“His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears.”—Elizabeth Barrett Browning, referring to her cocker spaniel, Flush

My friend Charlette is battling cancer. Her companion dog, Dolly Dog, a little Chihuahua who Charlette rescued from an abusive home a few years ago, has been, by example, giving Charlette the strength to fight the cancer.

One of our readers, Ginger Gebert of Phoenix, Arizona, sent in a story that reminded me of Charlette and Dolly Dog. Here it is:

Back in 2000, my best buddy, Bandit, an Alaskan Malamute who was at my side for 12 years was just diagnosed with cancer. Within a week, I had my own similar diagnosis.

For one year I focused on Bandit and put my own illness aside. I watched how he faced the pain and weakness of the disease and called him my "trooper." Now Bandit was gone and I was forced to face my battle.

I remembered how Bandit did not worry about tomorrow, nor fret over yesterday; he lived in the moment and enjoyed each one for what it was. Could I do the same? I didn’t think so. My life went downhill. I could hardly get up and out of the house.

Then one day, when I was most down and depressed, feeling there was no one or no place to turn to, I received a call. Two dogs, Bear and Spaz, needed a home. I was their last chance. I thought, "Why not? I’m alone, these two dogs have nowhere to go. I could do this."

I felt a sudden rush of hope, as if God spoke to me, sending two doggie angels, whose pure unadulterated joy in the moment brought back good memories of Bandit.

Their zest for life and constant willingness to share was like Bandit speaking to me. They get me out walking, running and everything feels better.

It’s been 10 years and I’m still holding my own in this disease. I learned so much from my angels, Bandit, Bear and Spaz, and what could be a better blessing than to have them beside me breathing, snoring, being silly, and filling my house with love.

Here are just some of the advantages of animal companionship:

• Lowering blood pressure and stress
• Helping people cope with the loss of a loved one and other major life changes
• Better communication in marriages
• Service animals like seeing-eye dogs help people with disabilities live normal lives
• Helping people cope with cancer, Alzheimer’s and AIDS
• Higher survival rates for people with coronary heart disease
• Better socialization of young children with peers and development of nurturing behavior
• Giving a sense of constancy to foster children
• Improving results for anxious and depressed people
• Therapeutic horseback riding has helped improve balance, posture, mobility, language, and muscle coordination
• Helping facilitate social interactions between strangers and improving social behavior for mentally impaired people and prisoners
•  More recreational activity such as dog walking

You’ll enjoy this great article on the healing powers of dogs. Be well and don’t forget to hug your dog (or cat, or horse, or bird!)

Photo: Ginger Gebert with Bandit, Bear and Spaz

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Read more about animal angels in Angels in Disguise.

"Many researchers are finding that the most serious disease for older persons is not cancer or heart disease—it's loneliness...Love is the most important health tonic we have and pets are one of nature's best sources of love..."

What makes all living situations easier, more fun, engaging and loving? Many feel that adding children and pets to our lives gives us all these positive things and more.

Now, when you select an assisted living facility, you might find more than a clean room and nice staff—how about a cold nose, a wet tongue and wagging tail!

People have said that having a pet around can be anything from soothing to exhilarating. Boredom is unknown to residents who have daily interaction with pets.

Until recently, administrators of assisted living facilities were afraid to bring pets into the homes. Their concerns were allergies, residents tripping over the animals, and insurance implications. But well managed, the program works like a charm, especially if there is a pet care person on staff.

Barbara Farling, therapeutic recreation consultant for the State Department of Health Services said, “Now there's a real trend toward pet-therapy programs for the elderly because it works. People need to be needed and animals need people.'' It just seems more like home when you have a bundle of tail wagging or soft purring love.

"Animals are all-accepting. They don't care about whatever issues a person might have," said Noralyn Snow, administrator at the Silverado Senior Living Aspen Park Community in Salt Lake City, home to 100 memory-impaired residents, seven dogs, six cats, 40 birds and a baby kangaroo named Marlee.

Silverado, which operates 17 facilities in California, Texas and Utah—all boasting a menagerie of live-in creatures—has created a 40-page manual (required reading for all staff) and spends about $600,000 a year caring for community pets and the pets that residents brought with them.

"Animals re-engage people with life," said Loren Shook, who decades ago saw the positive effect of animals on the patients at the psychiatric hospitals where his family worked. Now, as CEO of Silverado, he has instituted a must-have-animals policy at all 17 facilities. "Having animals in our facilities reduces depression and anxiety and reduces the need for psychotropic drugs by 35 percent."

For more information go to Pets for the Elderly—it’s a wonderful site. One resident, Doss Dean of the Aspen Park community in Salt Lake said about his dog, “He is my family; he keeps me company; he makes me smile."

