Living

Whether it be dog-to-dog or dog-to-human, the comforting love of a dog is very special. Last Wednesday, while attending one of our Therapy Dog Stress-Relief Events at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, Massachusetts, I sat mesmerized watching my wonderful dog King shower his dear friend Coco, a nine year old chocolate Lab, with his love. These two have been friends since they met in therapy dog training class three years ago. Actually, King was enamored of Coco back then and he had a hard time taking his eyes off of her, almost flunking out of class! Fast forward to present day, Coco has been through a very challenging year health wise, resulting in amputation of her right from leg. King hadn’t seen Coco since her surgery, but, this perceptive, loving dog just knew things had changed for his friend. He joined her on her soft fleece blanket and there he lay throughout the entire event, close beside her, his head and paw resting gently on her side. Never once did he leave her nor try to instigate in flirtatious play. He simply knew, as dogs do, that his friend needed him there, enjoying his company like an elderly couple outside enjoying the warmth of a sunny springtime day together. The scene was so touching, it left me in a euphoric state of mind the rest of the day.

I have been the fortunate recipient of this special kind of dog love throughout my lifetime. My dogs have given me unconditional love, comfort, and friendship through times of illness, tragedy and death. They are always there… knowing when to be playful, ready for a walk, or just knowing the time when lying close against my feet or beside me on the couch, quietly snuggling in, is what the moment calls for. I have observed them with hospice patients in their final days of life… the dogs just know what is needed at this time, far better then we humans do.

King has an extra dose of loving kindness. I saw this in him from the time he joined our household three years ago. Our beloved James was still with us at the time, but unbeknownst to all but King, he would be with us for only four more months. Instead of joining his sister Lily and (new) sister Annie in youthful playtime out back in the field, King joined his new special friend James on his bed, snuggling in, lying quietly right up close to him.

I never tire of observing dogs and their behavior toward one another. How they speak in their own language through gestures and eye contact. Purely fascinating. I learn so much from my dogs.

Photo: Wikipedia

Back in March, I wrote a post about starting an experiment using praying mantises to control the abundant tick population on our property. I heard about using praying mantises from a friend of mine who has a friend that tried this approach with great success. Since then, I told another friend of mine who is setting up the experiment on her property – and she, too, has a friend that tried it with a positive outcome.

Per the instructions accompanying the Praying Mantis case, I kept the case (housed in two plastic cups fused together rim-to-rim) in the refrigerator until April 15th. On that date, I carefully brought the container out of the refrigerator and placed it in a safe place on the kitchen counter where I have been keeping an eye on it. And, the countdown began… within 4-6 weeks, the instructions read, the eggs will hatch and I should see hundreds of baby Praying Mantises emerging from the case. So here we are. It’s been four weeks and things are status quo.

I have high hopes for this experiment. I’ve already had two ticks on me this spring. And, I definitely don’t want to get Lyme disease again. Both my husband and I checked the tick ID card we have posted on the refrigerator. The first was a dog tick. Not the deer tick that carries Lyme disease. But, the second was a deer tick. I found it crawling on my sweatshirt after I came in from gardening. No doubt, the ticks are alive and well.

I’ve got my figures crossed that something hatches from this lifeless looking case! The salesperson I quizzed at the garden center did say, If they hatch… Updates to follow.

It’s hard to believe this special pair is celebrating their seventh birthday today! They have brought so much joy into our lives.

Lily, with her happy-go-lucky personality and propensity for eating all things that aren’t good for her, is always full of surprises. On her fifth birthday, she landed in the emergency veterinary hospital after consuming an entire bunch of grapes! And, the entertainment she provides as we watch in disbelief at the skill she exhibits catching snakes as they slither out from under the stone step by the dog door, unaware that Lily-the-Snake-Catcher waits silently by. Lily loves to be out in the back with Annie, hunting for wild creatures on the hill. The two of them can be out together for hours, silently gazing into the woods, but give Lily a call and she’s at the door instantly with a happy-go-lucky look on her face. She keeps me smiling – and laughing at her antics!

King is a love bug.  As soon as I sit down on the sofa or armchair, he propels his body through the air and lands right on my lap, both paws around my neck and snuggles right in. As much as his 75 lbs. body starts to feel a bit heavy after 10-15 minutes, I simply don’t have the heart to move this loving soul. He’s so in sync with the way I’m feeling… he’s always right by my side watching me. While I’m working at my desk, he’s lying by – or on top of –  my feet. In many ways, he’s like my beloved James – just happy to be with me. He’s aptly named King.

