First Day of work for TnT, Part 2: Snowden at Fredericksburg

After a long morning of cheering runners on at the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon, we went home, napped, cleaned Topher and Tanker up, took showers, and headed back out for our second event of the day.  We went to work at Snowden at Fredericksburg.  We have shadowed in this facility, and now it was our turn to work and be monitored by another Delta Society volunteer.

Snowden at Fredericksburg is a safe, private forty-bed behavioral health center. Located on the medical campus of Mary Washington Hospital, Snowden is a department of Mary Washington Hospital and a part of the MediCorp Health System located in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Not many therapy dog teams volunteer in Snowden.  It may be the stigma surrounding the types of patients there or the unpredictable environment.  I feel bad that there are not more volunteers because it is a wonderful place to go.  The staff loves the therapy dogs.  More importantly, the patients seem to benefit immensely from pet therapy.  We have met some amazing people in that facility.

We started out in the children/adolescent unit.  The kids were wonderful and Topher and Tanker love children.  Several kids crowded around Tanker and Topher when we first entered the room.  Both Tanker and Topher layed down on the ground and let the children crawl over them and pet them.  They petted under their collars and vests because those were areas "they cannot scratch themselves."  One little girl felt Topher's ears and pointed out the difference in how they felt from the rest of his body.  The same girl picked up Topher's feet and looked at his paws.  One very smart little boy picked out the different colors of Topher's coat.  He loved dogs and was currently reading a book about a border collie that looked just like Tanker.  He told me all kinds of facts about dogs.  He was "impressed that Topher was so well trained.  He does not show any signs of stress."  He then told me about stress signs in dogs.  Another little girl was thrilled to hear that Topher and Tanker were rescue dogs.  She then went on to tell me how so many people hurt animals and they end up in the pound.  One little girl did not talk at all.  She looked at Topher and Tanker from afar.  I could tell she wanted to pet them, but was very hesitant.  I looked at her, winked, smiled and told her she could come down on the floor and pet Topher anytime she wanted.  She smiled back.  Within a thirty minute period, she inched closer and closer until she was finally on the floor with Topher.  She sat by his face and rubbed around his eyes and mouth.  She seemed very compassionate.  Topher closed his eyes and let her rub all over him.  No words were said, but there was a conversation going on between the two of them.  They spoke a language only the two of them could understand.  I don't know what was said, but I do know that Topher made a difference in the life of that little girl.

Several children liked Tanker for his tail and long hair.  I overheard one girl tell Wes that she liked Tanker because his tail curled.  Like Topher, Tanker just layed there and let the children play with his coat, his ears, his tail, and feet.  Wes told a couple little boys about the military.  I overheard him tell the children about Tanker's epilepsy and how he had to take medicine everyday.  All the children learned about Topher and Tanker's training and all the homework they had to do.  They seemed to really enjoy that.

Next, we moved onto the men's unit.  We did not get quite the reaction out of the men that we did from the kids, but they enjoyed the dogs nonetheless.  We learned about dogs they had at home, dogs they had as children, and the difference that their own dogs made in their lives.  There was a visitor there and she enjoyed the dogs as well.  Topher and Tanker passed out their cards and then we made our way to the women's unit.

Women are more emotional and they were all over Topher and Tanker from the moment we walked in the unit until we left.  There was a lady in a walker that came up to pet Topher and he did not mind at all.  Several of the women there had dogs of their own that they missed while being hospitalized.  One lady came up and started messing with Topher's feet.  He was tired at that point and was not too sure about her, but he let her mess with him anyway.  He showed a couple of small stress signs in that room.  I don't know how much of it was that he was really tired or the amount of action in the room with people all over him.  I rubbed his ears to reassure him it was okay.

Give yourself to others and it will be given back to you tenfold.  That's how we felt as we left Snowden.  Our hearts were filled with so much love.  We left there feeling like we had really made a difference in people's lives.  We may have been physically tired from the long day, but our souls were gleaming with joy.

"Now I am giving you a new commandment. Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:34-35

First Day of Work for TnT, Part 1: Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon

Yesterday was Topher and Tanker's first official day of work as therapy dogs.  We had two scheduled events: the 2011 Marine Corps Half Marathon in Fredericksburg and our first day at Snowden.  It was a long day, but the dogs LOVED it!

The Marine Corps Half Marathon was AWESOME!  We loved cheering on the runners and Topher and Tanker seemed to enjoy it too.  They were completely relaxed.



