James Jacobson's Posts - I Remember Love

Maltese Mind Meld

2010-05-02T22:30:00.000Z

Have you ever heard of a maltese mind meld?

It's when two maltese do the same things at the same time.

I had never heard of it, but my business partner is a vet, and he
is the one who pointed it out to me.

Dr. Dressler and I were meeting in my office yesterday, and
"the girls" - Kanga and Tink - were hanging out with us.

They are completely different in personality, but Dr. Dressler
noticed that they do the same things at the same time.

He called it a "doggy mind meld" when they were stretched out, two
feet away from each other, both lying on their left side, snoring
teensy little snores.

I told Molly about it, and she told me that they were "spooning"
on the living room couch a few days ago. Tink was lying on her side,
and Kanga was too, just behind her, with Tink's head snuggled under
her chin.

I can't possibly describe how cute she made it sound. We'll try to take
a picture the next time they do it.

We started looking for other "doggy mind meld" moments, and now
we see that they often turn their heads at the same time, cock
their heads to one side at the same time, or sit down at the same
time.

It's so sweet.

I'm calling it "maltese mind meld."

If you have more than one dog, does yours do it too? Tell me in the comments below. I would love to hear.

Is drinking seawater bad for dogs?

2010-04-30T07:30:00.000Z

Tink took her second trip to the beach this morning, and it was so
fun (and funny) that I had to tell you about it.

Before we got her, Tink hadn't been to the beach yet, at all, even though she only lived a few blocks away.

Kanga, of course, thinks the beach is where she should be all the
time. She would stay all day long if she could.

The first time we all went, Tink included, Tink mostly ran around
our ankles. She couldn't seem to figure out how sand works. The sand
on our beach is very soft under the feet. There are almost no shells
or rocks at all, and it's very white and powdery.

Tink lifted her feet up high as she ran, like she wasn't sure she
could trust the sand to not pull her under.

At first, Kanga hung around and watched her. After a few minutes, though, she shook her head and sneezed and ran off to sniff around and run, run, run.

Molly said Kanga said "WhatEVER!"

Well, this morning, on her SECOND trip, Tink behaved very differently.

She ran. She skidded to a stop with a great wave of sand shooting
in front of her (Kanga's favorite trick). She greeted others on the
beach with a sit and a smile and a lot of licks to the hands.

She also did a couple of things we need to watch her for.

For one, she drank seawater. Yuck. Not only is it way to salty, it could also have parasites or impurities in it. Kanga's done that couple of times, and thrown up afterward. We always give a lot of water before we get to the beach so they're not thirsty - and more once we're there - but this morning the little lapping waves that come up in sheets over the sand must have looked irresistible to Tink.

We made our "stop that" noise, which is a kind of eh eh eh eh eh
sound.

She moved away from the water, but she looked like she was
still interested. I'm going to keep an eye on this scamp.

I think she also ate a crab.

I'm not sure... but I saw her poke her nose in a crab hole,
and a minute later she was chewing something. Sigh.

She's a busy, busy dog. Polar opposite of Kanga.

I think the next trip to the beach will be preceded by a longer walk.

She needs to get a little more tired out.

Tink's new pixie cut

2010-04-28T21:50:23.000Z

There are nearly 100 homes in my neighborhood, and five
of them belong to Maltese (dogs).

Kanga loves her little white friends, but she doesn't look
anything like them. We keep her in super-short cut, and they
all have traditional long, lovely locks.

Our neighbors spend hours each week brushing that long hair.

Kanga spends hours at the beach. When it's time to go home,
she knows she's in for a little shower, but it doesn't take long
and she's dry in minutes.

When it's time to get trimmed up, she prances afterward.
It's hot in Maui year round, so it seems she likes the feeling
of a "light coat."

Tink came to our house with a grooming appointment already set.

Tink has the same groomer that Kanga has, which is convenient.

Lovely, sweet Allyson has been with us for several years. Maui
loved her to pieces. In fact, Allyson helped my sweet dog
pass away. Just days before she left for the Rainbow Bridge,
Allyson came and gave Maui with a loving bath and trim. We weren't
sure Maui would want the session because she was already very
sick, but when she saw Allyson, she wagged her little tail more
than she had in a month.

Anyway, when Tink came to us on Easter, she already had a
grooming appointment set up.

We kept it, of course, and Allyson came by.

Tink now has the signature Jacobson cut. Super short,
sporty, and ready for a roll in the sand!

I'm so grateful to Allyson for taking such good care of all three
of my girls. She's an angel, for sure.

She's given my little Tinkerbell a real pixie cut.

two dogs - twice as much noise?

2010-04-21T00:30:00.000Z

We hadn't realized how quiet and ladylike 18 month old Kanga
had become until 11 month old Tink arrived at our house.

