I have started my work again as a therapy dog. Mom says I should tell about how my first session went almost two years ago. So here goes:
A big man who worked at Siskin asked if he could pet me. He pet me a lot, which I thought was the patients’ jobs, but he seemed to need that. When we walked away, I heard the boss tell Mom that this therapist had never before touched a dog there. Then another therapist, a woman, came up to us and asked Mom if she could take me over to her patient. As I was walking away with her, I could hear the boss tell Mom that this therapist avoided the dogs and had never done this before. On our way out, after I was finished spreading the love, the big man stopped us again and asked if he could hold me. He said there was something really special about me. Duh…we all know that!
Anyhow, I really liked doing this, but didn’t get to go back for several months. I will tell you about my second trip there tomorrow. Gotta go help Mom fix some chicken now.
Be good, and if you can’t be good, don’t get caught!
Mommy and Jeff got married. They talked about it a lot first and said that my Grandmas loved Jeff and wouldn’t want them to wait. They used my screen house in the back yard and fixed it up all pretty. Mom strung lights and put out great big pots of flowers called mums – how funny to think flowers could be someone’s mum! Mom put Grandma’s picture on a table to make it seem like she was close by. My bestest friend Jennefer came and helped Mom get dressed, like she isn’t a big person and can dress herself! Everything is funny today. My bestest friend Maria came with her husband who is very nice too, and my people brother Andrew came, and the preacher and his wife came. My new step-sisters Lily and Ivy were there too. Lily is orange and hairy and big – at least she looks pretty big to me. She is always trying to get everyone to like her and wants us all to play with her. It is very annoying. Ivy is almost as big. She has long black hair and some white, just like me. I can tell she is in charge because sometimes she tells Lily to stop and Lily listens to her. I will have to watch her to see how she stays in charge all the time. Of course, I will also have to let her know this is my house and she will have to listen to me. I sure hope she listens when I bark and growl and fuss at her. She is kind of big, after all. But today I will just be nice because it is a special and fun and funny day.
After Mom and Jeff promised to stay together forever – which made me really happy – they had champagne and we all had cake. Jennefer made the cake. It had lots and lots of icing. Yummy!! I could have eaten it all, but Mom and Jeff said they would freeze it until this time next year. I really don’t understand why they would freeze perfectly good cake that could be eaten now. Eat it now!
Mommy said my Grandma died. I am not sure what that means, except it is very sad. Mom has been happy all day because it is her birthday. Then, late at night, I heard the phone ring from my kennel. Then I heard Mommy crying. She said we can’t go see Grandma at the nursing home anymore. That makes me very sad too. I am always so happy to go visit with her. It always made her very happy too. I won’t even stop to do pet therapy stuff on my way to her room; I am always so excited to know I am going to see her again. I really don’t understand why we can’t go any more…I love my Grandma. I hate this dying stuff. It makes everybody unhappy.
Wow, this Christmas thing is really nice. It sneaks up on me every year, but this year I knew there was something in one of the pretty bags just for me – I could smell it and Mommy kept telling me to leave it alone. Sure enough, it was a new chew bone filled with rawhide! And I got a new Quack-quack. The quacker broke in my old one, but this one works really good. I was so excited when I got it I wiggled all over.
Christmas Eve I went to the nursing home to see my Grandma. Grandma fell again in her apartment and broke her hip. She had an operation to make it better and went to something called physical therapy in the hospital. That was supposed to help her be able to go back to her new apartment where she has lots of people around and help if she needs it. But every day when she went back to therapy she couldn’t remember what she had learned the day before. It was like starting all over again. That doesn’t make any sense to me. How can you forget what you just learned the day before? I always remember what Mommy teaches me and we have a grand time dancing new steps together or doing new tricks or, well, you see what I am saying. Mom says it is because my Grandma is 89 years old – wow, that is something like 623 in dog years. People used to live that long – 623 years – in the bible times but not anymore. Anyhow, the hospital finally sent Grandma to a nursing home to keep trying to learn to walk again, and that’s why we are here visiting her. Mommy put up a little Christmas tree in Grandma’s room and the lights are very pretty. It reminds me of the Grand Illumination and makes me smile my little schnauzer smile.
We had pizza. It was good. I love my Grandma.
My people brothers stayed all night on Christmas Eve and I got to jump on Adam Christmas morning to wake him up. He was sleeping on the couch and didn’t want to get up. So I wiggled and stood on him and dug in next to him until he finally succumbed to my charms. In the middle of it all I had to stop to run in and tell my other big brother Andrew that I was busy with Adam and I would be back to get him up, too. He didn’t wait for me, though.
