What's up dog?

Tex started canine therapy this year at the ripe old age of 10. Each fortnight he travels down to christchurch to visit his friends in rest homes and rehab. He is very excited to go and often lets himself into the hospital and common rooms before I have had time to sign in. The love he gives these people is so unconditional - and the stroke patients will often sit and hold him (yes he jumps up on the sofa next to them and allows them lots of cuddles) but with his more able clients he ruff plays and brings his toys to share with them and play chase. He often takes himself to staff meetings when he has had enough socialising and lies prone amongst it all. Here on the farm he takes his other life quite seriously - pushing lambs back through the fence on our morning walk, waiting patiently for the rural mail lady to arrive so he can collect the paper ( has done this his entire life) - he brings in firewood - and will wait under the clothesline to be given a pair of farm socks (the only ones we allow dog slobber on) to carry inside at the end of the day. If we have been to town he greets us excitedly at the car and asks for something to carry in - which is tricky with a labrador so we usually buy lots and lots of rolls of rubbish bags! He is a friend to all - his best friend is a poodle cross called Charlie and they are literally like Cheech and Chong but they get so excited to see each other for play dates - if we say we are going to Charlies house his ears prick up and he is ready to roll. He loves his job in chch so much that if I start getting ready to go to town he will go and stand by his toy drawer hoping that I am going to pack his bag and that he is coming too. His dog groomer annouced to me that she thought he was the perfect dog !! He gets to hang out on the loose at hers after he has been done and just chills with his legs crossed till I come and get him. He has never ever bitten anyone - one vet nurse exclaimed that she has never taken a blood sample out of a dogs jugular before with his tail constantly wagging till she met Tex. His only down fall is that he is a bit of a bulimic - and we have to watch him. I cant use Blood and bone or compost in the garden or he will go "Snouting" which involves submerging one's snout in the soil and consuming as many goodies as he can before we discover him! He has had a couple of opening up sessions at the vet after over indulging in walnuts and eating a really yummy pooy horse tail bandage (aged 1) - the vet suggested putting a zip in which was probably a good idea!! LOL What more can I say than Tex has more friends then I do - he attends any meetings we have at home - quietly deciding on his favourite participant by sleeping soundly on their feet . He attends all our health and saftey meetings and first aid courses. He has made a huge impact on all that have met him or crossed paths - his calm loving nature is infectious - previously scared dog people have been sucked in to tummy scrubs or games of tug with his toys. He is not really a PDA dog but he picks up the need in people and will either lean on them when they are sad or allow himself to be hugged or sit with his paws on their lap. he does the rounds with our elderly friends and is quite tired after a visit , but always perks up for another visit with the same enthusiasm. We have never had another dog like him - and probably never will