“If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals” – Albert Einstein

“To be kind is more important than to be right. Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Being vegan is easy. Are there social pressures that encourage you to continue to eat, wear, and use animal products? Of course there are. But in a patriarchal, racist, homophobic, and ableist society, there are social pressures to participate and engage in sexism, racism, homophobia, and ableism. At some point, you have to decide who you are and what matters morally to you. And once you decide that you regard victimizing vulnerable nonhumans is not morally acceptable, it is easy to go and stay vegan”
― Gary L. Francione

“Remember, it’s not what you eat today that matters, or tomorrow, or next week, but rather what you eat over the next months, years and decades, so you have to find lifestyle changes that fit into your lifestyle” – Dr Michael Greger in How Not To Diet

“If we stop consuming, they will stop producing. Only collective awakening can create enough determination for action” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will. Except your dog. Your dog always thinks you’re a legend no matter what you think of yourself.”

“Never apologise for treating your dog like a child. In a world that forces you to be tough, having a creature that lets you be soft, nurturing and vulnerable is an absolute blessing”

“When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change” – Wayne Dyer

“Everything will be ok in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end” – John Lennon

“You cannot change your destination overnight. But you can change your direction overnight” – Jim Rohn

– A new mindset – A refined process – A better question – A braver decision

INNOVATION IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT SPEED. IT’S ABOUT ALIGNMENT.

PROGRESS IS NOT ABOUT DOING MORE. IT’S ABOUT DOING WHAT MATTERS.

Make sure that what you feed to your dog never had a face!

From Catherine’s Originals chocolate from her investor –
Mark, as always, reminded me of reality:
“We’re growing fast, our chocolates are loved, and we’re doing it with integrity. We’re not backed by millions or filling supermarket shelves “stack ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap”. We’re building steadily, strongly, and sustainably. Protecting our margins, our values, and our product.”

If you’re going to overthink at least overthink all the ways it could work out in your favour, the best case scenario, and every version of your life that turns out better than expected

“Your dog doesn’t care what you weigh, what you earn, or what you tried and failed at this week. They just know you’re home and they love you for that”

“What you choose to feed your dog everyday is the single most important thing you can do to enhance their health, spread social justice and animal welfare, repair the environment, and reverse climate change.” – Dr Arielle Griffiths

Dr Arielle Griffiths views increased competition as beneficial for the entire plant-based pet food category. “I always say the competition, or the growth of the plant-based industry, is good for everybody,” she said. “The more people that understand the benefits of feeding a plant-based product, the better.”

“Kindness is loaning someone your strength instead of reminding them of their weakness”

I HAVE TWO JOBS
1. Calm my humans when they are stressed
2. Stress my humans when they are calm

“You know you’re no longer in charge of your life when your dog decides what time you wake up”

“love is a small sound. my dog’s nails tapping towards me in the hallway” – r.m.drake

My favourite people –
– My Dog
– Your Dog
– All of the Dogs

“If I ask you to look after my dog even for 30 seconds, know this is the greatest compliment I can ever give you”

“There are times when you need the silence of animals to recover from humans”

“I think if you’re lucky you’ll get to spend your days brushing fur off the sofa, filling bowls, and stepping over toys – all small reminders of love that never asks for much”

“What a privilege it is to have your bed taken up by a small warm animal who thinks it’s the safest place in the world”

“I would pick my dog to be my dog again in any and every lifetime”

“I may not be where I want to be, but I’m thankful for not being where I used to be” – Habeeb Akande

Borrowed from the lovely Roselle who home cooks for her Irish Wolfhound and who has just written her own vegan cookbook (for humans), and who tends to a beautiful vegetable plot –
Nature remains
‘After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, love, and so on — have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear — what remains? Nature remains; to bring out from their torpid recesses, the affinities of a man or woman with the open air, the trees, fields, the changes of seasons — the sun by day and the stars of heaven by night.’ ~ Walt Whitman

“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.”
— James Herriot

After spending 178 days aboard the International Space Station, astronaut Ron Garan returned not just with scientific data but with a revelation he calls “the big lie.” What struck him most when in space was the paper-thin layer of atmosphere enveloping the planet a fragile, shimmering veil standing between all life and the void of space. In that moment, the Earth seemed both resilient and heartbreakingly vulnerable.
Ron Garan’s message, delivered with the quiet gravity of someone who’s actually seen our world from the outside, is a plea for awareness and action.
He reminds us that we live on “a paradise in the cosmos” a world that is incredibly rare, unimaginably beautiful, and desperately in need of our care.

Your diet is not only what you eat. It’s what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, the people you want to be with…….be mindful of the things that you feed yourself with emotionally, physically and spiritually.

There is so much power in believing everything will work out even when you don’t know how or when. You just believe that it will.

Don’t listen to criticism from those who you would not take advice

What people need to understand is that when they are feeding animals to their dogs, they are promoting cruelty to animals.

My dog sees the best in me, even when I can’t see it myself.

“With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable”
– Thomas Fowell Buxton

The Dalai Lama turned 90 on 6th July. The Dalai Lama’s first impulse is to find common ground with every child—or soldier, or Chinese Communist party member—he meets. He begins each day with prayers for his “Chinese brothers and sisters,” taking care to distinguish between often heroic individuals and a government in Beijing that has more or less tried to destroy Tibet – the country he ruled peacefully from the age of 4. And though he’s one of the world’s most respected religious leaders, he notes that “Religion is a luxury, like tea, that adds savour to life. But the water that none of us can live without is everyday kindness and responsibility.”

The Dalai Lama has been an open-hearted incarnation of conscience who puts his faith in “common sense, common experience, and scientific findings.” He lives day after day, in the knowledge that in the long run—as his peers and teachers, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King knew—the moral universe bends towards justice.

“Storms make trees take deeper roots” – Dolly Parton

Let people be upset. Let them misunderstand you. Let them criticise and judge. Their opinions are reflections of their own perceptions, not a measure of your worth. You do not need to explain yourself to those who are committed to misunderstanding you. You are not responsible for how others choose to see you or how they react to your truth.

