Sunday, December 16, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
"Let's raise children who don't have to recover from their childhoods." -Pam Leo
So... I have this
four- almost five-year-old son... and he's... stubborn?
Hardheaded? Strong-willed? Too much like his mother? Whatever you call it,
it is challenging for Chris and I to handle him sometimes. If you try
to be patient and talk through episodes with children you are said to be
coddling them or "babying" them - "They need DISCIPLINE!"
You try disciplining them and suddenly you're being too harsh or "it's
unhealthy for their wellbeing." Geez. So I'm still left with the question
of WHAT DO I DO?!
While on my nightly
ritual of perusing Pinterest, I came across a pin about an article
addressing "Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child." Hmm... yeah, I took
the bait.
Thus I discovered the
wonderful website ahaparenting.com by Dr. Laura Markham, a clinical
psychologist and mom. Parents, take note. It offers some great insight into
understanding why your child acts the way he/she does and how to handle it.
There is LOTS of tips, coaching, suggestions, etc. You name it, she has
addressed it. Personally, I really like her style. The fact that she's a
psychologist helps tremendously by not just telling you what you should in
response to your child's actions, but why.
Well enough of that,
here is the article that turned me on to her site and maybe it can help you,
too. I've learned a lot from reading her stuff and even managed to get Chris to
read it (A true feat. You have no idea.).
Parenting Your Strong-Willed
Child
Have a strong-willed child? You're lucky! Strong willed
children can be a challenge to parent when they’re young, but
if sensitively parented, they become terrific teens and young
adults. Self-motivated and inner-directed, they go after what they want and
are almost impervious to peer pressure. As long as parents resist the
impulse to "break their will," strong-willed kids often become
leaders.
What exactly is a strong-willed, or spirited, child? Some
parents call them "difficult" or “stubborn,” but we could also see
them as people of integrity who aren't easily swayed from their own
viewpoints. They want desperately to be right, and sometimes will put
that desire above everything else. When their heart is set on something, their
brains seem to have a hard time switching gears. They have big,
passionate feelings and live at full throttle.
Often, these kids are prone to power-struggles with their
parents. However, it takes two to have a power struggle. You don't
have to attend every argument to which you're invited! If you can
take a deep breath when your buttons get pushed, and remind yourself that you
can let your child save face and still get what you want, you can learn to
sidestep those power struggles.
Research shows that parents who pay attention can avoid
power struggles, even with strong-willed kids, by empathizing as they set
limits, giving choices, and clearly offering respect. Adopting a policy
of looking for win/win solutions rather than just laying down the law keeps
strong-willed children from becoming explosive and teaches them essential
skills of negotiation and compromise.
Strong-willed kids feel their integrity is compromised if
they're forced to submit to a parent's will. And, really, you don't WANT
to raise an obedient child. Of course you want your child to do what you
say. But not because he is obedient, meaning he always does what someone
bigger tells him. No, you want him to do what you say because he trusts
YOU, because you are the parent and have his best interests at heart. You
want to raise a child who has self-discipline, takes responsibility, and is
considerate -- and most important, has the discernment to figure out when to
trust and be influenced by someone else. Breaking a child's will leaves
him open to the influence of others that often will not serve him. What's
more, it's a betrayal of the spiritual contract we make as parents to nurture
our child's unique gifts.
That said, strong-willed kids can be a handful -- high energy,
challenging, persistent. How do we protect those fabulous qualities and
encourage their cooperation?
Ten Tips for Positive Parenting
Your Strong-Willed, Spirited Child
1. Avoid power struggles by using routines and rules.
That way, you aren't bossing them around, it’s just that “The rule is
we use the potty after every meal and snack,” or “The schedule is
that lights-out is at 8 p.m. If you hurry, we’ll have time for two
books,” or "In our house, we finish homework before
computer, TV, or telephone time." The parent stops being
the bad guy.
2. Your strong-willed child wants mastery more than anything. Let her take charge of as many of her own activities as possible. Don’t nag at her to brush her teeth, ask “What else do you need to do before we leave?” If she looks blank, tick off the short list: “Every morning we eat, brush teeth, use the toilet, and pack the backpack. I saw you pack your backpack, great job! Now, what do you still need to do before we leave?” Kids who feel more independent and in charge of themselves will have less need to rebel and be oppositional. Not to mention they take responsibility early.
