"I love my dad so much because he loves me so much and I know a lot of dogs that don't get any love. I'm his best friend and when you have a good friend your never lonely. I don't feel like a dog, I feel more human. I'm his best friend and buddy."

"Do I have 5 houses?" Cody asked since he had been on a road-trip and had stayed over at various homes. He included his new home in Portland and the transition home he came from during the adoption process.

"You should decorate your home to feel special inside. If you decorate for the outside then you still may feel angry or sad."

Questions for Elvis:
Saturday, December 13th, 2008 after being diagnosed with tumors on his lungs.
December 31st cytology revealed Malignant Histiocytosis

1. How does he feel? Does he know he is sick? Yes.
I wake up and it's going to be a good day. As the day goes by I get tired and that's not how I usually am.
By night I don't feel good at all. I think I will really feel good again when I get good things into my body.

2. Does he know what cancer is? Yes.
It feels like I am having a harder time getting air. This panting is not normal for me. I don't like it. When it is windy like this I have a hard time breathing.

3. Does he know he has it? Yes. I get tired when I know I shouldn't. Is he scared? No. Not at all. I'm a voyager and this is the next adventure for me. I like to go on adventures. Hey...Jacob is here with us!
(Jacob was his companion for about 8 years until he was taken by cancer.)

4. What would he like his mom to do for him ?
She doesn't need to worry about me dying. I have so many friends there-I'll be well taken care of.
Animals are different. They can go back and forth. I go to heaven all the time in my dreams. Heaven is really nice. I am not worried about leaving here because I have so many friends who come back and forth. When they are in heaven, they can come here and they come and touch us all the time. We could pay more attention and see if we feel them! I know I can always come back and touch everyone.

5. Is there anything going on that he would like to stop? Anything he doesn't like?
I really want to keep going to the beach but the water is salty and it makes me itchy, so I probably shouldn't go in the water even if I want to. I want to go to the beach more but not when it's windy.

No more kibble. It hurts my tummy. I want hamburgers. Maybe you could mix up some shredded vegetables with meats and grains or make them blended. And don't keep feeling my belly, it's sore. Okay, you can feel it once a week, but no more than that okay?

Tell her to stop knocking on my head! (His mom used to give him noogies.) I don't like it! She keeps trying to doctor me too! I don't like the gooey toothpaste either. The soft one tastes good but not the sticky one!

6. What would he like to do when he gets really sick? How would he like to tell me that he is done?
What's sad about humans is that they don't see as much of the world as animals do. We have different (hard to translate) "levels of consciousness" than they do. If I was human I'd live at this park and wear corduroy pants. I would like to go by myself if it's okay, maybe outside the house or at this park.

If I die, my bunny will be really sad. She tries to hop to heaven because she doesn't realize that she needs to use her heart and her mind to go there. I'll tell my cat not to worry because mom will get another dog right away.
(When Elvis's mom protested, saying she needed some time, he had this comeback:) She's all about dogs! I think it will be a little Aussie or something! She's big into rescues! I rescue her everyday too!

7. Would he like to have our friends come and visit him? Would he like me to have a party for him?
Bring everyone over! Maybe they could all bring lots of meats! Maybe they could bring lots of pasta and salads too! Tell my friends if I don't kiss them goodbye, it doesn't mean I don't love them. Anyone who loves me should come! My friend Kevin should come. He struggles with depression too.

8. Is there anyone he doesn't want to see...anyone who makes him uncomfortable or unhappy?
Only the cross-eyed guy...but he can come if he doesn't bring his gun.
9. What are his favorite things that he wants more of? Foods ? Activities?
More parks! I love meals at the drive through! Can I have fries?

Tell George that he doesn't have to fight so hard for me. I am not George's responsibility. He should just be supportive of my mom. Tell George to surrender...no struggling! (George is Elvis's mom's roommate.)

