Heroic Dogs!

We know that police dogs, fire fighting dogs, and security dogs perform all kinds of feats from capturing the bad guy to performing daring rescues. For example, during tragedies like the World Trade Center bombing and 9-11, dogs help to rescue people trapped and hidden beneath debris. At airports, well trained snouts are used to sniff out bombs, while rescue dogs have been used to search for lost or missing children and adults.

These heroic dogs deserve our admiration and thanks. But, it is on those occasions where we hear stories about "untrained", household pets that truly amaze and bewilder us. Untrained dogs who have performed amazing acts in order to save their masters; like Maddie and Bella, two golden retrievers who woke their owners, a mother and her 9 year old daughter from their sleep, sacrificing their lives to save them both from their flaming home.

Dogs have halted burglars, cut short attackers seeking to cause harm to their masters, and saved family members from animal attacks; like Jewels, the heroic dog from South Mississippi who ignored commands to "come," after suddenly sprinting away to sneer a poisonous snake that came to close to the families two toddlers. Jewels was bitten by the snake, but lived to enjoy plenty of hugs and kisses after fending off the deadly water moccasin.

Stories like the amazing 2 1/2 year old golden retriever, Toby, who jumped on his masters chest, forcing a piece of apple that was logged in her throat to literally pop out. Even more incredible is the story of "Hero", the stray German Sheppard who helped rescue a woman whose car ran off the road in Thomasville, Georgia. During the accident, the woman, a total stranger to the dog, was thrown through the back window of her rear windshield, where she landed on the trunk of her car unable to move.

"Hero" so named after the fact, literally pulled her by her collar from the top of the trunk, dragged her to the main road, and allowed her to lean against him, enabling her to flag for help. This sounds like a figment of my imagination, but this story graced the news back in February of 2007.

Man's best friend is an understatement. Our dogs are our companions, our hearts... they are our heroes.

"We float through life in and out of relationships searching for unconditional love, when it is already beside us, wagging its tail." - JVon

Have you hugged your dog today?

Who out there has a loving pet or knows of one that has performed some heroic feat. Let's hear from you!