Hi everyone,

It’s Sunny here in Australia. Well, the weather is also mostly sunny – we did have a bit of rain yesterday, which was good for Mama’s garden. She messaged Miss Eight this morning to let her know that there are already 22 bulbs peeping out – a result of their gardening day only a couple of weeks ago!

But Sunny is also my name – some of you may have forgotten me because I have been too busy to write. I am a dog of uncertain parentage, undoubtedly the product of much doggy love amongst my ancestors. But that is why I am a dog who knows how to give love – it’s in my genes.

Mama has already told you about the Anzac Day Services recently, so I won’t repeat, but she was pleased that I somehow knew to be on my best behaviour, even when I heard bagpipes for the first time, and the next day a trumpet as well as bagpipes. Not my favourite style of music, for they were very loud and "different", but all part of the commemoration services, apparently. Mama said I will next hear them on Remembrance Day, November 11. These two days are solemn and respectful occasions in Australia.

I now go to two hospitals on Wednesdays in my role as a Therapy Dog, one week to the cancer specialist centre, and the following week to the general hospital, alternating. It’s strange but beautiful how even in the cancer hospital, people are so cheerful! Their faces light up when they see me and the other two small dogs who go there. To be honest, I feel like a giant next to these two doe-faced Jack Russell terriers. Both girl dogs. At first, they disdained me, and rejected all my advances to be friends, but now they include me instead of just walking away, noses in the air.

The staff as well as the patients often want to talk to us and pat us – that is, me and the other dogs. They talk to Mama but don’t pat her or tell her she is cute or beautiful. The staff have a stressful job. The patients exchange dog stories and photos with Mama while they relax with us. Sometimes they talk about more serious things, and Mama says that’s good too, because it’s someone to confide in when they don’t want to worry their family members.

Mama says it’s also good when people say they won’t see us again, or not for a long time, because that means their treatment has been successful, so far at least. The regular patients like us to visit, so they can have something new to talk to their families about, and of course, it is otherwise a long slow day for them.

At the general hospital I have sometimes been to the children’s ward. Last time, there was a champion gymnast who had broken her leg with multiple complex fractures from a terrible fall during her training. She had hoped to join our national team, but sadly, it’s probably the end of gymnastics for her.

The other day we saw some very young children around two years old. The nurses were trying to give one little boy some asthma medication. He was very frightened and screaming with terror, trying to push the mask away. The nurses asked Mama if I could be a distraction for him, and Mama introduced me. The little boy stopped crying – and they managed to give him the meds. Mama told him that when I come to the hospital I am in a pram, like his – so no one falls over me because I am small. Also, the hospital is huge, and it would be a lot of walking for my little legs. Mine is a proper dog pram though, not something for a toddler! Mama helped him learn how to pat me gently. 

Blondie comes with me to the general hospital. Next to Blondie, I look and feel so small and insignificant. She’s a large white Labrador, and finds the walking a bit difficult, so her owner is trying to find a dog pram big enough for her. Part of my training was to settle well in my dog pram – it really felt strange initially, so I jumped out the first few times.

Mama trained me to sit well in it, and I also observed the other small dogs, so I figured that’s just what us small Therapy Dogs must do inside hospitals. But we do get out to sit on people’s knees if they wish, or even lie beside them on the bed. We have very strict hygiene protocols of course!

In the rehabilitation ward last week I met two interesting people. One man had had his right leg amputated below the knee, and there were problems with his other leg as well. He wanted to cuddle me beside him, so I lay on the bed next to him. I sensed what his problem was, pain and grief about his leg, so I gradually worked my way down, till I was lying next to his upper half-leg. I wanted him to know I understood, and I also wanted to communicate that it was okay to have only half a leg. Dogs would love him anyway, and accept him (we accept people regardless of what they are like), and so would people. He’s been in the hospital for more than six months!

Another was a lady of forty-five – she’d had a stroke and had actually died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. She’d been resuscitated by a paramedic but had a couple more brain bleeds while in hospital. She was able to talk quite well now and was missing her own dog badly. She has to become more stable at walking before she can return home. She loved having me lie beside her.

Mama said I must include mention of her friend. She had five friends over for morning tea on Thursday, and one was a lady who has been very unwell with depression and anxiety, as well as major physical problems, for many years. She became a little distressed at one point, and was obviously nearly in tears, so I watched her carefully at first and then went over and lay down next to her, remaining alert to see if there was anything else I could do. Mama asked her if she would like to hold me. She did want to, so Mama put my Therapy Dog rug on her knees, and the lady stroked me gently until she calmed down and was happy again. Mama’s other friends watched in amazement.

But I was just doing what comes naturally to me. That’s my purpose in life, to offer love and comfort.

I was just thinking how good it is that my Mama re-named me when she re-homed me. My name used to be Crank. That would not be a good name for a Therapy Dog – everyone would just laugh at me!

Signing off for now. Take care, look after each other, and always be kind and loving.

Your doggie friend,

Sunny