Doggie Quotes:
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."- Roger Caras
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person."- Andrew A. Rooney
"Money will buy a pretty good dog but it won't buy the wag of his tail."- Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw)
"Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." - Mark Twain
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog."- Edward Hoagland
"A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down."- Robert Benchley
"Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends."- Alexander Pope
"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich."- Louis Sabin
"I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult."- Rita Rudner
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."- Josh Billings
"If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons."- James Thurber
"If you get to thinking you're a person of influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around."- Unknown
"If your dog doesn't like someone you probably shouldn't either." - Unknown
"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."- Dwight D. Eisenhower
"The biggest dog has been a pup."- Joaquin Miller
"The more I see of men, the more I admire dogs."- Jeanne-Marie Roland
"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face."- Ben Williams
"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about little puppies."- Gene Hill
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man."- Mark Twain
"No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as much as the dog does."- Christopher Morley
"To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs."- Aldous Huxley
"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you."- Mary Bly
"The dog has got more fun out of Man than Man has got out of the dog, for the clearly demonstrable reason that Man is the more laughable of the two animals."- James Thurber
"Know thyself. Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful."- Ann Landers
"A dog wags its tail with its heart."- Martin Buxbaum
Author Unknown.

Perhaps we could learn from our dogs...

1) When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
2) Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride. Allow the experience of the fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
3) When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
4) Let others know when they have invaded your territory.
5) Take naps and stretch before rising. Run, romp and play daily.
6) Thrive on attentions and let people touch you.
7) Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
8) On warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
9) When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body!
10) No matter how often you are scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout, run right back and make friends.
11) Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
12) Eat with gusto and enthusiasm, but stop when you have had enough.
13) Be loyal. Never pretend you are something you are not.
14) If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

Author Unknown.

Fetch's Story:
  Once upon a time there was a little puppy. He was cute and fuzzy and cuddly like all puppies are. But this puppy was destined to become a special puppy in ways that even he couldn't imagine. This is Fetch's story.
  Fetch became a pet therapy dog at the tender age of 2 months. He was provided with the great opportunity, due to his grandma working as a nurse, to make frequent visits to the Health Center at Bloomingdale. While "practicing" to be a pet therapy dog on one of his visits he met the Caring Paws Therapy Group. Now he is an active participant with Caring Paws by adding both Tally-Ho and Wanaque Center to his list of visits.
  Remarkably this little puppy, now an 85-pound Golden Retriever, has touched the lives of many of the people he visits. As a regular visitor to Bloomingdale, Fetch has developed a special bond over the past year with many of the residents. Many of the residents in Bloomingdale now consider Fetch their dog. This the tale of Fetch's most special person.
  Karl is Fetch's very special buddy. Karl suffered from a severe stroke years ago and can no longer speak. Before he came to reside at Bloomingdale he lived on a farm with eight dogs. Karl dearly misses his dogs. So Fetch's job is to bring the joy of an animal companion back to him. As Fetch charges down the hall to greet him, Karl's face absolutely lights up! Fetch then comes to a skidding halt in front of Karl, lightly puts his paws on Karl's legs in the wheel chair and proceeds to give his smiling face a big wet doggie kiss. Karl's smile stretches from ear to ear as he rubs his hands through the thick gold fur of the dog seated next to him. If you have ever owned a dog you will also know of those games only you and he can play. Well although Karl and Fetch only see each other once every two weeks, they have their special games to. It brings tears to my eyes to see Fetch give such unconditional love to Karl. Although Karl can't speak, he can convey his feelings to Fetch without words!
   Not only does Karl share a special bond with Fetch, but he shares one with every dog that comes to visit in our group. He loves them in all shapes, sizes and colors. Each dog is greeted with a big smile and arms reaching out to pet soft fur!
   I am thankful that Caring Paws has welcomed Fetch and myself with open arms into their program. I believe, if Karl could speak, he would tell you how grateful he is for Caring Paws as well! We hope to be participants for many years to come and to create many more magic memories.

Authored by Rachel Holden.

Copyright ©2004 Caring Paws, TDI Chapter 126