Dogs are known to be very sensitive to things that we humans could never detect.  Dogs have been known to detect cancer, warn of oncoming seizures, sniff out diabetes and give warning to low blood sugar levels. 

     They're more than just man's best friend.  Dogs are trained in search in rescue, to sniff out bombs and to guide the blind.  Dogs have saved their owners when their houses are filling with carbon monoxide.  House pets with no training have warned their owners of health issues they were unaware of.  I read a story of a border collie mix that constantly sniffed at and tried to chew off a mole on its owner.  The dog alerted her to a case of melanoma that she may not have noticed until it was too late.

     I experienced a situation where a dog was trying to tell me something that I was unaware of.  While managing at a boarding kennel I took care of a very sweet black Labrador.  He was more of a people dog.  He didn't play with the other dogs much, just followed the staff around.  One day he wouldn't leave my side.  He was always a shadow dog but this day he wouldn't let any other dogs near me and when I sat down he laid his body across mine which he had never done.  At the time I was pregnant so I thought he was just guarding me because of that.  I had heard that dogs who had owners that were pregnant would sometimes act differently around them because they could smell the difference.  They could detect the pregnancy.

     A couple days after Mike spent his day guarding me, I had a miscarriage.  One day shortly after I was hanging out with Mike and it hit me, he knew.  He understood that something was wrong.  I was amazed.

     How many of you have ever noticed a difference in your dog when you don't feel good?  Are they protective of you?  Are they calmer than normal? 

     Sometimes dogs are more than just our running partner or furry friend.  Sometimes they can be our lifesavers!