Animal Therapy

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MP-18 and MP-19

You probably wondered if we’re still alive. I’m happy to report that is still the case. We are just a bit behind in the blogging world. My human got busy with other stuff so blogging was put on the back burner. I know, what could be more important than doggy adventures?!

Manatees hanging in a tree
Dolphins in the city
A bear!
At the Homeless and At-Risk Veterands Stand Down event
R.E.A.D.

Rest assured, I haven’t sat still. On April 19, I went to a CCI outing with my assistants-in-training buddies. We encountered lots of wildlife in the big city, seriously that is no joke. Manatees were hanging from trees and dolphins could be seen splashing in front of buildings. So WEIRD! The next day I had some Dogtoring to do at the Homeless and At-Risk Veterans Stand Down event. This is an annual event to help homeless and at-risk veterans. Several people asked if I was up for adoption. WOL, of course not! On Saturday I went to the library to help children read. That was my fifth time. I even had two repeat customers.

Happy wanderings, don’t forget to smile,

Benji

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MP-17 and Such

Hi, hope you’re enjoying your Saturday! We went to the library for a R.E.A.D. session. I got lots of reading, petting, and reversed Reiki in. Afterward, we had to get some fertilizer for our fruit trees. This is supposed to help grow fruit in abundance. Not sure why we bother as it always takes fur-ever for the fruit to appear. Once the fruits finally do show up I’m supposed to leave them alone; I can’t even nose the fruit for a daily progress check. On top of that, last year Bear ended up with most of the persimmons. We ended up with less than 10 of the 100+ that were on the tree before the bear was let loose. That’s less than a 10% return rate. While I did get some of the 9 tiny! apples that showed up, 0 persimmons ended up in my tummy. So not a good investment if you ask me.

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Again, why are we feeding the trees instead of me?

I heard that if you want apples, you have to shake the trees. Maybe I should follow that advice this year because I definitely want me some apples. Yum!

Benji

 

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MP-16

This morning I volunteered for the third time to read with children at the library as a R.E.A.D. companion.*  I like going to the library; everybody is always so nice to me! The children pet me while they read aloud to me and I even get yummies for my tummy. I  favor books with pictures. Especially when they show animals; that’s when I pay close attention. I think I’m ready now to take a nap after all that volunteering. I didn’t know that reading can make you feel tired.

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At the library with my R.E.A.D. gear

* “R.E.A.D. companions are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owner/handlers as a team, going to schools, libraries, and many other settings as reading companions for children.” (Intermountain Therapy Animals)

Benji

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MP-15 and CCI

Yesterday was another busy bee day in the Life of Benji. In the morning I helped children read at the library. The children were ranging in age from 2.5 years to about 11 years. Some of them were a bit intimidated by my size. I tickled their hands with my whiskers to break the ice. When they felt how soft I am, they were hooked and couldn’t get enough of me.

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In the afternoon, I went sailing with CCI buddies Adonis and Flint. It was their first time out on the water so I showed them the ropes. They seem to catch on fast. Don’t be surprised when we are soon sailing all by ourselves.  That should be easy as we don’t have to ask the humans for any keys. Flint is a new recruit. You couldn’t tell that he is only four months old; he behaved so well.

It’s hard work keeping an eye on things
Adonis helped me
Adonis says he can get used to this
I agree
Showing the ropes
Flint is
Eager to learn

Lights were turned off around 6:00 PM, that’s when we all got sleepy. After a good meal, I went to bed satisfied and content knowing that my missions went well.

Sunsets are always pretty
At the coast

Benji

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MP-14

Yes, I did it; I turned another Mission Impossible into a Mission Possible! Last Saturday, I read with the kids at the library and decided that it was a lotta fun. They stroked my ears, those are definitely my sweet spots, my back, and even my belly while they read to me. I had two incognito sessions at the library before I officially opened my office. Next time I will ask my photographer/ driver/ butler/ whatever-I-need-person to take a photo of my office. It has cute monkeys on the wall, even though we are not supposed to monkey around.

Here is a photo of my new outfit for the R.E.A.D. program.  I use it together with my favorite blanket that states: “In a perfect world every dog has a home”. Ain’t that the truth.

