Misunderstanding the therapy dog role

photo by Françoise

You might be wondering why Gail has a pot plant growing out of her head, but that is not the point of this post. 

Perhaps you have already deduced that the photo above was not taken in our house. 

We were visiting Gail's friend Françoise, who is currently stuck at home recuperating from a nasty three-times broken and still painful ankle. 

I have often fantasised about being a therapy dog, going round bringing joy to people who need cheering up by jumping all over them and licking their wounds.  Grateful 'clients' insisting on showering me with treats has always been an important part of the fantasy.

But to be honest, the whole experience the other day was rather disappointing, as I was kept on a short lead throughout the visit and was restrained from touching Françoise's ankle or even getting close to her. There was a distressing absence of dog treats too (although I noticed that the humans had cake).

I asked Gail why everything was so boring and she said I had misunderstood what is required of a therapy dog and first and foremost I needed to be aware that it's not all about me...

What???

Birthday Boy, Burns Night, and "Be more Nobby"

Nobby's birthday haggis

Haggis, neeps and tatties

Readers can be forgiven for not realising it was my birthday on Thursday and I have now reached the grand age of two years old. After all, it seems my owner Gail had barely noticed.

You would have thought that, given the choice between spending the morning playing with her favourite pet and giving him birthday treats, or joining her friends for a cold damp bicycle ride to Monymusk and back, she would have chosen the former. But you would be wrong.

Recognising that I share my birthday with Scotland's greatest poet, you would have thought Gail would arrange for a special canine-focussed Burns Supper for yours truly, with bagpipes, haggis, an Address to the Bitches and a recitation of 'The Twa Dogs'. But that also was not to be. 

It is true I was given a hasty bowl of the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties before Gail abandoned me again to attend a live screening from the National Theatre of a play called 'Dear England'.

'Yes you read that right. She went to see a play titled 'Dear England' on Burns Night in Scotland!!!

I will admit, when Gail told me the play was about the England football team under their current manager Gareth Southgate and it featured a whole scene celebrating my namesake, 1960s footballer, Nobby Stiles, I felt a bit less aggrieved.  Especially when I learnt that this scene has the team all dancing to a chant of 'Be more Nobby'.*

'Be more Nobby!'

You don't get that in Shakespeare...

*Gail says: I rather doubt that the 'Be more Nobby' thing will be comprehensible to most readers of this blog and to be honest I'm not sure I'm up to attempting a full explanation. Let's just say it's about expressing one's feelings in an unselfconscious manner, not worrying too much about how you look. If you watch from 3:40 to 3:50 of this video (click here) you might get the idea! The play, incidentally, was hugely enjoyable - witty, original, warm-hearted, and at times surprisingly touching.

Nobby's Ode to Winter Weather

My offering today is a wee poem, suitable (I hope) for the LLB Gang's Nature Friday and for YAM-aunty's Final Friday Feature. 

Climate Change in a Week

My heart's aglow,

When I see snow.

But as for slush,

Not so much. 

Don't slip on ice,

Is good advice.

Ceaseless gales,

Bring more travails.

Now we have rain.

Oh not AGAIN!

What a bummer.

When is Summer?

PS As some of my readers know, yesterday was my 2nd birthday. I shall be posting about my not entirely satisfactory 'celebrations' later in the weekend...

The dawn explorer

In-between storms Isha and Jocelyn, Nobby successfully negotiates the narrow passageway under Aberdeen's King George VI Bridge, keeping his paws dry. 

P.S. Gail shares her (middle) name with the second of these storms. She suspects there will never be a Storm Gail - that would be too confusing! 

Nobby and the Book Group

 
I am wondering whether any of my readers, or their humans, are members of a book group? 

Gail's book group was supposed to meet at our house last week, and it was to my great disappointment that due to the snowy weather they decided to conduct the gathering on Zoom instead. 

One usually hopes to snaffle some foodables while the book group ladies' attention is elsewhere. 

I was however able to eavesdrop on their on-line discussion about the latest novel (selected by Gail) and I am pleased to report that they had a lively debate, as some loved 'Death and the Penguin' by Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov, and others did not. 

I was a bit surprised that this book was not universally popular*, as surely the presence of a penguin as one of the principal characters could not fail to delight. 

When I looked at the list of past books read by the group I realised that there is a glaring absence in the subject matter they have covered to date. 

Where are the books featuring dogs?

Gail tells me that not everyone in her book group is a dog lover and in fact at least one member is notably uncomfortable around my species. Which got me thinking.

Perhaps my readers could suggest a book - fiction or non-fiction - which might prompt those friends of Gail who are not convinced about delights of canine companionship to reconsider?

*For the record, Gail greatly enjoyed the dark humour of this satire on society in 1990s Ukraine. 

Just a big kid...

It seems to me that my owner Gail is something of a hypocrite. 

One minute she is lecturing me on how I should be conducting myself like a proper grown up dog now that I am nearly two years old. 

And then I observe how, well into her seventh decade, she's been acting like a big kid all week just because we have a few inches of snow. 

Domestic chores have been neglected, paperwork has piled up, errands remained unrun, all just so Gail can go out and play in the Winter Wonderland that is NE Scotland right now. She says the snow probably won't last long and it's important to seize the moment.

OK. I admit. It has been fun. 

Especially when the sun came out for our walk around Dunecht Estate on Wednesday afternoon and the snow was all sparkling and powdery, the silver birch bark glistened and the skies were crystal blue.

Or even better on Thursday morning, when Gail's cycling group deemed the snowy roads not safe for two wheels (hooray!) and instead Gail and her friend Anne took me for a magical walk through the shifting dunes of Forvie Nature Reserve (momentarily stabilised by snow and ice), and onto the deserted beach where the only disappointment was the complete lack of other dogs to chase.