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

When I had to say goodbye to my dog Barney, to comfort me, a friend sent a little illustrated book entitled The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst.

It’s a touching story of a boy whose cat dies. He is so sad and misses his little cat. He cries himself to sleep. Before he falls asleep, his mom tells him they can have a funeral and suggests he think of 10 good things about his cat Barney.

The next day they have their little funeral, where his dad digs Barney’s grave and a neighbor friend attends. The little boy comes up with nine good things about his cat. “He was brave, smart, clean, cuddly...and he only once ate a bird.”

Later, when in the garden with his father the little boy arrives at the tenth good thing about Barney; then he arrives at a deep realization about life. I won’t reveal it here. It was such a delightful surprise.

Though my Barney was a dog and this Barney was a cat, the loss is the same. Judith Viorst’s book allowed me to grieve and to transform that grief into light.

It seems like a children’s book but I think it reaches across all barriers and touches everyone. The artist, Erik Blegvad's black and white sketches are whimsical, lovely and really work with the words. Facing the title page is a drawing of Barney himself, in a tree backed by a low sun, about to pounce on that one bird. On the last page is a sketch of Barney from behind, small, padding off with tail held high into the white page.

Recently, I read a wonderful comment at a memorial for a friend. It said, “The earth just got a little darker and the Universe just got a whole lot brighter.”

What better way to remember someone than to think about the good things they did and to realize they have become part of the stars?

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

“When you teach your son, you teach your son's son.”—Talmud
 
Dogs helping boys helping dogs. That’s the equation at Totem Town in St. Paul where delinquent boys first learn to chill, then learn a skill—and everybody wins.

Matched up with "unadoptable" dogs, the pair becomes a dynamo of overcoming and hope. “The theory is, by teaching dogs the skills and discipline the boys are trying to learn, the boys will improve their own behavior faster,” said Superintendent Tom McGinn.

“It's a way to teach the boys something new and to push them out of their comfort zones,” said Jayme Brisch, a community corrections worker.

The boys are sent to Totem Town by the judicial system. The dogs come from an animal sanctuary in Wisconsin called Home for Life, founded by Lisa LaVerdiere, where the unadoptable dogs can live out their natural lives.

The dogs at Home for Life are unfit for adoption into a regular home. Some are disabled, others are old. Many have been abused and neglected and written off as too wild. However, they can be taught to work and this is their saving grace.

Founder, Ms. LaVerdier says, “While the sanctuary provides a safe place to live, it also has a mission of community service.” The sanctuary has approximately 300 volunteers who bring the dogs to visit domestic abuse shelters, nursing homes and hospitals. The Totem Town boys train the dogs under supervision of professional dog trainers.

The boys are taught how to gently teach the dogs. “It’s like teaching a 4-year-old how to tie shoes” she tells her teens. “Hitting won’t help, but showing them how and praising them will.”

I read about this partnership in a new book Angel Dogs with a Mission: Divine Messengers in Service to All Life by Allen & Linda Anderson. Angel Dogs tells about Keno, the avalanche search and rescue dog who saved the life of Ryan Radchenko, lift operator who was buried in an avalanche of snow; and Dr. Bonita M. Bergin who teaches dogs to read; Kobi, the cancer detection dog who can diagnose if you have cancer by sniffing your breath, Tuffy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who served as a grief counselor during the horrible days following the Virginia Tech shootings, and many, many other miraculous stories.

There’s just no end and no limit to the miracles of Heaven’s canine angels.

Photos in order of appearance: Angel Dogs with a Mission; Keno; Mari

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

A Dog's Prayer for His Owner
O Lord of humans, make my master faithful to his fellow men as I am to him. Grant that he may be as devoted to his friends and family as I am to him.
May he be open-faced and undeceptive as I am; may he be true to trust reposed in him as I am to his.
Give him a face cheerful like unto my wagging tail. Give him a spirit of gratitude like unto my flicking tongue.
Fill him with patience like unto mine that awaits his footsteps uncomplainingly for hours. Fill him with my watchfulness, my courage, and my readiness to sacrifice comfort or life itself.
Keep him always young in heart and endowed with the spirit of play, as I am.
Make him as good a man as I am a dog. And make him worthy of me, his dog.
Amen.
—Anonymous

It’s Sunday morning, you’re heading to church. As you walk out the door, your dog gives you that “please take me with you” look. You feel guilty. You leave her to go to work all week and now it’s the weekend. But you can’t take her. Churches don’t allow dogs. You tell her, “I’ll be back.”

Well, you and your dog will be happy to know that things are changing!

Aside from the once-a-year Blessing of the Animals, many churches are opening their doors, hearts and minds every Sunday to the new community of dogs! What a great way to spread and share the beautiful teachings, prayers and psalms offered in a holy place.

