Charlene Boyd, Animal Communicator
                                            Charlene Boyd, Animal Communicator

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TALKING TO ANIMALS  Monthly Newsletter
By loving and understanding animals, perhaps we humans shall come to understand each other. 
Dr. Louis J. Camuti

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June 2008

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Published monthly for subscribers to the Talking-To-Animals Newsletter
By Charlene Boyd
http://www.talk-to-animals.com

To view past issues of Talking-To-Animals, please visit our newsletter archive.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER TO FRIENDS

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In this edition:

1. Welcome to our June Newsletter
2.
Featured Article - "Understanding Why Cats Behave the Way They Do - And What They Need"
3.
A Story From Marilee's Files - Mac the Miracle Dog - An Essential Oils Success Story
4. News about my Workshop and extension of my $1 trial offer

5. Summer Tips for Pets
6. The Hummingbird Lady

7. Traveling with your pet
8. The Tail End

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1. WELCOME TO THE JUNE 2008 EDITION OF TALKING-TO-ANIMALS


Hello Dear Readers and Friends!  Summer is almost here and with the sunshine we also have the hustle
and bustle that the start of summer brings.  People tend to move around more and get out in the
fresh air and nature this time of year.  School is wrapping up and though my children have families
of their own now, my schedule includes school performances and a graduation in the coming weeks,
events that I look forward to sharing in.   Between these events, my communication work, my Workshop
and seminars, life is very busy indeed.  I rely on my animals to help keep me grounded and they
are pretty good at doing so. 

This month's newsletter is about the summer with our traditional summer pet tips and Dog Friendly's
Traveling With Your Pets annual report.  It also includes excerpts from two of our upcoming seminar
speakers.  The first is an
excerpt from Martha Norwalk's bonus ebook "Understanding Why Cats Behave
The Way They Do...and What They Need".  Martha is a well-known, Animal Behavior Specialist and radio
talk show host, and she is our special guest at this THURSDAY'S seminar "'Animal Counseling for
Behavior & Training Problems'. 

The second is a "Stories from My Files" story, this time it is not from my files but from a success
story from a pet owner whose dog, Mac, had an amazing health reversal after being treated using
essential oils.  Marilee Tolen, our guest at Wednesday evening's seminar, sent me this success
and I thought I would share it with you.  Marilee is an expert on essential oils and how to use them
beneficially in our daily lives.

Our animals play such a large role in our lives, it would be hard to imagine life without them and the
love and stability they can bring to us.  Take time this summer to include them in your activities
and make this a wonderful and enjoyable time for all.
 
Blessings,
 
Charlene

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2.
AN EXCERPT FROM MARTHA NORWALK'S BONUS EBOOK (INCLUDED WITH HER SEMINAR)
"UNDERSTANDING WHY CATS BEHAVE THE WAY THAT THEY DO - AND WHAT THEY NEED"
 

"...with our busy and hectic schedules, a cat is often a good choice as a household companion, especially
if you only have room for just one animal.

Because they're not pack animals (that prefer to live in
a group), they don't necessarily need the company
of another cat to be happy. Many can also tolerate fairly long periods of alone time as long as they have an
acceptable environment and quality time with their human - time you can spend when you are around.

So, what is important to cats and what do they really need?

The answer to those questions may depend on their individual personalities, their breed, age and how many of
them you have. For example, the younger the cat, the more exercise, playtime and space they require.
In my experience,
their most active years are the first three to five. After that they begin to slow down.

An older cat will still need exercise and fun but not as much and not for as long a period of time. After say,
ten to twelve years of age, they really do spend most of their time sleeping. (Not that younger cats don’t spend
a lot of time sleeping. Their naps are just shorter with more and longer playtimes in between.) 

Individual personalities really do make a difference as to what each cat really needs to be happy. That is one
reason why getting a specific breed of cat appeals to some people. Some breeds are noted for being high energy and
high maintenance. Others are commonly couch potatoes from the start. Still others are known for being very vocal
and others for being quiet. That is why researching a breed in addition to looking at pictures is a good idea before
purchasing. 

