Meet Cosmo. He’s a Greater Swiss Mountain dog.

My wife Clara and I are not particularly wealthy people. Just recently we took out a debt consolidation loan which helped us pay off several bills featuring high interest rates that had been nagging us for a long time. We obtained a fairly low interest rate on the consolidation loan and were looking forward to being able to having a little money at the end of the month instead of having too much month at the end of the money. That all changed over a weekend two months ago.

Late on a  Saturday evening, my granddaughter Aryanna and her fiancée Andy posted on Facebook asking people to pray for Cosmo, their dog. Clara gave Aryanna a call and found out that Cosmo had swallowed a sock and was currently in an animal hospital awaiting emergency surgery. The vets were looking for $5000. Then the fee dropped to $4500, which they wanted before they proceeded. The good news?  The doctors were prepared to perform the operation even in lieu of getting paid. The bad news? If my granddaughter didn’t pay the tab in full the dog might very well be re-homed. The additional bad news?  Aryanna and her fiancé were completely cash-strapped.

Another family member offered to pay $3000 worth of the veterinary fee. That left a $1500 balance. Over the years, my wife and I have gone through quite a bit of money bailing out various family members. My wife is the generous one and I just go along with her generosity. Over the past few years we have stood firm letting others know we simply are no longer (I’m not sure we ever were!) in a financial position that makes gift giving feasible.

Then, I started thinking about the message I try to convey in Lance: A Spirit Unbroken—that of stepping up to the plate when a canine is in need.  I also give a PowerPoint presentation to public groups entitled In Defense of Dogs in which I ask people to do what they can to help dogs in need. Cosmo was totally dependent on humans to bail him out of his life-threatening situation (there was talk of having to remove part of his intestine). I was faced with a situation demanding me to literally put my money where my mouth is.

I made up my mind. I called Care Credit and then the vet, promising to pay the $1500 as soon as I obtained a new card (I’d lost the old one).

The operation was performed and was a complete success—Cosmo even still has his original intestine!

Yesterday I blurted out to Clara: “If it had been money for rent or a car payment, no way!  A dog is another matter!”
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P.S. In the photos clockwise from top left, Cosmo  prior to the” incident”, then Cosmo post-op. The third photo shows Cosmo with my granddaughter’s son. He suffers from autism and Cosmo has been invaluable in helping him get out of his shell. I can only imagine how the sudden disappearance of Cosmo would have negatively impacted my grandson.

Early in the process of writing Lance: A Spirit Unbroken, I joined a critiquing group. It was the single best thing I could have done to improve the final product. Subjecting my work to others’ criticism wasn’t easy for me, but better to learn from fellow writers before publishing, than learn the hard way from readers after publishing. In those early critiquing sessions, I was told to do two things: get rid of the big words and write less formally. The former was relatively easy to accomplish; the latter required a leap of faith on my part but I'm confident the book became a lot more conversational by the time it got published.
Along the way, one of my fellow critiquers suggested that I make Lance a talking dog. Other members of the group rolled their eyes, but he was dead serious. I thought about his suggestion, but not for too long. To do such a thing would have changed the trajectory and the mood of Lance’s story and, in my mind, diminished the serious purpose I had for writing the book. That purpose was to raise awareness re: animal maltreatment and, hopefully, inspire the reader to action.
Though Lance and I did not have oral conversations (except for the occasional bite!), I feel there were times when he and I communicated mentally, beyond his obeying a command or understanding words like “treat” or “hike.” For example, not once, but twice, he escaped from his abusive owners’ property and showed up on my doorstep. Wasn’t that a silent cry for help? 
In the book, Lance occasionally "talks" to me, not in quotes but in italics. I’ve wondered at times if a reader might find my communication with Lance a stretch, but so far no one has commented to that effect.
How about you? Do you have “conversations” with your dog? What has your dog “told” you?

Great Dane service dog, George, and his 11-year-old human, Bella, have captured the attention of people all over the country with their heartwarming and inspirational story. Bella suffers from a rare disorder known as Morquio Syndrome and thought she'd spend her life on crutches or in a wheelchair. All of that changed when she found George thanks to the non-profit Service Dog Project!

After volunteering with the organization for a year, Bella finally found the right match in George. Now, the two share an inseparable bond and thanks to her work with George as her mobility service dog, Bella's newfound independence doesn't stop at walking - she can even ride a bike for the first time in her life!

To celebrate George's incredible work as a service dog and critical role in Bella's transformation, BarkPost was honored to give him his best day ever! George, accompanied by Bella, was treated to a day full of amazing surprises as part of the BarkPost video series, "Dog's Best Day."

