Brownie the Therapy Dog

Brownie had a long visit with a Bosnian woman on Friday.  The woman spoke no English, and Brownie was entranced by her.  She spoke at length to Brownie, stroked Brownie's ears, rubbed Brownie's neck and Brownie gazed at her adoringly.  So, I can only assume that Brownie speaks Bosnian.  The patient's daughter told me her mother had lost her dog not long ago, a much adored lab brought over from Bosnia with the patient. 

We saw the patient Brownie liked so much from last week.  Hopefully, we won't be seeing this patient next week as she anticipated going home the next day.  Brownie perched right up in her chair and soaked up the love. 

We saw an older gentleman who ran Brownie's soft ears through red hands with swollen joints.  He took her face in his hands and told her how pretty she was. 

We were standing talking to a patient who'd been out for a walk when Brownie started whining.  She saw her first patient of the day, the Bosnian woman, being wheeled to the elevator.  She wiggled over to her new friend and visited with her some more.  Brownie was quite taken with this patient, so I think this must be a good person.  Brownie is a fairly good judge of character.

Brownie and I had another lovely day at the hospital on Friday.  She saw all of her buddies and got all kinds of love. 

One of the patients we saw was a morbidly obese woman who was bedridden.  Brownie thought this patient was pretty wonderful.  She perched right up in her chair next to the bed and received an ear rub.  Another patient was an elderly man who had his own dog at home he was missing.  He wanted Brownie right in bed with him, and she left a circle of dog hair on his bedspread as evidence of her visit.  She just laid right down on the bed and rested her head on his leg.  I know I love it when she does that to me.  She looks at me with those adoring eyes.  What's not therapeutic about that?

But then, I'm fond of adoring dog eyes.  There are some of the dogs at the shelter that are such fantastic dogs, and will make someone a wonderful entertaining companion.

If I had room, I would love to have my girl Lexie.  She is absolutely a charmer.  Her personality is sweet as sugar.  She definitely has adoring beautiful eyes.

Lexie

And she's a smoochie girl.

Smooches

We have another big boy, Ben, who was burned in a fire.  I think he'd make a terrific therapy dog, especially to take into burn units.

Gentle Ben

He's just a lamb, he's the first dog we have volunteers see because he's so friendly and gentle.

A respiratory therapist deemed Brownie her favorite therapy dog because of Brownie's happy waddle.  You know, the dogs that come up to you wiggling their hineys in pure joy.  Brownie does that all the time.  It's quite a thrill to see a smiling wriggling dog come up to you, happy just to see you. Hospital workers can really use that thrill in the middle of a stressful day. 

Brownie saw one of her favorite people at the hospital, a food service worker, and she practically drug me over to him. It made his day.

The other therapy dogs there are perfectly happy to be petted and visited, but they don't seek out the employees like Brownie does.  I'm sure this contributes to her popularity. 

She also visited some patients.  One patient was a senior citizen who missed her own dog at home.  Brownie climbed right into bed with her (after being invited, of course).  The patient kissed and hugged Brownie.  Brownie was putting out the healing vibes.

We always visit my mother's cranky shut in neighbor after going to the hospital.  The woman can be quite unpleasant, but she's always happy to see Brownie.  The lady always tells me that seeing the dogs makes her day.  It's a small thing and a few minutes for me, but a big deal for her..

Gimme a sniff of that

For some time, I have fantasized about my fourth dog.  When I graduate from nursing school, I'm going to have this or that dog.  I love Nigil from my shelter, I love the Chinese Cresteds, and have thought about getting a little girl to match my Ming.

My fourth dog just came into the yard, though.  He chose me.  He wandered into my yard about a month ago.  I checked him for a microchip without success then found him a home.  I felt lucky that I found a nice couple for him.  They are quite nice, and the wife is allergic to the little guy.

So, here is dog number four.  I'm calling him Paco, and he's a chihuahua mix.  Mixed with what?  I don't know.  I don't know much about the breed, and I guess he could be a purebred. 

He was skin and bones with an embedded collar when he wandered into the yard.  The people who took him in thought to get some weight on him before having him neutered and vaccinated, so both were done yesterday by me.  He has gained a bit of weight, and he's a darling, cute little guy. 

