SCC Wags

The seniors at Whitegate came to know the dogs and me not only as a company that provided pet therapy, but as friends. On our visiting day, they would sit and wait for us to arrive at our designated spot by the dining room. Many of them had cute stories they would repeat again and again about their own pets from days gone by. Each of them seemed to have their favorite “therapist,” and it was fun to learn the reasons why. Hardy was always popular with the folks who had any type of terrier or those who needed a hypoallergenic dog, but particularly by those who had once owned a Schnauzer. Chico was the favorite to those who loved a shorthaired, Chihuahua or Jack Russell terrier.

As lunch was served, I would wait on the nearby couch with the dogs and chat with residents as they walked back to their room. Some would remain with me for the duration of my stay, and some would relax on the sofa with one of the dogs. Sometimes they would ask me to show off by performing tricks. Both dogs and humans alike loved this. Often the employees would stop what they were doing to watch the dogs as they jumped through a hula-hoop, shook hands, or took a bow. The trick that was always good for a laugh was when the dogs were told to wag their tail. This didn’t require any training in the slightest, just altering the voice to use a higher pitch. The dogs always responded by wagging, and the reaction from the crowd was merry.

Shared Canine Companions was slowly gaining momentum. It became evident from the crowds that were waiting on our day to visit that I needed more volunteers. I also needed help organizing everything that came with starting up a company. At this point I was still working with the foster dogs, plus doing a weekly visitation at the lodge. I decided it was important to focus on recruiting. I decided the best route was to take SCC to the streets, literally. I rented a spot in the non-profit section at the annual street faire.