And time for a new location...

Just as the last bits of musical instruments and other stuff were cleared from the fabulous new TTouch studio, we got notice from the buildings' owner that we have 60 days to relocate! They're going to demolish the building. Wow. Gianna Violins (our primary small business) has been there nearly 8 of our 10 years in business. It's sort of like leaving an old home. The building was built in the 1930's (before the river was dammed) as a service station/convenience store & grill with residence downstairs, It was at that time, a short drive down the Cloyd's creek to the Tennessee River, now of course, the 'river' is right out our back door and known as Ft. Loudon Lake. Our upstairs space has really nifty hardwood, tongue & groove floors and fabulous old style, solid wood framed front doors. We're hoping we can keep the doors and put them in our home. They're really nostalgic and nifty. Other than that, the building is on its last legs. We're in awe that GV has actually stayed there that long. LOL The time flew by!

ETT and GV (East Tennessee TTouch & Gianna Violins) will be moving to Lenoir City in the coming weeks. Clients and customers will be seen by appointment only in the new location. The address will not be published. The location is absolutely lovely and ideal for working with TTouch clients and their animals. It's set in the middle of 15 fenced and private acres with generous woods.  No traffic. No distractions. Quiet. It's a doggie heaven!  It's quite a bit easier to find than our backwater Friendsville place and a good deal closer to most of the immediate surrounding planet inhabitants.  

Early November rings in the Great Smoky Mountain Cluster, a huge AKC dog show event for the entire East Tennessee region. If you come out to the dog show, find me at the East Tennessee TTouch booth near the 'best in show' arena in the Jacob Building. November 3rd thru 6th are the show dates.

The Training Room

The floor has arrived and is (mostly) laid down. The specialty leashes and harnesses are here! The Thundershirts are here! We have a training room!! Just a few more days till a few more things find their place and all is pristine, but if you need an appointment, we're ready.

A new "Bark!" Post coming in a few days.

The website is up: www.easttennesseettouch.com

How was your 10th anniversary of 9-11? I found it really amazing. I cried a lot, just like that day 10 years ago. I adored seeing folks forget their hurries and come together to remember and honor. I rode "bitch" (is that a fitting position for me, or what?!) with my husband on a 50 mile memorial motorcycle ride. I'm thinking close to 1000 bikes (many doubles, like us) showed up, a huge jump over previous years. Our ride was like a procession, folks pulled over voluntarily (on coming traffic that wasn't restrained by police) and they would wave, yell and cheer. It was amazing. The hamburger at the joint that fed us at the end of the ride was amazing! Lube something on Merchants Drive in Knoxville. YUM!

Come by, check out the training room and we'll talk TTouch.

Studio Update

Wow, I feel like I've been running forever. A computer failure put me back about a week. It's amazing what one "can't" do without a computer!

The studio is cleared and ready to become all things TTouch. With a stunning wood floor dating from the 1930's .... it just ain't the best footing for our fur friends, so we have hard foam interlocking flooring coming (in a lovely shade of blue!) along with various TTouch products for you and your critter.

The new website is up and running: www.easttennesseettouch.com

Look for the doors to open for clients late next week! .... It's not too early to book a session!

I'm in the right place

Unlike Dorothy, I'm right where I need to be. This is a great article: "Knoxville goes to the dogs"

All the official paperwork is falling into place for East Tennessee TTouch's opening day of September 1st-ish, 2011. We have an on-going "garage sale" to clear space for the confidence course and all things TTouch, so come buy anytime during regular business hours at Gianna Violins..... I know the guy, we're sharing the space. Many items are from a relatives' estate.... if you like vintage, this is your bag!

East Tennessee TTouch will be at the Smoky Mountain Cluster in November! I'll have all sorts of goodies and hand outs. If you visit the show I hope you'll come by and say "hello"! Think of the lovely autumn weather we'll be having by then!

I currently take emails if you have questions or would like consultation. Visit my contact page.

Studio

East Tennessee TTouch opens its doors for clients on September 1, 2011

The Studio is located at "my other job"
Gianna Violins
10091 Unitia Road
Friendsville, Tennessee 37737

Please note that the bridge right next to the venue is CLOSED while they finish building a brand new one.

Between now and September 1st, we'll have several "garage sales" to clear out the space for all that lovely ground equipment that is part of the TTouch experience. "Like" us on Facebook for lists of goodies at the garage sales.

YEPPIE!!!

PiT

I never thought I'd be so happy to be referred to as a "PiT"! It's not the pits, that's for sure! Ugh... the "pun"ishment....

Session 4 was simply wonderful! Minnesota is a lovely place with it's geological beauty and really NICE people. The weather was hot, but I was reminded upon getting home that it was much LESS humid than Tennessee! The MOA (Mall of America) is worth seeing and is very nicely done ~for a mall~. Instructor, Edie Jane Eaton is delightfully direct and lovingly encourages thought behind the action which I deeply appreciate. I learned so much from this fine lady and never once felt lacking. I have lovingly progressed! I hope someday my hubby and Edie Jane can meet... they share geology as a former career. That may explain the familiar "rock solid" personality.

Nestle's adventure was amazing! This little guy quickly learned that his airline carrier was his "safe place" for all the weirdness he was exposed to flying up and back. I took a bold step and traveled without any sedatives as backup. I trusted that with my tools of TTouch he'd cope well.... and he did! For future reference, when traveling with a dog take advantage of the privilege of boarding the plain first so you can take your dear sweet time getting settled without the added complication of stumbling around your seatmate! Jeepers those seat isles are TINY! And it helps to put your pup in his carrier "naked" 'cause those collar fittings will set off the metal detectors and you don't want a "pat down" from TSA thanks to your dog. .... No, they don't x-ray your dog, my first time through security, Nestle went through the metal detector IN his carrier (hence the need to be "naked"... the dog.... not me!); the second time, I held him as his carrier was x-rayed.

So, Nestle found take-off the most stressful and I would slip a few fingers in his carrier and touch him calmly while this happened. In the beginning he wore his Thundershirt, but I removed that while laying over in Chicago out of concern that he might over heat in his tiny carrier (regardless of the ventilation). He seemed more able to settle after that. While waiting at the gates for a flight, I would unzip his "lid" to keep him ventilated and allow me to work on him. Ear & tummy TTouches did the trick and he would slip into a comfortable nap. All-in-all Nestle's airline travels went amazingly smooth - not bad for a little guy who had been known for full-on "freak outs" in his past.

What does being a PiT mean?
I can now work with clients on what I would refer to as a "professional basis" rather than as case studies only. Current case study clients will receive the remainder of their sessions free of charge for the remainder of this year.

I can give free presentations to local clubs and organizations introducing the delightful world of TTouch. ..... I'm deeply entrenched in working on a power-point presentation for this purpose - not to mention learning HOW to work the program! LOL Stay tuned.... completing that will color when I'm ready.

My "other" avocation is co-owning a small musical instrument business with my husband at our adorably small shop in Friendsville (see: GiannaViolins.com). We're in the midst of reorganizing the shop to make room for what will become my TTouch studio where animals can be seen in climate controlled comfort at a truly neutral location that is much easier to find than my home! After a lifetime of acquiring "stuff" we're clearing the path for this studio by organizing mass "yard sales", so stuff has to go before room can be made and as a result we'll set a "grand opening" date of September 1st. This doesn't mean I can't see clients till September 1st, it only means it'll either be a hotter, sweatier experience (in my driveway) or we can be creative and meet at an indoor training location provided the space can be rented/used, etc. .... And there's always phone consultations or email (see the "contact" page on this blog), so there's no need to feel stranded till September.

