It feels like spring and i want a dog. I want one now. I should join a 12 step program for dog-aholics. It is overwhelming and it is all i can think about. It has been so long since i had my own dog. When i lived in San Diego i had three German Shepherds, Nina, her son Merlin and his wife Liberty. All passed away before i left the west coast. My heart tugs every time is see a shepherd. I can spot one from a distance. More than once i have almost wrecked my car gazing at a shepherd walking down the street.

I know that there is a dog in my near future- but my inner child is having a hard time being patient for that right rescue dog to appear. Yes, this next dog will come from a rescue group or shelter unless Rin Tin Tin knocks at our door or the Monks of New Skete call and say “Congratulations! You just won a New Skete Shepherd!”. There are too many dogs who need homes and i do not want a designer dog. And i promised my husband and 3 cats i would wait until April or May to begin searching for that dog.

This dog also must meet criteria set my family and myself. He or she must get along with all 3 cats and not try to eat them. He/she must be a big dog, not a small lap dog. And if possible this new dog will be trained as a therapy dog. The reality is when the time is right the dog appears. They pick us. But….oh the anticipation of who will choose us?

The sun was out this weekend with a heat wave of 55 degrees. The urge to roll in the grass was unbearable. It was wet, so i showed restraint. … And i really did not want to embarrass my husband anymore than usual. He is quite patient with my dog obsession. (well actually its an animal obsession but our small apartment will not allow us to have a horse, pig or elephant.) More than once Salem residents have approached me with “Oh.. you’re that Dog Lady.” ( I am sure they were all kind or scared enough not to say “Oh, You’re that crazy dog lady.)

My husband Norm, also an acupuncturist has recently diagnosed me with Gou Shen Shi Syndrome translated as Dog Mind Excess. (Gou is Chinese for dog. The rest is TCM speak.) The symptoms of Gou Shen Shi Syndrome usually appear around the same time as spring fever. It is estimated that 30% of most people suffer from chronic Dog Mind Excess.

TCM Signs and Symptoms of Gou Shen Shi Syndrom

Tongue: long and dry from panting like a dog
Pulse: Big and fast from over excitement

Symptoms include:
* Obsession with dogs.
* Identification of good sticks. (Size matters.)
* Running after other dogs to greet and play with.
* Sticking head out the window during car rides. (I don’t usually do this one.)
* Heightened sense of smell. (I can smell smoke coming from the next town.)
* Scratching fleas – real or imaginary
(Last week i had to throw away my “dog coat”, the coat i wore making house calls because it had fleas. It took me a few days to realize that it was the coat that had fleas, thus the reason i had flea bites on my arms. My family is grateful that they were not attacked by the coat fleas…. and they were not imaginary fleas.)
* Ogling the Planet Dog toys at WholeFoods. (guilty)
* Drooling on cool leashes and collars at the local pet shop. (Drooling is such an ugly word.)
* Thumping rear leg when happy.
* The urge to bite when annoyed. (no comment!)
* The urge to howl along with other dogs. (why not?)
* Exhibiting symptoms of dog ailments such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, knee problems and lower back pain. (all of the above)
* Subscribing to dog magazines, watching dog movies and surfing pet finder for dogs to adopt. (it beats shopping for designer clothes.)
* Stalking neighborhood dog owners when they walk their dogs. (Some no longer make eye contact with me.)
* Carrying dog treats in car, purse and pockets at all times when possible. (mandatory)
* Knowing all the dogs’ names in the neighborhood but not their owner’s. (guilty)
* Chasing loose dogs down the street in hopes of capturing them before they are hit by a car. (I now have a leash in my car for this purpose.)
* Reprimanding other irresponsible dog owners for leaving their dogs in cars on hot days with the windows rolled up, leaving their dogs outside during frigid temperatures while they are shopping and those who allow their dogs to be unleashed on a busy street. (Probably how i earned the Crazy Dog Lady title!)

So i ask… what Traditional Chinese herbal formula does one take for Gou Shen Shi Syndrome?

I think the cure is a dog.

Dogs & Devotion
A Celebration of the Bond Between Dogs and Their People
by the Monks of New Skete

A great stocking stuffer for all dog lovers on your holiday gift list!

This event took place at the New Skete Monastery in Cambridge NY on October 4, 2009 to celebrate the Feast of St Francis, patron saint of animals. For more information on the Monks of New Skete and their Divine Canine Shepherds please visit their website www.newsketemonks.com

Here are a few pictures.

To learn more about the Monks of New Skete and their Divine Canine German Shepehrds visit their site at www.newsketemonks.com

By the Monks of New Skete

“In this book (and tape) the monks build upon the basic puppy training covered in the “Art of Raising a Puppy”. It covers how to select a dog to fit your lifestyle, how to read a pedigree, how and when to train, and how to properly use praise and discipline with wisdom, compassion the brothers are known for.”

This book is a MUST for anyone who has a dog or is thinking about adopting a dog. The Monks of New Skete are the original Dog Whisperers! I have been fortunate to visit with the monks and their Divine canines on several occasions. Their method of training is simple, compassionate and it works. Your dog will thank you!

You can find it at www.newsktemonks.com

It is that time of year again. Puppy Season! If you have recently adopted a new puppy I highly recommend reading or listening to the “Art of Raising a Puppy” by the Monks of New Skete. This book gives detailed information on everything you could ever need to know about raising a dog.

I have been fortunate have spent time with the the Monks and their “Divine Canines” on several occasions. I always leave there amazed at how well behaved their dogs are. (Too bad they don’t take wretched children in for behavior training!)

You can find this book and others by the Monks at www.newsketemonks.com

“Belle (Bellie) is a 12 year old German Shepherd rescued from a shelter. Over the last 6 months her hips have started to bother her. She started to fall while chasing the ball, and was in obvious distress getting up from a lying down position. Going up and down the stairs have become a chore and she can no longer get up on the bed.

