Doggone Etiquette —

A Canine Hero

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:           

There have probably been times when you’ve thought you were very smart — for example, when you’ve conned your good people into forking over some of their delicious dinner. But, I’ll bet you’ve never thought of yourself as a big hero or a celebrity in the world beyond your home and family. Maybe you did in those dreams we talked about a few weeks ago. Well, just so you know, many of you dogs really are what the people who know you would call “heroes.”

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:            

Yesterday we honored our Veterans, and so we should. They are our war heroes who offered their lives for us. We don’t have a special day for it, but we do also remember and honor the dogs that are for the most part unsung heroes except to their grateful owners. These are the dogs that have alerted their owners to any number of dangers in or around the home, from fires to burglars to prowling bears. Each such dog becomes our personal hero.  

Then there are the dogs with two specific jobs. One is to be the owner’s companion, friend, and side-kick, and the other job is the one the dog is trained to do and then does it exceptionally well. These heroic jobs include aiding the handicapped in every imaginable way — and some pretty un-imaginable ones like warning of an oncoming seizure. Lots of people are familiar with the Certified Therapy Dogs that work locally in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, giving comfort and smiles to those in need. They are heroes on every visit.                        

Many of these exceptionally heroic dogs have received the American Kennel Club Humane Fund Awards for Excellence in 2010 and will be honored during the Westminster Dog Show in New York in February. One you may have heard of is “Rufus” — that’s his real name, not my ‘nom de chien.” He’s a Bull Terrier and, as a show dog took Best in Show at Westminster, but his current claim to fame is his work as a Certified Therapy Dog in New Jersey. He was honored for it last month. “Wyatt, a Rhodesian Ridgeback which is another unusual breed to work in therapy will be honored for his work with autistic and disabled children.

We think of a “hero” as someone who is brave, courageous and fearless.  All of that and more applies to “Cassius” a German Shepherd Dog, born perhaps fortuitously on Valentine’s Day. Eight weeks later he was left in a shelter, but his birthday luck stayed with him. He was adopted and trained by a pharmacist whose work involves him in all kinds of disasters. “Cassius” soon became a certified Search & Rescue dog, working with his partner to locate and rescue people in catastrophes all over the States and abroad. They both received Congressional Commendations for their work in Haiti following the horrible earthquake there. A canine hero indeed! And there are many like him — dogs of distinction, to be honored and respected by all of us.

The dog lying quietly at your feet (or begging you to take him for a walk) can, or should be, your hero. Simply for being the only pal who listens sympathetically to all your gripes and complaints without any criticism makes him a hero. For trying to live up to the goals you set for the dog you chose and took into your home qualifies your canine companion as a dog of distinction. Treat him well. Let him be your hero.

Until next time – BE GOOD!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years, during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me!, which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.