Topher laying in the backseat on top of all our bags, towels, chairs, equipment, etc. on our way to the race.  We normally have the barrier up and the dogs ride in the very back, but we have not yet completely cleaned out the car and put everything back together since coming home from Alabama.  I guess Topher figured if the puppies can lay in the seats, he can too.  I think he really just wanted to be closer to us.

We arrived at the race at 6:35, five minutes after we were supposed to get there.  We were both a little flustered because we hate being late to anything.  We had to park a little farther away from the other Blue Grey Therapy Dog teams because the roads had already been blocked off.  Just as we were about to get the dogs out, we realized that we left their canvas bag at home that carried their harnesses, leashes, and vests.  Then we were double flustered.  We were afraid we wouldn't be able to stay without their vests.  Fortunately, since the dogs both have their Delta Society IDs on their collars, and Wes and I both had our Delta Society picture IDs on us, they were both still legal.  One of the other Therapy Dog teams had extra leashes and an extra harness for Topher.  In order to be covered under Delta Society's liability insurance while working, we have to have the same equipment on them that we tested in.  Thank goodness that Rhonda had extras!  We were so thankful!

Topher sometimes has issues with other dogs.  I was a little bit nervous about this event because there would be other therapy dog teams there.  I spent about 15 minutes across the street from everybody else to properly introduce Topher to the other dogs.  He sniffed the air, sniffed where other dogs had walked, and gradually got used to them from afar.  We eventually got closer and Topher ended up being fine.  Actually, one of the dogs is a big Cane Corso named Diesel.  I was afraid Topher would not like him since he was so big, but he ended up being Topher's favorite!  They stood next to each other the entire time.

Not long after we got there, the first runner came along.  We cheered, hollered, encouraged, and congratulated him as he ran by.  Soon, more followed.  As we cheered, I encouraged Topher to do his "Howl On Demand."  The runners got a kick out of that!  He howled to cheer them on!  Everybody loved him!  He became known as the singing dog.

We sat at about the halfway mark of the race.  These were some of the first runners to come along.

There were runners from all walks of life.  We saw an elderly couple that had to be in their 70s or 80s.  We saw elementary school children.  We saw teenagers, college aged kids, and adults.  There were even people who ran the race in custom wheelchairs.  We saw people running and walking.  People were there to have a fun time!

A few runners carried full sized flags in support of our country and the Marine Corps.

There was even a Vietnam Vet who runs the Historic Half every year carrying a flag.

Howling and cheering on runners is a lot of work!  Must rest up so we can meet and greet people at the end of the race!

There were 7,000 runners at the race this year.  That's a lot of runners to cheer on!  People came from near and far.  We saw one of Wes' coworkers running and that was really neat.  We spent four hours cheering people on.  It was exciting to be part of such a big event!

Once the last runner passed, trucks came through to pick up the cones.  They were mostly Marines in uniform volunteering at the event.  I hadTopher howl at them in support as they passed by.  They smiled and loved it!  It was really, really cool!  We then got in our cars and drove to the end of the race to meet and greet all the finishers.  Topher, Tanker, and the other therapy dogs were given medals for volunteering.  Topher and Tanker were proud to wear them! 

At the finish line after getting their 2011 Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon Medals.

Yes, we are cute, and we felt super special to be rewarded with a medal for volunteering at the race.  We kind of feel like we cheated the system since we didn't even run, but howling and wagging our tails for four hours was a lot of work!  I guess we deserve a medal.

We got to greet many runners at the end.  Many of the runners remembered Topher howling at them and thanked him for the support.  A few runners told us that seeing and petting the dogs was the highlight of the race.  That made  us feel good.  Since people came from out of state to run, they were missing their own dogs at home.  Topher and Tanker gave out lots of their cards and people seemed appreciative of it, especially the kids!

Blue Grey Therapy Dogs is a big Therapy Dog group in Northern Virginia.  They are well known and have a good reputation.  Of course, because of the work they do, even reporters wanted their pictures.  We all posed with the Marine Corps Bulldog and had pictures taken.  I don't have access to any of the professional photographs yet, but here are a few I took on our phone.

Sitting, staying, and waiting our turn to get our picture taken with the bulldog.

I hope this one gets published somewhere.  Aren't they cute?  Topher and Tanker listened to our commands very well, even when we weren't next to them.

Wow, you have some big paws there!

At the end, we were all tired!  We needed to sit and take a break.  Wes had forgotten to take his pain medicine for his back that morning and he ended up being in a lot of pain.  I forgot to take Lyrica for my nerve problem and my arms were red and on fire from so much clapping.  Topher and Tanker didn't have their vests or any of their equipment.  Despite everything we forgot, we had a GREAT day!  We had ourselves and our dogs.  That's all we need to spread love and make other's smile!

