Canine Heroes

Thought for the day:  No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.  [Louis Sabin]

Dogs have almost always been a part of my life.

We may not have had the smartest dogs in the world, or the prettiest, but we always managed to share our home with the sweetest and most loving. And yes, being welcomed home by an excited dog can make you feel rich. And important.

Nothing against our cats... we love 'em to pieces... but they aren't exactly over-the-top "Welcome home; I've missed you soooo much!" kinda critters like dogs are. Their attitudes are more like, (yawn) "What? You were gone...?"

It isn't that our dogs didn't know ANY tricks. Not at all. They did. Our Springer spaniel could catch Frisbees. Really well, too. Most of our dogs were pretty good about conducting their, um,  business outside, too. (Most of the time.) And my grandmother had a beautiful boxer whose awe-inspiring farts spurred people to set personal best speed records in their mad dashes to the exit.

But none of our dogs were ever trained to be performers... like these dogs.

                                                                               

 There are Frisbee-catchers, rope-jumper, and break-dancers (Who knew?)... and then there are Military Working Dogs. Those amazing dogs are in a class all by themselves.

Even though dogs worked alongside soldiers during the Civil War and WWI, they weren't officially inducted into the U.S. Army until 1942. Currently, there are an estimated 2800 active-duty dogs, and about 600 of them are serving  in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over the years, these dogs have served honorably and saved many lives, doing everything from sniffing out enemy combatants and hidden explosive devices to ... jumping out of airplanes.

This pic from K9 Storm shows military dog handler Mike Forsythe and his dog Cara jumping from an airplane from a record-breaking height of 30,100 feet. Both of them had to wear oxygen masks to tackle this mind-boggling feat. Military dogs usually jump in tandem with their trainers, but with flotation devices, they can make short jumps into the water on their own.

This picture, from Manual J. Martinez, of the USAF  shows a jump from a Chinook CH-47 during a training exercise over the Gulf of Mexico. This dog is wearing a special flotation device.

MWDs and their handlers are a tightly-knit unit.

Equipped with cameras, these dogs lead the way into danger zones and allow their handlers to see what's ahead before the humans venture forward. Like their human counterparts, these dogs are not only highly trained, but are also highly skilled, and highly motivated.

And just like two-legged soldiers, they also get wounded... and killed... in the line of duty.

[image: Wikimedia Commons]

In 1943, the PDSA, a UK animal welfare group founded in 1917 by Maria Dickin, created the Dickin Award for animals that showed conspicuous bravery in the war. As the medal so aptly says, We also serve. This medal has been awarded to pigeons, horses, one cat, and many dogs, including a couple U.S. Military Working Dogs. (I wonder what the cat did...?)





A couple years ago, the American Humane Society came up with a similar award: the Lois Pope K-9 Medal of Courage.

Named in honor of Lois Pope, a philanthropist and avid veterans' advocate, the first four of these awards were presented to dogs in May of this year.

Nice... but where's the government been all these years? If these valiant and loyal dogs have officially been considered part of the military since 1942, where has the official recognition for their service been?

Oh, you'd better believe the soldiers know about their bravery. All who served with a working dog know how invaluable they are. Some men have pinned their own Purple Hearts to their beloved companions and protectors. One even gave his silver star to a dog for a brief while... until some people started complaining that those awards were for real soldiers... meaning people, of course.

But where was the government? Where was the recognition?

Finally, finally, our dedicated military working dogs may have their own official U.S. Department of Defense commendation.

On August 7, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey announced that his 2016 proposed legislation to create a Guardians of America's Freedom Medal in honor of the dedication and sacrifices of military working dogs had gotten enough votes to pass in Congress. Fittingly, he made the announcement at the War Dogs Memorial in front of a crowd that included four active-duty service dogs and their handlers, and two retired dogs, including Robby, a one-eyed German shepherd with wheels supporting his rear legs.

Four-legged heroes.

Now, all that has to happen is for our president to sign the legislation... and the award to be designed. No telling how long that will take, but ya know? I don't think the dogs mind. They don't do what they do for the medals. They do it for the people... they do it because of their fierce loyalty and sense of protection for the soldiers they serve and love. They're perfectly happy with a pat on the head and a kind word.

                                                And like all dogs,  they know how to wait.


