St. Francis of Assisi: Blessing of the Animals

Sunday was a special day for all our animal companions as it was the day of  the Blessing of the Animals, a tradition set aside to honor St. Francis of Assisi.  This Blessing of the Animals was given in recognition of God's love for all creatures, and acknowledging that humans are helped by animals.

Oct. 4 is the day set aside to honor St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226). St. Francis had a great love for all of God's creatures, and for many years a blessing of animals has been held on his feast day. The appreciation of animals is part of celebrating the creative love that God has bestowed on the world. Blessing the animal companions honors how God touches humans through each creature.

St. Francis is not the only saint who loved animals. In drawings found in medieval manuscripts, there are images of early animal blessings performed by St. Anthony the Abbott (also known as St. Anthony of Egypt), who lived in the third century. The first formal church-organized animal blessings were held in Rome in the early 20th century...

Yesterday, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Grand Junction, there was a special service to bless the animals.

Click on links below if you want to learn more about how our Therapy Dog Libby goes about her day, and information about Therapy Dog International:.

Crafting Good Behavior

Nursing Home

Therapy Dogs International

Libby's Work Day (a video)

A recent communication from Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado relayed the need for additional dogs for use with their patients.  Contact Judy in Grand Junction at 970-241-2212 for further information if you would like to offer your dog and yourself as hospice dog team volunteers.

Preparing Fleece for Spinning: Dog Hair and Alpaca Blend

In knitting-with-dog-hair, written about a year ago, the subject of knitting with dog hair was discussed. It was then I started saving my pups' fur for knitting into a new project. Like the book says, "better a sweater from a dog you know and love than from a sheep you'll never meet". The book Knitting with Dog Hair can be purchased at this site on Amazon. It is on my reference shelf, and is full of information about this rather esoteric subject.

Once the fur was gathered from our two dogs and their home-style groomings over the past 18 months, the obvious next step was what to do with it to get it into shape for spinning. It would need some other fiber to mix in with the fur in order to make a good blend.

Luckily, here in western Colorado, there is a farm with 14 alpacas on it. Shearing time was last week, and new acquaintance Cori Elam saved me enough alpaca fur (all white) for the blending. We rendezvous last night at our first weekly summer Farmers' Market in Grand Junction, and I gave her my bag of saved dog fur. It looked like this, and I had about a pound of it:

This fur will be mixed with Cori Elam's alpaca fiber. Cori's website can be accessed at Cori's Western Colorado Alpacas. She has all kinds of alpaca products for sale. Many of her alpaca fibers are imported from Peru; beautiful products were on display at her booth last night.

Back to the preparation process of the fibers: from the site how to prepare fleece for spinning, easy and concise information was gathered regarding the next steps:

Step 1 Take a chunk of fleece about the size of a basketball. Fill your sink with hot water and some dish soap. Step 2 Put the fleece in the sink and let it sink. If you are impatient, you can gently push it down. Slowly move it around but do not "agitate." Agitation will cause it to felt, making it useless for spinning. .... further steps .......remove the fibers and you are ready to spin.

Another website packed with information about using animals' fur is Spinning Straw into Gold. Take a gander at that site if you are interested in reading about one person's vocation with animal fur products. It is amazing.

But what would a knitted project with dog fur blended with wool look like? Sure enough, that source on the internet Ravelry with over 400,000 members world-wide was my best source for tracking down someone who had pictures AND and an explanation of her process of collecting fur. New friend Avedaggio on Ravelry from Boulder says about her dog Mulan's fur:

My mom has a shih-tzu, whom she keeps long-haired. Mulan’s fur is about 8 inches long. To keep her from becoming a matted mess, mom combs her every day and gives her a bath (complete with blow-dry!) every week. Since Mulan was a puppy, mom had been saving the fur she combed out in little plastic bags, and a couple years back she and my dad took it to the Estes Park Wool Market and got someone to spin it up (this was before I learned how to spin). Then I got 1200 yards of 2-ply Mulan yarn for Christmas! It smelled like Mulan right after the bath. It was so funny when we put a skein on the floor to let Mulan investigate– she sniffed and sniffed, and then picked it up, carried it to her favorite corner and curled around it as if it were a puppy! So cute. I ended up knitting a lap blanket for my mother out of it.

So the next steps of blending the alpaca and dog fur are in process. After the washing, carding, and spinning steps are completed, there should be more than enough yarn to whip up something as special as a Mulan's lap blanket shown above!

(Thanks, Avedaggio, for the use of your picture and your entertaining story.)

Therapy Dog Has Letters after her Name!

Back in June, Libby the Maltipoo was certified by Therapy Dogs International. A LOT has gone on regarding her work status since last summer. She has been a very busy pup with her visitations.

A slideshow of Libby's Typical Work Day, complete with music, can be viewed here:
Kenny Chesney singing "Shift Work" as background for Libby's Work Day.

And, after fifty (yes 50!) times that she has made rounds visiting patients at hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers and our local Regional Center, she has now attained her credentials of "TDIA", standing for "Therapy Dog International Active" status.

