Melissa is 10 months old!

Yesterday marked Melissa's 10 month birthday. She spent the day at the Crossings in Colonie. Paws in the Park, a fund raiser for the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society, had over 200 dogs and people walking the paths at the park! Melissa walked with my friend Lessa, they were in the top ten for raising money. Thank you to everyone who donated not only to team Lessa/Melissa but to all the dogs and people who walked to help the shelter.






You can see just Melissa's and Tate's hind ends in this photo, they were about in the middle of the group and having a grand time sniffing as they made their way thru the park. Seeing the large number of people walking their dogs and having fun was awsome!


I was busy evaluating dogs for Therapy Dogs International. A HUGE thank you to 15 year old Alisha who not only handled check-ins but organized all the paper work thru-out the day. Thank you goes to Barbara and her Golden Retriever Glory, who was the greeter dog for one section of the test. Thank you to Barbara Tran PMCT who drove from Vermont to help for the day and to watch several of her students take, and pass, the evaluation. To all the many children who played Frisbee, softball and soccer on the sidelines during a section of the test, I thank you. The test could not have been held without your help. Thank you to Ed, Keith and Eleanor, and many other people who stepped in to help. People came as far as North Andover Massachusetts and the Syracuse area to have their dogs evaluated. Mickey, a Golden Retriever, rescued from the MHRHS several years ago was one of the 15 dogs who passed the evaluation to become a pet therapy dog. Kudos to his owner Rose for adopting and training him. For more information on Therapy Dog International please check their website: www.tdi-dog.org


Lessa said Melissa met many many people and all sizes and shapes of dogs. Year old children in strollers, some held in parent's arms, some walking along. She met tall people, short people. She met people wearing hats, sunglasses and carrying balloons.





Melissa also met big dogs.....
















...and little dogs......












She also met Southpaw, the Valley Cats Mascot. Lessa said Melissa took a polite sniff and moved on.








Therapy dog Tasha, a black Chow adopted from MHRHS, made an appearance with owners Peter and Sharon and made Melissa's acquaintance.













Melissa had a good day. Thanks Lessa!