My journey to becoming a Therapy Dog - final chapter

Is this the final chapter?

Or is it perhaps the FIRST chapter in a long, happy, and hopefully successful volunteer career as a therapy dog. I guess you could say I got my doctorate in Therapy. Did it come easy? Well, maybe not for mom.

But I had my final supervised visit this past week, and the work of the past 3 months or so has come to an end, or more appropriately, a beginning. Mom is proud of me. Sis, the one who refers to me as "the Rock Star" is proud of me. Dad is proud of me (I think...). My paperwork has been sent, and I await the mail with great anticipation for my official tag and identification.

It's a job, and one that I look forward to with zest. I love to go, and all it takes is mom putting on her tennis shoes in the evening for me to know I'm going somewhere. The shoes go on, and I bark at her. I bounce up and down in the dining room until mom comes and puts the collar on me, then bounce up and down, all the way out of the house. Once out of the house I run to the the back door of mom's car, sit and wait, impatiently, until the car door opens and I get to jump in and GO!! I love my work, I love the people, and mom loves to be making a difference. (Doesn't she know, it's not HER...)

A person whom I am proud to call a friend here told me, "Call it the laying on of paws, the counsel of quiet or the ministry of just plain reassuring presence, Therapy Dogs help heal the heart". Words that I can live the rest of my spoiled, happy, wonderful Golden life by.

So, this book is closed.

But another has opened.

I've been tagged!!

FOUR JOBS THAT I HAVE:


1. Greeter/Wecome Wagon
2. Therapy Dog/Bringer of Joy
3. Alarm Clock (it's time to get UP! it's 5:30!)
4. Teddy bear for my sister - hugs hugs hugs!


FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED AT (OR STAYED);

1. Broken Arrow, OK
2. Oklahoma City, OK
3. Bartlesville, OK
4. ???



FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN:

1. The Dog Dish, Tulsa, OK
2. GreenTree Retirement Home, Sand Springs, OK
3. Southern Agriculture, Tulsa, OK
4. West Bank of the Arkansas River, Tulsa, OK


4 PLACES I'D RATHER BE:

1. Riding somewhere in the car
2. Sitting in sister's lap
3. The Vet's office (like Annie, I love the vet)
4. Sleeping on mom & dad's bed


SEVEN THINGS ABOUT ME:

1. I was found stray and roaming the streets
2. I've had three (known) surgeries
3. I love FOOD FOOD FOOD!!
4. I help mom cook dinner every night (that she cooks)
5. My favorite person in the whole is my skin sister
6. I ate an entire plate full of homemade cream puffs one day when I was counter-surfing
7. I snore like crazy!

Now, it's my turn to tag friends...let's see....I tag

Casey
Kiara
Jake
Kai
Emma

My journey to becoming a Therapy Dog - part IV

Normally we wouldn't post another entry so soon, but mom had a touching evening on Thursday. Thursday was my 2nd supervised Therapy visit - two down and one to go. I'm guessing that those of you who have done Therapy have had this happen to you before, but it took mom by surprise, and reiterated the entire reason I have this job, and confirmed to mom that it's God's calling that I do this.

Visit #2 was at another nursing facility. The group of people was a little less ambulatory than my first visit, with the majority of folks being in wheelchairs or scooters. One gentleman was in a hospital bed, and he was incoherent. Mom was not sure if she should approach or not, as there was really no sign of lucidity.

We had been visiting around in a common area for about half an hour, and were visiting the lady next to him, chatting it up and all. The man in the hospital bed was on the other side of me - 2 or 3 feet away. Out of the corner of her eye, mom saw him reach his hand out to me, all at the same time not appearing to be concious of what he was doing. Mom pardoned us from the lady we were visiting, and she repositioned me under the man's hand. Again, being the giant I am, no one has to reach to pet me, and as he sensed my presence, he began to stroke the top of my head. As he stroked, he began to talk. Mom saw just a split second of vague lucidity as he stroked and spoke. Although we could not understand him we listened and conversed back. He stroked for a few minutes and placed his hand back onto his hospital bed, all the while disappearing once again into the dark void that his mind was trapped in. I gently nudged the hand - letting him know that I was still there. He stroked me once again, and poked at my nose and forehead. Keeping a close eye on my for my protection, mom allowed him to prod and touch. Shortly thereafter, the man 'left' again, and was finished for the night.

We have learned that what I do is to help heal, and bring joy to those who are lonely and sick. What we didn't expect was to see someone, trapped in the binds of their own mind, free themselves from their private world to emerge into the light... if only for a brief moment.

