It was in 2005 after a series of life coaching sessions that I decided to pursue writing and writing about my all-time favorite subject: animals. It wasn’t long after that I landed a job writing a column for our local paper The Depot Dispatch.

One of the stories I was quite honored to write about was Ivan the Beagle who lived at our local senior assisted facility, Cedar Bay Community.

I learned today that Ivan passed away on August 5th. 

In honor of all the love and smiles Ivan brought to the residents, staff, and community, I’m sharing below the story I wrote about him in 2009.

Also as noted in the recent announcement from Cedar Community special thanks were given to Patti Zuelke and Jim and Lisa Jens who opened their homes to Ivan and provided wonderful care and attention to Ivan during his senior years when he no longer lived at the assisted living facility.

Even though I’d not seen Ivan in years, I must admit, his passing has brought tears to my eyes for the loss of such a dear friend to so many. He touched many lives and I’m honored to say he did the same for me. Happy Trails, dear Ivan.

Ivan

Quite Possibly the Most Beloved Resident at Cedar Bay

 Written by Barbara Techel and published in The Depot Dispatch in 2009

When I walked through the front doors of Cedar Bay recently, I was met by Ivan, the adorable 5-year-old resident beagle. He immediately sprang to his feet and jaunted over to see me. 

“Oh what a handsome blue bandana you are wearing, Ivan,” I said!  “He wore that just for you because he knew you were coming here to write a story about him,” said Monica Smith, Campus Director of the facility. “He wanted to make a good first impression.” Well, indeed he did make a heart-warming impression! I was head over heels in love.

Monica came up with the idea that a dog would be a wonderful benefit to the residents and staff of Cedar Bay. Having raised, trained, and shown golden retrievers for a good part of her life she truly understands the love and comfort a dog can provide.

Her idea of a dog as a permanent resident was initially met with apprehension from the administration, yet they trusted Monica in thinking all angles through, which she did with the utmost detail and care for all involved.

Adoring golden retrievers all her life those were of course, first and foremost a consideration. But as she thought about it she realized this had to be the right dog. Not too big, not too small, short-hair, good disposition, go with the flow, ready-made and ready-to-go sort of dog.

So she turned to rescue for those reasons, as well as wanting to give a shelter dog a good home. As she perused the humane society one day with her husband they noticed lots of dogs barking, with one sweet-faced beagle off to the corner just hanging out, almost oblivious to all the commotion. Now a beagle never ever crossed her mind, but they decided to take him outside to get to know him a little better.

Ivan did what he does best. Just hung out, looked cute, and accepted most willingly any affection you wished to bestow upon him. Monica was told that Ivan had been given up by an older gentleman who could no longer care for him. It seemed fitting that Ivan had previously lived with a senior and that he may be the right match for Cedar Bay residents.

Now, this was a risky undertaking. Monica knew if it did not work out that she and her husband would have another dog to care for in their home. But she was more than willing to take the risk. One thing she did not anticipate was the fact that beagles like to howl.  That is exactly what Ivan did for the first three weeks!

The administration commented one day that maybe a cat would have been a better choice. But Monica would not give up on Ivan. She knew he just needed a little more time to settle in.  He also needed structure. Just like a child, dogs thrive with a schedule.

Ivan’s Rules were established by Monica and are strictly adhered to by the staff. Just because Ivan’s bowl is empty does not mean he has not been fed that day!  Treats are limited because Ivan was plumping up quite quickly. A pat on the head or a hug is all Ivan needs to know he is loved. As the residents go to the dining room for meals, Ivan is let outside in the back to “do his thing.” This also helps with the rule of “no table scraps for Ivan.”

The benefits of having Ivan as a resident have been numerous. Inky, the facility’s first resident was blind. She found comfort in having Ivan sit next to her while she stroked his fur. Inky’s granddaughters Lucy and Sofie loved to visit and find Ivan waiting for them. Both girls formed such a wonderful bond with Ivan that they now stop to visit even though Inky has passed on.

Monica often meets family members who are making the difficult decision to place their loved one in an assisted facility. She said, “Ivan is the first thing they see. They ask if Ivan is my dog.”  “No,” she says. “Ivan lives here.” It helps to break down the stress of the situation. Ivan has become an ambassador of sorts for the facility, and all the comforting qualities of home it has to offer.

Ivan has truly become the community dog and is much loved. Residents of the cedar condos often take him for walks, as well as staff members, and local residents like Michelle and her lab, Maybelle. Paula, a cook for the facility is Ivan’s bandana designer. She has made him one for every season and reason. If you are a baseball fan like Ivan, you can join him where he hangs out on game day, which is in the living room.

When not meeting new arrivals, visiting with residents, or doing all the other many things Ivan does so willingly as ambassador, you will find him where he most loves to be. In his cozy bed, usually upside down, snoring loudly, oblivious to all the lives he touches on a regular basis.

Ivan is so special he has even changed the minds of the administration of Cedar Bay. They now lovingly bring him treats and spend time with him before doing any other business. Good dog, Ivan.  Good dog.

xxx