What Kind of Language do the Animals Communicate in?

My column in Tidningen Nära 

What Kind of Language do the Animals Communicate in?

Can a foreign dog from Italy understand the Swedish language when adopted in that country?

The brilliance of animals is that they can communicate in any language.

Animals talk in images and emotions. Its as if we would see a silent film that changes shades like a mood ring. They have clarity in what they are sending and do not send out different or contradictory signals as we humans can do. We can say one thing but mean something completely different.

Children and animals have the cleanest and clearest communication.

What is scientifically proven is, when animals communicate (or small children) they transmit images. These inner images are 0.4 seconds faster than our spoken words. We can think of something and often the animal perceives (or receives) it.

Body language is of course also a major factor in the whole process of communication, just as with humans. However, the animals must be required to learn not their own language but also the human language.

Giovanni was a small terrier abandoned in a shelter. I sat down beside him and felt a tremendous sadness flowing from the little dog. He had lost someone he loved!

The owner of the shelter nodded, and told me that the dog’s owner had died, but the remaining members from the family didn’t want him. I laid down next to him and was only in the moment.

I was later told where his master was buried, and I took the dog with me to the cemetery. Directly, Giovanni jumped out and began to sniff, and then moved up to the newly made grave.

Later Giovanni jumped into the car and his energy field had changed. Several days later, we could see a huge difference in his behavior. He ate, and he eyes sparkled again.

At the cemetery, I could "think" the emotions in peace and quiet while Giovanni picked up "pictures". There was no one around that could interfere with us, with his or her negative feelings, or send pictures that they felt sorry for Giovanni. Pity turns into negative emotions and allows children and animals to translate them into a message of  "useless". They feel like “no one likes me”.

A few days later Giovanni was adopted. His new energies attracted the new family, an elderly couple, like his former master.

Animal Language has no words; energies can speak all languages. If we are clean and clear in our thoughts and flow we then become understandable. Swedish as well as  Italian.

That's Amore!

Mia Mattsson-Mercer

WEEKLY COLUMN MAGAZINE NARA

Krönika

MINA HUNDAR AR MINA MINI BUDDHISTER

Att leva tillsammans med gatuhundar är en lärorik upplevelse. Under flera års tid har jag följt enskilda gatuhundar eller familjer i grupp. Den frihetskänsla jag känner tillsammans med dem är en slags obundenhet, som i ständig meditation!

När vi vilar tillsammans under dagen är allting i helhet. För mig är gatuhundarna mini-buddhister. De lär mig massor med att vara i kontakt med nuet. Jag är deras elev, inbjuden till en del av livets skola. Gatuhundarna har inga förväntningar!  Förväntningar är något jag brottas med i många olika situationer. De är villkorslös kärlek. Jag försöker ofta att älska villkorslöst.

Gatuhundarnas intuition är enastående. De lyssnar på sin inre kompass, intuitionen är som ett redskap i överlevnad. Jag tränar med min egen inre kompass, att lita mer på min intuition. Får hundarna bara mat är de lojala och nöjda. Jag övar fortfarande på mina önskningars skepnader, med drömmar som jag kan sträva efter och dela med mig av till andra medmänniskor.

När hundarna blir adopterade slutar de inom loppet av två veckor att använda sin inre kompass. I de flesta fallen blir de ”omprogrammerade” av sina nya ägare, precis som med många barn. Barn tappar också intuitionen ju äldre de blir. I många fall tänker vi åt barnen. Likadant gör vi för de flesta hundar. Vi lär dem människans språk.

När vi vågar lita lika mycket på vår intuition som barn och gatuhundar gör, finner vi vår egen gudomlighet inom oss och vårt syfte. Vi kan leva ut kunskapen och mer medkänsla, och finna en balans med vår inre kunskap till samhället. Blunda! Titta inte på vem som kommer med vishetens budskap, utan lyssna och kunskapens bok öppnas upp för ditt inre.