All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has doubled attendance at its Sunday evening service since it began inviting pets once a month last summer. "We call it evangelism," says Rector Sherod Mallow. "It's opening your doors to the different needs of the community."

Here in New York City recently, the Church of the Holy Trinity began welcoming dogs to Sunday service. "It started because a parishioner was sick one weekend and felt like she could either take her dog for a walk or go to church, but not both," says the Rev. Michael Phillips, rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity. 

"Then she thought, 'Why not combine them?' and she brought her dog to church. It's been happening ever since."

Synagogues are beginning to see this new phenomenon of bringing all family members together in worship as a way of connecting and re-connecting. For fun, many synagogues are hosting “bark-mitzvah” ceremonies!

Enjoy the wonderful pictures and music of Kasha’s Bark Mitzvah.

Alfie's Bark Mitzvah is the focus of Shari Cohen's children's book Alfie's Bark Mitzvah. The CD of children's songs that comes with the book, created by the internationally acclaimed Cantor Marcelo Gindlin of the Malibu Jewish Center, includes a song describing Alfie's Bark Mitzvah. Check it out!

Check out our story about pet worship by Reverend Rachel Bickford, pastor of Pilgrim Congregational Church in Massachusetts.

Remember, sit, stay, pray.

Photos in order of appearance: One dog's paw on the Bible, by Deborah Cannon /AMERICAN-STATESMAN; Dogs connecting in church; One dog finding peace in church.

Teach your dog to pray in 5 easy steps!

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Often did the old priest send for him, and seek to teach him the love of living things, saying to him: “The fly is thy brother. Do him no harm. The wild birds that roam through the forest have their freedom. Snare them not for thy pleasure. God made the blindworm and the mole, and each has its place. Who art thou to bring pain into God’s world? Even the cattle of the field praise Him.”—Oscar Wilde’s story "The Star Child" from the Complete Fairy Tales

I had planned on a quiet weekend, taking things slow and tying up some loose ends. Then a call came in from Lisa, a social worker assigned to the case of Jose Salgado, a 92-year-old man living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan who just suffered a stroke.

“Please, can you help?” Lisa’s voice was urgent. As she explained who she was, she described her client’s dog, El Duke, a senior Belgian Sheepdog, all alone in the apartment where he lived with Jose for 14 years. Jose was now in a nursing home and his former home care attendant was coming in to walk and feed El Duke.

“He has to be out by Monday!” Lisa continued. I immediately e-mailed the entire rescue community across the U.S. and was soon flooded with concerned e-mails along with a few real offers to foster El Duke.

We went to meet El Duke. The apartment was dark and depressing. Little mice and roaches were scurrying around. He had been alone for days and was walking around and around looking for his best friend, Jose.

I learned that Jose had been refusing to go to a doctor for many months in fear of being away from his dog for even a few hours, but his health was failing and eventually a stroke separated the friends.

El Duke looked so bereft. His eyes spoke, “Where is my person; what’s happened to him?” He had trouble getting to his feet due to arthritis and I noticed two large benign tumors and an infected eye. Aside from these problems, El Duke is a gorgeous black dog with big ears, like antennae reaching out for love, and gentle as a deer.

Jose’s nurse, Marian and I cleaned the apartment as best we could, walked El Duke in the park across the street and spent some quality time with him on his blanket. We telephoned those people who offered to foster him, but they all lived in walk-up apartments. El Duke could not make it up the stairs.

Enter Marian’s friend, Sue Coe. I knew the name—a fine artist and activist known for her deep involvement in social causes and a profound concern for anyone in need. Sue Coe said that if we couldn’t find a foster for El Duke, she’d take him into her home in upstate New York.

Marian, Sue and I met on Sunday at Jose’s apartment where there was a gathering of some of his friends and a group of rescue people. This time, the lights were on and the apartment had a cheerier feeling.

Jose’s friend, Omar, said, “I will tell Jose that his best friend and companion will be well cared for.” We all made a vow that as soon as Jose was able to travel we’d take him up to Sue’s house to see El Duke.

So, my weekend wasn’t laid back, quiet or relaxing—it was rich and full of energy, meeting nurse Marian and activist/artist Sue and sweet El Duke; a blessed coming together in what otherwise might have been a tragedy.

Photos in order of appearance: El Duke; El Duke, myself and Sue Coe; His first day in the country; Resting with a blanket
 

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

I wiped away the weeds and foam, I fetched my sea-born treasures home;
But the poor, unsightly, noisome things,
Had left their beauty on the shore,
With the sun and the sand and the wild uproar.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

A prominent under-bite, scrunched face, tongue hanging out, crazy hairdo, screwed up mouth, are some of the hallmarks of a winner. The winner of the World's Ugliest Dog contest, that is.