So, how about you? Not that you've ever had a dog who jumped out of airplanes with a parachute, (they can ALL do it WITHOUT one ... but only ONCE) but what nifty tricks could your favorite pooch do?

[Mega thanks you to icanhazcheeseburger.com and perfectlytimedphotos.com for granting me permission to use their pictures.)

                               Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

P.S. Here's the link to an earlier post, if you'd like to read more about military working dogs. 

But Can He Catch a Frisbee?

Thought for the day:  No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.  [Louis Sabin]

We may not have had the smartest dogs in the world, or the prettiest, but we always managed to share our home with the sweetest and most loving. And yes, being welcomed home by an excited dog can make you feel rich. And important.

Nothing against our cats... we love 'em to pieces... but they aren't exactly over-the-top "Welcome home; I've missed you soooo much!" kinda critters like dogs are. Their attitudes are more like, (yawn) "What? You were gone...?"

It isn't that our dogs didn't know ANY tricks. Not at all. They did. Our Springer spaniel could catch Frisbees. Really well, too. Most of our dogs were pretty good about conducting their, um,  business outside, too. (Most of the time.) And my grandmother had a beautiful boxer whose awe-inspiring farts spurred people to set personal best speed records in their mad dashes to the exit.

I yam what I yam

But our dogs were always gentle. Wouldn't hurt a fly. Or a burglar. Or a butterfly.

Last year, I wrote a post about military working dogs. It is positively amazing what these dogs can do. Like jump out of airplanes. (More than one time, too!)

Today, I'm gonna show you what another kind of service dog can do. You won't believe it until you see it with your own eyes:

That settles it! Clearly, we've been giving our dogs the wrong name. We have to get a Jesse. How about you? Think you could use a dog like him? Or do you already have a dog that astounds? Does he only chew up the shoes that hurt your feet? Does he only bark at people from the other political party? Do tell.

                                    Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

CREDIT Senior Ark, I Can Has Cheezburger, and Manuel J. Martinez, USAF, for the nifty images.

Dadgum It, Them's Not Pigs!

Thought for the day:  I still believe in Hope-- mostly because there's no such place as Fingers Crossed, Arkansas.   Unknown origin

Bill Clinton Presidential Library and Museum

Arkansas is one of those states that doesn't get a lot of respect. I won't venture a guess as to why that is, but suffice it to say most of the Arkansas jokes I found on the Internet were downright insulting.

The truth is, there are a lot of beautiful places in Arkansas, and no matter what you may have heard, Bill Clinton's Presidential Library is NOT in a double wide trailer.

Best if ya don't call this a "pig"

The people of Arkansas are also VERY serious about their beloved University of Arkansas Razorbacks. It's pretty safe to say that, like a lot of states throughout the South, devotion to college football is practically a religion.

Arkansas football fans may not exactly be "rabid", but when my husband traveled there on a business trip some years back and asked why there were so many "pictures of pigs" all over the place, the locals didn't show him much love.








There's much beauty across the state, like some of these places:

Whitaker Point

Sam's Throne, Ozark Mountains

Thompson Mill    

OK, I've played PR person for the state enough. But I've gotta say, when searching for landmarks within the state, most pictures and sites led me back to the Razorbacks. They DO love them pigs. Oops. You know what I mean.

So let's see what kind of foolish laws the state of Arkansas still has on their books:

• The Arkansas River can rise no higher than to the Main Street bridge in Little Rock. (Wow! They can even legislate the RAIN? Impressive!)
• School teachers who bob their hair will not get a raise. 
• A man can legally beat his wife, but not more than once a month. (WOW!)
• Alligators may not be kept in bathtubs. (Houseguests appreciate this one.)
• In Fayetteville, it's illegal to kill "any living thing."  (But you can kill all the dead ones you want.)
• In Little Rock, honking one's horn at a sandwich shop after 9 PM is against the law.
• Also in Little Rock, no one may suddenly start or stop their car at McDonald's. (must make it difficult to set up a good drag race there, huh?)
• In Little Rock, dogs may NOT bark after 6 PM. (Has anyone told the dogs?)
• Again in Little Rock, flirtation on the streets may result in a 30-day jail term. (Best to stick to the alleys.)
• And finally, in Little Rock, it is absolutely unlawful to walk your cow down Main Street after 1PM on Sunday. (Better take her into the alley, too.)