“When, if not now? Where if not here? Who if not we?”
– John F. Kennedy“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”
– Carl Jung

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one”  – “Imagine” by John Lennon

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind”- Bernard M Baruch

“Always aspire to act in a way that cancels out someone else’s cruel or stupid behaviour.”
– Journalist Carl Hiaasen

“Never say you can’t do it, say, ‘I haven’t done it yet’.”
– Rick Rubin

AI is no longer optional- all companies are using it in some way or another and everyone is excited about this, especially in terms of cost savings- AI allows small teams to punch above their weight.

Impossible Foods founder Pat Brown refers to the use of animals for food as “humanity’s most destructive tech”

FRONTPRO® is vegetarian (but not vegan). The flavour contains a very little proportion of non-fat
dry milk. 25% of the chew is based of soy protein.Ubuntu is a concept that rejects the individualistic self and emphasizes the relational form of personhood. It means “I am because we are” and values the common bonds, empathy and trust within a community. Learn how ubuntu shapes the legal, moral and social life in Africa.

Continuous improvement is more valuable than perfection. “Progress is more important than perfection”

“After living for nearly 100 years on this planet, I now understand the most important place on earth is not on land, but at sea,” said Attenborough in the trailer. “Today, it is in such poor health I would find it hard not to lose hope, were it not for the most remarkable discovery of all: the ocean can recover faster than we had ever imagined. It can bounce back to life.”

The new film comes to cinemas on May 8, 2025. In addition to launching on Attenborough’s 99th birthday, the film’s release is timed ahead of World Ocean Day and the United Nations Ocean Conference in June. This year also marks the halfway point of the United Nations’ “Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development” (2021 – 2030).

‘If we save the sea, we save our world’

“What if the key to healing our bodies and the Earth was right at the center of our plates?​”
For Earth week

“Don’t ever diminish the power of words. Words move hearts and hearts move limbs.” -Hamza Yusuf

“Hearing your spoken word makes it stronger”

When we speak our thoughts aloud, they become more concrete and tangible, making them more potent and impactful.

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
– Maya Angelou

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

Aristotle Onassis

“First, they ignore you. Then, they laugh at you. Then, they fight you. Then, you win”
– Mahatma Ghandi

“Pay attention to your insecurities. They are not there to taunt you but to show you where to heal.”

Dr Gabor Maté

“The best way to get along with people is not to expect them to be like you.”

Joyce Meyer

“The one who plants trees, knowing that he or she will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”

Rahindranath Tagore

“How to stop time: kiss, How to travel in time: read. How to escape time: music. How to feel time: write. How to release time: breathe.”
Matt Haig

“As you breathe in, cherish yourself. As you breathe out, cherish all beings.”

Dalai Lama

“Meat will starve us – because meat consumption drives significant climate change, reducing the world’s ability to grow food. 10 kg of feed is needed to grow 1 kg of meat. That’s how much food that we are wasting to produce meat in the current livestock system”

‘The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.’ an African saying

“You’ve been criticising yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
Louise Hay

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today”
– Will Rogers

I had to make you uncomfortable otherwise you never would have moved
– Universe

“I don’t focus on what I’m up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest” – Venus Williams

“Ah kindness. What a simple way to tell another struggling soul that there is love to be found in the world.”

Alison Malee

“The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.”
Stephen R Covey

“The highest forms of understanding we can achieve are laughter and human compassion.”
Richard Feynman

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.”
Alan Lakein

“Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from taking flight.”
– Brené Brown

“Just remember, you can do anything you set your mind to.
But it takes action, perseverance, and facing your fears.”
– Gillian AndersonYou express gratitude for everything that happens on your journey.

Doing this one thing will make all the difference.

“Feeling grateful for everything that comes your way (as a student, as a coach, and as a human being) will uplift and amplify your journey in every way.
A bad client session isn’t bad… it’s a learning experience.
Slow progress isn’t slow… it’s a stepping stone.”
Jay Shetty”Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world”
Nelson Mandela, 23 June 1990

“Don’t forget the power of one: one amazing client, one meaningful session, one powerful moment, one incredible decision can change your whole year.
Influence is never about quantity. Sometimes all you need is one amazing new beginning to make all the difference.”
Jay Shetty

“Every choice you make has influence. Care about yourself and the world enough to make sure this influence is good.”
Jay Shetty

“You can dance in the hurricane but only if you’re standing in the eye”
Brandi Carlile

“Bad times, hard times – this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: such as we are, such are the times.’ Or as he says elsewhere: ‘You are hoping for the good; be what you hope for.”
Augustine 4th Century

” You cannot change your future, but you can change your habits, and surely your habits will change your future”
Abdul Kalam

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
Sharon Salzberg

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
Anne Lamott

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?”
Marianne Williamson

“Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things.”
Arthur Schopenhauer

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
Lao Tzu

“Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know before you learned it.”
Maya Angelou

“Productivity doesn’t need to be work related and your own worth is not equivalent to your productivity. Taking care of yourself is productive.”
Dr Tara Swart

“You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realising who you are at the deepest level.”
Eckhart Tolle

“When you follow your passions, you cannot fail. It’s impossible. When you make the decision to honour your greatest purpose, failure is removed from the equation. Success is your only option. Daring to follow our passions and purpose isn’t a weakness, but our greatest strength. ” – Jay Shetty

“If you can recognise and accept your pain without running away from it, you will discover that although pain is there, joy can also be there at the same time”
Thich Nhat Hanh

“The one who plants trees knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”
Rabindranath Tagore

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”
Albert Einstein

“One push up is better than not exercising. One minute of guitar practice is better than none at all. One minute of reading is better than never picking up a book. It is better to do less than you hoped than to do nothing at all.”
James Clear

“Affection is the broadest basis of a good life.”
George Eliot

“Whenever you are able to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: what fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticise?”
Marcus Aurelius

“Forgive yourself for the choices you made when you didn’t know you had better options. Focus on growing and moving on.”

“What we do in the next 20 years will determine the future for all life on Earth”
David Attenborough, Our Planet, 2019

“You glow differently when confidence in your self is fuelled by belief in yourself instead of validation from someone else”

“In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”
– Max De Pree

“Embrace what you don’t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everybody else.”
– Sara Blakely

“The quantity of your food affects how you look. The quality of your food affects how you feel.”

