school visits

Welcoming the Familiar. Joie’s School Appearance Debut.

joie and me april 2013Joie and I will be making our first school appearance on May 10th. Well, I guess I should say it is actually Joie’s first appearance at a school as I’ve done these quite a few times.

I’m working on updating my presentation which will now be a mix of Frankie’s story and will include Joie’s as well.  I think there will be some wonderful teaching moments. I had John take this photo above as I needed a new one to send to school’s when they book a visit with us.

When Frankie passed away I really didn’t think I’d ever be doing school visits again. But I’m happy to give it a try with Joie and see if she  is up for it. While I don’t know if I will do as many as I did with Frankie, I am excited about integrating this into my schedule and doing some during the school year again.   I’m hoping the visit and presentation goes well, so I can also look into us visiting classrooms via Skype as well.

Though my life feels like a whole new chapter -a whole new book, really, since Frankie has been gone–It also feels familiar with going back to some of the things I did before.

I welcome the familiar, but am also excited to continue to move forward with new adventures.

Tomorrow for my continued Joyful Paws Jaunt Blog Tour I’ll be sharing my guest post on Mad About Dachshunds. If you love Dachshunds you really need to check out their website and Facebook page.  Stop on by my blot post tomorrow and leave a comment so your name can be entered to win a e-book copy of Through Frankie’s Eyes. 

Announcing Release of Second Book in Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog Book Series!

 Author Releases Second Book to Inspire Children and Seniors Who Have Special Needs or Disabilities

Author Barbara Techel and her 10-year-old daschund announce the release of their second book, Frankie The Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby’s House.

We all face challenges in life, but dealing them is much easier when there’s support and understanding from significant others—even animals. Frankie is a dachshund who is paralyzed in her hind quarters as a result of an injury. But, she does not allow her physical challenges to limit her purpose or her gift of healing to others. Custom-fitted for a doggie wheelchair (dog cart), Frankie The Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog uses her disability to bring a message of hope and encouragement to young and old.

Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby’s House is a true story told from a therapy dog’s viewpoint. This, the second book in the series, tells how Frankie became a registered therapy dog and gives several personal accounts of her visits to the residents of Libby’s House, a senior facility where many residents have Alzheimer’s or dementia www.libbyshouse.com.

Frankie’s human mom and the book’s author, Barbara Techel, hoped for years to have a therapy dog and share the love that only a dog can bring. She wanted the dog to visit people who may not have animal contact on a regular basis.

“When Frankie was fitted for a doggie wheelchair, I wrote the first book and started taking her to local schools to entertain children,” says Barbara. “I realized Frankie would make a great therapy dog for adults as well as children. The fact that she is in a wheelchair makes her a bit more unique as she helps people in nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice identify on a deeper level. She has a challenge like many of them.”

Visiting Libby’s House once a month opened Barbara’s heart and eyes to realizing that people may not always understand what the elderly are going through, and all they want is someone to listen and spend time with them.

“I especially want children to not fear seniors who face the challenges brought on by aging,” says Ms. Techel. “I hope to encourage children to spend and cherish time with their own grandparents. I hope children will realize the beauty and wisdom in the elderly.”

“All one needs to do is see the expression in the eyes of those Frankie touches to know she is tangible love,” says Christine Thill, owner and RN administrator of Libby’s Housewhere Frankie volunteers. “When the body fails, the spirit soars! Frankie’s visits along with Barb’s gentle nature are a true blessing to Libby’s House.”

Because she is bringing positive awareness to animals with disabilities through her therapy dog work, Frankie was awarded the Wisconsin Pet Hall of Fame Companion and is the official mascot for National Disabled Pets Day. This little dog teaches us that patience, listening, and understanding opens our hearts to what matters most—love.

Through Frankie’s example, Barbara hopes to encourage anyone facing a challenge.

Having a disability does not mean we don’t have gifts to offer. Each of us can give back to the world in our own, unique way. Frankie’s volunteer work is a great way to prompt others to get involved in their own communities and find a way to be of service. Barbara says the rewards are beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

Even though she and Frankie visit Libby’s House once a month, Barbara still enjoys sharing with children the messages in her books. In fact, she has found a new way to share Frankie’s story via Skype an Author Network whose mission is to provide K-12 teachers and librarians with a way to connect authors, books, and young readers through virtual classroom visits. See

http://tinyurl.com/SkypeBarbara to learn more.

Children are invited to follow Frankie, The Walk ‘N Roll Dog’s adventures on Frankie’s Blog: http://www.frankiethewalknrolldog.blogspot.com/. Adults will find more information about caring for special needs animals on Barbara’s blog at http://www.joyfulpaws.com/.

You can order your copy today at our website or Amazon!

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Contact: Barbara Techel

Phone: 920-377-1749

E-mail: barbtechel (at) verizon.net

Web site: http://www.joyfulpaws.com/