Vi vet inte vem våra lärare är! Låt förväntningarna försvinna och öppna ditt hjärta för din inre kompass. Jag tackar mina mini-buddhister för livets visdom. De har en fri själ utan ego, en sådan jag strävar efter själv. Jag försöker minnas vad min själ redan vet.

That’s Amore!

Foto, Ulla Linders, Lori Garcia

DO YOU WANT A HELPING HAND?

 Many times do we AWL (www.animalswithoutlimits.com) see horrifying pictures of old dogs in cages. The text tell us they have been there more than 10 years. In a cage, no grass, no bed, no healthy food. No medical attention. They smell and have bad skin problems.

We contact the shelter operators about many of them, asking if we can adopt them to our Hospice in Southern Italy, where the client can have their own bedroom, couch, small garden, healthy food, and a veterinarian that comes and makes sure they are not suffering. Most important is that they get attention and love, a place to call home.

The sad thing is that many shelters turn our offers down! They prefer to have their dogs like this for a slim hope that people will come and donate money to them. Many are scared of letting them go, they have been their "friend" for 15 years in that cage, wagging and hoping one day to get out. I do believe in some cases, it is similar to "horder syndrome" where the people just can't part with anything, even living creatures that are suffering. Some people are in worse condition than the dogs, and claim they love the dog, and don't want the dog to go to someone else. They say it is better if we help with money for medicine and food.

AWL does not do that. We never give money to shelters. We work with shelters that have trust in us and our veterinarian. Those who know who I am and what AWL stands for.

I urge FB readers to know that sometimes a dog is indeed suffering, but regardless of what we want, we are not allowed to do anything.

In February will we have some Senior rooms ready. I hope we can work together to put some deserving dogs in them.

That's Amore!

MIA

HAVE A STRESS FREE WEEKEND

 The more I research Lyme disease, the more surprised I am about the ignorance towards so many sick people --- . As with other illnesses, it's possible to be very ill and outwardly look fine. Very low energy levels, neurologic and brain dysfunction don’t often change a person’s appearance. Family and friends are sometimes hard on victims simply because they don’t look sick. Don't give up searching for your answer to why you are sick.

 This is Mullet, a dumped dog and now searching after a new family. He is such a sweet heart, he just wants to stay close to people and especially boys. He was out hiking with teenage boys escorting them around where he now lives. He is around 8 years-old, castrated yesterday thanks to volunteer Lori and sponsored by Animals Without Limits. He is in Southern Italy, but we can arrange a passport and have him at your door whenever you say YES!

This is how I look in the mornings. With two small children and "around" fifteen dogs. But it is also very soothing for my body especially when seven of them lay in my office snoring while I am writing.

I wish you all a stress free weekend! That's Amore.

BONITA THE SURVIVOR

What a roller coaster ride for Bonita, we and her owner Mia in Sweden. But we finally made it!

Finally, after over one year struggling with this lady, we got all the "green" papers for the passport. Bonita, remember her close-to-death in a shelter, and we got her out. She spent so much time at different animal clinics and her foster parents David and Linda Bunn took her into their home for a very long time. They really made sure her health and spirit would be better.

Finally all her papers were ready for a passport. A whole year it took! Mia in Gothenburg, Sweden never gave up hope and that perseverance showed us what a great person she is. This past weekend, I flew in Bonita and another dog, "Freckles", and Mia drove down from Gothenburg (a four hour drive) to get her girl. When I walked out of the car carrying Bonita, Mia burst out in tears, sobbing and shaking, and we all hugged each other for joy.


Bonita got to meet her new man, Quinton, a sweet and gentle Pitt bull, and off they went to Bonita's new Paradizzo in Sweden's "second city" of Gothenburg.

And it sure is Paradizzo! Bonita has taken to her new home like a fish to water! We are so happy for you Bonita; your long struggle in a shelter, so close to death, is history. This is Amore.

Thank you Dr. Damiani for all your help and support with Bonita and others. David and Lynn, your support has been exceptional! You helped save a life!. And thanks to my family for making her last month in our home relaxing and comfortable (I sure miss her loud snoring!) and new momma Mia for never giving up on her girl. Lastly, for all the donations that helped Bonita get her health back, and finally into the loving arms of a forever home. We love and thank you all.

