Dogs are such amazing creatures. They have shown themselves to be heroes in war, friends to all who need love and eyes, ears and hands to those who are disabled. They are not always highly trained dogs, but rather many times just the family pet who has a strong sense of love and loyalty for his human family. Dogs have also been known to save lives more often than many people are aware of.

Such a situation just took place this past Sunday on a afternoon in Marcellus Township, Michigan where a family dog is credited with saving the life of a toddler who fell into the family swimming pool. It all took place when a woman named, Patricia, was at home with her 14 month old son, Stanley and her 4 year old black lab named Bear on just a typical day or so it seemed.

Patricia recalls her words to Bear, “I’ve always told Bear growing up, ever since he was a pup to just watch over his babies. I’ve always told him that they were his babies.” And she is glad that apparently he was listening. On Sunday afternoon Patricia was doing yard work while trying to keep an eye on her children but took a moment to go into the garage to put something away. Her son, Stanley always follows her and stays close, but that day in just a split moment, he was gone.

Her first instinct was to rush to the pool in her backyard and she was horrified when she saw her son in the water. But to her relief she also saw Bear was in there with him too. This is how she described the situation, “Bear put his back underneath Stanley’s back to keep him from going under any farther. I don’t know where I’d be if Bear didn’t go in for him and keep him up out of the water before I could get to him.”

Patricia immediately pulled her son out of the water, who had turned blue and wasn’t breathing. Since she couldn’t get her cell phone service to call 911, she frantically drove her son to the Marcellus Fire Department. Luckily he did not have any fluid in his lungs and began to cry as the firemen worked on him. Stanley was taken to the Three River's hospital and released later that day and has suffered no ill effects since that fateful day. Patricia on the other hand is acutely aware of what her dog, Bear, did for her family that day and she calls him her hero.