Well-traveled dog to visit Arlee

(fall '07)ARLEE — Barry Schieber thinks his dog, Moritz, is extraordinary — and one can believe he must be. After all, the real-life Moritz is the star of four children’s books.
The author and his loveable Bernese Mountain Dog will be in Arlee this Saturday to share their stories with readers both familiar and new to their books.
“I didn’t think in a million years I’d be writing children’s books,” Schieber said. “After all, I was an investment banker.”
Seven years ago, when Schieber adopted Moritz, his life changed. Interested in compassionate care, Schieber took the mellow Moritz to Community Medical Center in Missoula for therapy dog training.
“We’d go every week,” the Bigfork author said. “He’s very charismatic. People just dropped everything and started playing with him.”
After an hour of visiting with patients, Moritz would “go to the park next to the hospital and shake off.” Schieber couldn’t shake his emotions after spending time with critically ill patients so easily, though, so he wrote about the incidences to friends.
Soon, the idea to turn the experiences into a children’s book was born.
Nose to Nose, about Moritz’ visits to the hospital, was their first book. A Gift to Share and An Open Heart followed, books about generosity and kindness.
Each book is illustrated by a different artist, and each artist brings something unique yet beautiful to the stories, Schieber says.
“The illustrations are extraordinary. They’re almost photogenic, but still whimsical,” he explained.
Schieber’s books about his dog’s adventures have become so popular,he said, “We don’t do the hospitals anymore, because … interest has expanded.” In fact, next week, he and Moritz will be going to Caroll College in Helena, where Scheiber’s first book is being used as a text for a Psychology class on human-animal bonding.
Moritz’s travels keep him busy. A year and a half ago, Barry took Moritz to Switzerland. The big dog was crated as luggage on the plane, but needed his own train ticket once in Europe. Crowds jostled and shuffled and pushed, yet the dog was calm. That, Schieber says, is Moritz secret.
The two traveled the Swiss countryside again this spring on packed railways, taxis and buses. Despite the constant movement, Moritz remained calm throughout the trip, teaching his human handler about the virtue of patience.
This Saturday, Schieber and Moritz will visit Arlee. They’ll be at the Hangin Art Gallery to read, autograph and “pawograph” their latest book, A Peaceful Mind, based on their Swiss adventures.
“The whole book takes place in Switzertland,” Schieber said.
The artist who illustrated the book, Tracy Carrier, has a Bernese Mountain Dog of her own, and really captured Moritz’ spirit, he added.
Schieber said the morning will include his reading of the book, a question and answer period and of course, visiting with Moritz. The event takes place this Saturday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. at the Hangin Art Gallery in Arlee.