Therapy Dogs

Staff Sgt. Anthony Houston, of Detroit, and Staff Sgt. Travis Gilbert, of Rockford, Mich., both from the Michigan Army National Guard’s 1225th Corps Support Battalion, which recently returned from Kandahar, Afghanistan, watch 3-year-old therapy dog, Lugnut, do a trick Aug. 4. Welcome Home Dogs, a volunteer organization of handlers and dogs, recently started visiting Camp Atterbury soldiers as they work through the mobilization and demobilization process. Photo by Jill Swank

Paging Doctor Fido! The Healing Power of Therapy Dogs

Curling up with a canine companion is definitely one of life’s purest and most simple pleasures. How many times have you wished you could bottle that wonderful feeling of comfort and peace that comes from petting a dog so you could open it up and have that feeling again when things get rough? That’s the basic premise behind therapy dogs: dogs that are trained to be well-behaved and provide comfort and affection to those in need of it.
Read post »

Poodle assisting her human near Pike Place Market, Seattle. By Lisa Norwood.

Service Dogs: Making a Daily Difference

We all know that dogs are capable of learning and performing some pretty amazing and impressive tricks. What some people aren’t as familiar with are the services dogs are capable of learning and executing and the lives they save and enrich in doing so. Service dogs make a daily difference for those living with physical, neurological, and psychological disabilities. They allow people to live as normal a life as possible, and to do many of the things that their disabilities might prohibit them from doing without assistance. They work tirelessly, devotedly, lovingly, and all they ask in return is affection. They are canine heroes, and we are excited to highlight them in this week’s Dog Tails post.
Read post »

The Plight of the Pit Bull

DieselDiesel is a beast of a dog, a three year-old mountain of silky black fur and solid muscle. His head measures nearly 25 inches around, and he is well on his way to the one hundred pound mark. He is also one of the biggest goofballs you will ever meet. He shares a house with a family of seven humans and two cats. One of his best buddies is a tiny kitten named Lionel, who shows no fear of his gargantuan companion, and will play alongside of him without batting an eye. Diesel loves to frolic outside, and has a habit of bringing back a big stick and plopping down on the porch to chew on it. He knows how to sit, lie down, and offer up each paw when commanded. He’s a lovable bundle of energy and affection. He is also a pit bull.
Read post »