Kids and Therapy Cats

    Our youngest daughter has a special therapy cat as a companion he is a gray striped tabby with white mitten socks.
    I talk a lot about therapy dogs but cats are just as important in keeping many children and adults with autism and anxiety comforted with their presence.

   We saved Tigger from our porch during a rain storm last April. He was so tiny he barely fit into our palms, today he is a big tom cat.
   We had no idea where he came from only that he was a tiny miracle and we were meant to be his family. In return, Tigger has been a life saver for our daughter with Aspergers and anxiety.

   When we brought him to the vet they said he was very close to death and suffering from hypothermia and it was a good thing we found him in time. Our daughter took care of him and nurtured him back to health.

  I believe that was their bonding time and the two of them have been inseparable ever since. Tigger is her best friend and curls up in her lap when she is frightened or having a really bad day. He cries and calls for her each morning to see if she is up yet. I know they will be best friends forever.

A day in the life

     I strongly believe it's my calling to love and have a voice for children.Even through my young adult life I have cared and nurtured children whether it was my cousins, neighborhood friends or as a babysitter.

     As a child, I always felt like I never had a voice. I often felt scared or alone when I  was told to get over the fact someone was calling me names or making mean gestures at me. Now, in my own family, my seven-year-old was experiencing the same things at school


    She was so afraid of going to school she was having accidents before and during school. At first, she didn't tell us and tried to hide it.She has Aspergers and so has a hard time with her communication skills.At that time being only seven was emotionally more like being five.

    I felt like a terrible mother and very helpless to do much to help my child. I saw every day her weight decreasing and her beautiful brown eyes became raccoon-like from not sleeping.

  I sat in her class to see if I noticed what was bothering her. I sat at lunch and witnessed girls laughing and whispering pointing at my beautiful young daughter.I know that children may not be talking about my child but it was pretty obvious they were.

The look on my daughter,s face was the very last straw and I scheduled a talk with her teacher later that day. Also, it came out a child had been hitting her during recess and the teachers were oblivious.


   I had planned on talking to the counselor about how to help Maddy with friends.Now the vice principal would also be present since she heard what my concerns were and seemed genuinely caring. I thought I was going to be on the path to truly help my daughter at last.

  After our meeting where basically I was told that these things are a normal part of growing up and that my child was too sensitive. I told my husband and we started taking more action to get professionals involved.

    We saw a psychologist and our pediatrician who wrote letters on our behalf to have Maddy removed from her classroom into more of a slower paced classroom. We thought this would be a help but the school told us we were being ridiculous and refused to have her switched even thought two people who knew our child well agreed.

     Finally, we sought advice from the school board president who called the school and directed them to take action.This took two whole months and it was too late.
Apparently, it would mess the numbers up in the classroom and that was more important than our child who was suffering.

 This is just our story, we homeschool our daughter now who is 12 and thriving. I know so many parents have been through what we have and something must be done to help educate the children and give them a voice. To learn kindness and values really matter. I am currently writing a children's book which features a child who brings her therapy dog into the classroom to help educate the children on understanding our differences as human beings.

   I hope to have my book "Bosco, The Therapy Dog Goes To School" out by the end of 2017 and to read it in the classroom to dozens of children.






    

The reason for my company is.....

  In 2005 my family went through a tragedy,our home and our lives as we knew it were destroyed. Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the surrounding parishes hard and life was devastating for many families. According to Wikipedia over 1,800 people lost their lives but many more were lost, the total is unknown. My family lived on the North shore of Lake Pontchartrain in the town of Slidell. We had lived there since 2000 and absolutely loved it. No one can truly prepare your family for a hurricane. Sure,you can buy supplies,prepare a tote for all your belongings and money, but no one can truly tell you that you will have feelings of despair or hopelessness afterwards. My family left the day of Katrina because we had a compact car,no savings and a new baby. We hadn't worked out how all six of us were going to get out of the storms way or how we were once again going to evacuate after several near misses earlier that year. We ended up in Florida at a hotel and stayed there for a week,unsure of how and what we were going to do. After much discussion we decided to go to Atlanta to my brother-in-laws. With our daughter only six months old we needed to go somewhere safe and plan our next move. 
 Many things came into play, my husband lost his job of twenty years due to the building being blown down and flooded and our home had massive tornado damage. We decided after much discussion and heartache to stay in Atlanta in Lawrenceville to create a new life especially for our children. It took my husband three months to find a job and life was in an uproar until then. I decided I needed to help my husband make some money for our new life, after much research I decided to start my own company and become a professional pet care provider. I needed a job where I could take my young daughter if necessary and work on my own time.
 My company at first was a necessity and very demanding but now I have learned how to manage work  and family life. I love animals and people so helping them brings me much joy. There are not many companies  now a days who put people first, but I hope to change that concept. I thank God for my clients everyday for without them I would still be struggling and feeling helpless. They have made me strong and given my family a true gift. I am now in the stages of starting a new venture to help end childhood bullying,I will be writing and publishing a book about a dog and it's owner who brings an anti bullying campaign to the classroom. Look for it in the fall 2017.

