Those Rottweiler eyes. Big, dark, expressive. Watchful. Taking everything in. Making sure that nothing threatens home or family. Judging the temperament of an angry steer. Following the movements of an adored master or mistress. And saving the life of a desperate man poised on the edge of self-destruction. Stinky, a ten-year-old Rottweiler, was recently inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame as 2011 Service Dog of the Year for her work as a psychiatric therapy dog helping soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder. In a tribute to her, owner George Leonard spoke of how Stinky’s unconditional love and nonjudgmental presence had saved several lives. “One case in particular, the individual…was going to bring grave harm to himself…but he was upset because he thought, well, what’s going to happen to that dog? What am I going to do with that dog? And then Stinky just sat there and stared at him. And then he said, ‘I just can’t do it.’” Later, the soldier said “Tha
Those Rottweiler eyes. Big, dark, expressive. Watchful. Taking everything in. Making sure that nothing threatens home or family. Judging the temperament of an angry steer. Following the movements of an adored master or mistress. And saving the life of a desperate man poised on the edge of self-destruction. Stinky, a ten-year-old Rottweiler, was recently inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame as 2011 Service Dog of the Year for her work as a psychiatric therapy dog helping soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder. In a tribute to her, owner George Leonard spoke of how Stinky’s unconditional love and nonjudgmental presence had saved several lives. “One case in particular, the individual…was going to bring grave harm to himself…but he was upset because he thought, well, what’s going to happen to that dog? What am I going to do with that dog? And then Stinky just sat there and stared at him. And then he said, ‘I just can’t do it.’” Later, the soldier said “Tha