A huge thank you to the Fairmont Copley Plaza for giving George luxe dog-friendly accommodations and the warm welcome from canine ambassadors, Catie and Carly Copley; Wahlburgers for a burger feast fit for a Great Dane; Blue Hills Ski Area for a snow day for the ages and PrideBites for keeping George warm while he played; Polka Dog for letting George take over the store; Carolina Pet Company for a George-sized bed and stylish accessories; and Butcher's Block Pet Treats, Hyper Pet, Delca Pet Products, and BarkShop for making sure George's Suite was stocked with toys!
 
A BarkPost Production
Series Producers: Laura Hartle and Teri Klein
Created By: Laura Hartle
Associate Producer: Sothdra Nguon-Devereaux
Production Assistant: Tim Skinner
Shot By: Powderhouse Productions
Director of Photography: Brynmore Williams
Camera: Rob Kirwan
Audio: Geoff Pennington
Production Assistant: Shan Shan Tam
Production Assistant: Liza Weingarten
Edited By: Tupelo-Honey Raycom
Editor: Stephen Wallen

July, 2010. A year after Lance passed away. I got a call at work from Clara, my wife. “Are you ready for another dog?” In fact, I had been enjoying my “vacation,” no longer having to live with Lance’s edginess or having to endure those lengthy hikes he browbeat me into. Without waiting for me to answer, Clara continued. “I’m here at ShopRite. There’s a guy with a dog in a cage. He’s giving the dog away and said if somebody doesn’t take the dog in a half hour he’ll be heading for the pound.”

I could tell Clara was ready for another dog so I said, “Take him.”

That night I came home to find a four-month-old poodle/beagle mix sleeping in his cage in our living room. Clara had already named him Buddy. His original owner had never given him a name other than Dog.

The following day Clara was at work and I was at home sitting on the stoop with Buddy. I began to pet him on the rump. He immediately whirled and used his teeth to get me to stop. Lance had turned out to be untrustworthy and now this dog  too?! Either everything I had assumed about dogs prior to meeting Lance had been wrong or the world had changed and dogs were no longer man’s best friend.

Later that day, I told Clara about Buddy’s “attack” and she began  laughing. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I took him right to the vet from ShopRite and he had a series of shots in the rump.” Buddy had only been protecting his sensitive butt out there on the stoop.

Well, here we are nine years later, and Buddy has been a complete marshmallow of a dog all this time. In fact, one day he was chasing a butterfly and when he finally caught up to it, he looked at me as if to say “What do I do now?” I said nothing and he let the butterfly go. Now that’s what I call a gentle dog.
​
I only wish I could have gotten Lance when he was four months old instead of ten years. Philosophically, sooner is better than later(Buddy), but it’s better late than  never(Lance).

Please note: You can use all kinds of different signals to ‘mark’ behaviour, but unless your dog is deaf, an audible signal such as a click, or the word YES is best, simply because he doesn’t have to be looking at you in order to receive the information you want him to have.

Note to Jess Craigie: Your dog still doesn't love you.

Yes, you jumped into the 40-degree waters of Lake Michigan Tuesday to save her. Paramedics said you were less than five minutes from death when they plucked you and Moxie, your 2-year-old mutt, to safety.

It was a foolhardy risk. But, honestly, I'd have done the same thing if I thought my dog was going to drown.

And my dog doesn't love me, either.

 I tell myself she does -- that she offers me not just affection, but that rare gift of unconditional love.

But in fact, said author Jon Katz, who has written extensively on the bond between humans and dogs, what she, Moxie and other pets offer is neither unconditional nor love.

"Dogs develop very strong, instinctive attachments to the people who feed and care for them," said Katz, speaking Wednesday from his farm in upstate New York. "Over 15,000 years of domestication, they've learned to trick us into thinking that they love us. "

What about the nuzzling? The big, adoring eyes? The wagging glee with which they greet us?

They're all part of what Katz refers to as the "opportunistic, manipulative behavior" that's second nature to dogs.

Not to say that they're canine con artists.

"It's just how their instincts have evolved," Katz said. Dogs aren't deceptive any more than they're sentimental, loyal, nostalgic, witty or bitter.

"They don't have a narrative mind or the language to have those sorts of human qualities," said Katz. Imagining otherwise is part of what he calls the "Disney Dog" idea so many of us buy into.

Their attachment is, in fact, "extremely conditional," Katz said. "They'll respond to anyone who gives them food and attention. I have a wonderful Labrador retriever who's very happy here. But if you had hamburger meat on you, she'd gladly go to Chicago with you and never look back."

I'd been thinking about this subject all week, even before Craigie took the plunge for Moxie (UPDATE -- She responds to this column here).
​
Since Friday, we've been taking care of Scout, the beloved mongrel of my vacationing Tribune colleagues Barbara Brotman and Chuck Berman. And she's shown no sign of pining for them -- no loss of appetite or energy, no unsociable behavior.