I was the fattest baby in Clark County, Arkansas. They put me in the newspaper. It was like a prize turnip.   Billy Bob Thornton

Just ONE joke for ya:  How do you know when you're staying in an Arkansas hotel? When you call the front desk and say, "I've gotta leak in my sink," and the response you get is, "Go ahead."

Okeydoke, the time has come, my friends, the time you've been waiting for all week. Time for the (ta-DA!)

Weirdest News Stories of the Week

***  This first story isn't actually weird at all. It's more in the category of wonderful. As I told y'all in an earlier post, Military Working Dogs are trained to sniff explosives, and are also fitted with cameras which enable them to precede the soldiers and warn them via the camera feed of impending dangers ahead. This canine reconnaissance has undoubtedly saved many lives, but most of our soldiers, without benefit of a dog to provide this invaluable service, have to get up close and personal to check under trucks and along the roadsides for IEDs (improvised explosive devices.) With a little Yankee ingenuity, Ernie Fessender of Rochester, Minnesota, teamed up with local hobby store owner Kevin Guy, to provide another way for soldiers to check for those explosives. They fitted a radio controlled truck with a wireless video camera and sent it to Ernie's brother, Staff Sgt. Chris Fessender,  in Afghanistan. That little Traxxis Stampede truck, essentially a souped-up child's toy, saved the lives of six soldiers when it preceded them down a road and tripped a wire which triggered 500 pounds of explosives. The little truck didn't fare too well, but none of the soldiers were injured. There is now a program in place to provide more of these trucks to the troops. For more info, please see here

*** Niue, a remote Polynesian state of approximately 1400 people, drew some flak in April when they issued a commemorative stamp in honor of the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. You see, the perforation on the stamp happened to run right down the middle between the happy couple ... separating them. Now, this little South Pacific island state, in an effort to boost their governmental coffers, will be issuing coins featuring Star Wars characters. These coins, which are to be minted in New Zealand, will feature a traditional image of the queen on one side, and the decidedly non-traditional full color pictures of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Yoda, et al, on the other. Each coin will contain a full ounce of silver, which is worth more than the actual face value of the coin as legal currency. The object isn't to circulate it for run-of-the-mill use at the grocery store, though. It's intended for collectors and investors. Sets of four will sell for 469 New Zealand dollars, or approximately 235 pounds, and the first issues will be on display at the American Numismatics Association show in Chicago next week. May the force be with them.

Britain's volleyball champs Shauna Mullin and Zara Dampney are renting ad space on their bikini bottoms. Yes, that's right. In this day and age of hysterical "sexual harassment" claims, these young ladies actually WANT people to photograph their assets. The matrix barcodes on their bottoms, when photographed with a smartphone, takes the pervert user to a specific website to see the ad. So, if you happen to catch the beach volleyball tournament in London next week, go ahead and look all you want. Take a picture for posterity. They really want you to get to the bottom of these ads.

*** I guess she just wasn't satisfied being one of the herd. In May, Yvonne the cow ran away from her owner's farm near Berlin, Germany. She's been on the moo-ve ever since, happily living off the land, and enjoying a certain celebrity among the locals. Unfortunately, she chose to bolt in front of the wrong vehicle recently. A police car. So now, the fugitive cow is on the "most wanted list." Authorities decided she posed a "security risk" and have issued permission for hunters to shoot her. Alarmed animal activists have tried luring her to safety with her best cow-pal and with her own calf, but so far, no luck. She takes one look at them and runs away. But the activists aren't about to give up yet. They have bigger plans to tempt her with now. They're bringing in a handsome studly steer in an attempt to capture the fair cow's heart and hide. (And that's no bull!)

Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

+++ No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

On Doggies and Doggles

Thought for the day:  There never yet has been a dog who learned to double cross, nor catered to you when you won, then dropped you when you lost.  Mary Hale

Dogs have almost always been a part of my life.