Both Lily and King are Bright Spot therapy dogs. They work as Reading Buddies at two elementary schools here in western Massachusetts. They love working with children and the children adore them. When Tuesdays and Thursdays arrive, they’re in their element when suited up in their blue therapy dog vests, jumping in the car and heading to school. Once in their uniforms, Lily, the snake-catcher, and King, the snuggle-bug, shift into Reading Buddy mode poised to listen attentively as one-by-one children read stories to them.

Not to be left out, Annie has been chief party planner in charge of the birthday celebration. Each got a new collar – Lily’s an elegant peacock motif, appropriate for her striking appearance; King’s a geometric design, a masculine variety for him. Those went  on right away, replacing the much-worn old ones. For the treat, their favorite: broccoli and carrot sticks. Partying in their honor will go on all day… and every day. Every day with our dogs is a special day!

At King’s annual check-up last Monday, the vet found a lump on his chest. She thought it was a lipoma, and drew some cells to check on a slide to be sure. Good thing she did. It turned out to be a mast cell tumor that needed to come out right away, I scheduled his surgery for that Thursday. King came home that night and has been recuperating since. His incision is quite large because the tumor was very deep. The biopsy report relieves it to be a low-grade mast cell tumor and the vet was able to get the whole thing out. Although this is the type of tumor that can spread, the fact that it’s low-grade makes it less likely.

I was concerned that I would have a hard time with Lily and Annie around King during his recuperation. I was afraid they would stir him up. But, they seemed quite in tune with the need for him to keep quiet and rest. They’ve been content to leave him alone and play together outside when the weather is good. King has been a model patient, wearing his e-collar without giving me any trouble. In fact, he has been more relaxed with it on than with it off. As soon as I take it off to give him a break, he starts itching at his incision with his hind leg.

King had a couple of rough nights, but is sleeping soundly now. His stitches come out this Monday and he’ll be a lot happier than, I’m sure. When an incision starts to heal, stitches start to pull. I always feel much better once stitches come out.

Lily has been doing double-duty as a Reading Buddy dog this week. She was  able to spring into action, filling in for King at the Hilltown Charter School so the children there wouldn’t miss a week of reading. She also worked for the first time with children at the Kelly School where King started last week. There, King and Lily will be alternating weeks, working with the same four children to help them improve their reading skills. Lily proved, once again, that she can go anywhere and do a great job as a therapy dog. I was very proud of her.

Lily will “sub” again for King next week, including a special event he and I have been invited to attend at Smith College in Northampton, MA. I have been asked to speak on the meaningful work therapy dogs do. Lily will be a great model for this. And, King will be all set for our large Therapy Dog Stress-Relief Event that we hold at the University of Massachusetts Amherst during Final Exams at the end of April. He has many fans there, so I’m glad he’ll be ready for that. Good to have two working therapy dogs!

Many Say Hello Spot readers have been following Coco’s story over the past two years. You’ve read about the wonderful work she has done to help students in need at the Robert E. Melican Middle School in Northborough, Massachusetts where her mom, Michelle, is principal. You’ve read about her cancer diagnosis and front leg amputation, and several weeks ago her retirement from the work she loved doing at the school. Well, Coco has some wonderful news to share with you… seems Coco isn’t finished just yet. She has much important work ahead of her.

Here’s Coco…

In my last post, I described my retirement from Mom’s school. It was difficult to stop doing something I loved so much, but Mom and I both knew it was time. As most of you know, I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the fall, had my right front leg amputated in October, and have been visiting an oncologist ever since.

Two weeks after my amputation surgery, I went to the oncologist to begin chemotherapy treatments. I tried two different types of chemo, given every six weeks intravenously. Often – in 90% of cases – when osteosarcoma is diagnosed, there are micro-metatastic cells already present in the lungs, cells that x-rays do not detect. That was the case with me.

After my first round of chemo, the doctor detected a tumor in one of my lungs. We tried another chemotherapy, and the tumor continued to grow. As a last resort, the doctor had me try a medication that has had mixed results in patients. Four weeks after beginning the medication, my tumor remained unchanged. Although Mom and I stayed hopeful, we were also realistic and we knew that my days were likely numbered. We continued the medication for another four weeks, and went for my recent appointment Thursday.

My tumor has shrunk by 50%! Mom and I were completely shocked. And VERY happy!  I will continue on that medication and hope to have more positive results next month. Mom says for the first time since we have been visiting the oncologist, she left without a huge lump in her throat.

After my appointment on Thursday, Mom and I headed to northern Vermont to spend Easter weekend with our family. On Friday, Betty, my new little sister, spent a few hours with me. At that point, she was still living with her mother, but we were able to spend some time together. She is very snugly. I really enjoyed my time with her. Mom says she will be a future Bright Spot (hopefully).

