Happy

[kestrell]

Usually around the first of the month I have a list of things I need/want to buy, but I woke up this morning and realized that, except for some new socks, I really didn't want anything.

So I just donated some money to
4 Paws for Ability
http://www.4pawsforability.org/
after reading this great NY Times article
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/magazine/wonder-dog.html?_r=1&hp
--I love the way that they get animals to people who have invisible disabilities, or who may be worried that they quote aren't disabled enough unquote to qualify for a dog.

Also, and I'm embarrassed to admit this, but those dogs with the butterfly ears sound adorable.

Comments

[kestrell]

Re: civilians with companion animals: oh, I would be a total bitch, because I already get indignant when people flout the "working animal" sign and insist that they can't help themselves. I witness this all the time at conventions, and by people who verbally acknowledge that they know that they are not supposed to pet the working animal right before they pet the animal anyway. Talk about feeling that the rules don't apply to you. Also, it's always adults, I have never witnessed a kid doing this.

I know that trainers try to match the size of the dog to suit the person, and most short women I know have dogs on the small size, but I would definitely want a *big* dog. I love large dogs, because a, nobody messes with someone who has a big dog, but also, b, big dogs always seem to be more mellow than the hyper little ones. I've always been curious what kind of dog I would get matched with, as the match process of person to dog has always struck me as amazingly accurate. I've met introvert dogs, extrovert dogs, dignified dogs, and even a party dog who drank beer (but only expensive beer).

[jesse_the_k]

I've had the good fortune to meet a wide range of service dog breeds. Sounds like you would have dug "Bear," a Newfoundland who weighed twice his handler (but she was almost 6 foot tall). The one with the Boxer had a great canned line, "I have to ask you to ignore the animal entirely or he will become useless to me." Plus Boxers just aren't cuddly. I know a great big woman with a wiggly little Pit Bull, who can climb up on counters to fetch things through sheer hip dancing and tail rotation. If only they lived longer, greyhounds might be a good match -- they are mellow as caramel, as well as soft and kind and cuddly.

I think you're right on the mellow vs hyper tendencies for big vs small dogs. Between dogs it's all about territory and rank: the little ones are readily pushed around so develop a manic personality to counteract. I don't know what happens for service animals, whether they go to the dog park and have dog-dog interactions much, or whether it's pretty confined to their human family. (But dogs do love their human families--that's why they threw in with us so long ago. Last week they found a 30,000 year old dog skull hanging with humans -- this links to the WBUR story.

I have met some fairly non-yappy little dogs, though. Jack Russell Terriers are painfully smart; if they're not adequately challenged and herded than they're super annoying, but they can also be total honey pies. I know an English Setter who's around 12 pounds, and is very attentive to her people. In fact, she's saved one of their lives multiple times when she's awoken the simply sleeping one to the fact her partner's blood sugar is almost uncountable. They didn't train the dog for this; I like to think the dog feels like it's "rent due."