10. Has he ever seen Jacob, Thumper, Chica, Flower...or anyone else who's passed over...around?
I go back and forth to heaven and so do they! Chica didn't run away either really. She had a nightmare in her sleep and died in the bushes outside. There was something wrong with her heart. The bunnies are always hopping around in the house.

11. Has he ever seen George's son, Isaac? (Isaac died at age 10 of brain cancer...a little over 2 years ago)
Yes. He is here alot. He plays with dominoes on the floor with George right there. Sometimes he lays down with George. You should tell mom that George cries in the middle of the night. Isaac knows. Isaac is getting older now. Now he looks like a young man. He sits at the kitchen table while dad takes the juice out of the fridge and drinks the juice. He tells his dad, "Stop it! Get up and live! Get up and live! ." I think George hears him all the time but thinks he really doesn't because Isaac's voice is more wise so he doesn't sound like a kid anymore and George isn't really sure it's Isaac talking because he doesn't sound like his old self anymore.

The sad thing about Isaac dying is that Isaac wanted George to hear Isaac say that he loved him more often. He says it all te time now. George doesn't realize that it was time for Isaac to pass. (At this point Isaac came to try to talk with us. Laura said she doesn't talk to people who have passed.) I know why you don't talk to them Laura! If you talk to them then all these ghosts will want your help and you love animals more!

12. Is this cancer...from somewhere else? Does he know anything about it? Was it mine and he took it from me?
No. I am not shocked or anything. I don't feel like I'm dying. I need a special food I think. When I eat, my stomach feels yucky. I am excited about special foods ! I love food! No one made me sick.

13. Does he know if Jacob took the diabetes so his mom wouldn't have to get it?
No. Mom is really healthy inside only she doesn't believe she's healthy. She needs to let it go. Maybe she could become a person who does what you do Laura? Can you help her? Maybe she could do it for her profession. Can you teach her how to do it?

14. Is there anything else he wants to tell me? Or questions he has?

Coffee helps my mom study and concentrate. She should drink coffee. (Elvis's mom doesn't currently drink coffee)
I was jealous of the horse. She's perfect for the family though. She's a survivor and a fighter like the rest of us. She's a lot prettier now. Before, when I first saw her, she looked like slime. I fell in love with her. She told me that I was lucky that I got to go home with mom. She wishes she could come home with us too. ( He is talking about Red Rose, the abused mare his mom and George rescued.)

My cat is going to be lonely without me. We need to tell him not to be scared. I would stay here if it were up to me, but it's not. It's up to the big energy. It's all around us. It decides when I go. This body is only for earth anyways. You can't take it anywhere else! We don't understand time when we are in a body.

My mom used to be really angry inside, and now she's not...except at herself...and she needs to let that go. I really like this water bowl. It's pretty and it doesn't slosh and it smells like wise dogs. Can you ask my mom to get me one?

Talia & her dad, Michael.

Last year one of my best friends lost her 13-year-old daughter in a plane crash. Talia died on the 23rd of December but was found on Christmas day. On the anniversary of Talia’s passing, I spent most of the day with my friend. She saved every text message and phone messages from people who remembered to call her and said she would write them down later so that she would never forget who reached out to her. We went to the hilltop where the ashes of Talia, Talia’s dad, and her German Shepherd Gunther are spread. Along with three other friends we had a spiritual experience that is so memorable we will never doubt the power of the universe again.
When we got back to my friends house I spoke to her Chihuahua Zippy. Zippy said, “I know today is the day that Talia’s spirit flew out of her body when she was moving really fast through the air…The way angles get your spirit to leave your body is that they surround you in love and it is like love catches you…The day we knew Talia died, Gunther (their German Shepherd) said to me, ‘I am going to make myself go be with Talia. You stay here with mom’…Gunther did it. He made himself sick. It was really hard for him to do. He had to suffer in order to get to heaven. Now he is with Talia and I am here with mom.”
I asked Zippy what he wants to tell humans. He said, “If I was to talk to the animals I would tell them to be present to support your people if they start to cry or if they feel lonely. I want to tell people that it is important to think of others. To know that little words on a phone can create a breath that helps to heal someone. I want them to remember to love each other and you don’t always have to give a material gift. Sometimes just saying hello is a big gift. If the people you know have loved ones that have died. Tell them to ask for a sign that their loved ones see earth. Just because someone is in spirit doesn’t mean they cant say ‘I love you and I am here. … If anyone feels alone I am sure they can ask Talia and Gunther to say hello.”

