Doggie Blog…Stevenson Style No. 6 by Gabrielle Stevenson

No. 6: Imaginary chats with David Frei and Therapy Dogs

Sitting on a recent plane ride back to Texas after visiting Team Stevenson in Northern California made me think about a lunch I imagine having with Westminster Dog Show TV announcer David Frei.

I imagine us having a sensible lunch on a dog-friendly patio with a hearty glass of Cabernet as we discuss a few things I’ve been saving up for him. Lucy, sitting on my lap, would stare at him in a way that would suggest she didn’t want him to pet her, but was still confused by why he wasn’t trying. (She is complex, even in imaginary settings.)

OK, I’m just seeing that thought in writing for the first time. It’s not creepy or weird, I swear! Let me explain!

My family and I have always been quick to suggest adopting dogs, cruising past the local shelters, visiting rescue groups and making calls to seek out dogs in need long before buying dogs from breeders. We love nothing better than a great rescue and have adopted all of our dogs that way.

But Westminster? Wow! As Valentine’s Day approaches each year, my excitement over the Dog Show increases. (I also wonder how many things Ted and I can really dip in chocolate in one week and blame on Valentine’s Day….) The Stevenson’s remind each other how much we love each other, set the DVR and watch the two-night coverage. We talk about each category and chat with delight about the dog names, the handlers, the judges… the entire pomp and circumstance of the show.

Yes, Westminster is all about breeder dogs (until they air the mixed breed agility event in prime time, the show remains about well-bred dogs.) BUT…. It is an event that celebrates one amazing topic: DOGS! It’s a festival of dogs, the people who love them, care for them and in general have great passion for them. And needless to say, David Frei is my second-favorite part of the show.

Frei obviously loves dogs, always cheers for the independent handler/breeder and has an amazing insight into all dogs. I would like to think we would be great friends that share a passion for our four-legged friends regardless of their bloodlines.

Our conversation at that imaginary lunch would certainly be fascinating, but I would eventually have to get to one point I would like to make with the experienced voice of the greatest Dog Show in the world.

Frei always points out which dogs are official therapy dogs and is himself greatly involved with therapy dogs. I admire this about anyone who participates in therapy dog programs and I love that he gives the topic attention each year.

Alas, I still have that one burning question for Mr. Frei. It would go something like this: “So, hey David…. Aren’t all dogs therapy dogs?”

If my trip highlighted one thing, it’s that I truly think all dogs are therapy dogs. Some also help people outside their own pack, making them even more amazing.

The Immediate Stevenson’s live in four different dwellings: Brother Matt and his wife Cara have Hank the Insane Border Collie; Brother Tim and his wife Sara have a new baby that is watched closely by their dog Bear; Mama Lucia and the Great American Ron get to care for Chewy (it was Chew Bear, but we seemed to have an abundance of Bears going on), Ranger, Cookie and Tinkerbelle. I have Stanley (really, it’s Stanley Bear, but I digress) and Lucy.

Each household has at least one cat and lots of lint rollers.

Life isn’t always organized and kind. Life isn’t always a bowl of cherries or a ray of sunshine. Brother Tim and his wife just had their first baby and three weeks later, Tim was hurt so badly doing some sawing work in his yard that he needed a hospital stay and surgery. That’s a lot of extra stress when you have a 3-week-old baby at home and a new business that you are trying to get off the ground.

Mama Lucia, because her Italian genes force her to, worries about the family and the baby. We have all worried, even though the Great American Ron reminds us that the recent events are “just life” and that we are lucky to have healthcare and family to help each other. That family includes our pack of furry friends.

Bear rides with Tim everywhere and helps Sara watch over the baby (he takes this job very seriously, just ask her twin sister!) Brother Matt is in medical school and I have no doubt that Hank the Insane brings comedic relief before, during and after daily (read: MANDATORY) walks.

I would be an absurdly stressed-out maniac without Stanley and Lucy. Through the hectic times back in Northern California, my parents are surrounded by a pack that is always joyful and loving. They play with their toys, jump with excitement over treats or walk time and in general, help keep the sanity.

All I could think about on the plane was getting home and giving Stanley and Lucy a big squeeze and continue to be ever so grateful for having their unwavering love in my life. I know how important the four-legged posse is to overall health and sanity. Even when things are more difficult or just frustrating, they are there to remind you that you are loved and they need you to nourish them with food, water and love in order to ease those tough times. Rubbing a dog belly and taking them for a walk has to be the most effective way to stave off stress, I’m sure of it.

To me, that’s the best kind of therapy. Now I just need to schedule that lunch.