Krissy really wants to light the menorah, but she just doesn’t have the opposable thumbs to strike the matches.

Cheer her up with a holiday greeting and you could win a Life to the Max bandana. Share your greetings here or on our Life to the Max Gift Book page on Facebook.

Oh, those delicious little jelly doughnuts–Sufganiyot–are so delicious during Hanukkah! But you can’t just sneak some because the powdered-sugar will give you away every time!

Tell us what your favorite treats are during the holidays and you could win a recipe card and dog bone cookie cutter for Max’s AHH-mmmm Morsels.  Yummy!  Hope you’re living “Life to the MAX” and enjoying the sweetness of the season!  Blessings!

I don’t know who is more off-key–the dogs or my husband?

Tell us about your favorite holiday song, who sings it best in your household and you could win a FREE Max’s AH-mmm Recipe Card & Dog Bone Cookie Cutter!  Howl-ever you celebrate the holidays, sing loud!

The Life to the Max message has always been about love, gratitude and maintaining a positive attitude even in the face of unexpected life changes. At this time of Thanksgiving and when many families are struggling with the impact of the depressed economy, the time for this message couldn’t be more right.

We are so grateful to our fans for making our little book a success and for sharing a part of your journey with us. To thank you for your loyalty and to make your gift-giving a little easier, this Thanksgiving weekend-Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday-we are offering Free Standard Shipping on orders of $40 or more in Max’s Store. Buy a Gift Pack and an extra bandana and your order will ship free. Or buy 2 books and a pet tag and your order will ship free. Any way you put it together, if it totals $40 or more, you’ll get free shipping.

From Max and me, from Terry and Percilla and from Amber and Krissy, we wish you many blessings this Thanksgiving. May it be filled with love, laughter and loads of fun!

One of the animal rescue organizations that we support with our sales in Max’s Store is Southwest Airedale Terrier Rescue.  Anyone who has worked with Sidney, Rose or any of the other dedicated volunteers knows just how hard this group works to ensure that every rescued Airedale gets a loving home.

We are so grateful to them for placing Krissy with us. She is such an affectionate, playful and happy girl, and she has helped our now empty nest seem not so empty.

To help raise funds for their efforts again this year, SWAT has created a 2011 Engagement Calendar that is packed with stories and pictures of Airedales adopted through the hard work of the volunteers who network throughout the southwestern United States.

Krissy is not featured in the calendar (not that she isn’t pin-up material; I just didn’t get around to submitting anything) and we get no fees for promoting this.  We just think this group and this project are definitely worth supporting and these calendars will be treasured by anyone who receives one.  Don’t wait because these calendars are bound to sell out quick.  Go to www.airedaleterriers.org/swat to order your copy today!

And speaking of great holiday gift items, check out our Life to the Max holiday cards in Max’s Store–they’re now 50% off!

It’s been a while since I wrote my blog and I apologize to my faithful followers for my absence. Like most of you, I have had a lot on my mind and by the time I left for a short vacation this summer, I was simply exhausted by trying to do too much in too little time. I needed some time to decide what ideas I was going to pursue and which projects I would need to let go.

As I have in the past, I looked to my dogs for inspiration. In their world, their priorities are simple, driven by single-minded needs: “Let’s play!” “Give me a belly rub!” “Feed me!” They are not preoccupied by complex emotions, family dynamics or office politics. Their purpose is pure and singular.  Still, they too have their occasional distractions—“Squirrel!”—but they are quick to refocus on their original intent. Of course, we humans will always experience more drama in our lives. It is simply our nature. But if we follow the wisdom that comes from the end of the leash, we also will realize that whatever challenges we are facing at the moment are just a “Squirrel!” and we can either choose to get caught up in analyzing the chase or simply let it pass and then return to what really gives our lives joy and meaning.

Besides my family, what gives me joy and meaning is when I can help others celebrate life’s everyday moments, promote healthy grieving and help animal rescue. The way I have done that is through the creation of my book Life to the Max: Maxims for a Great Life by a Dog named Max.

