Day 1250

Sam is never my first choice to accompany me on a Therapy Dog visit, but that is slowly changing. His enthusiasm is unparalleled, but he sometimes forgets to control his excitement. Each trip is better than the last and today was no exception. At Norbella, he charmed the entire place and didn’t even appear close to knocking anyone down. I even see wonderful evidence of our youngest boy choosing to be more gentle with those who are most fragile. Good boy, Sam!

It is unfair of me to expect Sam to turn on a Therapy Dog switch and become a perfectly behaved dog. He is on a continuum of learning and picks up cues with each visit. Today, I observed him begin to place his paw on an elderly arm and then slowly put it back down on the floor. It seemed as if he took a good look and decided he might hurt her.

We all face that learning curve and progress at our own speed. Some things simply come more naturally than others. Teaching seemed to be “in my bones” while fixing mechanical items is nearly impossible for my brain. We all have an area in our lives where success comes quickly…the opposite is also true.

Sammy will eventually be that dog who visits anywhere with 100% success. Right now, we are still learning the ropes, but every visit is better and better. He certainly has the desire! Perhaps I should train him to do breathing exercises or yoga?!