Keys Stories, Part 1 - Another Adventure Begins!

At the beginning of October, Mom, Dad and I went on vacation to the Florida Keys, our favorite place in the world.  We love traveling and having adventures together, and being on vacation together is the BEST.

Our Keys trips always start out with two very long days of driving, which means a lot of napping on my part.

Cozy in the back seat with a blankie
& momma's jacket as a pillow

But during the second day of driving, we made it to Florida, a strange land of most astonishing beasts.

Sure, I've seen dolphins before,
but never one with such unusual markings,
and never at a rest stop

Speaking of astonishing beasts . . .

We saw these Sandhill Cranes hanging out next to a McDonald's parking lot somewhere in Florida, where I was taking a potty break.  

Mom didn't see them at first, but you should have seen the look on her face when these FIVE FOOT TALL birds startled her with a sound right out of Jurassic Park.  I think she jumped a foot off the ground.  Luckily they only sounded like velociraptors, and did not exhibit any predatory behavior.

After more riding in the car (Florida is a very, very long state), we finally reached our destination for the first part of our trip, Key Largo. 

On our first day in Key Largo, Mom and I were so excited that we woke up before it was daylight and took an early morning walkie under the stars.  We walked to the other side of the island and saw the ATLANTIC OCEAN.  When we got back to the hotel, it was just starting to get light outside. 

Morning view from our room in Key Largo

After I had my breakfast, we went looking for breakfast for the humans.  Unfortunately our favorite breakfast place from last year had gone out of business, so we decided to give Mrs. Mac's Kitchen a try, since we had heard so many good things about it and they had an outdoor seating area.  We checked to see if it was dog-friendly and then got a table in the shade.  Then a very nice lady brought me a huge bowl of water with ice, and we knew we had come to the right place.  (If you want to hear more about Mrs. Mac's, check out Mom's review on TripAdvisor.)  Mom and dad both said the food was wonderful, but the best part was that the people there were so nice and friendly.  I think they really liked me.

The cool cement floor felt good

THIS is what I call excellent service 

Where's Garth?

I was tired after the morning's excitement, so when we went back to the hotel, I napped while Mom & Dad explored a nearby canal on paddleboards, and then snorkeled in front of the hotel.  Then we all went to one of our favorite Key Largo places for dinner, Snook's.  Snook's is very dog-friendly (in fact, they host Yappy Hour to raise money for a local rescue group), they have excellent food, and they're right on Buttonwood Bay.  All the waiters stopped by to say hi to me.

Evening on Buttonwood Bay, view from Snook's

Yellow dog on a bench

Looking for sea creatures

Not cooperating for photos

After dinner, we went back to our hotel and watched the sunset.

A beautiful end to a beautiful first day in Key Largo.

  

#ScoopThatPoop - The Poetry of Poop

For the third Scoop That Poop Blog Hop, we will be raising awareness about the importance of scooping poop by . . . writing poetry.  Yes, you read that right.  Scoop That Poop will be hosting a poetry contest, sponsored by Earth Rated Poop Bags.  For details about the contest and to enter, check out my pal Sugar's latest post at Golden Woofs.

I wrote a poem about how much I like to eat poop, but mom reminded me that the focus of Scoop That Poop is to encourage people to pick up poop and dispose of it properly -- and she says eating poop is not disposing of it properly.  There's no point in arguing with her.  So I wrote another poem . . . 

Garth's Poop Poem

We all need clean water to drink,

Because, you know, there is a link,

Between water pollution and doggy poo,

But there is something we all can do:

Always pick up your doggie's poop,

Use a bag, or use a scoop,

It doesn't matter how you do it,

Just pick it up, do it, DO IT.

Another Poop Poem by Garth

Some people say that poop is icky,

But leaving poop can make you sickie,

Dog poop contains lots of germs:

Bacteria, viruses, even worms.

Rain washes poop into the Bay,

And all the rivers, where we play,

So when you do not pick up poop,

The rivers & oceans become poop soup.

This is water where we swim and drink,

We don't want poop in it, don't you think?

See, it's easy.  Just write a poem, go to Golden Woofs to enter your poem, and maybe win some great Earth Rated Poop Bags.

Many thanks to Earth Rated for sponsoring 

the third Scoop That Poop Blog Hop 

and Poop Poetry Contest.

I'm exhausted after that burst of creative genius

Wordless Wednesday: SUP Pup

Travelin' Tuesday - Pet Travel Tips!

Mom, Dad, and I LOVE to travel together.  Because I'm such a good traveler, I get to go with them almost everywhere they go.

When we're vacationing, people often come up to us and ask to pet me because they miss their dogs at home.  Why not bring them along next time?