‘You can always go back to a customer who you have lost because of the price. A customer who you have lost because of the quality, never again.’
– Dr. Jürgen Wigger Bewital Pet Food

‘Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.’
– Pema Chödrön

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”
– Dalai Lama

“Hope is being able to see there is light despite all of the darkness”
– Archbishop Desmond Tutu

“We’re all just walking each other home.”
– Ram Dass

“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change”
– Jim Rohn

“You can’t change what happened but you can change what happens next”
– Mel Robbins

“The moment you change your perception is the moment you rewrite the chemistry of your body”
– Dr Bruce Lipton

“People share, read, and generally engage more with any type of content when it’s surfaced through friends & people they know and trust”
– Malorie Lucich

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the power to turn a life around”
– Leo Buscaglia

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”
– Zig Ziglar

“Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”
– Maya Angelou

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’.”
– Audrey Hepburn

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.”
– Mahatma Ghandi

“It’s a little embarrassing that after 45 years of research and study, the best advice I can give people is to be a little kinder to each other.”
– Aldous Huxley

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean. If a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty”
– Mahatma Gandhi

“Life must be lived forwards but can only be understood backwards”
– Kierkegaard

“Don’t carry your mistakes around with you. Instead, place them under your feet and use them as stepping stones to rise above”
– Unknown

“First, it is an intention. Then a behaviour. Then a habit. Then a practice. Then a second nature. Then it is simply who you are”
– Brendon Burchard

“I’ve learned people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou

“Some people will never understand how much you can love your dog…but that’s okay as your dog knows”

“Our prime purpose in life is to help others. If you can’t help them at least don’t hurt them”
Dalai Lama

“Do your little bits of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good together that overwhelm the world”
– Archbishop Desmond Tutu

“Our painful experiences aren’t a liability – they’re a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and our strength”
– Edith Eger

“If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself”
– Mindy Kaling

“Dog is a very small word for something that takes up so much room in your heart”

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself”
– Thich Nhat Hanh

“If we don’t say yes authentically, we say yes resentfully, and that leads to far more problems than if we’d said no in the first place”
– Natalie Lue
Being a people pleaser, this applies so much to me and is a lesson for all of us:)

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away”
– Pablo Picasso

“The appearance of things changes according to the emotions; and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves”
– Kahlil Gibran
This quote really rings true as we all see so much beauty around us when we are happy and mindful as most of us are on our dog walks!

“If I don’t have red, I use blue”
– Pablo Picasso
I know that one of my failures is to have everything perfect which stops me from even the smallest task as I know I want it done just right – even something as simple as posting a photo on Instagram! Trying to achieve perfection in our lives is impossible and can stop us from progressing.
If feeding your dog 100% plant-based feels too difficult, even just the smallest change of 1 day a week with homecooked meat free food for you and your pet can make all the difference!

“We are all wonderful beautiful wrecks. That’s what connects us – that we’re all broken, all beautifully imperfect”
– Emilio Estevez
Each on of us has a story to tell of hardships in our lives and trials that make us who we are. We must not judge people based on their Instagram story or looks or beliefs, but strive to connect with things that matter as I have done through connecting with other wonderful dog owners!

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become”
– Carl Jung

“Vets are not really taught about nutrition or that food has anything to do with illness. At least, I certainly didn’t receive any training in nutrition, which meant I had to find out for myself”
Dr Arielle Griffiths MRCVS

“I wish that pets live longer and life wasn’t so expensive and cake didn’t make you fat!”

“Sit with animals QUIETLY and they will show you their HEARTS
Sit with them KINDLY and they will help you locate YOURS”

“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm.
The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient”
– Charles M. Blow

“No amount of regret changes the past
No amount of anxiety changes the future
But any amount of gratitude changes the present”
– Marc Chernoff

“Being kind is more important than being right. Sometimes what a person needs, is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a special heart that listens”

“It’s a funny thing about life. Once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack” – Germany Kent
Always so valuable to write down or just think about 3 things everyday that you are thankful for – I do it everyday and it makes such a diffference to do exactly as the quote says where you lose sight of the things you lack as you feel so thankful for even the small things that you have!

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant” – Robert Louis Stevenson

“Everything in life can be taken away from you, except for your freedom to choose how you respond” – Viktor Frankl
Particularly relevant when discussing what you have chosen to feed your dog amongst friends and family as so many of us can be hurt by their reactions (I know I have been). I always advise owners use the word ‘plant-based’ instead of ‘vegan’ when discussing their sustainable healthy choice for their dog. When the word vegan is chosen, it signifies that something has been taken away, whereas wholefood plant-based signifies the addition of goodness and additional nutrients.

” When we strike a balance between the challenge of an activity and our skill at performing it, when the rhythm of the work itself feels in sync with our pulse, when we know that what we’re doing matters, we can get totally absorbed in our task. That is happiness.” – Ariel Gore
(I particularly love this one Holly as it portrays what we both strive for with the work that we do that I can honestly say brings me happiness:)

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can” – Arthur Ashe

“We take care of the future best if we take care of the present now” – Jon Kabat-Ziin

“Deep feelings always mean more than they are capable of saying” – Albert Camus

“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try” – Jack Canfield

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn” – Harriet Beecher Stow

” A ship is always safe at the shore. But that is not what it is built for” – Albert Einstein

“You don’t need a reason to help people” – Unknown

” I can’t fix the worlds problems. But I will do what I can to make a difference where I can” – Unknown

“If you haven’t found it yet. Keep looking” – Steve Jobs

“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try” – Seth Godin

“Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart” – Rainer Maria Rilke

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop” – Confucius

“If you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be” – Maya Angelou

“Don’t you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can’t be exactly who you are” – Lady Gaga

“If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced” – Vincent Van Gogh

“It’s time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap” – Stephen Schwartz

“The challenging part is in the beginning; it’s a leap of faith. But I think the most important thing is to just do it. Start” – Tom Szaky

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase just take the first step” – Unknown

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime” –
If you don’t help others learn, they’ll never thrive and never truly appreciate something like you do. This is true in all aspects of life but pet nutrition is definitely a part of that as well. There’s a difference between telling someone something that will help them one time, and telling them something that will teach them “lifetime lessons.” Personally, I love educating owners. It gives me such a feeling of accomplishment and positivity that I could say something or do something and in turn, somebody else’s life is enriched with this new knowledge.

