BEING A THERAPY PUPPY

I am one lucky dog. Each week I get to go to a nursing home and say Hello to many people. Some of them are in the home for only a short time and are really missing their own pets. Others are there for a very long time and I bring back memories of pets they have had in the past. I really bring joy to so many people during my visits.

When I am at the nursing home I just have to be a good dog and let all the people pet me. Sometimes I have to be good a very long time while Deb and the people tell stories. This isn't so bad because I usually have a set of hands petting me the whole time. Deb has also brought bags of treats to many of the people so they feed me the right kind of snacks when we are visiting.

While I am there the nurses are good at teasing me. They make sure they make a bit of noise or bring a cart next to me so I can learn that noise is okay. Today I got to go in the rehab room and look at different machines that make noise and move in funny ways.

All in a days play for me at the nursing home.

I AM GROWING!

It is time I let everyone see how big I am getting. I am starting to out grow my bed. I do share it on occasion with my house sister Billy but it is getting just a bit crowded. Deb is working each day on my obedience training. I must say she is pleased with me. I am very attentive during training and I continue to come even if I am hot on the trail of a frog or a grasshopper. I can sit and stay, wait and come, now I am learning to lay down on command and come up to a sit once I have on been on a down. Another couple of weeks of this and Deb is going to start a command called touch. With this command I will be learning the basics of opening up a handicap door.

I will continue to have the puppy mentality for a long time yet so Deb is going to take it easy on the skills commands so as not to confuse me and also to let me have a lot of fun. I have to go now. I think I see a toad.

The Lessons Daniel Has Learned

The whole is never big enough! I don't think Daniel is a natural digger but he cannot resist exploring a whole made by Thomas our greyhound. Of course after that digging a nap is in order.

This morning I was called outside to have a look at Daniel. Turns out Dan had discovered a toad and at the time I looked out the door he was foaming a great deal at the mouth. I never did find the toad but I think he got the upper hand or mouth. I can't wait to see if he learned his lesson.

Daniel has been going on many outings lately. I have been getting him use to the sights and sounds of stores, churches and libraries. Last week we were at the Mall of America and after about 2 hours he was very tired but still being a great dog.

Training is consisting of sit, wait ( he has to wait before he gets to go in his kennel to eat, he has to wait at the door before he gets let outside and also before he can come inside, this teaches Daniel not to charge the door and possible run someone over) , the down command is being introduced slowly. What we work on the most is fetching and this is always done in a very up beat way. When Daniel is finished in his mind with this we stop the exercise so he only knows ending on a good note.