Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 18, 2016

11

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 18, 2016 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

CHARLIE BROWN

THE ’CANINE CLOWN’

GUIDING OUR CHILDREN 
THROUGH SUCCESS AND 
FAILURE

Laws and rules are created within organized societies 
to regulate interaction and protect citizens. A classic 
example is the American system of traffic laws, 
designed to promote consistent traffic flow while 
reducing accidents. When everyone understands 
how a four-way stop works, expectations follow. 
We learn how to conduct ourselves properly and to 
anticipate how others will behave.

 Likewise, the public school curriculum nurtures 
expectations—expectations regarding skills which 
are culturally valued. Our schools promote a model 
of success in our society. Our students are taught 
how to succeed (but not so much how to fail, learn 
from their mistakes, and grow and evolve).

 Intentionally or not, our institutions do little to 
prepare us to make it through failure with grace. 
Particularly in the middle and upper strata of our 
society, we are not taught how to deal with failure. 
There is such a focus on success that many of us have 
developed aversions to crisis and conflict.

 So how can we prepare for adversity? Since our 
culture is built around success and we are largely 
taught to avoid failure, how do we learn to overcome 
it?

 This is where conscious awareness comes in. 
As parents, it’s our jobs to get highly aware about 
what we are passing on to our children and how we 
are doing it, particularly when it comes to models of 
success and failure.

 Many parents don’t really consider what they 
are handing down to the next generation, beyond 
thinking about how much money they’ll leave 
behind. But I believe there’s a much bigger concern 
here.

 Maybe you can remember back to a time in your 
childhood when you thought to yourself “I’ll never 
be like that when I’m a parent”, only to find yourself 
now repeating those exact same patterns. I know I 
am guilty of that. And of course that’s how those 
pattern keep getting passed on from generation to 
generation.

 But, once we notice our part in the pattern, we 
can begin to create change. It won’t necessarily be 
easy. Many of these patterns -- especially around 
success and failure -- are deeply ingrained. Yet 
through consciousness, I know these patterns can 
be broken. 

That’s why I don’t just focus on passing on my clients’ 
money through estate planning, but instead have a 
process for passing on their whole wealth (their 
intellectual, spiritual and human assets in addition 
to their financial assets). By doing so, I help parents 
consciously give their children valuable tools to deal 
with both success and failure. 

 Dedicated to your family’s health, wealth, and 
happiness,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a 
mission to help parents protect what they love most. 
His office is located at 49 S. Baldwin Ave., Ste. G, 
Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an appointment 
to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love 
and financial security for your family by calling 
626.587.3058 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more 
information.

For me, the most gratifying aspect of being a 
dog walker and pet sitter is benefiting from the 
nurturing relationships that I get to have with 
my four-legged furry friends. There is nothing 
quite like walking into the front door of a client’s 
home and being greeted by a dog with open 
elation and unadulterated affection. As soon as 
I step over the threshold, they welcome me with 
excited ‘canine choruses‘.

 Like humans, each dog has his own unique 
vocal tone, and when two or more sing together, 
as a way of showing their appreciation for my 
arrival, I hear nothing but happy harmony 
coming from their loving hearts. For some folks, 
loud dog barking may come as nothing more 
than annoying noise, but if the context of the 
tune is the warm greeting of a beloved friend, 
and if you listen closely enough, you cannot help 
but appreciate the sound of a content canine 
chorus.

 Once the songs are sung and my dog clients 
have made their way across the living room to 
where I am standing, they begin their routine 
of sniffing every part of me, as if to check the 
news report and get the scoop on my most recent 
comings and goings. Finally, they commence 
covering me with sloppy doggie kisses, and you 
better bet, I let them.

 I love how my canine clients are able to freely 
express themselves with their eyes, their voices 
and their body language. They unguardedly 
reveal their deepest feelings with full faith and 
no sense of fear. Unlike we humans, dogs are 
quite capable of knowing who they can trust, 
and when they decide you are trustworthy, they 
open up their hearts in a way that a human would 
most likely deem too vulnerable.