“Some people will never understand how much someone can love a dog, but that’s ok – the dog knows”

Mental Health Awareness Week!
10/05/2021

“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candour, more unashamed conversation” – Glenn Close

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t” – John Green

“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light” – Albus Dumbledore

“I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship” – Amy March, Little Women

“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” – Buddha

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless”

“I feel there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people” – Vincent Van Gogh

“How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time” – Morgan Freeman

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world” – Robin Williams

“I am grateful to our furry friends. They know how to make us smile even when we are having a hard day” – April Peerless

“Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully” – Kristen Butler

“Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved” – Winnie the Pooh
As a vet and Mum who constantly feels that all problems must be solved, I have to remind myself constantly of this very simple and true quote!

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart”
The choices we have made with Just be Kind Dog Food have been made from the heart first as everything we have done and formulated has been for our own family dog.

“In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take”

“Life is the most difficult exam. Many people fail because they try to copy others, not realising that everyone has a different question paper”

” It is not about meeting the right people, it is about becoming the right person”

 

““The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life” – Rabindranath Tagore

“Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people” – Roy T. Bennett

“We are very very small, but we are profoundly capable of very big things” – Stephen Hawking

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” – Helen Keller
Embarking on the long road as a plant-based vet in the UK proved a very lonely road until I began to network and reach out to other vets – all specialists in their fields and now I feel such a sense of optimism that this can be achieved and together we can make a difference to how we feed our pets.

“Since we live in this world, we have to do our best for this world” – Aung San suu Kyi

“The next evolutionary step for humankind is to move from human to kind” – Anonymous

“As the world becomes a more digital place, we cannot forget about the human connection” – Adam Neumann
Along with this human connection that Adam Neumann refers to; we have to include our pets in this as they take on the roles of companionship in our lives that enriches and enhances our lives while keeping us grounded as we enter a more digital world.

“Happiness is the new rich. Kindness is the new cool. Health is the new wealth. Inner peace is the new success”

“It always seems impossible until it is done” – Nelson Mandela
My very favourite quote! I have it written on a teatowel hanging in the unit that I hire to remind myself of exactly that fact that it just has to get done! At one point I did think it was impossible to promote plant-based dog food as a vet and I so doubted myself and the journey that I was about to go on, until I began that journey and through owners responses, I realise that it most certainly can get done and it needs to become the norm for our pets!

“Winning is fun, but those moments that you can touch someone’s life in a very positive way are better” – Tim Howard

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain” – Dolly Parton

“Every day may not be good… but there’s something good in every day” – Alice Morse Earle

“Let your unique awesomeness and positive energy inspire confidence in others” – Unknown
I have met the most wonderful people on my plant-based dog food journey – everyone with their own story to tell and trough their ‘awesomeness’, together we can inspire other dog owners to embrace a kinder, more sustainable way to feed their pets.

“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination” – Carl Rogers

“Because good dog food needs experts……experts who use their hearts and minds” – Tessa Fence-Figlár – Owner Vegdog.de
I feel so fortunate to have met the lovely Tessa in February 2019. Her story of starting her wonderful Vegdog company is one built purely on doing it all for the right reasons – her vet prescribed a vegan diet for her rescue dog Nelson with severe gut issues and when she realised how dramatically he transformed on a plant-based diet; she began to produce Green Crunch and All-In-Veluxe supplement to share in this with other owners. Nelson went on to live another 8 years on a vegan diet up until he was 16 years old! Her company remains 100% ethically-minded and even though Green Crunch is now slightly more exepensive to buy for our pets in the UK, it is still one of my favourites to feed my own dog.

“Success is liking yourself. Liking what you do and how you do it ” – Maya Angelou

“ Be proud of how you’ve been handling these last few months. The silent battles you’ve fought. The moments you had to humble yourself, the times you’ve wiped your own tears. Celebrate your strength” – Priscilla Ransom

“Everyday you should make someone smile, but never forget that you’re someone too”

“Be yourself. Everyone else is taken” – Oscar Wilde

“Being happy doesn’t mean you have it all, it just means you’re grateful for all you have”

“When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’ illness becomes wellness” – Malcom X

“One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world” – Buddha

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog” – M.K. Clinton

“An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfilment” – Sir David Attenborough

“I wish the world was twice as big- and half of it was still unexplored” – Sir David Attenborough

“It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth” – Sir David Attenborough

“Every individual matters. Every Individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference” – Dr Jane Goodall

“The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves” – Dr Jane Goodall

“Not a single creature on earth has more or less right to be here” – Anthony Douglas Williams

“Kindness is free to give. But priceless to receive”

“Kindness is making someone smile if only for a moment”

“True happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are the same thing” – Gandhi

“We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day and we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day” – Gayle Foreman

“ I don’t think people should sell dog food unless they eat it themselves. I challenge the executives of Nestle and Mars to eat their own dog food, and none of them have taken me up on it yet! ” – Ryan Bethencourt (Director of Wild Earth dog food)

“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try ” – Jack Canfield

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” – Sir Winston Churchill

“The time is always right to do what is right” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“One day, you’ll be just a memory for some people. Do your best to be a good one” – Unknown

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way” – Martin Luther King Jr

“I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that I can do” – Jane Stanfield

“Do good things whether others notice or not. It’s the deeds that matter not the size of your audience” – Unknown

“ You never fail until you stop trying ” – Albert Einstein

“ Change your thoughts and you change your world ” – Unknown

“ Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will ” – Suzy Kassem

“ Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can” – Arthur Ashe

“ Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value” – Albert Einstein

“ Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself ” – George Bernard Shaw

“ ‘Love is’ how excited your dog gets when you get home ” – Unknown
How wonderful it is to return home to our happy pets – even if we have been out for a few minutes; they are always there to greet us with all the love and devotion that they have.

“The best things in life are often waiting for you at the exit ramp of your comfort zone“ – Karen Salmansohn
How important it is in life to push ourselves and take risks which involve a certain level of anxiety and being taken out of our ‘comfort zones’. As a vet, I have found myself constantly being stretched out of this easy comfort zone of using my clinical knowledge, to now managing importing dog food from abroad post Brexit, and running a small business, as well as trying to promote something that remains so controversial in pet nutrition – plant-based feeding! But only by pushing ourselves and taking these risks in life are we able to grow and flourish!