The majority of cats to be found are the mixed breeds or Heinz 57 models. Their personalities can be
all over the place and when adopting a kitten, you may just have to take your chances on what traits
will develop as they age. This is a good reason for rescuing from a shelter where the staff knows the
cats different personalities and can help you pick the cat that will be most suited to your lifestyle.

I can however, make some general statements about cats' needs that tend to apply to pretty much
all cats.

Some things that come to mind are that cats like exposure to fresh air, freedom to explore, stuff to
climb, mark and perch on, and something to hunt. And, of course, let’s not forget a place to go to the
bathroom in comfort and safety.

One of the first choices a new cat owner must make is whether or not to have 'indoor only' or 'indoor/outdoor'
models. This is a personal choice each pet owner must make. There are pros and cons on both sides so
you should evaluate the risks versus the benefits of the choice you make.

When I was growing up, all of my cats were allowed the freedom to go outside. Because of that, some of them
never came home or they came home injured from being outside.  That was heartbreaking for me.  So at this
time in my life, I'm not willing to take that risk with my cats, so I've chose to have 'indoor only' models,but
with a twist.

The twist is that I take some of them outside for walks on leashes. I use a Metropolitan Walking Jacket and
a retractable Flexi lead. Also, all of them have access to an outdoor, completely enclosed cat run so they can
spend time outside lounging and be safe. Even so, when you restrict a cat’s freedom to the out of doors and
free range roaming and hunting, you must work harder to keep them exercised and happy."

Martha Norwalk, Animal Behavior Specialist and radio talk show host is my special guest at this Thursday's
teleseminar .
If you have pets that are experiencing behavior issues, whether it is
a cat that refuses to use the litter box, a dog with aggression issues, or a performance animal that
is getting stressed out, you can send your questions to Martha to be answered during our Thursday
evening's seminar. 
All seminar guests will receive a copy of her eBook " "Understanding Why Cats Behave
The Way They Do - And What They Need" as well as an opportunity to have their pet behavior problems
answered by Martha during the event.  To find out more and to register,
visit: http://www.talk-to-animals.com/telesem/mn_ab.htm


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3.  A STORY FROM MY FILES - MAC THE MIRACLE DOG

I am looking forward to our upcoming seminars this week - the first one with with Marilee Tolen, RN
on June 4 on essential oils and their use with pets.  In preparing for the seminar, Marilee was kind
enough to forward me some 'success stories' pet owners have shared about their use of essential
oils to help their pets.  I admit I know very little about these oils, but it is stories like the one you
are about to read that have me very interested in learning more:
 
This is the story of an 11 year old Akita named Mac who lives with Annette and her husband Kevin:
 
"Saturday Kevin noticed that Mac's energy level was on the low side-something extremely unusual for him.
By Sunday, Mac was basically incapacitated to the point where he wasn't even able to get up to go out
& relieve himself. He was literally dead weight.

We took him to his regular vet on Monday where they felt there wasn't anything they could do for him.
They'd taken chest X-rays & found a dark mass pressing against his left lung which was also stressing
his heart. They suggested that we take him to an internist & gave him drugs which they knew weren't going
to do anything for him. The vets felt so bad for him that they just wanted to do something. After a biopsy
from the veterinary internist, she was all but 100% positive that the dark mass was cancer. Not only that,
but he had primary cardiac disease. We also discovered that Mac went from 100 lbs down to 89 lbs.

I immediately called **** & asked her about her holistic vet (***a veterinarian that uses essential oils as part
of her holistic remedies for animals).

(The Vet) had us come in at her earliest available time slot. She had Mac taking oils internally as well as
externally along with other supplements, chiropractic & acupuncture to support him in his healing.