To buy or not to buy poinsettias

   I recently read an article about the beautiful and colorful poinsettia. In the past they were thought to be very toxic for four legged companions,but now it is known they are mildly toxic. The sap found in the plant contains (diterpenoid euphorbol esters) and  may cause diarrhea, drooling, lip licking and vomiting so while uncomfortable it does not mean death for your pets.  If kept out of reach they can be a beautiful addition to your holiday festivity,our family loves them but we have a very curious young kitten and we know he would have a taste. Next time you visit family or shop don't avoid the Christmas plants relax and know that if carefully placed they can add joy and delight to the festivities.

Assistance dogs vs. therapy dogs

  

      The thought of using a dog for therapy became extremely popular  in 1976 when Elaine Smith who worked as a registered nurse noticed 

how patients reacted to the chaplain and his friendly golden retriever. 

The patient's whole demeanor became relaxed and in some cases sped the rate of recovery. Elaine decided to start a small therapy dog institution and it blossomed into popularity. In recent years therapy dogs have begun helping children overcome emotional and speech issues.

 Although an excellent idea, therapy dogs are not classified as service animals and are not afforded the same privileges.

 They may not go into restaurants or hotels, there is much controversy about this issue.

  

   An assistant or service dog may go anywhere because they assist and do things for their disabled companion. They are essential to the well-being of their owner.

 In the U.S. the service dog is protected at the federal level under the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990. They undergo rigorous training and evaluation.

 Therapy Dogs International does not accept service dogs for this reason. Unlike assistance dogs,therapy dogs do not actually do things for their person, They are there to provide an atmosphere of calmness and a sense of security.

  

The therapy dogs are asked to pass a test called the "Good Citizen test" provided by the American Kennel club.  It is a ten step gold standard behavioral test. 

After completing the classes and tests dog owners may put GCG in the suffix of their dog's name.

 In many situations such as the fear of reading aloud,anxiety or shyness therapy dogs can be a comfort. Their presence can mean the difference between fear and self-confidence.

 They can be utilized in many ways and I believe a way to communicate to others about compassion and kindness.

 Last year therapy dogs provided relief to school children after they witnessed violence in their schools. It can be a means to ending bullying and self-hatred. 

Do your animals feel your emotions?

      I recently had a client visit where I was asked to observe a dog who to his owners seemed ill, they were worried about lethargy and his lack of appetite and energy. Some days he was very playful and at least ate some kibble and treats.I asked if he was walked regularly as most if not all dogs need some form of exercise. They assured me he had full run of their yard and lots of stimulation from their children.

    His name was Roofus a sweet boxer mix who to me seemed fine except for some mild discomfort in his hind legs due to arthritis so when he stood up he wobbled just slightly. Other than this I felt his extremities and checked his eyes.He wagged his tail with excitement as I had a treat hidden in my pocket to see how alert he was,he kept nudging my hand and picking at my pocket.I laughed and enjoyed lots of kisses when I gave in.

    I couldn't see any illness and began to questioned his owner; had anything changed in their routine or way of living?also about why she was so worried and  had it been going on long? She told me that recently some new pressures had come on their family and she was feeling stressed and tired. She also felt some overwhelming sadness and depression. Some days she had a hard time to get going,and it was on those days I found out Roofus would lie on top of her and not leave her side.

    Many times our animals are more in tune with us and since they had gotten him as a puppy he was in tune with their emotions.The more I spoke to her about their situation the more I understood why Roofus was acting this way.He was tuning into her emotions and it was affecting him. He was sleeping more as she was sleeping more,she was eating less so he starting losing his appetite.The mood became sad instead of stimulating and comfortable.

    To me this is a sign our dogs are so much more a part of our families than we think.I recently was ill and stayed in bed for a few days running a high fever. My dog never left my side and was very protective over me my husband had tried to come in the door with some medication and my dog  would barely let him through without biting his ankles. She and him have a close relationship so this was out of the ordinary,She was protecting the weaker pack leader at that time.
 

    Dogs can exhibit many emotions we need to pay attention to the emotions of depression and how debilitating it can be.They could lose their appetite or have difficulty sleeping,they may have no desire to go outside and fetch their ball.I have noticed a dogs eyes may actually show sadness and so you can read it in their facial expressions.It can cause illness so special attention to these in a ongoing case may need to be told to your vet. Just like us humans it can be treated with love and nurturing and possibly medication or herbal remedy.

    Roofus and his family are on their road to recovery and life seems to be getting better all around. He is playing again and eating normally, he occasionally sits on his owners lap but because he thinks he is now a lap dog not because of illness.
     

So now how about that therapy dog?

Well, it's happening I am truly going to take the steps to get a therapy dog for my daughter this year. I am hoping to find a special connection to help her with the small quirks she has. We had a for instance this week, we send Maddy to a wonderful school one day a week which has helped her tremendously come out of her shell.This time last year she was barely making eye contact with other students or teachers,now it has made a huge difference. This week however their schedule was going to change and they were offering new classes in place of the ones she was accustomed to.She became highly anxious to go to school because she didn't know if the same girls she was close to were going to be in her classes. Well, we had a snow day much to her relief and so another week will now go by. I believe when we get her therapy dog she will have a dependable constant who will be on her side and give her that extra boost of confidence. I have met with a mom who has a daughter much like mine and their therapy dog has made a huge difference with school and social situations. I still am going to push and start my program to bring therapy dogs into school to qualm the bullying issue, I still believe in my heart that dogs are here to make our lives better no matter what the challenges are.