Zippy

Gunther

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about changing longstanding behavior patterns for the better. I get called into homes to change an animal’s behavior but very often a human needs to change in order for the animal in the household to change. And although there are times when I am surprised most often I can tell instantly which humans will follow through with my instructions and who will not. I can also tell which animals will try hard to listen and understand their people. These animals feel uncomfortable about their behavior and want to strive to live in a more peaceful confident way. The combinations of these human / animal companions are interesting to study. If the humans have any desire to change their animals’ behavior I may see a shift in the human, a shy animal that wants to be confident can truly transform a shy person into being more social and an aggressive dog can make an angry person less reactive.
Here I will talk to some animals that have witnessed their people change for the better. I ask them to tell me about it.

Chewy (Spaniel): My mom lost a lot of weight. Every morning, I would watch her walk by the mirror and grimace. One day, she woke up and while dad was getting the kids dressed she stood naked in front of the mirror for a long time. She cried and then she smiled. It was weird from that moment she laughed more, ate better and ran on that moving sidewalk in the basement. I think she changed because deep inside she knew she was happy. She just had to remember. Now even though the kids make her really tired her body feels good. She moves gracefully again.

(PICTURE N/A) Jude (Lab): I have always thought my mom has a lot of determination. One day she looked at my dad and thought, “I hate the way you treat me and I am tired of you not listening to me.” She stopped thinking about him that day. She used to always be mad at him and then she starting thinking about how to make her life happier. She studied and she played more. Now she no longer lives with my dad and he is a lot nicer to her.

Vinnie (Cat): My mom is very sensitive. She is really kind and a wonderful friend to who ever she knows. Sometimes my mom hears what people are thinking. Things they would never say out loud and that hurts my mom. She sees a lot of suffering around her. She would spend a lot of time crying. My mom now does these rituals where she asks to be protected and she does this kind of stretching that I think is similar to the way cats stretch. She is still sensitive, but others feelings hurt her less. It helps her to state everyday that she is protected from feeling too much of others’ hardships. Now she has more time to feel joy and do things that she loves.

Makia (cat): I have to say that I believe that in order to change you need to love your self and focus your energy on what you want to become. You have to feel that feeling all through you body. It is very hard to do and I have seen my person feel really good and healthy and then eat bad food because she doesn’t know what to do with all the vibrant energy. She gets scared she will not be good enough. But she is stopping that behavior and doing amazing things that I think will help change the world. Be courageous and hold your vision always in your heart and in your mind. Never let it disappear.

