Pre-Ramble:  Hi, it’s me, Daisy … I’ll be your guest blogger for today. Since Mom’s gotten the new phone, she’s been holed up in the corner, fumbling around with dual thumb dexterity and cursing at the web tutorial. This process could take a while … I don’t mean to be rude, but between you and me, her data-entry skills are pathetic. I don’t even have thumbs and I can type faster than that.

Anyway, today I want to tell you about a piece of legislation just passed by our new freshman senator, Al Franken — a pilot program pairing wounded veterans with service animals. 

Now, I can’t speak for cats (who can, really?) … but from a dog’s perspective, this is an awesome idea!  Frankly, I think that the helping capacity of the canine community is highly under-utilized.  Sleeping in the sun is fine and all, but it gets old (and hot) and there is so much more we can do!

Like humans, dogs have a variety of skill sets and proclivities. Some are wired to swim and fetch, others excel at digging holes and burying stuff, still others shine by tracking, pointing and blogging (like yours truly).  Also like humans, the majority of us have had basic training and can get along in most social situations.

The thing is, while dogs are commonly recognized for performing the requisite “sit-stay-heal-come-down-rollover” maneuvers, we have a whole deeper level of relating that goes largely untapped. Dogs, by nature, are warm, cuddly, affectionate creatures and we are excellent at sharing these qualities.

For veterans who experience debilitating stressors including physical injury, mental health issues, sleeping disorders, and strained relationships with family, friends and colleagues, dogs are just the thing.  Service dogs like Kelly, pictured above, are trained to handle an astounding array of activities like opening doors, picking up objects, or even sensing an oncoming seizure. Who else is going to lick your face, alert you to oncoming traffic, or eat crumbs off the floor?

Face it — we’re irresistible … The dog is a social magnet, a trait which facilitates the perfect “triangulation effect.” You roll into a park or mall with a dog, and before you can throw a tennis ball, all kinds of folks are smiling and coming over to see you. Before long, they’re chatting with you and scratching your dog behind the ears — mission accomplished.

And, in addition to the benefits of functional helpfulness, it is nearly impossible to be sad, angry or lonely when you have a dedicated doggie buddy at your side. Our nearly inexhaustible supply of love and companionship just soaks up all kinds of bad stuff and changes it out for calm, steady, positive vibes. That seems like something a war veteran (or any of us!) could use once in a while.

The Take-Away: This is a total win-win scenario; veterans have an opportunity to experience a better quality of life and dogs have a chance to step-up and work their magic.  All those in favor, say, “Woof!”

Post-Note: If war vets get special “dog tags” it’s only fair that animals inducted into the Canine Corps should get them too … duh.  And, as First Dog and uber-service animal to the U.S. Commander-in-Chief, Bo should definitely be recognized as an honorary member of the group.

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