therapy dogs

Going Out on Top. My Last Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog Presentation.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Our last official Frankie presentation today at Intergenerational Senior center

As many of you know, I announced Frankie’s retirement from therapy dog work as well as visits to schools, etc. about two weeks ago.  We still have two therapy dog visits to do and one short talk in August about Frankie’s work as a therapy dog— But today was my official last time of sharing Frankie’s story with a “live” audience. While we will still do presentations via Skype to classrooms, (and I encourage schools to book us for those), this was the last in-person and “in-dog” presentation.

I shared on my Facebook wall this morning that today was one of those days I was wishing I wasn’t so dang sentimental because I feared I may cry at some point during my presentation. My very wise Mom said to me that my being sentimental is what makes me uniquely me. While I’ve for the most part embraced that as what makes me, me, I was glad to be reminded.  I also appreciated Jill’s comment on my post on Facebook to look at this as “going out on top.” I like that. We are going out on top and we did just that today.

When I first began my work with Frankie five years ago I really thought we’d keep doing this until the day Frankie passed. But I know now this is the right time and it is the right decision for both of us. While I know of some therapy dogs and other “celebrity” dogs that have done their work until their last days which may have been right for them, I didn’t feel this was right for Frankie.  One very important thing I’ve learned through working with Frankie as a therapy dog is that her needs come first and it was a promise I made to her at the beginning.  I think it is important  that those who work with or have a therapy dog, that careful thought is given to when it is time for their pet to ease out of their work.

So did I cry today during my presentation?  Well, I did get choked up at the beginning explaining this was my last presentation and how much my work with Frankie has meant to me. I heard a chorus of sweet awwww’s come from the audience and wrap around me like a big hug. It made it easy for me to go on. I wanted to give them my 100% best and leave them with a positive impact.   And like Jill said, “We are going out on top.” What a way to go!

I’ll continue to share Frankie with all of you as she enjoys her retirement years.  I’m also working on a special announcement that will be part of Frankie’s legacy- and I hope to announce that in early August. So our work is not done- it is just evolving in a new way. I plan to embrace our new path and continue to give thanks for all that God has blessed me with.

 

Frankie Retiring from Therapy Dog Work. Together We Move Into a New Phase of Life.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Going through photo’s of Frankie’s therapy dog work, ran across this one when we had a special request to visit Froedert Hospital. This man had a stroke and he LOVES dachshunds.  Frankie made his day! 

I thought the tears were done. Yesterday I sent notice to Libby’s House, Senior Assisted Living and Sharon S. Richardson Hospice letting them know that as of July I will be retiring Frankie from her therapy dog work. While I’ve contemplated this for quite some time (semi-retiring her in January) I felt a relief in letting the facilities know, but I find myself having a hard time with it today—knowing this decision is now final.  But I won’t ignore the tears and will accept it as a way for me to move through this.

I’ve always known how much my work with Frankie has meant to me—it has been huge. A part of me is finding a great deal of peace and comfort in knowing her and I can enjoy quality time together, just her and me. But another part of me is having a hard time knowing one phase of our life together is complete. I had no plans to share this today and was planning to wait until she was officially retired in July, but I felt the need to write about it.

As I told Libby’s House and Sharon S Richardson Hospice I have no doubt God meant for me and Frankie to travel the path we have. While my heart feels such a loss, it also is feeling so blessed remembering all the wonderful memories of our therapy dog work. And I’m really grateful I was given this opportunity.

Frankie’s health is good and it truly is just a feeling I have in my heart that now is the right time to have Frankie retire. She deserves it and so much more. As I started to contemplate this decision and was finding more time to blog, as well as work on my new book, I found an acceptance in it all. I want to enjoy our new phase of life together and not get lost in the sorrow of what we’ve let go. With every end is a beginning. I remind myself to be still and listen.

