Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, January 6, 2018

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 6, 2018 
8JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 6, 2018 
8
SMILE FOR THE 


CANINE 

I spend a lot of time hanging out with animals. I’vealways enjoyed (perhaps even preferred) the companyof my furry and feathered friends, and I kind of like tothink they enjoy spending time with me. While I doappreciate the presence of all animals, I have to admitthe dog has become my favorite. Dogs make suchgreat friends. They can make me laugh out loud, andat times they can make me cry, but regardless of whatthe mood of the moment may be, they are always therefor me emotionally.

I used to have a dog named Lady. She was unique,
in that she would smile when you looked at her. I don’tmean the kind of smile that only shows through theeyes from inside, I mean she smiled the same way wehumans smile. 

Well, maybe Lady’s smile looked a little differentbecause of her long snout and pointy teeth, but asfar as the way our lips curve back and curl upward,
and our eyes get squinty during a smile, Lady actuallysmiled, like we humans do. I had to explain it to folkswe’d meet along the way, so they’d know she was justhappy to see them, not baring her teeth as a warningthat she may bite. No, that girl was sporting a big grin

- she was happy!
I smile at dogs all the time. I’m pretty sure I havealways smiled at dogs, but I suppose it’s possible thatit could be a relatively new habit for me. One that I’vedeveloped over the years from spending so much timewith canines. 

Lately I often find myself smiling at dogs I don’teven know, like ones riding in the back seats of carslooking out at me through the window. I smile andwave, as if I’m trying to engage a small child to smileand wave back. I don’t even care if people see me doingit. It just seems like the natural thing to do. BesidesLady, I’ve only met one other dog who smiles like ahuman when he’s happy. That’s Bogie…a beautiful bigfurry four-footed friend of mine.

Now I have a dog named Molly. She’s a veryattentive and somewhat sensitive pup. She uses facialexpressions all the time, to tell me what she’s thinking.
I’m sure of this, because she is consistent in repeatingthe same expressions in response to what is going onat the time. 

For example, if I reach for my keys and head for thefront door, Molly follows me, plops down on the floorin front of the door and stares at me with her hopefullook…the one that says, “You’re taking me with you,
right?”. It’s the same look she gives me when I amsitting eating a meal, only the latter look is one of hopefor a nibble of what’s on my plate, versus a walk aroundthe block. Still, it’s the same facial expression.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized howmuch attention Molly pays to my facialexpressions. I don’t have to say a word. Ican be sitting across the room from her. Isuddenly give her a real silly look. I open myeyes wide, lift my eyebrows into tall arches,
twist my mouth sideways and look up at theceiling.

That’s when Molly jumps up, runs to herbasket and picks out a toy for us to play with.
She knows I am teasing her, inciting her toplay. If I frown and look down, she walksslowly and tentatively towards me, with asomewhat anxious look on her own face. A 

Happy Tails 
by Chris Leclerc 

look that asks, “Are you okay?”. How in the world does 
that dog know something’s up just from looking at myface? 

Over the past 10+ years, much focus has been placedon studying the canine’s capacity to recognize humanemotion through facial expression, in the scientificresearch field. The results of a 2014 study conductedby researchers at the Messerli Research Institute of theUniversity of Veterinary Medicine Vienna in Austriaindicate that dogs are indeed able to discriminateemotional expressions in human faces. Meaning, notonly can a canine tell the difference between a sad orhappy human face, a dog can also interpret the inneremotions that human facial expressions represent…
sadness or happiness. (Source: www.cell.com/currentbiology)


What made the 2014 Messerli study and it’s resultsunique to several others before it, is that there were noulterior cues used to encourage the dogs’ responses,
as had been typically used in other studies. “Here, weshow that dogs use the emotion of a heterospecific(organism of another species - in this case a humanface) as a discriminative cue.” 

In this study, the scientists used only picture pairsshowing parts of human faces (some only the mouth,
some only the eyes, and some only a half-face) witheither an angry or happy expression, as cues for thecanines‘ responses. Interestingly enough, all of thesubject dogs in the study were more than willing toapproach and touch the pictures showing happyexpressions, while consistently resisting the imagesshowing angry or sad expressions. Smart dogs! Theresearchers involved attribute their results mainlyto the amount of time people now spend with theircanines, which makes total sense to me. 

Regardless of how or why dogs “get” our moods justfrom looking at our faces, I think it is awesome thatmy Molly can tell by looking at me, how I am feeling.
I know some humans who would rather run the other 
way than stay, if they see a sad look on my face.

I also know that Molly doesn’t like to see me sadeither, but I have yet to see her turn around and runthe other way when I’ve expressed myself in a sadway. My experience has been quite the opposite. She’llapproach, perhaps slower than if I were happy, butapproach she will, and the give me a little lick on thecheek, or a pat with her paw as if to say, “I love you ma,
cheer up!” 


HAPPY MEW YEAR! 


Meet young 
JOEY, adorable 
gray tabby, age

2. He gets alongwell with others, 
and will make 
a good buddy 
to another 
friendly cat in 
your home. 
Like to laugh? 
Joey will be 
happy to oblige by his funny antics! Joey is sucha handsome boy, with white under his chin. He isso comfortable that you can rub him anywhere.
No area is too sensitive. Joey gets along wellwith other cats, too. Highly adoptable. Adoptionfee is $100, which includes neuter, microchip, &
vaccines. Our cats are negative FELV/FIV unlessotherwise indicated. We know our cats very wellto find the right match for you. See more pictures, 

videos, adoption info & application on ourwebsite, www.lifelineforpets.org. Call 626-6769505 
for a Meet & Greet. Can’t adopt? Visit ourwebsite for our easy Sponsor A Kitty campaign.