“As a man thinketh, so he is. As he continues to think, so he remains” – James Allen
What you think becomes reality. Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. Act like the person you want to be and you automatically can become that. It sounds so simplistic, but it is so true!

“Empathy grows as we learn ”- Alice Miller
The more we learn and understand about anything, so too can our level of empathy grow.

“ A house is never lonely where a loving dog waits ” – Unknown
As we move out of lockdown and return to our busy working lives that we used to have, the one comfort is that our homes will always have the presence of our most faithful pets awaiting us.

“We judge what we don’t understand”
It is natural human nature to judge something that we see as different and have no comprehension of what it is all about. Plant-based feeding of dogs is a particularly sensitive topic that opens you up to being judged by family and friends, but if you gently explain the benefits and have some knowledge of nutrition, then you will notice an understanding and acceptance, rather than being judged.

“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another” – Alfred Adler
Our dogs are perfect empaths who seem to know exactly what we feel, are always willing to listen and they offer no criticism, just pure love!

“Follow your heart in life and at least you’ll own your mistakes”
This quote is so relevant to all of us as it means that we have to take complete responsibility for all of our actions and blame no one but ourselves when things go wrong. Mistakes in life are particularly good as we can grow from each and every one of them!

“It’s none of my business what people say of me and think of me. I am what I am and I do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier” – Anthony Hopkins
If we could all adopt Anthony Hopkins’ essence of life, we would all deal with criticism so much better. One of the biggest fears owners have about changing their dogs to a plant-based diet, is what family members and friends will think of them. Stay strong and go with what feels right for you and your pet.

“Today is the tomorrow that we worried about yesterday, and all is well” – Dale Carnegie
When you start to worry, remind yourself of this quote. Reassure yourself that things will turn out well when you work hard and plan well.

“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu
I found this was the case with veterinary where almost every second dog I was seeing as a GP vet showed signs of itching or allergies that in the short time you have as a vet with a client, you reach for medication. The main problem comes from the food that is being fed and the treats being given and these need correcting rather than reaching for the easy fix.
This is where plant-based in dogs is so satisfying as it can literally transform the life of your dog if they have allergies and intolerances to dairy, animal products, soya, corn or wheat!

“Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job” – Franklin P. Jones
We can help you if you have a permanently itchy, uncomfortable dog. Plant-based dog food can be made to exclude every one of the top allergens in dogs, as well as being the most natural way of supporting a healthy skin barrier.
Join our Green Paws Challenge for veterinary nutritional help with your dog.

“Before you get a dog, you can’t quite imagine what living with one might be like; afterward, you can’t imagine living any other way” – Caroline Knapp
All of us who live with a dog can fully relate to this!

“It is amazing how much love and laughter dogs bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them” – John Grogan
This quote is particularly important as we come out of lockdown. In so many families, it is the presence of the family dog that has kept everyone sane, grounded and happy. Dogs naturally provide a way of deflecting emotions away from family members where they can talk ‘through’ their pet and express themselves.

“Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong”
Our bond with our dogs is so great that we all consider our own dog to be the best – and yes, we are all right!

“A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life” – Christopher K. Germer

“Anything you think of doing, however insignificant, should be done immediately”
– Shinichi Suzuki
Shinichi Suzuki’s quote goes on to say that you must spur yourself on and carry it through without becoming discouraged. If this becomes an ingrained habit, things you thought were impossible will become possible, and closed doors will open, as you will discover in many ways – what wise wise words!

QUOTE FOR ME NELSON MANDELA – “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us”

“HAKUNA MUTATA – No Worries” Timon and Pumba The Lion King
When lost Simba the lion cub was found by friends Timon and Pumba – the meerkat and warthog, they immediately removed all his worries with their friendship and introducing him to the Swahili expression – HAKUNA MUTATA which means No Worries.
It is a natural human instinct to worry and in today’s world, we have more worries than ever, but reach out for help when things overwhelm you. We are here to help guide you and reassure you with plant-based feeding in dogs – we are happy to be your Timon and Pumba!!

“Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life” – Jackie Chan

We can respect and listen to the wonderful Jackie Chan’s very wise words. he chooses his film roles very carefully – usually the characters he chooses change people’s lives!

He is also a wonderful plant-based advocate who helped in the production of James Wilks’ Netflix sensation Gamechangers.

“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone” – Ronald Reagan

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change” – Bob Kerrey

“Compassion is a verb” – Thich Nhat Hanh

From what we remember at school, verbs are action words and one can show true compassion by acting on your ability to help and show love and kindness.

“When life gets you down you know what you’ve gotta do? Just keep swimming” – Finding Nemo

As a vet and mother and animal lover, I do have moments of feeling overwhelming sadness or worry for others or the world around us and our future. The main things that makes me feel optimistic and happy, is to just keep going with doing the right thing – eating the right foods and working for owners who also want that positive change in their lives and in their pets.

We all need to just keep swimming upstream!

“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference” – Eeyore

“If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead” – Gusteau from Ratatouille

So much truth in the words of a little animated waiter in the film Ratatouille. We all need to focus on what lies ahead and what positive change we can bring to our future rather than focus on the destruction that we have as humans have left behind us. Keep going with the wonderful Attenborough effect!

“Do not learn how to react, learn how to respond”

This quote is very relevant to so many dog owners who choose to feed their dogs kindly and sustainably with a plant-based diet. Any mention of what a particular owner has chosen to feed their pets evokes a very emotional response in people.
Be prepared to think carefully and calmly about the reaction of friends and family who may be well meaning, but also wanting to share their views on the subject.
Remember to only ever mention wholefood plant-based as this then implies something positive and nutritious is being added, rather than vegan which implies something is being taken away!

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed before it is faced” – James Baldwin

We cannot change how we feed our pets unless we face the facts that feeding high meat-based to our dogs is non-sustainable and not always the healthiest option.

By facing this fact and finding a kinder, more sustainable and also healthier alternative, we can make the change with confidence.

“Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you” – Walter Winchell

“Before you speak let the words pass through three gates: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? – Rumi

“You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I’ll put it before any of the things like courage, or bravery, or generosity, or anything else” – Roald Dahl

“Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind” – Eric Hoffer

“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive” – Gilda Radner

“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really” – Agnes Sligh Turnbull

“The dog lives for the day, the hour, even the moment” – Robert Falcon Scott

“Be the person your dog thinks you are” – C.J. Frick

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole” – Rodger A. Caras

“There is still a window of time. Nature can win if we give her a chance” – Dr Jane Goodall

“Each and every one of us can make changes in the way we live our lives and become part of the solution.”- Unknown

“Let’s nurture the nature so that we can have a better future.”- Unknown

“Surely we have a responsibility to leave for future generations a planet that is healthy and habitable by all species”- Sir David Attenborough

“There’s no such things as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”- Scott Adams

“You will never regret being kind.”- Unknown

“One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness; usually it comes back to you.”- Unknown

“Kindness is like snow it beautifies everything it covers.” Kahlil Gibran

“Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had. –Thom Jones

“After years of having a dog you know them. You know the meaning of their snuffs, grunts and barks. Every twitch of the ear is a question or a statement. Every way of the tail is an exclamation.”- Robert Mccammon

Quotes 01/02/2021

• “Compassion is an action word with no boundaries” – Prince
• “If your compassion does not include yourself it is incomplete” – Buddha
• “Everyday you need to take some actions – actions to improve your life and actions to improve someone else’s life”- Amit Ray
• “Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use” – Mahatma Gandhi
• “Animals are such agreeable friends- they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms” – George Eliot
• “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” – Mahatma Gandhi
• “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language” – Martin Buber
• “Clearly, animals know more than we think, and think a great deal more than we know” – Irene M. Pepperberg
• “Animals are born who they are, accept it, and that is that. They live with greater peace than people do” – Gregory Maguire
• “Besides love and sympathy, animals exhibit other qualities connected with the social instincts which in us would be called moral” – Charles Darwin

Quotes 18/01/2021
1.) “The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”- M.K. Clinton
2.) “Dogs leave pawprints on our hearts”- Unknown
3.) “Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.”- Franklin Jones
4.) “There is no such thing as ‘away’ when we throw anything away it must go somewhere.”- Annie Leonard
5.) “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”- New England Proverb
6.) “Every act of kindness is a piece of love we leave behind.”- Paul Williams
7.) “We all are different. Don’t judge, understand instead.”- Roy T. Bennett

Quotes:

1.) “Kindness begins with understanding we all struggle.”- Charles Glassman

2.) “Every time you subtract negative you make room for more positive”.- Unknown

3.) “A kind gesture can reach a wound only compassion can heal.”- Steve Maraboli

5.) “Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love, they depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog, it merely expands the heart.”- Unknown

6.) “We have more to learn from animals than animals have to learn from us.”- Anthony Douglas Williams

7.) “You’ll never walk alone because I’ll always be with you. Love, your dog.”

-“Stop measuring days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence.”- Alan Watts

-“ ‘We aren’t getting through’ said the boy. ‘Did we get through that last bit?’ asked the horse. ‘Yes’ said the boy. ‘Then we are getting through.’ “

-“There is something uniquely beautiful about a person that grows from his or her struggles and uses the lessons from their experiences to spread wisdom. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or how far you fell. Be the example that shows others that they can overcome that mountain too.”- Morgan Richard Olivier

-“Remember, if you are not speaking it, you are storing it, and that gets heavy.” – Christina Isabel

– “I hope you realise that every day is a fresh start for you. That every sunrise is a new chapter in your life waiting to be written.”- Juansen Dizon

– “What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”- Anne Frank

– “Strength shows not only in the ability to persist, but the ability to start over.”- F. Scott Fitzgerald

– “Life is constantly changing, whether we like it or not. We are changing too. Embrace difficulties, don’t resist change. Practice acceptance. Acceptance does not mean we like or approve the situation. It means it is what it is, and we make the best of it. Remember challenges help us grow. There are opportunities for growth in various obstacles we face throughout life.”- Anna Aslanian

– “In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.”- Unknown

– “A lot of things are taking care of you without telling you. This is called blessings.”- @powerfulnext

• “Animals are born who they are, accept it, and that is that. They live with greater peace than people do.”- Gregory Maguire

• “The love for all creatures is the most noble attribute of man.”- Charles Darwin

 

• “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them at least don’t hurt them.”- Dalai Lama

• “Be a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still, she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.”- Victor Hugo

 

• “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”- Abraham Lincol

• “The first step is you have to say you can.”- Will Smith

• “If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.”- Roy T. Bennett

• “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.”- Charles Spurgeon

• “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”- James Keller

• “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”- Leo Buscaglia

 

Just Be Kind:

-“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”- Vincent Van Gogh

– “Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.”- Charles Glassman

– IMPACT- “You never really know the true impact on those around you. You never know how much someone needed that smile you gave them. You never know how much your kindness turned someone’s entire life around. You never know how much someone needed that long hug or deep talk. Don’t wait for someone else to be kind first. Don’t wait for better circumstances or for someone to change. Just be kind, because you never know much someone needs it.” – Nikki Banas

–  SELF WORTH- “The only one who gets to decide your worth is you. It doesn’t come from your bank account or the number of friends you have. It doesn’t come from what someone else says you are worth. It’s called self worth for a reason- it comes from you. It comes from being yourself and being proud of who you are. It comes from being someone that you can count on and someone you love. The numbers will change with time, but what won’t change is who you are deep inside- beautiful, limitless, wonderful, creative, strong, capable- and that is where your worth comes from.”- Nikki Banas

 

Quotes:

• “You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward.”- Unknown

 

• “I think we should start calling our mistakes growth spurts instead”- Cheryl Hale

 

• “It is easier to let go of someone’s opinion when you understand that people see you through a combination of their past conditioning plus their current emotion. Without realising it, they see themselves first and through that lens, they get an unclear picture of you.” – Unknown

 

• “Be Curious not Judgemental.”- Walt Whitman

 

• “What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.”- Agnes M. Pharo

 

• “Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.” Sir Winston Churchill

 

• “Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.”- Janice Maeditere

 

• “The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn’t matter what mood you’re in or what kind of a year you’ve had- it’s a fresh start.”- Kelly Clarkson

 

• “Don’t let the past steal your present. This is the message of Christmas: We are never alone.”- Taylor Caldwell

 