3. Give your strong-willed child choices. If you give orders, he will almost certainly bristle. If you offer a choice, he feels like the master of his own destiny. Of course, only offer choices you can live with and don’t let yourself get resentful by handing away your power. If going to the store is non-negotiable and he wants to keep playing, an appropriate choice is: “Do you want to leave now or in ten minutes?”
4. Give her authority over her own body. “I hear that you don’t want to wear your jacket today. I think it is cold and I am definitely wearing a jacket. Of course, you are in charge of your own body, as long as you stay safe and healthy, so you get to decide whether to wear a jacket. But I’m afraid that you will be cold once we are outside, and I won’t want to come back to the house. How about I put your jacket in the backpack, and then we’ll have it if you change your mind?” She’s not going to get pneumonia, unless you push her into it by acting like you've won if she asks for the jacket. And once she won’t lose face by wearing her jacket, she’ll be begging for it once she gets cold. It’s just hard for her to imagine feeling cold when she’s so warm right now in the house, and a jacket seems like such a hassle. She's sure she's right -- her own body is telling her so -- so naturally she resists you. You don't want to undermine that self-confidence, just teach her that there's no shame in letting new information change your mind.
5. Don't push him into opposing you. If you take a hard and fast position, you can easily push your child into defying you, just to prove a point. You'll know when it's a power struggle and you're invested in winning. Just stop, take a breath, and remind yourself that winning a battle with your child always sets you up to lose what’s most important: the relationship. When in doubt say "Ok, you can decide this for yourself." If he can't, then say what part of it he can decide, or find another way for him to meet his need for autonomy without compromising his health or safety.
6. Side step power struggles by letting your child save face. You
don’t have to prove you’re right. You can, and should, set reasonable
expectations and enforce them. But under no circumstances should you try
to break your child’s will or force him to acquiesce to your views. He
has to do what you want, but he's allowed to have his own opinions and feelings
about it.
7. Listen to her. You, as the adult, might
reasonably presume you know best. But your strong-willed child has a
strong will partly as a result of her integrity. She has a viewpoint that is
making her hold fast to her position, and she is trying to protect something
that seems important to her. Only by listening calmly to her and reflecting her
words will you come to understand what’s making her oppose you. A
non-judgmental “I hear that you don’t want to take a bath. Can
you tell me more about why?” might just elicit the information that
she’s afraid she’ll go down the drain, like Alice in the song. It may not seem
like a good reason to you, but she has a reason. And you won’t find it
out if you get into a clash and order her into the tub.
8. See it from his point of view. For
instance, he may be angry because you promised to wash his superman cape and
then forgot. To you, he is being stubborn. To him, he is
justifiably upset, and you are being hypocritical, because he is not allowed to
break his promises to you. How do you clear this up and move on?
You apologize profusely for breaking your promise, you reassure him that you
try very hard to keep your promises, and you go, together, to wash the
cape. You might even teach him how to wash his own clothes! Just consider
how would you want to be treated, and treat him accordingly.
9. Discipline through the relationship, never through punishment. Kids don’t learn when they’re in the middle of a fight. Like all of us, that’s when adrenaline is pumping and learning shuts off. Kids behave because they want to please us. The more you fight with and punish your child, the more you undermine her desire to please you.
9. Discipline through the relationship, never through punishment. Kids don’t learn when they’re in the middle of a fight. Like all of us, that’s when adrenaline is pumping and learning shuts off. Kids behave because they want to please us. The more you fight with and punish your child, the more you undermine her desire to please you.
10. Offer him respect and empathy. Most
strong-willed children are fighting for respect. If you offer it to
them, they don’t need to fight to protect their position. And, like the
rest of us, it helps a lot if they feel understood. If you see his point
of view and think he's wrong -- for instance, he wants to wear the superman
cape to synagogue and you think that's inappropriate -- you can still offer him
empathy and meet him part way while you set the limit. "You love
this cape and wish you could wear it, don't you? But when we go to Temple
we dress up, and we can't wear the cape. I know you'll miss wearing it.
How about we take it with us so you can wear it on our way home?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One more thing, in a separate article
"Helping Your Child With Anger," there are a couple of tips in it that
REALLY struck home with me. We are guilty of doing this. I know now
that's it's a bad idea and are going to approach these situations entirely
different from now on.
3.