You can't go to the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon without meeting somebody famous.  Drew Carey ran the marathon.  He was there with his wife and son.  They petted Topher and Tanker and received pet therapy from them!!  Not that they needed it.  They were the nicest people.  They were very friendly and happy.  His son was adorable!  Wes shook his hand and thanked him for the time he got to meet him while deployed overseas several years ago.  Drew Carey's face lit up when Wes said that.  I think he thought it was cool that he made a difference.  What a great man and what a cool experience!

That is Drew Carey's son with him.  His son adored him.  He wanted to be by daddy's side the entire time.

After we left, we stopped and at the closest gas station.  There were two runners there that recognized Topher in the car.  They said, "hey, isn't that the dog that was howling and cheering us on?"  We told them yes!  They thanked Topher and Tanker for their support and told us how encouraging it was.  How cool is that?!  First day on the job, first therapy dog event, and TnT made a difference! 

Delta Society Pet Partner Evaluations

Wes and I volunteered to be part of the crowd for Delta Evaluations today. The cutest bunny was evaluated and passed! She is now a therapy bunny! She was a hairy bunny with big hairy ears that stuck straight up. She had the hairiest toes...hairier than Sweet Pea's! She liked to be close to you and cuddle. She knew the beg command and walked on a leash! She was the coolest bunny I have ever met! There was also a labradoodle that got evaluated. She was very obedient, but needs some work before passing. Such a sweet dog, though.

One of our evaluator friends asked us to bring Tanker because he needed neutral dog practice for his upcoming re-evaluation. Because it is cool outside, we brought Topher and the puppies too. Topher did great with both German Shepherds there and Ty, the golden retriever who played neutral dog for the evaluations. He was very calm. The puppies barked at the other dogs some. We need to work on that. Our Delta friends observed them a lot and Bella is definitely the dominant one. She will test her boundries more. Shiloh is attached to Bella some, so Wes and I need to start getting them out more, separate from the older dogs, and work them separate from one another. They are walking on leashes well with the exception of biting at them occasionally, which we are working on breaking. Bella is mouthy like a border collie. I have already been working on that quite a bit with the help of bitter apple.

They are only 12 weeks old. It's hard to say if they will make great therapy dogs yet. They have a lot of potential, I believe. Luckily, they are young enough that we can mold them into how we want them...knock on wood.

Tomorrow is a big day. TnT are working the Marine Corp Half Marathon with Blue Grey Therapy Dogs. Tomorrow evening, they get to go into Snowden at Fredericksburg, the psychiatric hospital we shadowed in a couple of weeks ago. We will be monitored by Chris who is also a Delta Society Team with his goldens, along as a Delta Evaluator. We are blessed to have the most amazing people in our lives. Our therapy dog friends are the most giving, helpful, understanding people we know. They have really opened up so many doors for us as therapy dog teams. We are extremely grateful for the opportunities God has given us.

Roof and gutters are done. They look really nice. Verizon FIOS is still out as far as I know. (I'm not home.) I will post pictures of the new roof later. I am still missing blogs off my page. I will try to rewrite them, I guess. I also have two days of puppy adventure blogs to write, along with many pictures to post. Now that TnT are working dogs, and we've got two new puppies to train, I am finding less and less time to sit down at the computer. Thank modern day technology for smart phones.

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God's Love

I can't write much right now. I am just in an emotional state that words could not accurately depict how strongly I feel about how God loves us. My brother, John, opened up my eyes to who God really is. John did not go to church. John did not preach the Word of God to people. John was different. John lived for God. John did not hold grudges. He did not judge others for what they believed, what clothes they wore, what kind of family they came from, where they lived, the color of their skin, or the life they lived. He only loved them. John and I often debated religion when I went through my phase of being a religious person. He normally would come out on top and left me pondering about who God really was. God is bigger than any religion. God doesn't live by any specific rules or standards. God made us all different. None of us fits a set mold.
I gave the eulogy at John's funeral. It was my final gift to him. It was also his gift to me. What an honor to sit and ponder a life so filled with love. It came to my realization as I wrote the most meaningful speech of my life that a dog was the exact reflection of God. Just as dogs come in all colors, shapes, and sizes, God is different to each and every one of us. God loves each of us differently. All dogs are loyal, full of joy, non judging, forgiving, and your partner until the end. It's no wonder John was such a dog person. Was John's purpose on earth to show us love? Did the brother I used to debate religion with all the time have the answer all along? I believe so. We are to love one another. When we are scolded, we may wimper like a dog and cower in fear of others, and we may even fight back to protect ourselves, but in the end, we are to forgive and love. And that, my friends, is why a dog is the reflection of God.