Tink is still easily startled by noises, and we have many
at our house that she's still getting used to.

The funniest thing is Kanga's reaction.

Let's take the garbage truck, for example. Kanga used to tremble
when she heard the truck. When she was little, she would sound
a huge alarm, letting us know that the big bad truck was outside
and MAKING NOISE!!

Well, now Tink is kicking up a fuss. We live near a hotel, and the
garbage truck comes every morning to pick up the trash. So every
morning so far Tink has woken us all up with a giant bark (we sleep
right through the garbage truck).

Now that Tink is the one raising a ruckus, Kanga seems to have
decided that she must be the big brave girl.

When the truck starts loading up the dumpster, banging lids and
grinding gears, Tink barks her little head off. While Molly or I
work with Tink to calm her down, Kanga looks at us with an expression
that says something like:

"Can you believe what a fuss she's making? How immature."

It's so funny. If she could roll her eyes, she would.

Tink tolerates the noise more each day. Soon she'll sleep right
through it, just like Kanga does, I'm sure.

It's just so cute to see our "little puppy" Kanga acting like
a big sister.

A New Maltese Enters our Life under unfortunate Circumstances

2010-04-05T23:40:53.000Z

Please comment below and welcome her to our family...

Angel in a Little Fur Coat - Fun Song

2010-01-20T20:30:00.000Z

This is a video of Helen Downs, one of our members, who wrote and performed this beautiful song about our dogs being "Angels in Little Fur Coats."

Watch the video-- it is precious. And you can drop Helen a note on IRememberlove.com. Her profile page is: http://www.irememberlove.com/profile/HelenDowns

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Goes to the Dogs

2010-01-19T22:30:00.000Z

Every Valentine's Day since 1992, I have celebrated my dog
Maui (pictured above) with an abundance of gratitude. That's the day that I brought her home with me when she was a tiny puppy, and that's the day I launched
Do You Remember Love? years later, in 2007. Maui passed away in the summer of 2008, and I dreaded Valentine's Day 2009. But the day ended up being wonderful. I was still missing Maui, of course. But I was also so happy to have gotten over much of the pain of her loss; and to walk with a joyful new little
Kanga on the same beach that Maui loved so much. The day ended up feeling more like a celebration than mourning. The power of Maui's love protected me from too much grief on that day. This year, as
Valentine's Day 2010 rolls closer, I am so grateful to Maui for "keeping my heart open" - as my wife likes to say - for all of those years. And I'm grateful to her for inspiring my book,
How to Meditate with Your Dog, and my little poem/movie
Do You Remember Love? and for the creation of this website, which would not be possible without the love that our dogs show us every day.

Two years ago a member of this community (an intern for my publishing company) designed a t-shirt that says
"my dog is my valentine!" I asked her to make a mug version, and she kind of went to town with a book bag and a sweatshirt and a whole mess of other items. If you want to see her designs, you can go to
www.DogValentine.com.
My Question for You... Here's a question for you:
would you send email valentine's to your friends' dogs? A couple of years ago I had a valentine system set up, and I was thinking I could set it up again - is it something you'd like to have? Let me know.
I want to really celebrate Valentine's Day this year - because my dogs Kanga and Maui ARE my valentines! Just reply to this post below.

Kanga and her Christmas Tree

2009-12-10T02:36:55.000Z

Christmas marks our one year anniversary of Kanga joining our little family, and I am so grateful for her joyful, silly, bouncy presence in our life.

Naturally timid, Kanga spent a lot of time underneath our Christmas tree when she first arrived. In fact, we took it down a few weeks later than we normally would, just because she loved it so much. I wasn't sure if she would remember "her" tree ... but I think she does. When we put it up this past Sunday, Kanga stayed up on the couch, out of the way. She didn't seem that interested in the tree, at first. But over the last two days we have discovered her sniffing it. Today Molly went upstairs and found her playing with her rubber chicken, under the tree! She caught her on film just after she stopped squeaking, and before the kids started making noise in the yard next door.
Find more videos like this on I Remember Love

I'm so grateful for my dog this Christmas. Molly and I can't think of a better Christmas present than having her safe, happy, and healthy. Well, she could sit a little sooner when we tell her to.

does your dog love Halloween?

2009-10-22T03:30:00.000Z

Does your dog love Halloween?

