I have an update from Sherri in California!  She has Elviria from our first litter and Zane from our last litter.  Zane is now 18 months old and it looks like he is starting to grow up!  This past summer he achieved his CGC title with AKC, but now he is taking things a step farther.

Meet the newest Animal Assisted Therapy Dog for Animals Samaritans SPCA!   Yes, Zane took his temperament test for the therapy group Elvira and I work with and passed with flying colors.  It wasn’t easy.  The trainer who does the testing is also the trainer I work for, Zane has trained with,  and Zane’s sometime dog sitter.  So she was extra tough on him and exaggerated many of the behaviors he needed to contend with.  I was worried his reactions would be too much puppy play coming out.  But he held it together.

So within the next two weeks I will start easing him into work.  Will probably start with a lock down adult mental health rehab facility.  The clients will be able to handle and enjoy Zane’s over enthusiasm.  Actually they have followed him growing and maturing through photos I have shared with them.  They have been waiting to meet him.

Zane has great potential.  When we took our RV trip last month we spent time with a very close friend who is battling pancreatic cancer. He had a med dispensing shunt inserted in his chest and carried a small battery pump over his shoulder.  I do not allow my dogs on other people’s furniture (they totally have freedom in my house!) unless they are invited up.  Zane was doing drive-byes to say hi to Bill.  Bill patted the sofa next to him for Zane to come up.  I gave him the command to do so.  Zane was sitting on Bill’s side where the shunt was inserted.  Bill was slumped down on the sofa with his head back.  Zane gingerly leaned over and began licking Bill’s face all over, he never does that.  I don’t promote that and began to tell him to stop, but Bill insisted he be allowed to do it.  The smile on Bill’s face over ruled my instinct to stop the behavior.  Then Zane very carefully began to lay himself across Bill’s chest.  I tried to stop him for fear he would pull on the shunt but Bill waved me off and said it was all OK.  Again, Bill’s enjoyment of the moment was the important thing.  Bill began to doze off (happens a lot because of the treatments, etc.) and Zane raised his head and snuggled up against Bill’s neck.  They stayed like that for about five minutes, then Zane got up and went and played with Elvira.  Bill’s wife told me she hadn’t seen him smile that much in weeks.  The magic of these precious dogs……………………Another success story for a puppy from Anutta Standard Poodles!Sherri

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People, THIS is why I breed dogs.  If my pups can bring a tiny bit of light to a person with terminal cancer I have done my job.  Bravo Zane… Bravo.

~Becky