Laurel Hunt Books

Baker dressed for "Go Red" day

As part of February heart month, our hospital participates in the national “Go Red For Women” day to raise awareness of heart disease, one of the major causes of death in women. A booth in the lobby offered free blood pressure screenings and information on preventing heart disease. The therapy dogs were invited to participate and draw visitors to the booth. I think Baker was a bigger attraction than the chocolate candy (did you know dark chocolate is good for your heart?). Petting a dog is also known to reduce blood pressure and stress. But what I noticed most is that at the sight of a friendly dog, everyone smiled.

Greeting hospital staff

They may have entered the hospital lobby with a worried or somber look, but that vanished when they spotted Baker and Heidi, another adorable daschund therapy dog. Please visit Go Red For Women to view a short, entertaining video on the symptoms of a heart attack. I think we can all relate to the young, multitasking mom in the video!

Hug your dog today. It’s good for your heart!

This post is part of the Saturday Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Two Little Cavaliers and Life With Dogs. Please visit these sites to connect with other pet bloggers!

“The horses are blowing their coats,” a friend said yesterday.

Like much of the country, we’re having an usually warm – well, maybe “temperate” would be more accurate – winter. It’s caused the dust bunnies of dog hair to multiply in my house. Daffodils are peeking above ground like periscopes on the cabin’s rocky slope, as across the valley the snow-making machines hum through the night, trying to cover the ski slopes. I can almost hear the daffodils whispering to each other, “Is it safe to emerge?” I’ve watched them in previous springs as they inch up carefully, sometimes just the green tips showing under a blanket of spring snow.

Like most Welsh Springers, Alex and Baker love the snow. They stick their snouts in it until their faces look like powdered donuts. Then they jump for joy. And lie down on their backs and make snow angels. Or pretend they are otters, sliding sideways with their head on the ground.

As long as I don’t have to drive in it, I like snow too. Occasionally. Such as for the beautiful white Christmas we had in 2010. And one of the items on my “bucket list” is a dog sled ride through the snowy woods.

It’s February and we could still get walloped with snow, but the horses and dogs blowing their coats tells me not to worry. I’m sure they’ll be right.