This is Kanga's first spooky holiday, which makes me wonder whether she'll like it or not. Kanga definitely loves kids. When we're on the beach, she gets very excited whenever there's a small child nearby. She looks up at us like "can I go over?" And if the kid invites her to play, she always accepts the invitation with lots of wiggles and running. I live in a neighborhood with lots of children. There is not much traffic, so on Halloween our sleepy neighborhood becomes a "destination" for parents from other neighborhoods. They drive over, park, and walk around with their kids to collect candy. So we could easily get 100 kids on Halloween evening. I think Kanga will like sitting outside our house with us and greeting the kids in their costumes. But the big question at our house is: Does Kanga wear a costume?? I'm not big on dressing our dog up. Kanga is so good natured that I'm sure she'd go along with whatever we wanted, but I don't want her miserable. I was looking online for some inspiration, and came across this video. It made me think maybe I should skip a costume for Kanga. Don't the dogs in this video look upset with their dad?
I think I might go with the "minimalist" dog costume, like these pet store owners recommend.

Minimalist costumes for dogs for halloween

We have a little bandana that our groomer gave Kanga the last time she got a haircut. Maybe this "chic" outfit is all she needs. It's in the picture up above. Do you dress your dog up for Halloween? What do you say?

A dog's Unending Loyalty

2009-10-02T17:53:51.000Z

Watch this and feel the emotions....

It reminds me of how wonderful and life-affirming our dogs are:

Post your comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts of this…

dogs vs. kids???

2009-09-28T21:42:32.000Z

I got an email this morning and just had to pass it along to you.

Life Really Boils Down to Two Questions

Should I get a dog?

Or should I have Kids?

I love it! Share this blogpost with anyone you think needs a smile or a laugh. Warm Aloha,…

How big is little?

2009-09-22T16:30:00.000Z

This video shows just how Big and brave even the tiniest dogs can be. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I feel sorry for the mountain lion, and glad that the dogs and the family are safe.

prayers for pups who need them

2009-09-14T22:45:09.000Z

When I first built this community website, www.IRememberLove.com, I didn't really know what to expect. So many people are reluctant to "join" a community online because of privacy issues. Now, though, with almost no direct effort on my part, there are thousands of people using the site. Thousands more visit each day. One of my favorite features is the forum Prayers for Pups. There are 326 people who have joined this group so far, and the main page of the group has tons of requests for prayers (and responses). When I posted a request for Maui last year in that group, the response was unbelievable. I hope that others who post there get as much comfort and support as I did. Just about once a week I check it and add the dogs there to my prayer list. Whatever your thoughts or beliefs about prayer, it has been scientifically proven to help. So please check out the forum now and send a little prayer or good thoughts for the doggies:
http://www.irememberlove.com/group/prayersformypup If you have thought of joining but hesitate to share your information, make sure that you read this:
http://www.irememberlove.com/page/privacy-policy Thank you for being part of the community, whether you officially join or just read what's here. There is something special about this little piece of the internet, where we can be really honest and open and helpful to each other about our best friends.
http://www.irememberlove.com/group/prayersformypup May all dogs be safe, happy, and comfortable. Aloha, James

How Kanga Gets to Yes

2009-09-05T23:07:10.000Z

I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling the impact from the economy. I'm probably not the only dog lover who finds consolation in the love of my dog right now. But I just got business inspiration from Kanga, too. If you own your own business, like I do, you know how frustrating it can be when things just seem to stick in place. (Even if you don't own your own business, you probably know how frustrating it can be.) I am a partner in a business that has developed a powerful all natural nutraceutical pill designed to help dogs who are battling cancer. (Did you know that cancer is the #1 killer of all dogs?) The pills, which are called Apocaps, were invented by my veterinarian (and friend) Dr. Demian Dressler who is known internationally as "the dog cancer vet." Apocaps went thru clinical studies for safety and efficacy...and the results are amazing. This is a fantastic pill that will help hundreds of thousands of dogs. But I am not trying to sell you on Apocaps...in fact, even if you knew a dog with cancer and were interested in purchasing a bottle today...you couldn't. And that's the problem! You see, Functional Nutriments has used all the early investment it raised and put it into research & development. We have a pill that works, but now the company doesn't have the cash to manufacture and bring Apocaps to market. That is why I am out there raising money. (I have already invested a lot of my own because in all my years as an entrepreneur, I have never been more excited about a business.) The problem is, this is the worst time to raise capital since the Great Depression. It's incredibly sobering to hear person after person say "I've got the money, I love your business, I love you guys ... I just don't want to invest until I see how things go in the market." It's hard to hear no over and over. But I know from experience that the more people I ask, the more "No"'s I will hear ... and the more likely I will be to hear "YES!" It's not always easy for me to keep a positive attitude with rejection after rejection coming in. Earlier this week, I was very discouraged and took Kanga for a walk to get my mind straight. We went to the beach, and she galloped along, grinning back at me like she was living the best life possible. On the beach, Kanga goes up to everyone, stops a little ways away and looks at them expectantly. If I could read her mind, I think she asks "Will you love me a little? I want to share my Beach Joy with You!" The vast majority of people glance down and give her a half smile, but don't stop. (Can you imagine not stopping to pet a little white dog?) When that happens, Kanga just gives a little skip and looks for the next person to love. The (smart) people stop and say "Hi, puppy!" They are rewarded with a wiggling body, wagging tail, and maybe even a little kiss on the fingers. Kanga offers her love to everyone. And she doesn't feel bad when someone says "no." She knows that someone soon will say "Yes!" So, I am taking heart from her. Every time I write an email, or pick up the phone, or go to a meeting, I'm thinking of Kanga. My company, Functional Nutriments, was formed specifically to help dogs who are suffering a painful, disgusting disease, cancer. Is there anything more loving for me to do? Maybe I'll just have to be more like my dog in order to keep my chin up through this economy. I am still haggling with my distributor about getting my books out of their warehouse and into the hands of dog lovers. I am still asking people who have the means to invest in my new company. And I will keep doing it until I get a YES. Because that is what Kanga would do if she were me. Thanks for reading. Now I am interested in hearing from you, if you will share: In what area of your life are you hearing "No" ... and know you will eventually hear "Yes", and how does your dog inspire you to keep going?

Kanga loves her brand new halter

2009-08-27T02:26:09.000Z

On Saturday we went to a local dog shop and bought two things Kanga needed and one she didn't:
1. A new collar of her very own. When she outgrew her puppy collar, we couldn't find a collar small enough for her that we liked (shopping is limited on Maui). She actually wore an old collar of Maui's for a few months, while Molly looked for a collar that she liked and was lightweight and thin enough for Kanga's little neck.
2. A harness. When Kanga turned into a teenager a few weeks ago she started pulling on her leash, too. She would pull so hard that she'd choke herself. I took advice from you guys and got her a harness. The leash attaches in the back and I like how when she pulls, she feels it tightening on her shoulders (not her neck). When she stops pulling, she stops feeling tightness. She immediately stopped pulling on her leash. I think the tightness must kind of feel like being tapped on the shoulder, while the collar felt like being choked. I'd rather have someone tap on my shoulder to remind me not to pull, than choke me. Here's a picture of her just about to set out on a hike in the rainforest. Doesn't she look sporty?

3. A leash that matches her collar. (This is the item I felt we didn't need.). They had a lightweight, thin leash that matches her collar, and I decided to get it because she and Molly were so excited about it. (Really, it was Molly who was so excited. I don't think Kanga much cares about the leash.)

My dog is not a prissy dog, and I have proof. When Molly tried to put a pink harness and a pink collar on her, she shook her head back and forth like she didn't want them. When Molly tried on the bumblebee collar and the aqua blue harness, she stepped in happily and even lay down to have the collar put on. It was funny how she did NOT want the pink. After we made our purchases we went on our hike, and Kanga jumped over roots, splashed through mud puddles, and smelled everything. She was so happy. It was her first time in the rainforest, and she really, really liked it. So did I. Here's a picture of her in the car after the hike. She's pooped, but pretty happy.

A Very sweet video reminds us of the connection between Dogs and God

2009-08-21T04:40:00.000Z

dog messages are everywhere

2009-08-20T00:30:00.000Z

Note: This post contains quite a few references to a natural bodily function. I hope you will forgive me for what my grandmother would call "bathroom talk." Our walk this morning took us to the beach - Kanga's favorite place. As we walked, she galloped, then paused, then sniffed, then went back and sniffed again, and then let loose just a tiny few drops of pee to "mark" spots she liked. She must have left fifty little deposits in our half hour walk. I call this reading the newspaper (sniffing) and writing the newspaper (peeing), and Kanga only likes to do it outside. Kanga had little trouble with housebreaking and came to us most of the way there. After Maui's incontinence for the last year of her life, Kanga's bladder strength has amazed me. She can wait to pee - what a miracle! But sometimes her holding it so well makes me think it's less about not wanting to go in the house, and more about going outside for a walk around the block, or better, a walk on the beach. Kanga has become a master of what I call "The Great Pee Embargo." Most days when I take her out first thing in the morning she will sniff the wind, nose around our backyard, and then look at me like "When are we leaving?" If I head for the front yard and the sidewalk, she will happily leave her little pee deposits everywhere in our neighborhood. If we go to the beach, she will wait a full half hour for us to get ready, and then ride patiently in the car to our favorite beach. When we get there, she will find the perfect place to "write" her little article for her friends. Then a few feet away she will write another little article. But if we don't go for a walk right away, she will just sit there in the backyard until I give up and go back inside. After enough time, she will realize that we aren't leaving the house this morning and will resignedly scratch to go outside. On these few occasions her long, abundant pee sessions are marked with a distinct look of annoyance. "Why write a novel which no one will read," she seems to be thinking, "when I could write fifty articles that everyone will read?" Does anyone else's dog do this? I thought I was making it up at first, but I really think she is saving her pee for places she likes.

