The coronavirus affects the lives of dogs as well as people.

Zinnia’s training and practice as a therapy dog has been interrupted, I imagine it will be a long time before she is welcome in an assisted care facility, I think she will get back into Bishop Maginn soon.

Like my other dogs, Zinnia has only rarely been on a leash. She needs more practice. So I put a leash on her this morning and we talked down the busy highway in front of our farm.

It took her a few minutes to understand the leash, but by the time we got back, she was once again walking pretty easily by my side. Some big trucks came rumbling by, she handled them well. I love walking with my dogs, but I’ve hardly ever used a leash with any of them.

My walks with Zinnia have been both healing and grounding. She won’t be a puppy too much longer, but she a great dog for me, especially right now. I’m backing away from my ambitions for her to work in hospice and other environments like hospitals, I just think I am missing the window on the kind of training she needs for that work.

We can still do a lot of good together. Pandemics are about change, and our ability to adapt to change.