A Different Type of Work

Where could we be with such a shiny floor?

Almost every Sunday noon, between morning and afternoon hikes or runs, finds us in a nursing home having lunch with the hu-dad’s dad.  Of all of the Herd, Cheoah seems to have the best behavior and attitude for this job and she shows no fear or reaction to all of the beeping of electronic equipment.  Plus she is a great memory stimulator for the hu-grand-dad.  This particular facility encourages family members to bring family pets, as long as they are well-behaved and up-to-date with their medical records.

Waiting patiently for the lunch tables to be cleared. Today’s meal, chicken fried steak, smells heavenly.

The unit we visit is a secured unit because the patients are apt to wander. Our visit is greeted with enthusiasm and many of the patients want to spend a few minutes with the Cheesewhiz.  What we did not expect, however, was that our walk through the home to this unit is now peppered with a number of places we must stop because those residents look forward to our visit as well (ok, and quite a few of the staff).  It is so incredible to spread a few smiles and such fun to see Cheoah strut her way through the facility with such confidence.

Enough chatter, hu-dad, I need to let people give me ear scratches. It’s a tough job, but somepup has to do it.

*****     *****     *****     *****     *****

Sorry about all of the technical problems with the website this weekend.  Our host was having some issues and we know a number of people were unable to access the site or leave comments.  This is the third time that this has happened this year, so we are actively searching for a new host.  We will keep you posted.

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34 Comments

  1. Honey the Great Dane on October 27, 2010 at 8:29 pm

    Aw…I can just imagine the smiles that must follow the Herd during your visit!

    We’ve been having LOADS of problems with our site too – problems loading the pages and leavign comments – and I kept thinking it was the theme I’d chosen but now I wonder if it’s actually my host too! I Know they’ve had outages 3 times in the last couple of weeks! It’s very frustrating as I don’t know what’s due to their problems (which I can’t do anything about) and what is ‘my’ problem…and in the meantime, lots of our readers can’t visit or comment…grrr! Sometimes I really wish I was a web developer and could just understand everything! 😛

    Hsin-Yi

  2. Holly and Khady on October 26, 2010 at 11:47 pm

    Ah, the life of a therapy dog! Maybe that could be your new profession! I had a brief career as a therapy dog a few years ago. Abby, Kona and Samuel were registered therapy dogs too. Abby and Kona use to go weekly until Kona got sick with his Addisons and Abby got too old. They both loved it while they were visiting all the great places. It was a wonderful reward for both them and the people!

    Holly

  3. Kari on October 26, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    Baily has been certified as a therapy dog but sadly my schedule has not allowed us to be able to go 🙁

    Kari
    http://dogisgodinreverse.com/

  4. The Luke on October 26, 2010 at 11:37 am

    Wow, Cheoah… I’m very impressed wif your calm and lady-like behavior! It’s a wonderful and lovin fing that you are doin there, and I know how much it’s appreciated.

    wif love from the Luke

  5. HUSKYS RULE on October 26, 2010 at 8:34 am

    Excellent job Cheoah!!!! We could never be as good as you & pass up the food(how do you do that?)!! We are so glad you can make so many humans happy!!!
    Licks & Nibbles,
    Kody & Nia

  6. Maxx on October 26, 2010 at 5:45 am

    Bet you put a lot of smile on the hooman’s faces!!
    That’s wonderful!
    Mommy wanted to put me on a training program for therapy dogs to visit the elderly homes in Singapore too but she’s worried i’m too jumpy..(she says)

    Cheers,
    Maxx

  7. Ruby's Raiser on October 26, 2010 at 2:25 am

    What a beautiful post. The joy that Cheoah brings to the residents cannot be measured, how wonderful that the facility encourages the visits and that she enjoys it just as much as they do!

  8. Pup Fan on October 25, 2010 at 9:55 pm

    Awesome, Cheoah!

  9. siku marie on October 25, 2010 at 8:43 pm

    The facility Michael’s mom is in also encourages the pups to visit. Quinn and I go often with the same result. Isn’t it wonderful, Cheoah, that just by being you that you can make so many just a little happier? Keep up this important work…dogs can work miracles of all kinds you know!

  10. NCMountainwoman on October 25, 2010 at 8:19 pm

    What a wonderful gift you are giving those folks. Way to go Cheoah!

  11. Mimi & CC Cabana on October 25, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    I hope Cabana can be as calm in facilities and around wheelchairs as Cheoah when we go for therapy dog testing next week. Cheoah must bring lots of joy to the folks there. How awesome that dogs are welcomed.

  12. Sagira on October 25, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    Aww…what a great thing you’re doing. Sagira started out as a therapy dog but didn’t enjoy it. Nice to see that some dogs remain calm and can do such a wonderful thing.

  13. Huffle Mawson on October 25, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    HuffleMum here – when my grandmother was in a nursing home I used to take my rottie Maxine in to visit her occasionally – everyone loved her! So good on Cheoah for doing such a great job.

  14. Sammie on October 25, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    Cheoah – you are such a good girl to make so many people happy! – and more cognizant too! Good job! Hope you got some chicken-fried steak heheh! I didn’t know you had that cool nickname – Cheezewhiz? Love it!
    Hugs xoxoxo
    Sammie and Avalon

  15. The Army of Four on October 25, 2010 at 4:36 pm

    What an awesome thing to do, Cheoah! I’ll bet you bring a ton of smiles to a lot of bipeds!
    Play bows,
    Zim

  16. sychoberians on October 25, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    Way to go Cheoah, you are a very special Siberian.

