Pitanga, the dog Therapist

[Teresa]

So my oldie Ginja got sick two weeks ago, and had to come live with me for a month, because I'm the only one who can give her pills. Pitanga and Ginja aren't best friends, so having them toghether for a long time can sometimes be a big problem - they both want to dominate.

But this time something amazing is happening. Ginja, 9yrs and a half, has now some degree of hearing loss, and no longer can hear me at the same distance, or can she realise a car is coming and so on. This, of course, is making her feel a bit unsure about the world, specially because she is not in her ususal home.

And what did Pitanga do? Instead of taking advantage of Ginja's insecurities, she has very calmly but firmly placed herself as top dog, and is making Ginja follow her at all times. If I call Ginja and she does not hear me, Pitanga gets her for me. If we are walking near a busy street, Pitanga makes sure she is between Ginja and traffic, so she does not get scared with the cars near her.

Ginja is now realising there is something diferent about herself, and it seems to me, she understands Pitanga hears things she does not, so now, her eyes are on Pitanga all the time, and if Pitanga's ears shift, she looks for the sound Pitanga is hearing, and is starting to make some sense of the world again.

I'd heard stories of dogs helping each other, and always imagined setters would be amazing at it, but it never corssed my mind that Pitanga would be able to "let go" their hate for each other and just help her in this hard time for Ginja!

[Elizabeth Ball]

This is so lovely to read, sorry to hear that Ginja is unwell obviously, but so nice that PItanga has taken her under her care. 

[Rhonda Fisher]

 Wonderful to read and would have been wonderful to watch.

[Lois McCullough]

It is lovely the way Pitanga is looking out for Ginja we have had the same with Micawber Hamilton has a weepy eye and Micawber thinks his role is to lick it clean we do discourage it, he also senses if Hamilton has a sore paw,ear etc. Hope Pitanga is enjoying her new role

[Chantal McIlveen-Wright]

Another lovely example of the wonderful temperament of our setters!! wish that us human beings could learn from them .... hope you get well very soon Ginja, a big cuddle to Pitanga for being such a great girl!

[Cornelia]

Wonderful story, Teresa! We humans could learn from that behaviour...