Brandy and Val

A belated rememberance (isn’t this a word?)  to all our servicemen, servicewomen and service dogs who have given their lives in the name of the United States of America and to all those who continue to do so.   Numerous memorials took place all over the Country last week,  but I don’t know if any made mention of the service dogs out there that work on military bases both here and abroad and those who see combat, too.  An estimated 2,300 canines are currently working in guard capacities and as explosive and drug sniffers.  They can be found working in Afghanistan and Iraq and closer to home on military bases in the U.S.    A dog even accompanied the SEAL Team used to kill Osama Bin Laden.  The dogs that go into combat are also outfitted in their own military gear for protection.  A previous post of ours talked about the growing use of therapy dogs to help returning vets and what an invaluable service they provide.

Dogs have been used by the military since the Revolutionary War where they were used to kill rats and in World War II, they were also used as messengers in addition to their guard and sniffing duties.

The most common breed for combat is the German Shepherd and Labrador Retrievers are also finding their way into service, as well.  Stray dogs are even being adopted by bases as companions for the soldiers.  Check out the following site for some wonderful war dog stories:

War Dog Stories of the Week

Man’s best friend is proving to be invaluable to us in so many ways.  Many many hugs and thanks to them all —  whether he or she is the one lying at your feet or helping protect the U.S. in combat.  Brandy and Val, two former rescue dogs now helping as pet therapy dogs in their community couldn’t be more proud!

Happy 2010!   Brandy, Val and I are gearing up for our late winter/spring appearances.  Our first several months meeting, greeting, reading and announcing our new books and toys have been a fun adventure so far.    Kids come up with the funny and  interesting questions so I thought I share with you some one that keep coming up or are my favorites (along with the answers!)

1) Is yogurt a healthy treat for dogs? Consult with your vet for the authoritative answer on this.  We do not feed Brandy and Val yogurt on a regular basis but we DO let them lick out the bowls when we’re done with ours and they get to lick out what they can from an empty jar.  We even have a photo of Brandy doing this in my book Brandy and Val’s Favorite Things. Our vet says that’s fine and the live cultures are good for them.

2) What are the names of the friends that are pictured in the books?  In Brandy and Val, the bichon frise’s name is “Petreus.” In Brandy and Val’s Favorite Things, the collie’s name is “Molly” and “Maverick” is the big Bernese Mountain Dog!

3) Who are the cats in the painting on the back cover of BRANDY AND VAL’S  SPECIAL STORY? Before we had Brandy and Val, we had two cats,  Ragmonster and Oscar.  Both were rescues, too!

4)  Zachary, the boy for whom I wrote the book,s asks if I tell everyone that I wrote the books for him. YES!  I do.

5) What kind of dogs are Brandy and Val?  Val is a Labrador Retriever. Brandy is a mix between a Viszla, (a Hungarian hunting dog that look like a red-haired Weimeraner)  and a Lab.

6)  Probably my favorite question came from a little girl who noticed that all the paw prints in the books are black but Brandy and her mini-toy have pink pads.  She then wondered why I only show Val’s footprints in the books.   Truth be told, it never crossed my mind to put pink AND black paw prints in the  books.  Next time!

New York Times/Nov 1, 2009

Provocative article in the “Week in Review” section of  November 1 NEW YORK TIMES:  Good Dog, Smart Dog Many of us are already aware of the human-like and super-sensory capabilities our canine friends possess.  They are so prominently on display in the roles of service dogs–in search and rescue capacities (think 9/11, Hurricane Katrina), pet therapy (soothing anxious patients in hospitals or making contact with autistic people), seizure and psychiatric service dogs and seeing eye dogs to name a few.  However, the verdict is still out as to whether dogs can actually think like humans or whether it is a combination of training and dogs’ keen awareness of the people around them that explains this perception.

Research on these topics is discussed citing studies by scientists in Hungary, Germany, that of  Clive D. L. Wynne at the University of Florida, and reknowned psychology professor Stanley Coren, the author of several books on dogs, including The Intelligence of Dogs and Why We Love the Dogs We Do.  The U.S. Army is even now planning to study how psychiatric service dogs might help soldiers cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

How often does one hear the phrase, or some variation of, uttered in dismay or disgust, “my dog has more brains than he/she does.”  Well, maybe one day the evidence will confirm that.  In the meantime, we can simply refer to Dr. Coren’s rankings of the 100 most intelligent breeds where Border Collies, Poodles, Retrievers, Labradors and Shepherds round out his Top 5.

Val, what a sorry state we found him in!  We weren’t necessarily looking for another dog, but my husband and I were at a vet’s office looking at one who, we were told, was Brandy’s biological brother.  Without going into the details, we all recognized, including Brandy, that this would not be a match made in Heaven.  There was another dog at the clinic that I noticed because he was so emaciated and his eyes were so full of loneliness and sadness.  I was told FPALR was trying to find a home for him but we went home, not giving it another thought…..or so I thought.  My eye contact with Val haunted me,  I ultimately relented and told my husband that if he wanted a 2nd dog, the sickly yellow lab we saw from the other day would be it.

We didn’t know anything about Val’s history at the time but when Val walked through the door, further explanation was warranted ASAP!  His belly was full of surgical staples, he smelled, his leg had a big protruding bulge of bone on it and he was covered in some form of skin rash.  I was not  thinking of giving him back since I felt even sorrier for him now but I definitely was thinking “what did we get ourselves into with this one?” AND “ka-ching, ka-ching on vet bills!”

Ileana brought over Val’s papers.  A Katrina Dog.

We heard of all the abandoned pets and saw the pictures of the lost souls wandering New Orleans, standing on roof tops, etc. and felt awful.   It turned out that FPALR brought up 30 dogs to place (they did) and Val was part of the group.  We know nothing of his background but can only assume that he had a family since he clearly was trained, obedient, walked easily on a leash and adores being around little children.  As for his name?  Don’t really know but he was called “Valenti” and the school of thought is that the ASPCA veterinarians in New Orleans oversaw the care of  groups of animals and they were identified by the name charge or some variation of that theme.   By the time we adopted him, he reasonably enough responded to his new name and we didn’t have the heart to change it again.  He was 40 pounds upon arrival to our home; he truly must have been at death’s door when he was picked up in New Orleans.  I wonder every day why he was chosen to survive and what his story was.  How I wish he could talk.

Needless to say, we nursed him back to health.  He weighs in at 72 pounds and shows very little signs of his traumatic past.   He remains petrified of heavy rains and storms and can detect thunder and lightening at a distance.  He shakes so much and it is so pitiful.  Many dogs, however, fear storms so I’ll never really know to what extent Katrina played in this.  Surprisingly, Val loves to swim.  We thought, for sure, he would stay away from water.

Fortunate pooch, indeed!  One look into Val’s eyes and I know each and every moment how grateful he is for his new family.