You calling me?

The commercial

The End of Maury Show

I'm on stage!!

Pet Therapy This is a very important program,it is not only for the elderly but for anyone residing in a Nursing Home. As volunteers, we find this a very rewarding experience.Animals of any type bring smiles to many faces, that are otherwise, just sitting around, with nothing much else in their lives.. Jimmy has been a Therapy Dog since September 1992. He took to it right away, and loved making people happy..The first time we went out for a visit, we were to meet a girl also in the program with a Rabbit, obviously, she wasn't told she would be meeting a Big Dog.. When she came, you could see the fear on her face, because of her Rabbit. I tried to assure her that Jimmy was used to a Rabbit, as we live next to one and they are friends.She was not having any part of this, so after when we went in the facility, we separated, only to make her feel better.. We started going on therapy visits twice a month. Then all of a sudden, we were requested to do more visits...At one time we went out six times a month...I really don't think it was me the people wanted to see...lol Jimmy met Matilda (another therapy dog) and they became great friends. They would be so happy to see each other. Well, needless to say, Jimmy took his alpha role, and Matilda followed,even though she was in the program a year before him...This boy just takes over... After we were visiting for about half an hour, I stopped at the water fountain to give Jimmy a drink. Well he drank out of one of those little paper cups.I then offered Matilda a cup with water too..Her Mommie said "she won't drink from that" so ok that's that..A few times after that day the same thing would occur. So one day I offered her the water again and she drank from the little cup..Guess she watched Jimmy so many times, she figured she must be missing something...Guess he is a born leader... About a year after we met Matilda, a new volunteer came to the facility we were visiting, to see how we worked..Her dog was a female also, named, Daisey. Well my boy greeted the new comer. Daisey walked right up to us very friendly.All of a sudden we heard Matilda Growl at Daisey.(we looked down in amasement, as she had ever done this before) Now we all started laughing, figuring that Matilda was telling Daisey,"Back off I knew him first". It really was very cute.. So in we went, Jimmy, Matilda then Daisey. We enjoyed a few years with the two girls We had many experiences, with the residents of the Nursing Homes. There was one time, we were just about to leave, and the Head Nurse, came after us and asked if we would go to a particular room. She said the lady made no motions or sounds at all.. So I brought Jimmy in and the woman moved her hand down to Jimmy and made a very tiny sound..The Nurse was so happy, and this has happened to us several times.. One time on a visit, there was a woman, that all she said was "father", well after a few visits, we sat her down on a couch, and Jimmy stood in front of her, we kept repeating his name, then all of a sudden, she said "Jimmy" The Recreation Director was so thrilled, that she finally said something besides "father". Jimmy also seems to know when a person is blind..He immediately puts his head right under their hand. Then he gives his paw in their lap, it is really something to see.. If they are real dog lovers, they will say to me "can he give me a kiss" I tell them you have to ask him, so they do and he very freely gives kisses... No matter what facility we go to, Jimmy can always find the kitchen...the other dogs walk right past it, but not him...Then he goes into his little starving act...If that doesn't work, you will hear AWOO, that usually gets everyone's attention...This is even after some of the Residents have saved cookies for him, because they post on the Bulletin Board.."Jimmy is coming to visit today".. I have got to say, that we have enjoyed our Therapy visits as much as the people do.. At this time, with Jimmy's condition, we still go on a visit once a month, because I know he enjoys it so much. Will cut off for now... More to come..soon ------------>

previous page	Powered by WebTV	next page