A golden retriever that saved the life of its master after the man fell from his mountain bike is being honored Tuesday with a crystal likeness of himself and customized silver dog tags.
A feel good dog story emerges as The Humane Society of the United States will award the Austin pooch Yogi its 2011 Valor Dog of the Year award for saving Paul Horton. The 58-year-old retired mechanical engineer and Yogi have been together for about five years, since Yogi was a pup.
Last October, Yogi was out for a jog while Horton was riding his bike near Lake Travis when he jumped a curb on his bicycle.
"I'm sure I've done it 100 times, but this time my front wheel stopped and I went over the handlebars and landed on my head," Horton told the Austin American-Statesman.
The helmetless Horton was knocked unconscious. When he came to, he couldn't move and was bleeding from his nose and mouth. Yogi was at his side.
Horton could not yell, so he pleaded with Yogi for 45 minutes to go and get help. Finally, Yogi went back to the road and encountered Horton's neighbors, Bruce and Maggie Tate. Normally mild mannered, Yogi barked at the Tates frantically. Realizing something was wrong, they followed him back to Horton.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7578444.html#ixzz1NITY52ia
