After School Program

One of my favorite visits is the ones we do at the libraries. So when we went to the Lawncrest library this past week it put me in a good mood. I grew up spending a lot of time in a library. I loved the excitement of combing the shelves looking for a mystery or a book about animals. My weekly excursions there usually netted me a pile of books that would start a new adventure for me. Our visit at the Lawncrest library was part of an after school program that was catered to the neighborhood kids. This is an area in Philadelphia that is doing its part in rejuvenation. The neighborhood even has a small garden behind the library for the local kids to work on. I noticed a patch of vegetables growing and even a friendship bench. Since this was a new program for this library it was limited to 20 students. The students were in the 5th and 6th grade, and all of them were accomplished readers. After our general introduction where we each said a little about our animal (we were there with 3 dogs and 1 rabbit) the kids were split into smaller groups so each child would have an opportunity to read and interact with an animal. After 15 minutes the groups would rotate and at the end of the hour each group would have visited each animal. A few kids were creative and while they read turned the book so Maggie could see the pictures. So does Maggie really listen to the stories? She does. She will watch the kids and even lay her head on their laps. At some point she may fall asleep. If one of the kids mentions this to me I tell them they have done a good job soothing her. I also tell them that she is still listening. Sometime I compare it to them listening to their parents even when they are not looking at them. They seem to like that explanation the best. This turned out to be a really nice visit. I do have a couple of thoughts about these kids. Compared to other places we have visited, these kids did not come in and start telling me about their dog(s). I can really only think of two kids that mentioned their neighbor’s dog or a cousin’s dog. One girl mentioned that her father promised her a dog, a Golden Retriever. When I asked her what she planned on naming the dog she said she didn’t know. I suggested she go home and think about it. There was one girl in this program who had difficulty sitting still and following directions. This could be for any number of reasons, but it was something that bothered me only because I found myself correcting her several times throughout the program. Maggie has sensitive areas and doesn’t like to be pet on her paws, around her face and we never allow anyone to touch her tail for fear they will pull it. So when this girl couldn’t listen to me I found I had to put myself between her and Maggie , basically to protect Maggie. So what did this girl do at the end of the program? She came running over to me and gave me a big hug and thanked me for coming out and bringing Maggie. I found myself overcome with emotion and I wish I could tell you why. Before I could regain my composure and respond to her she had skipped off. I find myself constantly reminded not to judge anyone. As we never know what is going on in someone’s personal life. The small act of gratitude this young girl showed me is something I will cherish for quite some time.

Memories-Here Today.....

Maggie and I had the opportunity to return to Haverford Estates last week. This is the nursing home where we visited last month. This time we started our visit in the memory unit which is located in the rear of the building. As we made our rounds we introduced ourselves to a gentleman we will call “Dave”. After going through our routine of Maggie’s age, breed, likes and dislikes, I turned the page and asked him if he had any dogs in his life. He told me when he was in the service his job was to train dogs. Interesting, so that is why Maggie had gone right over to him. I could see the way she responded to his touch. When I asked him if he wanted to give Maggie a treat he knew right away to tell her to sit. I asked him what he trained these dogs to do. He told me he trained them to seek out the enemy and bring them down, but never to kill. Wow, it was an amazing conversation. So my next thought was why is this gentleman in the memory unit at the nursing home? It was a thought that bounced around in my head as I made my rounds. I went to see other residents in the unit. Out of the dozen people in the unit on this day a few people were alert. A couple of ladies were still eating their breakfast (the smells were very enticing to Maggie). Another woman was interested in visiting with Maggie. I realized she was somewhat vision impaired so I gently placed her hand on top of Maggie. As soon as she felt Maggie’s soft fur a huge smile appeared on her face. I wasn’t sure she even realized she was smiling so I commented on it. When I did this she said she hadn’t felt fur so soft in quite some time. Before I left I went to say goodbye to “Dave”. When I said it was lovely talking to him I noticed a blank look on his face. It was then he asked the name of my dog. I told him this is Maggie. He started to tell me about the dogs he trained while he was in the service…… So my question was answered and although I wished he would remember our conversation clearly he wouldn’t. Hopefully it would trigger some pleasant memories of his earlier days. I know Maggie enjoyed the attention she received from “Dave” and the rest of the residents, and I certainly learned a lot from my visit.