    We hope you got some of that chiken fried steak, we think spreading all that good cheer might have made you hungry.

    Remy and Flash

  17. Emma Rose and the Duchess on October 25, 2010 at 3:34 pm

    It is a wonderful thing you are doing. Thank you. You bring a blessing to so many when you go visit your Hu-Grandpa.

    Kisses,
    Emma Rose

  18. The OP Pack on October 25, 2010 at 3:11 pm

    How wonderful that this facility lets their residents have pet visits too. Cheoah looks quite comfortable there. Mom hopes that one day either TD or Ciara can become a therapy dog. Our hu-Grandad spent some time in a secured facility too and it was so sad for him. We wish we could have gone to visit him too.

    Glad to see things are working better, we hate not being able to comment here. Now to get our video issue resolved.

    Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

  19. jack & moo on October 25, 2010 at 3:09 pm

    Excellent work, Cheoah! We’re are pawsitive your visits are one of the highlights of their week!

    jack a-roo & miss moo

  20. Ryker on October 25, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    That is great Cheoah! You should get your Therapy Dog Cert. and then you can go to all the places like the children’s ward at the hospitals etc. I should have mine come February. I love to go and visit at Grandma’s daycare center too!

  21. Anna the GSD on October 25, 2010 at 12:07 pm

    Duncan visits too! He’s great at it! I’m still a little spazzy to try it out, but it’s an awesome thing to do!!

  22. Khyra on October 25, 2010 at 11:50 am

    Once upon a time, I wonder if the Siberian now known as Cheoah-whiz thought this might all be pawsible?

    Life is good when we find the humans we are meant to have!

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra and The Golden Khousins

  23. Dennis the Vizsla on October 25, 2010 at 10:52 am

    Can I borrow you to help teach Tucker about that “waiting patiently” thing?

  24. KB on October 25, 2010 at 9:34 am

    It’s wonderful that Cheoah is such a great nursing home visitor. It sounds like your dad and many others love seeing her – that’s no surprise to me. What a good girl, especially waiting patiently when there’s chicken-fried steak around!

  25. Wild Dingo on October 25, 2010 at 9:18 am

    It IS a hard job! and we at Wild Dingo applaud it. Especially since you have to do it under such difficult conditions: chicken fried steak? WTF? I sure hope you got paid time and a half for THAT one.

  26. norwood on October 25, 2010 at 8:50 am

    That is so nice to serve cheesewhiz at the nursing home! You made me smile on this post too! Nice work!
    norwood

  27. Houndstooth on October 25, 2010 at 8:18 am

    I know first hand how happy those visits make the residents living there. We often hear the same stories about beloved dogs when we visit the Alzheimer’s wing in one of the two that we visit, and it always makes me smile. Some of them will ask me fifty times “What kind of dog is that?” while we’re visiting, but they remember dogs of years past with great clarity and happiness. A few hours of your time can bring so much joy to someone else!

    Way to go Cheezwhiz! Our girls have a couple of fans who actually get family members to buy them Milkbones so that they can be sure the dogs will stop in while we’re there to visit them! *grin* Funny how all the dogs in our visiting group know the way to those rooms!

  28. Sam on October 25, 2010 at 6:52 am

    How wonderful that you can bring Cheoah in to visit with your dad. I know that was a comfort to my dad during his final days. We looked specifically for a place that would let us bring dogs in – my dad loved them all dearly.

    Sam

  29. Martha and Bailey on October 25, 2010 at 2:58 am

    We just know that your visit will make many of the older humans there very happy.
    We dogs are so important! We bring warmth and affection and as you say trigger memories.
    We expect you got a few treats too…!
    xx

  30. 24 Paws of Love on October 25, 2010 at 2:31 am

    What an awesome opportunity for the Cheesewhiz to show off her stuff. (and gets lots of attention! 🙂
    Hope you had a great visit.

  31. Togo the Dog on October 25, 2010 at 2:00 am

    That’s beautiful work Cheoah is doing. I bet there are lots of people waiting for Sundays to come around cos Sunday is Cheoah-day.

    Woooo,
    Togo, Tagar & Gamby

  32. Minnie and Mack on October 25, 2010 at 1:41 am

    What good work you are doing! My hu-grandmother loves us furry family, too. She lives with us so we get to sse her a lot. She is 84 and enjoys it when our 4 legged friends comes to visit.

    Keep up the good work.

    Drools and licks,
    Minnie and Mack

  33. Daiquiri on October 25, 2010 at 1:32 am

    Woo Cheoah, I go visiting too! I’m not bothered by elevators, but there are two kitty cats living at my hu-grandma’s place. They live on different floors and take the elevator by themselves. Twice we were surprised to find one in the elevator when we were waiting to go up! I almost dislocated mum’s shoulder trying to get up close and personal. We now stand wayyyyyy back from the door. hee hee

    You’re a great ambassador for us all Cheoah.

    Hope you got a taste of their lunch, or at least got treats from some the people you visited.

    Scritchies to all of you gorgeous pups,

    Daiq

  34. Piappies World on October 25, 2010 at 1:27 am

    That’s really great that Cheoah is doing such fine work. Hu-dad’s dad and friends surely looks forward to your visits. Bringing smiles around is a very good therapy for anybody. The Herd constantly bring smiles on our faces when we read your adventures!

    Love,
    Piappies Fudgie, Princess, Frappie, Mocha, Sugar, Wai-Pai & Wai-Max

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