100 Therapy Dog Visits!

A quick post to acknowledge that last night Perri had her 100th visit as a therapy dog!  We were at the library and all of the children that came to read to Perri were very proud to be spending time with her on such a special visit.  We had seven kids visit her last night, and that is our largest amount yet!  Perri had an actual line of children waiting to read to her, pet her and cuddle her.  And she was soaking it all up.  I switched Perri from a Comfort Flex harness onto an "Original Fleece Harness", because the ComfortFlex made her seem very stiff and uncomfortable and she was constantly shifting and moving when she would need to lay down with the children on her library visits.  Last night was the first night that she was working in the fleece harness and the difference was like night and day.  She is definitely more comfortable in this padded Y-front harness.

Tonight we did our weekly visits to the assisted living facility that we visit, as well as our house visit for a gentleman with Parkinson's.  At the assisted living facility, there is an older gentleman who had hunting dogs in his day, and tells me all about them, the exact same thing!, every week that we visit.  He grills me on Perri's training, asking if she will sit, lay down and stay if asked.  Each week I demonstrate these things for him!  We have started adding sit stays and downs stays for his entertainment.  Troubling though obedience is for Perri,stays have always been her strong area.  I put my girl in a sit-stay next to the lovebird cage (complete with tweeting noises and a few wing flaps!) and walked down the hallway of the nursing home.   My girl sat there with her ears up, glanced at the bird, and settled on watching me.  She didn't move a muscle until I returned to her.  A satisfied customer!