New pics of Kipawa

[krunzer]

Ohh Tucker and Becca would have devoured that roast!! Such restraint!! We are coming through the area at the end of the month possibly to see Terray and take Tucker down to Therese. Maybe we can meet up when we are down there and go for a dyke walk!!

[jjuds]

Gosh, is he ever gorgeous!

[Moth]

He is such a pretty boy and so good… Watson would have had himself that roast

[curlytails]

He is such an alert, personality-laden boy. The roast-eye pic made me chuckle. Also love the jacket!

[Kipawa]

@krunzer:

Ohh Tucker and Becca would have devoured that roast!! Such restraint!! We are coming through the area at the end of the month possibly to see Terray and take Tucker down to Therese. Maybe we can meet up when we are down there and go for a dyke walk!!

That would be super awesome! I am really close to Terray. Simone is there with her and I have introduced myself to Simone. We walk the dike right near them, and everytime we drive past to go to the parking area for the dike, Kipawa goes absolutely nuts! Basenjis definitely KNOW other basenjis! I will private message you our phone number.

[Kipawa]

@nobarkus:

Love the pics Fran! He's a great Basenji Ambassador!

Thanks Dan, we work really hard on making him just that, a basenji ambassador. He took to doing therapy work very easily. I attribute that to his breeder Therese Leimback, who works in a rehab-type facility. She took him to work with her to get him used to the vibe, things he would see, etc., because we had told her that is what we wanted to do with him. To us, he is a special dog. When I put his therapy vest on, his demeanor changes. I put it on right at the door of the hospitals, and when we walk in, there is a noticeable calm about him. Though he went through classes to understand about therapy work, it's something in his little soul that changes. Maybe it has to do with living with two adults who have ongoing health challenges? Not sure, but I do know that he's a very insightful dog who leaves a good basenji impression wherever we go. He is a dream to own. Okay, I'll stop gushing now.

[Kipawa]

@nobarkus:

Love the pics Fran! He's a great Basenji Ambassador!

Thanks Dan, we work really hard on making him just that, a basenji ambassador. He took to doing therapy work very easily. I attribute that to his breeder Therese Leimback, who works in a rehab-type facility. She took him to work with her to get him used to the vibe, things he would see, etc., because we had told her that is what we wanted to do with him. To us, he is a special dog. When I put his therapy vest on, his demeanor changes. I put it on right at the door of the hospitals, and when we walk in, there is a noticeable calm about him. Though he went through classes to understand about therapy work, it's something in his little soul that changes. Maybe it has to do with living with two adults who have ongoing health challenges? Not sure, but I do know that he's a very insightful dog who leaves a good basenji impression wherever we go. He is a dream to own. Okay, I'll stop gushing now.

[mmitch777]

Awesome pics…thx for sharing them.

[kjdonkers]

Hello Fran,
beautiful pictures, and so recognizable!
As soon as we got Lela as a pup I saw her potential as a therapy dog - she just brings a smile to the face of everyone she meets.
Did you do specific training with Kipawa? I can't seem to find a suitable program here in the Netherlands.
Thanks,
KJ

[Kipawa]

@kjdonkers:

Hello Fran,
beautiful pictures, and so recognizable!
As soon as we got Lela as a pup I saw her potential as a therapy dog - she just brings a smile to the face of everyone she meets.
Did you do specific training with Kipawa? I can't seem to find a suitable program here in the Netherlands.
Thanks,
KJ

Kipawa did do training classes, but what I believe was more important was me setting regular at home training sessions. We train for 10-15 minutes. If Kipawa doesn't get it in that period, he has a 5 minute break. We will go on and on with this pattern until he understands and does what I want him to do. I'm really fair, but I am persistent.

Some of the hospitals here allow you to bring in small dogs without a designation of therapy dog. When I first started working with Kipawa, I took advantage of this. We would just go into the main floor and walk around. He is used to medical equipment, because my husband uses a wheelchair. I did this 3 times a week. Anyone that approached us was allowed to touch and pet Kipawa - children too, as he loves them. After I felt that he was okay with the main floor, we would go to a floor where people were not in critical condition. Even though the hospital allows dogs, we would go to the nursing station and introduce ourselves and ask if we could say hello to people. After all the nurses pet and hugged Kipawa, we'd go into the rooms and I would just say, "would you like some company right now? Would you like to meet my therapy dog"?