As a way for us to celebrate the good news about my cancer, it was important for Mom and me to engage in some work. On Saturday morning, Mom brought me to Gram’s library for an Easter egg hunt. Children and adults were happy to see me and to pet me. We also visited the nursing home where Mom’s grandmother spent the last several years of her life, and where Grampa’s sister spent the last several weeks of hers. Staff and residents were very excited about my visit. They petted me and talked to Mom about me. One gentleman, who weighed no more than 80 pounds and was bed-ridden, talked to Mom about his previous dogs, all while petting me. Lots of other residents, who seemed sad and detached, smiled when they saw me.

On Sunday, after an exciting and festive Easter with our family, Mom and I picked up Betty from her mother. We feel blessed that she has found her home with us. Although Mom and I continue to take one day at a time, and live in the moment, we feel very fortunate for the good news about my cancer AND for the newest member of our family. ~Coco

Photo: Wikipedia

I’m trying an experiment this spring. I’m going to hatch Praying Mantises and put them in my garden hoping they will eat the huge number of ticks crawling around in the soil.

Several years ago, two of my dogs (James and Julia) suffered from Lyme disease. It affected them in the form of lameness. It got so bad they couldn’t get up from their dog beds. Once diagnosed and put on a course of doxycycline, their strength was restored. I came down with Lyme disease after working all day in my garden. Occasionally, I would pick off a tick or two after a long day working in the soil, but evidently, I missed the tiny seed-like form of the tick which caused my outbreak. I became very ill. Flu-like symptoms, aching joints. Of course, I just thought I had come down with a severe case of the flu and lay low for a week. It didn’t get better, which sent me to the doctor. I was lucky. I got treatment early enough to clear the disease from my system. Others, less fortunate, are misdiagnosed  early on, then, at a later date, when it is determined they do have Lyme disease, it is difficult to eradicate.

When I asked my doctor what I should do to get rid of the ticks in my yard, she suggested I get some chickens. Chickens eat everything. You won’t have any ticks and you’ll have fresh eggs to eat. Ugh, the thought of eating an egg laid by a chicken that consumed ticks crawling around in the dirt didn’t appeal to me. Plus, I didn’t want chickens. My English Setters would go crazy.

Now, Praying Mantises, I like that idea. As a child, I was fascinated by Praying Mantises. We had a big field beyond our backyard where my siblings and I played for hours. I’d find these curious-looking creatures hanging upside down from long stalks of hay and gently carry them home, just to watch awhile longer, then release them back to their habitat. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one, but if my plan works, I should have as many as one hundred or more Praying Mantises adorning the perennials and shrubs in my garden, into the hayfield in the back, and into the woods.

A friend of mine told me about Praying Mantises eating ticks. A friend of hers has tried it and it worked for her. So my friend is trying it and so am I. Since she passed this tip on to me, I’ve done some online research that corroborates this as a way of ridding a garden of these unwanted pests naturally. Praying Mantises have a voracious appetite and feed on all types of garden pests, like leafhoppers, aphids, flies, spiders, and ticks. Unfortunately, they eat good insects, too, like ladybugs and some caterpillars that turn into beautiful butterflies. From my reading, I found the general consensus to be in favor of Praying Mantises as a means of controlling ticks, my number one nemesis.

The experiment is on! I bought my Praying Mantis case from a local garden store. It came with a set of instructions on how to proceed. The case is contained in two clear plastic cups, set rim-to-rim. The Praying Mantis case is attached to one end inside the container. Until April 15th, the contained case must remain in the refrigerator to keep the eggs dormant. After the 15th, I am to bring the container out of the refrigerator and place it inside my house, keeping a close eye on it. As soon as the babies hatch, I must take the container outside and spread the babies apart, around the garden, trees and scrubs. Not on the ground where the ants would feast on them. They must not stay together once hatched or they will begin eating each other. That’s another thing they eat. They are cannibals! Yikes, I’m thinking… I hope they don’t hatch at night!

I will write with an update on my interesting – all natural – experiment in ridding myself and my dogs of dreaded ticks. FYI: For anyone that might be wondering – they are not harmful to dogs. If anyone has had any experience with this project, I’d love to hear about it. Write in.

Winter here in western Massachusetts runs the gamut. This January brought spring-like conditions. February started with what I call perfect winter weather. That’s several inches of powdery pure white snow, clear blue skies, and bright yellow sunshine. For several days these gorgeous conditions were accompanied by temps in the 20’s. Aw… perfect. Then, the deep freeze came… minus single digit temps and fierce winds. Frozen pipes and power outages. And, now, here it is, our typical wintery-mix. Ice-laden roads and school cancellations.

For dogs and those who enjoy the warmer weather of spring-summer-fall, January was a welcomed bonus. Here at our house, the dogs spent long hours enjoying their favorite outside activity of hunting on the hill. It’s what they do every day during spring-summer-fall: King, Lily, and Annie sit motionlessly gazing into the woods watching, listening, and sniffing for woodland creatures that scurry along on the ridge above their hunting hill. Literally hours can pass without a peep from these three.

