Hope Has a Cold Nose
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Dad, do you want to know what one of my most favorite memories is? It’s that night of the fundraiser when you found out I would be your third “kid.” It’s funny, Dad, in that way that life brings us surprises of the grandest kind. Each time I heard “He’s perfect for Doug!”, I would think. “Who’s this Doug guy?” When I was learning “sit, “heel,” and “stay,” I could sense I was being taught something very important for “someday.” It felt more significant than being a “good dog,” which I heard frequently. It felt like I was being shaped for something more than being a pet in a family. ----------- I finished my speech in front of a crowd of about three hundred—or tens of thousands—at least that is what the sea of faces felt like as I stood on that stage. That is how much a crowd could affect my sense of equilibrium when so many gathered in a single space. I get ready to walk off stage and I am stopped and asked to look in front of us at the aisleway. I notice the honor guard standing at both sides of the aisle, their stature so pristine. At the back of the room is a police officer walking a dog toward me. __________ I still find myself in awe at Jett’s intelligence and ability to hear my needs. If we are in a crowded place—to which I can now enter—Jett will lead me if I feel the need to leave. I only have to say, “Door,” and Jett ushers me to the nearest exit immediately. He is willing to do anything I ask of him and talk about Jett’s perception of what I need! I swear he knows sometimes before I do, which leaves me in amazement as I haven’t taught him some things formally. Pretty special how he can hear my heart even when I don’t speak.
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About the Book
“To have a service dog like Able should be the medication any soldier is prescribed who has gone out and had trauma of some kind.” In Hope Has a Cold Nose, Christine Hassing relays true stories of military veterans and others who rose from the ashes of PTSD and MST with the help of their service dogs. Devoting every chapter to a different human-canine pair, Hassing shares the story of each person with PTSD and their service dog with pathos and creativity. These powerful stories, part testimonial, part author’s interpretation using rhythm and rhyme, bring important insights about how service dogs help people with PTSD and MST in countless ways. From sensing a nightmare and waking a veteran before terror takes hold, to placing a comforting paw on someone’s shoulder to ward off a panic attack, these dogs play a key role in helping those who’ve lived through trauma reintegrate into society. Lovingly written, Hope Has a Cold Nose is a unique and compelling collection of survivors’ stories for dog lovers of all kinds, for those who’ve experienced PTSD and their loved ones, and for those interested in how service dogs can help people heal from the deepest emotional wounds.
About the Author
Christine Hassing is the author of her memoir, To the Moon and Back to Me: What I Learned from Four Running Feet and a compassionate mentor, teaching individuals to find a centeredness in life, in their leadership, and within themselves. It was while Christine was using her intuitive listening skills as a life story writer and earning her MA that her path intersected with a veteran and his service dog. In that way that no moment in life is coincidental, this encounter would guide Christine to write Hope Has a Cold Nose. Christine is a passionate advocate for holistic well-being, animals as healers, and the integration of pain, trauma, sorrow, despair, and grief into living a “hope-full” life. Christine’s capacity to listen and recount the words of storytellers create compelling testimonies to engage and endear support for veterans struggling to integrate back into civilian life and for anyone who is suffering from pain, trauma, sorrow, or despair. Her stories enlist the support of service dogs as an effective healing methodology for people journeying with PTSD and encourage listening, understanding, and compassion. Her other goal is to inspire hope. In addition to her legacy and healing life story writing, Christine is also a self-employed mentor of transformational leadership tools and techniques to organizations and individuals. Christine resides where her loudest neighbors are the bull frogs and blue herons, alongside her husband and their four-legged souls, each with a cold nose.