 Within moments, after the excitement of my 
arrival begins to fade and my canine clients and 
I exchange cuddly hugs. It’s then that I begin 
my part of the dialogue. I ask them what they 
have been up to since our last visit, and they 
appear to listen and appreciate the tone of my 
voice. Sometimes I think they even respond 
in kind, using their own verbal language. This 
may sound rather silly to someone who doesn’t 
spend a lot of time around dogs, but I find it 
very easy to understand their loving, laughing 
language.

 Among the many canine clients I have been 
blessed to spend time with, is a special chocolate 
lab named Charlie Brown, or more affectionately, 
Charlie. Charlie is quite a character. One thing 
that makes him unique from 
all the others is his ability to 
spring straight up into the air 
with apparently very little effort, 
when he gets excited.

 This amazes me because 
Charlie is a big dog. He’s nearly 
three feet tall standing on all 
four legs and weighs about 85 
pounds, yet he is able to lift his 
entire body into the air to the 
height of my chest in a split 
second. He simply pushes up 
from the floor with the toes of 
his feet like a ballerina. It seems 
to take very little effort and can come as a real 
surprise if you’re not expecting it!

 After getting to know Charlie well enough to 
be aware of how he’d react when I arrived, I’d 
prepare myself by protecting my chin from being 
bumped by the top of his head when he suddenly 
sprang into the air. And while he bounces (like 
Tigger from the Winnie the Pooh) he sings his 
version of the canine chorus with a very high 
pitched tone, which says to me; “I am so happy to 
see you and I love you so much!”

 If I’m having a bad day, I know I can count on 
things getting better when I receive that grateful 
greeting from my dear friend Charlie Brown. 
He’s like a welcome wagon of wiggling waggling 
wonderment, offering up a healthy dose of 
free fur therapy. Like many other dogs I know, 
Charlie also shows his affection by smiling. He 
may not even realize he smiles, but I certainly 
see it. Between the look in his gorgeous golden 
eyes, and his wide-open toothy grin, Charlie 
has found his way into the deepest parts of my 
heart. 

 In case his spontaneous song and dance aren’t 
enough, Charlie’s other funny, frenzied antics 
and hilarious habits are equally entertaining. 
Sometimes I find myself bent over in a good gut 
laugh just from watching him be himself. That’s 
why I like to call him Charlie Brown the canine 
clown.

 During one of our walks he noticed a concrete 
deer on the porch of a nearby neighbor‘s house. 
At first glance he didn’t react, he just continued 
walking. But when the vision registered in his 
head, he stopped in his tracks, did a swift 180 and 
began pointing his tail and nose in the direction 
of the statue. Within seconds he was springing 
straight up into the air the way he always does 
when he gets excited, and singing his high-
pitched tune for anyone near to hear. I tell you, it 
made my day!

 How lucky am I to spend my days hanging 
out with loving four-legged furry friends such as 
Charlie? To me, no prestigious career, fortune or 
fame could ever compete with what I have chosen 
to do for a living. Someone once said the secret to 
happiness is wanting what you have, not having 
what you want. I get it, and I remember that each 
and every day while I am out at play with my 
precious puppy pals. Enjoy the simple things in 
life. Enjoy the affection your pets give freely and 
let them make you laugh til your hearts content. 
Love and let live.


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?

Lego is a friendly little dog that came to the 
shelter as a stray from Temple City. He had no 
identification and no one has come to claim him. 
Lego is a 2-year-old Chihuahua mix with short 
brown fur with white highlights. He has long legs 
and floppy expressive ears. 

 Lego is a lovable boy with a happy personality 
and seems to enjoy the company of people. Nothing 
makes him happier than a good back or belly rub, 
and he is comfortable sitting on a lap to share some 
quality time with our volunteers.