"Dogs don't 'miss' you when you go away," said Katz, whose conclusions are supported by university studies of animal behavior. "They might get anxious and confused, but don't mistake that for loneliness or mourning. As soon as they find someone else to take care of them, they forget you pretty quickly."

He added, "I don't mean to imply that dogs aren't great. I love my dogs. But I don't need to pretend that they're like people. That doesn't do them any good. Dogs are happiest when you treat and train them as dogs, not children."

I'll remind Barbara and Chuck of that should they ask for the return of their faithless mutt.

But meanwhile, Jon Katz, moment of truth: Despite your unrequited love, would you leap into an icy Lake Michigan after one of your dogs?

"It's hard to say," he allowed. "I'd like to think I wouldn't; that I'd realize that human life is far more valuable. But watching my dog drown would be very tough."
Can dogs love? Voice your opinion below:

Back story: Lance was born in November 1991. During the holiday season that December, he was thrown outside by his owners and chained, without food, water or shelter. A neighbor took it upon herself to provide him with a dog house and food, but he remained stuck outside on his owners’ property.
Lance spent the next ten Christmases the way he spent every other day of that entire decade — outside.
​
My wife and I rescued him in July 2002. The attached photo shows Lance enjoying Christmas inside a home for the first time in a decade. Now if that isn’t a rags to riches story, I don’t know what is.

​When I was a child, my pet dog Rex, a German Shepherd, was invaluable to me. I didn't have the greatest childhood and Rex was my most consistent pal and confidant. Many years later, Lance, a Border Collie, has had a significant impact on my adulthood. For decades I have been an underachiever and procrastinator, leaving many creative projects undone and discarded. Thanks in part to Lance, I forced myself to write and publish a book. Also, thanks totally Lance, I have been doing my small part to combat domestic animal abuse and help rescue/foster/ adopt programs (You know that old 60’s slogan: “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”) Lance also has given me the opportunity (I assume unknowingly) to straighten out some personal issues that have "dogged" me for a long, long time.
I was just wondering if you might have had or currently have a dog that, besides being a great companion, has impacted your life in some way that is particularly meaningful to you? If so, please let me know in the comments section.

A few summers ago, during an afternoon when the temperatures were hovering in the low 90s, I was walking to a parking lot behind the YMCA, where I had just finished a workout. Before I got to my car, I was confronted by two men, one holding a baseball bat. They pointed to an SUV and, accusingly, asked me if it was my car. I told them it wasn’t and asked what the problem was. One of the men said, “Look for yourself.” Inside the car, with its windows totally rolled up, I saw a Boxer. He was alert and active, but drooling profusely, probably dehydrating from the effects of the heat. One of the men had asked the staff at the Y to make a general announcement regarding the situation, with no results. I asked if either of them had asked at the nearby Dunkin Doughnuts, which was mobbed. Neither had, so I hustled over there but had no success. I then called 911 and was told that a police officer was already on the way.

I went back to the two men and suggested they let the police break into the car legally. I got into my car and, as I was heading out of the parking lot, saw not one but two police cars coming to the rescue. One lucky dog. Hopefully his owners learned their lesson.
This experience leads me to the following news story:

 11-year old boy invents device to prevent hot car deaths

DALLAS –  The news was on, and it was an all-too-familiar story for North Texas in the summertime.
A father had accidentally left his baby daughter in the back of a van, only to find her lifeless body hours later.
Bishop Curry V, 11, was watching the news that night with his family. The baby who died was from his small town, Melissa, Texas, and she was about the same age as Curry's baby sister.
His mother, Tia Curry, told Fox New what happened next.
HOT CAR DEATHS TARGETED BY NEW TECH AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION
"He said, ‘Well, somebody has to do something about this...’ and I told him: ‘Why don't you go do something about it?’"
What could an 11-year-old do? Turns out, plenty. But Bishop is no ordinary 11-year-old.
Bishop Curry V, 11, got the idea for the device by watching the news and seeing a report about a baby who died in a hot car.  (Fox News)
His father is an engineer, his mom is a teacher, and Bishop, from an early age, showed an interest in creating things. He carries a journal with him to jot down ideas. That night, about a year ago, he sketched out a car seat and started thinking. After the sketch, Curry worked with his dad to build a prototype, and another, and then two more.
He ended up creating a device to prevent hot car deaths. Once the device detects movement, from a baby or pet locked in, a fan kicks on to help lower the rising temperatures and it sends out a notification to police and the parents.
OKLAHOMA INFANT DIES AFTER GRANDMA FORGETS HER IN HOT CAR
"It basically senses the baby," Bishop said. "It cools down the baby and contacts authorities."
Bishop now has a patent pending and is talking with car companies and manufacturers.  
Texas leads the nation in hot car deaths and most of the victims here and nationwide are under 2 years old.  (© 2017 Nissan)
"It blew my mind," said his mom.
An average of 37 children die each year after being left alone in a hot car, according to one Northern California researcher. Texas leads the nation in hot car deaths and most of the victims here and nationwide are under 2 years old.
Children's Health Dallas is part of a group of organizations trying to bring attention to the issue. Lori Vinson, a registered nurse who is senior director of trauma at Children's Health said heat is particularly dangerous for children.
"They don't sweat like we do, so they don't release the heat in the same way we do," Vinson said. "Their respiratory system will be compromised. Then, they actually get into cardiac problems with irregular heartbeats and that can get them into a fatal situation."
It will take time before Curry's device, called "Oasis" goes on the market. In the meantime, experts say there is a low-tech option everyone with a young child should try.
By leaving a physical reminder in the back seat – a cell phone, a purse or even a shoe since you can't go far without it – a life could be saved.  
Saving lives is also what would convince Bishop Curry that his device is a success.
"Our mission is to save at least one life," Curry told Fox News. "If I can get just one that has been saved, that basically tells me it works."
Here's a link to a short video on the subject and comments from the young inventor:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxVY5HlNosE

