Puppy Kirby rescues ownerKirby
Daughter of Dixie & Gideon 4/11/07
Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010
Subject: Fwd: Kirby’s First Pet Therapy Visit
Thought you would enjoy this!
I sent the Director a quick note on our visit below–and this is her reply.
It really was an awesome visit. Kirby did FANTASTIC. She was made for this job. She had no problem going right up to people to meet them even if they were behind a walker or in a wheelchair–they just loved her. Many residents were very bright and asked me all kinds of questions about her. We broke up a guy’s poker game and they had a blast with her. We went into the beauty salon and the women just crooned over her–til Kirby sneezed from the perm solution smell-LOL–they all laughed–it was just a really great day and I enjoyed the visit as much as I think they did.
From: “Patricia King”
Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010
Subject: RE: Kirby’s First Visit
Hi Teresa,
The residents loved her. They all could not believe her size and how gentle she was. The most heard comment was I had never seen a dog that big before! That is what I love to provide for our Residents. Firsts..firsts…and more firsts. When we can provide new experiences for people who have lived to their 80’s & 90’s feel really great. Thank you for wanting to share Kirby with our Residents. See you on the 23rd. Pat
Patricia K
Director of Lifestyle Programs
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010
Subject: Re: UPDATE–KIRBY IS GOING TO START THERAPY VISITS TOMORROW!
We got accepted into the Therapy Dog Program at the Naperville Animal Shelter! I am so excited. Kirby starts her first visit tomorrow, Feb. 9th at a very nice retirement home in Lisle, IL. The coordinator of the program said the residents are very excited and looking forward to meeting Kirby. Hopefully, the snowstorm that is expected will hold off til after our visit. I am still laid off (unemployed) and doing this therapy work will help me as much as Kirby and the residents! I will try and get a picture taken to send of our first day tomorrow. Kirby was made for this job–so I am not really worried at all about her making a wonderful impression. She will love to bring smiles to everyone she meets–she always has. Just wanted to update you. Here are more recent pixes of Kirby–we love her soooo much!
Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Subject: Re: Kirby
Hi Lucy! Kirby is doing just great. In December, I will be hopefully signing up for volunteer work in the area of therapy dog at one of our local shelters. I do not know all the details yet or even if they will accept us as the orientation is not til Jan. But, Kirby would be excellent in this department–she is a delight with young and old. Recently, on one of our outings–(of course she always draws a crowd) we met with two very elderly ladies coming out of the coffee shop–they stopped in their tracks and remarked that Kirby was “the most beautiful creature that they had ever seen”–they walked forward with their canes–Kirby did not flinch–I made her sit and they held out their hands to be met with kisses. It was awesome for me to see her react with senior citizens as usually its families, kids or adults my age (middle). This is why I know she would do great as a therapy dog–the shelter’s program would be visiting nursing homes.
I was laid off from my job in June so I’ve had lots of wonderful time with Kirby–she loves to go for a ride and stop and walk through downtown areas of nearby towns–she just loves the attention.
More then once–I’ve been asked if I would sell her! I’ve answered–are you kidding? She is my 3rd child!
Here are some recent Halloween pics. Kirby had a blast meeting all the trick-or-treaters at the door and they loved being greeted by her!
Thanks for checking on us.
Teresa
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009
Subject: Fwd: Kirby Won at the Ballgame last Mondaynight, Aug 24, 2009!
Here are the pictures from when Kirby won the Biggest Dog contest at the baseball game at the Cougar Stadium in Geneva, IL.
It was Bark in the Park night–where you could bring your dog to the semi-pro baseball game.
It was a beautiful night–and Kirby got soooo much attention from the crowds, the kids and the vendors. It was a good experience for her as well–what with the noise and distractions. To top things off–near the end of the 7th inning–one of the employees came over and said that he would like for her to be the winner of their contest. They had been scouting the fields for the Biggest and Smallest Dog! The last pix –is us on the field with the Smallest and receiving our awards–we got a dinner certificate for the CountyHouse near there. Needless to say that Kirby slept like a log and snored all night! LOL
Note from Fredericka: We are very proud to be the breeders of Kirby.
It was cold and icy near nightfall on Jan. 6, but Teresa Milewski wasn’t counting on fracturing her arm and spending the past two weeks on painkillers because of it. But it could have been much worse, if not for Kirby. Kirby is a 20-month-old puppy that just happens to be a 156-pound American mastiff – a rare and rather large dog. Teresa needed every bit of Kirby’s size and strength when she fell on the ice during a walk in Big Woods Park, near her Batavia home. Teresa’s daughter was in the house, but luckily Kirby was outside. “I screamed for help and no one heard me, so I called Kirby to come to me,” said Teresa, who said her pain was so bad she could barely move. “By hanging on to her neck and collar, I was able to get up.” Teresa said it was still a tough walk home and that Kirby had to help her up a second time and stayed close behind her. Luckily, Kirby seemed to understand that Teresa was in trouble and not calling her to play. A 156-pound playful pup is not what Teresa’s arm needed at the time. “My dog attracts attention wherever we go,” Teresa proudly proclaimed. “She is still a puppy and won’t be considered full grown until she is about 4 years old.” Teresa said she has always considered Kirby an amazing animal, but never more so than during her rescue effort. “She helped me up twice, the pain was so terrible,” Teresa said. “I was at the farthest point on the trail and it seemed like an eternity, but once we got back, my daughter rushed me to the emergency room.”
