Fido Feels too

Make sure you have somewhere cooler for your pet to go....even if it is a big shady tree.  Also make sure they have lots of fresh water available at all times.  It's so hot these days that dehydration can hurt our pets as well.  Regular temps are pretty easy for them to adapt to, but extremely hot or cold isn't as easy.  Don't take them for a long run or anything either, you take water for yourself, do you take some for Fido?

Some people think a dog with a longer, thicker hair coat should be shaved, as they are hot.  Nope.  This thick coat, such as on a collie, works both ways.  It serves as insulation for them in the winter to keep them warm and as an insulation of sorts to keep the cooler air close to their body in the hotter weather.  Unless they get a lot of hair mats that don't allow the air to flow through, this system works well for them.  Now, if they are covered in matts, their skin can't breathe, and they get "hot spots" or sores under the matt of hair.  Very painful and can cause bad infections.  The matted hair holds moisture in and doesn't allow for the skin to dry.  Lots of bad stuff can grow in there.  Plus, if you shave their beautiful coat, they do get embarrassed.  Don't tell me you haven't observed an embarrassed dog!

Of course animals have feelings just like we do.  You can't tell me they don't miss us, grieve us or their pals when they die.  They are pure emotion, without as much cognitive ability to reason through it.  They are super happy when we come home - and sad when we leave.  They are proud when they accomplish something great and they are sorry when they are bad.  They love us - a real, true love....innocent and unconditional, without boundaries, without exception.  They believe in us when we have lost the belief in ourselves.  They don't care if we have a lot of money, they don't care if we dress right, say the right things at parties, or have a huge zit growing out of our foreheads.  They love us for who we are and help us aspire to be better people.  The innocence of their wholehearted, boundless devotion to us is something we can all aspire to.  Want to learn about true love?  Watch and learn from your pet.

Which brings me to another subject I am passionate about.

THERE IS NO WAY THAT GOD WOULD ALLOW US TO GET SO ATTACHED AND BONDED WITH ANIMALS NOT TO LET THEM INTO HEAVEN TOO.  Read that again -

God is all about love - pure love.  What better example of love than your pet. What better example of God's love can we find???  How many times have you felt God's love through your pet??

I know that you have to believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and choose to believe in him as your savior to get eternal life in Heaven.  So how can Fido believe in that?  Well, how do we know he doesn't?  God created the animals.  How do we know that they don't talk to him in their own heart every day?  How do we know that they aren't closer to God than we are?  Who are we to LIMIT God or anything in his creation?  I think my dog, Abbie talks to God as often as I do.  I think she has the faith of a child...God calls us all to have the faith of a child...total and certain without doubt.  I think Abbie has that.  We let our cognitive and thinking skills get in to way too much - to reason ourselves right out of faith.

I also believe babys that die - before they can willfully decide to follow Jesus - go to Heaven.  By the grace of God, they are saved.  I think animals fall into that category as well.  Even if they don't communicate with God, they are innocent as a baby.

How many times in the bible are animals mentioned as part of the heavens and earth?  The lion will lie down with the lamb...how will that happen if they aren't there??

If there are no animals in Heaven, I think there are a LOT of people who wouldn't want to go there...I don't know if you (or even if I do) buy the stories of people who say they have visited heaven and come back, but if you do...almost all of them mention animals.  Trust me, I listen very hard for the mention of animals.  Not everyone I have researched mentions animals, but more often then not they do.  So, that's just another kernel to chew on.

I have no doubt in Jesus love for me - and for Abbie.  I know she will go there before me, but she will once again greet me with all the purest of love when I join her someday.  My cat Cassie is already there, pain free and healthy - waiting for me to come and scratch her just the way she likes it....