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Showing posts with label #heartMowgli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #heartMowgli. Show all posts

Monday, June 10, 2019

Ember: Reflexology, Belly Rubs for Newly Adopted Canine Family Member



Ember's favorite ear reflexes
Ember found a home; I am Ember's mom and her live in reflexologist if you will. Her exact age is unknown but she is young, and yet has a complex past.
Ember has been getting Reflexology ever since we adopted her one rainy November day and we have come a long way:  
Dien Cham/Facial Reflexology 
- also some Ear Reflexology.  How can anyone resist these ears, they have a life of their own and are so inviting!  Bionic, a friend called them;- )
- She also gets a bit of Paw Reflexology on all four paws, (hands and feet if you will) (Central Nervous System, diaphragm, lung/heart reflexes).  She has webbed toes like her late brother Mowgli, she swims.  
 The daily practice has been rewarding in many ways and was quickly extended to the booty rub which she asks for already and it is great for red lights when I feel we (yes, we!)are not grounded enough and/or it's a bit too noisy (sirens, construction, etc.).  And I wish I always remembered. 
Her absolute favorite for now seems to be the belly rub.  She gets it clock and counter clockwise in multiples of nine.  Ember very clearly demonstrated one afternoon out on the street that she needed some of that, by throwing herself on her back and thus exposing her belly.  I at that moment remembered that we had rubbed her belly when we met her and how calm she was.  Ever since it has been part of the daily routine.  Luckily, she loves being touched in general, and I picked up on the significance of the belly rub.  (Mowgli as he got older was obsessed with the booty rub and found ways to even ask strangers for it, and loved the morning dien cham ritual).  How do I know that he did not just endure it?  Well, he might have yawned or stretched and did not pull or walk away.
Ember's morning sessions last probably between 3-10 minutes, often she also gets a little something at night, or possibly during the day, too, at least when I am with her, and she also gets kisses and hugs.    

Ember loves touch.
Acclimating/integrating the new family member requires creativity and tips from many of our friends/trainer Bruno with respect to Ember and has been a journey.    What has worked for brother Mowgli (not biological siblings of course) was a great start, but Ember needs much more, we are also 10 years older, and 2019 is more complex than 2009, that is the big picture. 
 Healing is an ongoing process and she is not an adult yet, so she is still developing.  She has made a lot of progress very quickly considering she now lives in a very busy New York City neighborhood, and is exposed to dogs of all ages, breeds, temperaments daily, people, people, people, sometimes coming from all directions at the same time cars, bicycles, strollers, walkers, and sirens, etc.., you get the idea daily life in NYC, or any other big inner city.   

Healing is never quick enough, is it?  We tend to want convenience at all times, including the perfect pet - we may want them low key when we are tired, engaging when we want to engage, etc. 

Friday, November 23, 2018

In Memorian Mowgli: Olfactory Greetings

Mowgli enjoying „olfactory fireworks“ 
Nov. 19, 2018

"Dogs are not our whole life , but they make our lives whole."  (Roger Caras)

What is this so familiar smell?  Well, it was Mowgli's breakfast.  Two or three days ago I started smelling something very familiar, which at first I could not pin point.

We started feeding him raw food earlier this year.  It had a very distinctive smell.  Even now that I am writing this, it is with me.  I feel comforted and a bit amused.  At times it seems like eons that he is gone, and I am totally okay with it, but other times it seems impossible.  I am not expecting this to change any time soon.  When I see someone who asks about Mowgli, I tend to tear up.  Everyone has been very kind acknowledging his passing with cards, talks and hugs; thank you all for your kindness.

It has been almost four weeks, short and long at the same time.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Fafa and Joker (Papa and Chocolate)


“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Will Rogers (actor, Connecticut Yankee)

What a beautiful and unexpected encounter after a recent breakfast in Hualien, Taiwan with two new canine friends.   
It was very interesting to watch how the older dog Fafa/Papa* communicated with Joker/Chocolate and with me.

Collage 1: The older dog (brindle) approves of me after brief inspection.  I had seen them briefly the day before; he enjoys a few relaxing strokes of facial reflexology; his eyes are closed. 

Collage 2: Communicating playfully and coaxing the younger one who had just gotten up with what I imagine to have been "this is fun, try it; come on, it’s relaxing; I’ll do stretches with you first.”  They did stretches together and were affectionate and gentle, and playful. 

Collage 3: The younger one listened :) and gets moral support during "his session.”  Fafa/Papa is watching us, his face close to where the action is.

Collage 4: Mutual gratitude 🙏🏻; good bye between me and senior (come again maybe?); the younger one just walked off; he did his job.  He pleased Fafa/Papa.  Easy breezy for me, but so incredibly heart warming and eye opening.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Mowgli Follows in my Footsteps - Mowgli Reflexes!


What do your pets do?  How creative do they get working on their reflexes, nadis, meridians, etc., Mowgli has found numerous ways to do DIY Reflexology.  This morning I picked up the bone and placed it next to him on the couch.  Next time I looked at him I saw this; it lasted for a while until the bone fell on the floor and he was sound asleep.