Happily Ever After

Once upon a time there was a little therapy dog who visited a school. And the only rule was that the students couldn’t say the three-letter word … cat!

Tonight I went to an elementary school as part of a “Read-In” program. The students flocked to the library to read their favorite stories to my fellow therapy dogs and me.

What a bunch of talented readers!

So as the story goes, nobody said the word cat (oops, I mean - - -). As per my request, they replaced the word with dog - now that is more like it!

I heard stories like “The Dog in the Hat” and “Meow the Dog.” As you can imagine this generated some giggles.

It was fun to watch their little eyes dart across the pages and eagerly spill out the words with fervor.

What a picture - kids, dogs, books and laughter. Mix it together and the future looks pretty bright!

Hopefully the story will continue and reading will become part of our happily ever after!

Read Across America

Friday is “Read to a Therapy Dog – Read Across America” at a local elementary school.

Last year I participated in this program and it was so much fun! All the kids brought in their favorite books and read to me. It was so relaxing snuggling up and listening to a good story.

One little girl was such a talented reader last year that I licked her book! I hope she comes to read to me again this year.

To prepare for Friday I think I am going to practice and see if I can read back to the kids. So far all I can say is “woof!” but I am working on it. There are so many great books from which to choose.

I am looking forward to hearing lots of stories on Friday! It should be a page-turner!

Good Dog Gala

On Saturday night I attended my first gala! The Pennsylvania SPCA hosted its second annual Good Dog Gala. It was all about the dog! I was one pampered pooch!

Luckily I was dressed for the occasion and decked out in my pink flower leash set and matching pink bow. It was fun to meet so many new people and dog friends too!

The energy of the event was invigorating. The placed was jam packed with people who were dedicated to enriching the lives of animals.

During the evening we had a chance to watch some videos of animals that had been rescued. It was devastating to see the conditions that some of my fellow dogs had to endure.

The most heartwarming part of the night came when we had a chance to meet the dogs that were featured in the video. Prior to being rescued their situation seemed hopeless, and now at the gala they were happily barking and wagging their tails. It is amazing what a little love can do.

It was humbling to be surrounded by so many people who were dedicated to rescuing and providing for an animal in need. Without their devotion and compassion, some of my furry friends would not be with us today.

Thank you to all who volunteer and donate their time to help make the world a kinder and gentler place.

On the Radio

Yesterday, while I was driving in the car, I heard a song on the radio that made me recall the first time I met Alice.

It was a cool, crisp spring afternoon and I was visiting this particular senior center for the first time. As soon as I entered and as soon as Alice laid eyes on me she cried, “the dog is here, the dog is here.”

Alice clapped her hands, waved her arms and cheered like I just finished first in a marathon. It was evident that she had very much been looking forward to my visit.

Although I was unfamiliar with the site, Alice’s warm energy made me feel so welcome that I was immediately drawn to her. Before I could get out a kiss or a bark, Alice scooped me up with both her hands and squeezed me so tightly that I could feel her heart racing against mine.

At times I am sure it was difficult to distinguish our heartbeats as Alice’s hold was steadfast.

Subsequently, Alice took a deep breath and buried her nose in my fur. Her breath was so passionate that my fur went right up her nose like a feather caught in a wind tunnel. Over and over Alice mumbled, “thank you, thank you, thank you.”

It wasn’t until I heard the song on the radio by Rod Stewart, “Lost in You,” that I understood what Alice was doing.

Although some might say that during our visits Alice becomes lost in our embrace, I think that is the time when she feels found.

Board Member

I’ve been elected as a Board Member of Comfort Caring Canines Therapy Dogs, Inc.!

Yay for me!

Well technically my Mom is the Board Member, but I more or less consider her my proxy. I need to brush up on my doggie knowledge and study the training manual to make sure I am in top form.

One of my goals is to think “outside of the box.” My task this week is to get out of this box before the next board meeting. If I smell some peanut butter or see some treats I am likely to hop right out!

Be sure to check out the Comfort Caring Canines web site (link at the bottom of this page).

If you need a little cheer, you can always request a visit!

The Valentine Fairy

Greetings from your Valentine Fairy! My job is to spread the love! Did you feel that? I just gave you a virtual hug!

At the hospital I pranced around this week and handed out Valentine’s Day cards. Of course they had pictures of dogs on them and a little lollipop to boot. One of the boys took two cards. That was a good idea, I thought. Now he has love in both of his pockets so he will be sure not to run out for Valentine’s Day!

I don’t usually visit the emergency room, but a nurse asked me to stop in as there were some little kids who needed a special visitor. No problem, I barked - I am always ready to help!

When I stopped in to visit a little girl, Lisa, another nurse came to the room to take her blood. As you can imagine Lisa was not happy with this.

As the nurse started to prepare the needles I said good-bye to Lisa and wished her well. Both Lisa and her father asked me not to go and the nurse nodded in agreement.

Lisa whispered to me, “stay with me.”

Lisa began to cry when she saw the needle and as soon as I saw the tears I tried to lick them away. This helped a little bit, but I could tell I would have to bring out my best tricks to make the pain and fear disappear.

So I sat on Lisa’s bed and gave her a “high five!” She giggled. I also showed her the shave marks on my front legs from when I had an IV in the emergency room back in December. Lisa was doing ok until she looked back at the needle again.

Treats I though! My Mom read my mind and put dog treats in Lisa’s hand. I think she forgot she was in the hospital and started to have me do tricks for the treats. We both were having such a good time!

People often ask, “what is pet therapy?” I am not exactly sure, but there is something about my soft fur and warm belly that is perfect for cuddling in a hospital bed or maybe it is the motion of my wagging tail that is soothing.

I probably will never see Lisa again, but I know that we will remember each other. She was a brave little girl and I am glad I was there to help her find her courage.

And the Winner Is ...

The winner of the favorite blog entry so far is ... "Birthday Workout! " Thank you all for your votes. I hope you continue to enjoy my blog. There will be more polls and voting to come so we can practice for the election!

Reunited

Did you ever get the feeling that your heart is beating so fast that you think it might jump out of your skin?

Well I did today. My parents returned from vacation and the moment I saw them I began to leap and howl with excitement.

Immediately I showered them with lots of puppy kisses (which my parents reciprocated) and ran circles around them. As my Mom picked me up for an embrace, I remembered something a friend said to us when I was just 14 weeks old.

Back as a puppy, when I was learning to walk on the leash (still practicing today!), we stopped in front of a neighbor’s house. I remember rubbing noses with my Mom and nuzzling with her in the middle of the street.

My neighbor came out of her house and said “ah, new love, how beautiful.”

Though not new today, our love has grown and is still that kind of love that warms the heart and soul.

Love comes in all forms. Sometimes we need to stop, look around and let our hearts be filled with those tender bits of affection from our family and friends (and remember your furry friends too!).

Please Vote!

Hi Friends! I need your help! Please go to the left side of this page and let me know which is your favorite blog entry so far. This will help me know how I am doing. Thanks!