It began in the year 2000 as a spoof of the famous breed shows and it’s hilarious.

Pabst, a Boxer mix rescued from a shelter by Miles Egstad of Citrus Heights, CA, won the annual contest on Friday at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Northern California.

It was an upset victory for Pabst, who beat former champion Rascal, a pedigree Chinese Crested.

Pabst's owner took home $1,600 in prize money, pet supplies and a modeling contract with House of Dog.

Miss Ellie, a blind 15-year-old Chinese Crested Hairless, won the pedigree category.

Anyone can enter their dog in this fun contest.

Prepare to laugh at the pictures and be touched by the love these ‘ugly’ dogs inspire.
 

Photos in order of appearance: Pabst; Rascal; Miss Ellie

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.—Henry David Thoreau

I worry about my Dachshund, Schnappsy, who is 15 years old and recently, had a minor stroke. Sad with thoughts of impermanence, a friend comforted me and said, "Maybe Schnappsy will be another Otto.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

She then told me about the new holder of the title World’s Oldest Dog. His name is Otto and he’s a Dachshund mix. And the former holder of this title was Chanel, also a Dachshund, who passed away on Aug. 28, 2009. She was 21 years old—roughly equivalent to 97 in human years, just like Otto..

“Maybe Schnappsy has another 5 or more years.”

This helped a bit. So I did some research and found the charming story about the World’s Oldest Dog contest sponsored by Guinness World Records.

Otto Jones from England, can still jump up on the couch, walk with a sprightly style, play ball with the neighbors’ children and his teeth are beautiful!

The 97-year-old (according to the dog/human aging chart) is doing quite well, thank you!

His owners Lynn and Peter Jones call him a "loveable, affectionate rogue," and they attribute his long life to good food and lots of love.

However, Otto is young compared to the oldest dog ever, Bluey, an Australian cattle dog that died in 1939. Bluey holds the Guinness World Record at 29.5. Bluey is way off the charts!
 
Here’s the chart to figure out your dog’s age in human years.

Age of Dog                    Human Years
5 months                       10 years
8 months                       13 years
10 months                     14 years
1 year                              15 years
2 years                            24 years
3 years                            28 years
4 years                            32 years
5 years                            36 years
6 years                            40 years
7 years                            44 years
8 years                            48 years
9 years                            52 years
10 years                          56 years
11 years                          60 years
12 years                          64 years
13 years                          68 years
14 years                          72 years
15 years                          76 years
16 years                          80 years
17 years                          84 years
18 years                          88 years
19 years                          91 years
20 years                          94 years
21 years                          97 years
22 years                          100 years
23 years                          103 years
24 years                          106 years

Watch this cool video of Otto and his human caregivers.

Kudos to good food, lots of love and a long, healthy life.
WOOF!

Photos in order of appearance: Otto, Schnappsy, Chanel, Bluey

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.—Helen Keller

I remember using the TTouch on my dog, Sukha, before I ever read Linda Tellington’s book The Tellington Touch.

I had a practitioner of the art doing home visits to care for my dog whose back legs were paralyzed. T-Touch enabled Sukha to live a more relaxed, normal life. Penguin Books has just re-issued this book and this time I read it.

Using our hands to heal each other as well as our animal friends goes back a long time. There’s Reiki, a Japanese healing method created by Mikao Usui back in 1922.

In the Christian tradition the laying on of hands has its roots in Jewish beliefs and practices. In biblical times the laying on of hands was an action which conferred blessing or authority.

Blessing is a kind of healing—a union, or bringing together of our world with Heavenly Divine energy. Laying on of hands was performed in England and France by kings and was believed to cure certain diseases.

The most widely known method of healing hands is massage, which may be the oldest and simplest form of medical care. Throughout history, massage was used routinely on animals as part of conditioning programs, to aid and hasten recovery from injury, to provide relief from soreness and pain and to calm and relax the animals that lived and worked alongside humankind.

Egyptian tomb paintings show people being massaged. The 5th century BC physician and father of western medicine, Hippocrates, wrote, "The physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing...for rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose, and loosen a joint that is too rigid."

Patients with crippled limbs, including Alan Alda, Dinah Shore and Wilma Rudolph, were able to regain use of their limbs due to massage treatment.

Linda Tellington’s family background provides a perfect support for her lifelong interest in animals and healing. In the book she tells wonderful stories about her family’s deep involvement and love for all kinds of animals.

One grandfather was awakened every morning by his rabbit, the other grandfather was a horse trainer in Czar Nicholas II stables, and her mother forbade the house cat to kill mice.