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Kris and Titus

I have talked about Kris and Titus on Facebook in the past.  They have been our mentors for the last six months or so as we have trained Topher and Tanker to be therapy dogs.  She is one of the most amazing dog people I know.  She is such a gift to so many people.  She works mostly with special education children.  If you want to see God work, watch a trained therapy dog work with an autistic child.  Kris and Titus work miracles on these kids.  Wes and I have shadowed her numerous times and we are astounded every time we watch her work.  Children open up.  Children who do not talk say words.  Children who do not like to touch, pet Titus and even give him commands. 

I am not the only person who thinks Kris and Titus are amazing.  She recently had an article written about her in Inside NOVA.

Titus the golden retriever therapy dog lays down as students brush and pin his hair at Independent Hill School in Manassas, Va. on Wednesday, May 10, 2011. Kris Campesi regularly brings Titus to the school in a program for students to interact with a domesticated animal.

INDEPENDENT HILL, Va. --

Students in Nancy Dow’s class at Independent Hill School were practicing their verbal, motor and social skills Wednesday morning.

And they had some help from an unusual teacher.

Titus, a 5-year-old golden retriever, waited patiently as the five students in the school’s moderate cognitive impairment class took turns selecting brightly colored balls, making eye contact with him, throwing the balls and rewarding him with a pat on the head and praise of “Good dog.”

One student, Ryan Walker, was hesitant at first and inched away from the dog. But after a few minutes, Ryan grabbed a ball and threw it cross the room. He smiled broadly when Titus retrieved it.

And his teachers seemed happy too.

“I’m impressed,” Dow said. “That the first time he’s initiated that himself. That’s a lot of progress.”

Titus and his handler, Manassas resident Kris Campesi, have become regular visitors Independent Hill this year.

Titus is a therapy dog, registered with the Delta Society, a non-profit group that works with therapy and service dogs and their trainers.

Campesi, a retired middle school science teacher, volunteers her time at Independent Hill and other area schools. Campesi and her golden retrievers, Titus, 12-year-old Buddy, who is now retired, and 1-year-old Malachi, who is still in training, have been visiting special education students, patients at area hospitals and victims of disasters for years.

In 2008, Titus and Campesi went to Texas after Hurricane Ike, and Buddy and Titus have regularly visited area residents after fires and other disasters, as part of the Red Cross disaster support team.

Recently, Campesi has been focusing her efforts on working with special needs children, particularly autistic children.

“Working with special needs children is exciting,” Campesi said. “I saw what a difference it can make for them and so that’s what I devote most of my time to now.”

This year, Campesi and Titus have been working with students at Independent Hill, PACE East and Battlefield High School in Prince William County, at Cougar Elementary School, Manassas Park Elementary School and Manassas Park Middle School in Manassas Park, and at Matthew’s Center, a private day school for autistic children in Manassas.

Administrative intern Lori Sterne and teachers at Independent Hill said they’ve been impressed with the work Titus and Camepsi have done there so far.

“She is extremely specialized,” Sterne said in an email. “For example, Titus is trained to lean heavily on students because our autism students have a real need for pressure as sensory input. I think it’s really fascinating.”

Campesi said many therapy dogs and handlers work with children, often through the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ) program. But fewer therapy dogs work with special needs children.

“Not many people are doing this with special needs kids,” Campesi said. “Working with special needs kids can be very unpredictable. There’s a lot of noises that can be scary for the dog. But I’ve seen the good this can do.”

In some classes at Independent Hill, the students work on basic skills like verbalizing commands and petting and brushing Titus. In more advanced classes, the students play games with Titus to practice math and other academic skills, Campesi said.

“We try to make all of the activities as educational as possible,” she said.

Campesi said she hopes research will eventually be done to measure the results of special education students working with therapy dogs. Until then, she and area educators have anecdotal evidence—such as stories about normally non-verbal students who will speak to Titus and autistic children who will maintain eye contact with him—that they feel demonstrate the benefits.

“The students will interact with the dog in a way they won’t interact with people,” Campesi said. “They can get Titus to do what they want him to do and it gives them confidence.”

Campesi said she is glad that several area schools are willing to let her and Titus work with their students.