• “Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on important things around us- a time when we can look back on the year that has passed and prepare for the year ahead.”- David Cameron

 

Week Beginning 14/12/2020

Just Be Kind:

• “When words are both true and kind, they can change the world”- Gautam Buddha
• “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”- Amelia Earhart
• “True beauty is born through our acts and aspirations and in the kindness, we offer to others.”- Alek Wek
• “Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.”- Bob Kerry

Quotes:

-“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”―Wayne W. Dyer

-“Don’t believe everything you think. Thoughts are just that – thoughts.” ―Allan Lokos

-“I wouldn’t have the blessings in my life if I hadn’t gone through some mistakes. If I turn around and look back at my crooked, back-tracking, and uphill path, I would never have made it to the point of gratitude I’m in now. – Mark Thude 

-“Happiness is a direction, not a place.”- Sydney J. Harris

– “There is some kind of sweet innocence in being human- in not having to be just happy or just sad-in the nature of being able to be both broken and whole, at the same time.”- C. JoyBell C

– “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.”- Charles Spurgeon

 

Just Be Kind:

• “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”- Mark Twain
• “Kindness is a gift everyone can afford to give”- Unknown
• “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation or reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”- Princess Diana
• “Kindness is our very own pixie fairy dust, it gives people the ability to soar not just fly.”- RAKtivist

Facts:

• Plastic is forever. It doesn’t bio-grade and go back to nature. It photo-degrades into smaller pieces of itself, continually polluting the environment throughout its life cycle.
• 27,000 trees are cut down each day so we can have Toilet Paper.
• If all life on Earth was put on a scale, the human population would only make up about one ten-thousandth of the total weight of life on Earth.

       Quotes:

• “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”- Robin Williams
• “Let us remember one book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.”- Malala Yousafzai
• “If you fail. Never give up because F.A.I.L. means “first attempt in leaning”; End is not the end, in fact E.N.D. means “effort never dies”; If you get, No as an answer, remember N.O. means “next opportunity.”- Abdul Kalam
• “Kindness is a vast colour that only your heart knows how to paint.”- Raktivist

 

Week Beginning 30/11/2020

Just Be Kind:

• “Kindness is a silent smile, a friendly word, a nod of encourage. Kindness is the single most powerful thing we can teach children.”- RAKtivist
• “You can always give something, even if it is only kindness.”- Anne Frank
• “What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?”- Jean Jacques Rousseau
• “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”- Dalai Lama
• “Kindness is igniting a light in someone else for no reason other than to watch them enjoy the glow.”- RAKtivist
•  

Fun Facts:

• The most successful mountain rescue dog ever was a St Bernard named Barry, who lived during the early 1800’s and saved 40 lives. He has been described as the most famous Bernard, hence his byname Menschenretter meaning “people rescuer” in German. The legend surrounding him was that he was killed while attempting a rescue; however, this is untrue.
• A dog’s whiskers — found on the muzzle, above the eyes and below the jaws — are technically known as vibrissae. They are touch-sensitive hairs.
• Dogs have sweat glands at the bottom of their paws (the paw pads). Hence, wetting their paws can help on a hot summer day.

Quotes:

• “Our days are happier when we give people a piece of our heart rather than a piece of our mind.”- Unknown
• “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”- Unknown
• “When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.”- William Arthur Ward
• “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”- Edith Wharton

 

Week Beginning 23/11/2020

Be Kind:

• “Constant Kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.”- Albert Schweitzer
• “Kindness is choosing to acknowledge and celebrate the beauty in others, regardless of whether or not they can find it in themselves.”- RAKtivist
• “Kind hearts are the gardens. Kind thoughts are the roots. Kind words are the blossoms. Kind deeds are the fruits.”- Kirpal Singh
• “How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.”- Morgan Freeman
• “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”- Desmond Tutu
• The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- they must be felt with the heart.”- Helen Keller

 

Quotes:

• “Not how long, but how well you have lived is the main thing.”- Seneca
• “If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavour.”- Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Turn your wounds into wisdom.”- Oprah Winfrey
• “My mama always said, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”- Forrest Gump
• “Life is like a coin. You can spend it in any way you wish, but you only spend it once.”- Lillian Dickson

 

Fun Facts:

• Newfoundland dogs are the ultimate doggy lifeguards, because they have water resistant coats and webbed feet. They were originally bred as fisherman’s helpers and to rescue people from drowning. Some owners have even reported that their Newfoundland tries to “rescue” them when they’re swimming!
• A dog’s nose print is unique, much like a person’s fingerprint.
• Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds. (We humans have between 2,000–10,000.)
• Dog eyes have a part called the tapetum lucidum, allowing night vision.

Just be Kind:

• “There is no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”- Scott Adams
• “Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose, instead of the expectations and opinions of others.”- Roy Bennet
• Emotional Self Care: Stop…
• Over- explaining yourself to others
• Saying sorry when you don’t need to

Learn to…

• Create boundaries and say no
• Accept compliments

Facts:

• According to the Washington Post, for 8 months during the 1990 a blind man named Bill Irwin hiked the Appalachian Trail with his guide dog called Orient. Dogs truly are man’s best friend!
• The Guinness World Record for the oldest dog breed is held by the Saluki which dates back to 329BC and were kept as royal pets in Ancient Egypt. Reportedly, there are also carvings found in Southern Iraq of a dog that looks similar to a Saluki which dates back to 7000BC.
• The Chow Chow and the Shar- Pei are the only two dog breeds that have fully black tongues. Even more interesting, the cause of this unique phenotype is currently unknown.
• A Bloodhound’s sense of smell is so accurate that it can be used as evidence in a court of law.