Never send a child away to "calm down" by herself. Remember that kids need
your love most when they "deserve it least." Instead of a "time
out," which gives kids the message that they're all alone with these big,
scary feelings, try a "time in," during which you stay with your
child and help him move through his feelings. You'll be amazed at how
your child begins to show more self control when you adopt this practice,
because he feels less helpless and alone.
4. Stay
close and connected when your child is upset. If you know what's going on,
acknowledge it: "You are so angry that your tower fell." If
you don't know, say what you see: "You are crying now." Give explicit
permission: "It's ok, everyone needs to cry (or gets mad, or feels very
sad) sometimes. I will stay right here while you get all your sads and mads
out." If you can touch him, do so to maintain the connection: "Here's my hand on your back. You're safe. I'm
here." If he yells at you to go away, say: "You want me to go away. I will step back like this. But I am
right here. I won't leave you alone with these big scary feelings."
"Let's raise children who don't have to recover from their childhoods."
-Pam Leo
Sunday, October 14, 2012
20 Things A Mother Should Tell Her Son
1. You
will set the tone for the sexual relationship, so don't take something away
from her that you can't give back.
2. Play a sport. It
will teach you how to win honorably, lose gracefully, respect authority, work
with others, manage your time and stay out of trouble. And maybe even
throw or catch.
3. Use careful aim when you
pee. Somebody's got to clean that up, you know.
4. Save money when you're
young because you're going to need it someday.
5. Allow me to introduce
you to the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, iron, vacuum, mop and broom.
Now please go use them.
6. Accept responsibility
for your actions and always apologize when you should.
7. Don't ever be a bully
and don't ever start a fight, but if some idiot clocks you, please defend
yourself.
8. Your knowledge and
education is something that nobody can take away from you.
9. Treat women kindly.
Forever is a long time to live alone and it's even longer to live with
somebody who hates your guts.
10. Take pride in
your appearance.
11. Be strong and tender at
the same time.
12. A woman can do
everything that you can do. This includes her having a successful career
and you changing diapers at 3 A.M. Mutual respect is the key to a good
relationship.
13. "Yes ma'am"
and "yes sir" still go a long way.
14. The reason that they're
called "private parts" is because they're "private".
Please do not scratch them in public.
15. Peer pressure is a
scary thing. Be a good leader and others will follow.
16. Bringing her flowers
for no reason is always a good idea.
17. Be patriotic.
18. Potty humor isn't the
only thing that's humorous.
19. Please choose your
spouse wisely. My daughter-in-law will be the gatekeeper for me spending
time with you and my grandchildren.
20. Remember to call your
mother because I might be missing you.
Oak Mountain State Park
So... call me oblivious, but I had no idea that our lovely state of Alabama actually has A LOT of waterfalls. After spending one lazy Sunday surfing the web, I discovered this intriguing fact and got a wild hair for Micah and myself to make a little road trip. Micah was all for it after showing him some pictures (he's obsessed with water), and I searched for the nearest one to see how he would actually do. Lucky for us, the gorgeous Peavine Falls is located in Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, a mere two hour drive for us.
According to http://www.alapark.com/oakmountain/, "The day-use activities at Oak Mountain State Park set it apart from the rest. With over 50 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails set in a picturesque 9,940-acre park, there is something for all outdoor enthusiasts to appreciate and enjoy. The park's day-use picnic facilities include large picnic pavilions and picnic tables with grills, two fishing lakes on the north end of the park (Fishing Center) and in the Main Day-Use one recreational lake with pedal boat and canoe rentals, a sandy beach swimming area, a large open playing field, ample shoreline for bank fisherman and a boat launch for your personal boat (no gas operated motors, but electric trolling motors invited). We also offer a 18 hole golf course with pro shop driving range, mountain bike trails, demonstration farm, and rental horseback riding facilities." I must say I was extremely impressed with this state park upon our initial drive through to get to the spot we were going to. It costs a piddling $3 to enter on a beautiful Saturday morning. There were numerous "areas" including equestrian and boating (kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats rentals galore) that we noticed on our way in. There was even some kind of weightlifting competition taking place. Needless to say, the park was jumping with activity.
