Proud to be a lab owner

I was taking pictures of Duke tonight as the sun was going down because he was so happy and realized I haven't taken pictures of him in a while. Unfortunately, it's very hard to photograph black labs with a flash and the sunlight was fading, so the pics aren't the best. But here he is... So later on, I'm sitting here with the majority of my 87lb dog in my lap watching Groomer Has It from Animal Planet. They're not only going into shelters making rescue dogs more adoptable in this episode, but they are also talking about dogs who rescue for a living. They had a blind man on with his yellow lab guide dog telling their story about how they survived 9/11. I started crying a little bit. I found this article about them online... Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon Tuesday, May 03, 2005 "9/11 Survivor Discusses Dog's Heroism" Michael Hingson knows a little bit about the impact animals have on people's lives. The former high-tech sales executive and his yellow Labrador retriever, Roselle, count themselves among the survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Hingson, 55, has been blind since birth; Roselle has been his guide dog since 1999. Hingson was in Salem last week to speak to Humane Society of the Willamette Valley donors. When the planes hit the first tower that morning, Hingson knew that it was time to evacuate the 78th floor offices where he worked for Quantum Corp. The smell of burning jet fuel seeped down from 18 floors above. He said Roselle wasn't shaking, wasn't nervous and didn't bark, but calmly led Hingson and a business associate down the stairs of the burning tower. "We had to slow people down to make sure everyone got out in an orderly way," Hingson said in an interview before his talk Thursday." Roselle wasn't panicking, because I wasn't panicking. She continued to focus and do her job. And I knew if anyone panicked, no one was going to get out." During their hourlong descent to safety, Hingson said he noticed a few burn victims and he passed firefighters heading up the staircase. "The firefighters asked me if I needed help," Hingson said. "But I didn't think that was the time to give them my speech about handicaps. A few of them petted Roselle, and she licked their hands. I realize that was the last unconditional love those guys experienced." Hingson and Roselle developed an international profile, and he left his job with the high-tech firm and now tours the country giving speeches about teamwork to business groups. He also represents Guide Dogs for The Blind as a speaker. Roselle was awarded the Dickin Medal from Britain for her devotion to duty after the World Trade Center attacks. The medal is recognized worldwide as "the animals' Victoria Cross" -- in American terms, the animal equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, according to Guide Dogs For The Blind. "It was absolute inner dependence. She's going to worry when I don't," he said. Hingson said he hopes he is able to use his and Roselle's experience to promote the use of guide dogs. "We're a team," he said of the bond he has with Roselle. "I'm the team leader, but her job is to tell me when to walk and when not to walk. My responsibility is to trust her. On that day, when she ran, I ran." They ran when the first tower began to fall, just 15 minutes after they completed their descent. As the ash and debris of the falling towers began to surround Hingson and Roselle, filling their lungs with toxic material, the dog suddenly stopped. Despite the smoke and dust causing havoc around her, Roselle stopped because the pair were at the top of a staircase. "I've learned more about building a team working with Roselle than I have reading any book," Hingson said. "I have to learn how to read her." Hingson said all pet owners can have that kind of relationship with their animals if they are willing to work at it. Whether in business or in relationships, being fearless and unafraid to fail will get you far, he said. Hingson grew up in Southern California, eventually earning a master's degree in physics from the University of California at Irvine. He has never backed away from a challenge, whether joining the world of high-tech sales or even flying an airplane between Boise and Hailey, Idaho. "We need to live our lives boldly," he said. "With blind people and with people in every walk of life, sometimes the real handicap is the bad attitudes we get when we think about what we can't do, instead of focusing on what we can do."