And some more food for thought.
Some animals go beyond being "pets" and provide more than simple companionship. On one end there are the service dogs such as the one used by my friend who is a quadriplegic. Her dog provides her freedom to do the things most take for granted.
Then there are some like my Maltese used as a "therapy" dog. My dad used to watch her when I went away and she learned his daily routines since he was a "creature of habit". After he developed Alzheimer's following a massive brain hemorrhage he had some understanding he was sick but still wanted to have some independence. My little 8 pound Maltese would take him for his usual walk along the same route, bring him to his usual bench to sit for a half hour and then guide him back to his apartment. She knew his routine and she allowed him to have a sense of independence in trying times.
She did all that in the year following her pacemaker implantation in 2004. And she is sleeping on my chest right now as I type this......
Nico 24 hours after pacemaker implantation:
Dad with his granddog at christmas 4 months later:
Nico resting while I write about her on Prime:
Some animals go beyond being "pets" and provide more than simple companionship. On one end there are the service dogs such as the one used by my friend who is a quadriplegic. Her dog provides her freedom to do the things most take for granted.
Then there are some like my Maltese used as a "therapy" dog. My dad used to watch her when I went away and she learned his daily routines since he was a "creature of habit". After he developed Alzheimer's following a massive brain hemorrhage he had some understanding he was sick but still wanted to have some independence. My little 8 pound Maltese would take him for his usual walk along the same route, bring him to his usual bench to sit for a half hour and then guide him back to his apartment. She knew his routine and she allowed him to have a sense of independence in trying times.
She did all that in the year following her pacemaker implantation in 2004. And she is sleeping on my chest right now as I type this......
Nico 24 hours after pacemaker implantation:
Dad with his granddog at christmas 4 months later:
Nico resting while I write about her on Prime:
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