If you're reading this, you're probably a dog person. Or at the very least, a person who suspects a dog might be the only one capable of reaching that quiet, hurt place inside you and saying, "You're not alone. I'm here." Emotional Support Dogs aren't just pets. They're balm, they're medicine, they're four-legged miracles trained in love and presence. And the best part? You don’t always need to train them — some just show up ready to do the job, whether you paid for a certificate or not. Let’s be clear: Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are different from service dogs. They don’t need to perform a specific task like guiding the blind or detecting seizures. Instead, they support your emotional health through their very presence, and that can be life-altering. Many people get a letter from a licensed therapist or psychiatrist to certify their ESA, but the bond — that unspoken language of love — often arrives long before the paperwork. So who needs...

  Let me start with a confession: this isn’t really about dogs. It’s about you. It’s about us. It’s about the inescapable absurdity of trying to be a human in 2025, where the world is on fire, the algorithm is watching, and somewhere in the distance, your neighbors just joined a dating app for swingers. Against this glittering backdrop of digital dread and quiet existential thrum, enter the dog. Not just a dog. An emotional support dog. The kind of dog who stares into your soul at 2am and says with their eyes, "No, you are not in fact too much." This is part one of a series exploring the profound, often hilarious, sometimes heart-shattering, always very real relationship between humans and their emotional support animals. Dogs, specifically, though the occasional rogue cat or guinea pig may sneak in as supporting cast.  As many of you know I have one that is an extension of my soul, my pain, my stability, and my capacity to love my pup deeply and feel grounded and secure. ...

  When we find abandoned kittens to take to a rescue, my dogs act like excited lunatics. They walk around and sniff and try to play or cuddle. My cat couldn't care less. She's like Ugh I am a childless renegade don't be looking at me to love it. Boy cat is okay to be next to it and groom it. Bird yells at it and then marches away. But the dogs are the true Ambassadors de Casa Fleur. Except for Neurotic Poodle. She studies it and then runs away. She will peek around corners and then run up and down the halls. Why? Why does she run around the halls and up and down stairs? Beats me. I have no idea why she reacts that way. Oh yes, because she is neurotic! The sad moment for the pups, especially our other GS, is when the kitten is washed, de-fleed and ready to either join the outdoor barn cats if it is feral-ish or off to get adopted. He sits and looks out of the window like Mama, WHY? Can't the baby stay? They miss the cuddle bunnies probably, but we aren't ready for mo...

 

One of the healthiest things a family can do is offer children pets to grow up with and love. We had them growing up, and my children do too. There are so many moments of awww and affirmation that true love does exist between animals and humans. We let them be around them when they were infants and always introduced a new baby so they could sniff and realize someone new was home. Tavi took an extra special interest and thought it was his job to babysit and be our right hand with the kids. The other dogs would follow his lead, bringing tears to my heart to watch their love grow. Sometimes, the dogs think that the kids are there solely for them and will watch over us when we scold them and then follow them to their rooms to comfort them. I have never seen my kids hurt, get rough, or yell at the pets, even when they are little. They even comfort them when a pet needs correction or gets into something they know they shouldn't. The bond is strong, and when we lose them, Tavi in particul...

  Kitten Lady is one of my favorite channels to watch because of all the good she does, and I wish I could have afforded a kit out like hers back when I used to foster and rescue. I had a timeline that I would do it again this year, but life has a way of going sideways, and it takes lots of time to devote to pregnant mamas and their babies. I live vicariously through Kitten Lady and those of you who are kind enough to share your lovable pets with the manor.  I have no idea why my text got effed up, but I fixed it. Well, there was a particular thirsty cat so...maybe she didn't like me talking about the pups. 

I apologize profusely. Life has been so hectic that I can't even catch my breath. So here is a little something, and I expect plenty of smoochy poochies. This 1904 Silent Movie, The Dog Factory, is reflective of the times and dog handling in films. The pups can be hyper at times.

I love silent films, especially the ones with animals in them. I wanted to share one with this fantastic star dog, Shep. 

