Dogs, Dogs, and, Puppies

This has been a great day!

We woke up tired...



...got ready for the day  (With the help of Little Bit)...



Little Bit jumps on my back every time I lean over to scrunch my hair.

...drove to Baltimore...

 The Baltimore Harbor Tunnel is always fun to drive through.

We lay the seats down in the back and Topher lays his head on the collapsed headrest.



...and went to my doctor appointment at Johns Hopkins Medical Center.

I have been going to the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic at Johns Hopkins for a few years now.  I see the same doctor and same nurse every time.  I love them there!  They are amazing and I have a great relationship with them.  I can send e-mails back and forth with my nurse and doctor.  My nurse even reads my blog!  If you ever get the chance to see a specialist at Johns Hopkins, I highly recommend them.  They are so awesome!

My nurse and my doctor are proud of me for the progress I have made with Topher and Tanker.  They tell me that I am not allowed to come see them unless I bring the dogs with me.  Every time we go to Johns Hopkins, Topher and Tanker come too.

We start our visit by stopping in the lobby and visiting our favorite security guard.  He loves Topher and Tanker.  I was really proud of Topher because he even did his "two paws" command on the front desk to say hi.  That was the first time he has done it while out and about.  My smile was gleaming so big!  Then we visited some patients and visitors sitting around the lobby.  People loved seeing them!  One patient said, "thank you.  I haven't petted a dog in years.  You made my day."  I was very, very happy!

The part of the hospital where my doctor is located has both inpatient and outpatient units.  We do not go into the patients rooms because we don't "technically" have hospital permission to be there.  We only have permission from my doctor, who happens to be the head doctor of the unit.  We do visit patients, nurses, and therapists out in the hallway.  Not a single person walks by who doesn't want to visit the dogs. 

We then sit in the hallway and wait for my appointment.

I like Mom's vet better than mine.  They scratch me behind the ears a lot and she seems less invasive with the thermometer.



My appointment went great!  I am doing really well and I don't have to go back for three months!  I used to go every month, so this is a nice break because it is a long drive.  When I mentioned that to her she said that I don't come far at all.  They have patients that come from around the world.  She said that just last week her patient from Lebanon came for a check-up.  I can't imagine!  Well, I guess I can imagine because they are really good there.  I honestly think that I would fly back and see her for check-ups if we were to ever move. 

She told me that I couldn't come back in September unless Topher and Tanker came too.  How cool is that!  I really love Johns Hopkins!

Because my appointment usually lasts an hour or more, I had to go to the bathroom.  This was the first time I had taken Topher into a hospital bathroom.  I think he was a little offended that I hooked him to the coat hook.

I am a little uncomfortable being in here.  I am a boy and we are in the women's bathroom.  Ok, fine, I won't look.  People are going to think I am a creeper.  I am not a peeping tom.  I am a hide my eyes Topher.



They boys slept most of the way home.

Being a therapy dog is a lot of work.

When we got home, we gave Tanker his medicine, played with the dogs outside, fed everybody, and then took Bella and Shiloh to walk around Petsmart and do obedience work.

The sunset was beautiful.

Bella and Shiloh did really well.  We worked mostly on sits and waits.  We worked on separate aisles so that the puppies weren't together.  Shiloh did her best yet away from Bella.  We met another Therapy Dog there who was a little Dachshund.  She was recently certified through Therapy Dogs, Inc and she works in the nursing home with him.  I gave her our card and told her about Blue Grey Therapy Dogs.  She was interested.  Her dog was very sweet and adorable.  I am looking forward to talking to her more.

We picked up a couple of toys off the clearance rack.  How could we resist?  They were $3.00 or less each.

When we got home the puppies played with their toys for a minute and then crashed.  The entire Zoo Crew is wiped out.

Wes and I enjoyed some fresh cherries for dessert.

Little Bit is curled up on my lap and is hoping I go upstairs and scrunch my hair again soon.  She'd rather be on my back.