The Dog Who Rescued Another The Story of Whoobie, Juan, and the Family They Created
When we hear about animals being rescued and adopted, we often picture a family finding their perfect furry companion.
up, Patricia left her door open and went back inside. Whoobie followed — and so did the little dog. As Patricia explains to Reader’s Digest, “From then on, he always followed Whoobie.” After no one claimed the dog, Patricia adopted him and named him Juan. Still uncertain about people, Juan latched ontoWhoobie, and the pair became an inseparable duo. The new brothers shared a bed, and occasionally, Whoobie placed his arm around Juan. At the dog park, every canine knew not to mess with Juan, lest they hadWhoobie to contend with. The pair remained that way for years. Sadly, the worst part about dogs is that they leave us too soon. On the day Whoobie died, Patricia and Juan said their goodbyes together in the veterinarian clinic. “As Whoobie took his last breath,” Patricia recalls,” Juan laid down next to Whoobie. He seemed to know his friend was gone.”
In the case of Whoobie and Juan, it’s a little different.
Whoobie was his owner, Patricia Lane’s, loyal mutt for many years. He mastered all the standard dog commands — sit, stay, and lay down — and he danced when asked and could find his favorite toys by name. Patricia always knew when her guests arrived based on Whoobie’s howl, and his loud-mouth attitude often saw him as the “sheriff” of the local dog park, policing any and all dog fights. For years, Whoobie and Patricia were perfect companions, but one day, their family grew by chance. After waking from a nap on their couch, Patricia and Whoobie heard a dog barking outside. A small Chihuahua mix was standing in their backyard, despite the high fence. (Later, Patricia surmised that someone dropped the Chihuahua into her yard.)
Today, Patricia and Juan have bonded, but they still miss their friend — a dog who saved them both and helped create their family.
For an hour, Patricia tried to establish a rapport, pleading with the little dog to eat or come inside so she could find his owners. He wouldn’t move. Giving
You can read more pet stories in Reader’s Digest’s “America’s Best Pet Pals” series.
SELF-HELP BOOKS CAN’T DO IT ALL
HOW READING FICTION CAN BENEFIT YOU
More Comfort With Uncertainty Even though many stories (particularly those portrayed in popular movies) have nice happy endings, most people would agree that life sometimes leaves
Many CEOs and other successful individuals continually espouse the benefits of regular reading. Many times, leaders read self-help books to improve their leadership skills and become more successful. This is all well and good, but even the most successful people in the world could be missing out on the unique benefits that come specifically from reading fiction. But what are those benefits exactly? Greater Empathy When a psychologist analyzed 86 functioning MRI (fMRI) studies, he found that the same parts of the brain that fire up when reading fictional stories also fire up when we’re seeking to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. That’s because when the characters in the book we’re reading are thinking or feeling a certain way, we tend to think or feel that way with them. Less Stress and Better Sleep When we read fiction specifically, we tend to disengage from the world — and that’s a good thing! Our brains can’t always be functioning at their peak capacity. We need breaks, or else we’ll stress ourselves out and negatively affect other areas of our lives. Stress tends to keep us from sound sleep, but reading fiction before bed engages the imagination, taking us away from the stresses of everyday life before we drift off.
things a little more open-ended. While this fact might stress out some people, researchers have discovered that fiction readers don’t need “cognitive closure” as much as nonfiction readers. Greater Happiness Even if none of the benefits of fiction interest you, everyone wants to find ways to make themselves happy — and for many, that is reading fiction. According to one survey, 76% of participants said that reading makes them feel good and improves their lives. So, what are you waiting for? Dust off that novel you’ve been meaning to read and crack it open!
2 • www.garryliday.com
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