The gorgeous powdery snow brings it’s own set of pleasures for our crew. When King, Lily and Annie see the snowshoes at the door, they know that the snowshoe game, as we call it, is about to begin. They literally jump for joy around me as I strap the large shoes onto my boots. Once I’ve paved the way with pathways around the perimeter and diagonals criss-crossing the entire back field, off they go, racing on the tracks. Leaping in the air. Laughing. Smiling. A fun activity for all. This type of weather reminds me of the winters we enjoyed when we lived in New Hampshire – snow, lots of it, and crisp, very-cold air. Never any ice. The kind of snow for fun – building snowmen and sledding, and cross-country skiing.

It’s the wintery-mix, what we experience so often here in western Massachusetts, that really causes the problems. Warm during the day and freezing at night. Too warm for snow, it rains on top of the existing snow, resulting in layers of thick ice. In weather like this, the dogs need to be pushed out the door to do their business, and they zoom right back inside once it’s done. Being English Setters, King, Lily and Annie are perfectly content to lie by the fire for hours. They handle this so much better than I. It’s on wintery-mix days that cabin fever hits me hard. I need to take a lesson from my dogs!

Our weather here in western Massachusetts continues to be very mild for this time of the year. With days heading up into the 50’s, the frozen ice molds left behind from the only snowstorm we’ve had this winter are melting leaving puddles and mud throughout the back field.

Mine is a fair weather crew. Once the temperatures get in the teens, the dogs plant themselves in front of the fire for the day, rolled up like three large contented cats. So, they’re loving it right now and want nothing more than to spend most of the day hanging out on the hill.

The result, of course, is muddy paw marks everywhere.  After a week of back yard mud fun, baths for all three dogs were in order. King and Lily, as usual, jumped right into the dog tub. Annie puts up a fuss – always, but knows I’ll win in the end. Lily was due for a trim, so she hopped on the trimming table for the works, while the other two looked on.

Listening to the upcoming forecast for the week, I’ll probably be repeating the routine again next weekend. It will be Annie’s turn for the works, which is never an easy go of it. Oddly enough, one thing she tolerates extremely well, though, is having her toenails trimmed. For some unknown reason, she just sits calmly on the grooming table as I trim every toe! She’s always rewarded for her good behavior by getting her teeth brushed with poultry flavored dog toothpaste which she adores. Annie is a character! She always makes me laugh!

From our house to yours, wishing all of our Say Hello Spot readers and Facebook friends a Healthy, Happy, and Peaceful New Year. Please keep all your posts coming. We love to read about your adventures, both canine and human.

With a new year upon us, Annie, our canine household manager, is glad that I replaced all 213 rails in their fence last summer. It never could have withstood another winter with ice-laden tree branches leaning on it. Replacing the rails really worked out well. One of my successful accomplishments of 2015! The cedar posts and wire are still as strong as the day they were installed 23 years ago. Now with replacement rails, it’s as though we have a brand new fence. It gives Annie, and me, peace-of-mind to send the pups out back up into their wooded areas, sometimes for several hours at a time.

Lily and King are looking forward to a new year of visiting as Bright Spot Therapy Dogs. Along with volunteering as Reading Buddies helping school children learn to read, they’re hoping to pilot some new programs this year… there are so many ways therapy dog can help people of all ages. Through the years, I have received calls from people working in both healthcare and educational environments looking for ways to incorporate the therapeutic value of dogs in their programs.

It’s always exciting to start a new type of program with the dogs. We’ll see what the New Year brings. There’s no limit to the good things therapy dogs can do. May 2016 bring new beginnings your way, too!

Annie is feeling a bit miffed these days. Suddenly, we went from having luxurious warm, sunny weather in the 60’s to below freezing. Along with the drop in temperature, the ground was blanketed with a few inches of snow. Which actually would have been a lot of fun for her to run around in with her sister Lily and her boyfriend King. But, in typical western Massachusetts style, the snow was quickly followed by a thick coating of freezing rain, making even our much-enjoyed walks on the road prohibitive.

Annie and her pals were basically ice skating out back early this morning when they made an attempt to take a run around the field. Ugh! In they came and proceeded to plant themselves around the fire the rest of the day. Annie taking up her usual comfortable position half hanging off the footstool. She’s happy as long as she has something to rest her chin on!

Both the canines and humans in our household have been spoiled by mild fall-like weather right through Christmas. So warm, in fact, some of my plants started growing in the gardens. If it goes anything like last winter, it will keep on going long after we normally would be experiencing springtime conditions. Annie, like me, is a fair weather girl. She’ll be keeping her paws crossed for a short winter!