My journey to becoming a Therapy Dog – part III

Last night was the La Preuba Grande, the big test! The test part was easy, nothing bothered me, the crutches, walkers, wheelchairs; I was very well behaved during my testing process. I could’ve scored better in a couple areas, but I did pass everything in the checklist, with the exception of 2 things. The canes, walkers, scooters and wheelchairs? No biggie. Nothing fazes me really – I just can be a little overexuberant some times.

My first supervised visit itself went well for the most part. There was a large glass birdcage in the corner, and as the evening wore on, I grew more and more distracted by the pretty birdies in the glass cage, and I got a little worked up. Mom was a little miffed at me, but I was in such a new and different environment, my brain was on overload! The people, especially the ladies there, LOVED me, and I loved them. I was surrounded by ladies petting me – literally surrounded by a circle of little old ladies cooing and chatting at me, stroking my head, my ears, making a big fuss about how “handsome” I was. A guy could get used to this kind of treatment!

I think once I get used to this new ‘outing’ I’ll settle into the rhythm of how it all works. Mom is certainly praying that I’m able to overcome my obstacles. My evaluator was extremely pleased with the visit, telling mom “He’s a wonderful big guy. You guys are going to make a great team. It’s not all about the dog you know, it’s about the team – the dog AND the handler - and you two are going to be a great asset to this organization.”

Visit #2 – tomorrow!!

She said I'm a ROCK STAR!!!

I love my skin sister. I worship the ground she walks on. She sings to me, she keeps me company during the day, she helped mom take care of me when I was healing, she plays with me, and loves loves LOVES on me!

Many times, when mom and I go do things, she comes along when she can. Many times, though, she can't. The places that we frequent, and in the dog circles in town, I guess I'm kind of 'known'. They know me by name at the pet/ag store by our house; they know me by name and all come to see me at the Dog Dish. The girls at my vet's office fawn over me, and the trainer at school makes a fuss. Moms lab friends know me, her goldendoodle friends know me. The Petco folks know me. The Church people know me.

This weekend, we went to a big event benefitting a local humane society. Mom ran into several folks that she knows because of dogs, and it's always the same... "Mooooose!" Don't get me wrong, I love the attention. I don't know if it's my big smile, or my warm personality... mom calls me a Goodwill Ambassador. I'm not TRYING to be Mr. Popularity.... it just kind of happened. And mom and sis just watch.

We went to our Oktoberfest this weekend with Dad too. Dad isn't used to going places with me, and immediately when we got there, we became an attraction in and of ourselves. Mom took me because she wants me exposed to as many situations as possible, because of the Therapy thing. She wants me exposed to different sizes and kinds of people, sounds, smells. The little people there were drawn to me for some reason... I guess it's my big teddy bear appearance. Moms and Dads were constantly stopping us, especially those with the real little humans that rode around in the wheeled buggys they get to ride in. The little ones would get out of their buggys, and surround me - lots of pets and kisses and hugs. Some were so little they hadn't even been walking long. Dad was a little surprised, and sis had to explain to him that it's like this wherever I go in town.

Her explanation made me feel so good..... she said.....

"Dad, you have no idea. It's always like this. It's like, he's a ROCK STAR."

A rock star. She said I'm a rock star!! I love my sister.

My journey to becoming a TD - Chapter II

It's a beautiful Saturday here. Mom and I have been busy - I have to practice my obedience work, we helped host a Blessing Of The Animals at our Church this week, and today, Mom went on an observation visit with our local Therapy Dogs, Inc. group.

Another Saturday morning, mom left, and I didn't get to go! That is so disappointing for me. She met up with some of the local members of the TD, Inc. group, as well as one of the testers.

Today's visit was at a nursing facility. Mom said she was very touched by how the residents reacted to the dogs' presence, and it certainly reinforced her drive to have me do therapy work. The joy that the interaction with the dogs brought to the men and women living at the center was apparent - the smiles, the excitement as they all rolled their wheelchairs over to where the dogs were so that they could each get a turn to touch and pet the dogs, it was all amazing to mom.

This evening, she feels even more confident that she's made the right decision as far as I'm concerned. Our next step now is to send off the application, which mom will do this upcoming week. From there I'll have my test, then start going on my supervised observation visits. For now, though, I will continue on with my classes, which I enjoy very much. I can't wait until I get to go and bring joy!

Journey to becoming a TD - Chapter 1

So after we found out that my tumor wasn't the cancer, mom decided that my big heart full of love needed to be shared with others who aren't fortunate, and need extra love in their life - therefore, I'm now working toward becoming a therapy dog. We have found a group in our town that we wish to work with, and the work has begun!

We figure that I'll be able to pass the tests and be accepted in the spring.

