At Work

The Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Hadley, Massachusetts, is the place to be tomorrow, (November 14th) if you are a dog lover!  A full schedule of events will be taking place at the FUN DAY WITH DOGS sponsored by Bright Spot Therapy Dogs.

Tucker, a sweet gentle Great Dane, is a certified Bright Spot Reading Buddy Dog.  He hopes many young children will come to read to him tomorrow during the FUN DAY WITH DOGS being held Barnes & Noble Bookstore.  Tucker will be joined by Reading Buddies Max, the Greyhound, Cassie, the All-American, Owen, the Australian Cobberdog, Oscar, another Australian Cobberdog, and Haas, a Labrador Retriever.

And, there’s lots more happening at our Barnes & Noble (Hadley location only) FUN DAY WITH DOGS… Agility Demonstrations, Meet the Breeds Sessions, Talk on How to Prevent Dog Bites, Learn How to Become a Therapy Dog, and a Free Raffle.

Aside from enjoying our FUN DAY WITH DOGS, any purchase you make a the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore that day can be included toward the donation Barnes & Noble will be making to Bright Spot IF you say you support the Bright Spot Bookfair and give the cashier our Book Fair ID # 11678117.

Come to the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore tomorrow. Learn about the fun things you can do with your dogs – and help support Bright Spot Therapy Dogs at the same time.  Hope to see you there!

An Australian Shepherd is a herding dog.  What are these dogs like to have as a pet in your home?  Come to the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore this Saturday, November 14th, and meet a friendly, outgoing Aussie named James.

During our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs‘ FUN DAY WITH DOGS, you will have a chance to meet a variety of breeds in our Meet the Breeds sessions running throughout the day.  You can talk with Sally King, James’ owner, to learn all about living with an Australian Shepherd.  Sally has had several Aussies and will be delighted to tell you all about them. You can watch James in our Agility Demos, too.

Every hour, starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 14th, you’ll have the chance to meet two different breeds.  Along with our Meet the Breeds sessions, you’ll be able to watch agility demonstrations in one section of the store, learn about Therapy Dogs at our Bright Spot Information Booth set up in another section of the store, and – for young children – have the opportunity to read a story to one of our Reading Buddy Dogs in the children’s corner of the store.

Aside from enjoying our FUN DAY WITH DOGS, any purchase you make a the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore that day can be included toward the donation Barnes & Noble will be making to Bright Spot IF you say you support the Bright Spot Bookfair and give the cashier our Book Fair ID # 11678117.

Come. Learn about the fun things you can do with your dogs – and help support Bright Spot Therapy Dogs at the same time.  Hope to see you there!

Our Bright Spot Therapy Dog Training Course offered at Exercise Finished in Chicopee, Massachusetts, finished up yesterday.  Our trainer, Tibby Chase, reported in that everyone finished up strong and she feels the teams are well-prepared to take their evaluations and become certified Therapy Dogs.

I am always very pleased by the feedback we receive – both from our trainers and  participants. Our required training course provides a thorough preparation for volunteers teams, enabling them to go out on their own and make meaningful visits to people of all ages in both healthcare and educational settings.  Our specialized training course is an important  part of what makes Bright Spot the go-to Therapy Dog organization for people from all areas of New England who seek training/evaluation/and certification with a hands-on approach. We are always available to answer questions and concerns that may crop up from time-to-time.

We are offering one more course this year at Animal Alliances, our Northampton, Massachusetts, location.  If you have been thinking of getting your dog certified as a Therapy Dog, now is the time to sign up.  The first class begins on November 22nd. Go to our website for details on registration and the steps involved in becoming a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog.  Training now, will have you and your dog ready to go out visiting in the New Year.  A great gift to give yourself and your dog to start off 2016!

Through hard  work and perseverance, Coco is making progress in adjusting to her new life. 

Here’s Coco to tell you how this week went…

I went to school with Mom on Wednesday and Friday this week. It felt good to work two full days. It definitely takes me much longer to move around than it did before my surgery, but I love the work so much!

On both days, I spent lots of time in the behavior specialist’s room with the students and staff in there. They are all used to me having three legs, so the work I do is the same as it was before my surgery. Students sit near me to work or study. Some students need a break so they curl up on the floor with me. Others take me outside.

The hardest part about working now is that is takes me longer to get from the main office area to the behavior specialist’s room. Mom says I am pretty resourceful – I walk close to the wall so I can use it for support and balance. Sometimes when people take me outside, I just plop down in the grass and I won’t get up.  The truth is it takes a lot of energy to walk on three legs. On average, dogs bear 60% of their weight on their front legs. Imagine having half of that weight bearing capacity removed…it is tough, especially for an old lady like me, whose rear legs are not very strong. Mom brought me to physical therapy on Wednesday – I love the physical therapist – she showed Mom some exercises to help limber up my spine, which should help with weight distribution and walking. I also got to go on the treadmill that is in the water. Although it frightened me, it was good. The assistant held up my front leg, and I was forced to work my back legs. Mom works at home with me on limbering up my spine now, and she has been making me walk more to help with my stamina. It is tough, and I would rather lie down sometimes, but I know Mom is just trying to help me.