Tellington’s experience with the Feldenkrais method of healing gave her the impetus to apply what she learned to her horses. She had miraculous results with her first patient, an Arabian mare who was very reluctant to come into the barn at night until Tellington began her experiment with the Feldenkrais method of non-habitual manipulation.

“When I finished, after 45 minutes, the horse’s eyes were half closed. She stood with her head lowered, obviously in a state of deep relaxation,” reports Tellington.

The magic of the TTouch lies in the circle—a kind of opening into a universe of feeling, healing and breath. Black Elk said, “The power of the world works in circles.... The sky is round and I have heard the earth is round like a ball, and so are the stars...even the seasons form a great circle in their changing...and so it is in everything where power moves.”

Her book has a lovely array of photos of the animals she’s worked with including an iguana, a dolphin, an elephant, a giraffe, a chimpanzee, baby bear, fox, raccoon, snow leopard and even a Burmese python named Joyce. The book changed my life and I am privileged to share it with you.

This new release, The Tellington TTouch: Caring for Animals with Heart and Hands will probably become a classic book on animal healing.

Check out this beautiful instructional video of Linda Tellington herself working on her canine patients.

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.
—Albert Camus

A young girl is wheeled into the playroom by her mother. She's wearing a wig and it's obvious she is not well. The moment she sets eyes on the dog, Rufus, her face lights up.

Her smile is so sincere and joyful, you are immediately drawn to her. “I want to touch him,” she says, but she is unable to move her hands on her own. So Rufus' co-owner, Tom, leads the Bull Terrier to the little girl and he helps her to hold her little delicate hand out to the dog.

Tom places a dog treat in her hand and Rufus licks the treat gently out of her hand. The little girl is transfixed and although she cannot feel the sensation in her hand, her mind and attention is so immersed in the moment, you can feel the connection. She looks at Rufus with focus and warmth, her beautiful eyes, melting. I think she’s fallen in love.

I talked to her mother who was bubbling over with enthusiasm telling me how much her little girl loves animals and hopes to work with them some day. The mom said, "My daughter is my hope, my inspiration."

This encounter happened at the Ronald McDonald House in NYC where Rufus, a colored Bull Terrier Dog and former winner of "Best in Show" at Westminster in 2006 was visiting the children in his professional capacity as a therapy dog.

After the Westminster win, Rufus could have rested on his laurels as many retired winners do, but he had dreams in that egg-head of his. He wanted to work, to do some good in the world besides being a great companion. Rufus has always loved children, so his owners, Barbara and Tom Bishop, and handler Kathy Kirk began training him to be a certified therapy dog.

Angel On A Leash is a program sponsored by the Westminster Kennel Club that has teamed up with the Ronald McDonald House, headed by Chaplain Cherilyn Frei, director of spiritual care. The program trains therapy dogs for healthcare centers, schools, rehabilitation, hospice, extended care, correctional facilities and crisis intervention.

The dogs at Angel on a Leash have become integral parts of the treatment regime for children around the world. This wonderful therapy dog program grew to 13 certified teams with a total of 16 therapy dogs qualified to participate in the program. The teams visited with a total of 2,630 staff, patients and family members in 2008.

Mutual of America honored them with a nationally recognized award for community service and partnership with the Westminster Kennel Club, creating the Ronald McDonald-Angel On A Leash therapy dog program.

Science is finally confirming what people have intuitively always known: therapy dogs are miracle workers. They help us physically, emotionally and socially. This phenomena is known as the "therapeutic touch," the proven scientific fact that when a human touches or interacts in some other way with a dog, within minutes they get a massive release of beneficial hormones.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison Children's Hospital, scientists proved that children become happier and their quality of life is improved when they receive time to play with dogs. Also, children who had pets in their home when they were growing up found that they have less common allergies then of people who don’t grow up with dogs or cats.

Did you know that dogs improve children’s reading scores, help children with speech-language therapy, assist in lowering blood pressure, and help people survive heart attacks? Studies show that senior citizens who have dogs seem to have less doctor appointments.

Another study, reported in Delta Society’s Interactions magazine, was conducted by Leah Brookner, a child and family therapist at Albertina Kerr Centers, as a part of her work towards a PhD in Social Work and Social Research. Therapeutic progress for pre-school children with psychiatric disorders and special education needs can be significantly enhanced by the participation of therapy dog teams in the treatment process.

Therapists found that the dogs encouraged participation in therapy sessions by the children, something that hadn’t always happened previously. Among the results cited in the study:

• A severely mistreated girl found the dog to be a trustworthy friend and for the first time in therapy sessions began to share stories of her trauma and neglect.
• One of the dogs held the heretofore unobtainable interest of a young boy with a short attention span, allowing progress in treatment.
• A young girl with oppositional issues showed turn-taking behaviors revolving around the dog that she had not shown before in any setting.

