Puppy Pool Party at Mennonite Home

KPETS was invited to a puppy pool party at Mennonite Home on Friday, January 28, 2011. The pool was being closed so Sue, our contact person for pet visits there, thought it would be a great time to let the dogs swim and have the residents come out and enjoy the entertainment. And they sure did!

Sharing the raft !

KPETS volunteers and their soggy four-legged friends had a blast swimming and splashing in the pool. There we eight dogs in attendance. There were six goldens, one yellow lab, and one Shih Tzu! Katie Daubert/Toby, Nancy Houston/Gilly, Nancy Thomas/Belle, Barbara Noll/Hunter, Diane Rima/Chester, Jim Kraus/Scout, Martha Gomez/Micah, and Karen Gerth/Cinda.

Prior to the big splash, several of the early arriving teams went around and visited the residents before their pooch became a 'wet dog'. As we mingled, we met so many nice folks who loved visiting with our pets. One woman in particular was visited, as Sue and the woman's daughter looked on. There was not much verbal communication between handler and this woman, but she definitely enjoyed touching and 'talking' to the dogs. After the event, Sue came out and made us  aware that both she and the woman's daughter had not seen this resident respond that much to anything in months! ! ! Even at an event like this, our pets are making a difference!

Most dogs were excited to get in the pool. But this was Scout's first time, so he wasn't quite sure if this was for him.

All dogs had to enter and exit the pool via the gradual steps. These steps needed to be guarded by the handlers to keep the dogs from running around the pool area and getting everyone else wet. The dogs swam and swam and came back to the steps to rest.

We cautiously let a few of the dogs come out of the pool and  jump back in to retrieve their toys as the residents cheered them on. Micah, the Shih Tzu and and Scout, the lab, shared a raft and floated around as Martha and Jim assisted and kept the other 'bullies'  from dumping them : ) What a blast!

Sue also announced that this was a birthday celebration for two of the 'pups'! Nancy Houston's, Belle and Karen Gerth's, Cinda (who are litter mates) turned twelve years old the day before! The residents and volunteers broke out in song to sing "Happy Birthday" to the 'kids'!

I don't know about you, but when I swim for any length of time, I usually need to, well let's just say, 'go'. It was not any different for a few of the canines. God love Jim as he took a couple of them out in the snowy court yard to relieve themselves. As the wet dogs rolled around in the snow in utter joy, Jim froze as he patiently watched. A true saint of a man!

When the party came to a close, residents started leaving and volunteers slipped into the changing rooms to dry off and change clothes to get ready to face the cold outdoors, But before we ducked out for the day, Nancy Thomas pulled out her lunch bag with Frosty Treats for all the pups who were still there. (Sorry for folks who left early) in honor of the the birthday girls, Belle and Cinda.

Fun was had by all and Sue said we'll have to do this again for the residents in Wood Crest, the independent living area of Mennonite Home. I know I'm in : )