Right. So back to therapy dogs. When I got Calvin I had big dreams of having an immaculately trained dog who could put smiles on the faces of hospital patients and eventually go on to cure cancer or something.
Listen - I was unemployed and didn't have a whole lot else to pay attention to. I didn't say it was realistic.
Flash-forward to Calvin's incessant suspicions of anyone outside of his core eight humans and my plan to win a Nobel Peace Prize because of my dog has been thoroughly crushed. And after it was crushed, it was stomped and spat on by Theo's disinterest in learning how to do anything besides 'sit', 'stay' and 'touch' - which, while adorable, isn't getting me on the front page of Time Magazine.
Nonetheless, we recently found a way for my two pups to do something good. One of my closest friend's just lost her family dogs, two cairn terriers who lived very long, very good lives. Her family had come to terms with the state of their health and are moving on with the happy memories.
Enter Ben, Calvin and Theo.
Now when I go to visit my friend's for an evening of unhealthy, deliciously cheesey dips, and yelling at each other over the new Wii Mario game (we're in our twenties, I promise), I bring the dachshunds to basically ransack their house, charge through each room with reckless abandon, bark incessantly at the man of the house and root through anything below calf-height.
Sure they might not be 'registered', or 'qualified', or 'trained'. Sure they might not help people 'relax', or 'destress', or 'reflect'. But you know? For this one family, they bring a dose of dog that can never quite be forgotten and we leave with a smile on everyone's faces.
Except Theo. He doesn't contribute much good to the situation instead he spends the evening staring and honking at Burger the Hedgehog's cage. In fact, Theo is more likely to send that poor creature TO therapy rather than helping him find peace...
But overall...I'm confident that I'm one step closer to international dog-based fame.
Hi everyone,
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