To make a long story short, Mac was bouncing around 2 weeks later as if nothing ever happened. Since then,
he's had a couple of 'slow days' that haven't lasted more than 3-4 days at a time. We've changed some of his
oils & he still loves having them massaged onto his ears. While he trots comfortably on his daily walks, it has
me running to keep up behind him. He's back to his 'fighting weight' of 100 lbs & is the strong, energetic, happy
& loving dog that we've always had.

All we can say is thank God for these lifesaving oils! I truly believe that he wouldn't still be with us without them.

Addendum: Mac went to (The Vet) today for vaccine exemption. She said his heart was fine. No problems! 
Anyway, it looks like we're going to be celebrating his 12th birthday on September 17th.

Annette Queyquep
"

If you are interested in learning more about essential oils and how they can benefit both your pets
please join me Wednesday evening at 6pm PST, 9pm EST as we welcome Marilee Tolen, as our guest. 
You can ask Marilee any questions you have about essential oils and pets or humans.  Participants at
the seminar also receive an eBook - "Tips for using essential oils for your pets" and a second
bonus - An Overview of Essential Oils - and How To Use Them" a movie that Marilee has done.
You can get the details and register for the seminar here,
 http://www.talk-to-animals.com/telesem/mt_eo.htm

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4
Animal Communication 101 Workshop News -
An extension on my $1 Trial Offer

Last week was the first of our 5 Workshop series on Beginning Animal Communication.  Before each
workshop, I am usually a little flustered trying to coordinate all of the technical issues.  Thank goodness
for Linda, who rises to the occasion and manages to pull everything together and make it work.  The
technical issues for this workshop were a little more challenging than usual in that our seminar service
locked out several students from the seminar.  Although I love the freedom that technology can bring to
our lives, it also, frequently, drives me crazy!  Despite that, we had a good workshop and I feel things
will be smooth from here on out (we switched seminar providers).  Even with occasional glitches,
a live event is fun and I always get nice emails back from our students afterwards.

"Charlene,

Last night was so special.  I am very excited about what I am learning and what is coming up.  I feel that
my understanding of animals is increasing and I feel much closer to them already.

Thank you for offering this opportunity.

NB"

For those of you
who would like to experience our workshop I wanted to extend the $1 trial offer for another
week.  You can go to this link to read about this special trial and to register.
http://www.talk-to-animals.com/course/tta_sales_offer3.htm
 
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5.  SUMMER TIPS FOR PETS

Summer is upon us and we are again reminding you that during this time of heat, your pets require special attention.
These tips come from Arizona Family

"For most pet owners, summer is a time to relax and have some fun with your cats and canines! And while that’s
certainly true, don’t relax your guard when it comes to protecting your pet. These summer months have the potential
to be the most dangerous time of the year. Here are a few tips on how to keep your pets safe throughout the summer.

But It’s A Dry Heat
Dogs and cats only release body heat through their footpads and by panting. This makes them vulnerable to heat
stroke, especially short-nosed breeds, older animals or overweight animals. Make sure to keep your pets cool indoors
and out, give them lots of water, and never leave your pet in the car unattended. If your pets show signs of heat stroke,
cool them down with ice packs or cool water and get them to a veterinarian immediately. Signs of heat stroke include
a temperature of 104-110 degrees, heavy panting, rapid heartbeat and glazed eyes, dark or bright red tongue or gums,
excessive thirst and/or profuse salivation, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, staggering, stupor and/or
seizures, bloody diarrhea or vomiting, and unconsciousness.

Pesky Summer Fun
All sorts of little bugs come out to plague pets in the summer months! Fleas, ticks, ear mites, and mosquitoes thrive
in warm environments. Use the appropriate prevention products recommended by your veterinarian. Health officials
recommend to protect your pet from mosquitoes the same way you would protect yourself: remain indoors around dusk
and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, keep windows screened, use vet-approved dog mosquito repellent, and
eliminate standing water that attracts bugs. Don’t use DEET on pets as it can be dangerous if they ingest it.

