That's Why I'm Here
Really remarkable what that Natural Path has done for her, no?
Your Far Reaching Effects
[Editor’s note: Now that our Create Vital Animals Course One is well underway and we’ve had our first enthusiastic Q/A webinar for our participants, I’ve had a re-realization. It’s embodied in this post from a couple of years ago, which I felt needed to be unearthed from the archives.
Why?
Well, because I realized yet again how far-reaching your good work raising Vital Animals really is.
Read on, and see if you get as excited as I am about your potential to affect the planet.
And, especially, let us know in the comments below if you’ve had experiences that affirm what I’m seeing among several pioneers on this path.]
I realized recently that your raising of vital animals has a much greater impact on the world than just giving you the great satisfaction that comes from owning one of these remarkable beasts.
You know these Vital Animals: the guys who just glow, feel soft, have poise and vigor, and love you to pieces for many, many years.
That’s a great accomplishment in your life, to raise an animal to be vital, but it’s wider reaching than that.
I believe Vital Animals can change the world.
And that’s the basis of the Vital Animal Manifesto I wrote.
Even though it’s rather short, the emotions that surged through me as I wrote this realization into life were nothing if not electrifying.
Shining Examples
You see, others can’t help but notice and appreciate your vital animals. As Tricia mentioned a while back, it’s like these guys are magnets.
Who doesn’t love a bright, soft, attractive animal? You’re just naturally drawn to pet them, to feel their luxurious coats, to comment about their clear eyes and strong bodies, and revel in their graceful and purposeful gait.
Vital animals are windows into the natural world. They hint greatly at what real health looks like.
And they are teaching moments embodied for everyone who is touched by them, however fleetingly.
Questions and More Importantly: Your Answers
“OMG, what do you feed this great looking dog?”
Opportunity to impart, numero uno.
“Well, I feed him like his ancestors, whose genes he carries. It’s balanced raw food that makes him look so vital.”
It might stop there, a seed planted. Or, it might continue.
“He’s also looking so good because I avoid repeatedly vaccinating him. My research has told me that giving vaccines throughout life is causing illness while not helping his immunity get any stronger. Immunologists understand this.”
Still have an audience? Some will be backing away by now, perhaps. Those who stay might still be interested in a bit more.
“I also don’t expose him to pesticides for fleas or heartworm, and I think he’s really much healthier not having to process all those poisons in his body.”
It was at this point that Tricia lost some (most?) of her interested acquaintances who couldn’t help but be drawn to her gorgeous Great Danes. Even though the people were seeing and feeling and deeply appreciating these wonderful, bigger than life beasts, their minds got in the way and unfounded fears of contagion set in.
Time to walk on.
“We’re going for a run now, nice talking to you.”
One Thing Leads to Another
There’s more, of course, when the receptivity is there.
- “When illnesses shows, we treat it with homeopathy.”
- “We fast one day a week, the dogs, cats and myself.”
- “When we bought her, we looked for breeders who had raised their breeding stock this way.”
- or: “We feel for the rescues and just know we can make a huge difference in their lives with these methods.”
- “We read blogs and books and take courses that help us learn more.”
Ambassadors of Natural Health
The bottom line, and the light that clicked on for me recently was that all of our good work along these lines can affect the entire planet.
Shining Vital Animals: reverse “canaries in the coal mine.” They reveal what’s possible for not only the four footed creatures we live with, but for our children and the future of our planet.
Heady stuff, I know.
But I realize it now, stronger than ever: That’s why I’m here.
Photo by Yukari
Dr. Falconer:
I love your newsletter and look forward to them every week.
One day I may finally move to Austin and hope you will see me and my 4 footers. Both rescues right now. Both raw fed and vaccine free since being in my care.
My current problem is that I have tried several times to sign up for your Vital animal pack but nothing happens after I fill out the form on line.
Help!
Anne & the 4 on the floor gang
Hi Anne,
Thanks for your kind words. I love the name of your pack! I checked and you are happily in the pack. You can verify that by going to Member Home in the menu up top.
Thanks for being here!
Dr. Falconer — you tell us to move our dogs to a raw diet. Given the knowledge that a lot of our meats in the food chain are coated with weird crap, how can we do that and avoid these toxins?
Coated with what weird crap, exactly, Jewell?
I thank you whole heartedly Dr. Will, for the knowledge you impart, the support you give and the help you gave me and my girl Winnie.
