Tomorrow at the AZ StateVeteran Home

Tomorrow I will have a busy afternoon because I was invited to a special event at the Arizona State Veteran Home.  It serves the long termcare and rehabilitative needs of the veterans of Arizona.

I think I was invited because of my salute.  You can see it in this little video.  Facebook wouldn't allow me to post it because of copyright rules.

My Scary Morning Walk

First of all I am going to start with advice.  I usually give this last, but not today.

1.  All dog owners should teach their pets a few basic commands and teach it over and over and over until they know that their pet will respond as if their lives depended on it.  SIT - it saved me this morning!

2.  Teach an emergency recall that your pet knows that you mean business.  Practice this one with the best treat rewards possible:  Mine is "ZOE HERE!"  That saved me from being lost once, and it would have helped the owners with their runaway lab this morning.  It would have saved my mom and me from major stress this morning, too.

Ok, so here is what happened.  We just came out the front door, and I was on my leash and went to my favorite bush where I sniff and well you know.....piddle... in the morning.  As I was  mid-stream, so to speak, I was pounced on by this charging black lab.  Mom grabbed his collar to separate him from me ( his name is Jack as we learned later). I pulled on my leach, jumped sideways and went to mom's other side as he kept pulling and jumping.  She told me, "Zoe, SIT" and I did.  I don't think I ever dropped my bottom so fast.

Mom was struggling to keep the lab from me; she could tell he was friendly because there was no aggression---he was just BIG and out of control!!!  Then the trash collector stopped his truck, got out and offered to help us.  He asked if we were okay .  He took the lab by the collar and mom checked to see if I was hurt.  I wasn't, but I was still shaking and scared.  I was told to sit again and I did.  Then he asked, if the lab was ours, when mom told him no, he let the collar go and the lab took off toward 60th Street which is busy in the morning because there is a grade school drop off there.

Then just as the lab took off, a boy and his dad came from around the far corner running down my street yelling "Jack, STOP"  But, Jack just kept running.  He turned the corner. He was chased  by the boy and his dad.  What they didn't see, but I did, was that Jack had also crossed the street and was already in the school parking lot;  the boy and his dad were going the wrong direction!

 My mom knew that Jack would probably come to me if we crossed the street and called to him.  Guess what?  Jack couldn't get to me fast enough.  This time we knew he was coming, so we weren't scared.  Mom grabbed his collar and started calling to the man and his son  who were now a block away.  They heard us and came back.  The boy put Jack on a leash, and they started to walk home.  We continued on our walk, a little shaken up, but glad that we did a good deed with Jack.

I sure hope that they teach Jack an emergency recall and also are more careful when they open a door since they knew that Jack was  what the dad called a "bolter".

It all  ended fine and I got a new Christmas harness.  Here is the picture of me in it!

A Star Is Born!

Hi Everyone,

I had a very busy day today.  At the Life Care Center of Scottsdale, I was involved in video taping a segment for City Cable 11.  It's hard work being a star!  I will tell you more about it another time because I am really tired.  It took 2 1/2 hours for a segment that will probably only be 5 minutes.  Oh well,  that's the price for fame and stardom!

I did want to tell you about two new friends I met on Facebook today.  They are both remarkable therapy dogs,  Jake -who lost a paw in an accident and Duchess -who is blind.  They are such an inspiration to me.  I will share more about them after I get to know them better.

I am going to rest now.....have a great night!

Season for Sharing

 On yesterday's front page of The Arizona Republic, there was a wonderful story by my favorite columnist, Scott Craven.  He is a real animal lover and writes about us and our needs every week.  You should read his columns on a regular basis, I do.

As most of you know, this is the official "Season for Sharing"  because of the holidays, but it is an actual program here in Arizona, and one of the charities that is part of this year's program made possible through The Arizona Republic, 12 News and the Gannett Foundation is Gabriel's Angels.  It is a wonderful organization that uses therapeutic pooches like me.  Over the past 12 years my canine friends and their human companions have "visited more than 13,000children who have been abused, neglected and at risk kids who have learned a little something about love and caring from dogs just as magical as the gray pooch that started it all ( Gabriel)." 

You should read Scott's article and maybe you will want to help.  Or better yet, if your city doe not have a group like this, you might consider starting one!  That's all for today!

Zoe

Pictures with Santa at Petique

 On Saturday, I went to the Biltmore Fashion Park and had my picture taken with Santa, but first I went out to lunch with my mom and my Aunt Linda.  We went to Zinburger; it's a Fox restaurant, and they said their food was excellent.  I wouldn't know because I only eat dog food, but the nice waiter did bring me some water. Here are my pictures from that day. Santa was inside Petique; it's the adoption center and store operated by the Arizona Humane Society at the shopping center.  It was a fun day of meeting people and especially fun when I did my tricks for Santa and his elves.

Here I am waiting patiently to go into Petique.

The photographer liked taking my picture because I was so well behaved

Here I am with Santa!

Here is some Zoe advice:

• Be patient during the holidays if you are out shopping.
• Bring water for your pet even if it is winter.
• Be nice!  Santa is watching....

My Face on an E-card with Petzooba

 Hi Everyone!

Today I had a very busy day at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center.  I never saw such a myriad ( wow- good vocabulary word)  patients in the different infusion rooms as I did today.  One lady was from Paris and she talked to me in French; I liked her.  Another lady liked me so much she even took my picture with her phone to show her children when she got home.  Here is the picture she emailed to my mom.  Isn't technology wonderful?

Tonight, while I was on the computer, I found the link to the man who came up with the idea for the card that I am on; his name is Mitch Wilder.  If you click on his name, it will take you directly to a video of the card that my face (along with many other dogs) is on.  I am the violinist (the cute one) who hangs on the conductor's baton.  Take a look!  The website for the card is Petzooba , and they have a plethora (another good vocabulary word!) of different cards.  You can even personalize some of them.

That's all for tonight --no advice either!  I have to go and read some more of my hero Uggie's book - Uggie:  My Story.

What I Do on a Pet Therapy Visit!

Here I am in my Therapy Dogs, Inc vest. 

Some of you have asked what exactly is it that I do as a therapy dog.  Well, I asked my "mom" to take a few pictures and put together a video/slide show, so you could get an idea of my day. Ther won't be any patients' pictures in here because I don't want to violate HIPA laws. This was from last Monday, November 12th, when I was visiting in my red, white and blue outfit because we were celebrating our veterans.  Normally, I wear one of my therapy vests depending on where I am "working".  That day I visited with 68 people because I went to two places; I usually visit only one.  I was super tired when I got home