In a letter received yesterday from TDI based in Flanders, NJ, she received this message that says, in part:

In creating the TDIA title, it was our intent to inspire more members to actively participate in therapy visits. We encourage you to continue this important work, documenting your next 100 visits for your... (next certification which terms her as an outstanding volunteer).

A certificate of Achievement was presented to Libby Sweetpea, and that is now displayed on the refrigerator in our kitchen.

Here is Libby looking proud:
A little more about the Therapy Dog Program and requirement for the dogs:

In 2007, over 15,000 handlers and approximately 18,000 dogs were registered with TDI. Libby passed the qualifying steps of sitting and staying on command, being out of the owners' sight for three minutes without stressing, being able to accept strangers and their attentions, and being nonchalant around wheelchairs,crutches, walkers and crowds (among other tasks).

Keep on trucking, Libby!

Halloween Night Dress Up

Halloween Night: Waiting for Visitors at the Door



We only had a few trick-or-treaters last nite. It could not have been due to the shrinking dollar....













The weather was nice in Colorado, so maybe it was because of the quality of the candy we handed out that the goblins did not come out in droves. Whatever the reason, there was a lot of candy left in the treat bowl after our porch light was turned off!



And here is a picture of my sis-in-law's dogs all dressed up in their winter capes. They look like they are awaiting Halloween visitors, too.

Our Dogs' Days of Summer

July is hot in western Colorado. Our high temp tomorrow is expected to be 98 degrees F. Wilstar says the Dog Days of Summer are

1 : the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere
2 : a period of stagnation or inactivity

But as we know, the term orginated ...

In ancient times, when the night sky was unobscured by artificial lights and smog, different groups of peoples in different parts of the world drew images in the sky by “connecting the dots” of stars. The images drawn were dependent upon the culture: The Chinese saw different images than the Native Americans, who saw different pictures than the Europeans. These star pictures are now called constellations, and the constellations that are now mapped out in the sky come from our European ancestors.

Here are our dogs enjoying their Dog Days of Summer:

Therapy Dog Now Certified by TDI

Yesterday, Libby the Maltipoo gained her evaluation requirements for registration with the international organization of TherapyDogs. In 2007, over 15,000 handlers and approximately 18,000 dogs were registered with TDI.

Libby passed the qualifying steps of sitting and staying on command, being out of the owners' sight for three minutes without stressing, being able to accept strangers and their attentions, and being nonchalant around wheelchairs, crutches, walkers and crowds (among other tasks).

She will receive her "dog tag" with her picture on it, a laminated card similar to a driver's license, which she must wear at all times while on duty.

Libby also gained her American Kennel Club Good Citizen Award yesterday. Boy, does she look proud!

This is a picture of a 3 pound, 5 oz. Chihuahua who also was tested yesterday at the Mesa County Fairgrounds by certified TDI evaluator Cathy Clark.










And here is another photo from the TDI site of a therapy dog at play with a kiddo who seems to be enjoying the session.

Grand Junction Nursing Home - Therapy Dog in Training

Yesterday, Libby the Maltipoo pup and I went for our weekly visit to the nursing home. She is becoming a therapy dog, but must pass her certification in June in order to qualify her to visit in facilities as a certified Therapy Dog. Last week, I talked about Therapy Dog in Training.

What I would like to reflect upon in this blog post is the feelings and resulting life lesson which I experienced yesterday in our visit to the nursing home.

Yes, Libby was cute and engaging. And she was well mannered. But during our visit, the client's attention was mostly focused on her stuffed animal, a small dog resembling that of her pet left at home. That toy stuffed dog (I'll call him Rover) was kindly provided by a family member as an animal substitute because of the patient's confinement in the nursing facility.

Rover, of course, did not bark or move or ask for attention; he was void of any demands. The cloth dog just sat in the lap of the resident while she, the patient, focused all her attention on the inanimate object, crooning to the toy in a loving voice.

I came to understand in those few moments that although I was visiting her with my living, active, energetic dog, the client was directing her attention to Rover, lovingly positioned in her arms. She commented several times that that the dog was looking up at her adoringly. The woman, although only inches from active Libby, was caught up in her memories.

That stuffed animal must have brought to the client recalled times with her previous dogs, how she had showed them in competitions, and the care and love those pets must have been given her in her younger years. The bond between humans and dog is a strong one.

And therein, I learned a lesson. A therapy dog in the "here and now" is valuable in that it can bring much happiness while performing its work. But the working dog can also bring satisfaction to the patient in the evoked positive memories of a similar pet friend in past years.

It was a reminder to me that it is not about Libby, Therapy Dogs, or myself as an aspiring trainer, but that is about the patient with whom we are trying to connect. I believe we did just that yesterday, and I am thankful that Libby and I were allowed that privilege.

Therapy Dog in Training

Libby Sweetpea the Malti-poo graduated from obedience school this week! A picture of Holly, dog obedience instructor, and Libby shows that the pup is quite proud of herself. Can you see it in her expression? Ok, maybe I am being a bit anthropomorphic, but I SWEAR that every dog receiving their graduation certificate was pleased with themselves and loved the applause from the audience!