I have two canines in my family. Maia, my stunningly beautiful wolf dog and Storm King my large black and white Aussie. Stormy is nine years old. He was born under the deck of my friend’s farm in New Paltz, NY. His canine dad was my old dog’s best friend. Storm’s dad was neutered at age twelve. The day after his surgery he was found on top of Stormy’s mom. I picked Stormy out of a litter of ten when he was only two days old so he could keep his tail. He fit in the palm of my hand and resembled a rodent with a white streak down his head, a marking he no longer has. He was the first to bark and the first to leave the litter. In his younger years, he was my agility dog and then a therapy dog. He has a badge with his smiling headshot that says “Pet Therapist”. His main jobs are keeping loose dogs away from my Maia and making people fall in love with him. Many say his eyes are human. He is fluffy, has broad shoulders, his front elbows turn out and paws turn in making him ramble just like a small black bear. “He is just like a little bear” people say as they put their arms around him and squeeze. He is a “bear-dog” I tell kids. “Wow, a dog mixed with a bear” The children believably respond in awe.
The other night, Storm and Maia accompanied a friend and I to a venture in Santa Barbara. On our way back to Ojai we stopped at a familiar spot on the 150 to let the dogs pee and to walk out into a field to look at the stars. We were almost back to the car when a loud frightening noise disturbed the peaceful silence. “Roaar … Roooooarrr .. Rooarr” All four of us froze. My mind went from “What the hell was that….mountain lion…bear?” to “that sounds just across the road and he is mad” to “get in the car fast”. I grabbed Maia’s collar and ran the short distance to the jeep, lifted the hatch and helped her geriatric body into the car while saying, “Stormy, in the car” He launched into the car and I considered following him through the back, but I wanted to see the bear so I swiftly moved to the drivers door and got in. I turned on the headlights and pointed the car in the bear’s direction. We all sat there for a moment while we caught our breath. My friend said, “That was definitely a bear.” I replied, “I wonder why he was so mad”. At that moment Storm appeared in-between the two front seats. He sweetly licked both my friend and I on the cheek. “Mom” he says, “That bear thought I was a bear! He said to me, ‘You get out of there’. I was really scared.” My friend and I chuckled. “I could see that” my friend said, “He does look a bear and ‘You get out of here’ was very clear.” Curious I asked Storm what he said to the bear. Storm answered, “I told that bear, ‘not until my mommy tells me to’. Then when I was jumping in the car the bear asked me ‘where are you going?’ I told him I was getting in the car. Mom, that bear hated me. I thought he was going to run at me and bite me. I am glad you told me to get in the car.” The next morning Stormy told me he had a nightmare about the bear.
As I look at Stormy, it is easy to see that from a short distance, in the dark, by the light of the moon and the stars, my little fluffy Aussie even looks like a black bear to a bear.

GITA

ANDY

I will briefly tell you the story of Gita and Andy. Because of them I feel more connected with life and death’s natural rhythms. Gita was a beautiful German Shepherd. She was unique looking with a distinct reddish blonde coloring and a little raccoon mask around her eyes. She was my student and my dear friend. She was blessed with the most perfect home a dog could wish for. Her people did everything right. They spent time socializing her and trained her humanely. They searched out the best vets and the best nutrition. They showered her with love, discipline and exercise. There was no home more dedicated. I say that with all my being. Gita’s mind started to slip and despite all the efforts of her people Gita’s fear increased. She began to exhibit unpredictable aggression (to even a well trained eye) that became shocking and dangerous. There was no turning back from it. There was something terribly wrong with Gita’s brain. When I talked to Gita, she told me she could no longer hold her aggression at bay. She was scared she would hurt someone. She wanted to be done with this life. She wanted to go to heaven. Surprisingly, the young shepherd pleaded to me to let her go. She was her peoples’ child. How could they do it? Yet, how could they not? She became a danger even to them. They searched for other answers (medication, shelters, other homes) and each time they did the door to life quickly closed on them. It was the hardest decision they would every make, yet it went smoothly. Gita was thankful. She became calm and peaceful once the decision was made. Gita’s mom (person) told Gita to sore to heaven like a bird taking flight and that is just how I watched Gita’s spirit sore to a new dimension. My love goes out for Gita’s family and I want to thank them for being the best family a dog could wish for.
Then there is Andy. A white and black stray cat I found in Ventura. It took me three weeks to convince him he needed medical care. On the third week, he allowed me touch him for the first time and put him in my car. He was frightened. He could barely breath from the puss coming out of his nose. His face is severely deformed. His eyes almost swollen shut. He has four tumors or abscesses (one on his forehead the size of a golf ball, one on his right check, one in his mouth and one on his left check that is oozing puss). He was thin, filled with thousands of ticks and worms. “He has cancer or a fungal infection. I think he should be put to sleep” the first vet said. “Laura, put him out of his misery” Others pleaded. But Andy did not want to die. Andy wants to live. And because Andy wanted to live all the most wonderful people have come magically into life. Lisa helped me clean his wound and bathed him five times. Buena Animal Hospital has cut their cost for medical care. Span has given him a voucher. B at Noah’s Apothecary has donated food and is collecting donations, Catherine gave him healing with tuning forks, and Kristen, one of the best cat people I know, will be taking care of Andy when I go away. Andy is healing! He is a miracle. Andy does not have a fungal infection nor does he have cancer like many thought. Andy is free of all serious cat borne diseases. He is friendly and allows me to clean his wounds. He is good eater. Andy says, “All of a sudden I have so many friends. Each day, I know I am not ready to die, because I want to stay with all who love me.” Thank you everyone for all your help with Andy!
Gita and Andy have reminded me that we cannot judge another’s suffering by outward appearance. It is important to ask our animals what they want. Ask them to be clear. You do not have to be a pet psychic to understand them. They will show you what they want. If we are patient with our decisions the right path will always be revealed to us. Although this path can be emotionally hard, I am convinced it is always right when it unfolds so effortlessly. I will forever be grateful for Gita, her sister Greta, her people, Andy, and all of Andy’s “new friends” that have help him along the way. Thank you all for listening to the animals and loving them with all your hearts.

