Hi, Lynns

I can relate to your love of pets! I have a litle yorkie named Zoey and she has been a lifesaver since my RSD diagnosis. She seems to know when I am having a bad day and will literally follow me everywhere! Since I have had to qit my job, I have had some free time to teach her tricks, for cheese!! Hell, I will dance for cheese, LOL! She will dance, shake a paw, roll over, you know. . .all the basics, so I have been teaching her some primo tricks like "smiling" When we come home after being away,, she will stand at the top of the stairs and she gets so excited that her gums will retract, showing her teeth, so we just kept on saying, upon coming home to this. . .Are ya smilin'? So now,(for a piece of cheese, of course,) I will out of the blue say, "Zoey, are ya smilin'?" and UP go the gums and the "smile appears!! the next one I taught her was "sneezin'" You know how dogs will just kinda huff and sneeze? same thing! so now I will say. "Zoey, are ya sneezin'"? and she will throw her head back and sneeze like nobody's business!! I tell you, that little fur ball has been a lifesaver through this hell. The only problem now, is the little shite will walk right up to you,, plop her but down and SNEEZE!! Pets are no dummies for sure!
Thanks for bringing up such a worthy and comforting post!
Gentle hugs,

Kelly