Treats, Treats and More Treats

What dog doesn’t like treats? Maggie gets her fair share at home as positive reinforcement, and when she is on the job she gets extra treats as well. There are many instances where residents will ask to give Maggie a treat. This usually happens with the regulars that we visit. I always make sure to carry plenty of treats with me. I try to let people know that Maggie must obey a command before she receives a treat. The command doesn’t have to be a major accomplishment, just something simple like sit, or give her paw- just so she knows she isn’t getting a treat without a reason. If I am at a new facility I will ask the residents if they are interested in giving Maggie a treat. Some of them are interested and some are not. Generally the ones that are interested are true dog lovers. I tell people to place the treat in the palm of their hand and Maggie will gently take it from them. I find it interesting to watch people’s reaction to this process. Maggie is a rather large dog (75lbs) and although she is considered large she is still a gentle dog (sort of like a gentle giant). If you don’t know her and if you aren’t accustomed to dogs you might be a little afraid of her. So when she opens her mouth to take the treat she bares her large teeth. She manages to take the treat ever so gently (usually with saliva left over in someone’s palm).Some people pull back a little as if they are worried Maggie will bite them- even after I have reassured them (a few times) that she will take the treat gently. Others have gotten used to Maggie and don’t really pay attention to how she takes the treat. Then there are others that look at their hands after the treat has been taken. This is quite comical because I usually forget to mention that Maggie might leave a residue of saliva on them. I quickly look around the room to find a tissue for them to wipe off Maggie’s saliva. I used to consider Maggie a treat snob. Whenever I would take her to a pet shop or to the vet and give her one of their treats she would promptly spit it out. These were the hard crunchy treats. I would find myself picking the pieces off the floor and searching for a trash can to dispose of them. Maggie prefers the soft chewy types of treats. So I have gotten used to buying these types and if the hard crunchy ones are the only ones available at the stores or at the vets, I don’t bother offering them to her. Humans or canines, everyone has their favorite snacks!

So What's In A Name?

Therapy dog or family dog is a name important? We all love our pets and choose their names with care. Some choose strong bold names while others choose soft loving names. Some choose human like names while others choose random made up names. Whatever we choose, our pets become the name we give them. The top 10 names for 2016 for both males and female dogs (Good Housekeeping Magazine) are: Male: Bear, Max, Cooper, Duke, Finn, Hudson, Jack, Rocky, Toby, Tucker Female: Aurora, Bailey, Bella, Chloe, Elsa, Ivy, Maggie, Sadie, Stella, Sophie I’ll never forget how Maggie came about her name. When we knew Maggie was going to be joining our family my whole family got together and came up with about eight names. We then narrowed it down to two names and decided when we saw her we would pick the final name. So what were to two names we had narrowed it down to Katie and Phoebe. At this point you are probably scratching your head. But keep reading … Turns out when we picked Maggie up I took one look at her and decided she didn’t look anything like a Katie or Phoebe and on the spot named her Maggie. The funny thing was that Maggie wasn’t even on the original list. Sometimes out pets just name themselves. I’ll never forget the time I took Maggie to the vet. One of the technicians was getting us set up and I noticed her name was Heidi. “Oh,” I said “I love your name. We had thought about naming Maggie that.” She turned around and gave me a dirty look. I thought she would be honored to have a dog with the same name as her. After all she does work at a vet’s office. Guess I was wrong about that!

Maggie's Point of View

So what’s in it for Maggie when we go for therapy visits? Maggie certainly enjoys getting out of the house and going for a ride in the car. She often looks out the window taking in the view. At the age of seven Maggie is at the stage where she is content to sleep most of her day if she is not engaged. If I am working from home at my desk she will sit at my feet but will usually fall asleep. Maggie loves to interact with people. Part of this is due to her breed. The Goldendoodle is known to be a breed that gets along well with other animals as well as with people. The other part is due to her training as a therapy dog. For the past four years Maggie knows that when we get into the car we are going for a therapy visit. Or should I say 9 times out of 10. The other times we are headed to the vet or to get bathed. During a therapy visit Maggie is not allowed to have any contact with the other animals present, but if we get there before the session starts we do greet the other animals. For her it’s like getting it out of her system. Maggie has gotten used to this routine. She knows for the duration of the visit she is there to interact with the people. You might ask how she knows this? Through repetition and positive reinforcement (treats!) At a hospital visit we are on the move. Walking from room to room, spending a few minutes in each room. Maggie is patient while I interact with each person but more importantly she get a lot of attention in the form of a gentle rub on her back, behind the ears and of course her favorite treat! At a visit to a nursing home we are moving but at a much slower pace. We are usually stationed in a meeting room of some sort and we move from person to person (they are seated). About halfway through the visit we will generally go to another unit. At the nursing home each person will spend time with Maggie petting her. If there is time I try to show them a few of Maggie’s tricks. The patients there enjoy this and Maggie gets rewarded with treats! At all other visits to universities, elementary schools and libraries we are seated and the students rotates from animal to animal. Maggie is use to both types of visits and can handle either. She just goes with the flow. On another note an interesting outcome of Maggie being a therapy dog is that while we are out walking in the neighborhood Maggie expects to be greeted, petted and given treats. This is due to her conditioning. It makes for taking a quick walk very difficult. I’ve had to explain this quite often to people we’ve met while on our daily walks. Most people expect dogs to be interested in one another and while Maggie will greet another dog she will quickly adjust her attention to the human sidekick. As long as she gets some sort of attention Maggie is a happy camper!

And My Favorite Is........