However, we soldiered on to our destination. Peavine Falls is an approximately 65-foot tall, spring fed waterfall. It has more water in it after a heavy rain, but has a tendency to be bone dry if it hasn't rained lately. So I just crossed my fingers that we would be disappointed since we hadn't had much rainfall lately. It is a steep climb in and out of the waterfall if you want to see the front of it and play in the pool of water below. The water is cold, so be prepared.
So here's my beginner's hiking/first time Oak Mountain State Park contribution for those who have never been. If you are planning on going to see the waterfall, most websites will tell you that to get to it there are several options trail-wise, but most popular is by taking the Green Trail to the Peavine Falls parking lot and then getting on the White Trail. I did my research, and the Green Trail is by far the shortest trail at 1.9 miles long, but it is also the steepest. It goes from an elevation of approximately 550 feet to approximately 1,100 feet. About 1 mile up the trail from Terrace Drive, you begin a climb from approximately 800 feet to approximately 1,020 feet. To be so short, it is described as moderate/difficult hiking because it's so steep, and I didn't know if Micah could handle this (or myself). Then I studied the map and noticed the presence of Peavine Falls Road leading to the Peavine parking lot... hmm...
Thus, more researching ensued. I found a couple of websites by previous hikers who noted that you could take the Peavine Falls Road to cut out taking the Green Trail altogether, but they complained of it being a three-mile curvy 25 mph drive on gravel barely big enough for one vehicle much less having to pass an oncoming one (implying they didn't recommend it). So my original plan was to park at the office on Terrace Drive and hike the Green Trail to the White Trail as suggested; however, upon arrival, I found the office fairly easily, but I didn't spot the entrance for the Green Trail... so I drove on a little ways to see if I spotted it (being completely unsure of where I was going). Then, BOOM, Terrace Drive turns into Peavine Falls Road and it doesn't look anything like I expected it to. So I decided what the heck and carried on. The road is more narrow that Terrace Drive, but I passed other vehicles numerous times and it proves to be plenty big enough for two vehicles. You may have to slow down a bit, and you definitely have to keep an eye out for oncoming vehicles (because they do not abide by what is actually a 15 mph speed limit), hikers, and bikers. Also, when it was described as gravel, I pictured loose gravel which isn't ideal in my mind for the safety of my car, but it was actually what we Southerners call "slag." It's like a gravel version of pavement; no loose rocks. It was not a bad drive at all, and it dead ends at Peavine Falls parking lot. Green Trail? Not today. :-)
So we parked, packed our bags, and loaded up. The next question was where was the trail. I first spotted what was obviously a trail and headed in that direction. It was the Green Trail, but the sign mentions the Green-White Connector as being 0.6 miles. So we take it for 0.6 miles to the connector...? Hmm...
Nope. After hiking about a mile down the Green Trail, I decided I had made the wrong decision. I don't regret it though; we made it to the highest point on Oak Mountain and saw some amazing views during our brief trek. Alas, we turned around and headed back to the parking lot. Then I spotted it. Behind where we parked (where EVERYBODY and their brother was heading to) was the entrance to the White Trail. (It was my first time, so sue me.) A sign was posted clearly stating that it was 0.4 mile to the falls. I was like, "Wow. This won't take long at all." The trail is MUCH wider and clearer than the Green Trail. Looks like a walk in the park. Hiking? Pssh.
Then you go that 0.4 mile, and the trail immediately declines, gully washing style. Then we heard water and spotted our first signs that we had arrived. There were signs posted on a tree telling you this way to the top of the falls and that way to the bottom. We opted to go to the top first. Not a bad climb; I just had to hang on to my almost five-year-old to make sure he didn't slide off the cliff. Unfortunately, it is a somewhat disappointing view from the top. You could barely spot any water coming off the falls (possibly because the leaves had just barely begun to fall, and there was still a lot of foliage). Micah spotted people at the bottom of the falls and of course wanted to know how to get down there. Good question, son...
I had remembered reading on someone's blog that you could access the bottom of the falls by taking a trail on the right side of the falls and climbing down, but that it's steep and dangerous. I remembered the sign saying this way to the top of the falls and knew that couldn't be the way the bloggers suggested. (Apparently "this way" is a long 6.7 mile or so hike around to get to the bottom. No thank you.) So we climbed that gully washer of a trail back up nearly taking Micah and me out altogether. It was at this point we decided to find the nearest bench and eat lunch. We had to recover. While sitting on this bench, I noticed what looked sort of like a trail going down beside us... Again, hmm...
