My article Dogs: Our Unsung Heroes was a finalist for a Maxwell Medallion Award in the 2022 Writing Competition sponsored by the Dog Writers Association of America. Cori received a Certificate of Nomination for excellence in the category of Online Article or Blog – Any Other Topic.
From Search and Rescue Dogs to military dogs, military mascots, and therapy dogs, these dogs play a vital role in our well-being.
I have been a dog person all my life, but when I got involved with Salukis and bred a litter, I learned more about the relationship between a dog and a human, which is also reflected in canine unsung heroes.
The article was published in Big Blend Radio and TV Magazine. in November of 2020. Here is an excerpt from my article Dogs: Our Unsung Heroes:
Dogs have always been there for us through catastrophes, wars, and sickness, and have displayed a loyalty, which remains unparalleled during the course of the human experience. Many dogs were originally bred to assist their human companions in daily life.
A Border Collie, Corgi, or Shetland Sheepdog were bred to herd sheep or cattle. Some dogs were bred to hunt animals.
A working dog might be a military dog, a K-9 police dog, or a search and rescue dog. Dogs that fall into these categories might be the German Shepherd or a Labrador Retriever.
Many of these dogs are our unsung heroes. They can save lives, detect a bomb, or, in the case of a military dog, boost the morale of those soldiers fighting a war. On Veterans Day, we should honor not only our veterans but those dogs that fought alongside us, whether it be in a war or search and rescue dogs that partnered with our firefighters to save lives during disasters. Let us celebrate some of these dogs who have served us.
I am grateful to have met many of these canines who have impacted and saved many lives. Like the Veterans we honor on Veterans Day, we celebrate the dogs that stood by our side through thick and thin.