JEM, I agree totally with you on this. Over memorial day weekend I was dog sitting for some really good friends of mine and the first day I was feeling ok but lifted something wrong and the next day I was falt on my back. Well the first day the dogs were going in and out all day playing in the yard and stuff. From the second day when i was couch stricken they both just laid there next to me. One on the floor the other on my lap. If I got up to do something they would follow me almost to make sure I was OK. When I'd make it back to the couch they'd be right there with me. I truly beleive that animals can be some of the best healers for us.

Hank

I am down to 3 dogs, all Jack Russells. My male, Cargo, is the most intuitive when it comes to how I'm feeling and what I need at the moment. He is the most gentle dog you could ask for and will cuddle in any position I need him to. My girls, on the other hand, care only for themselves LOL! They don't seem to have that in them but will be more quiet when I'm having an extra bad day. If it looks like I'm going to get up, however, all bets are off. The girls want, want, want!

I love all my dogs but that boy is something special. I didn't have them around for awhile and I sure missed that contact. They can help our healing process a great deal.

Griff

Sirius is a boxer/pit from the pound and she is my best doggie friend! when i am down she is right next to me, her head usually on my lap! there are so many times i just couldn't make it through without her! it makes me so happy to see others experience the same love as i do! our friends just seem to have a "sixth" sense when it comes to caring for us!! Jenny

We have a 90 lb. mutt named Katrina we adopted 4 years ago. For the most part she was my kids' and husband's dog. I love the dog but they were the ones who played with her so she liked them better. Until the day I came home from having surgery. She is normally kinda clumsy and not aware of her size but with me she was so different. When I slept she would put her nose in my face and sniff to see if I was OK. She would lick me when I woke up. She refused to go out side and play with the kids preferring to lay on the floor next to the couch I was on. When I was awake she would gently lay her head on my lap and just look at me. It would make my heart melt.

im sure my dog knows i have to leave him with the a petsitter on wednesday.Hes huffing,i hate leaving him but i need my holiday although i foung a lovely lady who looks after him in her home,he stayed with her last year and she sented my texts and pics of him everyday

benji, I know how you feel. After my January surgery I had to board most of my Jack Russells (I had 9 at the time) because I was deteriorating rapidly and couldn't take care of them. I tried to keep 2 of the terriers here at a time and the big outside dog. When it was time to take the ones back and get "new" ones they would always know and seem so sad. It broke my heart. I finally couldn't do it to them (or me)any longer and rehomed most of them so that they could have a normal life. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done but I don't regret the decision. I still am unable to care for that many and now they are in happy homes with people that love them.

Taking a short break from our pets is hard but necessary sometimes. Just remember that they can have a good time on "vacation" too! Don't feel too guilty or they'll pick up on that and feel bad themselves.

Griff

My sister's dog knows when I am upset and she comes to me and tries to comfort me...Same with my mom's dogs! They know when I am feeling bad and/or crying and come to me and give me love! Those two yorkies really seem to know when one of us needs comforting! They always melt my heart and may not take my pain away, but almost always make me feel better emotionally!

As an aside, I once worked with some one whose wife had cancer in many places and was in a wheelchair, bless her heart, she had a great attitude! But they would take their dog and hold her over her body and the dog would bark at certain parts and those were the places that were cancerous, or places that were cancerous and had not been diagnosed yet!

My dog Malcolm when I got back home from my surgery he would not eat or get out of my hospital bed because he wanted to be with me, my mom ended up feeding him by hand and almost dragging him out to go for a walk each day. He knows when I am down and does not like to see me crying! He sleeps with me, I talk to him all the time (I know, I am not crazy ) but I swear he understands! He is a terrier mix that I got from the SPCA when hurricane Katrina dogs from New Orleans were brought to south florida. I think that he is just grateful that I saved his life, and to tell you the truth, he has save my life too.

Millie

My three cats are not far away - even when I got my bath. Zena MUST be next to me, Indy (the macho male) is constantly checking for the "cat cannibles" and Oreo is reminding me to comb her hair so she can go to work - at night - protecting us.
It helps that they are indoor cats. But they do help with the pain and today has been one of those days. Haven't had this much pain since right before surgery.
Time for drugs and bed.

i have 3 dogs that i love to pieces and when i had surgery they cried until i came home, when they noticed me walking different it was on; at the time my hubby was working grave yard and my mom was up all night with me but the dogs refused to leave my side, if i cried out in pain they went running to find someone to check in on me. now after everything my male dog scrappy lays on the bed with me and he lays across my back as to protect it and sleeps that way. if i turned to the other hip he moved as well.
he even guards the the door if i go potty or take a shower. he's my manzy
maria

I have a 10 year old English Cocker Spaniel. She is a very lovable dog, but also a terror when it comes to food. She will climb a mountain to get any morsel of food.
I work from home and my wife works at a hospital, so I am alone with my dog most of the day.

When I am having good days, Lollie

(Dogs name) will just hang around where she wants to, comes to see me once in a while, but is pretty much to her self.
When I am having a bad day, she is GLUED to me. She will sit on the couch or wherever I am . And if I get up, she springs up and will follow me wherever I go.
When I ok again, she goes back to her normal routine

So, there is no question in my mind that our pets understand what pain is all about.

I think for the most part mine do and do try to comfort me but I have 3 chihuahua's and a yorkie puppy who is 6 months. The oldest chihuahua is about ready to give up on life, he is 17, and at this point I wish he would, the yorkie is funny, she loves my husband and right now she is a leary of me when I am in pain, which makes me sad since my husband got her for me for Valentine's day to help me with dealing with my pain and my youngest daughter leaving the nest, but she { the yorkie, not the daughter} has turned out to be a daddy's girl all the way and really almost dislikes me. My female chihuahua is very self centered and honestly only cares about herself but the younger male chihuahua, absolutely adores me and cries out loud when I leave and he will not let me out of his sight, he "KNOWS" when I am hurting and will lay his head down and look at me with the most loving and caring eyes I have ever seen. They know, trust me they know much more than we could ever know...

Laurie~

They do seem to know when it is a bad day, but I have such guilt for not getting down on the ground to play with them and not lifting them up when they come to meet me at the end of the workday! That is a worry I have for when I do have surgery and can't bend/lift/twist. For months they'll think I'm mad at them!