NEEDS TO BE 'RESCUED AGAIN'

SWEET HEARTS THAT ARE IN NEED

What a heartbreaking visit today at a stable with two "beautiful" Great Danes, female and male with 15 days old puppies! They all appear to be pure-bred in this breed.

Jenn from Hotel Agora introduced me to "the people that feed" them, and she wants to sponsor this "rescue project." AWL will have them spayed and neutered but they also need a nice place to be able to relax in for the rest of their lifes. A garden with dog house would be just perfect! They are so sweet together.

Tomorrow I will go and medicate the female.

They are both approximately 4 years-old, and the female appears to have been a "puppy-mill mama" --- lots of litters in her few years.

The puppies are also up for adoptions. Please help them!

Remember the blog about the two dogs that were owned by an American and a person "helped" her adopt them away. Well they ended up in "rough" shelter/kennel, not the loving home the owner was lead to believe they went to.

AWL found the owner and brought them together. Lilly she kept, but Frankie she didn't want to keep (small home and too much work for her with 2 dogs).


Well, Frankie is being fostered by Tammy (pictured) and her 5 dogs. She tells me he is a wonderful dog. Happy and loves to play; he adjusts great and very quickly to the pack, family home. He is 2 years old.


Frankie together with his two new best friends friends.

"Big Boy" was in a pack of four dogs at an Agip gas station. He needs a home quickly since his three other pack friends all got new homes.....please, it is heartbreaking that one has to be "abandoned" --- left behind not understanding why! Please help a paw-fect friend

DOBY BIG HEART BIG JOY FOR LIFE

Doby is about 10 months.
Rita found him in the woods here in Naples. Doby as you can see from the pictures is an outdoor dog....always on the move. He is so much fun....he loves playing soccer or fetching!!! He wants a lot of attention, and looks for hugs and kisses.
His snout will fit right in the palm of your hands, and once you hold him, you will not let him go anymore. He likes snuggling on the couch, and being petted!!!!

Are you a fun person, who likes to play ...maybe we can do it together.

I would love to have a forever home.

For more information send an e mail to info@animalswithoutlimits.com

ABBY'S JOURNEY IS NOT OVER--SIGH

Remember Abby? Every one's favorite and so many wanted to adopt her. Found on a wet, cold, gas station concrete pad, bleeding from her nose, a broken leg that had healed badly. We took her under our wings and we have been many that have been doing everything in our power to get her healthy. Money, time and love (and sometimes tears).

Dr Damiani and Dr Loungo made the fantastic discovery, a tooth in her nose and the flesh had healed over it. (read more about it here) (Read the whole Abby Story here)

A family in Sweden contacted me and wanted to adopt her. For months they have been planing and talking about when Abby will come home. A wonderful family.

Abby has during a long period of time lived in my house on a big dog bed in the kitchen with a gate so she could be resting by herself. She had rested for months after the nose surgery and leg surgery (the old broken leg that had healed by itself broke again). Specialists were brought into the clinic and Abby was a little concerned jumping around with the other dogs. She had her routines, out in the morning for an hour then she wanted in, she was never content to be outside too long. She was afraid that her past would come back, alone outside.

The tests started, leichaminiosis and other blood work, we wanted to know everything about Abby inside and out. Rabies shot was done and we were told that after 30 days a blood test would be done to see if the antibodies were developed. Dr Damiani read on the Swedish Authority's website, the agriculture site....30 days if positive then we had to wait 120 days for the passport.

I told I had heard about the 120 days but was he sure? We talked to the Campania agriculture veterinarians (2) were we had to go to get the passport. Yes, they read and underlined and showed me the paper.

A blood test was made 30 days after the shot, and we got the result a week or two later that Abby had developed the antibodies. We were so happy. Only one laboratory was used since the vets do not trust many others here--blood work has disappeared among other things. It's more expensive but we want the best and correct results.