I had a decal made for the car, a simple white silhouette of a cat and dog, it states: I’m a carnivore feed me raw. (included my phone number) Naturally (excuse the pun) I wanted to peak interest or for others to say, “I already do!” I hand them out for free. Just another way to get folks thinking. You have and are making a difference Dr. Will!!
Please I would like some advise. My beautiful big dog part long legged Staffy Mum and possibly Labrador father (long story there) Anyway my beautiful Ben looks
lovely has a shiny coat clear eyes gentle temperament NEVER been vaccinated pink tongue, pinkgums good breath but has a tendency to eat cobwebs (wouldn’t be too bad except that Redback spiders live in the cobwebs and while not aggressive don’t like to be disturbed) and he also licks the floor. either decking (20 years old) and kitchen slate floor. Has a one bone in the morning and crust of sourdough bread just a little vegie roughage from a juice drink olive oil and sardines no eggs because it is coming on summer and I believe they heat the blood. early afternoon. Gone thru my homeopathic vet books So any thoughts would be appreciated Thanks Margaret
Hi Margaret,
Look up pica in your homeo books. The craving for odd or indigestible substances. A not uncommon symptom, and a good homeopath takes it into account in prescribing for his patients, along with all the rest of their symptoms.
You have pinned it Dr. Falconer! My favorite concept of healing is Herring’s Law of Cure. It’s always true.
Suppression of skin issues is a huge pet peeve of mine, having had animals with varying degrees of these. Sure, they’re capable of making a nightmarish life for that animal, but underneath is ALWAYS a root cause. People put all kinds of goop and concoctions that complicate the issue on top of the body’s best attempt to RELEASE toxins. TCM calls it releasing toxic heat.
I’ll share a little story about Elto, my 23 year old mustang. He broke out in open, weeping, bloody sores all over his body. He rubbed against trees, fences, anything. It went on for a couple of months. He rubbed out half of his mane and most of his tail. He laid down and chewed his legs until they were a bloody mess.
Nothing helped, including my best attempts at homeopathy, herbs for liver clearing, and herbs for immune system balancing. There would be short-term relief but nothing lasting.
The cause was still in front of him, and he ate it every day. I discovered his hay was the offender. Questioning the grower led me to research this chemical cocktail and all the chemicals that go on hay. GOBSMACKED by the tremendous use of agri-chemicals on hay, I had to find something clean, and fast.
Finding organic hay on a budget was possible, and within a few hours from here. I detoxed him with Zeolite and charcoal and fed the organic hay. He stopped itching so intensely, the sores began to close and heal, and he became perky again.
I ran out of hay, fed some local feed store variety of coastal bermuda (what is common here) and BOOM, back to itching, bleeding, chewing, etc. It took less than 24 hours.
I knew that he was exteriorizing a toxin or a disease and not to suppress it. I tried to support his gut, liver, and immune systems. He did not want anything, not even aloe or gentle soothing herbs on the lesions. It was next to impossible to watch him suffer like this. Herbs did nothing.
His parasite load went through he roof (stress of itching and toxin accumulation=opportunity for parasites to multiply and natural resistance cannot happen). The number was so high, he was at risk for serious issues. But it told me how far depressed his natural immune system was. I debated using a chemical de-wormer and felt that would complicate his issues and went for an herbal one while I figured this out.
Elto is healing quickly now. The sores are closed up, the itching is minimal,and he’s shiny again. I thank his body’s innate intelligence NOT to store those toxins and to release them through the skin. The normal treatment for something like this would be antibiotics, antihistamines, steroids, and immune stimulating injections. Can you imagine where that toxin would go in that case?
And, I thank Elto for teaching me about hay, and what REALLY goes into it. That’s a whole article right there. Had I suppressed those symptoms, I’d have a very, very sick horse.
Good catch, Lizzy. Yet another insult from Big Ag that’s probably widely missed in horse circles. And, as you say, imagine the results of suppressing that vital attempt to get toxins out.
Dr Falconer,
I have met dozens of people who have made huge personal breakthroughs for themselves and their families, their own health and wellness care, when they see their animals respond to these non-invasive, whole therapies and “alternative” concepts. They realize quickly their animal companion is not responding from a placebo effect! The common reaction is: “Wow! Can this work for me?”
So yes, Dr. Will, your work is having a huge impact through a myriad of ripples! At this time of skepticism around conventional medical care, people are hungry for other viable answers. It’s important for those of us who have access to this field of knowledge to gently impart information as people ask to hear it!
