The Specifics of Breeding

Some dogs are bred to herd sheep.  Some are bred to chase rats in sewers.  Some… well, some are bred to make people happy.

It won’t be easy for the citizens of Boston  to forget last week’s horrific bombings.

But a group of Golden Retrievers are at least  providing some comfort to the victims, families and citizens of Boston who  remain heartbroken after the attack which devastated the city.

Five dogs have traveled from Illinois, where they are sponsored and trained by Lutheran Church Charities, to give hugs to victims in their hospital beds and to citizens on the streets.

It’s a gig that the loving animals know well;  two of the dogs – Addie and Maggie – have been in Newtown, Connecticut since  December to give comfort to the children affected by the shootings.

Yea, it’s no secret that Golden Retrievers are pretty much only useful for slobbering and making people smile, but they do both well.  As a proud golden dad, I’ve seen my pups endear themselves to a variety of people.  Even the most abused goldens that we used to foster would immediately act sympathetic to any distressed dog or human for the most part.

It’s great to see that humans and animals can find a way to bond, even in the most trying of circumstances.  I can’t imagine the pain and horror of the people injured, and here we have some simple animals breaking through.

Mind you, a dog of any kind is a great dog if you know what that dog will give you.  But if you’re looking for a happy smile, go for the Gold(en).