Delta Pet Partner Team

Yippeeee!! My letter finally came and we are now a registered pet partner team!
Pet Partner Teams can visit people just to make them happy. For instance - an older person living in an assisted living facility might have had a pet all her / his life but now it is not allowed. I can visit and bring some joy for a little bit of time.

We get a badge and everything. There is still more to do though.

 We needed this letter so we can register as a R.E.A.D. team. That means I can go to the library and the schools and have the children read to me. I am hoping to make the first big extravaganza on November 12th at the library. Just have to see if MFM is back from her trip because she has to take me. Also, there are more papers and things to fill out to be in that program.

A hassle? Well, a little bit but I am hoping it will be worth it.
I will let you know.....meanwhile, I am off to the dog park after we deliver a meal to a recuperating friend.

R.E.A.D.

Well, I don't know about you but I have been hot all summer!

It has been 100 degrees plus almost all summer and I have this fur coat attached to me. MFM had all that hair cut off a couple of months ago, but it grew back quickly. I like to stay indoors , where it is cool, most of the time. Sometimes I surprise her when I balk at going inside and just lie down on the grass and refuse to move. Then she tethers me outside for a little while and I watch the birds and squirrels running free.

It is hard not to be able to explore the country side on my own, but I have to admit I love the food and cuddles.

Now, it appears that I will be working for my keep. Well, not really "working." but "volunteering." We have completed all the training and almost all the paperwork, now we just have to wait on our credentials and badges so we can get to "work."

We plan to volunteer to visit people whose spirits need a lift and they are not able to get out much. We also plan to volunteer with the R.E.A.D. prorgam in the schools. I practiced with Kyah while we were in  in St Louis and I practiced with Abs when she visited me last weekend.

It was a really interesting book at first.

Abs showed me the pictures and I helped her keep her place.

I don't know who enjoyed it more.

It really was an interesting story and there were some nice pictures, but I was tired and there were no pictures of dogs....<Yawwwwnnn>

Burrrrr - It's Summer

Not only am I a "Scoundrel" with a capital "S", I am a burr-ridden Scoundrel!

How was I supposed to know that a delightful, free-living roll in dead grass would mean I was doomed to carry my weight in grass burrs? MFM has brushed and combed and picked at me until I rebelled, but there are still thousands of burrs caught in my hair.

My hair is not the kind that sheds and pulls out easily. My hair is one of the poodle traits I have and one that MFM wanted so I wouldn't be shedding all over. The down side is that I have to have it trimmed or it just keeps growing and I get fluffier and fluffier. That is a good thing in the winter but in the summer it is very hot and, as I have just experienced, it catches everything that passes by.

Woe is me. I an destined to be brushed frequently and de-burred constantly until they are all gone. I have an appointment at the groomer on Wednesday so maybe they can just cut all those burrs out.

I am off for a nap.....

Delta Test

I passed!!
It was so much fun! All those people wandering around, petting me, making noise, and I got a treat at the end.
Yippee! I can visit people who just  need to smile.....as soon as I can get all the paperwork done.

Comings and Goings

I am back home and catching up on my sleep!

We went to St Louis (STL) when Charlie and David A. stayed with us. I really enjoyed the attention and even more when we got to STL and met up with Kyah, Liam, and their dog, Fredie. They first named the dog Freddy and renamed him when "he" turned out to be a "she." We played chase, fetch, etc,. and I learned how to go down the big slide at the park.

MFM and I only spent three days when we returned home before we headed off to Colorado Springs to visit the military branch of the family and their dog, Sammy. I don't know why everyone was nervous about my invading Sammy's territory, he remembered me from last time and we spent the entire visit wrestling. MFM can't figure out why we prefer each other's food to our own, but I keep that tidbit a secret. Our entire stay was like the daily time I spend at the dog park!
MFM and Korin went for a hot air balloon ride that ended our daily walks for a while when the balloon had a HARD crash landing. MFM was on crutches for a few days and still has to check back in with the doctor.

