The Journey to Pet Therapy...(continued)
Feeeling blessed with MiMi Doll, Suzie Q and DeeDee
Since passing the TDI test, Dee has been spayed, visited a new grooming salon, gone on more field trips, taken
more obedience classes, and been to another photo shoot
with Suzie and MiMi. Since all three of them are therapy
dogs, I wanted to have their pictures made together with
the TDI scarves and tags. I also wanted to have Dee’s picture made with Sydnee as well as for her ID photo. Candi
Telford Photography is who takes my dogs’ pictures, and
she is so patient with everything. She specializes in newborn photos, and she tells me that the dogs are so much
easier! I’m not sure I would agree after it took my daughter, Sydnee and me to get all the pictures I wanted from
the shoot. When LadyBug was alive, she was a true
alpha, but very silent about it. She never had to remind
them of anything. Everyone just did what they were supposed to, but now it is really Suzie’s turn to be alpha, but
she’d rather just be one of the “gang”! It is very interesting to me to see how the dynamics of a pack can change
so much with the absence of the alpha or another member. It definitely has with my pack. Suzie should be alpha
and Dee thinks she is. MiMi is just satisfied to be there
with them and have a good time. I’ve made a decision
that has seemed to help solve the problem somewhat.
There will be no canine alpha; I am the alpha! They really like it that way especially Suzie.
This is the last of the series of articles on Dee’s journey
to pet therapy, but I will showcase one of her first pet
therapy visits in the next article. Being a therapy dog is a
journey of its own. In this article, I’m sharing the pictures
from our photo shoot. I’m so proud of my three therapy
dogs. They are solid in temperament and confident in
themselves as well as always glad to see their “people”.
They all have tricks they love to do and they give obedience demonstrations . Their favorite part of the therapy
visit is time with the residents or visitors that are at the
facilities we visit. Sydnee is still a big part of our visits as
she has permission to leave school early when those visits are planned.
A big thank you to Dee’s breeders, Jan Taylor and
Genea Jones, for breeding such a sweet girl, and to Jan
Taylor for being Suzie and MiMi’s breeder. Breeders
never know just how much joy one of their “furkids” can
bring to others. There is a feeling that I have about the
dogs I have or have had…….I truly believe I have/ had
the dogs I am supposed to have, and I also do not believe
in coincidence. I consider pet therapy to be a form of ministry for me, and I am so thankful to have the dogs I do
because of the breeders and the other breeders and dogs
that have come before them. I’m honored to be owned by
The McCocker Girls Pet Therapy Pack, Suzie Q, MiMi
Doll, and DeeDee AKA Tailormade Ribbons and Curls,
Tailormade Angel Bee Mine, and Tailormade Pretty
Reflection. DeeDee will soon be adding obedience and
rally titles to her name to match the other “McCocker
Girls”!
The journey for DeeDee to become a certified pet therapy dog has ended, but we are excited to be on another
journey as a therapy dog team!
Joyce McIntyre
ASC Therapy Dog Committee
Cocker Spaniel Club of Central Oklahoma, President
Oklahoma City Obedience Training Club, Member
TDI and CGC, Evaluator
DeeDee loves to pose for pictures
AMERICAN SPANIEL CLUB, INC. BULLETIN December 2015
Page 50