My manners aren't too bad right now, but I've not been to formal classes. I heel, sit, stay and come very well, but need work on other things like downs and about turns. Mom has trained dogs before, and has put one dog successfully through the CGC test, she just hasn't worked a LOT with me. I'm required by this group, though, to go through at least 2 of their classes, starting with the beginner's class.

I'm the oldest kid in the class, and the biggest. We have German Shepherds, some mixes, a Lab, a Schnauzer, and a Poodle. They're an interesting mix, some with some basic manners and some without any at all! They're quite distracting! I'm very attentive to mom in class, though, and I pick up new things very quickly. As silly as I can act sometimes, I really am pretty smart. Mom's just thankful I'm food motivated. Of course I am!! Food is my FRIEND!

I'm going to like going to class, I think. I'm now on the road to my destiny!!

My life with the devil-cat.

Mom loves animals. Not as much as my aunt, her sister, who has somewhere around 40 different animals (EEEEEK!) but she loves dogs and cats. We are a "one of each" household.

Coming from a rescue, mom and dad didn't know anything about me when I came home, other than the fact that I was BIG, had been living on the streets, and had no manners.

Mom had a cat, whom she had adopted as a kitten. Now this cat knew and got along with the "previous" Golden, Max. In fact, she LOVES the smell of dogs.... it's kind of a catnip to her.

Unfortunately, when I first caught sight of the kitty, my brain screamed "BIG, LIVE CHEW TOY!!!!!!", and the chase was on. I chased the kitty down the hall and trapped her in a corner. Oh, I wanted to squeeze and chew on the squeaky kitty SO BAD.... but mom was yelling at me to "LEAVE IT!" and came and got me before I could get the squeaky kitty. By this time, the squeaky kitty had gotten all puffed up and was making all kinds of mean noises at me.

Well, that pretty much spoiled the kitty on dogs. In retrospect, since I've gotten older and settled down, I guess I blew it. I suppose trying to eat your roommate is probably not the best of introductions. For the past five years she's had the rule of the house, and I've resorted to giving her a WIDE berth, as I've found out that she has sharp claws and really doesn't like me anywhere in her line of vision.

Kitty is about 10 now, and oddly enough, since I had my surgery, she has been starting to change. She wants to sneak up on my and rub on my legs. I've caught her rubbing on the side of my head, but the pleasantries are pretty short-lived, as she spits at me as soon as I try to move. If I sit perfectly still, she rubs on me. She teases me like shes' trying to play, and I'm still skittish enough of the devil-kitty that I just get the heck out of dodge instead of falling for her ploy of playfulness just so that she can hiss at me again. I've got her number - she's trying to manipulate me into a sense of peace - only to turn on me at the last minute. But progress is being made. We can be within a foot or two of each other and she doesn't immediately morph into devil-cat... she's becoming increasingly tolerant of my big, fuzzy, ditzy butt.

I'm still pretty skeptical, but possibly... just maybe.... we can actually be friends some day...? I promise...... I won't try to eat you.

I love parties!

So mom has been planning a huge party for the last month, and it finally happened this weekend. In the middle of all of the planning stress I got diagnosed and had surgery suddenly, really throwing mom into stress mode. Well the big party was last night.

Mom had tables and chairs set up in the back yard, lots and lots of food made, the house was all decorated, there was a video screen set up to show some old film footage and a nifty slide show that she made. It was some important birthday for dad, but since I can't count I'm not sure what 50 means. Is that good? We had fancy centerpices with goldfish that were lit from inside. The goldfish weren't lit from inside, the bowls were. Everything was color coordinated because my human sister planned the party so well. There was food EVERYWHERE. Veggies, olives, hummus and tabouli, chips, dips, potato salad, bbq brisket and pulled pork, cheesecake, cake.... what's a dog to do??? Especially one who is on a very strict diet at the moment. I knew I'd be in BIG trouble if I got into it, so I behaved. *sigh*

I had a wonderful time because my job was to be the official greeter. I even wore party themed color coordinated bandanas. I'm a real good greeter. I made sure everyone was throroughly slimed and slobbered on, and made sure everyone was covered in just the right amount of golden hair on their black clothing. I got to see everyone!! Everybody was so nice, and was carrying on about how big I am and how well behaved I am. Three years ago Id've have been sticking my nose in bad places, pushing people out of the way, begging, stuff like that. There's a reason the rescue group named me Moose.... Since I've learned the manners now I know how to behave around a big group of people. Mom told me several times today how proud she was of me and my behavior. That meant I got to stay out with everyone at the party, and I didn't have to go stay in the bedroom by myself.