The day after Christmas I went to Siskin Hospital to work. They call me a pet therapy dog. It’s really lots of fun. I sit next to people and let them pet me. These are people who come and learn to do things like walk again, just like my Grandma. I like some people there more than others, and when I find them I won’t let them stop petting me. They smile and I wag a lot. Mom says it’s good work if you can get it.
I won a Miss Annie Award at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre for my role as Toto in The Wizard of Oz! I am so excited! I licked the award a lot last night and watched it closely when Mom let someone else hold it. I didn’t take my eyes off it all night at the theater. I won, I won, I won! Mommy put it on a shelf on the wall with my headshot as Toto and the program for the play. I won! Yeah! I ran up on stage when Mom told me and everyone clapped for me just like when I was in the play. It says right on it that I am the director’s choice. He loves me. Everyone loves me. I love being on the stage. Since I can’t really hold the award with my paws, Mom came up on stage too and accepted the award for me. I leaned into the microphone to say something and everyone kind of giggled, and then I changed my mind and let Mom talk. She said I was so surprised that I didn’t have a speech prepared. She sure was right! Can you imagine a schnauzer that is speechless?
I got to help Dorothy present an award to someone else, too. I ran up on stage on my cue, just like always, and everyone said, “Ahhhhw” and laughed like when I played Toto. Dorothy held me for a while, and then I just stood there with her and my director Geoffrey and followed her off the stage as usual. Did I say I love the stage? I love Dorothy too. I love treats, too, and I got a lot of them last night – cheese, crackers, cake – all yum!
Mom finally put my screen house up in my back yard. She thought it was her screen house. Isn’t she silly? I can scoot right under the screen to get in it. I like to sit in there where it is shady and feel the breeze. I also wait for a bird to get in. I remember last summer when birds would somehow get inside, and I would have to take charge in chasing them out. Now I am going to wait for them. Won’t they be surprised!
My pontoon boat is in the water! I have had so much fun on it this summer. I mostly lie around and sun my beautiful body. Sometimes I lay in the shade and eat snacks. Sometimes I swim to a nearby island and smell all the luscious smells. Last Sunday I got a bit hot so I went to the edge of my pontoon boat to let Mom know I wanted to cool off in the water. What did she do? She reached for my life jacket. I hate that thing. It ranks right up there with clothes. She could tell I didn’t want to wear it, so she said she would make a deal with me. I wouldn’t have to wear it if I stayed close to the boat. I thought, ok, no problem. Mom lowered me into the water (I still don’t like to jump in) and I swam around the boat twice before asking her to help me back in. Mom says I am the smartest schnauzer girl ever.
April 16, 2007
I had a big day on Saturday. Sophie, my new schnauzer friend from Dunlap came over with her Mom, and my Mom did her first groom. She is almost 7 months old and she has managed to not get groomed all this time. I will have to ask her secret. Her mom watched, so now that her Mom knows how to do it, I think Sophie will be getting groomed more often. Then Mom groomed me. Wasn’t I surprised! Sophie’s Mom said I was soooo good.
After that, Mom took me to my Grandma’s and let me stay with her for a few hours. Grandma was very happy that I was there, but I was bored. It was so hot in Grandma’s apartment that I just slept the whole time.
I have put on two pounds from all the treats when I was Toto. Now, I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is over 10% of my body weight. Mom said that would be like her putting on almost 14 pounds. We have to exercise more, which means going to the park more. Yeah! We went to the park only once last week, and then the weather got cold again. I hope it warms up soon so Mom takes me to the park to run, run, run.
Mom kept explaining that the play was over, was done, that we weren’t going back, but I just couldn’t believe it. How could she give me something so great and then take it away? I hate the world. I feel so very bad, I don’t know what’s wrong. I think I might just die. I have never felt like this before. I heard the word depressed. If that is what I have, I don’t want it. I want my stage back, and my audience, my fans, my cast, even the scary flying monkeys. I want my Dorothy and my treats and my children and my old people. I want my warm up room and my green room and my special kennel. I felt so alive at the theater. I love the theater. I hate my life now. I want my job back!
Last Sunday we didn’t go to the theater. I figured we were just taking a day off, a break. Then Wednesday came around and I didn’t get a bath. I sure wasn’t going to remind anyone about that! Suddenly it was Thursday night and it is almost 7:00 and we haven’t left for the theater yet. I’ve gone to the door and keep looking at it and back at Mom. She has forgotten…hurry, it is time to go! I am going to miss my curtain call!! Everyone will be looking for me on stage and holding their breath to say “Awwwwww,” and I won’t be there on time! Mom, please, Mom, please, Mom pleeeeeeeease!