Serious face

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Big ol smile

Brownie's cute butt was the buzz at the hospital today.  At least amongst the people I was talking to.  There were many comments made about the cuteness of her rear.  Brownie's backside does have oodles of character.  She has what I call extra skin, but what others (some I call Mom) call fat.

There was scratching aplenty of her hiney.  The dog has no shame when it comes to butt scratching.  If there is a nurse or tech she knows has the golden fingers she craves, she presents them with her back end and a smile over her shoulder.

She has quite the hip action as well.  I've been told that is a beagle attribute.  She wiggles her hips when she walks, and puts some extra action into it when she's coming up on someone she likes. 

I can't argue.  I'm including a photo of her for all to see.  That's a nice butt!!!

Brownie's butt

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Brownie spent the morning getting dolled up for her afternoon at the hospital.  She smelled and looked wonderful after her first visit to the groomer.  I usually just take her to the closest place and get her nails nipped.  I've always washed her myself at home.  Today, she saw Ming's groomer and had her nails and a bath done for about the price of just a nail clip.  Taking her to the groomer is better than taking her to the dog park before going to the hospital.  She was tired, but well behaved.

We started on the top floor of the hospital where she had two requests.  People stopped me in the hallway to ask me to visit their loved ones.  Brownie was in demand and she came through beautifully. 

We were in one patient's room when the nurse came in to ask about his pain meds.  He was much more interested in petting Brownie.  She was helping him feel better.  She might not have actually relieved his pain,  but she obviously took his mind off of it. 

We visited one man whose wife had asked us to stop by his room.  Brownie hopped right up into her chair next to his bed, got a pat on the head and tried to hop right down.  The guy said he was feeling better and Brownie must realize that.  I told him he was right.  Brownie does spend more time with the sicker patients. 

We went to one room and visited the patient in the first bed.  It was a young woman, and Brownie was very happy to see her.  She perched in her chair and when the visit was over I had to ask her to get down.  Normally Brownie jumps right down as soon as she can, eager to move on.  Not with this girl.  The woman in the second bed was wandering through the room.  I took Brownie to the chair next to this patient's bed, and as soon as the woman realized Brownie was waiting to see her she jumped into her bed.  Brownie took the initiative to hop right into bed with this patient.  Brownie has never gotten into a bed without being asked at the hospital. The patient's nurse, and two techs were in the room and smiled when Brownie snuggled the patient.  This patient needed a Brownie fix more than anyone we've seen.  She petted Brownie, snuck her a bite or two of her dessert and gave Brownie a big hug.  When we finally left this patient, I found out the woman has been restless and wandering the floor.  The nurses were trying to get her into the bed and get rid of her agitation.  Brownie was just the ticket.   This patient was restless and unhappy.  With Brownie looking into her eyes, she smiled. 

I find that Brownie is exceptionally good with emotionally disturbed patients.  I can always tell because Brownie tries to be physically close to these patients.  She has such wonderful judgment about which patients need her the most. 

This is the floor with some of Brownie's favorite nurses and techs.  People love to show me pictures of their dogs.  I saw one tech's adorable dog on his cell phone.  I know I've shown off my dogs at work.  I have all kinds of photos on my pda. 

I was so proud of Brownie today.  She truly made people feel better. 

Exhausted after a hard day at work

Brownie and I were back in action on Friday afternoon.  I worked in the morning, ran home after work, played with the dogs for a little bit and drove back to the hospital with Brownie so she could visit her therapy patients.  I get complaints now if we miss a week.

One of our first patients was so happy to see Brownie.  The patient's husband used to train police dogs, and they've always had dogs around the house.  She misses her pets while she's in the hospital.  Brownie really liked her, too.  Brownie perched in her chair next to the patient's bed and gave her the star treatment.  I know how wonderful I feel when she looks at me with love in her eyes, that good feeling must be multiplied if one is sick and lying in a hospital bed.

Another favorite of Brownie's this week was a patient on one of the floors that I work.  I didn't recognize her, but she is an RN on that floor.  She got sick and had to be hospitalized.   She wanted to be on the floor she works at. 

