Mending Hearts

Thank you for the kind and encouraging comments on my last post. I was touched all last week by how much small kindnesses can mean so much when things are difficult. Having a week of sunshine and warm temps was helpful, too. Keeping Cabana exercised and active helped boost my own spirits, and we had some fun in spite of difficult circumstances (which are much better now, thankfully).

We had a few playdates with Bodhi, one of the blue picardy spaniels.

Bodhi plays a bit rough--and Cabana LOVES it. She holds her own with him in a wrestling match. But I remove her collar when Bodhi is around because he likes to bite it and once got his jaw caught under it.

But Bodhi can outrun Cabana easily every time. That's okay, he can keep that ol' frisbee!

We also went for a hike around a lake. It's not a place we go to often, so Cabana was extremely excited to be there. She was good about the ducks (didn't even notice them actually) and never even tried to snack on the duck poop all over this pier.

But when I tried to get her out onto these rocks for a photo, she did pull me down onto the slippery bank. I slipped and fell, and my camera got slapped into the mud. I got my photo, but dirty jeans and bruised knees paid the price for it.

Last week, I had my first therapy dog mentoring session at the Alzheimer's residence. (There were no classroom positions available, which is okay. I'm glad the decision was made for me.) I observed my mentor with her 10-year old Corgi. After 8 years of therapy work, he's a true pro. Tomorrow, it will be Cabana's turn to get to go with me. We'll see how she does!

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A Day with Dagan

Today, Cassie let me "borrow" Dagan for a Guide Dogs related fundraising project at Northgate Mall, the mall across the street from the Guide Dogs campus in San Rafael. Since Cabana is career changed and can no longer sport the green jacket, I needed a puppy-in-training to melt hearts and loosen purse strings.

Dagan met those requirements FABULOUSLY. He walked beautifully on leash, relieved quickly on command, looked adorable, and calmly accepted everyone's love and attention. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of us at the mall.

But I did take some photos of Cabana and Dagan, sharing Cabana's new bed. Dagan takes up most of it!

Cabana has played with Dagan several times before, but he's never been at our house, or rather, on HER turf. She seemed a bit taken aback, having this big galoot of a dog in our living room. Dagan was all play, but once he accidentally bit her ear too hard, making Cabana yelp. Then Dagan licked her face feverishly, trying to make up for his mistake. It was really cute. After a few minutes of Cabana acting very standoff-ish, Dagan toned his play down to her liking. He let her have the upper hand the rest of the time, as seen in the photo above. Proof that chivalry is not dead.

Of course, I've always known that Cabana is a petite Lab, but it was still shocking to have such a HUGE dog here (I know Dagan is a pipsqueak compared to Mango). But just shy of 10 months old, Dagan probably still has a bit more growing to do!

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Playing with the Goldens Picture Post

This is Henry, jumping up on my leg. I don't really know him, other than that he adopted me at our favorite dog park yesterday. Actually, he just wanted some of Cabana's liver treats. But regardless, isn't he the most adorable fellow? He looks almost like a toy!

But we didn't go to the dog park to meet Henry. We had a playdate with blog friends Golden Samantha and Sierra Rose! This was our first person-to-person meeting, but I hope it won't be our last.

Our dogs had a great time with each other, but Cabana was a social butterfly. I don't think she's ever met a dog she didn't like (although some may not have liked her). Here she's in the wading pool with Murphy, a yellow Lab that looked so similar to Cabana that I could only tell them apart by Cabana's black collar.

Of course, Cabana had to thrash about in the big mud puddle. WHY is no one surprised?

But Samantha and Sierra Rose enjoyed the mud, too, so what's a doggy mom gonna do?

The doggy moms are gonna encourage their dogs to get into the wading pool...although I'd hardly say that brown water made anyone "clean".

Samantha and Sierra Rose got hosed down--but the mud stuck to their coats a lot more firmly than to Cabana's (oh, the blessing of Labs' short coats). After our playdate, they were marched directly to the dog bathing salon at Pet Food Express, where it took 45 minutes to get them clean!


Humans and dogs all had a great time, although I'm not sure what was so funny when this photo was taken. And look, there's another beagle, trying to get Sierra's treats--those moochy beagles! Thank you for playing with Cabana, Sierra and Samantha! It was a fantastic morning!

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