In honor of National Dog Week, my friends at Priority One Jets shared 5 Tips For Traveling With Your Dog.  These are all great tips, especially the one about learning Pet First Aid.  Mom took a Pet First Aid & CPR class at our local Red Cross, and she carries a pet first aid kit with her whenever we go hiking and whenever we travel.  Check out American Red Cross to find a class near you.  If you can't find a class, you can get the American Red Cross Pet First Aid book they used in the class at Amazon.com.  For some pet first aid basics, see AAHA HealthyPet.com, and for a list of what to include in your first aid kit, see The Humane Society of the United States - Your Pet's First Aid Kit.

Speaking of first aid, whenever possible it's better to avoid an injury than to treat it.  So when you travel to a far-away place, keep in mind that the environment is probably different from back home, and different kinds of creatures might live there and different things might grow there.  Some of these creatures and plants could be dangerous to your dog.  Find out ahead of time about any potential hazards -- like alligators, poisonous toads, venomous snakes, porcupines, prickly plants, etc. -- so you'll know to be on the lookout and avoid the types of areas where they can be found.

For even more travel tips, see my mom's guest blog post Road Trip! 7 Tips on Traveling with Your Dog.

Happy Travels!

Sunday Service Dog Blog Hop - Therapy Dog FAQs

Today is the first ever Sunday Service Dog Blog Hop.  The Sunday Service Dog Blog Hop was created by Oz the Terrier, Carma Poodale, and me, with the help of our assistants, to help educate people about service dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support animals, and the very important and very different roles they play.  

Infographic by Sugar's mom

I am a therapy dog, so Mom and I get a lot of questions about therapy dogs.  Here are some of the questions we have received:

What's the difference between a therapy dog and a service dog? 

At BarkWorld I met Mr. Bean,
a service dog in training

A service dog is a dog specifically trained to do work or perform specific tasks for a person who is disabled.  (Service dogs are also called assistance dogs, and they include guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs, mobility dogs, medical alert dogs, medical assistance dogs, and psychiatric service dogs.)  You should not pet a service dog.

A therapy dog is a dog who visits hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, etc. to spend time with people and make them feel better.  Therapy dogs must be trained and well-mannered, and in some places are required to pass the Canine Good Citizen test and be certified by an organization such as Therapy Dogs Incorporated.  People are encouraged to pet therapy dogs -- that's their job!

For a more detailed explanation, see my mom's post Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, & Emotional Support Animals - Important Differences.

Sleeping on the job
(Being a therapy dog is hard work)

Can you take him (meaning me, Garth) on an airplane? 

No.  Therapy dogs do not have the same access privileges as service dogs, so they are not allowed to accompany their owners on planes, into restaurants, or into other places where dogs are not allowed but where service dogs are allowed by law.

Do you ever want to use the therapy dog vest to get your dog into places where dogs aren't allowed? 

NO.  NO.  NO.  Not only is this a violation of the Therapy Dogs Incorporated ethics and against the law in some places, it's just WRONG to misrepresent a pet as a service dog.  Therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs and don't have the same access rights.  

What's the harm in pretending a pet is a service dog?  
When people misrepresent pets as service dogs, it makes life more difficult for the people who have a legitimate need for service dogs.  Restaurant, hotel, and store owners don't take service dogs seriously when pet dogs are routinely misrepresented as service dogs and behave badly.  Unfortunately this is happening more and more frequently because it's easy to obtain fake service dog credentials over the internet.  People with disabilities who have a legitimate need for service dogs are facing increased discrimination and denied access because of fake service dogs.  We think this is appalling.  If you're considering misrepresenting your dog as a service dog, first consider this: do you really want to make life more difficult for those who need service dogs?

What type of therapy do you do?

For some reason mom always thinks this question is funny.  She wants to answer something like "aromatherapy" or "massage therapy" or "Jungian psychotherapy", but I have to remind her that most people don't really understand what therapy dogs do.  When she explains that we primarily just visit with people and let them pet us, many people give her a blank look.  But just a dog's presence has a very calming influence for many humans, and petting a dog lowers a human's blood pressure.  One woman told us that our visit with her father at a rehab center was the best thing that had happened in months.  He had been in and out of hospitals and rehab centers, and she said just the act of petting a dog gave him a sense of normalcy that felt REALLY good.

Sleep therapy

Where do you do your therapy work?

Mom and I have visited hospitals, assisted living facilities, long term care facilities, rehab centers, and libraries -- we even visit a local law school during exams to help the students with their stress.  We also attend events such as the Special Olympics.  Some of our therapy dog friends go to schools and let children read to them.

How often do you do your therapy dog work?

Because mom works full-time and has a part-time job as a hike leader and another part-time job as my blogging assistant, our schedule is pretty limited.  We try to do a therapy visit at least once a month.  We're required to do one visit a quarter to remain certified and nine visits a year to retain our Caring Canines membership.

Do you work with other doggies or alone?

There are usually a bunch of therapy dog teams at each visit.  At some facilities we split up and go room to room visiting with patients, but at other places we all visit with everyone in a common area.  Some of our friends do visits where they are the only dog.  It depends upon the facility and the needs of the patients.

