Category Archives for "About Shirelle"

1 How to find out if the boy you like likes you

ashee asks: I’m 14 years old and there’s this guy who I fell in love with, but I don’t know if he feels the same way about me. What should I do to find out?

Hi Ashee –

This is absolutely the most frequent question I get asked.  And I totally relate.  You see, when I was a puppy, I was caught by some dog catchers and placed in a pound.  And I was smart and observant enough to see that once a dog had been in that pound for a number of days, it got taken into a room at the end of the hallway and never came back.  Whereas other dogs got taken out the front door by really happy people who clearly just adored them.  So that’s what I wanted!

Day after day would pass, and occasionally, a person would look into my cage.  Well, I should say “our” cage, since I was in there with four other puppies.  And the people would point and laugh and pet us and let us lick and chew on their hands… and sometimes they’d take one of us out.  But not me.

It was hard to be there.  It was the scariest time of my life.  And while it felt bad when no one was paying attention to us, it could even feel worse when someone did pay attention, but then walked away (whether with another dog or none).  And the reason that felt so bad is because I’d gotten my hopes up.  I’d believed that this person was The One, my human who would take me out of that cage, and out of that pound, and into a new life full of love and play and petting and good food and freedom and… I didn’t even know all what!  So when they’d walk away, my heart would just Continue reading

0 Some encouraging words for kids

Donna asks: What are your plans for the new year? What encouraging words can we tell our young people to keep them out of trouble?

Hi Donna –

If you’re referring to the New Year’s Eve/Day holiday, my plans are simple.  To stay at home, lying on Handsome’s bed, with my head as buried under his pillow as I can, so I don’t have to hear all the yelling, the horns, the screaming, and any fireworks or (how stupid can humans get!) guns being shot into the air.  I’ll lie there, hoping Handsome is able to drive home from whatever party he’s at without being hit and hurt by some drunk in a car… and then, once he’s home, I’ll curl up next to him and sleep so deeply and happily, knowing he’s safe and we survived another year.

Then the next day, hopefully he’ll take me out to a park or something, since he has the day off from work.  But if the weather’s too bad, or if he’s away at some party, I’ll probably just sleep some more!

But if what you meant was what my plans are for 2012, Donna, I have some great ones!  I plan to catch more Continue reading

0 What is the soul, and what happens to it after this life?

Desennium asks: Do you think that the “soul” belongs to a person? Also, what is the rainbow bridge?

Hi Desennium –

Thanks for your question about the soul, and the rainbow bridge.  Of course, they’re very closely related subjects.

The Soul is something very difficult to define.  I looked up the word, and the Merriam-Webster dictionary gave me a number of definitions.  I’ll comment on each of the ones I use.

– the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life

This is probably what you meant in your question.  And of course, one’s answer really depends on one’s beliefs – whether religious or spiritual or not.  As my readers know, I don’t work from any specific religion (I am a Continue reading

0 Where Does Shirelle live?

Dannalou123 asks: Where do you live? I really love cute sites like this. Will you be my friend?

Hi Dannalou –

I live in a secluded wood, with my friend Handsome, in the United States.  I’m glad you like my site.

As far as friendship, the moment you joined my Pack, you became my Friend For Life!  Feel free to write me anytime, and ask me anything you like!

Cheers,

Shirelle

0 Who Is Shirelle?

lady Ritzy asks: Shirelle, can you introduce your self? Like: What is your sex? How old are you? Please tell me – I don`t want to kibitz. I just want to know your real personality. Tnx.

Hi Lady Ritzy –

Well, you can tell my real personality just by reading the posts on this site.   I think I’m very nice, though some might disagree – especially squirrels and cats!  I absolutely adore kids and dogs, and really tend to like almost all humans in general.  I’m a bit bratty at times, but very loving, especially to my best friend Handsome, who takes care of me.

I am a female (though I was spayed when I was young, so I can’t ever become a Continue reading

0 How can a teenager handle their need for afternoon sleep

Star asks: Hey Shirelle – Every day I come from school and eat, and then I always sleep and never get the chance to look at my books, and then I always have to go to karate classes at 15:00. What can I do to stop sleeping, or at least read first before I sleep?

