LIke a king on a throne

[Michael Romanos]

Taylor, my 2 year old Pem has been a visitor to rest homes/hospitals since he was eight months old. It took a turn for the better a few months ago when I cottoned onto the idea of having him sit on chairs so that residents/patients confined to a bed or unable to bend down, could access the little Corgi for patting and cuddling. And Taylor didn't need to get so tired from stretching up on his back legs in going from person to person. Then came the spur for further refinement. Taylor now jumps into a wheelchair and like a king on a mobile throne, he takes great delight in being wheeled arouind to greet and be greeted.

[Ocean]

Nice. How did Taylor start visiting rest homes and hospitals? I bet kids love seeing your little Corgi.

[Michael Romanos]

Taylor loves people and my wife thought he might enjoy, and give out some enjoyment, in visiting a rest home/hospital mainly for elderly folk. So when he was eight months old, completely divorced from any dog visiting organisation, I contacted a couple of rest homes ie retirement homes and the response I got was no we don't accept puppies they might damage our frail residents and misbehave ie not be properly controllable. But I found another rest home/hospital called St Joseph's Home of Commpassion, whose Activities Chief said bring Taylor along, we'll give him a go. Of course, even though Taylor is full of life, he knew even as a pup how to act with decorum and Taylor's been going there every fortnight ever since. Our visits take around an hour and Taylor is off-lead so he has choices where to go and to whom he wants to see. But we eventually see everyone who wants to talk to and fondle a gorgeous, fully coated Corgi who is willing to give everyone some undivided attention. And now Taylor is wheeled around for some of the time. It's interesting that Taylor and I have been going to this place for two years now and the only thing he's ever been given in that whole time was a bone at Christmas last year (unfortunately he's not allowed bones) and we have never been offered morning tea even though we always arrive at morning tea time. However there have been other offshoot benefits such as newspaper publicity and the visiting has helped Taylor take runner-up in the 2005 New Zealand Canine Pet of the Year award.