My new outfit
On my favorite blanket
I love to share
With my Big Sis

Benji

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R.E.A.D.

IMG_5030b.jpgLately, I have been reading a lot. Why, you ask? Well, I am enrolled in the R.E.A.D. program. The program helps young readers improve their literacy skills.  Today we had a practice run at a library to show me the ropes and my office. Although now I come to think of it I didn’t see any ropes, just rows, and rows of books. And people sitting at long tables. They were reading quietly until I showed up, then all heads turned my way and people started to talk about my brindle stripes and such. I guess I was a bit of a distraction. Maybe that’s why I will have my own office. Gotta go, I haven’t finished my book yet and I want to know how it ends.

Benji 

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MP-13

Today we turned another Mission Impossible into a Mission Possible. It was the 13th visit so what could go wrong, eh? We went back to the adult care center. This time I was the only Dogtor so I was a busy bee and I don’t even have wings. Everyone was pleased to see us again. We chatted our heads off with the folks for about half an hour when I heard rumbling noises. It was faint at first, well not to me but those with shorter ears seem to be less sensitive to sound; it definitely got louder over time. I looked at M and we both figured that it was time to go home before it would catch up with us. It was good that we did. As soon as I jumped in the car it started raining cats and dogs. Lucky for us, we did not get a visit from that fellow Harvey that caused havoc way west of us. He is a bad, bad, guy from what I’ve heard. Lots of people and animals got themselves into a pickle. Some even died because of Harvey;  so sad. Our thoughts are with everybody in that area. If you would like to help with the animal disaster relief efforts visit https://www.houstonpetset.org/hurricane-harvey-relief-fund/

Oh man
Look at that
Lots of sunshine to sniff
No problems here

As we drove away from the adult care center, the sky got brighter the closer we got to headquarters. Maybe the noisy pickles got scared by Ms. Zulu’s Border Collie stare. I don’t blame them, she can be pretty intimidating at times. Maybe barking helps too. I wouldn’t mind taking the lead on that sometime. OK, gotta run. I have a playdate with my CCI friend. After the playdate we will go shopping and meet more CCI friends in the city!

Let the sunshine in,

WOOFFF!

Benji

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MP-12

Happy with a cold drink
Live TV
Just chillin

I know, I know, we are way behind on updating you but I had a couple of busy weeks so thought I would chill on my sofa with live television before I got back on track. I’m happy to report that on Wednesday another Mission Impossible became possible. I went to a youth center where I met teenagers who are enrolled in a non-residential counseling program. It was a new place for me so I met lots of new people. I worked the crowd together with one of my colleagues, a Great Pyrenees. He is a great guy literally and figuratively speaking. We learned that he has been in the business for more than 4 years. That’s twice as long as I have been on this planet! The guy was very calm. I guess that’s what happens when you have done this a million times.

The kids at the youth center are a hoot. They wanted to know everything under the sun about me. Their greeting ritual is a bit different from mine as they wanted me to shake their hands over and over again. I got rewarded with treats so it was no problemo. I even put in a couple of spins for good measure. Afterwards, we stopped at a cafe to cool down. It’s hot here, 102 degrees Fahrenheit, so we ordered drinks on the rocks.

Stay cool and have a pawbulous weekend,

Benji

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Dogtors with Borders

As promised, here is the new addition to my uniform. Ms. Zulu assisted me while I posed for the first time with the new scarf. So this time it was Dogtors with Borders. Yes, Ms. Zulu is at least 50% Border Collie as far as we can tell. If you would like to know more about my Dogtors without Borders work then go to my resume page. We updated it recently.
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As you can see Ms. Zulu and I took our job very seriously and we were very focused throughout the photo session. This may or may not have anything to do with the treats in front of us. You be the judge.

OK, gotta run, I have a farewell party to attend to say goodbye to my best buddy Capone and hello to a new CCI friend in training. Yeah, Capone is leaving us in 1.5 weeks to start professional service dog training in South Florida. We will miss him for sure. I (well maybe one of my dedicated assistants) will try to capture some nice photos so you can see Capone one more time and to introduce the new CCI puppy. I’m sure you will get to see more of the newbie because when Capone is traveling to South Florida we get to babysit the new 9-week old pup for four days. That oughta be fun.