Not All Dogs Know the “Dog Paddle”
Animals should be eased into water for the first time, never thrown or chased in. Not all dogs are excellent swimmers
by nature. And even those dogs who can swim may have trouble getting out of a high sided pool. Supervise your pet
closely if he or she is near a pool. For a boat trip, outfit your dog with a life preserver – it could save your pet’s life. If your
dog does go for a dip in the water, don’t forget to rinse them off afterward. Salt and minerals like chlorine can damage
a dog’s coat.

Thunder and Lightning and Fireworks, Oh My!
Loud sounds from storms and fireworks could cause stress and provoke your pet into acting abnormally, which could
lead to injury. For example, your pet tries to escape the scary noises from thunder and winds up trapped somewhere
in the house. If you won’t be home during extreme weather or fireworks show, try to arrange with a friend or neighbor to
check on your pet.

Danger Zone
While you should try and walk your dog on the grass to avoid the hot pavement be on the lookout for hidden plant
dangers. Some plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides can be fatal if ingested by your pet. There are also hundreds of
plants that produce toxic substances harmful to pets. Antifreeze is another chemical to look out for since the warmer
temperatures can cause cars to overheat and leak. This chemical tastes sweet and is inviting to pets (and children).
It is extremely toxic even in very small amounts. Consider switching to a safe antifreeze alternative: proplyleneglycol.
Call your veterinarian immediately if you think your pet has ingested antifreeze.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Summer travel with pets in tow can be tricky business. Remember to never leave your pet unattended in a parked car,
as even a few minutes can get hot enough inside to kill. Dogs who hang their heads out of car windows can develop
eye or ear infections or could get hit by flying debris or even fall out. The same is true for dogs who travel in the backs
of pickup trucks (which is illegal in Arizona). Your best bet is to keep them completely inside the car or truck cab. When
heading out of town, it is wise to check out the veterinary clinics/hospitals in the are your are visiting in case of emergency.
If you’re traveling with your pets by air, try not to schedule flights during peak periods, which are often delayed or filled with
stopovers. A direct flight is easiest on your pet, as is an early morning or evening flight when the sun isn’t as strong. Keep
in mind that many airlines have summer pet restrictions and embargoes and most trains and ships only allow service
animals.

Summer can be a great time for you and your pet with a little preparation and common sense. When in doubt, ask yourself
how you would keep a human member of your family safe, and follow that advice for your pet. "

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6. THE HUMMINGBIRD LADY


The Hummingbird Lady is Abagail Alfano of Pine, Louisiana - she has been studying hummingbirds daily and one
morning put the cup from the feeder, with water in it, in her hand; as they had gotten used to her standing by the feeder
they came over to her hand. She says in touching they are as light as a feather.

Abagail also said, 'if she had known her husband was taking pictures she would have put on makeup.'









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7.  WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUMMER TRAVEL WITH YOUR PET With summer upon us, I found this newsletter really up-to-date with things to know when traveling
with a pet. I especially was glad to see the PetSmart had day boarding for your pet. I can't tell you
how many dogs escape from rooms when hotel/motel personnel come in to do whatever they do! It
goes without saying that a crate is mandatory when traveling. Please remember that soft-sided crates
are good IF you are there to supervise your pet. Young dogs,especially puppies, can and will chew
their way out and a dog who panics if you leave the room for a day of sightseeing can easily dig their
way out. Not good!!!!!

DogFriendly.com is celebrating its tenth year of researching and publishing dog travel information.
During that time a lot has changed. Some aspects of traveling with dogs have gotten much easier;
some have gotten more difficult. Traveling with dogs consists of the entire travel experience, not just
hotels but how you can spend your quality time together. Having contacted and re-contacted tens of
thousands of lodgings, campgrounds, parks, beaches, attractions, museums, gardens, historical sites,
dog parks, stores, transportation systems and more we have a comprehensive view of this field. This is
our 2008 report on the state of the dog-friendly travel industry.

