# Pets Are Good for Your Heart



## SeaBreeze (Jun 24, 2013)

It's official, pets are good for your heart! :bananalama: Read more here...http://healthypets.mercola.com/site.../2013/06/24/pet-ownership-heart-benefits.aspx

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## JustBonee (Jun 24, 2013)

Good article, but us animal lovers knew this all along anyway.  :cheerful:


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## That Guy (Jun 24, 2013)




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## That Guy (Jun 24, 2013)

I've always told my girlfriends that petting is good for you.  Now, I have proof . . .


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## Happyflowerlady (Jun 24, 2013)

They are starting to take pets to hospitals and senior citizen homes more , now that they have finally realized just how much good it does for a person. Even some hospitals make exceptions, for certain pets that are trained to go in as a companion dog and safely visit with the sick or elderly people. 
I know that if I get to where I had to be in an assisted living environment, and couldn't have Chipper with me, I just don't know what I would do without him. That little fellow is just my best buddy, and he understands about everything I tell him, and most of what I am thinking.


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## That Guy (Jun 25, 2013)




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## That Guy (Jun 25, 2013)




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## SifuPhil (Jun 25, 2013)

Pets, pets,
They're good for your heart
The more you pet
The more you -

No, wait, _that_ isn't going to work ... 

I'll just stick a cute picture in here ...



Everybody say "Awwwwwww ..."


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## Pappy (Jun 25, 2013)

Who could not love this guy?


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## TICA (Jun 25, 2013)

Of course they are!!!   I never had any doubts.

TWHR - the horse in your picture looks very much like my Wilson!


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## TICA (Jun 25, 2013)

Wilson!!  





Sometimes it is easier to get through the tangled mane from the top!



This is my daughter riding him on the beach.  Getting the old toes wet.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 25, 2013)

Love your horse pics TWHR and TICA! 



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## TICA (Jun 25, 2013)

Wilson is a draft / 1/4 horse cross.  I put some more of his pics in the pets section.  The beach picture is the ocean and he didn't get bothered at all.  He is the type of horse that if you know what you are doing, he'll give you a ride for your money but at the same time, if you put someone who is afraid or timid on his back, he becomes the gentle pony.  He's 13 yrs old and very well behaved most of the time.

I could see him being used for children or disabled people, he would be just fine.

I love your picture Seabreeze, makes me wonder at the wisdom of animals and how they "just know" what to do depending on what they are faced with.


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## lechon (Jul 10, 2013)

A pet is also the best help for depression


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## Ozarkgal (Jul 10, 2013)

*TICA*​...Lovely pictures of Wilson and your daughter.  Horses like him are worth their weight in gold.


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## Ozarkgal (Jul 10, 2013)

TWHRider said:


> View attachment 1019​




Now, that's pure love..look at that eye!


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## Diwundrin (Jul 10, 2013)

Happyflowerlady said:


> They are starting to take pets to hospitals and senior citizen homes more , now that they have finally realized just how much good it does for a person. Even some hospitals make exceptions, for certain pets that are trained to go in as a companion dog and safely visit with the sick or elderly people.
> I know that if I get to where I had to be in an assisted living environment, and couldn't have Chipper with me, I just don't know what I would do without him. That little fellow is just my best buddy, and he understands about everything I tell him, and most of what I am thinking.



I have the prospect of having to move into a self care retirement complex in a few months and can't take my best friend with me.  Luckily though she will be taken in by a relative who has lost her own little Jack Russell recently and loves Belle too.  There were times I wouldn't have gotten out of bed at all except for Belle, she's been kind of my 'carer' through bad times I guess.  I'll still get to see her often as the village is much nearer to the relative's home than I am here and I can spend more time with them.  I wouldn't want to think about never seeing her again.  I'd just worry that she wasn't getting the love she deserves.

Some of the residents in the aged hostel where my Mum was, years ago, had their old pets brought in for a visit by relatives,  and many of the other ressies would come down with them just to pat a dog or cat again.  It was really sad in some ways, but lifting to see the delight in them too.

It was in a rural area and had a couple of acres of paddock that allowed a few pet sheep and 2 alpacas to come right up to building's deck and the 'oldies' would go out and feed them bread.  They enjoyed watching them, but it's not the same as having a companion pet.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 10, 2013)

Diwundrin said:


> I have the prospect of having to move into a self care retirement complex in a few months and can't take my best friend with me.  Luckily though she will be taken in by a relative who has lost her own little Jack Russell recently and loves Belle too.  There were times I wouldn't have gotten out of bed at all except for Belle, she's been kind of my 'carer' through bad times I guess.  I'll still get to see her often as the village is much nearer to the relative's home than I am here and I can spend more time with them.  I wouldn't want to think about never seeing her again.  I'd just worry that she wasn't getting the love she deserves.



Di, it's sad that you won't be able to take your little Belle with you, but it's wonderful that you have a relative who loves her and will take her in and care for her, and you'd still be able to visit her often. :love_heart: It's so true that often our pets care for us through tough times, they are so sensitive to our emotions and can provide such comfort.  Would love to see a picture of her.


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## Jillaroo (Jul 10, 2013)

_I.m not allowed to have a pet where i live, but any tourists staying here can bring their dogs, i really miss having a dog as company , i had a beautiful Maltese that was the light of my life, he used to sing to songs he loved Kylie Minogue and if I can't get you out of my head he would go crazy,he loved Enja too he played with so many toys his fav being a tiny squeaky mouse, that even went outside when he had a pee, sometimes he would forget it and he would stop dead in his tracks and see his mind ticking , oh yes i forgot mouse so off he would trot to get it, he would sit on my knee staring into my eyes and i would tell him i love him and he knew what i said, in fact he understood all i said to him i am sure, he never wrecked any of his toys. Sadly he started having seizures which changed him and then he did his knee badly and to cut a long story short i had to make the awful decision to put him to sleep.
This is Jack     _


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## Diwundrin (Jul 10, 2013)

I'll dig out some pics of Belle, all still on the old 'puter.  Being a Jack Russell it's hard to get her when she stays still enough to snap one, except when she's asleep.
She is hell on stuffed toys, treats them like 'prey' and guts them, (she's a top notch mouser.)  But unusually for her type of dog she's never put a scratch on a door,  or chewed stuffed cushions, or left a mark on anything else but toys given to her in all the years I've had her. Don't know how she knows the difference.   She's been  a perfect little house guest.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 10, 2013)

Jillaroo said:


> _I.m not allowed to have a pet where i live, but any tourists staying here can bring their dogs, i really miss having a dog as company , i had a beautiful Maltese that was the light of my life, he used to sing to songs he loved Kylie Minogue and if I can't get you out of my head he would go crazy,he loved Enja too he played with so many toys his fav being a tiny squeaky mouse, that even went outside when he had a pee, sometimes he would forget it and he would stop dead in his tracks and see his mind ticking , oh yes i forgot mouse so off he would trot to get it, he would sit on my knee staring into my eyes and i would tell him i love him and he knew what i said, in fact he understood all i said to him i am sure, he never wrecked any of his toys. Sadly he started having seizures which changed him and then he did his knee badly and to cut a long story short i had to make the awful decision to put him to sleep.
> This is Jack     _



Jack was a beautiful dog, I know you must miss him so.   Lovely memories of him, thanks for sharing them with us. :love_heart:  I can relate to our dogs having seizures, my girl Standard Schnauzer started having them at the age of 5 years old.  They said it was Idiopathic Epilepsy, and she was on heavy medication for it for years.  Much like Jack, she also had hip dysplasia and ended up hurting her shoulder and could not even stand any longer.  We also had to say good-bye, sometimes that's the kindest thing to do for our furkids. :sentimental:


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 10, 2013)

Ozarkgal said:


> Now, that's pure love..look at that eye!



I agree! :glitter-heart:


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## Jillaroo (Jul 12, 2013)

I have just had a very sad phone call from my daughter her beloved german Shepherd is being put down this morning, his health has gone downhill rapidly the last couple of weeks and now he is peeing without any control and falling over all the time, the vet has advised them ot would be best for him. They got him him 8 years ago from the pound, he sat in there for 3 mths until the girls decided my daughter and hubby were suitable for him, he had a bad start to his life he was mistreated and was scared of people, if you could see how he turned out he was a very placid dog with loads of love to give , we will miss him heaps but i feel we all made his life happy one, and he brought so much joy to ours. He was 9 years old.


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## Ozarkgal (Jul 12, 2013)

So sorry for the loss of the beautiful shepherd.  He was a lucky boy to have landed with loving owners.  I have two pound pups and they are the sweetest, most grateful dogs you could ask for.  I have lost several of my own and know how it tears your heart apart.


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## Jillaroo (Jul 12, 2013)

_Thanks Ozarkgal, One never gets used to having to say goodbye to our beloved pets, but we can be proud that we gave them a good home with much love, and in return we had so much love and loyalty from our pets. I will burn a candle for Nelson at 11.30am today.

_


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 12, 2013)

Such a handsome Shepherd.  Bless your daughter and her husband for giving him a loving home.  My condolences to you and your family. :sentimental:


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## Jillaroo (Jul 13, 2013)

_
Thanks Seabreeze, He was well loved , and i lit a candle for him on this site which is so nice i found it today._

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng


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## Ozarkgal (Jul 22, 2013)




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