Hi Star –

You wrote JUST the right expert on this issue!  Let me describe an average dog’s day to you:  Wake up, wake up owner, go outside, do business, run around, bark at a few things, come inside, eat a little, go to sleep.  Get up, bark at more things, go back to sleep.  Kiss owner goodbye for day, feel horrible and abandoned, go back to sleep.  Wake up, sniff around, chase something, go back to sleep missing owner.  Wake up, sniff around more, not minding being alone so much, bark at what sounds like dogs walking by, go back to sleep.  Wake up thinking owner’s home, realize he’s not, sniff around, chase something, eat some bit of a plant, go back to sleep.  Wake up thinking owner’s home, find out you’re right, go absolutely nuts running around in circles barking to the world your ecstasy, jump all over owner ruining his clothes, play tug of war, go lie down and take a nap.  Wake up when you hear owner pouring out your dinner, eat, beg for some of what owner’s eating, hopefully get some, go back to sleep.  Get up at the sound of your leash, run around in circles, make it really difficult for owner to put leash over your head, go for walk pulling like crazy, get home, sniff around to find what’s happened while you were gone, go to sleep.   Wake up when owner’s ready to go to bed, complain about whatever he does, go to sleep cuddled up.

Now if I’m counting right, I’m describing a dog going to sleep ten times a Continue reading

0 Who is Shirelle and what’s the Pack?

123456 asks: Hi. My name is Pius; I just joined the pack today. I just want to ask what your name and are you the pack leader

Hi Pius –

Thanks so much for joining the pack!  My name is Shirelle.  I’m a dog who loves nothing more than to help kids, teens, and parents make their lives happier.  So I started this website to help anyone who wants me to.

Although I guess I am the leader of the Pack, I feel more like a Continue reading

2 Should I try to take a boy away from his girlfriend?

Bella asks: Hi, I am in love with a guy, but he has a girlfriend. They have been going out for almost 4 years now. I’ve tried forgetting about him, but I can’t! They are thinking of getting engaged by the end of the year. The worst part is that she is one of my friends. What should I do????

Hi Bella –

There are some decisions in life where it’s clear that we should do what we want.  Then there are those where it’s kind of confusing.  And then there are those where it’s clear that we should give up.

For example, let’s talk about lamb roast.  Now I loooooooove lamb roast!  If Handsome is cooking one, I can smell it even before he starts the oven.  And then once the cooking starts, ooooooohhhhhhhhhh that aroma!  Luscious!

So let’s say that Handsome has roasted up a beautiful leg of lamb, and while he starts to carve it up for his guests, he hands me a beautiful juicy piece.  Should I take it?  Of course I should, are you nuts?!  I take it and then sit very politely on the floor, with perfect posture and my mouth just non-stop salivating and licking, and hoping for more.

But what if, say, Handsome accidentally drops a piece of that yummy Continue reading

1 How to make life interesting and fun

choco asks: How can I make my life interesting? Are there some tricks to make fun in life??

Hi Choco –

This is probably my favorite question anyone’s ever asked me, because this is what I’m best at.  You see, we dogs always can find something interesting and fun, unless someone’s literally put us in a tiny cage.  And you humans have every bit of what we have in our brains, and a lot more.  So why is it that you often can’t come up with something, when we always can?  It’s because of that extra brain you have!  You’re so much more judgmental and worried and self-conscious and all that, which all gets in the way of life!  (Now please realize, I also know that that extra brain does a lot of good; Overall it tends to be better.  I’m not putting you down here, just pointing out how it can be a problem!).

So what you need to do is get all that nonsense out of the way, and find your own Continue reading

0 How to get your parents to speak to you again.

Bella asks: Hi, my parents aren’t on speaking terms with me, and tomorrow is my birthday. What should I do? I tried talking to my mum but she refused to listen. I feel so bad!!!

Oh Bella!  I’m so sorry I didn’t get to your letter in time for your birthday!  I can’t imagine how you must have felt the whole day, and I wish I could have sent you some kisses and tug-of-war playing to cheer you up!  I know it’s late but… Happy Birthday!

And I’m not kidding when I say those two words.  You see, any day can be your birthday.  We can all be “born again” any time we choose to be.  Some people get that in a religion, others get it in a beauty salon with a “makeover,” some through moving their homes.  And you can have a new “birth” in whatever way you want.  The trick – and the hard part – is deciding what exactly it is that you Continue reading