Cazz: That Wonderful Dog with the Stack of Biscuits on Her Nose

GRRRR's logo features a beautiful Golden who is patiently holding a stack of dog biscuits on her nose.  Who is that dog with all the biscuits on her nose?  Can a dog really do that or is that some type of trick photography?  These are the types of questions we often hear about the very special dog who is pictured on GRRRR's logo so we asked the dog's owner, Sherry Curry, to let us share the biscuit-nose Golden's remarkable story with you. 

The Golden is Casondra or Cazz for short.  She started her life like many other pups and young dogs by going to puppy class and obedience school.  She was very good at obedience work and could even ignore the distractions when she was trained in places like airports and railroad stations.  She had a very bright future in obedience--until one day a tragedy which would change her life forever struck. 

Cazz was run over by a large feed truck.  No one expected her to live.  However, Cazz pulled through.  After lots of tender loving care by Sherry and her family during Cazz's long rehabilitation, she finally managed to recover.  Through it all, it's been apparent that Cazz is one of those very special dogs with something extra to give those who know and love her.

Cazz has brought joy to others in many ways in her life.  She is very quick to learn and excelled at sports like agility.  However, Cazz seems happiest when helping others. 

Cazz's proud owner Sherry heard about Support Dogs of St Louis and recognized their program as tailor-made for a dog like Cazz.  Sherry took Cazz for temperament testing and for the Canine Good Citizen Test as requirements to become a Certified T.O.U.C.H. Dog.  Sherry might have been a little worried about the tests, but not Cazz!!  Cazz just did what she always does, wagged her tail and tried her best to please.  Sherry's dedication in driving back and forth between Columbia and St Louis for fourteen weeks paid off--Cazz graduated with flying colors and finally got a "real job."  Cazz gave demonstrations at area colleges and pet stores to inform people of the importance of dog therapy to patients.  Cazz is also a regular at a local skilled nursing facility and RUSK Rehabilitation Center, bringing Cazz's special love to the people there.

But that's not all Cazz has done!  One day GRRRR Volunteer Barb Payne had the idea of taking a photo of Cazz doing her trick of balancing biscuits on her nose.  Barb and Sherry kept stacking the biscuits, and Cazz balanced the entire stack perfectly while Barb took the photo for GRRRR's logo.  

GRRRR uses its logo in many ways--on a van owned and operated by a volunteer, on GRRRR's forms, on GRRRR's webpage, on T-shirts and watches and on other items.   

Who knows what other uses GRRRR will make of its logo in the future??  Wherever GRRRR's logo appears, people will see that special girl Cazz with the stack of biscuits on her nose, doing what she does best--reaching out to people. 

Sherry was particularly eager for you to know about Cazz because Cazz has been Sherry's friend for a long time, and Sherry wanted you to know the soul behind our logo.  Sherry views dogs like Cazz as angels on loan to us.  Cazz is there for Sherry, no questions asked.  Sherry believes that when it's our turn to pass, our angels will be waiting for us.  And Sherry has no doubt that Cazz will be waiting, wagging her golden tail with Sherry's favorite shoe in her mouth. 

Sherry pays this touching tribute to her "one and only" Casondra: