Dog Zen.

My wife and I watched this show today on the animal planet called Cell Dogs. Animal Planet describes it:

Go into the United States most terrifying institutions and find out how the Prison Pet Partnership program has helped inmates. Inmates volunteer as dog trainers and together the dogs and trainers help each other grow and improve their lives.

They interviewed numerous inmates and talked to them about how training dogs has helped them emotionally and spiritually. My wife and I were very moved being dog owners ourselves. We can empathize, to a certain degree, with the connection one can feel with an animal. You could see the gentleness that these dogs brought out in these men and women who once committed very sirius crimes to the extent of murder. After implementing this program in the prison, violence went down by up to 50% in the prison yards.

My wife and I often express our excitement in bringing up our son with dogs(having two). I think having a pet can bring a real appreciation for life in all creatures into the family. I met a little boy once who would not kill a spider, but would visit its spider web each day to see what new webs he had spun and what meals he was eating. I hope my son will have the same appreciation for nature. I know I will do my best to teach it.

Here's our Doggies.