The Best Therapists Have Fur and Four Legs

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday, and if you've followed me for even a short time, you know I'm about to run amuck from the topic of marketing. Sunday is my day to step into the world outside business, and with the pandemic slowly (very slowly) moving behind us, I was thinking about how Sheila and I got through it.
 
Like most of you, we've been isolated from friends and family for over a year. We chose to hunker down and ride out the storm. I have fewer respiratory issues than Sheila does, so I've been doing the food-shopping, typically at 7:00 am on Sunday mornings - before the no-mask wonders show up. We've cooked every meal at home, mastered a couple of fun cooking techniques, and put on the "Covid 15," which we're walking every morning now, trying hard to shed.

Through this entire nightmare, it's time I paid tribute to our therapists, Dr. Lucy and Dr. Belle. I wrote about losing Molly the Wonder Dog in February 2019. Like everyone who loses a dog, I was devastated. Nine months later, we decided it was time to get back into the dog world - only this time it was two fur-balls joining the family.

For the first three months, just about every day, I questioned our decision. Most of the time, Sheila and I would look at each other and say, "What made us think at our age we could handle two puppies?" Then we'd laugh and refocus on training.

When the pandemic hit in full force, the four of us really did become a family. Our days kicked off with getting the girls out, typically our morning walk around the neighborhood, and on and off through the day, it was puppy playtime. They've filled our life with chuckles and an occasional scream - but big smiles every day.

Over and again, I've thought about how lucky we are to have them with us, and the love for these two knuckleheads just keeps growing. I thought our experience was pretty unique until I called our vet to get them in for their annual checkups and shots. I was told that through the pandemic, "Everybody got a pet!" As a result, they're five months behind on available appointments.

That brings me right to my point - our pets help fulfill our lives. While there are no words to describe how much we've missed friends and getting together, our "therapists" have kept us focused on laughing and smiling every day. 

Sheila and I got our second vaccine shot this past week, and there's finally light at the end of the tunnel. But over the last year, it was Lucy and Belle who helped us stay focused on our hearts and, in fact, each other. ​

Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole!
Roger Caras

​Wishing everybody a day loaded with smiles and hope for the future and a return to some level of normalcy. It's going to be slow, but still faster and the right direction away from what we've all dealt with for the last twelve months. And if you've got a pet therapist, dog, or cat, they deserve a couple of extra treats today because they guided you through the storm.

Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world!