I will go to work with Mom twice again this week, and I will go for physical therapy again. I am also especially excited about working with Mom at Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Fun Day with Dog Days at Barnes and Noble in Hadley next Saturday, November 14^th. Mom says I will be there for most of the day with her.

I may be slower than I was before my surgery, but I still love the work I get to do.  ~Coco

A Great Dane is among the Giant Breeds of the Dog World.  What are these giant dogs like to have as a pet in your home?  Come to the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore next Saturday, November 14th, and meet a sweet, gentle Great Dane named Tucker.

During our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs‘ FUN DAY WITH DOGS, you will have a chance to meet a variety of breeds in our Meet the Breeds sessions running throughout the day.  You can talk with Ern Damon, Tucker’s owner, to learn all about living with a Great Danes.  Ern has had quite a few Danes and will be delighted to tell you all about them.

Meet Velvet, a black and tan Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and talk to Patti about the therapy dog visits they do together.

Every hour, starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 14th, you’ll have the chance to meet two different breeds.  Along with our Meet the Breeds sessions, you’ll be able to watch agility demonstrations in one section of the store, learn what it’s like to train your dog to be a Therapy Dog at our Bright Spot Information Booth set up in another section of the store, and – for young children – have the opportunity to read a story to one of our Reading Buddy Dogs in the children’s corner of the store.

Aside from enjoying our FUN DAY WITH DOGS, any purchase you make a the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore that day can be included toward the donation Barnes & Noble will be making to Bright Spot IF you say you support the Bright Spot Bookfair and give the cashier our Book Fair ID # 11678117.

Come. Learn about the fun things you can do with your dogs – and help support Bright Spot Therapy Dogs at the same time.  Hope to see you there!

Coco is back doing what she does best… bringing comfort and support to the students and staff who have tremendous love and respect for her.  

Here’s Coco…

This week, I went to school with Mom for a whole day! Last week, I went for a couple of hours. Next week, I will go for two whole days. It feels like my life is getting back to normal. Although I am physically slower than I used to be, my job at Mom’s school is still extremely important. And I love the work – it makes me feel like my life has purpose.

On Tuesday, Mom brought me to an appointment and then we went to work. I spent lots of time in the behavior specialist’s room with many different students. No one in there seems to care that I only have three legs. Students petted me, talked to me, and sat with me while they studied and completed schoolwork. I felt at home in there like I always have. Students spend time in that room for lots of reasons – some need a break from the stressors of their typical school day, some need small group instruction in math, some need down-time and regrouping, some have anxiety, and others just like the family-like feel that the staff and students have created.

The personnel coordinator from the Central Office even came to see me! She has a lab that has gone through cancer, as well, and she and Mom share a love of dogs and the experience of caring for a dog with cancer. She drove 10 miles each way on her lunch break just to visit me!

At the end of the school day, one student was too anxious to get on the van that was supposed to take him home. He waited two hours for a ride. Mom says I helped keep him calm as he waited. He and I have developed a strong connection already, and I am looking forward to helping him throughout the rest of the year.

Students seem to take everything in stride.  One of the guidance counselors was explaining to a student that I only had three legs. She wanted to prepare him before he and I visited. He looked at his counselor calmly and said, “My dad has had lots of surgeries…I am used to it…”

It still feels like the people who feel sorry for me are some of the adults. Mom reminds them that I am doing very well and that there is nothing to feel sorry about, but some of them are having a difficult time seeing me with three legs. I can tell by their faces and what they say that they pity me.

Mom and I finished writing my fourth Bright Spot Reading Buddies Book this weekend, Coco’s New Life. Maybe when people read about my surgery and my new life, they will understand that perseverance, love, and comfort can help with life’s challenges. I think the end of my book pretty much sums up how I feel:

I have a new life now – a life on three legs. It is not good or bad. It is just different. I love my life!  ~Coco

Learn what it’s like to live with a Standard Poodle like Rowan, a Greyhound like Max, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel like Velvet, and many more breeds during the Bright Spot Therapy Dogs FUN DAY WITH DOGS Event at the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore on Saturday, November 14th.

Along with a variety of breeds (all Bright Spot Therapy Dogs), bookstore shoppers will be treated to Agility Demos, Reading Buddy Sessions, our Bright Spot Information Booth where they can talk to our volunteers and learn how their dog can become a certified therapy dog, and our Free Raffle Drawing.

Meet Kaezli. What breed of dog is she?

On November 14th, a portion of all in-store sales made at the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore, plus all online sales made between November 14-18 (when purchaser presents our Book Fair ID 11678117) will be donated to Bright Spot Therapy Dogs. This is a great time to buy those books you’ve been wanting to read or shop early for holiday gift-giving and support Bright Spot at the same time. Teachers: Use your Teacher’s Discount.  

Come meet Rowan and lots of other breeds, therapy dogs, and reading buddy dogs.  Learn what fun things you can do with your dog -or a dog you are thinking of getting.  Hope to see you at the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore on November 14th!