 

 

Quotes:

• “Don’t allow today to decide tomorrow. Wake up each day with a new mindset, new energy and new hope.”- Sonia Sabnis
• “The Trick of life is to have the courage to walk down the path that’s lit up in your heart.”- Atticus
• “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” Margaret Mead
• “The trees which are pruned, watered and nurtured by caring hands bear the greatest fruits; it is the same with people.”- Bryant McGill

Week Beginning 09/11/2020

 

Just be kind:

• In times of uncertainty due to COVID 19 feelings of anxiety can arise. Here are 6 Self Love Rituals for Reducing Anxiety:
• MEDITATE DAILY: Make it a habit to meditate every day, even for just one minute. Showing up consistently counts the most.
• JOURNAL REGULARLY: Write about what you want to come into your life on a regular basis.
• MOVE YOUR BODY: Exercise in ways that feel good to you. Exercise should never feel like punishment.
• CATCH YOUR INNER CRITIC: Note when the inner critic is talking and remind yourself of the truth: You are enough as you are.
• JUDGE LESS: Notice when you are judging others or getting caught up in the gossip, as this only reflects how harshly we judge ourselves.
• GIVE YOURSELF SPACE: Schedule in a day off or carve out some time for yourself to connect back to you, because you deserve it. -@georgiethenaturopath
• “When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”- Abraham Joshua Heschel
• “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”- Amelia Earhart

 

Facts:

• Did you know that three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic? Vetstreet states that the dogs were in first class. One of which included a Pomeranian puppy which the owner wrapped in a blanket to escape with, and everyone thought she was carrying a baby. The two other dogs included a Pomeranian and a Pekingese which were rescued.
• The tallest dog in the world ever to be recorded was a Great Dane named Zeus! Measured 44 inches (3 feet 8 inches) on October 4^th 2011, he is the current Guinness World Record holder.
• Are you a Star Wars fan? If you are then you will love this amazing fact! The Los Angeles Times claims that George Lucas modelled the Ewoks after his family dog!
• According to Psychology Today, a Greyhound would actually beat a Cheetah in a long distance race! Greyhounds are excellent long distance runners and can keep a speed of 35mph for up to 7 miles. Where a Cheetah is incredibly fast it can only keep its speed for around 200-300 yards, so they may have a head start but a Greyhound would soon take over!

 

Quotes:

• “Being a ‘successful’ person is not necessarily defined by what you have achieved, but by what you have overcome.”- Fannie Flagg
• “It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine”- Pooh Bear (There is always something good to look for even in those bad days!)
• “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.”- Carrie Fisher
• “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.”- Albert Einstein
• “The Journey is the reward.”- Taoist Proverb

Week Beginning 02/11/2020

Japanese Hospitality:

–Omotenashi is the general term used to describe the concept of Japanese hospitality. It requires genuine empathy and goes beyond simply providing a service. It is essentially all about thinking from another person’s point of view.

-“Omote” means public face – an image you wish to present to outsiders. “Nashi” means nothing. To put them together it means every service is from the bottom of the heart where  there is honesty, no hiding, no pretending.

–The idea of omotenashi is not unique to Japan because it comes from simply your care for others. This consideration could have a lasting impact on someone’s life.

-The word omotenashi has a meaning deeply rooted in the Japanese psyche. It’s not just being kind to guests, pouring tea, or cheerily saying hello and goodbye. Its history traces back to the grandfather of the Japanese tea ceremony, Sen no Rikyu (千利休), who in his teachings, says each tea ceremony is “ichigo ichie”—a once in a lifetime experience. Each meeting with a guest is a once in a lifetime experience, and every moment should be honoured. The host makes the guest feel as important and welcome as possible expecting nothing in return.

-In a Japanese tea ceremony, the host prepares every minute detail in order to create an unforgettable experience for the guest. They look at the little details like picking the correct flowers to match the guest’s personality, confections for the season, or pointing the cup in the correct direction for the guest all matter; even if the guest doesn’t take notice.

-This kind of care and attention to detail in one specific situation is a perfect microcosm of how Japanese culture sees hospitality. If one looks inside  a hotel- they will see the guest slippers always pointed in a direction allowing a guest to immediately take off his/her shoes and slip into them. A cashier turns money upright so it’s not upside down to the customer. When receiving a paper, it is always turned so one can immediately read it, and always given with two hands.

 

Just be kind:

• It is important to be compassionate to oneself, why not try some affirmations for self forgiveness?: 1.) “Today I choose not to be hard on myself.” 2.) “It’s ok to make mistakes and I forgive myself.” 3.) From my mistakes I am learning to grow.” 4.) “I accept myself and all aspects of who I am.”
• “People will forget what you said or did but will never forget how you made them feel”- Maya Angelou. An extra dose of kindness never goes to waste!
• Small habits that will change your day… 1.) Practice self kindness and compassion when things don’t go your way. 2.) Commit to setting boundaries with the people in your life. 3.) Move your body once a day, in a way that makes you feel good. 4.) Unfollow all social media accounts that don’t bring you joy or inspiration. 5.) Seek help, and find the best ways to support yourself when you feel down. Have you taken up any small habits this year to look after yourself?

 

 

 

Facts:

• Do you have a cat allergy? The main trigger for the allergic reaction to cats are proteins which are secreted in saliva (Fel d 4) and in the sebaceous glands (Fel d 1) in the skin of all cats. These proteins can be found on the coat of the cat because the cat grooms itself, and so deposits saliva (containing Fel d 4) on the hair, and because the secretions from the sebaceous glands (containing Fel d 1) will also surround the hair. However, the allergy is not to cat hair themselves. Fel d 4 also shed in urine and faeces.
• The Beatles song ‘A Day in the Life’ has a frequency only dogs can hear. In an interview in 2013, Sir Paul McCartney said tat he added a frequency only dogs can hear to the end of the Beatles song ‘A Day in the life’ So watch your dog when you play the song!
• If you thought all dogs barked then prepare yourself for this fact! Basenji dogs don’t bark, they yodel, whine or scream.

 

Quotes:

• “One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.”- Chinese Proverb
• “20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”- Mark Twain
• “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”- Henry Ford
• “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”- Robert Louis Stevenson

https://bugfactory.co.uk/blogs/news/are-soybeans-evil-a-case-for-why-soy-should-be-replaced-as-animal-feed

https://www.just-food.com/features/a-shift-in-attitudes-is-vegan-dog-food-heading-for-the-mainstream/

https://view.publitas.com/pets-international-1/pets-international-magazine-november-2022/page/36-37 – All about Alzheimers and old dogs – Pets Gazette Magazine

Stranded dolphins’ brains show classic markers of Alzheimer’s disease – https://mrcvs.co.uk/en/news/22128/

BBC NEWS – Would you switch your dog to eating lab-grown meat?

Many Pets – What is my pet’s carbon pawprint?

 

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