October 27, 2006
I haven’t been going to Grandma’s much lately ’cause Mom has been home. She isn’t working and has a cold and doesn’t want to play much. Once in a while she will throw the ball for me or play keep away with Quack Quack, my bestest duck friend toy. Then she lights the fireplace and we curl up on the couch and take a nap together.
Mom says she is going to work tomorrow and I can go stay with my Grandma again. I like that – she makes me toast with yummy jam on it and always says really nice things to me. She lets me get in her bed and burrow down under the covers to the bottom where I snooze all morning, except to get my toast. I see Mom going to the kitchen to make some desserts now, so catch you all later. P.S. I know sometimes I tell ya’ll things more than once – it is because these are the important things in my life! Woof!
October 24, 2006
Hi Ya’ll. I got to go to Rock City to celebrate Rocktober Fest. As I was walkingon the sidewalk in front of Rock City, I jumped up over a rock wall onto what I thought would be a nice grassy bank where I could smell all the other dogs that had been there. Imagine my surprise when, instead of grass, there was a water fountain! I went in up to my chest before my Mom grabbed me out so I wouldn’t drown. Boy, was that water cold!
Mom helped Jeff teach a dance called polka and I danced with her for a little bit. We took a break and walked down good trails, which got my nose twitching with the scent of other dogs. I wanted to look for those interlopers but Mom said we would go another time when there wasn’t so much dancing to do. My bestest friend Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz was there, and so was the Tin Man. Dorothy took me around to meet people and everyone naturally adored me, the Toto.
Lexi the Rocktober Fest star
October 12, 2006
So there I was near the front of the stage and I was getting a bit bored just standing there with my good pals – no one was feeding me or petting me or singing to me – and out of the corner of my eye I saw the wicked witch sneaking across the back of the stage. Thinking it would be great fun, I turned and ran after her, barking as loudly as I could. She kept stopping and motioning with big waves of her arm to go away. The audience started laughing so of course I kept it up until she was clear off the stage. What a great time that was! I tried it again the next night to see if people still thought it was funny, and they did, so I am just going to add it to my part. Won’t the wicked witch be surprised!
October 8, 2006
Mom told me she had this funny thought about when I go over to Dorothy’s house (you know, Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz) and meet her dog Graham. Graham is going to say, “Why do you keep saying ‘Dorothy’?”
And of course I will reply with, “Because that is her name.”
After a few rebuttals back and forth (which I hope doesn’t turn into a fight) Graham may come up with “I knew it! My Mom is leading a double life. The first clue should have been when she came home smelling like you! By day, my sweet, innocent Mommy Kim. By night, well, I don’t know what the heck she does with you! But she’s had your stink on her for weeks now.”
Me: “I hear people say I may be going to have an identity crisis. Do you think that is what is happening to Dorothy-Kim?”
Graham: “I don’t know what that is. Let’s play.”
Isn’t my Mommy funny? Everyone knows my friend’s name is Dorothy!
October 5, 2006
I keep adding things to my part as Toto, as the audience notices and responds. I have, however, decided to leave one thing out, and Mom has finally stopped trying to make me do it, because I am not going to do it anymore. Period. End of discussion. Those trees scared me. They walk around and dance and act entirely not like trees. Well, they got in my way after I skipped – well I try to skip – with Dorothy and the Lion and the Tin Man and the Scarecrow across the stage. It is the third time I sort of skip down the proverbial yellow brick road during the play. The first two times went fine. Then that third time those trees, oh those nasty moving trees, got in my way and it scared me and I will not do that again when they are on the stage. Absolutely, positively not.
October 4, 2006
So here I am, the star of the Wizard of Oz, and Mom still comes home at lunch and gives me a bath. The indignity of it all! I thought I was safe at my Grandma’s, but no, here Mom comes with shampoo and a towel and sticks me in the sink. I can’t wait to get back outside and get this shampoo smell off of me. At least she hasn’t tried to make me wear clothes lately. That’s even worse than a bath.
I get to go to Dunlap tonight and help teach dance. I haven’t gone in a long time. I missed the first two lessons because I had to go to rehearsal and face the flying monkeys. Of course, there were lots of treats and fun, too. Mom says some of the people who love me are still there in Dunlap, and there are new people, too, to love me. I am so excited, I can hardly wait. I wish we could go now. I don’t understand why we can’t go right now. I think Mom should come home from this work place where she always says she is going and take me to dance. Doesn’t she know I want to go now? Now, now, now, now, now.
