pets on our PAWsitive Radio show.

She just interviewed Peachy the dog's mom.

Gabriela Duran is the author of the book Peachy the Warrior Princess.

Peachy was a dog that Gabriela adopted, and who had survived living in a puppy mill. With great care, patience and love, Gabriela and her family helped Peachy overcome the trauma of living in a puppy mill.  Gabriela was told in the beginning that Peachy was not adoptable.  Perhaps Peachy had other plans including proving the doubters wrong.  Peachy overcame her fears, and became a therapy dog that helped many people.  She also became the inspiration behind Gabriela's mission of preventing puppy mills and educating people about responsible loving pet care. 

How can you help Gabriela with Peachy's legacy and prevent puppy mills?

To learn more and hear Peachy's story, please listen to pawsitive radio here:

Check Out Pets Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with PAWsitive Radio on BlogTalkRadio

Dogs, sports and fun! Sports you can enjoy with your pet.

Here I am!
Toby the dog.
A dog with a blog.

What activities and sports does your dog love?

I love.....

Playing Fetch!

and

Races!

and

Water sports....
and

Swimming....

And I can wait to try Dock Diving next!

Mom talked to  Heather McLeod the president of Ruffsport.  

She is Sport Mutt certified and trains with using her positive training program. This program focus's on being positive rather than being permissive.

Heather is going to be on my PAWSitive Radio show where she'll be talking about the
benefits of positive training, how to prepare yourself and your pet for sports activities, and how to build trust and effective communication with your dog so that the sport activity is fun for everyone!

Did you know that participating in sports with your dog is not only great exercise and fun?  It also helps build a stronger animal human bond, improves trust and confidence, and allows the dog to continue learning and developing skills.

I can't wait to try dock-diving and Frisbee.  I think I'll be pawsome at both.

Don't forget to tune into the show, and click the FOLLOW button on the show page so you get updates about our upcoming shows and pawsome guests.  Share your comments on this blog about the sports and activities you enjoy with your pet. 

Getting through grief.... the loss of a family pet

It's me Toby!

Yup, a dog with a blog!

I once heard that animals don't live as long as humans cuz the work we have to do on the planet (being man's best friend, changing the world with luv and unconditionally accepting people) is important work...but work that takes a lot of our energy. So... we are here for a while and make a difference....then we gather over the rainbow bridge to play.

Dealing with the loss of a pet is difficult.

For many children, the first loss they deal with is their pet.

Experiences are like footprints in our future....

How you handle it helps shape how kids deal with loss in their future.

Mom and her radio guest Margot talk about this on PAWsitive Radio. 

Here's a few tips to help your family cope with an aging pet, or pet loss...

1) Journal or write a letter to your dog
2) Talk about it
3) Allow yourself to feel and experience grief
4) Surround yourself with a support system
5) Children can draw pictures of their pet

Listen to the conversation....Mom and Margo talk about more tips on PAWsitive Radio -

We would love you to share your tips on coping with grief.  Please feel free to comment on this blog, or on our Facebook Page (make sure you "like" us too) 

Check out my books....

This book teaches children about kindness, acceptance and respect, and how to prevent bullying.   You can find out more here and check out what other parents, teachers and kids had to say about the book.