Have You Received Loyalty and Friendship from Divine Messenger Dogs?

Sometimes animals seem to have been put on the earth for the specific purpose of caring about and helping us. They are powerful forces for good.

— Kristin von Kreisler, The Compassion of Animals

After the events of September 11, 2001, Jon Stewart, host and resident satirist on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, was devastated, along with most of the world. His way to deal with the tragedy was one that millions have found lifts their spirits as nothing else can: he adopted a puppy.

As America reeled after September 11 from the loss of life and the feeling of vulnerability within its own shores, an unfortunate backlash toward people of Arab descent or Muslim belief occurred in some places. Ahmed Tharwat is the host and producer of Belahdan, an Arab American talk show on Public TV, Channel 17 in Minneapolis. A few months after 9/11, Ahmed's daughter persuaded him to adopt a beagle puppy. Later, he wrote a letter to the editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune about taking the puppy for walks and the effects the young dog had on people around them. "Strangers who used to skillfully avoid eye contact now wanted to engage me in warm conversation. Patriotic national hotline tippers, usually more concerned about Muslim sleepers and terrorism, now cordially inquired about my dog's sleeping habits, breed, and big, black eyes. People's interest had taken a blessed turn. Their mood was inviting — families congregated around me to see the cute puppy. For me, a dog single-handedly brought the American melting pot down to a simmer. He accomplished what years of diversity training have failed to do. Regardless of our race or country of origin, we have become a community of dog lovers."

The friendship and loyalty of dogs help human beings to get through just about any of life's changes and sudden curves. This is because dogs are fantastic stress relievers. In a study of 240 couples conducted by Karen Allen, of the State University of New York at Buffalo, when people were tested on stressful tasks in the company of their pets, they coped better than when they were alone or when a friend or spouse was nearby.

Dogs have an enormous capacity for helping people forget their worries and anxieties. The reason is really very simple: dogs are good friends; their loyalty is unswerving. Perhaps this is why 80 percent of the people surveyed in a study by the American Animal Hospital Association selected companionship as their major reason for having a pet.

Dogs have become important to the daily lives and emotional well-being of millions. As a society, we have accepted the obligation to preserve and protect this beneficial relationship. Today, people file lawsuits to uphold the rights of animals. Feuding spouses contest each other in divorce hearings over who will have custody of the dog. It is not at all out of the norm for human companions to spend thousands of dollars for surgeries and other procedures to alleviate the suffering and extend the lives of their ailing and aging pets. Dogs these days are full-fledged members of the family, and as they take over our hearts and homes with their endearing ways, we bestow upon them rights and privileges (as well as clothing and jewelry) that used to belong only to human beings.

Treating dogs as human beings has its up- and downsides. The positive outcome is that the humane treatment of dogs and other animals improves as people become more aware that animals have thoughts, feelings, and even divine purposes. The downside is that at times, it's a burden on the animal when people try to transform a dog into a human. The dogness is obscured or lost. When the lines get too blurred, differences that have made the human-dog relationship complementary and valuable throughout the ages fade away.

The modern inclination is to forget that dogs, as lovable and capable of acting beyond instinct as they are, can and do revert to instinct. The tendency to turn dogs into unquestioning protectors and defenders ignores other aspects of their nature. Just as humans are not all alike, dogs are not all alike. Just as humans behave badly at times, dogs do too.

For example, it could be tempting, especially after you read the stories in this book about dogs saving the lives of infants and toddlers, to think that your dog is an ideal babysitter. But each dog is unique. Some breeds are inclined to herd, and they naturally help to keep children away from danger. Other breeds may have more aggressive natures. And no matter the breed, some dogs may have been subjected to abuse that scarred their emotions and personalities, leaving them anxious, edgy, or overly aggressive. This could mean that in a time of crisis, or if something triggers the dog's instinct to attack, a nearby child (or adult) could be in danger.

One area of concern is when babies are in swings. The back-and-forth swinging motion can send an impulse to the dog to chase prey. Catherine Mills, a North Carolina dog trainer, and John C. Wright, an animal behaviorist with Mercer University, say that "pets should be conditioned to ignore swings before a baby is put into one." As with any relationship, whether with animal or human, it's good to use common sense and always keep an eye on the situation. And of course, be cautious about leaving a baby or young child alone, even with the family pet.

That said, most dogs are astoundingly perceptive, accommodating, and loyal to a fault. They are also masters at forgiveness. In the following stories, notice the number of times dogs have been scheduled for euthanization because of overcrowded animal shelters and irresponsible humans who abandoned them. When the dogs are rescued, they don't hold grudges against humanity, but become people's most enduring friends.

In this chapter you'll meet dogs who went far above and beyond what most humans can or will offer one another in friendship and loyalty. We hope the stories will remind you of the companionship that dogs have brought to your life and the messages of unconditional love that they have imprinted upon your heart.

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Cpl. J. R. Dugan Honors a Fallen Soldier

Charles Patrick Dugan
Del Rio, Texas

I named my dog, a Jack Russell terrier who is twenty-three pounds of solid muscle, Cpl. J. R. Dugan, USMC 2164539. I gave him the combination of the initials for his breed, Jack Russell, (J. R.) with my U.S. Marine Corps rank and serial number, because this dog has the heart of a lion. I call him Cpl. J. R. Dugan or Cpl. J. R., for short. He is tricolor with a light brown patch over one eye that makes him look like a little pirate. Cpl. J. R. is fearless and the smartest dog I have ever had. He is the little heartbeat at my feet.

As a...