ASL told me in May that Abby would be ready for her passport, 120 days later. I took Abby there, where two different veterinarians looked at all the papers, they are very suspicious that dogs are being brought out of the country since a "rumour" is going around that a big vet clinic is sending strays out to a testing laboratory in Germany.

No, I assured them, Abby is going to my friend, and I showed them pictures. I showed them the blog posts about Giove who became famous and went out in a Magazine with his story.

All tests came back, she was healthy and looking good. ASL completed the passport but I had to go to the veterinarian clinic and have a de-worming certificate done 24-48 hours before leaving the country. They got that law written very tightly....and so I did as was required. For one hour we sat while they were doing the paper work; they listened to Abby's breathing; they even cut her claws. Stamp, stamp ready to go....have a great trip!

Monday (yesterday), Ulla took Abby on the plane with her back to Sweden. Todd and I had been up making sure Abby's folder had all the papers that were needed, and any others they might ask for "just in case".

I cried at the airport when saying good-bye to Abby, for God's sake I wanted to keep her but I know Maria and her family could give her that extra that I could not provide her with.

Ulla promised to text and Maria was involved in the texting, and suddenly I receive a phone call from Ulla at the Swedish Airport customs office. Abby's papers were not correct! The floor started to spin...what the "pumpkin"??!

According to the Swedish law, and it says so right on the Internet, that after a rabies shot is given you have to wait 120 days until a blood test can be made to see if the antibodies have developed. Only then can you get the passport. What the Italians (2 offices in different cities) did was after 30 days take the blood work and then wait 120 days for the passport!

You see if we do the math here, Abby got her antibodies developed so she is no threat, but just because we took the blood test earlier but waited the exact amount of time....Abby is now in Swedish quarantine!!

I am so angry! And sad! Why do we have EU if not to standardize such things? And providing information but having Town Hall veterinarians (2) telling me and underlining what the law is...what can I do more than trust them? They are supposed to be the "experts" in this! And they are so stringent in their "law" and rules that it would be impossible for me to get a passport if they were not right.

So one veterinarian will go to the Swedish quarantine and take a new blood test. But when Abby can come home to her family after this long journey, we don't know.

This is not Amore! Learning from the hard way is one thing but learning from the hell way is frustrating, especially when you know you have done everything in your power to abide by the rules and listen to the advice of "experts" yourself. And this knowledge is being learned at the expense of fear and anxiety on Abby's part.

We hope Abby's stay at the quarantine facility is short, and she can be in the embrace of Amore very soon.

SWEET HEARTS

Adorable puppies, rescued by Martina and Pio. I visited them and I could put them down in my handbag.

Found down by the railroad near the dog catchers shelters

They were so full of parasites that it took hours to remove them. Now, clean and shiny and up for a nice warm forever home.

ATHENA THE WAR WOMAN

Pictures: Copyright (c) Rita Schneider 2010.



We wrote about these two Mastiff/terrier mixes earlier. Apparently former fighting dogs, that were living in an abandoned car. Rescued and bought to Rita's garage and I made a visit. Steven, a good guy, wanted to adopt them and spent time with them in the garage. He will have his house ready in a week (he's just getting here to Campania).

Initially, everything went well with this married couple--but I had a feeling that they couldn't be adopted together, despite the appearance of them being "together". And yesterday we found out why. They were given a bone each and that caused a fight between them that the female couldn't get past. When I came to the place they are staying, the energies were vibrating high in the air, from both people and dogs.

After that fracas, no one dared to put them together in the garage again since the female snarled everytime she saw him. When they fought, he held her down gently, without biting, but when she was let up, she attacked him again.

After a sleepless night for many involved we joined up today to talk about their future. Understandably, Steven was afraid of coming home to find one of them dead, and the female she had strong character. Wonderful without the male....

We tested them outside, both on leashes. Out of sight from each other, they were attentive to the human in control of them, and clearly affectionate toward Steven. But once within eyesight of each other, she was growling and he was whining. In the car on the way to the Veterinary Clinic, she was in a crate, and was quiet. He was all over the crate, not agressive, but wanting to be with her. He even squeezed himself in between the top of the crate and the roof of the car.