Thank you to the dog trainers on IRememberLove

2009-08-14T22:00:00.000Z

I have to thank
K9Krazy and other dog trainers/workers on this site who really helped me make a crucial decision last winter - I would be pulling my hair out this morning without your help. Kanga turned into a teenager two days ago (on her ten month birthday, August 11). She's feisty, independent, and testing boundaries. She's lost almost all of her training, which means that she won't do as I ask right away. She acts like a tough teenager ... "You're not the boss of me!" For example, our sweet little shy puppy used to sit politely by a wide open door and look up at me, waiting for permission to leave. She would never leave first ... she always followed me through the door.

Well, this morning I opened the sliding glass door a crack to let a fly out, and before I knew it she had flown out the door and was out in the front yard. She was like greased lightning! A dog friend was passing by, and thankfully she was focused on meeting him and didn't take off down the street.

Once we cajoled her back into the house and got her on a leash, I looked at Molly and said "I'm writing a thank you post to dog trainers right now." When I found Kanga last November, I was convinced that we should get her and her sister, who we were going to call Roo (after the characters in Winnie the Pooh). When I announced the happy news to this community, several dog trainers posted publicly and also wrote me privately with their concerns. They talked about how in a "wild" pack the puppies would be separated from their littermates and taken into the pack as a whole. They would learn to be part of the pack, separate from their family. This helped them to become fully responsible adult dogs. In a human family, two puppies, especially littermates who are already a "family," could skip this developmental process. Instead of integrating into the new "pack", the puppies might "stick together" and not bond completely or properly with me and Molly. The trainers all said that training could be not just twice as much work, but ten times the work. (That made me sit up and cock my head to the side.) They emphasized with great compassion that while this situation could work out fine, it was a lot of hard work. They suggested we get one puppy now and bring in another puppy when she was older. We were pretty excited about two puppies, but when four dog trainers all contact me, I pay attention. We called a dog trainer friend and asked our vet, Dr. Dressler, what they thought. We did some research and read some articles online. And then we decided to take the advice. I'm so glad. As you know, having a new puppy is a lot of work. But this teenage thing is even more! I can see that if Kanga had a sister she "listened" to more than she listened to me, she would be even more likely to be badly behaved. This morning she probably would have trotted off down the street with her sister and ignored our calls altogether. I was thinking about getting a new puppy this winter when Kanga turns one. Now I'm thinking to wait until she's eighteen months and a little bit more adult. We don't want a puppy to learn from her, at least not this week. :-) We'll have a little bit more patience and make sure we're a stable pack before we add another little one. I'm not saying this is the only way to do things, but I for one am glad that K9Krazy and others - I wish I could remember all of you specifically - advised me so well. For me, this is the right thing to do. And in the meantime we will be taking her for an extra walk everyday to drain that extra teenage energy. PS: Thank you for all the suggestions and calls about the book - I am still negotiating with the distributor and will let you know ASAP!

the power of a dog's stare

2009-08-11T06:30:00.000Z

Kanga is a very sweet dog. Where Maui was the alpha no matter how many other dogs were around, Kanga is decidedly the omega dog ;-) She used to be afraid of absolutely everything, and for the first month hid under the bed a lot. She is much more outgoing now (lots of treats and praise for being with us cured her of the bed habit) and loves to meet new people and even new dogs. This small, shy dog can wrap me around her little finger, just like her "sister" Maui once did. But where Maui used to bark at me when she wanted something, Kanga doesn't. She has another method. Does your dog look at you like this?

Kanga is willing me to take her for a walk! Kanga loves walks more than anything else. She would rather be outside, digging in the sand at the beach, or running with her friends or the kids next door than anything else. Certainly more than napping under my desk ;-) Every morning of the week we walk on the beach, but every afternoon and evening she comes to me and gives me this stare until I pick up the leash and leave the house. She doesn't bark, she doesn't whine, and she doesn't scratch at the floor or the door. She just stares at me. It's kind of creepy, how focused she can be. She stares at me and stares at me and stares at me, and the whole time I can hear her thinking "Take me for a walk. Let's go outside. I love the beach." I wouldn't be surprised if she pulled out a pocket watch and let it swing in front of my eyes and said "You are getting sleepy, very very sleepy!" She positively hypnotizes me. I need to remember how her single minded focus seems to "magically" make me pick up the leash when I think about my own life. I think I will be singleminded about what is important to me - like for instance solving the problem of all those books about dog meditation that are sitting in that Kansas warehouse. Thanks for your suggestions, and your emails, and keep them coming. I am in negotiations now and working hard on a win-win-win situation. I'll let you know how it turns out ASAP. In the meantime, tell me if I'm the only one whose dog has him under some sort of mind-control ... even though she's not a bossy dog?? James

books in distress

2009-08-10T01:00:00.000Z

A few days ago I mentioned my book How to Meditate with Your Dog is in a troubling situation.
My distributor says they don't want the books in their warehouse any longer. In fact, they want to "dump" them.