 Lego is easy to harness and loves going for a walk 
or a run. He has a medium energy level, and walks 
with the most charming gait, lifting his legs high 
like a prancing pony. 

 Lego likes meeting other dogs - especially those 
who want to play with him. 

 With a little training and guidance, Lego would 
be a delightful family pet. He would be a happy 
addition to an active family where he has a yard 
of his own to romp and play in, someone to take 
him for a daily walk or run, and a comfortable 
place to sleep and relax near his people. He 
would probably do well with another dog as a 
companion and playmate as well. Come in to 
meet Lego soon. He is ready to become part of a 
loving family.

 His adoption fee is $130 and includes neuter 
surgery, vaccinations, microchip and a free wellness 
exam at a participating veterinarian. Feel free to 
call us at (626) 286-1159 for more information on 
Lego. He currently resides at the San Gabriel Valley 
Humane Society located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in 
San Gabriel. We are located off San Gabriel Blvd, 
north of Mission and south of Las Tunas Drive. To 
arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’ with Lego, please stop by 
any time from 10:30am to 4:30pm Tuesday through 
Sunday. Website: www.sgvhumane.org 


PET OF THE WEEK RODNEY: ANIMAL ID #A4957425

Rodney is as sweet as sugar! Sweet puppy Rodney 
(A4957425) is a soulful 1-year-old black-with-
white male Chihuahua mix puppy who was 
picked up as a stray in El Monte and brought 
to the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center on 
June 6th. Weighing 6 lbs, Rodney is completely 
overwhelmed in the chaotic shelter environment 
and clung to our volunteer like a baby monkey 
to its mother when he was first taken out of his 
kennel. Once he was away from the kennel area, 
he started to reveal his real self. He is silly, 
happy, and loving, so volunteers imagine that he 
will blossom quickly once he gets into a loving 
home environment. Rodney will benefit from 
basic training to help boost his confidence and 
polish his manners. Loving and tender, Rodney 
will be a delightful addition as an indoor 
companion. Volunteers love Rodney, and you 
will too! Please consider adopting this sweet 
boy. To watch a video of Rodney, please visit the 
following link: https://youtu.be/W5dehdmZxvI

 To meet Rodney in person, please see him 
at the Baldwin Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. 
Elton, Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 626-
962-3577). He is currently available now. For 
any inquiries about Rodney, please reference 
his animal ID number: A4957425. The shelter is 
open seven days a week, 12 pm-7 pm Monday-
Thursday and 10am-5pm Friday-Sunday. This 
is a high-intake shelter with a great need for 
adoptions. For more information about Rodney 
or the adoption process, contact United Hope 
for Animals Volunteer Adoption Coordinator 
Samantha at Samantha@hope4animals.org. To 
learn more about United Hope for Animals’ 
partnership with the Baldwin Park Shelter, as 
well as the many dogs of all breeds, ages, and 
sizes available for adoption in local shelters, visit 
http://www.unitedhope4animals.org/about-us/
shelter-support-program/.


KAYLEY

Kayley, age 4, is a beautiful, sweet 
calico girl, with nothing but love 
in her heart, and eyes that plead 
for you to love her! She’s the quiet 
girl you’ve been looking for. She 
may be shy at first, but sweet-talk 
her and she will melt, asking for 
lots of pets. Kayley has lived with 
other cats, and will likely be fine with older, gentle 
children, but she would be very happy being the 
only pet in your world. She finds comfort in food, 
and has a few pounds to lose. With the right diet 
and regular playtime, her weight will take care of 
itself. Adoption is $100, including spay/neuter, 
microchip, & vaccines. Call 626-676-9505, or 
email: info@lifelineforpets.org. Lifeline for Pets is 
a small no-kill rescue organization. We show some 
of our cats most Sundays at Petsmart, 3347 E. 
Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena, 12:30-3:30. Convenient 
adoption application, more pictures, and videos on 
our excellent website, www.lifelineforpets.org.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com