Karla's Kolumn: How dogs are like humans, only better

Did you know dogs get the hiccups?

They do. I didn't realize they could get hiccups either until we got our oldest dog Sarah 15 years ago. She doesn't get them as much now as she did when she was younger but you could tell when she had the hiccups. You'd feel bad for her because it was hard to tell her to hold her breath. We would try to scare her. Then I read that you need to stretch the diaphragm when you have the hiccups so I could get Sarah comfortable and get her to stretch out and give her a belly rub and that usually cured her hiccups.

Last fall I found out dogs get seasonal allergies. Really? Yup, they do, and apparently they hit around the age of 2, but our border collie was an over achiever apparently and got it at 1.5 years.

Fortunately the seasonal allergies are just that, seasonal. And I found out that they have animal allergy pills but in a pinch you can give them Benadryl or other allergy medicine.

Now people who don't have dogs, and yes, there are those rare individuals who do not know the pleasure of living with a dog, don't know the human characteristics that dogs display.

And along with hiccups and allergies, of course, dogs get other ailments, but one other human thing dogs do that some people say doesn't happen is that dogs dream.

I firmly believe that. Every dog I've owned has chased bunny rabbits (or something) in their dreams. You can tell as they are sleeping peacefully and then begin whimpering and their legs start running while they sleep on their sides.

Sarah even growls at times, not sure what her dreams are about but there is a reason they say let sleeping dogs lie.

And sometimes Sarah must have bad dreams because she will be lying next to me on the couch, wake up, give me a dirty look and then get off the couch and go lie somewhere else. Not sure what I did in the dream or what happened, but apparently she blames me.

All of our dogs were "rescue" dogs in one aspect or another, but Sarah was a true rescue dog from the Lovell pound. She had been neglected by her owners and to her credit she found a way to escape a life of being chained up with no attention and no human interaction, and then she found a way right into our hearts.

But that neglect, just like humans, stayed with her. As a heeler cross she was active but she also was and is a "lap dog." She craves attention. She needs to feel loved because she didn't get any her first six months.

So you see, dogs are people too.

But then, dogs are better than people. They love unconditionally. I can have a bad day and yell at the phone or the TV or even the dogs for something. But then I can look straight at them, tell them I'm sorry and they will come running with tails wagging ready to give kisses and ready to play.

They know when we are hurting. They are more attune to our feelings and our moods than most people.

They don't hold grudges. We can punish Ivy for getting on the counter ... again ... and stealing a loaf of bread. She knows why she is in the dog house and as soon as the punishment is over she's asking to play red dot and life is good.

They remember better than people. If you don't believe me come to my house and forget to give them their nightly rawhides. They will remind you, constantly until you give in and get them.

So what it comes down to in truth is dogs have human tendencies, but they are better than people, and we dog owners are blessed to have them in our family.