Nestle drifts off to sleep snuggled comfortably within his airline carrier while awaiting to board the first flight headed for home out of Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN

Session 4

And we're off to TTouch Training #4 in beautiful Bloomington, Minnesota! (Maybe we'll have time to experience the nearby "Mall of America"! It all depends on my ability to handle large crowds....

Nestle is flying with me and looks forward to the experience - sorta. ...Hard to be excited when you have no experience!

Wish us well and we'll see you on the flip side!

Herbs - Hemp

Early January 2010 I was assisting with admitting my Mother to a long-term care facility for her dementia/Alzheimer's way out there in California near one of my brothers'. During a "care planning" meeting, one of the very kind administrators was going over supplements, diet, etc., when she mentioned that Hemp oil is much higher in essential fatty acids (EFA's) than fish oils and she highly recommended it for our Mother. This was important because Mom had been carefully managing her cholesterol for many years and EFA's were an essential part of that regiment. .... Did I freak out when the hemp supplement was mentioned? No...but I was surprised as I had had no knowledge of this product existing or its benefits....legalness, etc.

Over a year later, I'm in an organic market and I run across a big-ol-bag of hemp powder and (to the horror of my friend), I purchased it! Which brought to mind the stigma of "Hemp" and a thriving population who haven't learned that there's a difference in organic hemp and the illegal bastard cousin of the stuff ~ which causes all sorts of interesting expressions.

There's hemp and then there's HEMP. They're all in the same family, but varieties differ in THC levels (that's the magic ingredient) by an order of magnitude. Commercial hemp powders and oils sold in organic markets contain almost no THC. Sure, the THC is its claim to fame, but this plant offers so much more.

Oils rich in EFA's are oily. I find feeding an EFA rich oil kind of dicey when it comes to dogs. I don't want loose stools to be the side effect. In fact, I don't want loose stools at all. Loose stools suggest an allergy, illness, or (in this case) a reduction in nutrient absorption. Traditional EFA oils have that one benefit going for them. Hemp offers a whole lot more: it cleanses the liver by burning fat; it is environmentally friendly being grown without pesticides; while oils contain omega-3 EFA's, hemp contains omega-3 AND omega-6; hemp is also high in protein (37%); it is easy to digest, and hemp is very high in fiber (43%).

I gravitated towards using hemp powders as a supplement when Elvis was diagnosed with diabeties. What woke me up was the commercial "prescription" diabetic diet produced by a famous kibble-making company found in every vets office. Obediently I followed along when the vet told me to switch to this RX diet. I then watched Elvis's blood sugar steadily rise over the following days to my complete and utter confusion and horror. THEN I read the ingredient label. Let this be a lesson.... read the labels! This "RX" kibble lists CORN as it's FIRST ingredient.

Remember what I told you about corn? Corn is a carbohydrate. The body burns it for fuel just like sugar. So, I freaked out a little bit. I donated the remainder of this expensive bag of crap and went back to our former (grain free) kibble. The vet was astonished when I informed her of all that had transpired. The dog food folks had told her that the "corn" was for fiber.
What an utterly crappy way to provide fiber for an animal with a sugar-regulating deficiency!!! I have no respect for the manufacturers of dog foods anymore... read the label. Don't believe their interpretation of the truth**.

Hemp powder is starting to sound pretty good after that! Loads of fiber, Omega-3's and Omega-6's, highly palatable, sugar free and protein rich. I put a large amount in the home brew I prepare every few days.

Now you know. Organic hemp contains no THC (or very little) and offers loads of benefits for you and your fur friends. Most health food stores will carry some variety of hemp supplement to try. I like the powder as it's higher in fiber... which is what Elvis needs.

Interested in the other benefits of organic hemp? Hemp was the plant originally used to make bullet-proof clothing before the invention of "modern" fabrics. Our constitution is written on hemp paper because of it's strength and lasting aspects. Hemp clothing is making a comeback as it's easy to produce and is long wearing. Hemp was the favored choice for marine rope long before synthetics came along. Hemp is natural. Nylon is not. So, some varieties of hemp are used for purposes other than clothing, rope, food supplements and the like.... those varieties are potent in specific areas and illegal in the US.... but, we're not talking about those hemps here. Night and day. Apples and oranges.

**I saw an ad a while back that pointed out that dogs and wolves are 90+% alike so they should be fed alike because that's the right thing to do. ....... Yeah, apes and humans are 99.7% the same but we don't eat the same stuff or look like twins! ......Ads will sell your sense of intelligence short at every opportunity. Use your noodle.

Herbs - Chamomile

I have been patiently waiting for my chamomile plants to bloom so I can give it a try on the critters.... but those blooms are being evasive even though the plants are growing and spreading nicely. During my impatient wait, I gravitated towards commercial chamomile tea! Fresh is always best and more potent... but commercial tea is worth a try and quite effective.

Chamomile is very mild and gentle, even safe for use in puppies and yes, I've used it on the cat and kitten. It is served as a tincture... which basically means "tea". How do you get your pets to sit nicely and sip tea?... LOL (love that image!) .... we pour it on their food. No pinky finger extension necessary.

Chamomile has many wonderful uses in addition to its sedative qualities. It is helpful for expelling worms; antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, pain reliever and also helps relieve anxiety and insomnia. Useful for gas, indigestion and vomiting as well. I most appreciate the qualities of chamomile for its calming effects, tummy tamer and help in keeping those internal areas parasite and pain free.

To prepare I use a lidded glass jar that'll handle boiling water (one with a sealing lid is best that goes "pop!" as it cools). Depending on the size of the jar, add 1-3 bags of chamomile tea, pour boiling water over it, lid it and let steep till cool enough to refrigerate. I don't remove the tea bags. What I look for is a nice medium to dark amber color. If it's too light shake vigorously and see if that darkens the tea, otherwise reheat and add another tea bag. I like the sealing lids because I can let my jar sit on the counter a long time to cool and steep without any worries, but that's just me.

At meal times I pour the chamomile tea over their food enough to just wet it and mix in. Nestle's 14.5 pound self gets about 1/4 cup per day spit into two feedings. Jazz (24 pounds) gets about the same. Elvis the huge (130 pounds) gets about 1 cup per day, total. His tea is diluted with regular water for wetting his food (he likes it really wet!).

Why does Nestle get a larger portion relative to his size? Have you met this dog? ... LOL ... Nestle has more nervous issues than the other two by an order of magnitude. Anything that can assist this little guy in feeling more centered and calm in life is a gift. Elvis gets so much less because I'm aiming more at the healing, anti-microbial, pain relieving qualities for him with his diabetes. Same for Jazz.

Within days of adding chamomile tea to meals, my husband noted (more than once) how calm and content everyone seemed to be... most especially Nestle. His new calm makes receiving TTouches during stress much more effective as that impenetrable edge is not so impenetrable!

Chamomile can also be given topically to irritated skin by steeping flowers (or a tea bag), letting cool to a comfortable temperature then applying as a compress (soaked towel) to the affected area.

NOTE**
Some dogs may be allergic to the plant. Check for sensitivity first.
Do not give to pregnant or lactating bitches.

Looking down the road....

I am so excited that the near future will bring East Tennessee TTouch to an indoor location complete with air conditioning and heat (not that we care about that "heat" aspect right now...)!!