And remember, be dedicated and thou shall be rewarded,

Benji

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MP-6

Wow, another mission accomplished.  I visited the emergency center again. This time I went with another Dogtor. Her name is Katrina. She graduated at the same time I did and she is already 15 years old.  That is 3+ years older than my big sis and 10 times older than me! Isn’t that something?! Katrina is very calm. She loves to lie down whenever there is a chance. I rather sit and smile at people.

I’ve noticed that people seem to recognize me more and more. They call my name and want to say hi. They even want to take pictures of me. I got lots of practice at headquarters sitting still for a photo plus treat, so I always say “no problemo” [ed. as long as there are treats].

At the embroidery place
Me supervising
Unloading the car at home

When we were done with all the Dogtoring, M and I went to an embroidery place. I went inside to say hi and gave them my blue bandana that will be embroidered with our logo. I will try to remember to show you the result as soon as it’s done.

Next on our agenda was the Pet Supermarket.  Yeah, we needed more treats and another bag of food. M says that’s because one being in our household eats at least for two three. I can tell you that ain’t me because my tummy always feels like it could hold lots more yummies.

More pictures were taken at the Pet Supermarket too. This was nicely balanced out with treats. Thanks to the friendly lady assistant at the store who did notice that I could use some more. At the cash register, one of the shoppers asked if I was up for adoption. M didn’t know how fast to say no, pay, and practically drag me outside. I guess that’s an affirmative NO.

To sum things up, it was a productive day and I can rest assured that my forever home will be forever, ever after.  How’s that for a good ending?!

Night, night and sleep tight,

Benji

 

 

 

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MP-5

Another Mission Impossible became Possible. I was called up for duty to the emergency center for the second time. As we walked from the car to the entrance an ambulance came up with its siren on. It didn’t distract me as I munched on lots of treats. It’s always nice when they show up at the right time. The need for me must have been high because lots of people were standing right at the door to greet me.  Needless to say, I did a lot of pawshaking. The youngest guy I saw was three years old. I helped him and his dad ease their stay.

When we were done we went to my favorite store. There were numerous interruptions as we walked through the petstore. People kept asking us about my Dogtor status. We were supposed to get one bag of dry food and one bag of treats. We walked out of the store with a big bag of dry food and eight different kinds of treats. I guess I had earned my keep.

My favorite aisle
A job well done

Happy Wednesday,
Benji

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Mission Impossible: 4 = MP-4

I did it! I commandeered the big box yesterday! I learned that a little help from my friends makes a huge difference. I went with my buddy Capone and a new CCI friend. I think it was their magic capes that made it work. M forgot to bring my magic harness, she even forgot my leash…., but that was quickly resolved as I could borrow one of Capone’s.

We found the big box waaay back in a building. We had to walk through small corridors and a crowd of people to get there. But it worked, I stepped right in, sat down, and then wooshhh we went all the way up from the basement up into the sky. It was a spiffy big box as it hardly made a sound. The pic is a bit blurry; we were going that fast! Proof that warp speed travel is possible.

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Warp speed traveling

Once we were high in the sky, the doors opened on the other side and a deliciously good aroma lured us out of the big box. Lots of people were dining and we were greeted by some very nice people who wanted hugs. And that my friend, I have plenty of.

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My CCI friends

Hugs for all of you too, Benji.

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MP-3

Hi peeps, just wanted to let you know that another super-secret mission is behind me. The covert operation was yesterday while the actual mission in Dogtor uniform was today. No gates this time, but impressive heavy wooden doors and lots of small corridors with people coming from nowhere and everywhere. We passed a cook in one of the corridors. I detected him from miles away. I liked him a lot, he smelled delish. He can come to my house anytime.

And guess what: there was another big box in the building! Before I started my missions, I never saw one and now they show up out of nowhere. M found it to be a sign. I have to agree with her. So after we had completed MP-3, we went into the city and found one to practice with. This one was pretty obvious as you can see. It said Dream Big in 3D. I guess higher authorities didn’t want me to miss the big box. The only thing that was missing was my S-SD device.

