[WonderPup]

Well last night we were up late re-touching Jazz's dye job and then clipping her face, feet and tail. Then we were up early this morning to brush her out and paint her toenails. Off to the nursing home we went with Jazz and loads of christmas cheer in tow. She was a HUGE hit Not only did the residents enjoy her but she enjoyed them. She was also an extremely good girl. She almost walked without pulling and the little pulling she did do on the leash gave this great prancing effect and she did stop it when told to. She also didn't attempt to sit in anyone's wheelchaired lap and no jumping to "give hugs" either. Good girl. What she did do, which surprised me, was sit next to favorite people and demand attention. If a resident wanted to see her she trotted right over and didn't just sit nicely and wait. Nope not Jazz she buddied right up, put her head in their lap and nuzzeled their hands or gave a tiny little kiss to make friends. They loved that. She was also a hit with the staff and posed for several pictures. A couple of the residents had family memebers visiting them who took their photo with the "candy cane dog". She stole the show. We had one of the tibbies, heather who is a 9 month old puppy the belongs to my mother, with us and poor little heather didnt get nearly as much attention as Jazz. Heather had to be held most the time since she is so short, nobody could reach that far to pet her.

Anyway, Of course hubby took some pictures!!


I think we have the makings of a great therapy poodle!


Jazz went with my grandmother to visit this gentleman


this was Jazz's favorite couple, she kept going back to them again and again as often as we would allow.

All in all it was a very good morning. The veterans that mom and my grandparents adopted for christmas recieved some nice gitfs and a private dog hug and then the other residents got to see the dogs. Even though Jazz isn't certifed as a therapy dog yet she has been invited back for visiting in 2009. I can't wait.. It seems that she has really found her calling. She enjoyed today's activities more than anything we've treid so far. I guess I will have to test her in a few months for her therapy certification.

 

[WonderPup]

I was very glad that they enjoyed her. We had a customer in the shop yesterday who loudly proclaimed that he should be calling animal services because Jazz was abviously a horriably unhappy dog all colored and primped, as she wagged her tail furiously at him trying to get him to pet her. He said anyone who did that to her should be shot. He though the dog belonged to a customer. The lady I work with pointed to me and said, That's Leia's dog, he's dressed up as a Candy Cane!" I explained the dye didn't hurt her, and she enjoys the process and how could you not want to make elderly people and children smile at christmas time. He did have the good grace to look ashamed. I wished dearly that he hadn't left his mean little matted dog with me to spruce up for christmas. *evil laugh* Boy was he surprised when he retured to pick up his now completely naked dog and pay big $$$$$$$$$ for the bill. Jerk. Guess he was the Bah Humbug type?

 

[WonderPup]

Check around in your local area and see if there are any working therapy groups. Typically dogs need to be certified to do therapy work, or at the very least have passed the Cannine Good Citizen. Some nursing homes allow family members to bring dogs into the home to visit realitves, some do not.
The two main therapy organizations that I am aware of are
Delta Pet Therapy
Therapy Dogs International.
You should be able to do a keyword search and pull up the websites for each. I would be willing to bet that they will have information on classes and certification tests as well as local branches of their organization in your area..

As for Jazz being in the home today, my mother and grandparents adopted retired veterans from an angle tree of sorts on the air force base here. When mom called to make arrangements to deliever the gifts and to find out more about the residents they adopted the director remember her from some of my past therapy work. We live in a small town and as alot of southerners in small towns do they talked about various family memeber and got caught up so to speak with eachother's news. Thats when I came up in the conversation and the director asked if I could bring a dog. Howie is no longer a working therapy dog and Wonder isn't allowed out of the house until the puppy's next set of shots that left Jazz. The director said I could bring whoever I wanted, she would trust my judgement.