she was so empathetic, it was almost beyond belief. If you cried, she would sit in front of you and put a paw on your knee and you would feel so much better, like magic. I was not the only one who felt her empathy, I ended up loaning her out to people in grief from loss of a loved one, a mother, a husband, a child, another dog. Sometimes if felt I did not have a dog, I would loan her out and then I would have to go and demand her back after a month or so, no one ever wanted to return her, including my Mother when my dad, dies - and she had 3 cats at the time, but only Sadie would do, she always wanted her around. When my father was sick, I had to bring my dog to visit him a lot, the dog was one of the few things he would recognize, people were mistaken for others, but he always knew Sadie. Some how she took pain away, my ex even dropped by to borrow her for a while.

Yea, dogs are empathetic, knew that.

She sounds really special.

Mastiffs (in general) have a lot of empathy too. Mine brings me great comfort. Just thinking about her makes me relax and smile.

I told people things about Sadie and they would not believe me until they saw it themselves, like that she learned a few english words, my own mother doubted me and said I was just a crazy dog owner until she heard it, and that when we would go for walks she would do a "Snoopy" and have all four legs off the ground, sort of doggy skip.
but yes, loving dogs make us think happy thoughts.
now the dog I have now is a selfish idiot who spent the morning demanding I open the door so she could lie down and look out the storm door. Sitting on the couch and looking out the window is too much work for her. The only thing she learned is how to annoy me enough so I give in, but I still love her and she can give hugs (when she wants something)