My New Great Adventure...

Hi Everyone, this is Tippi, Intrepid Dog Reporter.  I had (hang on, where are the italics on this thing... oh, here they are!) a NEW GREAT ADVENTURE today. I went on a "therapy dog visit" to the local retirement home.

Here's a picture of me decked out in my "Canine Good Citizen" duds. That's what we'll be wearing till I can get my TDI evaluation, sometime later this summer.

I get to wear this lovely bandana, and we use my bright pink hemp leash from Fun Time Dog Shop (www.ftds.com) when I go to visit the old folks.

So before I went with Mom, Dad took Quinn and me out to get some steam blown off us. Well, I don't know about steam blowing OFF us; it was really hot enough so that WE were steaming when we got home. I love that stuff humans call "air conditioning." We got a home-made frosty treat when we got home, but then mom and I got "suited up" and we got to the car. Boy-o-boy-o-boy was the car WARM. Mom couldn't get the cold air up fast enough; but it was a very short trip, so it wasn't horrible.

We got to the parking lot and mom realized they were re-doing the entrance. We had to go in a side door. It was very warm; I didn't know that old folks here don't like air conditioning.

But all that got wiped out of my head with the new sights, noises and smells I was experiencing. We got a tour of the place, and I had my very first elevator ride. Thanks, but even though it got us there quicker, I think I'd rather take the steps next time! I did get out of that silly moving box rather quickly. So we were on the top floor, and we went to the activity room. I got to sniff and walk a bit, but a few of the older ladies there really wanted to pet me.

They kept calling me a "him"!! Mom told them several times that I was a girl, but I figure they were in those chairs with wheels, so maybe they figured I was a big, strong boy. When in reality, I'm a very nice lady dog... But that's ok. They petted me, and I sniffed them. But then it was time to go to another area. I sat down by someone my mom kept calling "Sister." I don't know if it was my mom's sister, but the lady was very nice and told me I was beautiful and that my ears were lovely and my fur was so soft. She didn't want the other ladies petting me, but Mom said I had to go visit the others.

Oh, then another lady called me over, and I REALLY took a liking to her. Except, I was kind of anxious, and didn't realize that Mom wasn't standing up --- I pulled her a bit. She stopped me, and I let her help herself up by pushing on my butt. This lady had dogs; I could tell. She held my face and told me she loved me. So I touched her nose with mine and she started petting my head. I was really happy to let her pet me.

They all enjoyed trying to straighten out my tail; I was a little annoyed by that, so I just sat down! They thought that meant I wanted more petting, which was ok by me!

After a little while I was getting a little overwhelmed. Particularly when some guy was running this big noisy and smelly machine. It sounded like the sucker-upper Dad uses to capture our fur (little does he know, but our fur usually wins that battle!). But this one smelled like it was scrubbing something. Mom said it was a carpet cleaner. I hugged the wall, because I didn't like it. But I was a good girl and didn't freak out.

By this time, though, the warm air was getting to me, so when we visited this little old lady in her room, I did let her pet me, but only for a moment. I really needed to go home, so Mom told her that it was my first visit; she said that she had rat terriers, and she loved dogs. The lady showing us around said that this lady doesn't participate in any activities; she only gets happy when the therapy dogs are around. I will visit her FIRST the next time.

As we were going out, Mom and I had to walk all the way down one wing. There was an employee there who was pretty loud in saying, "I'm not coming in this door with THAT DOG there." Hmmmmm, not sure I like the "that dog" but the lady helping us said that that poor human didn't like dogs. What??? Oh well, we walked down the hall, just to prove that I wasn't a meanie.

Then, two more of the "sisters" stopped to tell me how pretty I was and how they hoped I would come back. The lady helping said she'd get a list together so that we knew who we could visit and who we couldn't.

There are 3 other therapy dogs, so it looks like Tuesday will be our day to visit. I'm looking forward to it, but I do hope it's not as warm. Maybe I was a little anxious. But I did like having the ladies even in the hall reach out to hug me.

I think I'm gonna like this gig.