Handler: Branch Northrup
Hi! I'm Jim, punk-rock poodle, who is the operative member of Team J&B. I am so excited about becoming a therapy dog with Divine Canines. I should not get ahead of myself, so I'll start at the beginning.Mom and I live primitively on a farm east of Austin. I tell you, I'm a hard working farm dog - yes I am. I'm no sissy - we can not afford to run the A/C in summer and we heat with a wood burning stove in the winter. Then there is the issue of us both looking shabby - Mom grooms me and cuts her own hair.
Three other dogs were here when I arrived. The others were old and all had left by the time I was 3. I needed a canine companion so I rescued my dog, Sissy, who is part border collie. My dog really keeps me in shape - we are great sprinters. She stays outside most of the time and does not accompany us when we leave the farm. The mare and I are also good friends.
When I was 4 months old we went to Harlan Winter to make me snake aware. He was concerned that I was too young to learn, but
I caught on right away, yes sireee.
I did well in the puppy agility class at Joyce Morgan's. Then we attended agility classes within walking distance of us. When I turned 9 months, puberty came crashing down on me and the girls in the class were having their days. I was completely out of control. After the surgery I calmed down and really enjoyed learning agility. There was only one problem - Mom is a clutz. She always was loosing course and many times crashed into jumps. We completed all the sessions of 3 classes, but were not asked to return.
Right before I turned one, I was the ring bearer in a wedding. After the ceremony, the wedding party walked a path bordered with 150 torches. I remained calm during the entire process.
We started volunteering at the Austin Yellow Bike Project about 3 years ago. I helped get the new building landscaped. I still attend the monthly meetings - I've had to learn to lie still for hours on end. And I host retreats and camp outs when the Yellow Bike folks all ride out here.
But by far the most exciting thing in my life has been training in Divine Canines class to be a therapy dog. I fear that we do no do enough homework and am constantly staring at her to let her know that I have home work to do.
Team J&B members are 7 and 70 years old and we plan to spend our remaining healthy years volunteering with Divine Canines.
Love and Licks, Jim
I did well in the puppy agility class at Joyce Morgan's. Then we attended agility classes within walking distance of us. When I turned 9 months, puberty came crashing down on me and the girls in the class were having their days. I was completely out of control. After the surgery I calmed down and really enjoyed learning agility. There was only one problem - Mom is a clutz. She always was loosing course and many times crashed into jumps. We completed all the sessions of 3 classes, but were not asked to return.
Right before I turned one, I was the ring bearer in a wedding. After the ceremony, the wedding party walked a path bordered with 150 torches. I remained calm during the entire process.
We started volunteering at the Austin Yellow Bike Project about 3 years ago. I helped get the new building landscaped. I still attend the monthly meetings - I've had to learn to lie still for hours on end. And I host retreats and camp outs when the Yellow Bike folks all ride out here.
But by far the most exciting thing in my life has been training in Divine Canines class to be a therapy dog. I fear that we do no do enough homework and am constantly staring at her to let her know that I have home work to do.
Team J&B members are 7 and 70 years old and we plan to spend our remaining healthy years volunteering with Divine Canines.
Love and Licks, Jim