I had another job, too! Mom put a whole bunch of black "dead" rubber duckies in our pool to go along with the theme. Well, I figured Mom couldn't possibly want all of them in there, especially with people in the pool, so I got to go around and fish them out when I could get to them. I wasn't allowed to get in the pool last night with all the people, so I had to wait until a duckie would swim over to the edge, and then I'd fish it out!! I was GOOD at this job, and it was so entertaining, everyone was laughing! Mom said this morning that it was like going on an easter egg hunt, trying to find all the duckies that I'd hidden in the yard.

It was a wonderful party, and I proved myself to be a very good boy once again. I hope everyone else's weekends have been as nice as mine!! I think I want to have a party again!!! Can we have ducks?

Mom is finally getting some sleep!

What a long week and a half this has been. I'm feeling GRRRREAT! And mom? Well, she's been a little the worse for wear but she's finally sleeping and not stressed out any more. Here's the deal:

A couple weeks after mom, dad and my human sister came home from vacation, mom noticed that one of my shoulders was kind of swollen. Knowing that it's summer time in OK, she didn't get really excited - you get bug bites and stings sometimes. She kept an eye on me and insisted to dad this was swelling and NOT just hair, and when she saw that it just wasn't going away and getting bigger, she took me to the doc. I LOVE doc! His girls are the best! I usually have to stay the day there because mom works, so they play with me and pet me, and give me attention. My petsitter is one of doc's assistants, and it's cool when I get to go see her instead of her coming to see me.

Doc stuck me with needles that day a few times, and mom said he looked at the stuff that he pulled out. He said it was a tumor, but had different kinds of cells. I don't know what that all means, but before I knew it I was back at the doc's again and I didn't even get to eat breakfast!! I overheard mom and dad talking a couple days later and mom said that they took out a tumor that was three and a half pounds and most of it was down beneath the muscle so it didn't really show. It was on my shoulder and in my chest/neck area and I had been kind of ouchy lately. She said that doc said it was huge and they sent the whole thing off somewhere for some kind of test. I heard her tell dad it was attached to some big veins and ateries, whatever those are.... and on a nerve - so bad they were worried about nerve damage! Damage, schmamage! I'm better than I was before the surgery!

When mom picked me up last Tuesday I was really really sleepy and I hurt all over! I didn't want to get out of the car but dad picked me up. I had funny tubes sticking out of me and there were sheets and towels all over my living room floor when I got home!! I just layed down where the cool tile was and went back to sleep. Mom stayed up with me on Tuesday night and slept on the couch - or sort of slept. She had to make sure I didn't go anywhere I shouldn't be, and had to make sure everything was OK. She stayed home with me on Wednesday, too. I ate on Wednesday afternoon and took my pain medicine finally, and I started to feel a little better, but boy oh boy did my shoulder and neck hurt!

My human sister works at a job too, and since I had to have someone with me all the time mom had to come home sometimes if my sister went to work. I couldn't wear one of those silly E collars that I hate so much, so mom had to to make sure I didn't scratch myself where my drains and staples are which is all down the side of my neck and my shoulder, so she had to keep a sock on my foot - which I liked to take back off, of course. She gave up and wrapped it up with pretty green petflex, and doc said to put a t-shirt on me to protect from any accidental scratching. Mom had to change the t-shirt every few hours from the yucky drainage. You can see me rockin' the white t-shirt in one of my pictures. Mom hasn't slept well, she's been constantly cleaning up after me, moving sheets from living room to bedroom every night, and worried about something called Cancer. I don't know what that is, I just thought it was someone I was compatible with.

On Friday there were funny things coming out of where the tubes were, and I was bleeding a little where I was cut open so mom kept taking photos and "sending" them to the doc. Long weekend for mom but we made it through. I've been wanting to go for a ride every morning again since last Thursday because I've felt so darn good, and I finally got to go on Monday! I got to go back to doc's and see all the girls again for the day. There was a cute little kitten there that they were trying to talk mom into taking home. Mom said dad would kill her if she brought it home. I liked it! Our cat doesn't like me very much and she can be pretty mean. Maybe that's cuz I tried to eat her the day that mom and dad brought me home from rescue.
But I got to hang out and get attention, and the tubes came out! They were very very happy that I wasn't walking in circles or tilting my head, or drooping my face. They said I looked great! They told my mom it wasn't Cancer and mom was so excited and happy. (don't tell anybody, but I think she cried a little...)

Mom finally got to pick up all the old sheets and towels yesterday, and wash them all out. She's finally done being on her hands and knees cleaning up the tile floors. She's finally getting to sleep again. I feel fabulous and I hear that I get to go back to doc's on Friday for something called staples. I have a bunch of them! My shaved area is really big, and I'm ready for it to grow back - and I hope that my scar doesn't show because it's really long. In the mean time, mom found this cool website. It's full of dogs like me with parents like her. I'll dogblog more but now it's time for a nap.....

slobbers,
Moose