PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

The headline for this blog uses an old saying to make a point – that a dog that can be a man’s best friend.

True enough in my own experience.

More than 13 years ago, we got our Hogan to help me recover from my “episode” – a heart attack on December 1, 2004 from which I was able to recover. Hogan, a miniature poodle, became my walking partner in recovery.

That would last for 13 years until, unfortunately, we had to adjust to a new reality – Hogan was not well, with a brain tumor that complicated his existence. Our answer was to put him down, which was a compassionate decision, though the aftermath was much more difficult for me than I thought it would be.

So, enter Callaway, now an 11-month-old poodle who is taking at least part of the hole left by Hogan’s absence. And I have no doubt that Callaway and I will form – in fact, are forming – a new “man’s best friend” partnership.

All of this was driven home to me this Thanksgiving when, in La Quinta, California for a family celebration, I read a column in the Desert Sun newspaper.

Here are a few excerpts from a piece written by Palm Springs area resident, Frank Furino.

“My day begins with coffee and a newspaper in the early morning and ends with a final check of the news channels before closing my eyes at night. And sadly, of late, for the most part, there’s been little good news.

“From the sexual scandals reverberating from Hollywood to Washington, to the insane notion of a potential nuclear war, to the climate change debate, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes around the world, we seem to be living in a cacophony of calamity.

“Thankfully, in this maelstrom of daily chaos, I stumbled upon some really good news. Owning a dog can save your life.”

I can say the same thing.

According to the National Library of Medicine, the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and a bunch of other credible organizations, a series of clinical tests showed nothing short of a dog lover’s dream, as Mr. Furino put it.

Clinical studies concluded that dog owners were significantly more likely than people who did not own dogs to still be alive one year after a heart attack, regardless of the severity of the attack.

Married couples that owned a dog had significantly lower resting heart rates and blood pressure than those who didn’t.

One study indicated that having your dog in the room lowered heart rates under stress better than blood pressure medication. And a number of studies have shown that people’s heart rate and blood pressure go down when they are petting a dog.

The studies seem so conclusive that the American Heart Association issued a statement declaring that owning a pet, any pet, but particularly a dog, could reduce your risk of heart disease.

Often, Hogan, during his life, used to welcome us back home with barks and bounds. It didn’t matter if we had had a bad day or if, for example, I had blown up on the golf course. Hogan was there for me through thick and thin.

Of course, that kind of love and affection comes at a price.

On a daily basis, Hogan used to make it quite clear that he was the lawful owner of our home, graciously allowing my wife and me to live there and pay the mortgage. He required three squares a day, sufficient water and a warm spot in our bed.

No doubt, Callaway will exert the same kind of prerogatives.

But it’s all worth it. The love and affection you get knows few equals. And, with health benefits, owning a dog will change your life for the better.

We learned this well from our neighbors, John and Rosemary Wood, dog lovers both. They often refer to their pets, Tiger (yes, Tiger Wood) and Tuffy as their “beloved pets.” John and Rosemary – and Tiger and Tuffy — taught us first-hand about the value of pets, including for solace and health.