Mick's busy Monday...

[MicksMom]

Monday's are when he does his therapy visits at school, which means he leaves with me at 9 and hangs out in the truck until 1:30. On the way home, we stopped at our favorit pet supply store, where Mick got a new collar (the Mendota collars where 1/2 price, and I've always wanted one for Mick). We got home around 3, and by 5 he had eaten and I had dinner cooked. A little after 6 we headed out to Edison for a TheraPet meeting (about an hour away). I thought for sure the old guy would have been sound asleep on the ride home. Boy did he fool me- he had his head up watching traffic the entire time. That in itself is odd- Mick normally lays with his head either in my lap or against my thigh. After we got home, he wandered around the back yard for awhile, came in and looked for more to eat, and, just when I thought he was down for the night, he came in here to poke at me for awhile.

Oh yeah- Mick got his TheraPet bandana at the meeting. The President made a whole big deal out of presenting to him. It looks pretty sharp on him. I'll take some pictures later today to show you all.

After such a busy day, I figured HRH would be zonked yesterday. Not so- he was in here looking to play before I went to work. He was a little "quieter" after I got back home, but still up & around more than what's become normal. Oh it's great to have the old guy acting like he used to. I treasure it even more because it only lasts for a few days at a time.

[momPaws]

Would love to know more about the pet therapy- did he have to "qualify"- what's it all about? Yoou do this at schools? I have heard of it at nursing homes, etc. Was thinking I would like to do that with Honey when I retire.
I know I could find out about it on the net But am interested in your and Mick's experience.

[MicksMom]

Mick had to pass a screening to become a therapy dog, then we both had to do a couple of orientation visits. Most therapy groups use a modified CGC test to screen pets. Basically it's the CGC test with a few added excercises. The group we're with requires the dogs to have their CGC, then they do a couple of extra excercises. If your dog doesn't have his CGC, they'll test him/her at the screening (although, since they aren't licensed CGC evaluators, the dog isn't a CGC according to the AKC). Mick already had his CGC, so they just did the other excercises with him.

Mick and I visti a special ed class on Monday afternoons. The kids take turns reading to us, then interacting with Mick. The interacting started out as brushing, but has progressed to petting, whispering in his ear, running a toy motorcycle over him (my boys used to do that with matchbox cars), and whatever else they come up with. A couple of the kids don't actually read, but they bring a book up and tell Mick about the pictures. One little girl has a homemade book with individual pictures of the kids in the class. Each week she looks at the picture on each page, says the students name, then looks for them in the room. Sometimes she even points out other things in the pictures. We surprised her this week with a picture of Mick. This same little girl wouldn't go near Mick at our first visit. By the third vist, she was sitting with her aide between her and Mick. Now she runs right up and sits as close as she can get to him. She goes in my bag to get his spritz bottle when he's warm and walks him to the door at the end of our visit. Can you tell both Mick and I love our visits?

There's screening information on thesee groups sites:
TheraPet (the group we're with): http://www.therapet-inc.com/Mainpage.htm

TDI: http://www.tdi-dog.org/