[nagdu] dog story

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Wonderful.  200 lbs???  Wow! I once had the opportunity to watch a
9-month-old mastiff/greyhound mix playing with a young boxer pup.  /lol/
The rest of us had been watching the mastiff/greyhound pup in amazement and
admiration -- she was gorgeous -- when the boxer pup came in.  It was game
on.  We stood watching and laughing for about 5 seconds.

I have never seen so many humans dive for picnic tables so fast.  All of us
frantically calling our dogs to hide under the table, just in case.  That
was a lot of enormous, fast moving, clumsy puppy!  Very fun to watch,
though. /lol/

Even with our intricately trained dogs leading us around in the big wide
world, it's easy to fall back into long-held beliefs about animal
intelligence...  Until something happens to give one of them a chance to
show us just what's really inside those doggy skulls of theirs!  One of the
real joys of being a first-time owner-trainer turned first-time guide dog
handler has been the many opportunities to see my dog using her incredible
brain to learn and work despite my inexperience.

Stories like these remind me to treasure that while I continue to learn
lessons through the incredible aggravation of being a first-time
owner-trainer turned first-time guide dog handler! /smile/

Love the ten commandments, too.  We get lots of practice around here with
our aging, challenging, patience-trying, permanently in rehab, dearly
beloved coonhound.  /smile/

 Who is reminding me it's play time!



Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Ed Meskys
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2010 11:17 AM
To: dogGuideUsersNH at yahoogroups.com; nagdu
Subject: [nagdu] dog story

The K9 above is Brutus, a military K9 at McChord.. 
He's huge - part Boxer and part British Bull Mastiff and tops the scales at
200 lbs. His handler took the picture. Brutus is running toward me because
he knows I have some Milk Bone treats, so he's slobbering away! I had to
duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn't stop, but he
did. Brutus won the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in
Iraq . 
His handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents. Brutus
and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal
that meant 'go away but come back and find me'. The Iraqis paid no attention
to Brutus. 
He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of one guard at one door
and another guard at another door. He then jumped against one of the doors
repeatedly (the guys were being held in an old warehouse) until it opened. 
He went in and untied his handler and they all escaped. He's the first K9 to
receive this honor. If he knows you're ok, he's a big old lug and wants to
sit in your lap. Enjoys the company of cats. 
K-9 Congressional Medal of Honor Winner 
Thought you'd find this interesting. 
Talk about animal intelligence and bonding with humans!

Remember that they can't do a lot of things for themselves and that they
depend on you to make their life a quality life! 
A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS......... 
1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely
to be painful. 
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me 
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being. 
4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You
have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you. 
5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your
voice when speaking to me. 
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it. 
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you,
and yet, I choose not to bite you. 
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if
something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I
have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak. 
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old. 
10 On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't
bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if
you are there, because I love you so.
 ~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care
of them. 
Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters. 

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