Lodging
Grade: A-
Last Year: A

About 35%  of all U.S. and Canada lodging rooms allow pets of some sort. In the last year, more of
the big hotel chains and more Independents have made more of an effort not just to allow dogs but
to welcome them with pet packages and amenities. Some hotels have been charging larger pet fees.
One pet peeve - those hotels who stop allowing dogs and use as an excuse "We have just finished a
multi-million dollar renovation". 

Campgrounds
Grade: B-
Last Year: B-

Whereas it was once a given that your dog could visit a campground with you; these days it is more
difficult. If you have an out of favor breed such as a Pit Bull, Doberman, German Shepherd, Rottweiler or
even some others it is getting harder to find a place. If you have a different breed you may find new
restrictions on your pet. New Jersey and Connecticut need to allow dogs in the campgrounds at their
state parks - currently they are not allowed at all. 

Air Transportation
Grade: C-
Last Year: C-

This category needs to be divided into very small pets and medium to large pets. If you have a dog (or a cat)
that is very short and light (less than 8 inches tall and less than 15 pounds) you may rate this category a
B since you can bring your dog in the cabin. However, you are forced to leave the dog  in the carrier under
the seat for the entire flight. If your dog, like over 80% of dogs, is too big for these carriers your only 
option is cargo. We don't consider this a reasonable option at all (D- at best). Most dog owners would
pay for a seat for their dog; it would be nice to see the airlines recognize the business being left on the
table and accommodate them. In our surveys, over 90% of respondents said that if an airline allowed them
to buy seats for their dogs they would use this airline for all travel, even business travel without their dog.
Despite some claims to the contrary there is no FAA regulation against large dogs in the cabin and an
airline is able to allow this should they desire. Until then, dog owners only air options are very expensive
charters or shared charters.

Trains and Buses
Between Cities
Grade: F
Last Year: F

No dogs are allowed at all on Amtrak and Canadian Rail even if you wanted to charter the entire train.
Greyhound Bus, despite its name, doesn't allow any dogs. Accommodations could certainly be made for
certain pet-friendly cars in trains and select buses.  With gas hovering at $4 per gallon and all of the
environmental concerns it is imperative that these mass transit options be made available for people with pets.

Trains and Buses
In Cities
Grade: C
Last Year: C-

Small dogs in carriers are allowed in most urban subways and local buses in the U.S. and Canada . Still,
there are some cities that don't allow even this. On the plus side, Boston, Seattle, Toronto and San Francisco
allow dogs of all sizes on leash in their buses and trains showing that this can be done successfully. Again,
environmental and energy concerns require that these mass transportation systems improve their pet policies.
There is some hope for improvement here as a number of public dog owner groups are pushing for improved
access. But this will take time.

Parks
Grade: B-
Last Year: B-

U.S. National Parks restrict dogs significantly and every time we ask why we get a different reason. We
don't think any of them actually make sense. Over the last few years, a few National Parks have slightly
improved pet access. Most people can still enjoy the parks with their dogs if they select the best parks and
understand where dogs can and can't go. There are so many parks that we have usually found a reasonable
substitute if the one that you wanted to visit is not accommodating to pets. If all dog owners would clean up
after their pets and obey leash laws we would probably see some improvement in this area.

Off-Leash Parks
Grade: B
Last Year: B+

The explosive growth of urban off-leash dog parks over the ten years that we have been in this business is
staggering. DogFriendly.com now lists over 800 off-leash parks and the list grows monthly. There were only
a handful in 1998. The only negatives here are the risk that other parks once open to dogs are being restricted
in some  places when an off-leash park is built nearby and that the requirements and rules can be complicated
in parks that require annual permits and various restrictive vaccine schedules. We would like to see reasonable
accommodation for traveling dogs as well as the local pets with an option for day use fees where annual permits
are now required. Some dog parks already allow for this option.

Beaches
Grade: B-
Last Year: C+

About 15% of beaches in the U.S. and Canada are dog-friendly with leash requirements. Only a handful allow
off-leash dogs. We had to call 1800 beaches to find about 300 pet-friendly ones. In most areas, but not all, you
can probably find a dog-friendly beach.  Over the last year there are more beaches that have allowed dogs during
certain seasons, times or with permits required. This is an improvement, and the trend is moving positive in our view.

