2024 Reading Dog Fun

January 25th  We had so much fun celebrating Spirit/s birthday with the Holy Name School kindergarteners last year, that I decided to do it again this year for her 9th birthday.  I made Elephant Ears, which are like squashed cinnamon rolls, for everyone.  Before we ate them Emily, the teacher, led the class in singing Happy Birthday to Spirit.  Spirit wasn’t too impressed with the serenade, instead concentrating on the Elephant Ears on the tables.  Several of the photos caught her “Hurry up!!!!” look.  The kids had all made birthday cards for Spirit, and you can see several of them holding those in the photos.

After our party, we did our usual Reading Sessions. One of the kids insisted that I take his photo with Spirit.

February 5th  Spirit celebrated her 200th therapy dog visit this morning at Tongue River Elementary School.  Berakah is the only other one of my therapy dogs to reach 200 visits.  I spayed her at two years when she came down with pannus, so she had a long therapy dog career.  I have several who made it over 100 (Chaos & Lively come to mind), but it’s hard for a dog to get 200 visits in when I have 4-6 certified therapy dogs at a time and they take turns doing visits.  The breeding bitches, especially, seldom get to 200 because they miss so many possible visits while in hear, pregnant or lactating.   And only the ones who participate in Reading Dog have much of a chance.  Lovely, for instance, even with doing Reading dog at TRE, at 7 3/4 years has only 80 visits.  Hopeful, who is spayed, already at 3 3/4 years has 94 visits in, so she has a chance to make it to 200.  So for Spirit, who raised two litters, to get to 200 visits is absolutely fantastic!!!

One of the TRE staff members took photos of two sets of kids reading to Spirit.  I took some of a third group.