Steven will keep the male, they bonded right a way and he feels comfortable around him, and that is the most important to be honest so that we can solve for future of the female. It was heartbreaking, I will admit, because we feel like our human intervention is causing this aggression where once they lived together. Apart, they (really she is the "problem" in this situation) are fine and should be loving companions. But together, they will always be a ticking time-bomb at best. On discussion, we all felt that it had to be like this. She would never survive on the street, that breed will be killed right away.

I had to find a place were they could be spayed and neutered and at the same time be kenneled for observation, and while waiting for the vaccinations.

At the Veterinary Clinic, we took first the male in for his examination, and he was such a good boy. 31 kg, full of fighting scars and not many teeth. Around 4 years-old. He didn't blink when they gave him the shots. Absolutely amazing his trust in we people, after what he has probably lived through. Dr. Lorenzo did a great job with this brute of a dog.

Next, we brought the female in. She's also wonderful, young, probably the same age. Again, not many teeth, and her hind quarter was full of scars (yet not many around her head, and her ears are completely without marks). She was also very good in the clinic. And once again, Dr. Lorenzo handled this dog with authority but compassion... neutralizing any instinct the dog may have had to attack or nip at any of us. Dr. Lorenzo's a tough, but caring guy... perfect in this situation.

The female is up for adoption. She is very dominant to other dogs. She gives warm kisses but needs a strong, secure hand. She probably shouldn't be in a home with children. She can be wonderful with children --- we just don't know, but we wouldn't want to take that risk. This is not a dog for "beginners", she needs somebody used to dogs, and preferably used to the stronger dog breeds. Like Dr.Lorenzo said about fighting dogs, they are good around humans but get triggered by other dogs [or cats, there was one brave cat that was peeking through the window getting them both worked up].

Is there anyone out there with tough-love inclinations that want to take on this rescured girl? Steve named her Athena, and we think the name fits. She will be a great companion, but will need a firm hand along with the open heart.

CAN YOU GIVE ME A HOME?

Adoption or Foster? Please don't let your heart close ...give her a warm Christmas.

Found on base, no microchip, no collar....she is right now together with other dogs, and she is so fantastic towards them, and children. She is a lucky catch. One off our volunteers got her right now and tells us she is fantastic.

They named her M'lann and tells us that she has a very sweet disposition and think she is about 6 or 7 years old.

She has been a mother before. She looks relatively healthy and our volunteer took her to the vet this morning. This is a fantastic Amore dog, gentle and good with other dogs and children. What a girl.

www.mytailwagsforyou.blogspot.com

SOPHIE NEED A WARM HOME

No microchip, no collar. no name found walking on the highway.

She is very sweet and good girl. And the founder named her Sophie. Right now she is getting sterilized. Please give her a warm Christmas!

Giove Survived So Many Obstacles...

Giove (see the picture from earlier blogs) was trapped for many years in a horrible shelter were he had to drink his own urine many times, and often went without food for days at a time. The lack of food and water happened many times during his time there. He is some kind of terrier mix so many were afraid of him ---still many don't understand that it is often the human that creates the dog's "aggressive" mentality through their interaction with the dog--- and needed surgery for a hernia (surgery provided by AWL). Erika and Bobby sat reading my blog and saw this picture of him trying to reach out from the cage. There was something with this little boy that reached across the kilometers, indeed across Europe, and touched their heart.

They contacted me and told me they wanted to adopt him! So the journey began (please read earlier blog stories about him) ---he stayed at another shelter, a little better since they got food every day. Once the adoption was for sure, I moved him to a sort of kennne, where all the shots and tests were done, as well as the operation for his hernia. He stayed there for several months, getting well. For four (4) months he had to stay there until I could bring him to our home for evaluation and socialization. One veterinarian told me to be careful because he would nip! They said "Absolutely no children and he wouldn't get along well with our other dogs."

