Thankful Thursday-Thank goodness for blogging

I am so grateful that my husband talked me into blogging about the dogs.  I can't believe it has been over six years since we entered the dog blogging world and I'm so glad I did.  

I've gotten to know so many wonderful dogs and people over those six years.  I have laughed and cried as well as loved and lost so many precious dogs.  Rejoicing in new life, sending crossed paws for illnesses and just enjoying every day life together.  

I am ever so grateful for having a place to share about being dog crazy.  I never had so many friends that were just as dog crazy as me.  It is wonderful. 

And I'm so truly grateful for what blogging has given me, a record of my dog's life, especially now after losing Brut.  I wrote about happenings that I would have never had down before blogging.  Every post is priceless.  

I'll never be able to thank all of our readers who have stuck by us.  It is support and encouragement that has carried us through and post are few and far between now you are still there and we want to let you know how much we appreciate you from the bottom of our paws!

I can't believe how blogging and all of you have helped change my life. 

Thank you so much! 

God bless.

Thankful Tuesday

I couldn't wait for "Thankful Thursday" to write this as I am so full of gratitude for my life and the many loves in it.  I am so very blessed after my awful start in life.

I have love coming from every direction and any part of the house.  It is just completely awesome.

Mark with V-girl.  One of the pups from our litter.

My husband, Mark, bless his soul.  He has put with so many of my demons and held my hand and heart the whole way through. Mark is so understanding, caring and my best friend.  He loves like a dog, unconditionally.  He has changed my life and the dogs love his kid-filled soul.  Nothing is ever really right unless Daddy is home.  :)

The blessed Dynamic Duo

I am still after almost 9 years shocked and amazed that Chance and Blaze came back home. (Two puppies from our litter that were returned to us) I am utterly so grateful that they are a part of life and literally thank them every night for being returned to us.  They too are still so grateful after all these years to be home as well.  They are worth having 2 packs of dogs.  I don't care how crazy or wrong someone might think it is, I would do it again if it was the only way to keep them.

Zappa, Silver and Fiona resting by Brut's spot.  (circle)

And the Back Dog Trio, Silver, Fiona and Zappa...bless their giant hearts.  We have been through so many things with Brut when he was alive and then gone that there are many ways we missed out on so much bonding time and now we have all the time in the world.  They are seeking me out and coming to me just to be touched and loved.  It is so awesome.  We are bonding in ways that we couldn't before and it is so wonderful.

Memorial stone at our vets office on outside wall.

And Brut...the dog of my life.  Never will there ever be another and I am so grateful to have been part of his short but full life.  There was one thing I knew when he died, I had no regrets.  None.  Brut lived a very full life and taught me so many valuable lessons and this is one of them...being grateful.


I can't believe the way my life is changing and growing when for so many years I didn't want to live.  Life is truly a blessing with so much love to share it with.

Counting our Blessings...

10 puppies...

4 Back Dogs

2 Front Dogs

2 kitty kitties

and 1 duck, who will never make it for dinner!!

Plus all of our animal loving blogging friends.

Happy Thanksgiving

From the 24 Paws of Love  :)

A Special Thank You

My husband and I have come across much negativity about love and devotion to our dogs.  We are always surprised by how much there is, even from dog lovers.  Whether it is random strangers or people we have known, they just do not seem to understand and for some reason feel the need to let us know.

When my husband started coming up with the idea for this blog, I was very skeptical.  Who in the world would want to read about our dogs?  I didn't know if I was ready for all the negative feedback that I was certain we would get, but decided to give it a go anyways and wrote our first post.

The response we got was overwhelming.  There were actually others who were crazy in love with their dogs and were just as whacky about their canine companions as we were.  The support and encouragement were phenomenal and we completely fell in love with the our new community of dog blogging.

We have shared in the fun and laughter, as well as the tears and pain of your dog's lives and we couldn't be enjoying ourselves more.  You have helped us combat the cut downs and criticism that we have been up against while bringing our dog's lives into your home.  We can not begin to thank you for being part of our lives and sharing your stories with us.  We would just like to tell you how we appreciate your blogs and what they have done for us.  We would like to express our gratitude for helping to change our lives.

We at 24 Paws of Love would like to thank you for being the great dog blogging community that you are.  A special thanks for everyone who has visited our little corner of the web and taking us in.  For all of you that are crazy enough to blog about your dog, Thank you.  You have made this such a great place to be!

**And a special thank you for those that posted on yesterday's post, Confessions, thank you for your support and encouragement.  We really needed to hear your kind words.**  

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And now join us and all the other pet lovers for the Saturday Blog Hop.  Hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.

Front Dogs vs. Back Dogs-Gratitude

One of the biggest differences between the Front and Back Dogs, is the Front  Dogs permeate gratitude.  Being that they were part of our litter and were returned to us abused and neglected, gratitude seems to radiate from them.  It is constant even two years later and is like a special gift they carry around always full of thanks.

The Back Dogs whom we have had since they were all puppies, have never went without anything.  They have never known what it is like on the "other side."  Their needs have always been met, they have never suffered a blow or been locked up for extended periods of time.  They have always been cared for and have never known what it is like to be unloved.

The Front Dogs are very patient.  They never ask for anything , but wait until one of us comes in the room to let us know their needs, including to go out.  They are more affectionate than the Back Dogs and lap up any attention they are given.  They are understanding and forgiving and always seem to know just what we need.  They are very compassionate and loving souls who are just happy to be here.

The Back Dogs on the other hand would be considered spoiled next to the Front Dogs.  They are more demanding and forthcoming with their needs.  They have never known any different life than asking for what they want and do so without any fear.  The Back Dogs have lived in a stable and secure environment and have no concept of being hurt for days, weeks or months at a time like the Front Dogs were.  They have never missed a meal unless it was of their own choosing or they were sick.  All the Back Dogs have ever known is being loved and cared for and being treated as such.

The Front Dogs gratitude still blows my mind until this day.  They seem to appreciate us just being here and accept our time between the two packs.  Their gratitude seems to always be flowing, like they have sunshine in their hearts.  It is a quiet magic that makes them have this twinkle in their eye and shimmers through their body, somehow knowing how very lucky they are to be home.  There is just something different about Chance and Blaze that still catches my breath and brings tears to my eyes.   There is nothing more beautiful than sharing in the little bit of heaven that glimmers in these two dogs who have overcome odds that the Back Dogs will never have to know.

I don't know if the consensus is true with all rescue dogs, but I have found through forums and other blogs that other dog owners have discovered the gratitude ringing through with their rescue or shelter dogs.  Have any of you found the same thing?