Happy New Year!
Here is what my animals would like to concentrate on in 2009. They are listed oldest to youngest.
Joey (cat): I would like to find away to help my knees and neck not to bother me so much. By the end of the year, I want to feel comfortable with Serafina and I grooming each other and sleeping close together.
Maia (wolf hybrid): I want to find more peace about going to heaven. I am not sure what I need to learn in order to go there, but I think I am going to learn it this year. I want to be as calm as I can be. I know I still don’t like strange dogs around me and I hope that doesn’t matter when it comes to me getting into heaven.
Makia (cat): I want to help you more with your work. I want to talk to the animals and see if I can help them understand their people. I want them to know that you talk to a lot of animals that suffer and they are not alone. I want to manifest you brushing me more.
Stormy (Aussie): I want to be on a schedule of seeing old people and helping them to smile. I want to do it often. I need a job. I also want to have a set play date with a canine friend. I want you to find that friend for me.
Serafina (cat): I want to play more. I want to teach Bean (the bunny) how to be good while she is loose in the house. I want to be more peaceful with Makia. I want to snuggle with Joey. I think I should learn to be less protective over my food.
Bean (bunny): I want you to teach me how to do tricks. I want to learn to be a cat and go in the front yard. I want to learn how to listen to you. Every time you talk I am mad at you for telling me not to chew the wires or the curtains. I feel you don’t know bunnies. Maybe you know more than me, but I am not sure yet.
Makia would like to add, “I think everyone should think of this moment forward. They should forgive everything that happened in the past and be happy that there is a future. I like the idea that life is unpredictable. That no one knows what happens in the future. I like the idea that the future can be even greater than all of our family can imagine. We can be happier, healthier, more peaceful, and more grateful than we ever thought possible. If we look inward and smile everyday, we can look out at the world and see only beauty. And when we all see suffering we can know that the suffering will end if we concentrate on seeing ourselves and others as pure loving spirits. It took me a long time to realize this. I think that if I take time to remember it everyday, I will kinder to myself and others.”