Dream Big
In Capital Letters

Happy Dreams, make them big,
0011

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MP-2

Yesterday, I was called up for a second super-secret-mission (Mission Possible 2). This time the higher authorities wanted my expertise as a real Dogtor at a special community with gates and everything. Of course, as a real soldier, I did not refuse. My preparations for this mission was two-fold. The day prior we had a thorough scrub session to fight pesky microorganism. This part is getting a lot easier. M now knows that I like some good food with my bath and that the water temperature needs to be right, i.e. not too cold and not too hot. On the day of the mission I did the usual: go for a walk with my prep team, take an extra long nap, meditate, brush my teeth, put on my best suit and tie, and then I was finally good to go.

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All suited up

My prep team consisted of Ms. Zulu and M. Ms. Zulu adds lots of practical wisdom to the team. She is especially well versed in Zuluism and she taught me how to take long refreshing naps. M is for tactical advice and general guidance. And of course, she is my chauffeur. Q was missing in action. He seems to be busy with other missions.

Zuluism in practice
Ms. Zulu supervises
Mental preparation

Once we were on the premises, the action began. I met B, another real Dogtor and her supervisor. We decided to walk around to sniff out if all was secure. Only after the OK sign from us Dogtors did we go inside the building. Doors automatically slid open with my magic harness and we were welcomed by lots of people who were happy to see us. I had to watch out for rolling wheelchairs that could easily squash my tail and frail toes that I tried to avoid. From time to time, big storage carts would come flying around corners. It looked like they had wings, they were so fast. They were noisy too, I can tell you that.

There was also a big box that we stepped into. It was located away from the main area, in a carpeted hallway. Doors closed once we were inside. Then a low hum, a bit of shaking, and the doors opened again. I made sure to take in the surroundings before I stepped out. I immediately noticed that something was off. I am 100%  sure that the layout of the hallway and rooms was exactly the same but here is the kicker, the people were different and there was no carpet anymore on the floor. I must have time traveled!  Now I come to think of it, the box kind of looked like the TARDIS, you know the time machine. This one was gray instead of blue though. Maybe this machine worked properly, contrary to the one my esteemed colleague Doctor Who uses.

If I would have known that I would time travel, I would have brought my S-SD. It probably would have helped on the way back to our timeline. You see, I had a bit of a problem getting back in the big box so the executive decision was made to take the staircase. Luckily this one did not end up in heaven so I was able to return sound and safely on solid ground. M said that we will try to find another big box (there are more?!) so that we can practice how to better commandeer the device.  Sounds like a plan to me.

Double-O-Eleven

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MI-2

A quick update. At the moment I am pretty busy preparing for my second Mission Impossible (MI-2). Since I get a lot of questions about my new line of work, I thought that I would explain, to the extent possible, what I do. Most of it is classified, but I can at least try to describe the general gist. My assistant just finished updating my resume too, so take a peek (click here) for a short overview of what I do.

M (Mom) is the head of SIS (Super Individual Service) where I work. She determines my assignments and supervises my work. Both M and I are at headquarters a lot to prepare for my missions. I am not only trained at headquarters but also off-site. It’s a nice mix of different types of training and locations which prepare me well for my super-secret-missions. While I’m training and on special missions, I wear my special camo-suit. On a mission I also wear my magic blue harness. This harness opens doors to alternative realities that otherwise remain closed to us canines. For very special occasions, I wear a red bow tie. It has been speculated that it enhances the magic power of my blue harness. I am in the process of testing this theory.

Checking out the S-SD
Testing the S-SD
Aiming the S-SD

My tools are either fabricated or modified at headquarters. Q is the tinkerer, he gives technical advice or modifies tools as needed. The Super-Screwdriver (S-SD) that I am showing in the photos above is a tool that I recently learned to use. It is not to be confused with Doctor Who’s Sonic Screwdriver. You have to be really careful with the S-SD. A turn to the left unscrews the world. However, a wrong turn to the right (yeah I know it is counterintuitive that’s what makes it so hard) and you screw up the world even more. And that my friends is definitely not advisable considering the current state of affairs. Hmmm, what else? Ah, Ms. Zulu adds that I am well known for my fast handshakes left and right and hugs that are as sweet as honey. Oh, and I love a good chase. OK, I have to go now. Have a great week, spread some hugs while you are on a roll.