We continue training at home (I must admit I am a bit lazy about it as far as the amount of time we spend in collar training). AND, we went to a rehabilitation facility yesterday so that Libby could get used to being around people in wheelchairs, as well as a medical environment. It was a “supervised” visit with Cathy, our local person who performs dog evaluations and certifies dogs for the Therapy Dog Program. (Also see my posting on April 7, Crafting Good Behavior regarding therapy dogs.) Cathy and her two dog assistants showed us the ropes for patient visitation.

I made some calling cards for Libby to leave with her visitors when she goes out in the future. It has her picture on it and says in a GIANT FONT: "Hello, My Name is Libby Sweetpea".

Here is Libby and her dog lover new friend she met yesterday at the rehab facility.

Once Libby Sweetpea is certified, then she and I can go out on our own for other visitations. In the meantime, we will visit this same lady (with Cathy and her dogs) next week.

Here is a good link for all kinds of information you might be interested in regarding dogs: Dog Logic.

Knitting with Dog Hair

Knitting With Dog Hair: Better A Sweater From A Dog You Know and Love Than From A Sheep You'll Never Meet (Paperback) by Kendall Crolius (Author)

“Stop Vacuuming and Start Knitting!” Is the Read Bite on the cover of the book.

In the first paragraph of KnittingDogHair, Crolius says

For millions of years, the human race has been living with and benefiting from its relationship with animals. We’ve relied on them for companionship, for transportation, for food - and for our clothing.

What a shame that all our dogs’ fur just goes to waste each time they are groomed. Since I knit, and know a couple of women who spin sheep’s wool, I wondered if it were a crazy idea to start saving my pups’ hair for a future knitting project.

After some research, I came up with a LOT of good information about utilizing dog fur. And, I am now collecting our dogs’ fur. Note picture on the left that shows results from last week’s sheering efforts of the Shih Tzu and Maltipoo.

Natalie Kestecher of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has a pod cast on www.soundprint.org. Tune in here if you are interested: radio podcast on dogs. It is fascinating and well worth a listen.

The highlights from my listening to Kestecher's show were:

1) a bit of history of how knitters used Great Pyrenees mountain dog hair for Polish and Russian peoples;
2) an Australian speaker regarding dogs, the environment, recycling and other matters pertaining to dogs at International Dog Day where about 20,000 people gathered recently in Sydney, Australia;
3) a woman’s story of Sarah Ben-David, her great grandmother born at the beginning of the 20th century in Poland. She recalls Sarah’s story of farming olive trees in order to get to her end purpose of breeding dogs for the purpose of using their fur for clothing. Her dog hair farms reached all across Europe by the end of Franco’s regime;
4) the psychic relationship of dogs with people

You are likely skeptical at this point. You might think "won’t I smell like a dog if I knit a sweater from dog fur"? The answer is NO. You wear wool sweaters, don’t you? Do you smell like a sheep? NO, of course not. It is all in the cleaning of the fur/wool in preparation of spinning.

This article found on USAToday highlights a couple who speak to the advantages of dog hair made into clothing. They espouse the advantages of dog hair as fodder as being both warm and waterproof.


As for me, I am keeping my dogs happy and groomed, and accumulating their sheerings for a new sweater.

Crafting Good Behavior

Our older dog, Mercy, is a graduate of the GJ Parks and Recreation Beginning Dog Obedience class. My husband and I decided that we would not home school our younger dog, but instead, send her on for more advanced training. The class is described in the latest city recreational brochure as follows:

Dog Obedience training can be the beginning of a rewarding, loving relationship between you and your dog. Learn about proper equipment and how it is used, basic commands, and communication. Your dog must be at least four months old; have current distemper, parvo, and rabies vaccinations; Mesa County license, and must be under control at all times. Holly Koch will instruct sessions beginning on Wednesdays and Sundays at Sherwood Park, and Bob Simpleman will instruct the other classes at Canyon View Park.

So, after much fanfare and putting off classes for a month because of the weather, our younger 16 month old Maltese-Poodle pup, Libby, and I started this program today at a nearby city park.

Ms. Koch, instructor, is keen on a strong sense of owner responsibility. She certainly knows her area of expertise, and displays a caring attitude and good teaching skills.

Libby is the pup on the end of the red leash. Her friend and classmate Beaux looks on.

My future goal is for the older dog, Mercy, to complete the 10 steps of the AKC/CGC Test to gain her certification as a Therapy Dog. With the good weather ahead of us, I plan to heed Cesar Milan and Ms. Koch's advice of "exercise, discipline and affection" in order get a head start on this certification.

Our daughter benefited over the years from several Therapy Dogs having visited her during many of her countless hospital stays at Children's Hospital in Denver. I would like to give back some of the joy she received from being able to pet a well mannered dog.

Perhaps Mercy The WonderDog might be able to help others who could benefit from a dog visit while undergoing medical treatment.

Mercy and Libby (our dogs)