Restaurants
Grade: B-
Last Year:  C+

If left to the private sector, this grade would approach an "A". However, government intervention citing "health
codes"  in some areas prevents the free market from working. We would like to see the local governments leave
it to the private sector to decide whether dogs are allowed indoors or out. The health reasons cited don't appear
valid given experience in Europe and the fact that 2/3 of North American households have pets roaming through
their dining rooms and even kitchens without outbreaks of disease. The outdoor health claims are ridiculous
given the birds, insects and flies that land on people's plates and tables and the rodents, cats and other animals
that come around at night looking for scraps. If someone wants to open a restaurant specifically for people with
dogs, what is the harm? Over the last year we have seen many governments relax any health concerns about
dogs on patios and move in the right direction. More areas are also considering variance requests when proposed.

Stores and
Shopping Malls

Grade: B
Last Year:  B-

In almost all parts of the U.S. and Canada whether dogs are allowed in stores (other than grocery stores and
restaurants)  is left up to the store owner by law. This allows people with dogs the chance to find stores that
allow their dogs and it is usually possible to find places to shop with your dog. The bigger restriction here is
the shopping malls. While there are a number of pet-friendly outdoor shopping malls there are very few indoor
malls that allow dogs. However, we are finding more and more open-air and even indoor malls that allow and
even welcome and promote dogs under certain conditions. Things are again moving in the right direction.

Attractions
(Private Sector)

Grade: B-
Last Year:  B-

While we are able to find attractions that allow dogs, particularly smaller dogs it is not always easy to find
dog-friendly attractions. In each area there are a few places and most of these are outdoor. If you are the
type of person who likes to be indoors it can be more difficult. Places that cater to tourists need to realize
that if you are among the millions of people  traveling with a dog you can't leave them in the car while you visit
tourist attractions.

Day Kennels and
Pet Sitters

Grade: B-
Last Year:  C+

Historically, both kennels and pet sitting businesses were opened to serve people leaving their dogs at
home when they went out of town. Due to the rise in travel with pets there is now a great demand for day
kennels (where you can drop off your dog and pick up your dog in the same day) and pet sitters who will
sit with travelers dogs at a hotel or at the pet sitter's facility. High end pet-friendly hotels can arrange for
pet sitters and PetSmart is opening day kennels at a lot of their stores. Essential for  travelers are flexible
hours to drop off and pick up pets. An ideal location would allow drop-off and pick up anytime or at least
until 11 to 12 at night so that you can take in a theater or sporting event. 

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8.
THE TAIL END
 
I hope your summer includes lots of friends, family and, of course, your pets.  Last month
I urged those of you who wished to, to support the efforts going on in the world to help
the people and animals affected by the disasters in China and the US.  I want to thank
those of you who did help and to remind you that help is still needed everywhere.

If you would like to help on an international or national level, these are agencies that
are legitimate in their efforts:

 
National: ASPCA
              Noah's Wish they are excellent for immediate aid in stricken areas


 
Peace and blessings and my you have a wonderful summer,
 
Charlene


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Mission Statement:

"I feel that my primary role as an animal communicator is to speak the truth for the animals.
By speaking their truth I am able to share with their owners their unique perspectives and spiritual
philosophies. The special bond that companion animals share with their owners is one that is built
on love and trust. Through this special relationship both owners and their animals have an opportunity
to experience love, trust and mutual understanding. It is the key to all relationships we develop with
our pets. As we become more sensitive to our pets, we learn that we are all One, created by the
same Divine spirit. Our ultimate goal is to live in harmony and joy with the animals we love and cherish."

Charlene

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To find out more about animal communication and to visit our newsletter archive, please go to our
website at www.talk-to-animals.com. To contact Charlene regarding a lost animal, animal behavior
problems or the death of your pet, email her at charlene@talk-to-animals or call 877-907-1741.


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