toe chewing dog

there is this terrier named Kiko who smelled an infection in his owner's toe, and chewed off the toe to prevent infection to spread while his owner was passed out from diabetes. Yes, he ate his owner's toe. http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/08/03/48-7400-dog-chews-off-owners-toe-and-may-have-saved-his-life.
Well, i do not go around chewing off my owners' toes (because that is just gross), but whenever one of them is sick or sad, I can sense it, and I usually go lie right by them or right outside their doors.