Dogs Are Us

By | December 31, 2023

[December 31, 2023]  As I type this article, my last blog post of the year, my dog Bella is at my feet.  She is sleeping there but also in her protective mode, guarding me from any danger lurking and unknown.  A few days ago, she returned to the veterinarian’s office for a second emergency visit in a week. … Read More »

Veteran Service Dogs

By | September 26, 2021

[September 26, 2021]  Americans love their pets.  Some pets are more than just creatures to be loved but also help us by providing necessary care.  Veteran service and guide dogs are those trained to assist Veterans in their everyday life.  They are companions and helpers, and many of us would not function without these dogs. Just this past… Read More »

Dogs of War

By | September 24, 2017

[September 24, 2017]  During my first assignment with the 1st Cavalry Division in the Iraqi War, one of our early engineer tasks was to design and build a military dog facility.  Dog handlers and their canine friends were part of our unit and were responsible for local security.  The Iraqi insurgents we captured called them the dogs of… Read More »

Granddaughter Letters

By | February 5, 2024

Letters to My Granddaughter, No. 73 (Why a Good Friend)  [May 19, 2024]  We were on the ground, punching each other, yelling, grabbing, cussing, and rolling around in the dirt as we had just argued over something neither of us could remember.  And the reason we fought was not as important as the fact we could fight and… Read More »

Dog Nose Smudges on the Window

By | December 21, 2023

[December 21, 2023]  I’m convinced our human relationship with dogs is magical. Not magical like a flying dragon or the Loch Ness monster magical, but magical like extraordinary, irresistible, and amazing. We usually think of animals as social creatures, but within their own species and while that is undeniably true, dogs have a stronger social attraction to humans… Read More »