Young children will have fun reading stories to our Reading Buddy Dogs at the Bright Spot Therapy Dogs FUN DAY WITH DOGS to be held at the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore on November 14, 2015.  Join in the fun and learn about dogs:  Meet the Breeds, Agility Demos, Talk on How to Prevent Dog Bites, Reading Buddy Sessions, Learn How Your Dog Can Become a Therapy Dog at our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Information Booth, and Take a Chance on the FREE RAFFLE.

On November 14th, a portion of all in-store sales made at the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore, plus all online sales made between November 14-18 (when purchaser presents our Book Fair ID 11678117) will be donated to Bright Spot Therapy Dogs.

This is a great time to buy those books you’ve been wanting to read or shop early for holiday gift-giving and support Bright Spot at the same time. Teachers: Use your Teacher’s Discount.   Hope to see you at the Hadley Barnes & Noble Bookstore on November 14th!

In Coco’s last post, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma and just had surgery to remove her right leg.  At the time of her last post, Coco was two weeks post-surgery and home recuperating.  Coco is one amazing dog with a will to survive and do good deeds.  I’ll let Coco tell you the rest…

I went back to school with Mom today!!! She was nervous about me coming, but I did great. She was unsure about how to re-introduce me to students and staff without making a spectacle of me and without distracting from the learning. It can be alarming for people to see me with three legs after knowing me well with four, and she also does not want people to feel sorry for me.

I spent about two hours at school after waiting patiently in the car while Mom was off-site at a meeting. Mom was worried about how students would react to me with only three legs. I spent time with a group of girls, and I visited with several individual students who have known me for at least the past year. The first things all students noticed were my boots, which provide much-needed traction. The next thing they noticed was my t-shirt, which covers my scar while my fur is coming back, and keeps the area warm. One boy, who has a very special bond with me, was so excited to see me and snuggle with me that he did not even notice I was missing a leg until Mom and his guidance counselor pointed it out! Students just seemed very happy to see me. When they did talk with Mom about my missing leg, they asked what happened, and Mom explained my situation, focusing on how well I am doing. Students moved on from the topic of my missing leg, and were appreciative of the time they had with me.

I also visited with a few staff members. They noticed my missing leg right away, but seemed fine with it. The administrative assistant (whom Mom affectionately calls “Gramma Karol”) loved seeing me. She is a dog lover, and welcomed me back at school. One of the teachers who saw me walk looked like she felt sorry for me. Mom responded to her apparent pity:  Coco is doing great. It takes her a lot of energy to get around, but she is so happy to be here and she is doing well.  Mom should not be surprised that some of the adults had a harder time seeing me with three legs than the students did.

My tail was going almost non-stop the entire time I was at school. I was so happy to be back, doing what I love most – working with students. Mom says I will be able to go to school with her next week, as well. I am hoping once the novelty of my missing leg wears off, students and staff will simply appreciate the comfort and support I am able to provide. Mom says that I seemed the most “like myself” today that she has seen me since well before my surgery – it turns out that the students and staff at Mom’s school are crucial to my recovery, giving my life more meaning and purpose, and providing me much love and support. I am looking forward to getting back into my work schedule at Mom’s school. ~Coco

Come to the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Hadley, Massachusetts, on November 14th and watch Agility Demos presented by two experienced Agility exhibitors and their dogs:  Sally King with her Australian Shepherd James and Tibby Chase with her Welsh Corgi Arlo.  Agility is a fun sport to do with your dog.  Come watch and talk to Sally and Tibby about getting involved with this wonderful activity that builds a great relationship between you and your dog.

The Agility Demos are part of the Bright Spot Therapy Dogs FUN DAY WITH DOGS event being held at the Hadley Barnes & Noble Book Fair on November 14th.  The following is a list of the events happening from 10:00 am-4:45 pm:  Meet the Breeds (two different breeds every hour), Reading Buddy Sessions (young children can read a book to one of our trained Reading Buddy dogs), a talk on How to Prevent Dog Bites,  stop by our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Information Booth to learn How Your Dog Can Become a Therapy Dog, and – don’t forget to  Take a Chance on Winning our Free Raffle!

During this time, the bookstore will be holding a fundraiser for Bright Spot.  Here’s how it works: On November 14, 2015, any purchase made at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Hadley, Massachusetts – if accompanied by our Book Fair ID 11678117 – will count toward the donation Barnes & Noble will make to Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. Vouchers with the BSTD ID number will be available at our in-store Bright Spot information booth and cashiers will help, too, by asking all purchasers if they support the Bright Spot Therapy Dogs book fair. A simple “yes” from the purchaser does the trick. Those not able to attend the in-store event can make purchases online (must put in the Book Fair ID 11678117 at checkout). Online purchases with our Book Fair ID 11678117 made between November 14-18 will count!

This is a great opportunity to buy those books you’ve had on your reading list or shop early for holiday gift-giving – and help Bright Spot receive a donation from Barnes & Noble!