Sunday November 1, 2009, 5:25 pm
I love this pic!! Thnx Tom...great post!!

Sunday November 1, 2009, 6:33 pm
By now I suppose everyone has heard of and watched the story of a very old therapy dog named Baxter who just recently died. He was unable to walk in his later years, and though he couldn't do his job fully, he was still at work - being laid in the beds of the sick and elderly to help them feel better or even pass to the other side. All it took was him being there to add comfort to those who needed it most. That is the power of a dog.

Sunday November 1, 2009, 7:00 pm
Moments with Baxter from YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIrDbzoOxZc

Baxter's story is here: http://tinyurl.com/yhtj7rw

Tribute video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8pQM0qvlxo

Sunday November 1, 2009, 9:46 pm
Sometimes, medicine can't cure a person who is ill. Sometimes, all it takes is TLC not just form the person's relatives and friends, but also from gentle and friendly animals.

Monday November 2, 2009, 12:45 am
Animals are so INTUITIVE. It is amazing.

Monday November 2, 2009, 1:08 am
dogs are very tuned in they help in so many ways

Monday November 2, 2009, 2:40 am
this pic is soooooo cute it luks gorgeous xxxx

Monday November 2, 2009, 5:29 am
Good read - thanks, Tom.

Monday November 2, 2009, 5:50 am
That is why they are man's best friend!

Monday November 2, 2009, 1:33 pm
Hmmmm .. very interesting .. especially the medical applications. A dog who could sniff out lung cancer would certainly be a benefit to those of us who are not able to withstand invasive surgery (biopsy). Perhaps the dog would be able to identify these odors much sooner than waiting for the usual symptoms. Lots to think about !

Monday November 2, 2009, 4:28 pm
I remember maybe seven years ago someone was discussing the typical American dog. The conclusion? Fido is a member of the family!

And why not? Canis familiaris has been bred to be our companian, to accept people as leader of the 'dog pack'. In a dog's mind, we are a dog, albeit alpha dog.

Dogs know when there is an emergency, they know how we are feeling.

Something I have wondered since I ran across this - dogs react better with people than even our nearest ancester, the chimpanzee. Other primates, in spite of their intelligence, are incapable of understanding human emotion compared to a dog.

Wednesday November 4, 2009, 4:03 am
Thannxxx...animals are so amazing and if we listen closely we can learn so much from them... they are intelligent and smart...

Wednesday November 4, 2009, 2:33 pm
This NYTimes article was even translated into Hebrew and published in the major newspaper in Israel! This made my morning.

TY Tom.

Sunday November 15, 2009, 1:50 pm
A terrific story, Tom. Thank you. We all know that dogs have been called 'man's best friend', It is good to see psychiatric illness recognized as a medical condition just as any other and that patients can use a service dog as well as those with other disabilities.