Long ago, far, far away, my dear husband of lifelong musical talent gradually found himself turning his flair for bringing out the best in an acoustic instrument into a growing business. In 2004 we moved to a "real" business location not too far from our home, in an old convenience store from the 1930's. Our little music shop is just that... little. It's a great place to visit way out in the countryside and by the banks of the Tennessee river... yes, we used to commute by water. ... And in case you were wondering, he named the shop after me... "Gianna" is my middle name.

My sweetie husband approached me with the offer to reorganize the music shop in our little store and to make room for dogs! Whoopie! We all know that going through the labyrinth in my driveway in mid-January is not going to be any fun at all for client, the dog or me. And with the recent "pop up" thunderstorms... having no worries with weather will be a blessing!

Here's to the joyous announcement that in the very near future, clients and their doggies will have a place to experience TTouch that is welcoming and comfortable for all creatures ..... as it should be.

I can hardly wait

Steve with the Suzuki Volusia in front of our shop.

Ice Cream & Summer Solstice

In hind sight this was pretty cute. I hope you enjoy it.

There dwells near our very rural dwelling & shop a "Dollar General" store. Steve discovered its conveniences (and surprisingly low prices) while I was out of town for a TTouch training. I had the joy of taking in the conveniences of the "Dollar General" store just the other day..... Summer Solstice.

'Burgers on the grill' was on the menu. All I needed was "everything" except the meat and condiments. I figured for a "basics" sorta store, they were sure to have it. Steve chimed after me, "Get some ice cream?" He's a vanilla kind o' guy.

Ice cream by the carton had only a couple of flavors, none of which were close to vanilla, so I explored other options. I ended up getting a carton of vanilla ice cream sandwiches. That seemed like a reasonable substitution.

After dinner my husband (who voted for ice cream over smores) opened the freezer to find no carton of vanilla ice cream, but a carton of Klondike Bars.

"You got KLONDIKE BARS for me?" he asked/exclaimed in an overwhelmed sort of voice. "I never get Klondike bars for myself, because they're so special!"

"Have two, then." I replied.

Joyous Summer Solstice to you!

History

I mention it in passing because it was a turning point for me. It's not the big deal that it once was, it just changed my life radically and ultimately for the better. So, what was this bike wreck that I mention from time to time? I deleted the blog after the drama and legal crap came to an end. I just didn't want to "dwell" anymore. Here's the story:

in 2006 I was an avid road cyclist (I still am... I just don't get out much, LOL) logging in well over 100 miles per week. Cycling for me was like breathing.   In April my Dad was diagnosed with metastasized lung cancer at the age of 80. He was a disconnected, stressed, angry human whom I did not have a loving, wonderful relationship with. The only way I could show support that "might" register with him, and an ideal way for me to "deal" with his illness ~ was to ride. So I rode a lot, logging in 600+ miles per month.  In May I signed up for Lance Armstrong's cancer awareness entity, the "LiveSTRONG Challenge".   I was to ride 60 miles on a tandem with my daughter, in Philadelphia, PA.   We raised the money and off we went... where we had a ride ending crash 10 miles in. ... Uh NO! That's not "the crash". That was a road bump. No one was hurt, just one cycling shoe died, a couple of abraded knees... and some wounded pride. We had a good time anyway.

2007 came and Dad was still with us.   Since he was all about fitness I signed up to do the LiveSTRONG challenge in Philadelphia that August. I was to ride 100 miles on Dad's behalf.    July came and Dad lost his battle with cancer on Friday, July 20th.   I contemplated canning my LiveSTRONG ride.   After all, Dad was dead and I lost weeks of training miles in those final weeks.    My mentor cheered me out of quitting.     ....Thank you, Marc!

August 26th, 2007 arrived and I was amongst thousands of cyclists and completed my very first 100 mile ride in one day (my ODO registered 109 miles).... with Lance Armstrong!   It was amazing and a real high point for me. The ride was difficult, challenging, joyous, moving, heartfelt, lonely, exhausting and exhilarating all that the same time.   My reward of pizza and beer never tasted so good!    I did it.    I was elated.    That was on a Sunday.

Tuesday morning, the 28th, we were home again and ready to hit the road for a little loosening up. I was tired, but ot exhnausted and needed to get out get out and get my legs spinning. It was a lovely morning! I remember it well. Crystal clear morning and a pleasant stillness with a taste of autumn just barely there. My husband Steve, and I were about 10 miles out when we came upon a rarely traveled road known for its steep decent followed by an equally (very) steep assent. I was feeling fit, so off we went. As we began the decent, I feel in behind Steve in a draft formation. Suddenly, from behind large bushes to our right a LARGE dog came charging out at my husband who was picking up speed and pulling away rapidly.   The dog had not seen me, so I drifted silently away from him to the left to avoid him all together, giving me a chance to floor it and ghost past him before being caught.

It was a good plan, but it didn't work out that way. As I was picking up speed, the dog saw me and immediately changed course my direction. I spun up, but he caught me with his whole body slamming my rear wheel at full speed. That makes for some incredible things to happen, none of which involves staying upright ~ although I sure did give it a try! But, no.... the rear of the bike came up like a catapult and slammed me face first into the pavement. I wasn't doing anything near "speedy" (this was a "recovery ride" after all...)  ... maybe 15 miles an hour and gaining rapidly on the hill.   I hit the ground face first (yes, I had a helmet), slid along like a rag doll and when I came to a stop my only thought was, "You're hurt. Don't move." LOL, ...no problem.    I lost consciousness.    Steve saw the whole event in his rear view mirror.   I simply can't imagine the horror of thinking you've just watched your best friend die.

I woke up in time for my ride to the hospital.    I could feel my teeth with my tongue.  They were all there.  My back was killing me.  I couldn't feel the right side of my face.... but I didn't care about that. Sometimes numb is good.

During the ride, I had had my hands over the brake hoods, as I do almost "always" for emergency braking. Where my hands went during the crash is unknown, but I'm thinking my thumbs got caught up on brake levers, snapping a tendon on one thumb, and injuring the other quite severly. Tendons take forever to heal, by the way.    The wrist of my left hand was mangled.   I couldn't write for months afterwards.  I enjoy writing and am glad to say that I exercise that skill daily once again.  Zip lock baggies are torture for hand problems as are many types of lids, I was handicapped in the literal sense.  I have regained about 80%.  This weakness is part of what led me to TTouch.
This was taken in the ER about 90 minutes after the accident (that's road grime on my face, mostly). My hands haven't swollen yet.   I haven't even noticed they're hurt and wont till the next day.   The abrasions on my hands were through my cycling gloves. The blood from my eye is from a gnarly gash left by my cycling glasses ~ which saved my eye!   Seriously, the lens of that eyepiece was abraded all to bits from the road.   The pinch/gash is from the impact. Tofusi gave me a free replacement pair of glasses. My cheek on the near side is depressed, crushed/broken all around the edge; like a plate with a hole punched in. My chin is nasty (covered), it took a lot of abrasion along the road.  All that's left there now is a purple spot.

My favorite jersey was toast. My new road bike was dead. The rear wheel was pretzeled from the dogs' impact, the frame bent. My dear husband got me a new Specialized carbon fiber frame with shock-absorbing inserts (for my hands) and killer nice DuraAce components and wheels.  It is SWEET!  Now I just need my nerve!