Happy Nature Friday! 

Nordic Nobby

Finally, Proper Snow! 

First thing Monday morning, Duthie Park had a covering of about two inches.

After persistent flurries throughout the day, a ski-able amount had accumulated, and Gail's friends posted this photo from nearby Kirkhill Forest.

What are we waiting for Gail?

I'm thrilled to report that I did not have to wait long, and on Tuesday morning I was invited to join Gail and her friend Anita for a cross country skiing outing on nearby Hazlehead Golf Course.

Gail is thrilled to report that Nobby passed his first proper try out as cross country skiing companion with flying colours. He behaved like a perfect gent throughout the two hours Anita and I were enjoyably swooshing around the golf course. He didn't bark at the skis, run off, chase after other dogs or get in the way, and he even endured the obligatory snowball removal process at the end of the outing with good grace! 

Forest comparisons

So Gail has been going on and on about all the splendid forest walks she enjoyed in the Puget Sound area over Christmas and New Year.

Apparently the trees were bigger than here, the ferns and mosses more abundant, the fungi slimier and the stream crossings more challenging.

Soon I'd heard quite enough, and it was time to go out for a walk and remind Gail that we have lovely woodlands here in Aberdeenshire too. 

And there's still one thing we do even better than Washington state...

MUD!! 

A suggestion for friends in the Pacific Northwest

I was shocked, yes SHOCKED, to learn that on one day, when Gail was staying in Tacoma with her friend Marse, the two dogs DB and Josh did not get a walk, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING A BIT!

Now I have checked up on the weather statistics for that particular date - it was Tuesday 2nd January - and found out, yes it did indeed rain all day in the Pacific Northwest region. However, I am also aware that we are not here talking about Florida-style thunderstorms, Oklahoma tornadoes, Gulf Coast hurricanes, monsoons in Mumbai or Shetland Island gales. Rather we are dealing with heavy drizzle and light winds.

What do we do in Scotland on such a day? 

Do we stay indoors all day? 

We do not. 

WE USE AN UMBRELLA! 

Gail has this pretty, flowery one (we hope the flowers, together with the weather theme, will help qualify this post for Nature Friday).

It is larger and more robust than one of those telescopic affairs that ladies can fit in their handbags, but not as heavy as the typical golfing umbrella. There is a handy handle which can be hooked over the arm when the human needs to use both hands, for example when holding a lead while picking up dog poop.

With such an umbrella, your human can take you out for a rainy walk and her coat will stay mostly dry and her shoes will not end up saturated. She will not even have to flatten her hair by wearing a hat.

I highly recommend such an item to Gail's friends in the rainy part of Washington State.  

Your dogs will thank you for it! 

 

We're delighted once again to join the LLB Gang's always wonderful Nature Friday blog hop.

The much anticipated debrief on DB

So Gail, let me remind you of our deal. I permitted you to give me a thorough bath and shampoo upon my return home and now, while I cuddle up all clean and fluffy on your lap, you are to tell me about how badly your friend Marse's dog DB behaved during your stay in Tacoma. Right?

Oh Nobby, but surely you first want to hear about what a splendid time I had with Marse, her kind and generous extended family, her lovely, entertaining friends and all three of the dogs, not just DB. And the comfy 'beach house' by Minter Bay, the delicious food (including some 'interesting' experiments with a new air-fryer), the beautiful - if admittedly rather damp - walks through the moss and fern-rich forests, the glimpses of majestic Mount Rainier, and the short but invigorating kayaking sessions?

Er, frankly Gail, no. I just want to hear about how DB is naughtier than me.  

Nobby, this is very mean spirited of you. Especially as DB cannot answer back (unless he trains his human to help him comment on this blog by logging into her Google account). I absolutely insist on first telling you about the two twelve year old pups also present, Josh and Charlie. 

Well OK then (sigh...)

Josh is a fine hiker despite his age and altogether a Good Boy who will only occasionally wander off and not return when summoned. Look, he even carries his own water and food in a little backpack (as does the much younger DB). 

And then there's dear Charlie, Marse's niece Zealon's beloved golden retriever. He is a big soft sweetheart who is suffering from tumour in the mouth and other health problems but still enjoys being petted and cuddled and never ever complains.

Enough already! Time to hear about DB. I gather he is a noisy passenger in the car? 

This, Nobby, is undeniable. DB is quieter after he has been for a good long walk, but at other times a muzzle is required to reduce the decibel level to a tolerable whimper.

Oh dear. I expect you are now grateful that I am always completely silent and calm when travelling. 

You have a point Nobby. 

And how are DB's manners when out on the trail? 

Well Nobby, like you, he's a good, strong and willing hiker. His encounters with runners and cyclists can be rather fraught - one might say his conduct is erratic, a word I often use to describe your  performance at your agility training sessions...

Gail, we are supposed to be focussing here on DB's bad behaviour here, and not my rare moments of mischief.

Let me see, what else then? He has the ability to rip to shreds any stuffed toy within ten seconds flat, but to my knowledge has never, unlike a certain wire-haired fox terrier, chewed up a pair of spectacles, a bank card, a parking permit or a pink highlighter pen.

Going off message again Gail! 

DB is, I think, rather large to be a lap dog but he doesn't know that. He is perhaps a little too affectionate with the kisses on the mouth, but that's hardly a crime, is it Nobby?

I guess not. Actually he sounds quite a decent chap. As does Josh. Oh how I would love to meet them both one day. I think we could even teach each other a trick or two. 

Now how much is that plane fare to Seattle again?