Paws & Effect

Dogs have always helped humans and changed our lives for the better—by herding sheep, guarding our homes, and giving us unconditional love—but our dogs may save our lives as well. PAWS & EFFECT (Alyson Books, December 2007, $24.95 Hardcover) provides individual accounts of beloved pets that have supported their families, in miraculous ways, through periods of ill health or emotional upset; and it reviews the science that lends credence to claims of dogs’ healing power. Did you know that dogs are better at detecting ovarian, lung, bladder, prostate or skin cancer than any currently known medical device, better than x-rays, laboratory blood work, MRIs, biopsies, sputum technology, CAT scans, PET scans, fiber optic scopes, mammograms, pap smears or second opinions? Or that dogs can sense an oncoming epileptic seizure or hypoglycemic episode and warn their human friend before they take place? That an organization called X-CPR is carrying on the work of ancient Aztecs in promoting the use of small, hairless Mexican dogs to relieve the pain of arthritis and fibromyalgia? Author Sharon Sakson’s investigation took her to academic institutions, veterinarians’ offices, dog breeders, charitable organizations, and even the military—wherein she discovered documentation for what so many of us already understand: that the loving presence of a dog can avert, and transport us through, grave illness, whether physical or psychological. More importantly, her investigation took her deep into the hearts and lives of dogs and their owners. As PAWS & EFFECT makes clear, dogs are not only faithful and intuitive companions, but also, on a deeper level, spiritual guides, who, in their resilience, intelligence, affability, courage, and perseverance, both model and support healthy living. Seamlessly weaving research and narrative, Sharon Sakson redefines the age-old bond between human and dog—a bond that is proving to be without limits. Actress, author, and animal lover Betty White wrote, “This book is so meaningful and straight to the heart. Paws & Effect sheds a whole new light on our communication with animals of which many people are unaware. You may listen more closely the next time your dog tries to tell you something!”