When I was very young, my parents had a shaggy dog named Tippy who was so timid, my mother had to stand over him with a stick while he was eating so other animals couldn't scare him away and eat all his food. Later, we had a teeny tiny dog named Dixie, and for a short while, a beautiful, but demented blond shepherd named Tiger. No matter how long a time we let Tiger outside, he was always extremely diligent about holding it until he came back into the house. Or, upon occasion, he was known to let 'er rip on the steps leading up to the back porch. Oh, and when he wanted in, he would charge up the steps and fling himself full force at the door, knocking himself half silly in the process. "Oh, that's fine," my father would say. "He's just a puppy," he would say. Tiger chewed up shoes belonging to my mother and me, ate a rosebush, thorns and all, and destroyed every piece of clothing hanging on the clothesline one day. Again, my father said, "That's okay. He's just a puppy." But when said pup chewed through the lead-in wire to my father's TV set, Tiger's little doggie bags were packed, and he earned himself a one-way ticket to a friend's place in the country.

                                                                                 

None of our dogs was ever particularly talented. None could jump rope or break dance, but our son had a springer spaniel who was quite good at catching a frisbee. Alas, when she died, our son tried to teach our next dog how to perform the same tricks, but all he managed to do was amuse the dog ... and us. He'd throw the frisbee and then go after it on his hands and knees and bring it back in his mouth, while Buck watched, and wagged his tail. My grandmother had a couple boxers who were quite beautiful, but their only talent was generating copious quantities of flatulence. For which my poor grandfather often got blamed.

All our dogs were gentle and loving.

Ours may not have been the most beautiful dogs, or the smartest dogs, but they were all loving dogs. But I'd like to tell you a little bit now about some truly amazing, highly-trained dogs. MWDs, or Military Working Dogs.

Belgian malinois

Cairo, a Belgian malinois, was part of the Navy Seal team that nailed Bin Laden. Until that story broke, I'd never heard of that particular breed before. Turns out, this breed is very similar to the German shepherd, but smaller and more compact. Although the military uses numerous breeds of dog, the shepherd and malinois are the most common, because of their keen sense of smell, endurance, speed, strength, courage, intelligence, and ability to adapt to almost any climate.

Even though dogs worked alongside soldiers during the Civil War and WWI, it wasn't until 1942 that they were officially inducted into the U.S. Army. Currently, there are an estimated 2800 active-duty dogs, and about 600 of them are serving  in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

This picture, released by K9 Storm, shows what Cairo may have looked like when heading up the stairs in pursuit of Bin Laden.

This pic, also from K9 Storm, shows military dog handler Mike Forsythe and his dog Cara, jumping from an airplane from a record-breaking height of 30,100 feet. Both of them had to wear oxygen to tackle this mind-boggling feat. Military dogs usually jump in tandem with their trainers, but with flotation devices, can make short jumps into the water on their own.







And just what is K9 Storm, you ask? It's a hi-tech mom-and-pop business in Winnipeg, Canada, that designs and manufactures canine body armor. How hi-tech, you ask? A tactical vest is fitted with infrared and night vision enabled cameras capable of delivering feed one thousand yards line-of-sight, and up to 200 yards through multiple concrete walls. Thanks to K9 Storm, the well-dressed MWD of today wears protective eye gear called doggles, body armor, life vests, gas masks, long-range GPS-equipped vests, and hi-tech flak jackets.

Plus, the standard K9 Storm vest also has a load-bearing harness system that works well for tandem rappelling and parachuting. As a point of interest, USAF dogs have been airborne for decades, but the earliest flying dogs were probably those accompanying Soviet troops during the '30s.

This picture, from Manual J. Martinez, of the USAF,  shows a jump from a Chinook CH-47, in a training exercise over the Gulf of Mexico. This dog is wearing a special flotation device.

MWDs and their handlers are a tightly-knit unit.

These dogs are trained to detect explosives and hostile, hiding humans. Equipped with their cameras, they enter danger zones first, and allow their handlers to see what's coming before the humans venture forward. Like their human counterparts, dog SEALs, like Cairo, are not only highly trained, but also highly skilled, and highly motivated. And these heroic canines are loved and respected.


Kinda like our dogs.

Only different.

So, how about you? Not that you've ever had a dog who jumped out of airplanes with a parachute, (they can ALL do it WITHOUT one ... but only ONCE) but what nifty tricks could your favorite pooch do?

(And thank you to icanhazcheeseburger.com and perfectlytimedphotos.com for the use of their pictures.)

Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

Money may buy you a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail.   Kinky Friedman