A little nervously, I have to admit, with 13 dogs and 2 children in my house, I definitely didn't want to jeopardize anyone's safety. But then I have learned from my work (12 years) that people are different, environments are different and dogs minds are certainly different. That's why we test them several times and in different situations. The result after three weeks here; Giove was best friends with everyone in my house, he listened and learned so quickly, it amazed me, and with my children he was polite and gentle (they were never alone with him and we didn't have him on the bedroom floor, it's closed to the dogs to come up). In a car, he was wonderful. Out at cafes; gentle, waiting patiently next to the chair. At a veterinarian waiting room with other dogs, no problems!

Eating, he is protective of his bowl, so we fed him in a separate room. When he's done the bowl was removed. (Why protective? In the first shelter they got fed every 6 days... you'd be protective of your food too!). Once we learned these habits, we easily adjusted him and our envitornment to counter the undesired behavior.

Veterinarians; reacted to the stereotype of a Pitbull mix. They immediately wanted to muzzle him and treat him like an "aggressive" dog. In some slight ways, this was a self-fullfilling prophesy. His reaction to being restrained and presented with a needle was learned from his past. (Why? Dog catchers caught him with 2 ropes and pulled in two directions while one pulled him up by his tail to demobilize and lift him up. We have pictures of this... imagine it would leave a permanent memory with him, not a pleasant one! He had been really baddly treated by some veterinarians.)

We went to another veterinarian to give him a shot. Sadly this veterinarian was so scared of this small 10 kg Terrier and started to wrestled with Giove while yelling excitedly. I tried to explain why and how we wanted him to be handled, but this male veterinarian wrestled and yelled, "Do you know this is a dangerous dog?!"

Giove is now at his home in Sweden, getting aquainted with his new mates, a Mastif and Rhodesian Ridgeback. Why the couple drove 22 hours each way to pick him up rather than flying him? They wanted to have some time together with him, to get to know him before he would meet the other two kids.
This is a wonderful couple who have great experience with terriers and dog psychology/training. I would never allow a dangerous or unstable dog into somebodies home, not even my own home. We have had to put down very few dangerous dogs, sadly not their fault their behavior was created by humans. I work for what is best for the dog. Giove, he won a place in Paradise. Good Luck my friend, you did it my "mini-Mandela."

Tigers Progressing

Photos Vania Lamanna (c) 2009

Remember Tiger, that was labeled aggressive and the family got the advise to let Tiger out by an animal organization? According to his foster mother he is progressing very well.

"I think we have progressed as much as we are going to progress with him though-my guess is he will calm down within a year or 2, he is still a young cat and full of energy, the best home would be someone who has a garden for him to take out some of that energy-he goes nuts cooped up in the small apartment. "

"Again, not suited for a family with young children-not unless they have been taught how to respect animals and give them their space and distance. "

"I wish someone Italian would take him in and keep him, then he would get used to the one family and be able to bond fully with them. He's sweet, even though destructive-we bought some glass from venice(I love hand blown glass)and left it in the box, until he leaves we won't bring it out. Can you imagine him with a Christmas tree????!!!!!!he'd be the angel on the top, haha!!" Vania

Fiori: A New Start in Life

Remember Fiori from the shelter were AWL went and cleaned twice? She was left alone with her brother in an apartment. Her family moved to their "home" country and didn't bring them with them. When we came to the shelter everyone could sense she was different. Incredibly loving and calm, and charmed us all. On top of everything she was pregnant (nobody knew!). Here are her sweet puppies (picture above and last picture). We hope they will have a good start in life, with someone that adopts them, and keeps them.

My husband picked Fiori up and brought her to LegaProAnimale--even Dr. Gigi thought she was sweet-- were she will be sterilized, de-wormed and treated with Frontline(tm). She was back in the SUV in a crate that she sneaked out from and climbed the whole way to Todd and sat in his lap the whole 45 minutes drive.

We got good news. Fiori is being adopted by Brian and his wife, they that adopted Lui. We wish them all the Amore and happiness together. Good Luck Fiori with your new family.

Animals Without Limits want to thank Tracey Kleber for her generous donation. She and her sister Megan are true loving animal lovers/helpers and with their wonderful heart the also encourage AWL to keep up our good work. That's Amore