0011 a.k.a. B

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Mission Possible

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Back at headquarters after a successful run 

Yahoo! On Valentine’s Day Mission Impossible 1 (MI-1 for you insiders) became Mission Possible. The preparations were a bit harsh as I had to be cleaned top to bottom. Yes, that includes ears, mouth, and nails! And you know that taking a bath is not one of my favorite endeavors. But on our missions, we are fighting pesky microorganisms so it has to be done. It helped that I was fed lots of yummies during the ordeal. The amount was almost as much as my dinner. Now I come to think of it, I think we pretty much skipped my dinner. Hmmm…, I only had a little bite after my bath… I was tricked!!!

Once onsite, doors automatically opened for me, and nurses and patients of all ages welcomed us with open arms. Maybe my blue harness is a magic cape after all. Inside the not to be named building, I discovered that I was the only real dogtor in attendance. Fortunately, my training kicked in immediately and I was on red alert for imminent action. I can even say that I single-pawedly was able to save a day here and there by shaking hands left and right and giving out hugs like candy. The red bow tie that I picked out for this special V-day certainly helped too. Looking back, I can now rest assured that my numero uno super-secret-mission was a success. Onward to the next one; but first I will take a well-deserved big nap!

Signing off,

Double-O-Eleven.

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Mission Impossible: 1

We are preparing for my first secret mission in the field: Code Name MI-1. The mission is planned for next week. That means that we had to 1) go out in the field, 2) scope the area, 3) do a test run, and 4) debrief.

Scoping the area
Ready to do a test run
Talking with people
Debriefing: looking back
Our logo

I am happy to report that we were able to successfully scope the area (no we can’t show you the real site as I would have to k.ll-u). The test run had to be done off-site for various obvious reasons. Since we had to get some paint we thought we would go to the Home Depot, a home improvement store, and kill two birds with one stone. Yes, that is a figure of speech;  we don’t really kill birds here either. After all, we are now dogtors! We talked with a lot of people at the test run site. Everybody seems to be interested in what I am doing these days.

Understandably, nerves are running a bit high at this point but the results of the test run during the debrief showed us that we are in tip-top shape. Just keep your paws, fingers, or other digits crossed for a successful mission next week and we should be good to go. Double-O-Eleven (a.k.a. Benji).

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Zuluism in Practice

Ssshhhh….Benji is practicing Zuluism after a morning of intense focus and dedication (okay read playing hard) at doggy day care.  We believe he is getting better and better. This type of meditation is bound to be helpful in Benji’s therapy dog practice. And practice makes purrrfect! On that note, Ms. Zulu reports that she is now convinced that there is such a thing as the P-state, short for Purrring-state. Previous research hinted at this and Andy the Cat has now proven that it does exist in feline species. However, there is still doubt that the P-state exists in canine species.  A research proposal for a treat-grant has been submitted to ABC (Academy of Brave Canines).  

Zzstate.JPGP.S. Be on the look out tomorrow for a rerun of the interview between Ms. Zulu and the two cats Andy and Dougy.

Benji’s assistants.

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Posing

What’s up? Well, while I am still waiting for my first super-secret-mission, I have not been lazy. Instead, I got some new work. I have been asked to model for Belén Soto, a very talented ceramist. We all really like her work, so I was quite honored when Belén asked me if I would like to sit for one of her sculptures! With mom’s help, I did my best to provide a front and side view photo of me. It was not easy to sit still. Leaves kept falling around me, interrupting my concentration.

You can find Belén’s beautiful work on Clay and Fire.  I am looking forward to the results of this effort! 

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Is this good?

p6

What’s that?

p1

OK, how about this?

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Mom, they are really tempting me

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OK, will leave them alone now

p3

This should be good, right?

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Chew Therapy

Mom has been sad for a couple of days now. Not sure what happened, but it seems to have something to do with an election of some sorts. Since I have been cleared to work as a therapy animal I thought I would make myself useful. So I gave her extra hugs and my favorite toy to chew on. It worked; I made her smile. Hope I can make you smile too, love, Benji.  

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