Sausage Stables Dachshunds

"Todd"

Judge Ronald Simmons, Toddy, Wendy Snyder and judge Stephanie Gonyeau

Todd earns his TD at the Belden Farm, Sept 2007

This article is taken from the Dachshund Club of America March 2006 issue.  

    Clint and Todd by Wendy Snyder

"Well, my life in the dog therapy world started out with my first longhair dachshund named Clint, registered name: DC Int/Can/ Ch Riverwind Hi Plains Drifter, CGC, CD, RN, JE, VC.  He started out at 4 months old going to nursing homes.  I am a 4-H dog project leader and the kids needed a community project.  They chose nursing homes.  I really think the dogs and kids got more out of the visits than the residents.  They would come back talking about all the stories they were told about the residents' dogs and lives long ago.  I went on to teaching a dog therapy class at our local dog club.  We do two to three visits a month.

During this time I brought home a greyhound and he loved going to the head trauma center.  He and my dachshund just didn't get along well so I placed him in another home for greyhounds.  Then I got another dachshund named Todd.  His registered name is Am/Int/Can Ch Sausage Stables Best Reviews, CGC, HH, SE.  He just loved all the attention he would get at the homes.  Both of my dachshunds were then therapy trained.  I believe this is a vital part of the dog world.  These people are now in homes where they no longer have their family pet to hold and love.

I have seen some pretty amazing sights.  I was once in the head trauma center and one of the residents there had made no movement since he had been there.  I took both boys into the room with me and asked if it was okay for me to place Todd on the bed wiht him.  The nurse said yes, and Todd carefully moved up and laid next to the man and placed his head on his hand.  After a few minutes the man moved his fingers to pet Todd.  It was the first movement this man had made in months.  Through the following months Todd loved going to the man's room and lay there quietly so the man could pet him.  They shared this special time until the man died.

Both the dogs and I look forward to the visits to the nursing homes.  I know only good comes of the visits.  The residents have gotten to know the dogs and have their favorites which they insist on petting.  It is a hard sell when I bring in the dachshunds because most of the home administrators think of the larger dogs when they consider dog therapy.  But, both of my boys will place a foot on a knee if needed to get their heads up to be petted.  Todd is used to being on a bed if the person cannot sit up.  He is very quiet and gentle and will lay for a very long time.  I think the smaller dogs have a place in the therapy world.  It seems more people have had dachshunds as kids and love to see them again and tell their stories about beloved pets from days gone by."

Wendy also says "Todd is certified for head trauma and children's grief work. He loves to do the work and is very well suited for it."

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