Since we launched our book at the end of 2007, we have been trying to raise awareness and funds for animal rescue and in particular, Airedale Terrier rescue. We donate 25% of our sales on our website to help rescue and we have done well.  But because we are small, we have had an uphill battle for awareness and distribution. What’s more, I’ve come to understand that in the book industry, a book has the life of a gnat and it is totally up to the author to keep its promotion alive.

That’s why this holiday season we are rolling out a national advertising campaign; rededicating ourselves to be more active in social media and holding more contests for some great prizes on our blog. But we need your help. If you have read and enjoyed our book and want to help animal rescue, please join the fun on our blog, retweet our posts and/or send emails to your family and friends to let them know about Max’s Store.  The more books we sell, the more we promote healthy grieving and the more we help rescue. I know it will take some of your time and we all have “Squirrels!” to interrupt our lives, but the other thing I’ve learned from my dogs is they don’t do it alone. They need us to throw the ball. They depend on us to fill their water bowls. And they want us to find that perfect place to scratch that makes them bicycle their legs. We know you’re busy and we’re wagging our tails in appreciation. Now here’s the ball, let’s have some fun. Go fetch!

Tomorrow, many will celebrate “Take Your Dog to Work Day” with a day at the office. For my dogs, Amber and Krissy, however, the day holds no particular distinction since they come to work with me every day. True, I own my own business and our workplace is small, so it is easy to accommodate them. Still, as an employer, I find that having my dogs in the workplace is beneficial for everyone for a number of reasons:

1. Dogs teach us to give every task our best effort. Whether my dogs are chewing a bone, chasing a ball or pulling apart a new toy to get the squeaker, they go after it with gusto. It’s just another way of demonstrating that old adage: “Any job worth doing is a job worth doing well.” Maybe that’s where they get the phrase “Work like a dog!”

2. Dogs reduce stress. A lot of stress is relieved just by taking a moment to scratch the ears or belly of a canine co-worker. Even if you’re having a tough time solving a problem, your dog will tell you you’re the greatest person in the world every time you look at her. In fact, studies have proven that petting a dog can help lower blood pressure-though I don’t know who gets more benefit you or the dog.

3. Dogs can help us look at things in an unusual way. When we’re trying to solve a problem, it is easy to fall into similar patterns. This is where it is comfortable for us as humans. Yet, we only have to glance at Krissy who has undoubtedly fallen asleep in some unusually contorted position that reminds us that there are many ways to look at a problem and comfort is just a matter of interpretation.

4. Dogs motivate us to stretch. In this computer age of information overload, it is easy to sit staring at the computer for hours without moving. Prolonged periods of time writing, reading or researching can put stress on the lumbar region of the back as well as the neck and shoulders. Dogs don’t remain in one position for too long and whenever they get up from a resting position, they stretch first. Daily stretching can provide a lot of physical and mental health benefits including keeping us younger.

5. Dogs remind us that work is more fun when we do it together. Sure there are vendors to bark at, issues to lick and client demands gnawing at us, but all seems doable when we collaborate. In the company of dogs, all things are possible.

6. Dogs encourage laughter. Dogs are naturally spontaneous and playful and they do smile and laugh. (Really!) Whenever Amber or Krissy hears one of us laughing, they love to be a part of it. Amber will throw her bone in the air and Krissy will roll on her back and grin. They don’t let us get too serious, prompt us to take play breaks and generally just make the workplace a more joyful place to be.

7. Dogs make us feel safe. Whether or not we actually are safer .is beside the point. The reality is that my dogs would rather lick someone to death than to bite their butts, but to the unwelcome solicitor we do nothing to discourage their image as ferocious beasts. “NO, WE DO NOT WANT YOUR BULK CANDY, SPA DISCOUNTS, OR YOUR COPIER, CLEANING OR INSURANCE COST COMPARISONS. GRRRR!!!!

8. Dogs can help us stay in the moment. Oil in the Gulf, job layoffs down the street, assistant out with the flu on day of the big presentation-there are plenty of things to worry about in business-but dogs will keep you grounded. There’s nothing to worry about except what’s right in front of you. All you have to do is take some time to chew it over.

Let’s face it—when you’re in business, there are some days we feel like the dog and sometimes we feel like the hydrant. We’re just glad we have always have the benefit of the doubt from our canine companions.