The list of benefits of the dog/human relationship goes on and on.

So let’s give a round of applause for these pawsatively wonderful and healing dog/human relationships.

Be sure and tune in to see Rufus at The National Dog Show presented by Purina, broadcast by NBC on Thanksgiving Day (12- 2 p.m.), following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The National Dog Show is hosted by The Kennel Club of Philadelphia, set this year for Nov. 12-15 at the Greater Philadelphia Convention Center in Oaks/Valley Forge, PA.

Watch our visit with Rufus at the Ronald McDonald House below!

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Penny From Heaven...Or From Harlem to the Hamptons

"I looked at all the caged animals...the cast-offs of human society. I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal. And I was angry.

"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"

God was silent for a moment and then He spoke softly.

"I have done something—I created you."—Jim Willis, Humanitarian

Aloise is a strong woman with a big heart—both necessary ingredients when one’s job is working in a city animal shelter.

Recently, Aloise lost her job at the shelter. It was so sudden. She hadn’t seen it coming. “Now what?” Aloise felt like she was in free fall.

So many folks are going through this shocking, life-changing experience. One could just take a deep breath and hope it doesn’t last too long.

One of the dogs at the shelter, a female Pit Bull named Penny, at risk of being euthanized because there were just so many dogs and not enough adopters.

Aloise’s heart went out to Penny. Without thinking about her personal upheaval of losing her job, she took the young puppy home.

When they visited friends, Penny was so gregarious and playful. Aloise thought, "This is what I need. Penny is so lively and full of love. What a comfort to have her to care for."

Then the problems began. Living in the Bronx where there were dog fighting rings and lots of kids who had nothing better to do than hang out on corners, is not a place to be walking a young red-nosed Pit Bull without being noticed.

On every walk, Aloise and Penny would hear, “Hey lady, is that a Pit? Is she for sale?" or “Hey, that Pit looks like she’d be a good fighter” and other unmentionable commentary.

These daily harangues were too much for Aloise. She feared for Penny and for herself. She just couldn’t take the negative energy. So she decided since moving wasn’t an option, it would be better to find Penny a more appropriate forever home.

My colleague at GUIDEPOSTS, Alina, is friends with Aloise and she asked if I would contact her and help place Penny, so I talked to Aloise, interviewing her about Penny’s behavior and health. I listed Penny on my Petfinder page.

The odyssey of finding a forever home for a pet can be long and drawn out. First you must wean out those callers who might be involved in dog fighting rings, and others who are just idly curious and have no intention to adopt.

Since Penny is young, well behaved and so beautiful, there began to be some real interest. Aloise interviewed each family visiting their homes, seeing if Penny and their dogs would get along and considering a weekend trial adoption.

Although all applicants seemed acceptable, knowledgeable and experienced dog owners, Aloise kept finding little reasons why the placement wouldn’t work. One couple had a small apartment that Aloise didn’t feel was enough for Penny and their dog. Another family didn’t seem to be that experienced, etc...

She heard a nagging little voice in the back of her mind as she looked at little Penny’s soft, trusting eyes that kept saying, “I don’t know, I just don’t know.”

Her head was swimming with all of the questions about her life, her dog, her job, and decided to take a friend up on an offer for her and Penny to stay at a house in the Hamptons. Both needed a rest from the feeling of living on the edge.

We continued e-mailing back and forth, discussing Penny’s adoption possibilities, and she would always end our conversations by telling me about Penny’s warm, sweet, loving devotion. She’d go on and on about Penny’s beauty and cuteness, how smart she is. “And when I say ‘sit’ she obeys immediately!” Aloise beams. And “Penny gives me a feeling of peacefulness; a sense that everything is going to be all right.”

And then a few weeks went by and I didn’t hear anything. I thought it best to just wait and allow the story to unfold.

Then I heard from Aloise. As I opened her e-mail I was readying myself to continue working to place Penny. Happily, I read this: “Dear Sharon, Last night I said to Penny, “Penny, you’re stuck with me!”

Aren’t these the sweetest words a rescuer can hear?.

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Come Play With Me

To A Squirrel At Kyle-Na-No
by William Butler Yeats

Come play with me;
Why should you run
Through the shaking tree
As though I'd a gun
To strike you dead?
When all I would do
Is to scratch your head
And let you go.

Living near Prospect Park in Brooklyn, I frequently see squirrels in the park, especially when I’m with my dog PoohBear, who always sees them first as he dashes across the field to investigate. But I’ve never seen a baby squirrel.

And just as I was wondering about the little newborn furbabies, I found some lovely photos online of a baby squirrel who fell out of his drey (nest), was caught by a dog and then rescued by his fierce mother!

