It’s hard to explain what makes this annual tribute to dogs one of our favorite issues of the year.
It might be the way people talk about their dogs when asked to provide details to go with their pups’ pictures. People love to talk about their dogs. We love to talk about our dogs, and we really love to talk to our readers about their dogs.
We love to hear where they like to swim and we love to learn about their favorite toy. We love pictures of dogs at play and dogs in the ‘paws to the sky’ pose in total relaxation. We love pictures of dogs on the couches, dog beds and human beds and pictures of dogs curled up with canine or feline siblings and/or humans.
When people talk about their dogs they drop their guard and you get a glimpse behind the grown-up façade that most people keep in place most of the time. For dog lovers, when they interact with their dogs and with other dogs there is no filter – just joy.
Being able to interact with our community and our readers about their dogs lets us better understand who you all are and that is an honor. By reaching out into our community to people who work with, volunteer or otherwise help with dogs, we learn more about our neighbors and we gain insight into how dogs shape their lives.
This year we learned from Brian Carten that he trains and volunteers his dogs as therapy dogs because it’s a way to help other people during difficult times. He calls it his church.
From For the Love of Dogs and Central Vermont Humane Society, we learned that there is still no shortage of dogs (and cats) needing homes and no diminishing in their passion to find homes for animals.
And we learned that Angel Heath, a service dog, can alert to dropping blood sugar levels for her human from 5 miles away!
And from those of you who shared your stories about pets who crossed the rainbow bridge, we acknowledge your loss and we acknowledge how empty the house is and we offer our condolences.
Thanks to all who shared their creatures with us.
