Milkbone Honors Noble the Service Dog

Since he was a puppy undergoing training as a service dog, over 35,000 Facebook fans have been faithfully following Noble, an almost two year old Golden Retriever, on the It's Good to Give Milk Bone campaign page. And now that Noble has graduated as a mature service dog, he has been paired up with 23 year-old Sam Farr, a resident of Oceanside California. Sam is an incredibly courageous Marine veteran, whose life has been totally transformed by his trusted canine companion. While graduation days are always a joyous occasion for celebrants and their friends and families, this particular one is very special. I'm enchanted by how wonderfully Noble's graduation illustrates the contributions service dogs can make to their human companions. Upon graduation from High School, Sam enlisted into the Marines. Two years ago, while he was on duty in North Carolina, his spine was partially severed when his car went out of control and plummeted over a cliff. Hospitalized in Georgia, Sam was in a coma for a month. He was paralyzed, unable to walk or use his hands. Volunteers from Canine Assistants visited the hospital while Sam was in rehabilitation, and the service dogs they brought with him licked Sam's hands. When asked if he would want a service dog, Sam said he would. But it took 18 months of hard work before Sam and Noble actually met a few weeks ago. And during that meeting Sam told the AP, "He jumped straight in my lap and started licking me in the face. They brought two other dogs. I had to continually give the other dogs treats to get them to respond to me. With Noble, I didn't have to do that." Thus a fantastic match became a reality. I was thrilled when asked to write a story about this dynamic duo, and yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of chatting on the phone with Crystal, Sam's mom, a delightful gal. She is thrilled that Noble has given so much joy to her son, along with a growing positive "can do" attitude. Now that Sam has a "partner" that can help him be more independent, Crystal is now able to resume her work as a CPR instructor for the American Heart Association. But talking personally with Sam was the icing on the cake. He shared how Noble has increased his confidence, cheers him up when he is down, and how much easier he is able to relax. And in addition to all the daily living things that Noble helps him with, such as picking up items he drops, or opening dresser drawers and doors, and turning light switches on and off, Noble sense his moods and quickly responds. But what he enjoys the most about his partnership with Noble is his sense of humor, especially when he teases him playfully by running off with an object in his mouth. Be sure to check out Its Good to Give Milk Bone Campaign Facebook page to read about Noble and Sam's continuing adventures. This is a partnership made in Heaven, don't you think? Leave a comment and share your thoughts. Photos provided by Danielle Paleafico