Diving dogs?

This just in: A Russian scuba diver has outfitted his dog Boniface, a dachshund, with diving equipment including wiener dog-sized oxygen tanks, a dry suit, a Plexiglas helmet and weight belt. The owner, Sergei Gobrunov, says Boniface is learning to dive with the help of sausage treats. Strange? Yes. And many animal advocates has said he is being cruel and insensitive to his dog. But here’s the part of the story I could relate to: Gobrunov says he was inspired to invent a way for Boniface to dive with him because the little dog howled whenever he disappeared under the water. My dog, a beagle named Hunter S. Thompson (yes, he’s the beagle pictured in this blog’s title) will also do anything he can to be with me. Hunter watches me carefully each day, looking for clues that I might be leaving him. And when I’ve been gone and I return home, he lets me know just how horrible life was without me. So I understand, Mr. Gobrunov. The human-hound bond is a strong one, even underwater. (Check it out on YouTube.)