Therapy!

I think the work that therapy dogs is just amazing. We have a good friend, Spencer, who is a therapy dog. I'm just a little too high spirited for that kind of work now, Gracie too! But maybe in our later years it could be something that we could do. Mum thinks Gracie would especially be good at it.

There are two great stories in the news this week about therapy dogs. Combat veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are being given extra therapy as they recover from their injuries, all in the form of a furry friend.

The dogs that bring the cheer are part of the Pal pet therapy program at Walter Reed. Having passed their CGC and going through a screening process, they are now full-fledged therapy companions to hundreds of combat veterans - and a shining light in their road to recovery. The ArmyTimes has the full story.

And on the other side of the country in LA at the UCLA Medical Center, Jamie Hosn, who spent three months in a coma and faced a dim prognosis, is now recovering and relying on an important therapist -- a chocolate lab named Kobe. Kobe helps her escape the 'hospital environment' and gives her hope and joy as she progresses. MSNBC has the full story.

For more information about therapy work for dogs, visit Therapy Dogs International, and DogPlay, who has an extensive listing of therapy dog organizations and websites by state, as well as on the national level.