Tomorrow is a red letter day! My husband and I will close on the purchase of an historic downtown building here in Colfax. We have been working for and dreaming of this for many months, and it has finally come to pass. This is not just an ordinary commercial building, but the building in which we will create "The American Working Dog Museum" to honor all the dogs who have served mankind from time immemorial. Since the first wolf curled up at the fire of prehistoric man, dogs have been our constant companions and working partners. Dogs are the most versatile animal ever created. I believe that they can and will learn almost anything we ask of them, and perform that job faithfully until they are no longer able. If we treat them with kindness and respect, they serve us with love and devotion.

I have been soliciting donations and loans of exhibit materials in anticipation of this coming to fruition, and have so far secured the support of the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA), Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society) and the American Kennel Club (AKC). I am working to find materials representing herding, guarding, police, military, hunting, sledding, carting, acting, therapy, service/medical alert, fire, search & rescue, and other working dogs that deserve to have their stories told.

If you or someone you know might be interested in helping with this project, please follow our progress on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorkingDogMuseumTobysSitStay, and let me know how you may be able to help. I will be posting pictures and comments about our work on the creation of the museum and its supporting shop (and a few notes and photos about our own "working dog" therapy work as well). This is a grassroots project, and our Facebook page reflects that homey atmosphere and casual news reporting style. I hope you will visit us there!

Greg and I have begun taking Toby to the Des Moines Veterans Hospital twice a month. We went through volunteer orientation and the background and health check last summer, but were waiting for a chance to do some physical therapy with the patients there, rather than simply making social visits. A recreational therapist called in January to say that Blue, the Cairn terrier she had been working with, had some back problems and needed to take an extended break from therapy, and she wondered if we would be interested in bringing Toby to work with her. She is a rec therapist, but continues the patients' physical therapy in the evenings, working with therapy dogs to make it more enjoyable.

We have been there three evenings so far, and it has been very interesting. Sometimes the patients walk Toby down the hallway, other times they sit with him and practice manual dexterity exercises. When walking, the patients prove that they can walk farther than usual when they have a dog beside them, and actually enjoy doing it. I have also trained Toby to ride in a wheelchair, and we are hoping we will have a chance to practice this with a patient soon. The staff is anxious to see a dog being pushed in a wheelchair by the person who is usually riding. How often do you see that!?

The manual dexterity exercises so far have included tying and untying Toby's bandana, taking treats out of a zipper bag, and brushing him with the hand on the side of the patient's body affected by stroke. Again, veterans will perform services for Toby that they are reluctant to do as exercises for a therapist alone. A dog is great motivation for getting up, walking, and doing nice things for a fellow creature.

And Toby has been just wonderful in this work. He jumps up on chairs so he can be high enough to be petted, sits on laps and beds, walks between the patient and me (on a double leash, so each of us can hold one), does tricks to amuse the staff and patients, and tries to follow commands from those struggling with speech aphasia. I couldn't ask for a better partner.

We love this work, because we feel that we are actually helping someone to get better. It's so lovely to hear that one of the patients will be going home in a few days, and to know that we have helped them become stronger and more independent. Greg and I are both army veterans, so we get an extra kick out of helping our fellow soldiers. And Toby just loves everyone, no matter what their rank!