http://denver.yourhub.comThe latest blog posts in The Denver Newspaper Agency YourHub.comen-usnews@yourhub.com(c) 2009, YourHub.com5NOTE: HUMAN NAMES IN THIS STORY HAVE BEEN CHANGED This was our third visit to the Lakewood Meridian. When we entered the building we encountered a lady resident seated in an armchair near the door waiting for a driver to take her to an appointment. She was excited to see the dachshund, so as ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~579246.aspx2/11/2009 1:40:43 PMGail Kirkegaard NOTE: The names of the residents referred to in in this article are fictitious. The plan was made over a week ago to visit three bed-ridden people at The Lakewood Meridian. When we arrived, we were told two of them had passed away. One was still there, a man named "Mike," who is in hospice ca...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~573413.aspx1/28/2009 7:47:27 AMGail Kirkegaard We did our initial vist a couple of weeks ago. It was much like the visits we had at Total Longterm Care , where Jewel was not as comfortable as I had hoped she would be. I can't put my finger on whether it's wheelchairs, the fact that they are unfamiliar people, or what makes her avers...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~566555.aspx1/9/2009 2:35:01 PMGail Kirkegaard We did our initial vist a couple of weeks ago. It was much like the visits we had at Total Longterm Care , where Jewel was not as comfortable as I had hoped she would be. I can't put my finger on whether it's wheelchairs, the fact that they are unfamiliar people, or what makes her averse t...http://denver.yourhub.com/Denver/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~566537.aspx1/9/2009 1:55:54 PMGail Kirkegaard Denver Pet Partners notified teams of an opening for a therapy dog at the Lakewood Meridian. I followed up acknowledging interest in an opportunity to visit people in a setting like this. I think Jewel will enjoy one-on-one time with seniors. We're arranging our first visit to take place in t...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~560033.aspx12/18/2008 8:21:02 AMGail Kirkegaard In my last entry, I wanted to join the other photobloggers, with mine being in the therapy dog category. I confess that I can't keep up with other photobloggers. A photo a day isn't going to happen. I don't even take a picture of my therapy dog every week. My dog and I visit a little girl for...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~558494.aspx12/14/2008 9:57:47 AMGail Kirkegaard Thought I'd join the photobloggers. Today's picture is of my own miniature dachshund, Jewel. I took this while she was visiting my mother-in-law in rehab last summer. I'll gather more pictures of other therapy dogs for future entries in the photoblog.http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~552581.aspx11/26/2008 10:11:51 AMGail Kirkegaard I'm a columnist! In Examiner.com: Denver Dynamic Dogs Examiner Please take a look and pass the word to dog lovers about my column. Thanks! Gailhttp://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Pets-Animals/Blog~546934.aspx11/12/2008 12:35:12 AMGail Kirkegaard Please read about Jewel's new therapy dog work in Animal Assisted Literacy, and other activities in her life at her own blog: Jewel's Journal .http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~539039.aspx10/23/2008 10:00:53 AMGail Kirkegaard More information from Intermountain Therapy Animals . Gail Group Animal-assisted Therapy In A Hospital Setting PATIENTS: Patients in a group can have a variety of therapeutic goals including strengthening arms, balance (sitting and/or standing), visual perception, hand/...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~512153.aspx8/23/2008 2:53:24 PMGail Kirkegaard For the many people who are curious about just how a dog can help someone in a hospital or nursing home, I borrowed this information from Intermountain Therapy Animals . Gail The Use Of Animals In Rehabilitation Therapy The following are some of the therapeutic benefits in using...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~508449.aspx8/14/2008 9:13:41 PMGail Kirkegaard Jewel liked her first visit on a patient's bed this afternoon. In the past, she was the center of group visits in a busy activity center, with a handful of participants seated in chairs, and people coming and going. Not the kind of thing that bothers big dogs, but too often, it was uncomfortable ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~503400.aspx8/2/2008 7:19:07 PMGail Kirkegaard KEEP YOUR DOG AWAY FROM (certain kids of) CHEWING GUM! I just got the below message from a friend in the Columbine Dachshund Club, and promptly did a Web search. I found a site that tells us to never give Xylitol to dogs: http://www.tomsofmaine.com/Toms/ifs/xylitol.asp . Also ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~501991.aspx7/30/2008 1:59:28 PMGail Kirkegaard Jewel's on a hiatus, because my uncertain work schedule doesn't allow me to make a commitment to therapy dog activity for the time being. So I'm posting an entry about her big sister, Phoebe. You've met Phoebe in my past blogs. She's a sweet, trim and leggy, black German Shepherd and Who-Kno...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~495043.aspx7/12/2008 12:33:36 PMGail Kirkegaard Instead on the monthly meeting, Denver Pet Partners is planning several mini-workshops for June 7th. Each one will focus on a particular area of service for therapy pet teams. One session will be about special needs , such as autism. Another will be about speech, physical an...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~474723.aspx5/24/2008 12:02:51 PMGail Kirkegaard Jewel and I went to the Columbine Dachshund Club meeting this afternoon. Many people at the meeting didn't recognize me. I confess I have not been a very active member for the past couple of years. Word reached me last week that the CGC test would be given at today's meeting for any dog who i...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~462433.aspx4/27/2008 4:41:31 PMGail Kirkegaard We met some nice dogs at the April Pet Partners meeting. Some of the nicest ones are those who have had a bad start in life and need someone to commit to giving them a chance to start over in a new home. Greyhounds, bloodhounds and golden retrievers were represented at the meeting by people f...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~455177.aspx4/13/2008 1:42:16 PMGail Kirkegaard Here's my promised follow-up for the Night Owls program I told you about two Saturdays ago. I don't know how I'm going to write a blog about it, because nothing happened. Planning to go, Jewel had her kitchen sink bath, a custom before going out on her job. Then I got a call late yesterday af...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~451888.aspx4/5/2008 8:58:58 AMGail Kirkegaard "Is this as big as she will get?" I've been asked this several times. Jewel has kind of a baby look about her, even at age four. Actually, there are toy breeds which don't reach half her size. Jewel is a miniature dachshund; eleven pounds and under. The standard dachshund is b...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~448440.aspx3/29/2008 8:46:46 AMGail Kirkegaard Beginning in April, Jewel and I are going to volunteer a couple of hours on a few Friday evenings for a new respite program called " Night Owls ," which was developed to help children up to age 12 with special needs and their siblings. There could be as many as sixty children in the Night O...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~445461.aspx3/22/2008 11:21:52 AMGail Kirkegaard This isn't really about Jewel, but she's part of the reunions! A few years ago, my older sister, Cheryl, and I began organizing family reunions for our immediate family, now that all five of us kids are grown and have children of our own. The other three of our siblings are brothers, all born...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~442307.aspx3/15/2008 11:57:16 AMGail Kirkegaard Puppy was a therapy dog. He was a golden retriever who belonged to Dr. Aubrey Fine, a psychologist and Cal State Polytechnic University professor. Puppy was an important element in Dr. Fine's Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). As guest speaker at Denver Pet Partners' monthly meeting last Saturday...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~438833.aspx3/8/2008 12:31:36 AMGail Kirkegaard Today's forecast is sunny with a high of 74. Several inches of snow is expected overnight, and only 34 degrees tomorrow. I'm a Colorado native. I'm familiar with these weather extremes. News anchors will remind you to take care of your plants and pets. I've never kept a dog outside. Mine have al...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~435496.aspx3/1/2008 8:13:19 AMGail Kirkegaard My great niece is moving to southwestern Colorado. The ten year old is my sister's only grandchild. Together, they created tons of memories every summer when Kirsten visited her. She'll be living with her Grandma now, so they'll see one another every day. Our grown daughters are in colleg...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~414665.aspx1/13/2008 10:30:16 PMGail Kirkegaard There's no doubt Bob 's cat, Josey , thinks she runs our household. Named after one of his favorite movies, the Outlaw Josey Wales , she slinks around the house as though we're all tolerated guests. She looks ready to pull a sixgun if we startle her coming around the corner. The youn...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~406186.aspx12/19/2007 11:42:38 AMGail Kirkegaard Jewel might soon have a career change. I'm looking into working with Jewel in school literacy programs. From what I understand of it so far, the dog's job in such settings is basically to lay down on a mat with the kids and listen to them read her a story. Dogs are not picky when a child ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~400380.aspx12/5/2007 12:56:16 AMGail Kirkegaard This morning during our therapy visit, Jewel didn't see as many people in the activity room as she did walking through the halls on the way in and out. We often run into several elderly individuals who didn't "get the memo," so to speak. They apparently weren't informed or invited to Room 4 w...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~379329.aspx10/17/2007 10:01:05 PMGail Kirkegaard When I tell people Jewel's a therapy dog, some, jokingly, I'm sure, ask, "Oh, is she getting therapy?" Actually, it wouldn't hurt. Now, don't start with me about how therapists are supposed to have life all figured out and have no problems. We know they all have an issue or two to deal with l...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~377184.aspx10/13/2007 5:53:34 PMGail Kirkegaard Jewel was eleven weeks old and weighed only three pounds when I brought her home. She needed a cozy place to stay when I was busy. Luckily, I already had a small crate that my oldest daughter used several years earlier to carry her rabbit to 4-H shows. I pulled the crate out from under a pi...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~350921.aspx8/21/2007 12:12:24 PMGail Kirkegaard Sometimes Jewel sees some results from her visits. The other day, we worked with four elderly persons at a facility in Lakewood. " La dee dee dee da, lubba dee dub! La dee dee da, lubba dee dub!" Jewel turned her head up to this lady singing to her. Only a minute before, Margaret '...http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Blogs/Archive/Blog~340632.aspx7/28/2007 12:02:16 PMGail Kirkegaard