Animals can prevent stress

Woof!  Toby the dog here!

Sometimes you just need to take a break... we all need breaks... pets and humans!

 Mom interviewed her friend and stress expert Dr. Ganz Ferrance, check it out here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/charmainehammond/2013/04/24/guests-cheri-ruskus-and-dr-ganz-ferrance

Here's what I say about how animals reduce stress:

1. We have no hangups about taking a nap. We take guilt free naps (but often sleep with one ear open so we don't miss anything)
2. We play...physical exercise reduces stress.  When you play with your pet it is stress reduction x2!
3. We know what you humans need....a good laugh (so we entertain you), a cuddle or simply sleeping at your feet while you watch TV or work on the computer.

 I was listening in to mom and Dr Ganz talk about stress, he said:

• get enough sleep
• eat healthy
• change your mindset
• communicate clearly and resolve conflict
• feed the other aspects of your life (family, relationships, hobbies) etc.

You can list to Dr Ganz's tips here!   http://www.blogtalkradio.com/charmainehammond/2013/04/24/guests-cheri-ruskus-and-dr-ganz-ferrance

Check out my books at www.TheOriginalTeamToby.com   Mom wrote a great book Bounce Forward and co-authored GPS Your Best Life... both books full of four paws up tips!

Thank You for Attending

Saturday was PAWsome! I love M.C.ing events! I got to meet so many new people at the Fabulous @ 50 event. I also got to do some more PAWdographing, which I also love. I can't believe how long it took me to learn to do that. Now, I can do it in my sleep. See, we're not always chasing rabbits when we nap.

There was this PAWmazingly cute little girl there that kept coming back to visit me. She was just adorable and even gave me a small treat. Yumm! I really like that little girl. It's great to make new friends. Sometimes though, I like to just like to play games on friends we already know. I had a really funny moment with our Executive Concierge, Shannon. Chris had to leave and he asked her to be my handler for a little while. Not only has she never handled me before but she also had a cast on her right leg. Some people came by the table that wanted to see me so I started wagging my tail to let her know I wanted to visit. She got up and hopped out with me. I met my new friends and got tonnes of attention from them. Then Shannon told me to "come" and "down". I just stood and looked at her. Of course, I know what that means but, she's not my regular handler. Can't have everybody thinking that just anyone can tell me what to do. She loves our furry FURiends though so she just laughed a bit and said "down" again. I sat down and looked up at her. She just laughed again and told me she knew I would lie down on my own. That took all the fun out of it so I just lied down and waited for dad to come back. We can resist change as long as we are open to finding common ground with others and being part of the solution. It also helps to know when it's time to just get over it and let it go.

Of course, the highlight of the day was being on stage with Charmaine and helping to introduce the afternoon activities and speaker line up. I barked a big hello to everyone there, and there were a lot of people there! My tail was wagging so fast at all the applause we got. It was a very happy day for me. I sure hope I get to do that again soon!

It Takes Time

I love living at the lake! The only bad thing about it is that the storms are way more intense than in the city. The thunderstorms and lightening strikes are PAWsitively frightening. You see, I am terrified of loud noises. Thunder and firecrackers are the worst. I anxiously wander around the house nudging anything in my path (lamps, chairs, and items on coffee tables).

I am fortunate though. Char and Chris give me lots of SuPAWt while I do my pacing. They have discovered that they can sometimes distract me with games like hide and seek with my toys. It doesn't always work though. If my toys don't get my attention then they turn on music and try to mask the noise of the storm for me.

We all have things that make us uncomfortable. We can't always avoid those things, sometimes we just have to face them. Usually, we need the help and suPAWt of our FURiends to face our fears. Know what? Now that Chris and Char have been helping me face my fear of storms I have gotten better at coping with them. I have come a long way over the years...progress takes time, PAWtience, and accepting help

Another Bounce Forward Adventure

Yesterday afternoon was so PAWmazing! Mom, Charmaine, left early so I thought that dad, Chris, and I were going to spend the afternoon together at home. But, the next thing I knew we were in the car heading to Edmonton! I love car rides. There are so many things to bark at along the road. It wasn't long before we reached our destination, The Westin Hotel in downtown Edmonton. I was so excited for this new adventure! I was wagging my tail so fast and hard my hind legs could barely keep me grounded. Of course, I greeted everyone I could on our way into the hotel. People like it when you take the time to say hello. Why were we here though?

Imagine my surPAWs when we walked into a big room and there was mom and a whole bunch of people I didn't know yet! Mom was talking about Bouncing Forward and relieving stress and stuff. I don't know what the big deal is, doesn't anyone else play with Kongs? Oh well, we all have a different bark. There was also this big comfy pillow just for me! It was so big and soft. Dad sat right next to it so that I could snuggle in.

After mom was done talking I got to PAWdograph some books. I love PAWdographing! I also love to be photographed, which is what happens a lot when I PAWdograph. I had to bark my approval, what a perfect way to finish the afternoon.

So, that's what happened yesterday afternoon. I hope everyone else had as much fun as I did!