Frankie and I will make one more visit to hospice this month and then one more to Libby’s House in July. Frankie will retire just in time for her 13th birthday in August. We’ve begun our summer by going for more impromptu walks, Frankie soaking up the sun and all the good smells as she rides in style in her pet stroller, bike rides with the wind blowing through her ears, lots of naps for Frankie, and much time snuggling and appreciating all that she means to me…. her papa, and her dog sis, Kylie.

It has been quite the honor and privilege to witness many “golden moments” watching Frankie roll into a room, filling it with sunshine, joy, and love. To witness a feeble hand reach out to pet her, a smile move across a lonely face,  and a memory return that was lost-there simply were no words in those moments, it can only be felt by the heart- and my heart expanded in ways I can never describe adequately in words. To share Frankie with someone who only had days or months yet to live, and give them the love that only a dog can, cracked my heart wide open each and every time. I welcomed that opening as it reminded me what this thing called life is all about. In each of our moments together doing our therapy dog work, I was reminded to not take life too seriously, and to enjoy each glorious moment…

Stay tuned as I’m working on a video of photo’s of Frankie’s therapy dog work and will share that sometime in July.

 

Money Can’t Buy This

Posted by Barbara Techel

 Frankie relaxing with one of our favorite residents.  I believe Sally is almost 99 years old now.

Today was my scheduled therapy dog visit with Frankie to Libby’s House, Senior Assisted Facility.  They have three separate houses we visit.  Usually by the third house Frankie is pretty tired. Our round of visits usually last a good hour and a half.  As we got to the third house today the receptionist said, “Did you hear what one of the residents wrote about Frankie?”

Well a few weeks ago they had a poet from New York visit their facility.  The poet worked with the residents, many of which have Alzheimer’s or Dementia, and had them write a poem called “Cats and Dogs.” The idea was to help recall some memories for them of pets they had in their life or pets they knew.  What a wonderful idea, I thought.  Well, they made a copy of the poem for me, because when they told me what  the one line said that one of the residents wrote, I was so touched. And it was one of the first lines in the poem!  So here in the poem in its entirety.  I hope it makes you feel as good as it made me feel. And as I told the receptionist and some of the staff, “Money cannot buy this. This is what it is all about.”  FYI:  They didn’t tell me the name of the resident who wrote the poem, but when I read it I knew exactly who it was as this resident often talks to me about a dog they had named Misty.  Also this particular resident is 100 years old.

CATS AND DOGS

Yes, I do like dogs.

I like the little wiener dog with the trailer that comes to Libby’s House to visit.

I was peeling potatoes once and a cat ran up my back.

I don’t know what scared that cat but something did.

We lived on a farm and had a Shepherd dog.

That dog was so gentle with the cats and all.

He shared his milk with the cats.

Good farm dog.

That was many years ago.

I had a Basset Hound. I had a Labrador.

Goldie Fella was my Basset Hound’s name.

I get along with cats but I like dogs better.

I think a dog is better than a cat.

I never had a dog as a child.

I had a male and female Collie. Penny and Lady were their names.

I played midwife with the dogs.

My neighbors had cats and I played with them all the time.

A fox came through the neighbor’s yard and chased the cat.

I can’t remember if I ever saw that cat again.

I had a dog. It was a very special dog.

I would tell her to get her leash and she would run and get it. We would take a walk.

When I would get the mail, I would tell her to “stay right there and don’t move.”

She always listened.

My dog’s name is Misty. She had a chair by the window.

I would tell her it was time to exchange chairs with me.

She would jump down and we would switch chairs.

She only did her duty in the tall grass in the backyard.

I’d let her out and she would always run to the tall grass.

I miss that dog.

We had all kins of dogs on the farm. The were outside dogs.

Someone gave me a dog. My mom liked it so we kept it.

I like cats better.

My kids liked them too.

Michael has four cats.

There’s a lot to clean up in the spring after the snow thaws, you know.

The bigger the dog, the bigger the stuff.