Big thanks to Cynthia S. for forwarding this to me.

Before writing about Brutus, did you read yesterday’s item about George, the rescue dog, and the wonderful effort to raise funds for more life-saving efforts?  If not, read it here. Whatever you can spare, please donate to this super cause.

Now to Cynthia’s item, that has been fairly widely spread across the internet.

How to hug a baby

Thought you might like to know about this dog and his history, I especially like the ending, Cynthia.

The dog above is Brutus, a military dog at McChord.. . He’s huge, part Boxer and part British Bull Mastiff, and tops the scales at 200 lbs. His handler took the picture and explains, “Brutus is running toward me because he knows I have some Milk Bone treats, so he’s slobbering away! I had to duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn’t stop, but he did.”

Brutus was the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq.  His handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents.  Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal that meant ‘go away but come back and find me’.  The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus.  He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of one guard at one door and another guard at another door.  He then jumped against one of the doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an
old warehouse) until it opened.  He went in and untied his handler and they all escaped.  Brutus is the first dog to receive this honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor.  If he knows you’re ok, he’s a big old lug and wants to sit in your lap.  Enjoys the company of cats..

Instructions for properly hugging a baby with Brutus

(A quick Google search found that the words accompanying the same pictures on Daniela’s website, The Daily Tail, were perfect, thus they have been used.)

Step One – Place the baby on a flat, uncluttered surface. Important: Do not attempt this without the assistance of a qualified parent.

Step Two –  Conduct a sniff test to verify the specimen is actually a baby. The scent of baby powder is usually sufficient evidence.

Step Three – Carefully adjust the baby’s position until its head faces the mother’s camera. Note: Babies have two ends. The end covered with a hat or hair is the head. The end covered with a diaper is the butt. Babies do not have tails.

Step Four – Lay your body down over baby. Do not apply pressure. While gently placing your paws around the baby’s body, lick your lips to condition them for the kiss (essential part of the hug).

Step Five – Lean in toward the baby and let your heart melt. Repeat as necessary until the parent finds the camera and takes a perfect picture.

Thanks Cynthia for this lovely story.