MAGDRL: Bowie PetSmart  August 18, 2007

Web page created on August 18, 2007

Despite being mid-August, the weather was cool and beautiful and the crowds were steady. It was a wonderful day for our final event at this location!

All I can say is WOW! We had a bumper crop of volunteers for our last M&G at the Bowie PetSmart!

At left is Bowie M&G  Coordinator Joan Schramm with my 17 MO Dane puppy Savannah in her Thankful Paws jacket; MAGDRL volunteer Melissa Glover with her 4 YO Dane girl Agnes; MAGDRL volunteer Lakshme Someswaran with 3 YO Dane Ambassador Rusty; and my 7 YO Senior Dane Ambassador Jupiter who did an yeoman's job of holding a down/stay while I handled Savannah..

Savannah may earn her Therapy Dog International certification yet! She's in Novice Training class now, and today she had no problem remaining calm around this visitor who has Multiple Sclerosis. He had an automated wheelchair, yet his jerky movements and slurred speech didn't bother her at all.

We are hopeful that Savannah will follow her Uncle Jupiter's footsteps by passing the exams for CGC and TDI certification.

MAGDRL volunteer Melissa Glover's Dane girl Agnes broke a toe playing at her the dog sitter's house last week Nevertheless Agnes was a MAGDRL Princess at today's event. She was oblivious to her injury, and neither limped nor fretted. She greeted each visitor with typical poise and alacrity.

Pat Wilhelme also stopped by to help us set up, but today she left pretty Jasmine and her young'un Patriot at home holding down their couch. We wish Pat's husband Fred relief from his breathing problems.

This last M&G was a bittersweet event. I will truly miss our local volunteers and their Danes, yet Savannah must proceed to advanced training. We wish our MD teammates the best success in future evemts!