A Special Gift

[goforette]

I've noticed that I have one dog (Brystal) that seems to have a special gift. I started noticing hints of it maybe about a month ago and it's really developed. She knows when people are sick and where their ailments are - she does it in other dogs and in people. And I know it's not my imagination. She detected my mother's shingles and went straight for her damaged arm, she knew that Chris had teeth pain and went straight for the side of his mouth that hurt and began to lick and continued to lick even after he had dental work done on that side, she knows that I injured my leg and pawed at it until I told her I was okay and then went about her business - she knows when Hollie isn't feeling well. Hollie is teething really bad right now - she has no front uppers or lowers and Brystal will lick the insides of her ears and mouth to soothe her. She's the only dog I've ever had that seems to pick up on such things. Do any of your Cairns do something like this? Hollie doesn't have that. She's more the defender type - Brystal just has this weird sensitivity thing that's almost eerie.

[savannahsmom35]

Savannah seems to notice when I am upset. When she senses it, she will lay beside me and not leave. Very clingy and very mellow. The only time I noticed her do this with an illness or injury is when my husband had sinus sugery on his nose. She was very gentle with him even when he was on the couch. Never once did she bother him to play ball which is miraculous within itself.

[Barney's Mom]

I think dogs, and Cairns especially, are so intelligent that they can sense when we or another dog does not feel well. We probably don't notice that we are acting differently, but I think dogs are very keen to our behavior changes. And of course, their noses are so incredibly sensitive. I read in a dog book that there are about 10,000 scent receptors in a human nose, and 220,000 in a dog nose! And if you think about it, I imagine our skin smells different if it is injured and healing, or any other site on us that has been injured. You almost wonder if our muscles have a different scent when they are inflamed and irritated! Only a dog would know! In the wild, dogs have a strong sense if another dog is sick or weak for some reason. I am sure they adapt that behavior to their domestic human pack as well.

Just another totally amazing aspect of the animal kingdom!

[Eliz222]

My two don't seem to pick up when I am not feeling well, or if I am sad. Finch DID pick up that I was going through Chemo and she stopped snuggling with me. I think she could smell the drugs. She is back to her happy self again!

[bubba]

We were in Oregon the night before my daughters dog went into labor and had her puppies....they weren't expected for another week. That night, Cooper sat for over an hour licking the inside of Sadie's ears, and she let him do it. The next day after we had left, they came home from work and started finding puppies....I really think Cooper knew they were coming. Right now, I have a broken arm and they will go nowhere near it. They sniffed it once and that was it. When my husband has his two major surgeries earlier this year, they laid next to the hospital bed on the floor, and never once jumped up on it. Cooper would have laid there 24/7 if I'd have let him!

pat.

[Scully'sMom]

This is a repeat of a story I've told. My mom had come home from having heart catherization and was sitting on the sofa. She had a newspaper open on the coffee table in front of her and was leaning over reading it. I was sitting in a recliner near her with Scully on my lap. I kept looking over at my mom and couldn't tell if she was asleep sitting bent over like that or if she was reading and for a brief moment I kind of panicked wondering if she was still breathing. Scully is usually very rambunctious and will jump up on you, etc. She sat up, and looked over at my mom, quietly got down off my lap - very gently got up on the sofa next to my mom and gave her a little kiss on the cheek. My mom WAS asleep and woke up to Scully's kiss. Once Scully saw my mom move she got off the sofa and went about her business.

[AllAboutPetey]

That's amazing that Brystal has such an incredible gift. I remember watching something on television a few years back about a dog that sensed cancer in its owner.

[ckthomas00]

My old Yorkie would definately know when I'm upset and try to comfort me.

However, Bruski, doesn't seem to notice - not sure if its something they grow into. I could be upset or sick and he's still nudging me to play with his ball, like he has no clue!

[tena]

Sophie sticks to me like glue regardless of my mood. The velcro dog is not leaving my side...ever.

[momofelouise]

That's funny, I've been suspecting the same thing about my boss' samoyed lately. A few weeks ago I noticed a ganglean Cyst on my wrist, which have come and gone for a few years. I was sitting in a chair with my arm dangling one day and she came right up and licked the exact spot on my wrist where the cyst is! The boy i care for is 15 years old and has special needs. OCD, Tourette's a few other issues as well. Whenever he gets upset or anxious she comes running right off likes she wants to help so bad but doesn't know what to do. One night, my boss tells me, he was having a really bad mouth "tick" and the dog just looked up at him with the most pitiful look on her face. My boss said she felt worse for the dog than her son

[Abby's Dad]

I recently broke both of my big toes in a freak accident. Abby did a thing that she never does - climb in my lap and cuddle me. She did this as long as I was not mobile. As soon as I was getting around, the lap thing stopped. I am convinced that they know when something is wrong with their master