October 2, 2006
I am the star. That’s what everyone says. They say I steal the show, but honest, I didn’t steal anything. I just run out on the stage (at least most of the time) when Mom says, and get treats, and run off, back to Mom who is always there waiting for me. Now I have found that I can go down the front stairs and off the stage into the audience. That’ a hoot. Mom seems kinda freaked out when I get back, though. She says she can’t see me and isn’t sure if I am coming back. I know when I have to be back for when the good witch points at me and asks if I am the witch – how silly! I haven’t missed my cue yet.
And those monkeys – oooooh I don’t like those monkeys. I run as fast as I can when I see them coming and Mom picks me up. But then she hands me to one of the monkeys! So last time they came after me, I ran into my kennel off-stage where I would be safe. When I came out of my kennel, thinking they were all gone, Mom picked me up and handed me to one of them again. I don’t know how I am going to stop her from doing this. Doesn’t she know they are scary??
September 30, 2006
Tonight is dance in Dunlap again. I went last week and really yelled at everyone. I was making up for lost time. And I wouldn’t go to the girls when they called me either. I am mad at them because they didn’t come and see me all summer when Mom wasn’t taking me there. I think they should have come to see me, don’t you? I am not sure if I will let them pet me tonight. I am still getting a lot of petting at the theater, so I don’t really need more. (Why is Mom laughing??)
Mom has started putting good stuff on my food in the morning. She says she wants me to start eating every morning because I am getting too thin. I don’t always do what she wants, but my goodness, this stuff is good.
I am going to rest some more now so I have lots of energy to go to dance tonight. I sure hope we stop at McDonalds again so I can have french fries. Mmmm.
September 22, 2006
I am having such a great time at the theater, both on-stage and off. I try to think of something new to do every night as well as on Sunday afternoon. I pay close attention to how the audience reacts so I will know if I should do it again next time. When Dorothy and I go back onstage after the house has landed in Oz, all the little kids called Munchkins sneak out around the edges of some fake plants and start giggling. I have started running and barking at them, and they giggle harder and run back behind the plants. Everyone in the audience laughs a lot when I do that, so I have kept it in my role as Toto.
One day before the show opened I went to an upstairs place back behind where the audience will be sitting. Mom kept telling me to bark by saying my word, free! She said they were recording me and I should bark as much and in as many different ways as I wanted. All I have to say to that is BARK! BARK! WOOF, WOOF. RRRRRRARRR. So in the scenes where I am supposed to bark, the audience hears the recording. Who knew that when I did a little improve that it would sound different! A few people actually asked if some of my barks were recorded. I wasn’t sure if I should feel embarrassed or proud…
September 15, 2006
Last night the show opened and I got to perform on-stage for the first time ever! It was a Thursday night and there were a lot of older people, which was great, since I really relate to that age bracket. I have had lots of practice with my Grandma, after all. Dorothy was about to take me out on stage with the old-looking new leash she had gotten for the part when Jeffery the director said, “No. We aren’t using a leash.” You should have seen the looks on both Dorothy and my mom’s faces. Dorothy took a deep breath and I think Mom started praying. No one knew what I would do since I had never been able to show them that am a born actor. We had rehearsed a lot and I knew my part and did it. When I first ran out to Dorothy on cue, and the audience breathed a collected sigh of “Awwwwww,” that sealed it. I knew I had found my calling. I would have done anything to hear that again. Then when I stole the hot dog from the stick like I was supposed to do and everyone laughed, I knew I loved this job more than anything. Dorothy had treats hidden in her socks and gave me lots of them during the play. Mom helped by always waiting off-stage where I was supposed to run when it was time and she always had a treat for me too. I think I am in heaven.
I'm Dalton, a Rat terrier mix and I came here in Sept, 2017, I was rescued from Hurricane Harvey. My birthday is 8-20-2016. My Gotcha Day is 8-27-2017. And I am Benji, a terrier mix of unknown origin. MY Birthday is June 6, 2018, and my Gotcha Day is Dec 28, 2018. I also was a rescue from a different part of Texas. We also have Angel MrJackFreckles, (2-5-2018); and also we have Angel Minko, (6-18-2017); and Angel Pipo, (11-3-2020);There are also Angels Groucho, Simba, Suki, & Toki. We meezers used to be known as WeBeesSiameezers. We'e all from Michigan, Dalton and Benji both came here from Texas, as rescues..
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia 