[Dailydrool] therapy dog!

[LOIS LEMA via Dailydrool]

 when I knew my bestest bud buster brown was seriously declining, I began to look for another basset to add to the herd.  sally his very bonded best friend could not handle being alone...thanks to denise rushworth, I found a litter of puppies and I was hooked.  fast forward 5 months and I picked up dexter in springfield mass.  this spatula footed long eared puppy landed in my home.  he stepped on his ears and got stuck, tripped over them and face planted, and basically faced planted  just all the time.  
while walking him over the summer I would see him approaching folks in wheelchairs and on crutches and offer himself up for attention.  I decided to enroll him in classes for canine good citizen and pre-therapy dog classes.  this past January, he passed his therapy dog certification!  (even if tho during one of his exams he brought the place to screeching halt when he screamed while standing on his ears).
he spends every sunday now visiting a senior home where the residents greet him like "norm" from cheers.  he plays and barks gets folks to play with him.  they worry about him after he has wrapped them around his huge paws..so much so they wanted to order him lunch because he looked "hungry."  one man who doesn't interact with others interacts with him.  dex checks the rooms as we walk the halls and if the resident is sleeping we pass, but if the resident so much as rolls over he stops, sits and won't move until we check the room.    he gives kisses, and gently uses his nose to open hands for pets.  I made calling cards and they are the "hot" commodity in the home.
we also visited the local university after a student passed.  he approached 3 students and placed his paws on their shoulders and leaned in with his head.  only a certain few got that special treatment....
it gives me chills to see him working his magic with people....I am so happy to be doing this, and obviously he is happy too.  I am sad that buster had to pass..but I believe he left me in good paws...and as for sally...well all of Dexter's training actually led for her to learn how to "sit" at 7.5 years so it was a bonus (she is a lot challenged but I love her dearly)
lois & dexter & sally
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