Anya finding her nitch

[pretty dobe]

Anya is 6 years old and has been a busy girl. She is Acoma's Amorous Anya CD, CGC, WAE, TDI and RN.

Anya was my puppy from hell. She bit, she attacked and ate carpets, woodwork and there was no stopping her. She was the worst girl to work with that I had ever thought of having. I thought of re-homing her but decided to find a good trainer and as luck would have it, one dropped in my lap. The fitness center parking lot, who would have imagined. There was the largest dobe I'd ever seen and this dog was the best trained I ever saw. I started training with Anya and the trainer two days later. Anya has come a long way though she is stubborn to this day and that is fine with me...

Anya earned her CD in three shows and did it well. The fourth show I had a reaction to meds and collapsed in the ring. The last thing she saw of me was standing with strangers and her mom in an ambulance. Needless to say the trama was such that she never would stay in the ring for me again. Her obedience career was over.

Since she had passed her her Therapy Dog test with flying colors I had to find the best spot for her. I settled on the Veterans Care Center, the State home. Anya was in her element for the first time in her life. She seems to understand those patients that need her the most and responds accordingly. Her work with Alzheimer patients is amazing at best and brings tears to your eyes. She now has branched out and goes to the VA Hospital Home and has become one of the favorites to visit the patients. If anyone needs attention on off days, she is the one they ask for.

So, from one of the worst puppy ever to the dobe with the biggest heart is an amazing journey for her. To say we are proud of her cannot come close to how we feel about her.

Judie Walter

[admin]

I am posting this for pretty dobe what a precious girl

[andyhilt27]

What exactly is a therapy dog? I understand that dogs can put a smile on many faces. What exactly do you need a therapy dog to do? I can imagine what they are not supposed to do. Can I simply take my obedient dog to visit people that need to be cheered up??? I would love to get involved in this! I would also love to get involved in SAR! I know whenever I am in the dumps our dogs and daughter put a huge smile on my face!

[dobesign]

Way to GO!!! Keep up the good work. We need more good ambassadors! And Tungsyen agrees...RRRRRRight! RRRRock on! As for SAR, we do that, and ANDY? let me know which state you are in, and I can help you find a team. Dobermans excel in SAR- Ripleys believe it or not said that the longest trail EVER run was done in Australia by a Dobe...over 100 miles....

[pretty dobe]

Andy, Anya goes to the VA and interacts with the patients. Most of these folks have no one to visit or no one cares. Anya goes both Federal and State sides of the VA. She does special work with Alzheimer patients along with the general population. Some of these patients do not recognize their families any more but when she shows up, they know her name and that they love her. She knows what to do and what is needed for each patient. One patient sings to her and she will sit there and look lovingly at him until he is done. Sometimes it is quite a while.

There are some patients that do not talk except to her. She has a special spot in their lives.

No, I don't just take a dog down there. She has been certified by Therapy Dog International. She is insured to do this.

She gives about 4 hours at a time and is drained when she is done. She gives so much to these people. She has found her nitch in life and she is special...:)

[andyhilt27]

That is so great! I hope when I am in a care facility a doberman comes to play with me.

[andyhilt27]

dobedesign, I live in Indiana. The Indiana SAR has a website and points of contact. Unfortunately, being in management and told to work every weekend at times gets in the way of my free time. With the economy down a bit I do have more free time but right now I am playing catch up around homestead. I work in a grey iron foundry and we produce a lot of engine blocks! I am sure some members on here that have horses may be using some of our products. Due to a confidentiality contract I am not at liberty to say anything else. I will say that I work in the melt shop and love my job. 2800 degrees of molten iron(and a lot of it) tends to liven things up!

[dobesign]

Check out the website for NASAR (nat'l assoc of search and rescue). They've got scads of info. Also, think about which kind of SAR you want to get involved in...mantrailing, airscent, article search, urban disaster, cadaver... there's a bunch of specialty fields. Read a bit, think about your dog, and what it likes to do. Feel free to email me independently...we always need more help. Hard work, but worth it. It's yet another way our dogs give back.
:)

[andyhilt27]

Thanks dobedesign! Eva is only 6 months old right now though and I am only attempting to master general obedience at this point. Baby steps. I can't even stack her correctly yet. several here can attest to that! I really do want to be a part of SAR! I will keep in touch in the mean time! Thanks again

[Sheila]

Kudos to you for persisting with Anya and finding her perfect niche! Loved the photo. Great to see dobes bringing happiness.

Sheila

[pretty dobe]

Thanks Shiela, we didn't know what to do with her at first. Her problem was she thought she was smarter then we were.....Who knows she coud have been right... But that sure makes it tough to train a dobe like that. I was told by a good trainer out here that if you stick it out with a dog like her that you will be rewarded. That they end up being the most reliable dogs. She was right and we were rewarded many times over.

Judie