Dear Laura,
When I first started hunting my dog, Sophia, she would literally creep on her belly. I could not make any sense of it. Would you ask her about it?”
Sincerely, Richard
Dear Richard,
This is what Sophia says about birds and bird hunting, “It is important to watch the birds. If you watch the birds you will know what the next three days of weather is like. I can tell by the birds that come to the bird feeder. There are these little birds that come to the feeder if they are there longer than twenty minutes at a time the next few days are going to be windy and cold. If they come for a little bit and then go away we will have nice weather. The deer are like that too. If they rest a lot then they are not worried. If they are moving around then they are getting prepared. I don’t always like to hold dead birds in my mouth. I don’t like to feel their heartbeat get slower and feel their spirit rise. It is so sad because sometimes their spirit will look back at me and I have to tell them that if they go to the sun they will always be warm.
Creeping is the way to go after the bird. It is best to wait to the bird actually dies. Sometimes if the bird is still alive it will fly away or try to move you want to make sure that it dead. Sometimes I think it is dead before it truly is. There is something about being low to the ground and feeling the earth on my belly that makes sense to me. It is like accepting that part of nature. It is important to let the bird rest a bit before you go and get it. That is the way to do it. Not all the dogs do it and they think that I am a little crazy, but I know that I am not. Creeping is the right way. It is also the way to listen to the earth and to listen to what all of nature has to say. You know what we do is taking another’s life and when you take another’s life you have to do it gently. It is ok to do. I am not saying that we should not do it. It is just to do it respectfully. My dad mentioned to you that it is an ancient trait and I believe that to be true. I think that long ago we were taught to do this by our people. I think long ago people where more connected to their hunting dogs and to the earth. I think that both dog and human knew which types of birds to get in that year. Sometimes when we go out hunting I think that we should not be hunting a certain bird. It feels wrong. It feels this way because it looks like their flock is smaller and that they are less active. I don’t know if they are getting ready to have their babies or that maybe they are under populated. So I worry about the birds. But my dad thinks it is ok and so does everyone else so I do what I am told. Sometimes I think that the following year there will not be any birds, but there are so maybe I am wrong.”

I teach to my clients that it is important to visualize what you are saying to your animals as well as the importance on telling your animal what you do want rather than what you do not want. For instance if you want to tell you dog to stop jumping you would say, “off” and visualize your dog with all four paws on the ground with you petting him gently. Rather than saying, “no jumping” which sends the image of your dog jumping. This is the same for the command “come”. When you call your dog “come” you want to picture your dog running to you rather than calling “come” while saying to yourself, “Dam dog is never going to stop chasing the gardeners. He better not nip them.” This can be very confusing to your dog and usually ends with your gardener in torn trousers.
I had noticed many years ago when my wolf-dog, Maia, was a wild thing who would not agree to have another dog share a four block radius, that if I left the house praying, “please let there be no dogs off leash on our walk.” We would almost always see a dog off leash. After a very stressful year of this, I started to walk out of the house saying to my dogs and myself, “This is going to be such a peaceful walk. We are all alone and you both are so well behaved. Thank you for being so good.” We magically began to consistently have wonderful walks that I could actually look forward to.
The past few weeks Maia started to have a bit of an incontinence issue. I realized the more I spoke about it the worse it got. For experimental purposes, I began to switch it and it seems the more I talk about her being healthy the dryer she is. Which makes me think, “What are we putting out there (into the universe) on our animals behalf”. If we keep talking about our animal’s naughty behavior they remain naughty. I had a little three-year-old French Bull-dog say to me yesterday, “I am pain sometimes and I am worried my spine is going to shatter into little pieces. Where will the pieces go?” It turns out she has a degenerative problem with her spine and this is what her person is worried about. It made me sad to think this little creature is worried about her spine breaking apart so I told her that her person is doing the best to make her feel healthy and have her bones grow stronger. I told her to focus on a strong healthy spine. What if it is real? That the power of our thoughts truly does create our reality. Do we really want to create this little dog’s spine to collapse?
We must ask ourselves, “What are we attached to? What thoughts and ideas are we holding onto about our animals that are not healthy? And how do we change them to be more positive?” I am not asking you to be in denial about your animals physical, emotional, or behavioral problems. Accept them for what they are and then hold the image of them becoming healthier and more confident. Even an animal that is dying can die in comfort and serenity if we hold that image. Anyone who lives with an animal has witnessed that animals understand our emotional state. What power lies in our minds to create a sense of wellbeing in the minds of our animals?
It has been joyful for me to integrate this new age power of manifestation into the lives of my animal friends. Experiment with switching your negativity to more positive feelings and images and you too may find more joy and wellbeing in you and your animals’ lives.