Doggedly Determined by Nancy Cole Silverman
After a year of being pet-less, my husband and I agreed it
was time to adopt a new dog. Last year,
at Christmas time, we lost both our standard poodles to different cancers. It was a devastating blow. But, we figured we
had been lucky with them for as long as we had – nearly fifteen years – and we
did our best to respect their memory and move forward. However, as the holidays approached, I was determined to bring a little
joy back into our lives. Something in the form of a wet nose, padded paws, and furry
tail. And, because I do believe fate
interceded, we found a breeder with pups available post-holiday.
Yea!
The pups were born November 5th , ten in all, and
like I said, available for adoption between Christmas
and New Years. However, there were
problems. While the pups were fine, Ali, their mom, a three-year-old standard
poodle show dog, was not. The breeder
was faced with some tough choices. Ali
couldn’t be bred again and would have to be re-homed. Did I want her?
Absolutely! I didn't have to think twice about it.
So, on December 30th rather than return from the breeders with an eight-week-old puppy, puppy pads and a stack of
manuals on How to Train Your Puppy, we brought Ali home. And she is....well, you decide. That’s her picture above, and if it
looks like she’s posing for the camera, she probably is. After all, she was a show dog and the
equivalent of Miss California when it comes to that type of thing. But to me, she’s Ali, my new best friend.
If I sound a bit preoccupied, it’s because I am. Not that I’ve time to be. I’ve got a new book coming out later this year – WITHOUT A DOUBT, the fourth in the
Carol Childs Mysteries and my final edits will keep me busy right up
until mid-April. And then of course, because I am obsessive, I’m working on a
fifth book in the series and a couple of short stories I hope to submit to Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. But I’m taking a dog leg – you know, an alternate
route – and going to allow myself a little play time.
One of my pet projects has long been working and writing
about therapeutic riding programs for disabled children. For years I had horses and worked with and
reported on some of the fabulous things horses could do for a child who was
crippled and unable to do anything more than sit in a wheelchair. Through one of the therapeutic riding
programs I worked with, I watched as some of their small deformed bodies were
mounted on the back of a horse and held
securely in place as trainers worked with the horse and child. When I say it was heartwarming, I mean I could feel the blood rush to my heart and that I had tears in my eyes when I
saw the smiles on their faces and their parents. For the first time, some of
those sitting on the back of a horse were
able to look down on their caretakers or see them eye to eye.
I’ve never forgotten that experience,
and after adopting Ali, it got me thinking about using her as a therapy dog.
She’s calm, well-trained and I think it’s
no accident we’ve found each other. If all works out, I hope to have her visiting children's
hospitals and old folks’ homes before the end of the year.
How about that? Without even realizing it, I’ve just given
Ali her first New Year’s Resolution.
So, it’s going to be a busy year. Between my crazy writing schedule and working
with Ali, it’s an exciting time, but if you’ll excuse the pun, I’m doggedly
determined.
Stay tuned. Room
for Doubt, the fourth of the Carol Childs Mysteries with
Henery Press, drops July 18th.
Comments
(I've a former horse and stable owner, and have watched little Downs Syndrome kids's faces their first time on the back of a horse as well.)
Best of luck (I really mean that!) on your new adventures this year.
Jackie
A word of advice on the therapy dog route - make sure you know which hospital, rehab center etc. that you want to take her. Each one uses one or the other of the training programs (if I remember correctly, Delta and TDI were the big ones) and when I looked into it a few years ago, once you were certified through one program, you couldn't get certified through the other. It may have changed since then. Good luck!