A week after the wreck, when swelling had subsided, I had my face put back together with a titanium plate to hold it all together.   I had the option of having the plate removed later.... no thank you... it's still there. A few months and two doctors later,  I had my hand surgically repaired  on April fools day 2008!    I said it was a good day to get my hand back.   Since I could no longer "do" my hair while recovering from the surgery, I donated 10" to Locks-of-Love.

During recovery I spent a huge amount of time typing on the computer to regain some hand strength and it was during this transitional period that I heard of TTouch.   Adding to the attraction was my little Jazz pup who was facing a full hip replacement at a tender age.

2010 I "finally!" got myself to attend a TTouch workshop which happened to be given by our dearest Linda, the founder.   I was hooked.   The rest is what it is!

So there you go.   Now you know.

TTouch therapy has done a lot of good for my face and doing TTouch is as helpful for the receiver as it is for me and my hands.   I can mostly feel my affected teeth now and I still get infrequent sensations, or "tickles" along the right side of my face - meaning the nerves are busy.    This was an area that was nearly *dead numb* for months post accident.  It's also a great improvement from the first sensations which registered as acute pain and was truly horrible!   I'll take weird little tingles anytime over that experience. 

As horrid as the experience seems, I can only compound it with the footnote of it being my 5th significant head injury in life.  You know, the first one was really quite bad enough.  I sure didn't intend to make a collection of this sort of thing.  Let this be the end of that adventure.


Heart Hugs

Adoptable Kitten

This is "Pika" which is Hawaiian for "rock" or "stone". HE wanted to be named, "Tika" which is Hawaiian for "bringer of death" or something morbid like that. Maybe he anticipates being a mighty hunter.

Pika has been with us since Monday. He very much needs a forever home, asap. He has been receiving daily TTouches and has really blossomed into an open and friendly cat. He shows no fear of the dogs and loves the kids. He is living on our back porch in an old dog crate... and he uses his litter box! .... This may be slightly better than a small cage at an adoption center...but at least his cuteness will help find a home more quickly than here on my back porch. I will most likely take him somewhere on Friday June 17th, or at the latest, Monday June 20th. If you would love to avoid the whole adoption fee song and dance .... contact me.

Here's his story:
There are things in this world that I'll never understand. I love animals, dearly. But to love animals to a level where letting them run amok and breed prolifically just makes no sense to me. I have a neighbor who professes deep love for their cats, yet the number of their feral population floors me. There is always a crop or two of feral babies running around through woods and yards along with feral toms making more babies and fighting with house cats ~ raising the family vet bill. ........ So, I quietly try to find good homes for the adoptable and catchable ones. Heaven knows we don't need these homeless creatures bating in foxes, coyotes and other "small critter" eaters.

Here is this years' cutie pie, whom I'm calling, "Pika":
This was taken quite a distance away, upon our first approach. Pika has been living in our neighbors basement (hole behind him). We approached slowly & with good energy. Although he considered bolting for cover, a glass of milk left by the neighbor helped him cope with and accept our approach.

A few minutes later. He's been thinking about disappearing into his safe hole, but his interest in the kind humans and that glass of milk are too much to resist.

Just a couple minutes later and he was digging TTouches. Here he's enjoying some ear work.

And shortly thereafter, he's in my arms purring up a storm with no signs of shyness. Amazingly enough, he has no fleas nor any infections that I can easily see (eyes, nose, ears).

Pika came over so quickly and was so affectionate that I had to assume that this little guy was not feral, but lost. I left a note for my neighbor. It seemed reasonable that he simply "escaped" and she couldn't catch him.

Nope. This kitten is indeed feral. He is so close to being fully integrated with humans that I foresee him being a wonderful family companion. He deserves a loving forever home. I will not take him to a regular shelter, but if no one takes him he will go to an adoption center by weeks' end.

He'll stay with us a few days while I work up a case study on him which in turn gives plenty of TTouch work that'll help this little guy. If someone adopts him from me, I'll teach TTouch work specific for Pika and help integrate him into his new home.


If you ~ or someone you know in the area (Friendsville, Maryville, Alcoa, Knoxville, Loudon, Lenoir City, etc.) would love this little jewel... send 'em my way.

Game Time!

The role that toys and puzzles can play in your dogs life (and why) is one of the many things that excite me about TTouch: . It's the “why” that I love: the part where the effects go all the way to the wiring of the being. It's not just an observance, it's done been proven by scientific minded folk.

Behavior, wiring, the body and mind all intrigue me deeply. I'm enjoying one of my favorite authors newest release, “The Bond” (Lynne McTaggert). Fascinating. I highly recommend the book. In a chapter on environmental influences of “inherited” traits in animals ~ a portion of the result resounded deeply within me. In one group several mice (who were born) with retarded mental capacity were exposed to a room full of puzzles, games and other stimulating objects over a period of considerable time (3 weeks?). At the end of the study these 'below average' mice were indistinguishable from normal mice. To my recollection, there was more neural activity. The mice had increased their own learning potential through a stimulating environment.

Hey, that sounds like the confidence course, doesn't it?! So, if you don't have a labyrinth or other TTouch ground equipment hanging around to play with.... try toys and puzzles!

It drew me right back to class and the plethora of toys & puzzles that were brought in one afternoon (Thanks Ladies!!). I had no idea there was anything out there past the old Kong toy that never did very much for my fur-kids. “Old” Kong … I remember when those things came on the market! These new, inviting products are really interesting!

Companion animals need not only physical stimulation (exercise) but mental stimulus (exercise) as well. It's part of bringing balance to the whole being, reducing stress in the body and maybe most importantly, mental well being. Individuals are “individual” meaning different dogs will enjoy different toys ~ just like humans. Some dogs really dig challenging puzzles while other dogs find them frustrating or lack interest all together. I would recommend an easy game or puzzle for the beginner and go from there. The reasoning is that you want to develop confidence and curiosity and foster interest in the game or toy. Beginning drivers like easy vehicles to drive, not formula 1 race cars.

Why do we want to encourage confidence and problem solving with puzzles and games? It simply makes for a more grounded, mentally balanced animal. When they're content, so are you. When they have developed these mental skills, they make better choices. Imagine if your life didn't include mental stimulus. You ate, you drank, you wandered around, napped, got talked to on occasion and finally went to bed. Thoughts of such an existence alone is rather brain-numbing. We've all had that momentary feeling of “jello brain”, where we hunger for something ~anything!~ “exciting” to do. Our pets are the same way. Anxious, unfocused, hyperactive animals can learn to focus and calm from the benefits of mental stimulus that is kind and rewarding (i.e.: it's way better than the ideas your dog may come up with for his or her idea of “fun”!).

Nina Ottosson produces some amazing toys and puzzles for the companion animal ~ designed to promote mental stimulation with the reward of a favorite food. Her website gives valuable information on her products as well as the positives of using mentally stimulating games. Although she's in Sweden, her products are available here in the good ol' USA. Thank you “InterWebs” (inside joke)! Nina offers many levels of toys so that your animal never “out grows” or becomes bored as there's always a toy sure to challenge your pet. Her toys are pricey, though well made. I recommend a visit to her website just to become familiar with the products and philospohy.

“Busy Buddy” makes a fine selection of toys for the puzzle lovin' pup who likes some physical activity with their mental challenge. We know those dogs, right? Great back yard fun with a purpose that is more stimulating than the time honored “throw the ball till he drops” approach. These are great for the busy dog who isn't ready for the more challenging mind games. ~ Mind games take focus and in some dogs, focus will need to be learned and developed over time.

