Monday, October 6, 2008

Happy News Monday - Dog Valor

Canine a finalist for a valor award.
This story from happynews.com is about a dog that is up for a valor award. The awards are new and the dog, Pearl, is nominated in the working dog category. She saved her owner's life.
I was just watching a show about dogs last night and one of the problems they mentioned we are having with dogs in modern society is that they don't have a job.
My dog has several jobs. He keeps me fit by taking me on a walk. He cleans up the floor after dinner. He makes sure the kids get on the bus safely.
Not sure if he's completely satisfied in all of those jobs, but I wouldn't know if he is complaining.
Could I train him for more? Sure.
He has a great vocabulary such that we have to spell things like walk and treat.
I never thought he'd be much of a guard dog.
One day my brother-in-law walked into my house. I knew he was coming over. The dog didn't get that memo. The dog went from asleep to snarling in the kitchen.
Until he figured out it was his favorite person. Until that moment, I didn't think he' d defend me, but he would.
If someone hasn't been home when he was fed, when they do come home he gives a look and stares at his bowl trying to make the person think he hasn't been fed. Funny dog.
To come back to these awards, does the dog really know? I understand that show dogs have a sense they've done something good when they've won, but they do those show all the time. Does a dog really know he's done something good after the fact. We praise them right away because they live in the moment. If you give them an award days or even weeks later, they don't have any idea what is going on.
I think the awards are for the humans.
The dog's happy with an extra chew toy.
So, if you have a pet, has it done anything extraordinary?

7 comments:

Tx Lyn said...

Uplifting post. I love dogs--well, on an individual basis. Not all dogs are created, or socialized, equally. Some years ago my mother was talking about my sister's dog and opined that the dog's trouble was that he had no job. She got ribbed for that statement for years. Now I see that experts are of the same opinion.

Man! Mom knows best.

Your pooch sounds like a fun guy to have around-and quite the safety dude.

Vivian Zabel said...

All I have now is a cat, but he's a guard cat. If I'm outside, he's right there. If a dog should come within sight and act as if it might walk toward me, Funny Face prepares to attack, and has in the past.

Apparently he thought he should have a job, other than owning me, and found one for himself.

Maryannwrites said...

Nice post, Chris. Not sure if it is extraordinary, but my big dog - part Border Collie and part Australian Shepherd - watches over the cats and the other small dog. She herds them all. :-)

She also likes to chase a ball. That is her primary job.

Anonymous said...

The only extraordinary thing my dog does is be happy nearly all of the time. It would exhaust me - I'm not sure how he does it.

It's true dogs need a job. Since he doesn't really have one, the resident dog takes it upon himself to wash the dishes while we're putting them in the dishwasher. He does weed the patio with us, though. :)

Anonymous said...

My cat toilet trained herself. No, I don't mean the litter box-I mean the people potty. I thought that was pretty unusual. She didn't save anyone's life, and she isn't a dog, but she sure was smart.

ELaine Cantrell
www.elainecantrell.com

Morgan Mandel said...

Rascal is extraordinary in that even though she's deaf, most people can't tell. She still has an enjoyable life, keeps us fit by making us walk her, and lives up to her name.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

Chris Redding said...

Seems we all love our animals and they all are smart.
cmr