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Presbyterian Village North Celebrates National Dog Day

On Wednesday, August 26th residents at Presbyterian Village North (PVN) met with their favorite pooches to celebrate National Dog Day with a fun “Yappy Hour.” Knowing that having the companionship of an animal has positive benefits at any age, but is especially beneficial for seniors, PVN prides itself on being a community that is accommodating to the residents’ four-legged friends. In fact, Frank Pike, Nancy Pike and Joyce Forney all moved into PVN because of the dog friendly features of the community.

 

“We’ve had Annie for four years now, and she is a gorgeous dog with a personality to match,” said Frank. “The story of how we adopted Annie is a surprising one. One day we visited our vet and found out that Klark, our previous dog, needed to be put down. Later that afternoon, we received a call from our vet who wanted to see if we had free time the next morning. We did, so we drove up and patiently waited for the vet in the lobby. It wasn’t long until Dr. Charles brought out a stunning sheltie mix on a lead who walked past everyone with such poise. She walked straight to me, jumped in my lap, then walked over to my wife, sat in her lap and planted a kiss on her face. Her demeanor basically said, ‘Pet me, I’m beautiful!’ So how could we not? Dr. Charles took a final look at us, put her hand on her hip and said, “I guess that takes care of that.’”

 

It took no time at all for a strong bond to develop between the Pikes and Annie. She is their favorite dog to date, as well as the most loyal. Having come from a backyard where she kept the squirrels at a distance, Annie has taken it upon herself to keep the squirrels at PVN in check as well. In addition, she knows how to sit patiently if she wishes to be pet, and they have taught her to catch treats from a fifteen foot distance.

 

“She’s a very obedient dog, unless there is a cat around,” said Frank. “If I drop the lead, she stops, looks back at me and waits for me to pick it up. If I dropped the lead and a cat were around I don’t know that she would sit so still though. We go for about five to six walks a day – sometimes I will lead and sometimes she will lead the way. I’ve had eight to nine dogs over the span of my life, and I just love the companionship they provide. They’re fun to be around, always happy to see you and they keep you active by going on walks all the time. She snuggles in my lap when I’m home and sleeps in my chair when I’m not home. She’s the sweetest dog. We suspect that we get manipulated from time to time because Annie is not only sweet, she’s very smart.”

 

Annie is not the only smart dog at PVN. Joyce’s dog Lexi has also proven to be obedient and intelligent. Joyce keeps a coverlet on her living room sofa, so that Lexi can lounge on it as she pleases. However, Lexi knows that when Joyce pulls the coverlet off and plumps the pillows that company is about to come over. At that point, she’ll go in the other room to get cozy in her chair and won’t come out until the guests are gone. Joyce never taught her that, she just instinctively seemed to know. Joyce and Lexi have been a close-knit pair since she adopted her in 2005.

 

“Lexi was sent to Dallas after Hurricane Katrina passed through and left many animals homeless,” said Joyce. “I believe she is about 14 years old, and I cannot stand the idea of her getting any older. I had just lost my Lhasa Apso when my daughter called to tell me about a dog sale to find homes for these lost animals. She told me there was one dog that would definitely not be adopted that day and asked if I would come take a look to see if she would be a good fit for me. I went up there, and I could tell immediately which one she was. Lexi was scrawny, older, no beauty to behold, but she had a way about her that said, ‘If you take care of me, I’ll take care of you.’ I was sold.”

 

Joyce loves having her dog, Lexi, in her home, especially since she lives alone. When she moved into PVN, she and her husband had a dog. Being dog-friendly was a huge factor when they decided where to move. Joyce loves her walks with Lexi because it gets her out in the fresh air and encourages her to exercise. Even on days when it is bitterly cold, rainy or extremely hot she takes Lexi out for her walks.

 

Annie and Lexi both participated in the annual Dog Parade that was recently held at PVN on the Fourth of July. While Lexi tolerates the costume that Joyce adorns her with, Annie gives a haughty look to the Pikes. If Annie could talk, they think she would say, “I’m already wearing a fur coat in this Texas heat, you must be crazy!” More than 20 dogs participated, and some of their owners took them to see residents in Joyce Hall after the main walk to visit those who could not attend. In addition to visiting residents, both Annie and Lexi are very fond of Nancy, the head receptionist for PVN, as she keeps pepperoni treats in stock for all dogs who come to say hello to her.

 

“Having a pet reduces depression and helps prevent loneliness,” said Ron Kelly, executive director of Presbyterian Village North. “It is a delight seeing residents walking the campus with their dogs. The dogs really do encourage more activity, and their happy-go-lucky spirits liven up anyone’s mood. We are in the midst of a $93 million expansion project that will include a new dog park for everyone to enjoy. The new park will be located by a community gazebo and stunning water feature creating a serene place for owners and pups to spend quality time outdoors. The expansion project is doing more than just adding residences, it’s about beautifying the campus too. We know how meaningful the dogs are to our residents, so we are excited to build a brand new dog park for them. We know many new, fun memories will be made there once it is open.” 

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Monday, 31 August 2015