(In book publishing, that means send them to a landfill for a deep burial!)

This morning I meditated on how to move thousands of pounds of books to Hawaii, and the fact is, it's just too expensive, and they're not budging. They want them out.

I'm trying to figure out how to change this "lemon" into "lemonade." I thought maybe you guys would have some ideas?

How to Meditate with Your Dog came out in hardcover in late 2005, nearly four years ago. While sales were strong enough to make it a national bestseller, they eventually fell off. The extra unsold books have been sitting in a warehouse in Kansas for the last few years. Sales still come in, but they don't justify how many books there are.

I'm sure you can see how this news of the impending "death and burial" of my books seems kind of horrible. And the timing is awful, on the one year anniversary of Maui's death.

(Maui was my inspiration for and the star of "How to Meditate with Your Dog.")

Now, this is not just any book. It's a book that many people say has brought them great joy. It's taught countless people to meditate - or simply sit with and be present to - their dog(s).

It's helped people feel better physically (lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, lower stress hormones, clearer thinking) and dogs feel better, too (less anxiety, more relaxation, more bonding).

So my question for you is - is there any way to save these books?

I don't want them to die in a landfill.

Too many dogs need the closer relationship that happens when we more fully open our hearts to them.

In honor of Maui's life and on the anniversary of her death, I'm asking for your thoughts.

I want to find a way to move three hundred (or maybe more) cartons of books out of their warehouse and into the hands of dog lovers.

What do you suggest?

Warm Aloha,
James

beach dog full of joy makes Molly's heart melt

2009-08-07T19:40:13.000Z

I promised to post this video ages ago, and never did. Partly because I couldn't convince Molly to let me show her "without hair, makeup, or adult behavior."

:-) She gets pretty emotional in the video (in a good way) and even cries a little because she loves Kanga so much. It was taken very early in the morning, and we had just rolled out of bed, so we both look a little messy.

It was Kanga's third time walking on the beach, she was three months old, and she was having a ball. She didn't care what we looked like.

Molly jokes that she regressed to age four in the video. She even talks like a child, and she doesn't normally. When I saw what an open state she was in, my journalist background made me ask her lots of questions that really "drew out" her emotions.

I finally got her to give me permission to post it. After all, the whole point of this site, and of my book and work, is to celebrate exactly the kind of heart opening she experienced that January day on the beach. She had just realized how badly she'd wanted a dog of her own, her whole life, and was so happy ... and so was I, to see it.

So while this is a very raw and intimate family video, I know that this community will understand and connect to it and be tender with her feelings. Dog lovers get it, right?

Now, go hug your dog(s)!

One Year Anniversary of Maui's Passing

2009-08-06T01:22:46.000Z

A year ago on July 25 my "heart dog" Maui passed away. It was a bittersweet anniversary for me.

Bitter because I still miss her everyday, and sweet because the pain has faded and I feel so much better in my life than I did a year ago.

Time really does heal wounds.

To honor Maui's anniversary, I watched the video Do You Remember Love?, and then I meditated with my nine month old puppy, Kanga.

Here's the video again, in case you haven't seen it in a while:

It strikes me now that when I made it in 2007 I was anticipating how much I would need to remember the message. The pain of losing her was so big, that I needed a multi-media presentation to represent her love and remind me that even though she is gone ... she isn't.

Watching her video made me think of you, of course, those of you who are members of this community, and the hundreds of thousands of people who are on my email list, and the millions who have watched the video Valentine.

What a special group of people dog lovers are, and you are no exception!

Now that I am out of my "death crisis", I am renewing my commitment to spreading the message of dog love. These troubled times call for a "back to basics" approach, and that includes really loving each other the way that our dogs love us.

I have so much to share with you - stories about Kanga my puppy, and about all ofthe wonderful things you are doing on this website, I Remember Love.

I have books to recommend, ideas about dog health (I've learned a lot by working with my vet, Dr. Dressler, on his dog cancer book), and lots of ideas for great ways to connect more deeply to your dog.

(Why not try dog meditation? :-)

Thank you for sticking it out with me this year. I am going to be sending out an email a few times a week from now on with funny stories, news of interest to dog lovers, and tips on how to meditate with your dog and get even closer than you already are.

