Dixon came to us from a rescue in July 2003 at age seven.  We were head over heals from the get go.  One of the first things he did when we got home was a running leap onto the cushioned chair in the corner of our bedroom.  “I claim this chair,” he was telling us.  That’s where he slept that first night but then we thought the kitchen would be the perfect sleeping quarters from there on.  WRONG!!  By the second night of our kitchen trial he had lobbied successfully and convinced us that anywhere in the bedroom would be just fine.  We bought him a new crate with some fleece blankets and the rest was history.

Dixon was not trained at all when we adopted him. We knew we had quite a task at hand to try and get a stubborn seven-year-old dachshund properly trained.  We wisely opted for the slightly pricier obedience class, which would allow us to repeat as many times as needed at no additional course costs.

As time passed we knew we had a special little guy, but when my cousin mentioned one day at a family gathering that he felt Dixon with his “soft” smooth coat and his calm demeanor, would be a good therapy dog, that really got us to thinking. First Dixon got his Canine Good Citizen award and then passed the Delta Society Therapy Dog evaluations.  Karen and Dixon volunteered at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles and Henry Mayo Memorial Hospital in Santa Clarita for two and a half years.  They earned the Presidential Service Award two years in a row.

Winston, beloved therapy dog of Nikki & Larry Conkings crossed the Rainbow Bridge on February 11, 2008.  Even though his life was short, he touched the lives of so many people that he will always be remembered.