Enjoy browsing Amazon.com for a wide variety of pet toys and puzzles (including Nina Ottosson) and give one a try. Your dog may need some assistance to get started and certainly some time to make those neural connections that'll make puzzles and games fun! We all take time to learn new things, so don't expect a home run the first time at bat.

I have a house full of dog “toys” but no games or puzzles. I'll order a couple interesting items and we'll compare notes down the road, shall we?

It's a date.

My human kids enjoying toy-time on the beach in SC

TTouch in East Tennessee

In welcoming a new client, she mentioned something that really resonated with me, “I've been looking for a TTouch person in our area for a long time....”

There's a reason she hasn't found one. There are only 3 in the state of Tennessee (I won't be listed on the TTouch.com website for another month), the other two are out in the Nashville area (middle Tennessee). For the entire East Tennessee region, “I'm it”. Looking farther afield there is 1 practitioner in Georgia, 1 in Kentucky, 4 way out there in central North Carolina (1 does large animal), and 1 in South Carolina (another will be listed later this year). So, “even close” just ain't happening this side of Nashville.

This was a huge factor in my decision to pursue TTouch. It excites me to be able to bring this amazingly powerful work to my area where there is a huge hole in the network of practitioners. I did have concerns for being a “lone ranger” in a new land.... I chose to take the happier, confident path of intuition.

I knew I had to “get my name out there” to be found and pondered over so that I might not be a wall flower hoping to be noticed someday. My motto has been, “it may be too early to charge a fee, but it's never to early to build a name.” I had hoped for something more colorful than, “East Tennessee TTouch”..... but that describes me and that's all I really need. “Tie Died TTouch” just didn't sit well.... sorta sounds painful, or torturous, or something S&Mish. Maybe that's just my dirty mind. Anyway, I never got far beyond E TN TTouch.... it just fits.

I'll never say, “this is the best method!”. That may be “my” experience, but folks who try it develop their own way of describing the work. I may ask (of a chosen training technique), "is it working for you?" Because, if it isn't, TTouch is a really interesting form of work to try and it may just surprise you. It certainly can't hurt, let's put it that way. Both figuratively and literally. TTouch has no association with pain.....except maybe for offering relief from it.

Here's a couple of really great stories for me to share from the cosmos (in other words, I'm not mentioning names):

A man who had acid reflux disease and took medication daily, tried Heart Hugs and found it to be a surprising success. He no longer experiences heart burn, nor takes medication. He does a few Heart Hugs daily.

A young lady was bitten by a wasp and spent 20 minutes doing Tiger TTouch around the site of the sting in which time the swelling, burning, itching effects vanished. This lady usually carries an Epi Pen for such occasion due to her reactivity to stings.

A cat was hit by a car. It was stiff with bleeding coming from the nose and mouth. Most folks would say this creature was D-E-A-D. I would tend to agree with that. TTouches were done on this cat for a considerable amount of time..... 20, 30 minutes? I don't remember, exactly. The cat …... recovered.

Even my own Nestle who was hit by a car at 9 months (I tend to forget this - because such memories with startling imagery - I try to leave alone). He hit the near front wheel and was knocked unconscious followed by spinning under the vehicle.... all wheels missed his body, obviously and THANK GOODNESS!! I collected him up right away and took off for the vet. He was breathing was my only observation at this point. Driving to the vet I stroked his ears. I had no idea at the time how powerful this was. Not only was Nestle conscious upon arrival to the vet, they could find nothing wrong other than a really nasty head thump.

I have since learned how valuable ear work is via TTouch. There are tons of similar stories to Nestle''s and the car-hit cat surrounding the value of ear work.

I love TTouch and what it's done not only in my own life, but those I have the joy of working with as well.

Thank you Linda.

Elvis

My "Uber Hound" at the tender age of 3 months

An Experiment with Intention

This was an amazing experience that is worth sharing in relation to our animal companions. You might have noticed listed under my "Recommended Reading", "The Intention Experiment" by Lynne McTaggert. Even if you don't "do" Quantum Physics, this book is well worth the read. She doesn't try and convince you of anything, she simply lays out the scientific evidence backing it up.

I enjoyed this book over the Christmas holidays just last season. I tend to savor my books, or more accurately, I read slow. But this one I inhaled. Fascinating read! ...... To the point, Kat! So, in one chapter of this book, Lynne talks about an experiment involving plants. Yes, Plants. In this experiment thoughts were sent to the plant, mental images of what the person would "do" to the plant. The plants reacted. For example, the mental intention of causing harm was sent to the plant and a chemical reaction was physically measured in the plant.

Freaky, right? I thought so, too. But it kinda makes sense too, right? My son was so intrigued it inspired him to do his science fair project on this very subject. Why simply choose to believe this far out concept when we could do the experiments for ourselves and SEE what happens! This was going to be interesting!

We purchased 3 baby Spider Plants of equal size from our local plant nursery. We also purchased radish seeds (that's all you get in December), growing medium and earthen pots for the seeds. The experiment lasted for 6 weeks. We ended up with 4 groups:

Group 1: "Happy Group" consisting of 1 spider plant and 2 pots of 5 radish seeds each.
Group 2: "Sad Group" consisting of 1 spider plant & 2 pots of 5 radish seeds each.
Group 3: "Control Group" consisting of 1 spider plant & 2 pots of 5 radish seeds each.
Group 4: "Happy & Sad" consisting of 1 pot of 5 radish seeds.

Group 4 was an extra earthen pot and extra seeds that we tossed into the experiment just for fun. All groups received basic care (water & sunlight) in equal amounts at the same time.

The Control group only received water and light and did not receive any mental intentions.
The Happy Group received mental intentions of a positive nature: vigorous growth, broad dark leaves, etc.
The Sad Group received negative mental intentions such as withering, pinching off leaves, etc.
The Happy/Sad Group received both positive and negative mental intentions.

The mental intentions sent were by all members of the family as they looked upon or even simply thought about and pictured in their minds the particular plants receiving the intentions. Intentions were also put into water that was given to the particular plants, except for the control plants.

All plants in the experiment began rather identical in shape, growth and appearance. By the end of the 6 weeks there was notable change:

Here are the spider plants after the experiment. On the far left is the "Happy Plant", middle is the "Neutral Plant" and on the right is the "Sad Plant". The growth differences are plainly evident. The happy plant showed the most growth, and to our surprise, the Sad plant grew more than the Neutral plant. This suggested that any intention is better than none.

The "Happy" radishes had full formed, round leaves and in spite of one that was damaged and near death, it recovered.

This image of the "sad plants" doesn't do it justice. I sent intentions of pinching off the leaves of the radishes, and to our surprise these radish plants had tightly CURLED LEAVES where the ones in the other groups did not. The radishes plants were also noticeably smaller than the others in the experiment.

Our greatest surprise was that the radish plants receiving both good and negative intentions grew much more vigorously than both the "sad" and the "neutral" radishes and about the same as the "happy" radishes.

My son took first place in his category at the school science fair with this project and went on to the county fair. Great job for a first time science experiment!

So, plants apparently do receive our thoughts in some form and react accordingly. Amazing, isn't it? We read it, we tried it and we proved it to be true.