So we decided to explore where this "trail" went after eating. It doesn't last long before it's up to you to decide how to proceed. It was evident that this was the route the bloggers were talking about, but there is no clear path to take. Dirt and leaves vanish to give way to a steep (did I mention steep?) 65-foot climb down rocks and fallen trees. I'm not sure how long it took us, but it wasn't long. If it hadn't been for the concern of Micah, I could have done it faster. Alas, we made it! And it was totally worth it. What a gorgeous little spot. And it wasn't dry, so yay! Sorry to give you a play-by-play, but maybe this will help another first timer out. I had several questions going into this that no site answered, so maybe this will help them out. Enjoy the pictures below. I've also posted links to some other helpful sites.
According to http://www.alapark.com/oakmountain/, "The day-use activities at Oak Mountain State Park set it apart from the rest. With over 50 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails set in a picturesque 9,940-acre park, there is something for all outdoor enthusiasts to appreciate and enjoy. The park's day-use picnic facilities include large picnic pavilions and picnic tables with grills, two fishing lakes on the north end of the park (Fishing Center) and in the Main Day-Use one recreational lake with pedal boat and canoe rentals, a sandy beach swimming area, a large open playing field, ample shoreline for bank fisherman and a boat launch for your personal boat (no gas operated motors, but electric trolling motors invited). We also offer a 18 hole golf course with pro shop driving range, mountain bike trails, demonstration farm, and rental horseback riding facilities." I must say I was extremely impressed with this state park upon our initial drive through to get to the spot we were going to. It costs a piddling $3 to enter on a beautiful Saturday morning. There were numerous "areas" including equestrian and boating (kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats rentals galore) that we noticed on our way in. There was even some kind of weightlifting competition taking place. Needless to say, the park was jumping with activity.
However, we soldiered on to our destination. Peavine Falls is an approximately 65-foot tall, spring fed waterfall. It has more water in it after a heavy rain, but has a tendency to be bone dry if it hasn't rained lately. So I just crossed my fingers that we would be disappointed since we hadn't had much rainfall lately. It is a steep climb in and out of the waterfall if you want to see the front of it and play in the pool of water below. The water is cold, so be prepared.
So here's my beginner's hiking/first time Oak Mountain State Park contribution for those who have never been. If you are planning on going to see the waterfall, most websites will tell you that to get to it there are several options trail-wise, but most popular is by taking the Green Trail to the Peavine Falls parking lot and then getting on the White Trail. I did my research, and the Green Trail is by far the shortest trail at 1.9 miles long, but it is also the steepest. It goes from an elevation of approximately 550 feet to approximately 1,100 feet. About 1 mile up the trail from Terrace Drive, you begin a climb from approximately 800 feet to approximately 1,020 feet. To be so short, it is described as moderate/difficult hiking because it's so steep, and I didn't know if Micah could handle this (or myself). Then I studied the map and noticed the presence of Peavine Falls Road leading to the Peavine parking lot... hmm...
Thus, more researching ensued. I found a couple of websites by previous hikers who noted that you could take the Peavine Falls Road to cut out taking the Green Trail altogether, but they complained of it being a three-mile curvy 25 mph drive on gravel barely big enough for one vehicle much less having to pass an oncoming one (implying they didn't recommend it). So my original plan was to park at the office on Terrace Drive and hike the Green Trail to the White Trail as suggested; however, upon arrival, I found the office fairly easily, but I didn't spot the entrance for the Green Trail... so I drove on a little ways to see if I spotted it (being completely unsure of where I was going). Then, BOOM, Terrace Drive turns into Peavine Falls Road and it doesn't look anything like I expected it to. So I decided what the heck and carried on. The road is more narrow that Terrace Drive, but I passed other vehicles numerous times and it proves to be plenty big enough for two vehicles. You may have to slow down a bit, and you definitely have to keep an eye out for oncoming vehicles (because they do not abide by what is actually a 15 mph speed limit), hikers, and bikers. Also, when it was described as gravel, I pictured loose gravel which isn't ideal in my mind for the safety of my car, but it was actually what we Southerners call "slag." It's like a gravel version of pavement; no loose rocks. It was not a bad drive at all, and it dead ends at Peavine Falls parking lot. Green Trail? Not today. :-)
So we parked, packed our bags, and loaded up. The next question was where was the trail. I first spotted what was obviously a trail and headed in that direction. It was the Green Trail, but the sign mentions the Green-White Connector as being 0.6 miles. So we take it for 0.6 miles to the connector...? Hmm...