I'm also interested in doing more services for you, like creating free doggy ecards so you can send them to your friends and family members.

I'll tell you more about my ideas for how to really help in the next couple of weeks.

I'm dealing with a kind of troubling situation with my book on dog meditation - but I'll let you know how it works out when things develop a little more.

Meanwhile, here's a video greeting from me and Kanga ... she's in her puppy teens, but pretty calm in this video:

Is it Too Soon to Get a New Dog?

2009-05-05T00:23:00.000Z

"Do you think it's too soon?" That's the question Aly sent in the other day. Her story brought tears to my eyes, and I wanted to share it - and my answer - with you. Here's Aly's email:
My name is Aly and i am 16 years old. My Family recently had a house fire and we lost our dog. He was really close to us becuse as long as i can remember he's been around. We had gotten him out of the house but we think he went back in to look for my mom and older brother who were not home that night. But anyways more to the point of this, every one else in my family seems to think that we have to get another dog right away. Do you think its to soon?? I mean we only lost our dog (Duke) a month ago and they are acting like it never really happended. I guess i wouldn't really mind if we got a new dog right away but the fact that we have to get the exact same dog as before because my dad said that it was the same dog or no dog at all. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks, Aly
My response is here: Dear Aly, Thank you for writing. Your questions are big ones, and I'll do my best to answer from the heart. First of all, I'm really sorry that Duke died. He sounds like an amazing dog, to go back in to a burning house to look for your mother and brother. It's obvious that he really cared about you all, or he would not have risked his life like that. And you are a really good dog owner to think so carefully and deeply about what to do next. Everyone grieves in very different ways. Some people cry for a long time, and really focus on the pain of losing their loved one. Others clam up about it, saving their tears for private moments. Others pretend that nothing happened, that it was all not a big deal. There are as many ways to express grief as there are people. So I'm not surprised that you are feeling differently than other family members seem to. All of you are going to react a little differently, it's totally natural. It doesn't mean that any one of you cares more or less than the others, either, it just means that you process the grief differently. The bottom line answer to your question
"Do you think it's too soon?" is
I don't know. There is no rule set in stone about how soon to get a new dog. It is such a personal decision to make, I can't possibly tell for sure. No dog will ever replace Duke. Duke has his own special place in your hearts, and no dog will ever act, look, feel, or be Duke. It's impossible. My new puppy, Kanga, is a Maltese, just like my wonderful Maui was. But even though she looks a LOT like Maui did at her age, she is a completely different dog! I couldn't replace Maui if I tried, and you will never be able to replace Duke. Since you are not the decision maker (it sounds like Dad is), I would give you this advice during this time:
1. Don't make any rules for yourself about when or what kind of dog to get. Your new dog will be the PERFECT new dog for you, somehow, no matter what. Since you don't have full control over which dog or when to get it, just try to relax about it. If Dad insists on getting the same kind of dog, be as supportive as you can. He is dealing with his own grief his own way, and any dog will be lucky to be with you all. It doesn't matter whether the dog looks like Duke or not, it will be its own dog and you will love it for itself (and likely, so will your Dad).
2. Say everything you need to say to Duke so that you can focus on and take joy in your new dog. One of the best things I did when I was first dealing with Maui's death was to go over her whole life, out loud, on video. I talked about the first day I saw her, funny things she did, what she loved to eat. I told the whole story of her life right up until that day. It was so moving to go over all of it, and I felt so close to her. It really helped me to see why I cared so much and missed her so much. It helped me to grieve fully. You can still do this with Duke, just talk to him as if he is with you. Record it or videotape it so if you need to you can play it back.
3. Go easy on yourself. You have suffered a major loss - and a fire can be very scary. Don't expect yourself to just "be OK", and don't expect others in your family to react in certain ways, either. There are no rules on how to deal with loss, or how to move on. So I just encourage you to relax, be honest with yourself and others about what you want, and let things flow as naturally as possible. I guarantee that you and everyone else will know when it is the right time to get another dog. And you will also "know" your new dog when you meet him or her. It will be obvious to all of you. In the meantime take care of yourself and your family. Thanks again for writing, James

Kanga meditates with me

2009-03-13T21:44:43.000Z

This morning Molly snapped a couple of pictures while Kanga and I were meditating together. Note her eyes are half open/half closed. That is what I call hound lounge in my book How To Meditate with Your Dog. Kanga is still a puppy of course (almost 5 months now)...but she is becoming a champion meditator. I can not tell you how good we both feel after a meditation session--especially first thing in the morning before the work day starts. Notice the white bathrobe? Just like I share in my book, that is my favorite meditation clothing. Kanga has taken it a step further by rear-ending her way into the robe so she gets closer to me and just the front part of her body peeks out. Here is another picture Molly took....