A couple of the patients we saw wanted a visit from pet therapy.  I always call into the room to ask before we enter.  There are people who don't want her.  Two patients this week wanted the visit, but didn't really want to pet Brownie.  They looked at my girl sitting in her chair and smiled.  Brownie is quite beautiful, I guess just the sight of her was enough.  I think they probably felt so rotten that they couldn't manuever their bodies to get to her. She's too big to jump on the bed, to small to reach from the side of the bed and sitting in her chair next to the bed isn't always the best position for patients to reach her. 

Brownie used all her cheering up skills this week.  She was a good girl, as usual. 

Another beautiful profile

I haven't posted any photos in awhile.  Clinicals are sucking up all my time, but I finally downloaded what I've got on my camera, and there are a few I like.

Here's a photo of pretty Mimzy from work, after getting a nice makeover.  I'm kind of partial to her, she is a powderpuff Chinese Crested.  Same breed as Ming, she just has hair.

Miss Mimzy

Here's a cute photo of Ming's little face.

Ming's little face

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Here's a photo of my precious Brownie, snoozing on the floor.

Tired Brownie

Logan enjoying my mother's lap.

Logan on his grammy

Brownie was extra good today.  We saw a kid in the ICU, he looked like a teenager to me.  She gazed at him, and loved him up.  She was so sweet.  The patient thought Brownie was beautiful, I agreed.

We visited one of her favorite floors, the nurses really know how to give her a good scratching.  The funny thing is, that has not been one of my favorites during work.  To be fair, I only spent one day there.  She loves the nurses station.  There is one nurse who adores Brownie, she scratches Brownie's back and gives Brownie dog biscuits.  Brownie thinks that nurse is a true healer.

Brownie wiggled up to her favorite unit secretary.  She wanted love, but no treats from this woman.  I guess she wasn't hungry, she just wanted a good scratch. 

We visited one patient, I think her family wanted her to have a visit more than the patient wanted it.  The woman said Brownie was only interested in me.  Brownie does look at me often to take her cues, to know whether I'm pleased with her or not.  Especially at the hospital, where she is mostly around people she doesn't know well, she looks to me for guidance.  I think some people miss having that attention from their own dogs.  Others are just glad for what they get from Brownie.  I suppose that is true of all people, some want what they don't have, some just appreciate what they've got.

I worked all morning then had my mother bring Brownie to me at the hospital.  She took Brownie for a run in the park and drove to the hospital.  Brownie was already a bit tired because my mom gave her more of a walk than I would have.  Brownie was pretty excited when my mom drove up, she was both at the hospital and there was her mommy all at once.  Brownie is my velcro dog, she loves my mom but she is shadowing me if I am home. 

She has her favorite hospital staff.  Anyone who has ever given her anything edible is high on her list.  If she has received something more than one time from someone, she remembers and seeks out that person.   We were walking down the hall on one floor and the social worker's office was open.  Brownie walked right in, then looked at me because the office was empty.  The social worker on that floor has given Brownie numerous treats, and also scratches Brownie's butt.  I saw a friend from school who works on the floor, and told her to tell the social worker that Brownie was disappointed.  So my friend got the social worker and we all returned to her office.  Brownie trotted right next to the social worker, ears perky and tail in the air.  Brownie walked in her office and over to the cupboard where she keeps the treats with an expectant gleam in her eyes.  I could skip a month of visiting that floor, and Brownie would remember that woman the next time we saw her.  She'd remember the office and also the treat cupboard. 

Since Brownie was a little less energetic than usual, she didn't spend as much time with each patient.  She also sits longer with the sicker patients.  We saw one gentleman getting ready to check out, he was just waiting for staff to come wheel him out.  Brownie sniffed him a few times, got a couple of ear rubs and turned around to leave the room.  Another woman on the same floor who was in worse condition got the star treatment.  Brownie hopped into the chair next to the patient's bed and gazed lovingly into the woman's eyes.  Brownie decides who needs her services more.  She'll give anyone a visit of a few minutes, but she'll only sit patiently for longer periods of time for her chosen few. 

This dog is endlessly entertaining to me.  I love watching her work the hospital staff and pick and choose the patients she loves up.  She has a definite agenda when she arrives at the hospital.  She has her work day mapped out when she gets there.

Having her nap

Here she is having her post workday nap.  I wish everyone could hear her snoring, she sounds like a buzzsaw.