There are some people that didn't want to visit with us - after all, it is a hospital. But those were few and far between. Therapy work is so rewarding. It's amazing what a dog can do for someone ill, someone feeling down and out, or someone who has lost a connection with the world. I get the greatest gift of all - bringing a smile to someone's face. Often Kipawa will sit on a lap if the person is in a chair. That's only if they allow it. If they are in bed and they want it, he will hop up onto the bed and lay with them. There are interesting things that happen that are beyond me figuring out for sure - sometimes Kipawa will just not want to go into a certain room. I try again, but if he refuses, we go to the next room. In this situation I really believe he knows more than I do, so I then follow his lead.

Why don't you find out where a hospital or care home is near you, and then ask if they allow dogs to visit. They might say only certified dogs, and then you might not be able to go into the hospital, but there are always people sitting outside the hospitals or care homes that would love to visit with a dog. Just make sure that you are really confident that you have full control over Lela.

Here are a couple of books I bought via www.amazon.com. There are others, but I have these two. Maybe you have access to ordering them. I really liked them. Good luck with the therapy work and don't give up! You will find it so rewarding for yourself as well!
http://www.amazon.com/Therapy-Dogs-Training-Reach-Others/dp/1929242050/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336755138&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-into-Therapy-ebook/dp/B0077QWNW8/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1336755138&sr=8-11#_

[kjdonkers]

Hi Fran,
Great story. I will check out the books and some nursing homes nearby (Dutch hospitals don't allow dogs inside…).
I hope to contact you further should any questions arise.
Kind greetings,
Kees-Jan

@Kipawa:

Kipawa did do training classes, but what I believe was more important was me setting regular at home training sessions. We train for 10-15 minutes. If Kipawa doesn't get it in that period, he has a 5 minute break. We will go on and on with this pattern until he understands and does what I want him to do. I'm really fair, but I am persistent.

Some of the hospitals here allow you to bring in small dogs without a designation of therapy dog. When I first started working with Kipawa, I took advantage of this. We would just go into the main floor and walk around. He is used to medical equipment, because my husband uses a wheelchair. I did this 3 times a week. Anyone that approached us was allowed to touch and pet Kipawa - children too, as he loves them. After I felt that he was okay with the main floor, we would go to a floor where people were not in critical condition. Even though the hospital allows dogs, we would go to the nursing station and introduce ourselves and ask if we could say hello to people. After all the nurses pet and hugged Kipawa, we'd go into the rooms and I would just say, "would you like some company right now? Would you like to meet my therapy dog"?

There are some people that didn't want to visit with us - after all, it is a hospital. But those were few and far between. Therapy work is so rewarding. It's amazing what a dog can do for someone ill, someone feeling down and out, or someone who has lost a connection with the world. I get the greatest gift of all - bringing a smile to someone's face. Often Kipawa will sit on a lap if the person is in a chair. That's only if they allow it. If they are in bed and they want it, he will hop up onto the bed and lay with them. There are interesting things that happen that are beyond me figuring out for sure - sometimes Kipawa will just not want to go into a certain room. I try again, but if he refuses, we go to the next room. In this situation I really believe he knows more than I do, so I then follow his lead.

Why don't you find out where a hospital or care home is near you, and then ask if they allow dogs to visit. They might say only certified dogs, and then you might not be able to go into the hospital, but there are always people sitting outside the hospitals or care homes that would love to visit with a dog. Just make sure that you are really confident that you have full control over Lela.

Here are a couple of books I bought via www.amazon.com. There are others, but I have these two. Maybe you have access to ordering them. I really liked them. Good luck with the therapy work and don't give up! You will find it so rewarding for yourself as well!
http://www.amazon.com/Therapy-Dogs-Training-Reach-Others/dp/1929242050/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336755138&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-into-Therapy-ebook/dp/B0077QWNW8/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1336755138&sr=8-11#_

[kjdonkers]

I forgot to respond to Kipawa's ability to pick the right rooms/people to go to in the hospital: I have noticed that dogs have a delicate energy sense. In a group of boys that came to play, she always picked out the one with the open heart and the gentle touch. And when their Akita-friend Kiko comes over, Lela and Binti might be sleeping on the couch, then suddenly jump up and run to the door - turns out that every time this happens Kiko is still a 100 yards away, behind houses - no way that they could have smelled, seen or heard her… They are so open and giving.

[Patty M]

Thank you for sharing- you have a beautiful, basenji-enriched life! Isn't it amazing how tall they can stretch to when they want to see what's on the counter?

Hugs and Roos-:)