I would love to hear your comments below. Better yet, please upload a picture of you and your dog meditating together.

Yes, I am alive....

2009-03-06T03:00:00.000Z

I just looked at the last message I posted on this blog, and it was a holiday card! Wow, time flies when you have a puppy. Many people have written to ask if everything is OK. The short answer is: Yes. Kanga is doing extraordinarily well, which is to say that she is full of spunk and personality and healthy and thriving. I couldn't be more in love with her. And yet ... ...she is a completely different dog than Maui. Now, I know many of you are chuckling and thinking "Well, of course she is." But others of you who have recently lost your "heart dog" - which Maui was to me - will understand how just plain disconcerting it can be to love a dog and think of her as "yours" but also think "she's not really my dog." Maybe that doesn't make sense. Suffice to say that I adore Kanga and also have found little pockets of grief over the loss of Maui. Molly says this is to be expected, and I know she is right. And Kanga is totally happy to just be her own doggy self. I can tell that she's in this for the long haul and perfectly happy. I have a little short video of her and I'd love to get your thoughts below.
Find more videos like this on I Remember Love

Next week I'm going to send some footage of her doing her FAVORITE thing ... running on the beach with Dad. Until then, be well and take good care of yourself and your dog(s)!

Holiday Wishes

2008-12-24T19:05:43.000Z

I just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that I am thinking of you at this very special time of year. It has been a challenging year for me with the loss of Maui on July 25--but now, six months later, I am feeling much better and I have you and the entire IRememberLove.com community to thank. Our community of on-line dog lovers has grown and I am so grateful and a bit humbled by the legions of people who have connected with the lessons of love that our dogs teach us. Now that a new puppy has graced my life-- the ultimate Christmas present--I am once again reminded of how much our canine friends have to share. As Molly, Kanga and I snuggle this evening, I will say a special prayer of thanks for all my blessings--and please know that you will be high on my list. Please accept my heart-felt wishes to you and all your loved ones for a peaceful holiday season filled with joy...and at least one or two doggie kisses. Aloha, James Jacobson

Kanga arrives in time for Christmas

2008-12-18T22:10:09.000Z

I am so proud to introduce you to my new meditation partner, my new puppy--Kanga! She arrived home this week and quickly plopped herself down under our Christmas tree as the special present she is. I will be writing more in the coming days about what it is like to bring home such an amazing ball of love, but I have been extremely busy working on my dog cancer project. If you are interested in learning about the new company which is currently in clinical trials on an all-natural supplement to help dogs with cancer, you can watch a video I posted online. The address is http://functionalnutriments.com/overview/ The password to access the presentations is:
dogsloveus

Introducing My 2 New Puppies...

2008-11-25T21:30:00.000Z

Here they are. The litter consists of three dogs, 2 girls and a boy. Molly and I are adopting the two girls.
Find more photos like this on I Remember Love

Portrait of Maui for my birthday

2008-11-10T08:30:00.000Z

My birthday was last week and I have started my journey for a new puppy in earnest. Molly commissioned a beautiful portrait of Maui which just arrived in the mail yesterday. The artist painted it from several photos that Molly emailed to her. I am blown away by the likeness and am impressed with all the details that Molly asked the artist to include (such as my favorite flower: the bird of paradise and my favorite bird that reminds me of my beloved puppy: an egret). The painting is now hanging in my office and is reflected in the mirror that hangs over my desk so I can see in no matter where I look. She is sort of sitting over my shoulder and so when I look up from my computer, I see her smiling face. I am so thrilled. Thank you to Molly and everyone who has written me to help me these past few months. :) ********UPDATE******** So many people have asked the name of the artist, so here is the info: The artist's name is Angie Ketelhut and her website is http://www.artbyangie.com. If you decide to get a portrait made, let her know I sent you and I think she will give you a little *special* attention. Aloha James

a new puppy for my birthday?

2008-10-22T03:00:00.000Z

This adorable Maltese puppy is from Lynn Allen's blog

It is getting to be that time.

Maui passed about three months ago and I now
am hearing the distinct sound of puppy paws
in my future. How soon, I do not know...

...but I do have a birthday coming up later
this month...and I always wanted a dog for my
birthday when I was a kid. In fact, my
parents promised me one when I turned 10.

I never got one when I was 10. In fact, I didn't
discover the joys of my own dog until I was in
my twenties.

I am old enough to get a puppy on my own now...

So, maybe this could be a VERY SPECIAL birthday!

(Molly has been dropping hints)

We will see...and I would like to include you in
the process. That is why I plan to post some videos right here on
http://IRememberLove.com about the search for a new dog.

Stay tuned!