Guinness the Therapy Dog – Sonja Danielson

National Dog Day!

The mission of National Dog Day (from nationaldogday.com) is to encourage adoption and to celebrate all dogs.

The website recommends giving your dog a hug, adopting a rescue, and generally celebrating all things canine.

This isn’t just a holiday for purebreds (like Guinness the Therapy Dog) or for mixed breeds (like Lucy the Wonder Dog). It’s for all breeds, of all sizes and parentage.

Both Guinness the Therapy Dog and Lucy the Wonder Dog are rescues. Guinness was an owner release; and Lucy was adopted from a rescue organization. They’re both family dogs, with Guinness working as a therapy dog.

Guinness came to us when he was almost two years old and has worked his way into our family seamlessly. We went to dog school together and learned how to behave around people, how to walk on a leash, and how to be a good dog-human team.

Lucy was a stray. That’s why she’s so broken: she was on her own during her formative puppy months. I think she was abused because she was a stray. Judging from her fears, Lucy was hungry a lot and was likely chased from places where she felt safe. She also has a fear of boots, so it’s likely she was chased off by someone who wore them.

It’s also why she’s able to catch birds as they fly through our backyard.

Both of these dogs deserve to be honored for all they bring to our family. So, happy Dog Day, Guinness and Lucy.

You are loved. Sonja

Have You Met Guinness?

Guinness the Therapy Dog is 95 pounds of love. He has a heart as big as outer space and wants to give everyone as much love as possible.

Also, he doesn’t know where his feet land.

Which is why he steps on my feet a lot.

A lot.

Have you ever had 95 pounds land on your toes? It’s not pleasant. But aren’t a dog’s feet soft? Parts of them are. Sure. But those toenails click on the floor for a reason. They’re hard…and pointy.

Bernese Mountain Dogs have rounded feet–great for snow but lousy traction on wood floors. Especially laminate wood floors. This means he needs to find purchase on something when he flies out the door to chase a lizard. That’s usually my foot.

But I love that weirdo.

He gives back so much more that it’s hard to be mad at him. Like now, when he lays quietly on the floor at my feet while I type this. There’s all that love I mentioned before.

Do you have a pet that gives you unconditional love? Sonja

My Work Space

I always have a cup of tea beside my laptop. Even as it’s tortuously hot outside, I have some cooled tea in my cup.

I also have dogs at my feet! Guinness the Therapy Dog is usually under the table where I work and rests on top of my feet. Lucy the Wonder Dog likes to stretch out beside my chair-within quick access to her crate where she hides.

I would love to see where you work! Sonja

Still Recovering…

While I continued to wear a spiffy blue cast on my lower arm, I imagine it actually looks like this. I’m charmed by this photo.

Plus, I am writing about Lady Zepherine in the fourth installment of The Fairies of Carlow. Her namesake rose isn’t such a light pink but is equally beautiful. It’s a more cerise pink, maybe a medium dusty pink, so she makes a statement when she enters a room! There’s no blending in for someone wearing a cerise pink gown.

While I’m unable to write without sending pain throughout my hand and wrist, I am busy plotting in my head. My notebook is filled with ideas (my right hand, my handwriting hand, is fully capable!) and I’m starting to form another novel under a different author’s name.

The next Guinness the Therapy Dog book is also close to being sent to the illustrator.

Exciting stuff, huh?!?!?

I hope your week is filled with success, too. Sonja

Is the glass…

It’s National Pet Day

Today is the day to celebrate your furry friends and I’m so excited to have Guinness the Therapy Dog and Lucy the Wonder Dog in my life.

I write about them in the Guinness the Therapy Dog series, where you can read about Guinness’s adventures.

The relationship he has with Lucy in the books is the same in real life. She is his moral compass and keeps him in line, which can be hard. Sometimes, Guinness is a little too enthusiastic–about everything. Lucy lets him know, in no uncertain terms, that he needs to calm down.

It’s fun to write about their relationship and Guinness’s zest for life. He’s good to have around!

I hope you have a fur-friend. Sonja

Answering a Popular Question

The most frequent question about the Guinness the Therapy Dog book series that I get is actually a two-parter.

Is Guinness your real dog?
Can I buy Guinness?

To answer the first question: Yes! Guinness lives with me and my family. He spends most days laying in front of the door so no one can come or go without his knowledge. He’s a big, fluffy heart on four paws who thinks it is his duty to protect me. While he doesn’t act the same with my husband or sons, Guinness places himself between me and anyone who stops to talk to me during our walks.

And onto the second question: No! We would be lost without Guinness in our house and protecting our door. We were lucky enough to have him rehomed with us and we’re not giving him up!

If you come across us on a walk, please stop and say hello. Sonja

#SaturdayMorning

This fine Saturday morning I will be taking a walk with Guinness the Therapy Dog. We try to take a walk every day. He loves all the smells and the cool air. I love the walk. Soon, I’ll take him to the mountains to play in the snow.

I’ll post pictures!

Have a wonderful Saturday doing whatever it is you want to do. I hope you spend a little time with a book and then with someone you love. Sonja

Today’s Challenge

I don’t know about you, but I find it challenging to decide which story in my head is worthy of being put down on paper.

I have so many stories swirling around up there. I explore them when I’m walking, hiking, taking some quiet time, driving, or falling asleep.

I have a lot of stories to tell about Guinness. He’s a never-ending source of adventures! Just a walk around the block can lead to an interesting experience.

Just today, we were taking a walk and he was trying to be a good boy. Another dog walked by with his own human. Before we went to school, Guinness would have barked and lunged. Today, he merely kept a close watch on the dog and tried to talk to him. I think that will probably make it into one of his adventures that I write about. He loves to talk to everyone he meets. In the morning, he sounds like Chewbacca from Star Wars (R)!

I’ll try to catch his talking and post it on his Instagram page (@real_guinness_the_therapy_dog). Follow him and get daily updates on his shenanigans!

Have a happy weekend. Sonja

Guinness is going to be on TV tonight!

That’s right. This handsome boy will be on Tucson’s Channel 13 tonight. They are planning a feature on the library’s Read-to-a-Dog program and will be ‘interviewing’ Guinness.

He’s fluffed and brushed and ready for his spotlight!

I can’t wait to see him!

I hope you see the story and leave a comment here. He and I read everything and can’t wait to see your thoughts.

We’re also gearing up for Christmas! There may just be a gift under the tree or what you use to present gifts for the holiday (if you put your laptop there!). This is my holiday gift for you, dear reader.

Have a happy holiday week! Sonja