 

  Gloria Swanson was born Gloria May Josephine Svensson on March 27, 1899, in Chicago, Illinois. She became one of the most prominent stars of her time and was well-known for her glamorous presence on and off the screen. Swanson was the only child of Joseph Theodore Swanson and Adelaide Klanowsky. Due to her father's job as a civilian supply officer with the U.S. Army, the family moved frequently, living in Key West, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, before eventually settling back in Chicago. Swanson showed a strong interest in the arts from a young age, particularly in theater and film, which initially puzzled her family because it wasn't a world they were familiar with or understood. Her passion was without question during her school years when she participated in various plays and operettas showcasing her budding talent. Gloria's initial entry into the film industry was coincidental. When she was 15, she visited Essanay Studios in Chicago, where she was offered a smal...

Happy Friday, sweet cheeks! Here's a delightfully wholesome post to end your week on a lighthearted note - a collection of photos over the years of Richard Simmons and his beloved Dalmations. Enjoy!

These energetic puppies are starstruck. Not that they aren't though they aren't. They just want to play. Hugh is trying to be game, but his smile is like OH NO! MY COIFFURE! The pups clearly have a favorite, which makes me rethink him. If animals like you, then there is something in you worthy of a chance. 

Jayne Mansfield, originally named Vera Jayne Palmer, was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on April 19, 1933. She was an iconic American actress, singer, and entertainer who gained fame during the 1950s and early 1960s. Known for her remarkable beauty, infectious charm, and larger-than-life personality, Jayne led a dramatic, fascinating life filled with glamour, talent, personal struggles, and a deep love for her family and pets. During her formative years, Jayne displayed exceptional intelligence and fierce determination. With a reported IQ of 163, she pursued her academic interests at Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on drama and showcasing her talent in local plays. Her aspirations led her to Los Angeles in 1954, where she initially faced challenges but eventually succeeded with her role in the Broadway play "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" in 1955. Her Hollywood career flourished after signing with 20th Century Fox in 1956. She...

  This dog is hilarious. I couldn't help but laugh because our dogs had different reactions to when a baby was born in the family. No thieves, but some pouting did commence.  Does your pup do funny things? Do you have a story to share?

The Hero Dog Awards is an annual nationwide competition organized by the American Humane Organization that recognizes heroic dogs in various categories, including law enforcement/arson, service, therapy, military, search and rescue, guide/hearing, and emerging heroes. The awards honor dogs that have performed brave and courageous deeds, such as comforting wounded soldiers, detecting explosives, and assisting in search and rescue missions.

My kids are on their school break, so I didn't have much time, but these videos are hilarious.  Enjoy posting your babies and funny memes and thoughts. Next weekend I will have more time. 

 Now that I have a support dog that is half collie, I am watching and scooping up Collie breed information. I wasn't around when this show was on, but I would have loved it. Do you have a favorite movie or show about dogs?

  From the Guardian:  It wasn’t love at first sight with me and Simón. In fact, I didn’t want him. I had been promised a labrador, but when we met in 2004 he turned out to be a street dog – one of the estimated 66,000 strays that prowl the streets of Bogotá, a deep-black furred creature with a white chest who may have been the grandson of a labrador. He was aggressive and I was scared of him, yet we took him home. After all, we had driven for eight hours from my home city, Bucaramanga, to collect him after my uncle, while looking for his missing cat, had found this “labrador” in an alley. My uncle said the dog was about six months old, judging by how short he was. On the way back, he vomited in the car the whole way. To be fair, Bucaramanga is at the top of a plateau; to get there, you drive along Pescadero, a steep, winding road that snakes its way up the Chicamocha canyon. It’s enough to make anyone queasy. After a few days, Simón became less aggressive and we started to con...

In the canine universe, Dalmatians are the equivalent of a classic black-and-white film—timeless, charming, and full of personality and character. With their distinctive white coats accessorized with distinctive black spots, these pups are born to stand out like superstars, full of charisma, the kind of dogs that don't just have an interesting nature; they have a presence . The origins of the Dalmatian are shrouded in mystery. They're named after Dalmatia, a region that was once part of Austria, but their true origins are elusive and hard to pinpoint. These striking dogs have had more careers than Barbie: coach dog, war sentinel, circus performer, and the favorite firehouse mascot. In the past, they ran alongside horse-drawn fire engines, acting as the original siren and equine therapists all in one because they kept the horses calm and focused.  Dalmations are the Olympic marathon runners of the dog world, with enough stamina to multi-task and run their owners into the ground ...