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Boxers in the Community
INDIAN SUMMER'S MARSHALL T.D. Owned and loved by Jean DeMill |
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By Eliav Appelbaum. The Simi Valley
Acorn Published Feb. 29, 2008
If every dog has his day, Marshall surely made the most of his.
The certified therapy dog celebrated his ninth birthday last Friday at the
Simi Valley Care Center, where he's brightened the spirits of
seniors for the past five years.
The Boxer got to eat a slice of cake, lick frosting off residents' fingers
and bring joy to whoever encountered the rambunctious friendly dog.
Besides cake, Marshall was treated to liverwurst and bananas while
residents sang "Happy Birthday."
The birthday boy did act a little bratty at times.
At one point, hoping no one was looking, he stood on his hind legs, peered
across the table and attempted to snare more cake.
"Marshy! No!" his watchful owner Jean De Mill admonished tugging him back
to the floor just in time.
Marshall has made regular appearances at the since 2003, visiting at least
twice a month and on all the major holidays.
"These are his stomping grounds." De Mill said. She and her mother,
Dorothy Manfredi, had brought three dogs to the birthday party.
Joined by cousins Fancy, 2 1/2, and Naomi, 7, Marshall made himself right
at home greeting residents like Virginia Wood.
"I love Marshall. I love the dog." Wood said. "He's excited to see so
many people and have this party and cake. Anytime I can see a dog. I
love them".
The Boxer then visited the bedside of John Richardson. "John always asks
to hear Marshall bark - and he always wants me to tell him a joke." De
Mill said.
Resident "Ruth Zoglin, a great-grandmother of three, was also part of the
love fest, receiving a bath of licks from
Fancy. " You're such a good puppy for washing my face", Zoglin said.
According to Katrina Cimma Rusti, activity director at the care center,
Marshall's therapeutic value is hard to miss.
"A lot of people will respond to Marshall rather than a person," she said,
"They light up when they see him. They really look forward to the
affection".
De Mill, who works as an aide for special education students at
Sinaloa Middle School has bred and raised Boxers for 25 year. She
showed the canines for 10 years but find greater gratification taking her
dogs to visit the sick or elderly.
Marshall can work with nearly any type of person or facility. He's been
certified as a Therapy Dog for five year now.
"He doesn't have any short fuses and things don't spook him," said De Mill
Marshall is a little different from most other dogs in other ways, too.
He was born an only puppy, and his mother, who later died of a brain
tumor, didn't want to feed him. De Mill bottle fed Marshall and raised
him around humans, not other animals. The Boxer recently had part of his
spleen removed after two masses were found. "He doesn't think
he's a dog,
he acts more like a human, " De Mill said. " He gets a little carried
away when it's his birthday."
After a fun-filled afternoon, Marshall, who also makes appearances at Los
Robles Hospital in thousand Oaks, needed time to relax. "Next stop, the
park, " De Mill said. "He needs to go on a walk and unwind."
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