“Prince William County’s been very receptive about doing this type of thing,” she said. “I’m just really impressed with principals and schools who say, ‘We’re willing to do whatever works for our kids’ instead of saying ‘That just isn’t done.’”

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-530-3908. 


We are honored to know Kris.  We are proud to have worked with her.  We are blessed to have her as a friend.  We are looking forward to many more years of working with Kris.  Wes and Tanker, and Topher and I hope to work with her Special Ed classes at Anne Moncure Elementary next year.  Wes and I have shadowed her in that school and we have gotten to know the teachers.  We also hope to have Bella and Shiloh trained up to be able to work too.  Thank you, Kris, for all you have given us.  You are an amazing person.

Everyday Is An Adventure! (blog from 5/11/11)

Today was a big day for all the dogs.  TnT (Tanker and Topher) had eye appointments this morning at South Paws in Springfield.  This was a free service offered to them for being a therapy dog.  They had their eyes dilated and looked at by a canine ophthalmologist.  Topher was not crazy about the light shining into his eyes.  Tanker did not care.  Both Tanker and Topher's eyes looked good.  Tanker has a growth on his eyelid that needs to be removed.  We've known about it for a while, but have hesitated to have it removed because we're nervous about him going under anesthesia with his epilepsy.  We are going to think about it for a while and weigh the pros and cons to having it removed right now.  It's not currently causing problems, but it could scratch his eye if it grows bigger.  Topher and Tanker will get their eyes rechecked for free again in a year.  This service is free to all service and therapy dogs. 

Vet: "Topher, tell me the smallest bones you read."
Topher: "Bone, bone, bone, bone....mmm, bones!!!"

Topher and Tanker went to work with Wes last night because they had to be at their eye appointments at 8:00.  Bella, Shiloh, the cats, and I held down the fort here at home.  Bella and Shiloh are doing better and better everyday.  They are getting on a better sleep routine.  They slept off and on over night, but I tried to keep them up because I wanted them to be tired during the day when Wes had to sleep.  If you have ever had puppies, you know that when they want to sleep, they'll sleep, and when they want to play, they'll play.  There is not much you can do to change their mind.  They did really well though.  They have had no accidents in the house since we first brought them home.  They learned very quickly to go outside.  We put puppy training pads out and they have used them twice when they couldn't make it outside.  They are smart girls.  When they don't potty on them, they sleep on them!  Blondie did the same thing when she was a puppy.  Most of the time though, they curl up together.

Play time over.  Time to recharge.

Wes went to Wal-Mart and bought the puppies more squeaky toys and chew toys.  Puppies need toys to keep from driving their owners crazy and to keep them from chewing things like the back deck, blankets, and doorstops.  We have been spraying Bitter Apple on the things they want to chew.  Currently, my pants and slippers have been coated in Bitter Apple a couple of times.

 

 

 

 

 

Dad could not go to Wal-Mart without buying me and Tanker toys too.  Tanker got a bag of tennis balls and I got a squawking duck out of the deal.  I love my new squawking duck very much and I have already drenched it in kisses.  -Topher When Wes got home, we went to bed.  The puppies did really well.  Tanker and Topher lay in their beds on the floor, Shiloh lays on our bed with us most of the time, and Bella lays either on our bed or on the floor.  She sometimes sleeps in the crate next to the bed.  When I woke up at 1:00 this afternoon, Shiloh was sleeping in the funniest place.   My sister is laying in the crate, so I decided to lay on top and make it a bunk crate.  Life is too short to not make it fun.  -Shiloh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Dad could not go to Wal-Mart without buying me and Tanker toys too.  Tanker got a bag of tennis balls and I got a squawking duck out of the deal.  I love my new squawking duck very much and I have already drenched it in kisses.  -Topher

When Wes got home, we went to bed.  The puppies did really well.  Tanker and Topher lay in their beds on the floor, Shiloh lays on our bed with us most of the time, and Bella lays either on our bed or on the floor.  She sometimes sleeps in the crate next to the bed.  When I woke up at 1:00 this afternoon, Shiloh was sleeping in the funniest place.

 

My sister is laying in the crate, so I decided to lay on top and make it a bunk crate.  Life is too short to not make it fun.  -Shiloh

My sister is laying in the crate, so I decided to lay on top and make it a bunk crate.  Life is too short to not make it fun.  -Shiloh

We always get the weird ones

We always seem to adopt or find the animals who are weird.  Shiloh is no exception.  We woke up this afternoon to find Shiloh sleeping on top of the crate.