Of course no one knows what the dog was going to do. Perhaps she was just rescuing the baby. Whatever the dog’s motive, mama squirrel practically flew down the trunk of that tree and snatched her baby from fido. When it comes to protecting their babies, all mothers are fierce.

After being attacked by the squirrel, the dog looked bewildered as he watched the proud mama gently carry her baby back to the nest. Could the dog have been thinking, “Don’t be angry, I was just tryin’ to save your baby!"?

You never know—after all there have been several dog mothers who adopted baby squirrels!

Above photos: Dog catches baby squirrel, but just look up the trunk of the tree. Mama is on her way!; Tough mama!; There she goes up the tree with her unhurt baby in her arms. The dog looks perplexed!

This Chihuahua mama is nurturing baby squirrels.

These two forest babies (marsh rabbit and baby squirrel) were rescued by the Forest Babies Rehabilitation Center. They do great work. Please visit their site. They can tell you what to do if you find an injured baby squirrel.

Sometimes a mama from another species will raise little baby squirrels with their own babies. Here are two lovely videos of baby squirrels who owe their lives to a mama cat.

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

VICKtory Dogs!

Are Pit Bulls naturally aggressive towards humans?

While many Pit Bulls do tend to be aggressive towards other dogs (as are most Terriers), the normal, well-raised Pit Bull has NO human-aggressive tendencies! In fact, human-aggression was actually bred out of the breed. The majority of Pit Bulls are affectionate, intelligent, trainable dogs. The highest obedience trial record of all time is held by an American Pit Bull Terrier named Maddy!

At the end of 2007 all the media was buzzing with the story of Michael Vick and his shocking and cruel dog fighting ring. I have good news. Twenty-two of the dogs seized from Vick’s fighting farm have been taken in for evaluation and rehabilitation by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah!

GUIDEPOSTS’ January 2008 issue has a wonderful story about this sanctuary entitled Room For All by Ptolemy Tompkins.

Every one of these adorable, hungry-for-love dogs are improving; some more quickly than others. Best Friends calls them the "VICKtory Dogs!" Staff at Best Friends is to be congratulated and applauded for their willingness, strength and positive outlook in taking in dogs who never knew a gentle word, touch or hope in their entire lives. And now, their world has been turned upside down in the most beautiful way by people who believe "where there’s a will, there’s a way."

When you see Lucas, Little Red, and Ellen—among others formerly forced to fight and breed—now smiling, kissing and being hugged by their caregivers, you are witnessing a miracle.

Kudos to Michael Mountain, inspired founder of Best Friends Sanctuary, as well as all the volunteers dedicated to caring for these dogs. And bravo to all for going the distance at a time when other organizations were recommending the dogs be euthanized.

See Ray, Little Red, and Lucas, among others of the 22 who were seized from the Vick fighting farm. Each and every one is lapping up and looking forward to the great care and love they're receiving 24/7 from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

For the full story of the “VICKtory Dogs” see the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary site and also this link.

Find more information on the Pit Bull breed.

Photos in order of appearance: Ellen, dreaming of a better future now that her fighting days are over; Ellen with a friend; Little Red is ready to face a better life; Lucas, former breeding dog for Michael Vick, when he first came to Best Friends; a woman hugs a recovering VICKtory dog

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Tricks for Treats!

My neighbor has two dogs. One of them says to the other, "Woof!"
The other replies, "Moo!"
The dog is perplexed. "Moo? Why did you say, 'Moo'?"
The other dog says, "I'm trying to learn a foreign language."—Morey Amsterdam

Everywhere I look on the city streets there are hints of what I think is one of the most fun autumn holidays. Witches, ghosts, goblins, skeletons and a variety of character costumes fill the store windows.

Flashes of orange, black, gold and other fall colors conjure up falling leaves, pumpkins, apple picking and families getting ready to buy or make costumes for their children’s trick-or-treat adventure. “I’d like to be a ballerina” or “princess” or “witch,” some young girls say. Boys like the more macho characters like Superman, Spider Man or a swashbuckling pirate.

Dogs and cats have no choice in the matter. Their humans dress them up according to whim. Some dogs are so embarrassed; they just turn their backs and blush or think, “What did I do to deserve this? My humans are so strange!”

Did you know that 3.5 Americans will dress up their dogs for Halloween this year? I think it’s great. And children love to see their dogs and cats become part of the fun.

Other dogs are pure unadulterated show-offs. A while back, my dog Ginger, a Retriever/Border Collie was invited to a doggie Halloween party. I couldn’t make my mind up about a costume, although I knew it had to be something very feminine since she was such a beautiful girlie girl.

A few weeks before the party, I happened to find a lavender boa on a park bench one morning on the dog walk. “Who would leave a lavender boa on a bench?” I wondered. Maybe it belonged to a party girl. Ginger’s Halloween costume, I thought.

Ginger had a keen sense of humor, always willing to make people laugh. On the day of the party, I placed the lavender boa around her neck, her dress was a white satin, low-cut chemise, necklaces of diamonds, pearls and rubies hung from her neck along with the boa, and I sewed rhinestones on little purple socks for her ankles. She wore lipstick on her cheeks and toes flashed hot pink nail polish.

Well, that little Jezebel fit right into her role. As soon as we got to the party, Ginger began giving all the boy dogs long looks, running up to them planting kisses right on their lips and sashaying around the room.

The party hostess awarded prizes for the prettiest, scariest, and most creative costumes. There was a Pug ballerina, a Pit Bull pirate, a Poodle witch and many other interesting and funny get-ups. Ginger won for the most creative. Sadly, I’ve lost the photos so you’ll have to use your imagination.

Check out this funny YouTube video of an ‘alligator’ menacing a Dachshund.
 
Some dogs don’t even need a costume!
 
Have a fun, safe and happy Halloween. WOOF!
 

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Strong Hearts/Strong Minds

Me Saving a Dog by Daniel
“One day I was walking through the street when I saw this dog running real fast. A man was coming after him with a gun. I stopped him and I asked him “why are you trying to kill him?” “Because he bit my daughter,” the man said.

“Why do you have to kill him? You could just take him to the dog pound.”

“Maybe I don’t have to kill him. Okay. I’ll take him to the dog pound.”

“Then I went to the dog pound and I got him out. Now he is my pet.”

The above story is from the website benderplace.com.

In Me Saving a Dog, the child, Daniel, not only saved the dog’s life, but taught the adult a great lesson. How often do we resort to an extreme response when faced with a challenge that seems impossible?

Like the time my friend’s son totaled her car. She admonished him and forever forbade him from using her new car. “Is this really a solution?” I asked her. “What will your son learn except that he has been judged and punished without a fair trial.”

My friend who is generally an open person, would not relent on her decision—at least not right away. A week later, after giving the matter thought and consideration, she decided to open a dialogue with her son that ultimately led to a willingness to trust again on her part and his promise to be more careful.

I see this kind of judgment in the world of animal rescue every day. The dog crosses a boundary and he or she is returned to the shelter to sadly face a downward spiral.

What is accomplished by giving up? My mother used to tell me “nothing worthwhile is simple.” Tough situations are like tests. Instead of giving up, maybe take a breath, think it through, try to understand why and how things got so complicated.

When Strongheart came to me off the NYC streets, he was fearful and mistrustful, which is the ultimate cause of aggression in dogs. In nature, dogs are not aggressive. I couldn’t know this dog’s background, but it was clear he had some bad times.

Back then I boarded my rescued dogs in a kennel in upstate New York until I could find a home for them. Strongheart was at the kennel for two weeks when I was told by the kennel manager he was too aggressive and unmanageable for her to handle.

I flew upstate as fast as lightning and took him back. The situation seemed impossible. Strongheart became unmanageable. How was I to deal with a dog who had become too much for a seasoned shelter manager?

That first night with him in my apartment I cried and prayed all night. We kept Strongheart in the bedroom away from my own dogs. We began a concentrated training program using positive reinforcement and teaching pack leadership, which is never easy for me since I’m basically an easy going person. But I either had to do it or lose Strongheart. Where I found the energy and will to play this role of leader was a miracle. See Cesar Millan’s website for further tips on how to be a pack leader.

“Time heals all wounds,” they say. It took a lot of time and I almost gave up. But eventually, with tough love, Strongheart learned there was nothing to fear and his deep trusting nature came to the surface.

What a discipline this was for both of us. Eventually I was able to place Strongheart into a good home with a family experienced with large dominant dogs and very willing to put time and effort into Strongheart’s needs.

After a while, I heard from the family who told me that Strongheart had become trustworthy and completely relaxed in every situation, even putting your hand in his food bowl!

If you’re wondering where I got the name, Strongheart was the famous pre-Rin Tin Tin canine movie star of the late 1920s and subject of a deeply touching, beautifully written book of love letters by J. Allen Boone, Letters to Strongheart.

I’ll always remember Daniel’s story, Me Saving a Dog; a child, who, with all his heart and mind and because he believed, went the distance to save a life.

Here’s to patience, intelligence, strong hearts and strong minds! Amen!
 
Photo: The famous movie star, Strongheart (born Etzel von Oeringen)

Send in a photo and prayer for your pet!
 
Sharon Azar is an assistant to the editorial staff at GUIDEPOSTS. In her spare time, she rescues dogs and does portraits of furry, feathered and scaled companion animals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.