“They don’t worry about tomorrow, which can be a very scary concept for an older person. Jay P Granat, a New Jersey-based psychotherapist. “Dogs and cats live very much in the present,” says Dr.

Scientists and pet owners have known for decades that animals can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and increase social interaction and physical activity. Are Duffy and Baily helping get the couple through our coronavirus confinement? “Don’t ask,” she laughs.Īnyone who has ever owned a pet knows there’s nothing quite like the slightly slurpy feel of a dog’s welcoming lick or the soft vibration of a cat’s thrumming purr as it rubs against your leg. When the Dietz’s - former Bend residents - moved from Portland’s Pearl District to Rose Schnitzer Manor, their “canine kids” were part of the package.Įven though Harriet has strong ties to CSP and Rose Schnitzer - her mother was the artist Sylvia Shlim for whom her father dedicated a manor wing - “Leaving our animals behind would have been a definite deal breaker,” she explains as David revs up his motorized scooter to take his turn at ushering the dogs on their fifth walk of the day.

The extraordinarily lively doggy duo “jump into our bed buffering David between them when he’s hurting,” she laughs, adding that you can see David’s pain reflected in the dogs’ deep soft eyes. “Duffy and Baily know when David is unwell,” Harriet Dietz says of her and husband David’s two look-alike but unrelated terrier-beagle blends.

Panther! by Roger A. Caras