What about our companion animals, then? I experimented with that, too, because I had the very same thought! Here's what I did with the dogs:

We don't have a physical fence around our property. So, we (the humans) created one in our minds. It was/is important to feel that it is real and physically there. We all agreed upon the layout of this mental fence and anytime the dogs went beyond the "fence" our mental intentions were of "fear" and "danger" and to "please come back where it's safe". Hehe..... IT WORKED! I was shocked that within a weeks' time, Nestle & Jazz were not leaving our property! This is huge considering there is a numerous amount of feral cats roaming the surrounding woods.

Two weeks after creating this "mental fence" I decided to put it to the test one day when I caught Nestle beyond the boundary, I chose to think, "You naughty dog! I'm going to kill you for this!" ..... He immediately ran away! Two hours later (that's a LONG time for Nestle!) I sent Jazz out to bring him back. Which she did.

Neither dog has left our yard since the placement of this "fence" last January (except for Nestle's one-time bolting).

Linda Tellington-Jones encourages the use of our mental intentions with our animals as a form of communication. After the plant experiment, it makes sense and you know what? It really does work! A clear picture in our minds is what the animals perceive and respond to. The clearer the picture, the clearer the message. Negative intentions such as "Don't bark!".... the dog hears and see's "bark!" and so barking is less likely to stop. Positive intentions such as, "Nice, quiet dog", the dog hears and see's, "quiet" and is more likely to hush and be quiet.

Be careful what you think. Your dog is listening.

Now that's a lot to chew on. Enjoy the meal!

My Mother with a "BB", a young PitBull rescue

Nestle & Jazz updates

It simply excites me how a few minor changes in how I do TTouch can bring about positive feedback and results I've noticed from my own fur-friends:

Jazz has her degenerating right hip which at her tender age of 4.5 years, I want to continue her comfort and avoid a hip replacement for as long as possible, hopefully forever. It's her spirit that brought me to TTouch and so she is my most special "client". Her behavioral issues aren't much to speak of other than being a but unsocialized. My main objective with her has been to increase her comfort and willingness to swim. Swimming is so highly beneficial for joint issues as it places no stress while gently moving the body. And we have swimming available to us 24/7 during the warmer months.

Jazz's previous reaction to the invitation to swim was to cower by the back door in her swim suit (life vest), shivering with fear. If the invite was made for her to swim, she'd avoid coming down to the dock at all. Since returning from my TTouch session with Linda, Jazz has made remarkable strides in her swimming:

Day 1, she accepted her swim suit with joy and came down to the dock with us. It took quite a bit of encouragement but she would eventually make her way over to me, where I perched on the swim ladder, and after receiving more TTouches, would relax and allow me to lift her into the lake and the waiting swim float - allowing her to stand comfortably in the deep water. I would join her and do TTouches. Her relaxation was remarkable! Then, she would swim (with my support) to the shore and climb out. ..... The amazing part is... she would come BACK around to the dock to do it again! She made 3 assisted entries into the lake.

Day 2, I took Jazz & Nestle to work with me which is located by a public landing.... which means shallow water entry! So, I took their swim suits and we enjoyed a break in all things musical to go for a swim. Jazz really needed me "in" the water to encourage her, she entered the water on her own and swam to and from where she could reach the bottom many times..... with a smile! Very little TTouches were needed for her. She was in fine form!

Day 3, This was at home where we live on deep water (no shallows for anyone under 5' tall). To my utter SHOCK, Jazz took very little encouragement to come over to me at the swim ladder for lowering into the swim float waiting for her! She was smiling and her eyes were bright. She would brace a bit in anticipation of being lowered into the water, but this too was much reduced over the previous session and some TTouches help reassure her. .... She spent much longer in the float before deciding to swim ashore. She volunteered for these "assisted leaps" off the dock twice before calling it a day.

All in all, her swimming skills are growing steadily thanks to the security of her swim suit (flotation) and TTouches. Her confidence is amazing and has sky rocketed during these few swim sessions. In previous summers I have tried tirelessly to encourage her to swim - to no avail. TTouch has played a key role in her new found wet enjoyment!

Jazz at the Rockville, Maryland TTouch training

Nestle has always had issues with barking. He barks at everything. He barks at everyone. He barks to express himself. He barks alarms, both imagined and real. He is a barky boy! With regular TTouch time, his barking is reducing gradually and steadily. His greatest moment was with a client who entered our music store yesterday and was greeted with the typical behavior of two little dogs barking at his ankles. The fellow is a regular client, so he was not phased and held his ground, calmly. Jazz got the "okay" right away and went back to her bed. Nestle, however, continued his barking and I could see the tension in his croup, so I happily gave him a couple gentle TTouches and he was instantly calmed. His barking stopped (Yes, it was that instantaneous). He smiled and stayed to "check out" the client with a calm, happy demeanor. He did not bother the client the rest of the visit.

For Nestle, this is huge. He has "paused" his barking in the past only to continue as soon as the client moved about the store. And would occasionally go over and give them a few more barks for added measure. "I" didn't appreciate this barking behavior and I'll assume the clients didn't appreciate it either. What a gift to have a happy, quiet dog!

Nestle "Diving" from our shoreline

Palliative Care & TTouch

There's no getting around the fact that we're all leaving this journey the same way. Linda & I share the personal belief that our animals are in our lives for a reason. They have come to be with us for a purpose and to teach us something.... and vice versa.... if you ask me. Because they are with us for such a short period of our own lives, they give us the opportunity to embrace and find peace with crossing the rainbow bridge... or, "a change of address" as the Hawaiians put it.

There are so many accounts of TTouch having played an important part in the end of an animals' life. For some, when the end comes it is a painful or terrifying experience... for whatever reason. It is then that we can offer TTouch in creating calm or releasing pain/tension so that the dieing process can proceed in a positive way.

What a gift to leave a life in peace rather than pain and or fear!

This is a heartfelt entry. I think back to the animals I helped leave this life who were frightened or in pain and it brings tears to my eyes knowing (now) that I could have made it so much better for them. But animals do forgive in life and beyond. So, I go forward knowing TTouch can make such a difference during this end stage of being.

Linda recently posted an entry on her blog that shares an end of life story that is worth the time to read: http://tellingtonttouch.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/raffis-goodbye-ttouch-and-palliative-care/

Colic, if you're not familiar, is a twisting of the intestines (to put it in few words) and is (I would imagine!) terribly painful. For TTouch to be able to relieve such acute discomfort is really quite interesting and remarkable.

I recall another case in which the horse had terrible colic and the vet held no hope for a positive outcome. The handler continued with TTouches for quite some time hoping only bring calm and comfort to the horse in what appeared to be the his/her final hours. Surprisingly, the horse eventually produced a large bowel movement and recovered.

For long-term sufferers, regular TTouches can bring welcome relief which would not only lower their own stress level but also the stress in everyone caring for him/her.

In closing - our animals give us so very much of themselves throughout their lives. It is a real gift to be there for them in their final moments, however long those final moments are. It's not easy to be there for them as they depart, but it is part of an amazing journey and a chapter that can be cherished rather than stressed and painful.

Brenna & Mac
Two dearly departed spirits I'll forever cherish

Animal Totems

I took a journey recently. A visual journey in a light meditative state to a magical location and animals spoke to me. Well, only a couple actually spoke. As crazy as it sounds, it was a very powerful journey.

On this journey I had close, personal encounters with a Leopard, a deer, a fox and an Indigo Bunting, a species of bird that is brilliantly blue. Why these particular animals? Folks would peg me with dogs, horses, and maybe a butterfly or two . Leopard, fox, deer and one species of bird? My daughter chimed out, they're your animal totems!

