Recent Comments

1. about 24 hours ago on The Born Loser

   Have I ever mentioned that the Doberman I had a long time ago got into a mail truck and sat in the rider’s seat, hoping to go for a ride? The mail lady was sitting very still. That dog was as scary as a butterfly. We were in the process of putting up the fence for a dog run, having just moved in, and the dog took off to greet the mail lady, and tried to con a free ride out of her. I just asked my dog if she wanted to go for a walk, and she happily jumped out of the truck to go for a walk.

2. about 24 hours ago on Buckles

   My beagle doesn’t bark. That wasn’t a typo, either! She’s also bizarrely calm and focused.

3. about 24 hours ago on The Born Loser

   If I missed the bus, my mom wouldn’t drive me. It was 3 miles away, and we have extreme weather here. She wouldn’t pick me up if I missed the bus coming home, either. She was home, with a car, just saying no. I fell a few times through the years and had a few mishaps that maybe should have been stitched up, but not as bad as yours. That had to hurt! Sorry about your cocker spaniel.

4. about 24 hours ago on Buckles

   He already has Paul wrapped up in the lessons.

5. about 24 hours ago on Buckles

   Very small dogs have sometimes been stepped on, bumped into, and generally get annoyed by it after a while. Some of them will bark a little warning, move fast, or bite some ankles. I don’t think they consider their attitudes to be unprovoked. I never had a tiny dog, but this is what I hear.

6. about 24 hours ago on Buckles

   The comic is now on my list.

7. about 24 hours ago on Off the Mark

   My dog on an adult’s lap would look much like that. Content, knowing she is doing a good job and that she will see many people each time she goes to work. Some will be new patients, and all will become her good friends, and some will be return patients or staff, and she will delight in seeing them again. Therapy dogs calm stressed and scared patients, entertain bored patients, and often some extra comfort to those who really miss their own pets at home. We generally go with the same dwarf Golden Retriever for every visit. Sometimes we go to see the same patients, sometimes we alternate rooms. If I go in a room with my beagle and the person mentions their golden at home, I flag down the other handler and she brings her golden, or vice versa. If patients are very stressed, we take extra time and sit and talk with them. Both our dogs are excellent with hospice patients. Having a working therapy dog is very rewarding, and having one who really loves her work is absolutely amazing.

   Thank you to Mark Parisi for today’s comic. It says so much about the work of therapy dogs and how the dogs know they have done a great job for many people.

8. 1 day ago on Off the Mark

   My therapy dog visits as long as needed. If the patient wants more dogs, we make sure an email goes out to all the therapy dog people and generally the patient will get dogs every day until they go home. We had a long-term patient who put out all of the therapy dog cards that had been left with her during a visit. She had seen at least 20 different dogs, and most went at least once a week to see her. We usually stayed an hour with her at a time. She really missed her dogs at home and loved spending time with all of ours.

9. 1 day ago on Buckles

   I have now! That comic is not on my ever-growing list. My first thought is that the dog didn’t do any laps, he was sitting on…and then I got it. He sat on 20 laps that day so far! What a good dog!

10. 1 day ago on Off the Mark

    I was directed here to see this comic today – I also have a beagle – that is her in my avatar. She’s a volunteer therapy dog in a hospital, and the picture is from 2020 when patients were not allowed to have visitors. Visitors and therapy dogs had to stay on the main floor, and my dog and I were there that day, and my dog took me over so we could offer some comfort to the lady who had two relatives in the hospital that day, including one on a ventilator. My dog has been a certified therapy dog in a hospital for 6 years now. Randomly, I am wearing a Snoopy t=shirt today with the words, “I fought the lawn and the lawn won.” This shirt must be 30 years old.