Do you work with little humans or regular-sized humans?

Both  - it depends upon the visit.  We went to the Children's Hospital for our last visit, and we visited with little humans, but most of our visits have been with regular-sized humans.

How much training is required to be a therapy dog?

That depends on a huge number of factors -- whether your dog already knows basic manners, their maturity level, how much time you can spend with them, and whether they have issues they need to overcome.  To become a therapy dog, a dog must learn basic manners and be able to remain calm in a variety of different situations.  

Therapy dogs must remain calm in a variety of different situations (such as when sitting next to a giant misshapen Holstein
wearing a night shirt)

Where can I buy a therapy dog?

You don't buy a therapy dog.  If someone tries to sell you one, be suspicious.  If you have a dog with the right temperament, you can train him or her and then take the Canine Good Citizen and therapy dog certification tests to become a therapy dog team.  Many of my therapy dog friends were adopted from shelters and rescues and trained to be therapy dogs.

You don't have to be a yellow lab to be a therapy dog

How do you become a therapy dog?

See my page How to Become a Therapy Dog.  

Why did you become a therapy dog?

Mom says I'm a very special dog, and I'm very good at making people smile, so she wanted to share me with others who could perhaps use a smile.

Sharing my smile at the 2013 RSPCA Dog Jog

What's the best thing about being a therapy dog?

I love people and I love attention.  I love petting and bellyrubbing, and I love meeting new people who can pet me and give me bellyrubs.  

The work of a therapy dog never ends

Have a fabulous Service Dog Sunday!!!

Be a SCOOPER HERO! Garth's TOP TEN Reasons to #ScoopThatPoop

What's a Scooper Hero? A dog parent who scoops up and properly disposes of their dog's poop.

Be A SCOOPER HERO  

Garth's Top Ten Reasons to Scoop That Poop

1. Nobody likes to step in poo (ick)

2. Nobody wants their dog eating poo (double ick per momma)

3. Keep it Clean - Picking up after your dog keeps our trails, sidewalks, streets, and neighborhoods clean for other users to enjoy

4. Keep it Dog-Friendly - More places would be dog friendly if more people picked up after their dogs (a lot of beaches, parks, & other places are closed to dogs for this reason)

5. We all need clean water for drinking & swimming - Dog poop affects our drinking water & the water quality of our streams, rivers, oceans, lakes, bays, canals, etc. (see my mom's post Dog Poop and Drinking Water for more information)

6. Poo smells bad and attracts flies (ick)

7. Disease - Dog poop contains parasites and LOTS of bacteria (way more than other types of poop), and can spread diseases to people and other dogs

8. Be Green - Picking up poop is good for the environment; dog poop is NOT natural and doesn't degrade quickly

9. Dog poop is NOT fertilizer; composting doesn't get poop hot enough to kill the bacteria

10. Picking up after your dog is part of being a good neighbor and a responsible pet parent

It's easy to be a Scooper Hero . . . 

When your dog does this:

You do this:

. . . and then dispose of it in a trash can.  

(Don't forget this very important part.)

Today is our second Scoop That Poop day, hosted by Sugar the Golden Retriever/Golden Woofs, Oz the Terrier, Gizmo's Terrier Torrent, My GBGV Life, Boingy Dog, and me.  Scoop That Poop was created by our friends at Golden Woofs to raise awareness of the importance of
ALWAYS picking up after your dog.

*SUPER SCOOPER Exciting News*

Dogster has joined our Scoop That Poop campaign.  They created this cool infographic, which is an excellent summary of the most important reasons to scoop that poop (great minds think alike, right?):

We encourage everyone to copy the infographic and share it on Twitter, FB, G+, Pinterest, etc.

(To copy the infographic, click on 
the image and save on your desktop.)

When sharing, use the hashtag #ScoopThatPoop.

Be sure to check out Golden Woofs and Dogster on a Mission to Scoop That Poop and the Scoop That Poop campaign website, and follow Scoop That Poop on Twitter at @Scoop_That_Poop.

Announcing the Sunday Service Dog Blog Hop - to be held on Sunday, September 29

Next Sunday, September 29, my pals Oz the Terrier and Carma Poodale and I will host the Sunday Service Dog Blog Hop.  

The purpose of this blog hop is to educate people about service dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support animals, and the very important and very different roles they play.  It can be confusing, so my mom wrote a post to try to help people understand the differences -- Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, & Emotional Support Animals - Important Differences.     

Please join us for the blog hop, by posting, linking your post, and/or visiting and sharing the posts.  You don't have to be a service dog, therapy dog, or emotional support animal to participate -- everyone is welcome to join us in sharing information.

Because I'm a therapy dog, I will be posting primarily about therapy dogs.  I plan to post responses to Frequently Asked Questions about therapy dogs.  

What questions do you have about therapy dogs?  Please share your questions in the comments below then check back during the blog hop for my responses.

I hope you have a fabulous Sunday!!!