What is an animal totem? If I understand correctly, animals we have a kinship with help to teach us things about ourselves such as patience, endurance, quiet, etc., things we may not be as conscious of as we should be. ….But animals I've always been drawn to were not the ones who drew themselves to me on this journey. Or were they? I've always felt great fondness and appreciation for these animals.... I suppose my attraction to them wasn't as conscious as the draw to horses and dogs. It has been on a much more subconscious level, much as the self-consciousness of the qualities they remind me of.

Here are my animal totems in alphabetical order as quoted from StarStuffs.com:

Thank you to www.starstuffs.com!

Bunting (bird)

Colorful Buntings may mean adding color and vitality to one's life. Blue/Indigo Buntings is significant of good, truth and love with spiritual origins.

If you know me, you know I'm rather colorful. I'm not the run-of-the-mill human....that would be dull. Good, truth and love.... things I aspire to achieve with every breath I take.

Deer

Power of gentleness, love, alertness, camouflage, balance and alertness, attention to subtler outside influences, ability to listen, attention, shows how to walk gracefully and carefully, connections to children and people for best interests of all, vision, hearing, smell, helps discern what actions to be done. Teaches empathy for others, soft direction and leadership abilities. Are you awakening to your own innocence? Are you listening to your inner child? Deer walks softly and gracefully. Are you ready for new opportunities that will reflect this gentle love to others?

Kinda sounds like a Ttouch home run, doesn't it?

Fox

Skilled and ingenious, cunning, a new world and creative process opening up, look in between yourself and others (physically, mentally, spiritually), teaches gentleness, swiftness and persistence, courage, power of observation, good eating habits and taking care of health concerns, shift awareness to feminine energies for balance. Fox can teach you how to walk in both worlds and in between since he is the master of camouflage and shape-shifting and walking the spaces in between. Are you in harmony with your surroundings? Blending in with others? It is a time to be careful and discriminating, aware of your communication abilities, and to be alert to your surroundings. Fox teaches how to be still and silent and all the qualities of patience.

This is interesting, it sounds like yet another Ttouch home run.

Um, I haven't had any sugar since this visual journey took place. And I hadn't noticed till just now. I did however just finish eating a plate of raw vegetables. I can't recall the last time I did that.

Leopard

Silent, inconspicuous, strong intuitive abilities (inner instincts), overcoming haunts of the past, renewal of vision, helps in strength of inner demons, leaps about to be made spiritually, mentally and physically. Aids in overall sensitivities, communication abilities and movement in dream world and the unconscious realms. Are you listening carefully of the world within and around you? Leopard teaches the nuance of hearing your heart and intuitions and when and how to react.

Ttouch is speaking to me. I get it. This animal I tried to make anything else to no avail. Silent, yet insistent and rather powerful.

I've thought about sharing the details of my journey with you, but I have since decided that keeping it unto myself is part of the power... the magic. I've shared pieces and that's enough.

Since having taken the journey it's like I've reconnected with myself. My whole self. I smile all the time and apparently I really dig vegetables and no longer eat sweets!

How interesting.

Heart Hugs till next time.

Herb Thyme

If you've ever grown your own herbs, you know exactly where I'm coming from when I say they are hard to beat and very worth your time and effort. Herbs are an important ingredient to every day health and well being. Our domesticated friends are no different. Although I have yet to witness great hoards of dogs converging upon vast corn fields to munch on ears of dried corn, they do forage on greenery. Add some well selected herbs to your dogs diet and you may witness real changes.

Truth about corn
Corn is a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are sugars. There are complex carbs and there are simple carbs. Refined white sugar is a simple carb, which means it is basically pure rocket fuel. Corn is a complex carb, which means the rocket fuel is released more slowly into the body. Corn, of the complex carb world is more "simple" than many of its complex cousins, like sweet potatoe. Sugars cause the glycemic index in the body to spike and then plummet. Instant fuel that is quickly burned off, basically. Complex carbs burn slower and last longer. If your dogs diet consists mainly of ground yellow corn, your dog is getting quick "highs" followed by a dramatic "crash" every time he eats.

Check out the ingredient label on your dogs food. Many of the inexpensive kibbles host corn as the first (most abundant) ingredient item. Think of this like feeding your kids hamburgers smothered in high-fructose corn syrup. Not a healthy way to be, yet many dogs live life this way. Is it any wonder there are more health issues with our canine friends? If we lived off meaty candy bars day in and day out, believe me, we'd be sorta nuts and ill feeling, too.

My recommendation is once you've figured out your dogs food ingredients, consider going lower glycemic. Although the kibble you convert to will be a bit more costly, you will find you won't need to feed as much of it because it's not full of "empty fillers" like corn. Fecal material will be less as well.... and probably gas production. Remember, corn is an inexpensive filler and makes producing the dogs food more economically viable to the company.

Herbs 101

If your dog is pregnant or lactating ~ consult an herbalist for animals before adding any herb to your dogs diet.


Grass isn't your dogs first choice in herbs... it's just easy to obtain and works like Pepto. Natural dried herbs added to their kibble will delight you in their palatability and 2-3 weeks later you'll start noticing improvements in the overall well being as well as a rich luster and feel to their coat.

Dandelions ~ If you have a lawn you probably have Dandelions. A generous amount of steamed dandelion leaves is an easy herb to add that has a nice flavor. It's also good for human consumption but I understand the aversion to eating something you typically mow.

Rosemary is so easy to grow, smells heavenly and is as good for your dogs as it is for you. Rosemary is both an anti-spasmodic, an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory containing salicin, a natural pain killer. It also strengthens heart and liver and stimulates circulation. I gather rosemary along with all the other herbs I steam, cutting them into bits and steaming till tender. I add this to the homebrew I cook... but it can also be kept in the refrigerator and added at each mealtime. ~ Do not give to pregnant or lactating dogs.

Sage is one of my favorites and fresh seems to make the hugest difference over commercially dried varieties. It has astringent and antiseptic properties. Not all sages are safe for doggies, artemisia sages should not be used internally. ~ Do not give to pregnant or lactating dogs.

Garlic - This can be grown or purchased in large containers in "minced" form. Either preserved in water or oil is fine. Dogs benefit from olive oil, same as we do. Garlic is a potent antibiotic, antiseptic and expectorant. Excellent for treating cough and respirator issues, mucus buildup and infections. It also helps repel skin parasites. Best combined with basil, parsley, oregano and thyme. .....I add a generous amount of garlic to my homebrew at the time of cooking. Garlic helps repel parasites. ~ Not for use in dogs under one year of age. May cause diarrhea (discontinue use if it does).

Mint family (including Catnip): all members of the mint family are excellent for soothing digestive disturbances, including gas, colic, indigestion and other internal aches and pains. This is also true for humans: Tums contains aluminum (which has been suggested to play a role in dementia). Historically Catnip was used for indigestion and colic in babies, personally speaking: when we experience tummy upset the sufferer goes outside and picks some catnip and eats that. Catnip his much more effective than it's commercial counterpart ~ and there's no aluminum in it. I add a large amount to my homebrew mixture for the doggies.


Chamomile flowers offer a gentle sedative safe for even young animals. It can be used to help alleviate anxiety, insomnia and indigestion. There have been tests to suggest a reduction in aggressive behavior in animals as well. Also a great choice for flatulence. ~ Do not use on pregnant or lactating animals. Note - some dogs are allergic to Chamomile. Consult an herbalist before use.