GOOD NEWS: Buddy & Violet have beenadopted! 


BEST FRIEND 

Nicoleleo is a gorgeous 5-year-old brown tickedtabby who loves to lie in beds that surround herlike a fur collar. She’s a gentle and calm girl wholikes her velvety coat stroked. Her play style is batand pat, not bite and pounce. Feathery toys get 
her attention. When she feels the need for a little 
aerobics, she will chase the laser dot, but won’t 
compete for it if her roommates get to it first.
Nicoleleo’s beauty will compliment any home decorand her serene nature will soothe the human soul 
that gives her a forever home. Nicoleleo lives inthe shelter’s Meow Manor and gets along with herroommates, so she will do well in a multi-familyhome, and will also thrive as an only cat. Heradoption fee is $99 which includes spay surgery,
vaccinations, microchip and a free wellness examat a participating veterinarian. Feel free to call us at

(626) 286-1159 for more information on Nicoleleo.
She currently resides at the San Gabriel ValleyHumane Society located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in 
San Gabriel which is located off San Gabriel Blvd, 
north of Mission and south of Las Tunas Drive. To 
arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’, please stop by any timefrom 10:30am to 4:30pm Tuesday through Sunday.
Website:www.sgvhumane.org. 


Yogic Wisdom for 
Everyday Life 
VISION 
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 
Happy New Year! 

Time to explore

possibilities and get

oriented with fresh 

intentions. What are 
you looking forward to experiencing this year? This couldbe the ‘year of you’ - taking care of yourself in a new way,
uncovering more of the real you.

It’s time to get those goals, ideas and priorities down onpaper and into the universe. All together they become avision for the near future and the long-term.

This process of identifying and naming what we want totranspire has tremendous power. Somehow the words in printor expressed creatively on a vision collage come alive. It sets theintention. Get creative in this process; create a visual guide withcolor and pictures or drawings of what you want and hope forin your life. This will help open your mind and build Shakti(power) around what you are seeking. Naming your goalsdoesn’t have to take a long time. A simple list will work too.
A vision collage that takes 15 minutes is just fine. There’s no 
perfection in this. It is helpful to get still and tune into yourbreath and heart for a few minutes just prior to doing this work.
When setting an intention, follow up actions need to takeplace. Taking action and stepping in the direction of what 

THE MISSING PAGE 
Real Life Tips from LIfe's Instruction Manual 
JUST ONE THING 

As we start the new year, many of us are setting our

intentions and contemplating what we can do to improve

our lives and relationships. When was the last time that you

gave the gift of your undivided attention? The capacity to

harness your attention and direct your mind is a powerful

transformational tool. 

Many of us pride ourselves in our ability to multitask.

However, we are more likely to be task switching than

actually accomplishing multiple tasks simultaneously.

Distracted driving is a cause of many auto accidents. Drivers 

are operating their vehicles while talking, texting, eating,

applying make-up, shaving, and dictating into recording

devices. Distracted driving can sometimes be as dangerous

as drunk driving because the driver is not focused on driving

the vehicle. 

Doctors and social scientists are concerned about new 

mothers that hold and ignore their infants because they

are distracted by smartphones, tablets, and other electronic

devices. It is unclear if this behavior will have lasting effects

on infant attachment or development in general.

Practice doing just one thing and pay attention to that

one thing while you are doing it. Work to avoid mindlessly 

we want can be challenging. We’re used to the old way. Togenerate motivation, do yoga! Yoga will help keep your bodyhealthy and aid in keeping the mind calm, leaving energyclear and free-flowing.

Gathering power and a sense of knowing is importanttoo. Give your intellect a rest by finding a spiritual practicesuch as meditation. Time is needed to tune into intuition 
and divinity. The universe also becomes a guide as intellectonly can be limiting. This is a phenomenon I love about yogaand meditation. We are each a single practitioner but partof the greater whole. What exists outside is also inside. Anocean of consciousness connected in many ways. Therefore,
when we make a change, a shift occurs within us and ripplesout in the world around us. Suddenly there’s expansion andopportunity when there were none before. It’s miraculous.

Please enjoy creating your vision for the new year! Letbetter health, yoga, meditation, and self-love be on the list.
Contact me to learn more about how to bring yoga andmeditation into your life: keely@keelytotten.com. 

Namaste, 

Keely Totten, E-RYT 500, Teacher, Mentor, Dreamer, PlanMaker 

going through your day. For 
example, if you are peeling anorange, put all of your attentionon the orange. Try not to peel theLori A. Harris 
orange while mentally creating orreviewing a to-do list.


Try keeping your phone out of sight while you are drivingor while you are eating a meal. Limit the amount of time youare on the phone while you are with your family. Consider 
drafting family rules together to establish guidelines aroundcell phone use at home. (i.e., no phones at the dining room 
table). Turn everything off while the family is riding in thecar together and listen well to what your family has to say.

If you need to practice doing one thing at a time, yogais an excellent moving meditation that requires yourundivided attention. You will learn skills on the yoga matthat will serve you well in life. New year goals need not bemonumental to be significant. Giving your full attention is achallenge that reaps a high reward.

Lori is a lawyer and coach. Learn more about her at her 
website LoriAHarris.com or her app Gratitude Train whichavailable for free in Google Play and the App Store. 

 
Walter Cailleteau, DVM Free Exam! 
927 N. Michillinda Ave. For New Clients 
Pasadena, CA 91107 Bring this coupon to save! 
(626) 351-8863 


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