The Ultimate Working Pooch - A Postcard from Buster

A Comfort Specialist for several years, Buster helps me
to be more calm and relaxed,
 when I'm having dental work done.
I wish there were more dogs in this line of work!

I once read (and I wish I could remember where I read it) that the Aztecs trained and bred special hairless healing dogs to lay on ill people and do important medical tasks. I know exactly what those fortunate people felt like...

This is Buster. He is a Comfort Specialist at Dr. Lori Doran's Dental office in Palo Alto CA, a twenty minute bike ride from my home. I called ahead to make sure Buster was on duty before I went in for my appointment, and apparently I'm not the only patient who does this. About half of Dr. Doran's patients like to have Buster's help.

Yes, those are my toes down at the end of the dental chair and Buster was laying as close to my chest as I could get him. He adjusts to whatever people want him to do. Some people like him in the knee zone, others on the lap. I like him REALLY close. It's so soothing when I'm having a crown removal and cavity workup like I did that day. 

Of course it's not a job just any pooch can do, but we certainly need more dogs (and perhaps other mammals) like Buster out there.