How to add herbs:

As a poultice to external areas, brewed to make a tea, dried, steamed.

I add my herbs in two forms: My fresh herbs are minced, steamed (and allowed to cool) and mixed in with their raw diet (what I call "Homebrew"). I retain the water from steaming and add that to the homebrew as well. ... I also purchase prepared dried herbs (specifically formulated for dogs) that are added at the time of feeding according to the manufacturers directions. These dried herbs contain plants I either have no interest in growing, or ones I simply can not find for growing in the garden.

~

Nestle's coat has always been dry and dull with flaky, dry, delicate skin. Recently he showed balding along the top-line of his tail coupled with a dramatic reduction in tail feathering. For a long-haired Dachshund, his coat wasn't looking good at all. His reactive way of being doesn't help matters in that stress effects the entire body.

Nestle began an herbal regiment about 6 weeks ago. It took two weeks for physical signs to emerge. His fur has gone from brittle, washed out and dull to being rich in color with a deep luster and soft, supple feel. His semi-bald tail is beginning to fill in with new growth and I add daily TTouches along his tail to promote blood flow to the area, helping to further stimulate the hair growth.

He's a bit calmer, too. This I can attribute to many things, herbs being an important part of that puzzle. TTouches and ground work finish out the puzzle for a whole dog doing very well in finding his inner calm. It's a process. I'm eager to share any new results once the chamomile blooms and I can add blossoms to his diet.... carefully.

If you're considering herbs for your dog, go for it. When in doubt, consult an herbalist on what to use and how much. For beginners, parsley, catnip, dandelion are safe.

Nestle enjoys his time with Linda Tellington-Jones
founder of TTouch

Is it working for ya?

There's a reason there are so many different methods of "dog training" or - communicating to our companion animals. They like us, are different, or as individual as you and I are. You and I don't think exactly alike and our living environments will be different from one another, right? And so it is for our dogs, too.

Most "methods" of dog training or problem solving rely on a cookie cutter sort of approach. Last time I noticed, not all dogs are the same... so it would be reasonable to feel that the "one answer fits all" approach isn't really reasonable for all dogs, is it? Let's look at a few as an example to get your creative juices flowing:

Prong collars. Oh, my aren't these just the most torturous things you've ever seen? Don't get me wrong, I used to own no less than 3 of them in a variety of sizes. I used to preach blindly in my classes how they're safer than choke collars. Uh, yeah.... and jeans are safer than bare skin on motorcycles but you're still going to get really nasty road rash if you crash. I know this from experience. Road rash knows no barriers, except for the proper gear. Just ask, I'll show you.

Prong collars were created in the Schutzhund field of canine work for promoting aggression.

Read that again: Prong collars initial function was for encouraging aggression in the animal.

Let's look at the prong closer. For the dog who's wearing it, it's sort of like wearing underwear with irritating burrs trapped against the skin. Ouch?! It may not "hurt", but it's definitely going to drive you nuts and can any living thing think rationally when their being driven crazy? Now that whole "promoting aggression" thing makes sense.

Why do folks gravitate to using the prong, then? They know of no better solution to the issue they're dealing with. This is usually pulling.

~

Corrective noises such as the "game show buzzer". Are you familiar? Tighten your diaphragm and chest and belt out a loud "eeennnggghh!" like the buzzer on a game show. Yes, I used to promote the use of this noise to stop unwanted behavior in its tracks. I used to use it on my own dogs. One; how does that feel to make that noise? Lots of tension needs to happen in the body to create it, doesn't it? It's not pleasant. And, most importantly.... Is it working?

~

How about suffering through a destructive behavior because someone told you to "wait till they stop" so you're not "encouraging" the behavior? .... Is it working?

I look at it this way. Your dog has fear issues and is freaking out, clawing desperately at the door to be let in. Is it really healthy to allow the dog to continue to freak out till they stop? IS the dog going to stop? IS allowing them suffer really teaching them to stop the behavior? Put yourself in their paws: you're really afraid of spiders and there's a bunch on the back porch. The door is locked & you're desperately trying to be let in but the folks inside say, "you need to stop freaking out about this and then we'll let you in." .... How fair is that? How likely are you to calm down to be let in? My physical stress points tighten up at the thought of this scenario.
So, the dog freaks out and claws desperately at the door. What else is there to do? You don't want the dog to freak out and you really don't want the dog tearing up your door.

No matter what method you're using, no matter the behavior at issue.... ask yourself, "is it working?" If you're stressing out over it and your dog is continuing the undesired behavior, odds are you're answer is an honest and heartfelt, "no".

So, smile and know that there are other options for you and your companion animal. Our animals come to us for a reason.... to grow and enrich our lives. Sometimes we need a good challenge.


Why is TTouch so successful? TTouch doesn't try to pound a square peg into a round hole. TTouch recognizes that dogs are individuals with different needs; unique issues calling for unique answers. I can virtually guarantee that every single TTouch practitioner out there has the most impressive "tool kit" you'll ever see. The "right answer" is the application of an approach or method that works for that individual dog and their human.

Let's be honest. It takes time to change a behavior. Just as it takes time to learn how to drive, to learn a new language, to loose weight. There is no overnight answer in the healthiest of ways with long-lasting change. In this "have it now" society, we must remember that ourselves, our very cells can and do change, but not in the blink of an eye. Patience, grasshopper.

So, how can TTouch help with pulling if the prong is so wrong? There are many methods available to us for the degree of pulling going on. It just takes finding the one that works for the individual animal. Why does the dog pull? He's out of balance. And he doesn't know he has a choice. TTouch is educating the dog that 1) he has a choice, and 2) we can teach them that pulling is not necessary. Relief for both animal and owner is usually huge.

Alternatives to that annoying game show buzzer? Great question. The animal is most likely doing something unwanted because the buzzer noise is to interrupt or abruptly halt the behavior. But, what if it doesn't work out that way? Answering a behavior with stress signals is sort of like yelling, "Fire!" in a restaurant after someone drops a tray of dishes. .... It may not be real (the fire) but everyone will react strongly to the perceived threat. There are alternatives and it really depends on the dog as to what works. For that, "Hey!" attention getter, I just use a, "pppsssssttt!", like that whispery "hey" you get when cheating on a test or something. Then, I follow up with what I want the dog to do.

What about the dog freaking out wanting inside? Fear issues are not uncommon. In fact when you really sit down and think about it, all behavior issues stem from fear. Anger stems from fear. Aggression stems from fear. TTouch works at the cellular level to release fear issues and simple adjustments in the home can promote the further release of these fear-based behaviors. How about a doggie door bell? One paw on the bells and wala, the door opens. Whew, that is much less stressful, now isn't it? Eventually the dog will learn that one ring equals the door opening which in turn lowers the stress level in the home.

What I love about the TTouch is many things:

Incorporating TTouch into the home lowers stress levels in both the human and the animal.

TTouch works at the cellular level to promote healing, self-awareness, harmony and balance (both mental and physical).

TTouch teaches the animal to learn. It actually increases their ability to learn. How? The TTouches and the ground work activate all four areas of the brain simultaneously, releasing both beta and alpha waves.... left and right brain are activated together. Learning pathways are actually and physically made and learning ability increases. Pretty cool, isn't it?

TTouch also establishes trust. Prong collars don't. Think of all the people you truly, deeply trust with all your whole being. Those folks are really special, aren't they?
You can have that with your companion animal, too.

Heart Hugs

My girl, JazzieBell