This winter has been particularly difficult for Bellie. She can no longer bound through the snow or gracefully walk on the ice, leaving her with back legs that are shaking and in pain. The pained expression on her face was visible. Her vet prescribed an anti-inflammatory medication that made her sick after one dose. She suggested a different medication as well as acupuncture. Bellie was able to tolerate the new medication and it seemed to be helping her with the pain, but also appeared to make her lethargic.

I searched the internet for “doggie acupuncture” and was blessed to find Jeanie Marie Kraft. Belle is the type of dog that violently shakes with fear when she goes to the vet and has to get on a table. Jeanie Marie, on the other hand, came to her.

Belle was treated in her own bed and has been meeting with Jeanie for 7 weeks now. She is in pure heaven when she is having a treatment. She looks forward to it, and has a big smile on her face when I tell her “Jeanie is here”.

The acupuncture has helped her. I no longer give her any medications, rather, we depend on her acupuncture and home treatment that Jeanie Marie has prescribed. You can see the “relief” on Bellie’s face.

I am very grateful that we have had the opportunity to work with Jeanie. Belle is the love of my life, and to see her more relaxed state, her smile, and her pain-free expression when she looks at me is the most wonderful gift I could ever receive.”
Jennifer L.

Belle is the perfect dog to work with. She is well behaved through her entire treatment. I not only use acupuncture on her. I incorporate a laser, infared therapy and Tui na with a Chinese herbal liniment.

To see Belle’s portrait scroll down to this page a few posts.

Obama dog will face tough job requirements

By SHARON THEIMER – 3 days ago

WASHINGTON (AP)

It’s not always a dog’s life being a White House pet.

Sure, you get to cruise around in the presidential limo, but seldom can you stick your nose out to sniff the breeze. One chewing spree in the wrong room and you’re in the doghouse for wrecking a national treasure.

The way everyone wants your attention, you’d think they elected you, too. You’re supposed to act with decorum, no matter how pushy people are or what kind of mood you’re in. Go a little loopy and you might get exiled to the ranch, like one of Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s dogs. Get a little nippy like President George W. Bush’s Barney and the meltdown footage is sure to hit the Internet.

Still, experts say President-elect Barack Obama and his family can find a pooch well-suited to the White House. The important thing is to realize there’s no perfect dog — only the perfect dog for them. That means casting aside worry about offending anyone and searching for a dog that fits the job requirements.

“It’s not the breed, and it’s not even so much where it’s from,” said Patricia McConnell, an animal behaviorist and host of Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Calling All Pets.” What’s important, she said, is that the Obamas set a good example by “picking a dog based on its behavioral as well as its physical health, from a credible, responsible place.”

The search can take weeks or even months. McConnell and other experts advise a deliberate approach, avoiding impulsive decisions. A cuddly puppy with a red bow around its neck makes a cute Christmas gift, but soon the baby fat disappears and the new owners realize a dog is a lot of work, especially one ill-suited to their lifestyle.

Debate about the ideal Obama dog has become a hot topic for canine enthusiasts.

The search is complicated by daughter Malia’s allergies. Depending on their severity, the family may need to consider only dogs with little or no shedding — or give up the idea of a dog altogether.

If the Obamas are determined to adopt from a shelter or rescue group, they should have a professional help them choose, said Brother Christopher Savage, head trainer in the Monks of New Skete’s dog board-and-train program in Cambridge, N.Y. “You can get a wonderful dog from a shelter, and it’s a wonderful thing, but you have to really be going in with your eyes open,” Savage said.

White House life can be demanding for a dog. People are always coming and going, many eager to schmooze. One of Bush’s two Scottish terriers, Barney, is famous with children nationwide for his “Barneycam” holiday Web videos, but more recently he popped up in a clip on YouTube nipping a reporter who persisted in trying to get his attention. The Reagans’ Bouvier des Flandres, a large, energetic dog named Lucky, was moved to their California ranch after becoming too rambunctious.

Whatever choice the Obamas make, it could set off a national scramble for such dogs, like the frenzy for Dalmatians after the release of the Disney movie “101 Dalmatians.”

Trendiness usually isn’t good for dogs. It can lead to ill-bred, poorly treated dogs as entrepreneurs scramble to churn puppies out before public interest fades. Shelters are full of young dogs discarded after the novelty wore off.

“Pick the right dog for you,” Millan said. “Make a decision, a psychological decision, and then fall in love.”

click here to read the entire article.

Divine Canine: The Monks’ Way to a Happy, Obedient Dog
by The Monks of New Skete

Just in time for the holidays.

From the Amazon Book Review Book Description:

Bring out the divine in your canine! Obedient, devoted, and happy — that’s what we all want our dogs to be. Let Brother Christopher and the Monks of New Skete show you how to get there through the stories of sixteen unruly dogs who came to them with more than a few lessons to learn. In this engaging and informative companion book to the hit Animal Planet series, the Monks of New Skete, renowned masters in the art of raising and training dogs, demonstrate tried and true techniques for influencing animal behavior, showing how a caring attitude and honest communication can turn any dog into a divine canine.

Featuring: The Monks’ Way: inspiring insights into the special New Skete training methods Tips on tackling problems: dominance, aggression, separation anxiety, and more “What if” guides when things don’t go as planned Glossary of key training techniques Step-by-step photos and full-color illustrations of dogs in training at the New Skete monastery A must-have for anyone who loves dogs, Divine Canine offers unique and entertaining lessons that resonate far beyond the food dish and water bowl.

To see more books by The Monks of New Skete and other books for dog lovers, click on FourPawsAcupuncture.com