Nope. After hiking about a mile down the Green Trail, I decided I had made the wrong decision. I don't regret it though; we made it to the highest point on Oak Mountain and saw some amazing views during our brief trek. Alas, we turned around and headed back to the parking lot. Then I spotted it. Behind where we parked (where EVERYBODY and their brother was heading to) was the entrance to the White Trail. (It was my first time, so sue me.) A sign was posted clearly stating that it was 0.4 mile to the falls. I was like, "Wow. This won't take long at all." The trail is MUCH wider and clearer than the Green Trail. Looks like a walk in the park. Hiking? Pssh.
Then you go that 0.4 mile, and the trail immediately declines, gully washing style. Then we heard water and spotted our first signs that we had arrived. There were signs posted on a tree telling you this way to the top of the falls and that way to the bottom. We opted to go to the top first. Not a bad climb; I just had to hang on to my almost five-year-old to make sure he didn't slide off the cliff. Unfortunately, it is a somewhat disappointing view from the top. You could barely spot any water coming off the falls (possibly because the leaves had just barely begun to fall, and there was still a lot of foliage). Micah spotted people at the bottom of the falls and of course wanted to know how to get down there. Good question, son...
I had remembered reading on someone's blog that you could access the bottom of the falls by taking a trail on the right side of the falls and climbing down, but that it's steep and dangerous. I remembered the sign saying this way to the top of the falls and knew that couldn't be the way the bloggers suggested. (Apparently "this way" is a long 6.7 mile or so hike around to get to the bottom. No thank you.) So we climbed that gully washer of a trail back up nearly taking Micah and me out altogether. It was at this point we decided to find the nearest bench and eat lunch. We had to recover. While sitting on this bench, I noticed what looked sort of like a trail going down beside us... Again, hmm...
So we decided to explore where this "trail" went after eating. It doesn't last long before it's up to you to decide how to proceed. It was evident that this was the route the bloggers were talking about, but there is no clear path to take. Dirt and leaves vanish to give way to a steep (did I mention steep?) 65-foot climb down rocks and fallen trees. I'm not sure how long it took us, but it wasn't long. If it hadn't been for the concern of Micah, I could have done it faster. Alas, we made it! And it was totally worth it. What a gorgeous little spot. And it wasn't dry, so yay! Sorry to give you a play-by-play, but maybe this will help another first timer out. I had several questions going into this that no site answered, so maybe this will help them out. Enjoy the pictures below. I've also posted links to some other helpful sites.
Micah posing on a rock along the Green Trail.
View from the highest point in Oak Mountain State Park.
M thought this was the neatest tree. It's located at the very beginning of the White Trail.
The White Trail. Looks simple, eh?
First sign of water. Notice the bridge in the background. Cross this to go to the top of the falls.
View from the top of the falls. Can you see the water?
First sight of the bottom of the falls. Talk about having to earn it. 65-foot climb down was... interesting.
But so well worth it. Beautiful.
Our first hiking/waterfall expedition. We did it!
Feeling accomplished. Little does he realize he has to make that climb back UP.
Useful sites
Alabama State Parks http://www.alapark.com/oakmountain/
Alabama Trail http://www.alabamatrail.org/hikingAL/OakMt/OakMt.htm
And make sure to print out a copy of the trail map before going!!!! http://www.alapark.com/parks/images/oak-mountain/OakMountainTrailMap.jpg
Friday, October 5, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love
I first saw the photo of this dog on Pinterest this morning and initially I thought, "Oh what a rip. Someone just Photoshopped this image of this dog as an Internet ploy of some sort," portraying the dog as having been used as dog fight bait and was injured beyond belief. Part of his head literally looked "melted." So I immediately loaded the photo onto Google to search for the image since the Pinterest link didn't work and BAM, there it was on YouTube. Not only is the dog legit, but the owners have written a book and has been a public interest figure. The trauma caused to this poor animal is unbelievable. I salute this family. Anyone who immediately feels compelled to save an animal like this and show him this sort of love and what life should be like, deserves all the happiness in the world. Visit Oogy's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/OogytheBook.
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