Mahatma Ghandi said: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Hopefully, we are growing in consciousness as a culture as we make progress with our awareness and how we treat our animals—and ourselves!
Thank you so much for the amazing work you do, and the tremendous awareness you have given me about what is possible!
You are correct. It is changing the world.
Kindest regards,
Mary
The animals really are great examples, and we can learn much from watching them run for the goal of health, given half a chance.
Thanks, Dr. Mary. I’m very glad to have the good fortune to work with you for my own health as well as being able to work on your animals.
Hey Alison,
Nice work you’ve got going there. Printed materials? Might be nice to give a sub to Dogs Naturally Magazine. Dana, the editor, regularly quotes Dr. Schultz and my colleagues and I regularly put up articles on all of this.
A bit radical? I just heard from a long time past client with a pic of her almost 15 y.o. Wheaten, who’s completed all kinds of championships and has never had a vaccination in her entire life! She took the info I gave way back when and just ran with it. Every little bit makes a difference…
Dr. Falconer was my godsend when I discovered that he was in Austin in the late 1990’s-
I was desperate for his guidance for my soft coated wheaten terriers- devasting loss before I took the leap of faith to take a naturally reared wheaten puppy to more raw food without vaccines-
And today- she is 17 years old- very agile- amazing muscle mass- wants to live many more years!
It’s been so amazing for me- I took that leap of faith & so blessed today for reaching above & beyond! Thank you- Will Falconer!
Hi Dr Falconer
I love reading your blogs but just to say I’ve finally got my new neighbour to start feeding raw (12 months of drip feeding) for his 10k overweight Retriever, his new vet wants his dog to lose 22 lbs!
His dog is 8 yrs old and otherwise healthy apart from some skin issues, I’m guessing might be a combination of diet, vaccination and flea and tick treatment.
Next goal will be to wean the owner off giving all this harmful stuff.
He doesn’t have a computer so will have to print off some convincing articles, maybe Dr Ronald Shultz?
I stepped down this path 3 years ago and now it’s more of a hobby trying to show people how it can make a difference but I have been accused of “being a bit radical” big grin. WHAT, only a bit!
Vaccinated puppies round here dying of Parvo, says it all…..
Alison UK with too many working Cockers
Hi Alison: Nice Job on getting your neighbor aboard the raw feeding, I wish I had the same result but it has been years I had tried to convince mine of raw feeding, homeopathy, staying off yearly vaccinations etc., and she will not have any of it.
The suggested subscription to DogsNaturally might be a very good idea. I just subscribed to it and this is a terrific magazine with very interesting and informative articles on all kind of subjects. Dana, the editor is doing a very good job!!
Dr. Falconer,
I am going to have to agree with Tricia, the timing of this blog is impeccable as I prepare to write an article on dog wellness in the local community newspaper.
I don’t want to overwhelm pet owners but I feel the need to give them little pieces of the entire pie so they know about better alternatives not only with what we feed, but also with the remedies we choose, the training we provide, the love a care that we share and of course the boundaries that we set for these beasts. 😉
If like you say this information gets ONE pet owner thinking and doubting about their conventional ways then I’ve starting changing something.
I hope it’s ok that I have mentioned you as one of the inspirations that have lead me to this path of dog wellness.
Sincerely,
Maria
I’m honored, Maria. Best of luck opening eyes to the prize. It really is exciting how great ideas spread, sometimes seemingly under their own head of steam!
Dr. Falconer – how timely your post. Today was “big” dog day at the local dog park. Three different owners that had previously walked away from us – sought us out today for more information. Something had clicked.
One thing that I suddenly realized in the middle of talking with others today is that my personal diet, and view on my own healthcare has changed since I’ve seen the difference in my animals. These ideas work for people too!
no bagged food
varied diet
clean water
plenty of outdoor exercise
use homeopathy to treat issues
and of course – lots of naps in the sunshine (learned that from Mona ;o)
That is so cool, Tricia! Some tipping point in these folks, perhaps because you kept showing up, over and over again, with healthy dogs.
I’ve noticed for years how bi-directional my practice of homeopathy has been. I’ll get people seeking me out because they would only do natural medicine for themselves, and were thrilled to find it available for their animals. But many more would find me at the end of a long road of trying conventional medicine without success, and once seeing the results, ask about human homeopaths for themselves.
I’m inspired by you and your experience. One shiny vital animal at a time, and the world changes!