Every time I have the opportunity to take Maggie on a therapy visit I think “this has to be my favorite place to visit”. That being said I thought I would discuss the different places we visit and some of my goals while we are there. When we go to a hospital the idea of cheering someone up (especially if they are experiencing pain) gives me great satisfaction. I enjoy talking with everyone and hearing their story (totally their choice if they choose to share it) Most of the time, I get to hear about their dogs or a dog they knew or currently know. Of course Maggie gets most of the attention and some treats as well. My goal for the visit is to engage each person and make them feel special (distracting them from their pain is quite helpful as well)! Nursing homes are a great place to cheer people up. The mood is usually sedate. I find most residents sitting around waiting for an activity to start, so when we walk in as a group (we are generally 2-3 dogs and 1-2 rabbits) the mood is instantly lifted. Conversation is about people’s younger days which is great stimulation for their brain and Maggie just goes with the flow – as long as she gets her time allotment of hugs and treats! Colleges and Universities visits have a lot of energy. I can feel Maggie go on high alert especially when our sessions occur outdoors. Sometimes there is so much activity she doesn’t know where to look first. Although most of the students are stressed when we meet with them there is still a positive energy flow throughout our sessions-something that I see Maggie is able to pick up on. Most of our conversations are focused around the student’s pets that they miss from back home but there are always a few students who are nice enough to ask a few questions about Maggie. The students are always appreciative of our visits by saying “this is the best day!!”I hear this repeatedly throughout my visit. Maggie really loves these visits. At our last visit at Immaculata University Maggie resisted leaving when I got up to go. .I literally had to bribe her with treats to get her going. Everyone there had a good laugh about it! Elementary schools are very loud and noisy! The students have an opportunity to practice reading to Maggie. They seem to enjoy this and of course Maggie is not going to judge them on their level and ability to read. Some kids choose to pet Maggie while they read while others prefer to read first and pet her after. Maggie doesn’t mind either way. By the end of the session Maggie is exhausted from the level of the noise and activity and is always eager to return home for a long nap! Special needs visits differ slightly from regular school visits as the children might have an aide sit with them and help them read or encourage them to interact with Maggie. There are many different scenarios that might play out but Maggie will generally adapt to all situations. With both school settings the children take turns reading and move around so each child present gets a chance to visit with all the animals that came for the visit that day. My goal for these school visits are for the children to feel they were successful in their ability to engage with Maggie –be it by reading to her or petting her. When I see them walking away with a smile on their face I know I have done a good job. So, the question remains which is my favorite place to visit with Maggie? ALL OF THEM !!!

Behaviors

I am often asked why Maggie will turn her backside to someone. So I thought it would be a good idea to discuss some of Maggie’s behaviors. Although Maggie is a therapy dog she is first a family dog. Maggie turns her backside to people because she wants to be pet on one of her favorite spots (her backside where she can’t reach herself). When Maggie and another dog approach each other it is very normal for them to sniff each other on their backsides (this is similar to humans shaking hands upon greeting) Dogs get to know each other by their smells and a dog’s backside has the strongest smell. If a dog approaches another dog and goes straight to its head that is usually a sign of aggression. There are times when we are out for a walk and another dog will approach and Maggie will go down on the ground. This is her way of submitting to the other dog. Maggie is giving in to the other dog’s superiority. Also on walks there are times Maggie will simply stop walking. I have learned to listen to her and wait a few minutes. She can sense (or smell) a friend close by. Nothing like a “Good Morning” to start your day off on the right foot. When Maggie was younger she used to cock her head to one side. This meant she was listening to a noise. Dog’s hearing is 1000 times more sensitive than ours. So naturally they will hear things we will not. So why do dogs cock their head? It helps them focus and pay attention to where the noise is coming from. There are times in the middle of the night that I will hear Maggie scratching the rug. I used to wonder what she was doing. So naturally I turned to Google. Turns out it is a natural behavior that dates back to when dogs where outside creatures and they claimed their territory. It also creates comfort for them. Some people equate it to us fluffing our pillows before we go to sleep. Maggie is extremely afraid of thunderstorms (something I was hoping she would outgrow). From the second the first rumble can be heard I know we are in for a rough patch. The only way to soothe her is to wrap something tight around her. When I can’t find anything I have actually placed pillow from the sofa on top of her and that has done the trick. I feel badly for her but no amount of reassurance works. I just know that in time the storm will pass and she will feel normal again. Maggie’s favorite sport is chasing squirrels in the backyard. They usually run up a tree when Maggie comes after them. In the beginning it was just when she happened to be outside. Now when I simply say the word “Squirrel” (when she is in the house) she will jump up and race to the back door waiting excitedly to be let out. She will wait at the bottom of the tree and give a bark to let them know she sees them. Eventually she will give up and wander away. I often wonder what will happen if she ever catches one. Hopefully not bring it in for dinner! Maggie is also an active dreamer. How do I know? I have seen her move around a lot as well as bark while she is sleeping. Her paws sometimes move as is she is walking and her snout moves as well. Wonder if she is dreaming of going for a walk and smelling all her familiar smells? I have also seen her tail wag (I guess that means she is having a happy dream!). Sometimes when she whines I feel bad and calmly call her name and she will settle down. These are just some of Maggie’s behaviors. As you can see when she is home she is a regular and loving