Dog Show at the Rehab Hospital

      The dog show was an unexpected and delightful highlight of my recent stay in a rehab hospital.

       Audience and judges, all patients, gathered on the large patio one sunny afternoon, toting, sitting on or pushing various ambulatory assistance as the staff organized, or rather tried to organize the participants.  There were big dogs and little dogs, fat dogs and skinny dogs, black dogs, white dogs, black and white dogs and a range of complexions in between, all accompanied by their proud owners.  One trait they all shared, however, was the apparent inability to follow commands in the midst of such canine community.  Sniffing, checking out their co-competitors and begging for treats from the audience took precedence over any agenda imposed by humans.

        The cutest and most glamorous of the group was hands down, Miss FiFi, a black toy poodle wearing what we were told was a diamond necklace.  The other end of the size range was a long-legged Weimarner, about ten times the height of Miss Fifi.  A fun side show of the competition was a tug of war between the Weimarner and a white haired, ground hugging fellow that is probably part bulldog.  They grabbed a rope toy, one on each end, and pulled and yanked each other around, the Weimarner with his butt in the air, front legs stiff and on the ground, and the white fellow, hunkered down, hanging on for the long haul.

        Audience members tossed treats to the contestants and applauded their support.  Occasional outbursts of laughter were heard.

        What a great break the dog show was from the routine of rest and physical therapy.  It was easy for me to forget physical issues and get caught up in the fun and charm of the hour as I went to the dogs that day at the rehab center.