Is Oscar Popular, or WHAT?

Wow!   We went to Block Island RI last weekend and who got all the attention!?   Oscar.

What kind of dog is that?   What breed is he?   How old is he?   What’s his name?   Can I pet him?

sigh…

Summer for Oscar

Oscar Awaits Spring

Snow Coat

New Year News

Hi All,

I realize that my mom is not updating this blog very often with all the exciting details of my life but she claims she’s ‘busy’.  Yea, right.  Whatever.

So, I thought I would jump on while I saw the opportunity and just give a shout out.    (Please don’t tell anyone that I have opposable thumbs!  and that I know how to type.   I’m a dog of mystery, ya know.)

So, I do enjoy visiting the Old Folks home even though I rarely see that cat that lives there and Mom keeps yelling at me to “Pay Attention To the HUMANS!”      I like putting on my official orange vest and it is fun to have everyone pet me and pay attention to me.   Even if I pretend that I don’t care.

I like the old guy who sings to me.   He’s cool.

It’s snowing today and it’s fun.    I have a cool fleece coat to wear;  I’ll post the pic.    (I can’t find it, right now.)   Stay safe.   Yap at ya later…

- Oscar

Therapy Volunteering TO DO List

part 1.

Collect, organize, publish is simple to read fashion, itemized MILES and dates of our visits.
Write letters of reference/recommendations/poll/review FOR the visitee establishments.
Write thank you letters to visitees.
Create biz cards with Oscar photo to hand out when people ask “What kind of dog is that?”

part 2.

I have greatly enjoyed the visits and often, wonder if I’m not only assisting the residents with a little furry distraction but also the entire staff (the ones who love dogs) and the family members of residents.     Unfortunately, it is likely I will be unable to visit on a weekly basis come 2009 or even sooner, so I wanted to ask if I could get official recognition – for tax purposes – as well, as informal thoughts from you (activities director/administrator) as to the benefit the Oscar and I have provided.

Truthfully, I must admit that I’m not sure Oscar is all that ‘in to it’.   He is an easy going dog and quite patient, and yet also extremely olfactorily-curious that he prefers to keep moving and not linger too long in any one spot.   I know after one hair pulling incident, which he reacted as the sensitive wounded soul that he is by only shrinking and whimpering a bit, that he has resisted having his head patted.   He is also very wary of any shaking.    He does have a few ‘favorites’ that he gets in close and gives kisses, which is sweet.   I’m glad he is not a slobbering drooling dog, and that he can give little licks and non-messy nose touches that  don’t annoy!

He is always happy to put on his vest and walk into the establishment.   He is quite happy to wander the halls and check in everywhere and give everyone the inspection.    He is content to sit and have his back end scratched with no complaint, so on the whole, I do believe he is a kind and gentle visitor companion.    He just likes to be quick and on the move.    It’s like he comes to be seen not to be loved on in any excess.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to meet you, your residents and your staff.    I know I enjoy visiting very much.

If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, could you please sign this letter as an acknowledgement for our 2008 visits as a pet therapy team, and if you could also give any comments and suggestions to improve our visits, this would also be greatly helpful.

Thank you so very much,

Sincerely,

C and O

*this is my first draft…

Fall Pics of the Pup

A Griff Therapy Dog!!!

Mom sent me a clip from the Wichita Eagle about a Wire Haired Pointing Griffon therapy dog named Leroy!    his human, Janice Ronald wrote a book about him:  Leroy the Ugly Dog.

Here’s the online article link:  http://www.kansas.com/entertainment/books/story/490959.html

But here’s a link that offers a picture:  http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/aug/16/dogs_tale_story_inner_beauty/

I immediately went to to order the book!  but it is out of stock (temporarily.)    Which is both disappointing in the short term but very exciting for the prospects of this book and for the author.

WOW!

 

By the way, Oscar had a very good visitation day today.   He is getting over the hair pull incident, I think.

July Vacation

Not like I’ve posted here in awhile nor anyone may care, but Oscar will be taking the entire month of July as his ‘holiday’ and will not be visiting and spreading good cheer as a therapy dog until August.

Stay cool!

Today Was A Third Thursday

Every third Thursday, Oscar and I visit the Alzheimers wing of a local nursing home.   Today, they were short staffed and I was asked if it would be OK to go on by myself. 

I answered, “Sure.”  

The visit didn’t take long.   It was sing-along time and everyone seemed quite content to give Oscar a little tap on his head, allow him to give a few kisses and we moved along.    We received smiles and I smile back, Oscar keeps moving along.   He does seem to know to linger a little longer for the ones who bend their heads down close to him and he does not stop for a second if they don’t make a move.  

But I can’t tell if he enjoys this and knows his purpose.   I just can’t tell.   

I will never get over how many Thank Yous we hear when we make these rounds.

Anyway, once I realized that no one was really clamoring for more attention, we left the room and mosied down the hall.

And I was lost.   The doors are locked!     We found a nice gentleman casually strolling down the hallway and he whistled to Oscar and clicked his fingers, “Come on.”   And so we trotted along on this stroll to the end of the corridor and back.  

But I was feeling lost again;  that disquietness of being out of place.   I wasn’t sure how to LEAVE!

I had to ask a nurse to please escort us out.    We joked that even though it’s not a big place, it IS confusing.   All that tile floor and rooms that look alike. 

I waved goodbye to the clerk in the office and we got back in the car.    The whole experience was barely 10 minutes.

So very strange, this is, sometimes.