If and when this product becomes available, it will be a natural for saving both human and animal lives. In the meantime, in hot weather--and speaking exclusively about dogs--how about these safety tips:
1--If you're going to be away from your car for any significant time, probably best to leave your dog at home or in the care of others.
2--If you'll be away from car for short time(10 minutes or less) leave car running with air conditioner on and doors locked or, at least, keep windows open enough to circulate air but not to the point dog might be able to exit.
3--leave a bowl of water inside car.
4--Use a sunshade to lessen heat.
5--If possible, park in a shaded area.
5--I'm not going any further. Why ever leave your dog unattended in a car when the weather can be deadly ?  Can it can be done without any risk? What are your thoughts?

Just viewed Dogs on the Inside. If you haven't seen it yet, I strongly recommend you do.

This documentary follows the steps taken in a program called Don’t Throw Us Away, designed to match recently rescued dogs with convicts behind bars. In the process, the canines and prisoners do each other a world of good. Throughout the video, you get to see a whole lot of two-legged and four-legged creatures helping each other make progress in their lives.

The dynamics of the program? Inmates, living in a restricted and mostly negative environment, get to have some power and control over how they conduct their daily life, interacting in a positive way with another living creature, the dog they are fostering. Man and beast share a cell (It occurred to me that most likely only the humans felt imprisoned. Dogs adapt better to their living situation, as long as a caring human is nearby. Besides, for these dogs, jail was a step up from where they had been).Do the canines have a positive impact on their convicted caretakers? For me, the sight of a convict allowing himself to be filmed kissing a dog answers that question. Meanwhile, the dogs, many rescued from horrendous situations, regain (or gain for the first time) faith in humans. When ultimately put up for adoption, these dogs are more likely to be part of a success story and less likely to be returned by the adopter. It's the classic win/win situation.

One non-spoiler alert—Surprise! Surprise! A stray Border Collie mix named Byram had picked out and walked up to the house of a lady that already had dogs. Guess he sensed she was dog-friendly. That decision led to his rescue. Those Border Collies and their analytical minds!

Sadly, one rescuer admitted that a small percentage of dogs are not suitable for this program (Lance, of Lance: A Spirit Unbroken, immediately came to mind). The message: Dogs should be rescued sooner, rather than later, before too much damage has been done to them.

As a drug and alcohol counselor in a correctional facility, this documentary really hit home. So many times an inmate will tell me, “Jail isn’t doing anything for me. It isn’t helping me.” While recovery has to be a self-generated internal process, everybody, in or out of jail, can always benefit from positive people, places and things in their surroundings. Why not make a tough job—self-improvement—a bit easier? I can’t help but believe that programs like Dogs on the Inside have demonstrated what can happen when, instead of saying “This is how we have always done things” or “That wouldn’t work”, we think outside the box. Dogs have so much to offer; why waste it?

Based on my latest check, Dogs on the Inside can be found on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Inside-Brean-Cunningham/dp/B00TF86T1M,   
YouTube: https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Inside-Brean-Cunningham/dp/B00TF86T1M,
 iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/dogs-on-the-inside/id953806434
 Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/watch/1205037  
and Kanopy: https://www.kanopystreaming.com/product/dogs-inside
among other sites.

If you have seen Dogs on the Inside, how did you react to it? If you plan to view it soon, please come back to Lance’s Dog Patch and post your thoughts. By the way, do you have any dog-themed videos, films or documentaries you’d recommend to us?