We headed back home in time to greet our visitors from STL. Lots of children to play with and things to do. They were careful to keep their toys out of reach after they discovered I could macerate them in short order. I got to practice being a "Read Dog" when Kyah invited me to sit with her while she "read" a book to me. I think I kinda' like that,

Everyone has gone home now and MFM and I have been alone since yesterday. We are resting up for the next group scheduled to visit in a couple of weeks. Today is the big day - my "Delta Test" - to see if I get to register to visit nursing homes, shut-ins, and reading programs in the schools. I think I am ready.....

Training Session - Saturday Shopping

Here is a photo of some of my buddies and me in the advanced dog training class.  All in this group have passed the Canine Good Citizen test. 

Saturday we went to the local shopping area to practice our socialization skills in preparation for the upcoming Delta Dog Test. After we pass, we will be allowed to visit schools, nursing homes, or any place there is a need for people to dog interaction. Of course, it is as much about the handlers' control as it is the dogs' behavior. Apparently, there are other animals that can visit as well - cats, bunnies, and others. I just like to concentrate on my doggie friemds.

Have you ever wondered what things look like from our point of view? Well, here is a small example - plenty of feet wandering around in the shoe store. Well, thank goodness our humans have only two feet to worry about, Otherwise, it could be very crowded. Oh, BTW, we had permission to visit the stores and our people were very careful to see that we behaved appropriately.

This was my first time to see a mirror at my eye level. At first, I wondered who was trying to sneak into my territory, then I saw a friendly face. A pretty handsome fellow.

The shoes were boring since I was not allowed to play with them. I did steal a little kiss from the nearest girl.

Ho-Hum....the ladies were all excited about the shoes.....

We finally visited a place with pizazz.....the local Pet Smart. I got to look at the toys, but all MFM said was "Leave it!" I have to admit to a little bit of pouting.....

My second favorite part of the store is the aisle with food! I sniffed it all and sometimes, if I time it just right and scrunch way down, I can find a morsel or two right under the shelf.I didn't have my picture made at Office Depot. I totally embarrassed MFM by pooping on the floor. She was very quick, scooped it up with handy bag she always carries, then got tissues to finish the job from another doggie handler. MFM is now talking about having to revert to a "diaper bag" type device to carry more essentials.....Whoops. On top of it all, MFM bought a new "dinger" bell for me. She thought maybe the other one, from a game, was too hard to ring. She has decided that ringing the bell will be my "trick" to demonstrate at graduation since I am not learning to pick up my toys.....yet.

PS = Thanks to my instructor, NYRuth for the photos!

Memorial Day 2011

It is Memorial Day and MFM got me all dolled up to attend the annual ceremony. I even had a bath this morning but she couldn't get all the burrs out of my hair.

The annual Memorial Day ceremony is well attended in our community so we had to go an hour early and take our own chair. There must have been a thousand people there and most of them were veterans. There were probably 200 or so WWII Vets and you don't see these guys so much anymore.

I got to play with a little boy sitting next to me but he freaked out when I licked the nozzle on his camelback water supply. I don't know what all the excitement was about, he was licking it too! Fortunately, MFM had brought water and a bowl for me. I did not share with the boy.

I got a little bored with all the talking but I enjoyed the band and seeing the flags flapping in the breeze. I would have enjoyed chasing a few birds but I was not allowed. MFM keeps reminding me that I am in training to be a therapy dog. Seems like therapy dogs miss out on a lot of fun things.

One interesting thing I noticed was the color guards. They had 4 of each from the Fire Department, the Jr ROTC, and the county EMS. The ROTC carried guns, the Fire Department carried shiny new hatchets, but the EMS did not carry anything to protect the flags. I wonder....could they carry hypodermic needles?

I was well behaved except for a little whining when I got bored. MFM should have taken a chew toy / treat for me. I was very happy to get home to my cool house.

I greatly appreciate all the military people, and military dogs, who serve to keep our country free and the enemy away from our shores...... I certainly don't know of any cats that are helping out!