It was a dark wintry
wind that was blowing as I sat atop my dog box to compose this article---oops!
that's a beginning for a Shultz's Snoopy comic
strip!!
We dogs 
sometimes
get on the wrong track. This is how my "tail" goes.
Here I am in Lititz, PA. with my forever Mom. After a couple of unfortunate
and unstable homes, I've been "blessed" to find, thanks to FFN
and Summer, a good & loving home!!
Not only do I have a good home, but I have em”barked" on a new
career. I am a certified Red Cross Animal-Assisted 
Therapy dog. I'm getting
better and learning to adapt to other people I’ve been known to be a "one
person dog" so it's sometimes difficult to socialize with so many others.
I think my good looks will be a big part of my success. Oh by the way, I
had a name change. My mom thought my coat streaked with white resembled "butterscotch" ----
and so you guessed it, my name is "Butterscotch", "Butter" for
short, which sounds a lot like my original name "Buddy". All the
residents at the nursing homes think it's a good fit. 
And my tail, they just
love my big fluffy tail!
"HAVE CHEERIOS WILL TRAVEL" We have this thing with the cheerios. They serve
as "fat-free" treats, which the residents love to feed me after
I "sit pretty" and then eat them out of their hands. A little sloppy,
but they don't mind a bit. Please, please can I have some more to give to
him? 
We have just completed a portion of Animal-Assisted Therapy. We have
made a sweet little old lady happy, if only for just a few minutes.
Our visits take our dear "friends," (which they have become) back
in time when they had dogs and the stories begin to flow. Some are amusing,
some are sad, but most importantly, we have encouraged our friends to share
their stories and past experiences with us. Here's where I get to 
lay down
and take a "break"! More therapy has just taken place. All these
little things that take place on our visits may not appear significant, but
to these residents it means the world. They can't begin to thank us enough
for the visit and want my assurance we will be back. So every month, back
we go to all seven nursing homes, sometimes twice a month. Mom is in her
8th year (first six years was with my predecessor, her beloved "Maggie,"
but as for me, I'm entering my second year. 
My Mom and I expect to be together (some residents put it as "missionaries")
as long as the Good Lord's willing. As for me, I'm one happy dog. And you
know this is as much therapy for me as it is for the residents, it instills
in me that most human beings are humane! Thanks for listening to my "success
story" and may God bless you and all my "sisters and brothers" wherever
they may be.
"Butter" & Ginny
