Anne Houston

Passionate about promoting children's rights and wellbeing - all views my own. Also love gardening and animals!

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@Sandyboots2020 Camellia

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

Out of the mouths of babes!

[The Dalbo Dog @Dalbodog]

Well, today didn't go as we hoped but it's in the hardest of times we learn the best lessons and feel the most gratitude.
Buffy was scheduled to have her teeth cleaned and removed today but Dr. Mac had a gut feeling she needed to look at some lab work before putting her under anesthesia. She was right; Buffy showed signs of advanced kidney failure so anesthesia was not an option and as a family we decided that the kindest and most loving thing to do would be to let her go before she lost her will to live and stopped eating and drinking.
I wouldn't have dreamed of leaving Robbie out of this decision or not allowing him to be part of the entire process so I immediately went and picked him up from school. On the way there he told me he wanted to be the one to hold her when she went to heaven. And of course, I gave him that honor. On the way home I told him how proud I was of him for understanding the importance of caring for old animals and helping to make sure they never ever suffer.
This is what he said...
(And for those of you who don't know, Robbie was adopted from the foster care system after years of severe abuse and neglect.)
"I know how it feels not to be loved or cared for and I don't want any animal of mine to ever feel that way. It's only sad for us when they go to heaven. It's a happy day for them. Thank you for being proud of me. Are you ok, Mom?"
From the mouths of babes.
(As our story is being shared more and more I feel like I need to add a little more context and also give you a deeper glimpse into the heart of my son. We adopt senior dogs. Robbie LOVES adopting senior dogs. He is sadly aware the longer a child remains in foster care the less likely they are to be adopted. He told me once "if all you guys had wanted was a baby, you would have never gotten me." He relates to our "old people" (that's what we call our senior dogs) in much the same way.
He has also reminded me on several occasions that it doesn't matter how long you have something for how much you love it. I asked him what he meant and he said "well you've only known me for two years but you love me like it's been forever." Yes, my son is the coolest.)
Credit: Maria Henry Gay.

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@Dalbodog How could they!!!

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@Phil_Sledge

[Children England @Childrenengland]

A wonderful and much-needed initiative, of which Children England are proud supporters.
Congratulations to @children1st and all those who made this a reality!

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@Childrenengland @children1st So pleased that this is finally becoming a reality - long time coming! Will make such a positive difference to young people dealing with trauma.

[OneKind @onekindtweet]

📢 Last night – on the first day of GBGB's ‘Greyhound Week' - we projected ‘End Dog Racing in Scotland’ onto Glasgow & Edinburgh buildings, including below the Castle & former track Shawfield Stadium!

❗ We sent a clear message to @scotgov to end greyhound racing in Scotland!

[Bunsen, Beaker, Bernoulli & Brix @bunsenbernerbmd]

Joy.

I’m not sure how often in the average person’s day joy is a thing.

Joy isn’t just feeling happy.

Joy isn’t just feeling content at the end of the day.

Joy stems from massive wins, successes, but most importantly, from a sense of well-being.

I will contend that the people who experience the most joy per capita are those who share their life with dogs.

I can present my case and convince you by the time you are done this three minute read.

Our two dogs are completely different in their personalities.

Bunsen, our Bernese Mountain Dog, is a giant couch potato, content to sleep the day away like a lazy, fuzzy log.

Beaker, our Golden Retriever, likes nothing more than to curl up next to or on top of a human and just be close.

While sleepy bears and cuddly golden wolves can definitely change your mood for the better, when it is time to explore nature both Bunsen and Beaker WAKE up.

They also WAKE UP something everyone has deep inside.

It’s joy.

Dogs have a connection with nature so profound it would take a lifetime of watching and learning to experience even a fraction of it the way that they do.

As soon as it’s time for a “walk” the bear wakes up from his slumber.

As soon as it’s time for a “walk” the golden wolf SPRINGS into action.

Bunsen stands at the door with an expectant look, slightly tilting his head to one side, maintaining eye contact in such a way that if you were to leave him behind your very soul would be cracked into a thousand guilty pieces.

Beaker flashes a megawatt smile, her golden glimmer spreading from that smile to her eyes.

It’s time.

I should note that we are so lucky in that our walks are through the forests and fields on the farmland behind our house.

Once that door is open and the command is given, the dogs EXPLODE out of the house.

They have been waiting for this moment all day.

If joy is happiness and excitement from well-being, winning, and success, you see that personified within a dog during this moment.

The dogs chase each other initially, finally getting to sprint in long stretches that inside living doesn’t allow for.

They pick their spot to relieve themselves and then it’s time to do the thing in nature.

Beaker scampers off to the tall grass to dig and hunt, and Bunsen lumbers around with a giant smile, smelling the smells of the world.

Once we head down into the creek and up the other side, whatever dour thoughts the humans in the group have had are gone.

I speak from experience.

Tough days with kids during our day job, interactions with humans at the supermarket that were negative, trolls on Twitter, even tiny arguments as a couple are just gone.

The joy of dogs bounding through nature, smiling, spinning, digging, smelling, it does something to you.

Your bucket full of stress, anxiety, sadness, and anger which has runneth over is roundhouse kicked into the sun.

There is no bucket. It is VAPOURIZED.

There is only joy.

There is only your time with the dogs.

How can such a simple act launch your spirit into the freaking stratosphere?

It’s simple.

You are connecting to nature, something that all of us need to do for wellness. You are connecting with living creatures - your dogs.

You are WATCHING joy and if humans are good at anything, its mirroring the actions of others.

Neurons within your brain see happiness and fire in a kaleidoscope of signals for you also to feel that joy.

Is this cheating?

Are you taking a short cut?

Who cares. Really. WHO CARES.

What do you remember each every day?

You remember the points in your day where you WON.

You remember the points in the day where you had SUCCESS.

You remember JOY.

Do we deserve dogs? We can debate it.

A better question is should be we be thankful for dogs?

Absolutely, and with all our hearts.

The are precious fountains of joy.

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@bunsenbernerbmd A good morning smile from Indy

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@bunsenbernerbmd Can almost smell that puppy smell ❤️

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@bunsenbernerbmd Good to have evidence of what many of us are lucky enough to experience every day!

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

Good to have evidence of what many of us are lucky enough to experience every day!

[60 Minutes @60Minutes]

“[Your dog] absolutely loves you. She has the genetic predisposition to wholeheartedly love you more than she probably can handle,” Princeton geneticist Bridgett VonHoldt, who discovered “friendliness mutations” in dog DNA, tells @andersoncooper. https://t.co/xsikQ0WOPm

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@bunsenbernerbmd I have one of those too - and if they ever slide off they magically reappear in place!

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@bunsenbernerbmd Love it 😽

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@bunsenbernerbmd Me too! Beautiful 😍

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@AnnaFowlie Oh Anna - so sorry - what a tough time you’re having. Hang on in there - sending lots of positive vibes. X

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@burdzeyeview Oh Kate that’s lovely - although I find it hard to believe he’s old enough - (or you of course!!!:-). Have a wonderful time.

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

#keepingkidssafe

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

@MrAndrewCotter Thank you for making me laugh this morning 😂

[Anne Houston @AnneCHouston]

.@pritipatel: We have watched on in horror as tensions have escalated into a full Russian invasion of Ukraine. Please commit to a plan where we do our part to provide safe haven to Ukrainian refugees https://t.co/gQaCrIE6HC