KIRBY HELPS OUT
Hi all, had a bad fall on ice in the park behind me on last Tuesday evening. I was alone with Kirby who was off leash at the time. I could not get up–the pain was so bad. I screamed and no one heard me–so I knew I had to make it back to the house–it was getting dark. I called Kirby to me and she let me pull on her –hanging on to her collar to get up. The pain was so bad—we had to do this a few times as I fell to the ground doubled up in pain. She followed me home–though she could have taken off to play in the snow–which she loves—got home and my daughter drove me to ER, I have 2 fractures near the shoulder that cannot be casted, on pain meds and sling for 3 weeks then more x-rays and then either therapy or surgery. Please excuse the sloppy typing as I hunt and peck with one hand. Every thing is hard and painful to do—just sitting down or reaching is horrible. but I don’t know what I would of done w/o Kirby–she also stays in my room near me as I recuperate. Kevin, its hard for me to type this all out again–so could you or someone else reading this –please share with Fredricka–thanks.
time for more dicavin and sleep——-Teresa
To: “Flying W Farms” [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Hi–just an update on Kirby– She is just doing so fantastic. We go for car rides and shopping together at least once every other week–she goes to Petsmart with me and the Healthy Pet Store and then sits with me outside of Starbucks or any coffee shop and is always such a good girl. It is such a delight to have a pup that I can take with me. I never did have to buy a barrier for the car–she just stays in the back by herself. She is just awesome. I was on your website tonight and noticed that most of the pictures were puppy pictures of Kirby–so I wanted to send you some more recent ones so you could update her picture on your site. Thanks again for such a great dog—she is 15 months old now–about 155 lbs and very tall–very gorgeous!
Teresa
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2007
Subject: Kirby
She is just doing fantastic in puppy class. 4 month old Kirby just walks quietly along with her heeling and sitting when I stopped. I am so proud of her—THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SUCH A GREAT PUP!!! I have an appt in October to get her spayed. Hope all is well on the farm.
Teresa
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2007
Subject: Kirby (Dixie/Gideon daughter)
Hi Fredericka–Just a short note to let you know how great Kirby is doing. She is now 4 months old and we’re about 4 weeks into our puppy training. I had already trained her on so many commands before class even started—but its great to see her around other pups and to train her with distractions. She’s so very smart—she’s a delight to train. She rides so beautifully in the back of my CRV–she only tried to come up front once—I pulled over and put her back there—and that was that. Now she rides back there and looks around—looking all majestic & all at 4 months—and I will not need a car barrier. I did buy a portable ramp–and we are using that now–which will be great as she gets older. She is now 55.8 pounds and the vet said she is in awesome form. I’ve attached some newer pictures that you can add >> to her album–some are at 3 mos–and some at 4 mos. I have scheduled her spaying in October. There are some poses –that I see her daddy (Gideon) so clearly in. We all just love Kirby and so does everyone she meets. At class today, the instructor asked if anyone already was working on the Stay command–I said I was–so she came up to Kirby and was trying to get her to do a Stay while she towered right next to her. Kirby didnt know what to do–she sat, she layed down–she tried to shake hands. I asked the instructor if I could demonstrate. I put Kirby at the farthest point in the ring–did my stay command–walked to the other end–she stayed–til I called her. All the other owners quipped–WOW! Can you train mine? Can you train mine? Wish I could take all the credit–but Kirby is just so smart.
Thank-you again for an awesome, lovable, sweet pup! Sorry this is so long–but sometimes I just can’t
stop talking about my Kirby!!
Teresa
To: “Flying W Farms”
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2007
Subject: Re: KIRBY (DIXIE/GIDEON 4/11/07) PICTURES
June 30, 2007
Dear Fredericka-
Kirby is almost 11 weeks old. She has brought so much joy to our family since our sad lost of our rottie, Cody who passed away a year ago at age 11 years. I want to thank you for breeding such beautiful and incredible dogs. She has definitely filled any empty void in our home and in our lives. Thank you so much!
Kirby causes a commotion wherever we go–everyone adores her–strangers stop to ask me where we got her and what breed she is. Kirby is soooo smart. She has already mastered ringing the set of bells at the back door to let us know when she needs to go potty. She has learned sit & down already. We are anxious to start formal obedience class with her as soon as she is fully vaccinated. I can’t hardly walk out into my cul-de-sac without someone coming over to see her. My vet adores her and said she is very healthy and doing great. On our first trip to the vet—she obviously was overwhelmed with all the new stimulation—she fell asleep on the examining table! It was so funny! Today we had her swimming in a kiddie pool on the deck–she loved it and now is taking her 2-3 hour snooze as I write this. The only member of our family that hasn’t met Kirby yet is my older daughter who is away at school in TX—she is due to come home next week and she just can’t wait to see Kirby! Thank you again, so much.
The wait for Kirby was so long—but so incredibly worth it!
Teresa