Thumper Saves The Forest

Yup, we’ve done it again. This time saving a man, a wife and a grandson. Oh yeah, and a cat too.

GREENVILLE, Maine – Thumper, a black Labrador retriever, is getting credit for saving a Greenville man when a fire swept through his home.

Roland Cote said his wife and their 7-year-old grandson were away when the blaze started early Sunday in a converted two-story garage. He said Thumper grabbed him by the arm to wake him, leaving just enough time for him to dial 911 before fleeing the fast-moving fire.

While the dog is the hero, a cat is the bad guy in this story.

Cote said the fire marshal investigator believes the blaze was started when Princess, the family cat, tipped over a kerosene lantern. Cote says he and his pets escaped safely, but he says Princess did get her tail singed by the fire.

… and cats wonder why people prefer dogs 3 : 1 over them.

It’s A Wonderful Life

George Bailey learned it the hard way; seeing what would the world have become if he hadn’t existed at all. I gotta believe it’s the same journey taken by his namesake, Bailey the dog.

During a visit to Lake Anne near Reston, Va., with his family, police officer Lance Hamilton administered mouth-to-snout resuscitation to his dog, Bailey, after the dog was injured near a dock, the Centre View (Va.) Connection reported. The dog was injured while in the water as he fetched a ball.

Perfect technique led to the resuscitation.

Hamilton held the dog’s mouth closed and breathed rescue breaths through the snout while uncle Greg Dunphy gave chest compressions, reviving Bailey after about a minute.

But what happened to injure Bailey?

A veterinarian who cared for Bailey said the dog was electrocuted and had water in his lungs. An electrical problem on the dock was found soon after and fixed before anyone else could be injured, the newspaper reported.

So if Bailey the dog hadn’t survived that jump from the bridge into the icy waters of the local river the previous Christmas, think of all the people that may have been electrocuted had he not been around to ‘test’ the waters this time? Surely Bailey knew this and is a hero for it…and if the bell I just heard is any indication, Clarence the labradoodle just got his wings.

Dog Spelled Backwards Is God

Dogs help in all facets of life. We see police dogs, fire dogs, helper dogs, cadaver dogs, hot dogs and now…minister dogs.

The dogs were decked out in sweaters and birthday hats. They had cold snouts, soft coats and the dispositions of Job. For more than an hour on a recent Saturday, they sat beneficently as dozens of children petted them.

They are members of the canine ministry at Irvine’s Mariners Church, which organizers say may be one of a kind.

Its mission: to put people at ease and begin a process that could lead them to God.

The dog ministers are more than just a conduit to The Guy in the sky.

Much of the dogs’ work involves going to monthly birthday parties for poor residents at the Costa Mesa Motor Inn.

They also help with foster kids, preside over learning programs in which children are more comfortable reading to the dogs than to adults and act as canine comfort counselors at church mountain camps.

“They show unconditional love and don’t expect anything back,” said Bankson, whose 2-year-old black Labrador retriever Reyna is a ministry dog. “They are always happy and don’t see any difference between us. They bring people in.”

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One A Day

Here’s some news that I can use.

Nutritional supplements improve the memory, ability to learn, and cognitive function of old dogs, giving scientists a new approach to the neurodegeneration and cognitive decline common with aging in humans, as published in a recent study.

I currently take 5 peanut butter covered pills a day. Adding a few more would be welcomed by me.

In the current study, an inbred line of older beagle dogs were taught to find a food treat by identifying certain markers, such as a yellow peg. Applied scents on the markers to deter the dogs from using scent to find the food treats. Some dogs received the supplementation, while others did not. After 15 weeks, more than 80% of the supplemented dogs were successful, while only 50% of those not receiving supplements learned how to find the treat.

I’m a bit leery of the results due to the design of the study. Frankly, I’m surprised the result wasn’t 100% for both sets of dogs; they were searching for treats after all.

Had they tasked the dogs with finding their way out of a corn maze, then those results would have been impressive.

Just Do It – Swoosh

I’m fast, or used to be in my youth. Even with old age kicking in I feel the need to show bursts of speed now and again. The most recent opportunity occurred this past weekend when I was fortunate enough to get a walk at my local park.

Wandering around minding my own business, I noticed a yellow lab eyeballing me from a distance. He was in my age group, in the 95-105 range. He moved lethargically as he approached me but he gave me a look that showed he still had some spark in that old body.

Indeed it did, for as our noses met, he says he wants to race me.

I say, no way you’ll hurt yourself.
He says that I’m scared of racing him.
I say, ok if you really want to race I will but let’s race for something.
He says milkbones. Twenty milkbones to be exact.
I say, no problem old man bring it on.
He says, ok but wait one second. So I did.

Next thing I know he pulls out these things I’ve never seen before. Turns out they’re called Bark’n Boots^TM Grip Trex^TM and he ties them on his paws.

He tells me he’s ready to race; to the bench with the bum sleeping on it and back.
I say let’s go. And we went.

Well, after forking over 20 milkbones, I’m begging my parents to buy me a pair of these cool boots. I tell them I need two pair since I have four paws. They say no…if anything they’ll purchase me some Doggles. I don’t want no stinkin’ glasses, I want some sneaks…or as a friend calls them, gym shoes.

They say they don’t know where to get them. I say just go to this website and order them.

I can’t wait until they come in the mail and I get a chance to win my twenty milkbones back.

P.S. My sister owns a pair of Doggles because she’s always sticking her head out the window of the car. They’re great for protecting her eyes from insects and flying rocks plus they’re awesome for her hobby in welding.

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Reading Is Fundamental

We’re here to help the struggling human population once again. This time…to help the young ‘uns learn how to read.

Donna Conrad of Redding is president of Prescription: Pets, a north state nonprofit that is looking to use therapy dogs to help improve children’s literacy.

So how does the program work?

The child comes into the setting with the volunteer team; the handler can train the dog to put its paw on the book. The child reads to the dog, who’s not judgmental. You kind of have to coach the child through the eyes of the dog.

Q. What kinds of dogs will participate?

We have all dogs – dachshunds, terriers, collies, Scottish deerhounds, lots of poodles. Totally gentle, totally friendly. (They must be) reliable, controllable and predictable.

OK…so in order to participate I would need to be totally gentle (check), totally friendly (check), reliable (check), controllable (hmmm, I guess that’s a check) and predictable (that’s a borderline call but I’ll give myself the benefit of the doubt…check).

Hey, I think I qualify!!

Q. So what is it about dogs that can encourage a child to read?

They’re not judgmental…the dogs don’t care if you have a bedhead or bad breath. And they’re good listeners.

What? I can’t be judgemental? Knowing my luck I’ll get a kid with bedhead and the bad breath! Hey why don’t we teach these kids to shower and brush their teeth before teaching them to read? Just a thought.
Since it appears that I may be a bit too judgemental too help, maybe you can help out instead by visiting http://prescriptionpets.org

October Is Adopt-a-Dog Month

Title says it all folks. Any humans reading this, please go out to your local animal shelter and adopt a dog. You may be lucky enough to get your very own walking, talking, blogging canine to call your very own.

Did you know:

There are 68 million dogs living in American households, but only 20 percent of them were adopted from shelters, according to the American Humane Society. Roughly 25 percent of dogs waiting in shelters to be adopted are purebreds, including many puppies.

Our local animal shelters, as well as others, are the best place to find the perfect dog to fit people’s individual needs and lifestyles,” said Tweeten. “We offer the greatest variety of choices – puppies, older dogs, mixed breeds, purebreds, large dogs and small dogs.”

What are you waiting for? Log off and go get you some love.

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