The holidays are a time we share with those we love which for many of us includes our canine friends
By: Gracee Arthur
Lady Alice Clayton
Lady Alice Clayton, a German shorthaired pointer was a great friend of mine. We jogged together, played fetch on the beach and cuddled in front of the fireplace with the kitties. Lady also had a “job” she retrieved the newspaper every morning including the Sunday Los Angeles Times! I would open the door and out she would run up the long driveway to do her job. She fiddled with the large, heavy Sunday paper until she could fit it in her soft retriever mouth and then ran full speed back to the house where she awaited her reward.
Lady Getting the Newspaper
There she held the paper until her biscuit was presented at which time she gently dropped it at my feet. Lady Alice passed away a few years ago at age 17 and we still miss her.
There is another special dog that I have never met who is true K-9 hero. Brutus is a military dog and I recently came upon his heroic story which reminded me again of the amazing bond between humans and their canine friends and protectors.
The K9 below is Brutus, a military K9 at McChord. He’s huge – part Boxer and part British Bull Mastiff and tops the scales at 200 lbs Brutus won the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq . His handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents. Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal that meant ‘go away but come back and find me.’
Brutus
The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus. He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of one guard at one door and another guard at another door. He then jumped against one of the doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an old warehouse) until it opened. He went in, untied his handler and they all escaped. He’s the first K9 to receive the medal of Honor. If Brutus knows you’re ok, he’s a big old lug and wants to sit in your lap – he even enjoys the company of cats.
The holiday’s are a good time to show love and appreciation to our canine friends, especially those who are in shelters and rescues. This has been a very difficult year for many pets whose owners lost their homes and had to give them up. If you have a pet you love or one you will always remember please consider making a donation in their name to one of these pet rescue organizations.
EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.
