When Shannon Linden pulls out the Pup-Peroni, Little Bear will do just about anything she says.

The Shih Tzu-Toy Poodle mix dances, stands on his hind legs, rolls over, plays dead and fetches. And this is just a warm-up for his regular monthly gig at St. Anne's Terrace, where the dog treats flow freely as he entertains the residents of the retirement community.

Jessica McGowan/AJC (ENLARGE)

Little Bear, a five-year-old toy poodle/shitzuh therapy dog, sits at attention on his hind legs during a performance for residents at St. Anne Terrace on March 11, 2008. Little Bear is a member of Happy Tails, a non-profit that uses therapy dogs to entertain people.

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But getting from precocious pup to command-conscious canine was not easy for 5-year-old Little Bear.

His career started one morning when Little Bear hit Linden on the shoulder.

"I didn't know you could high five," she said.

Little Bear was a smart pup, easy to train, so Linden had the idea to take it further, to make him a contributing citizen of the community by working as a therapy dog.

But he was hit and miss when he tried out at Happy Tails, a non-profit that provides animal-assisted therapy and entertainment at health-care and social service organizations

At first, "he whined and cried and he pulled on the leash," Linden said.

But he did fine at the next stations. He greeted another dog just like he was suppose to, and he sat still in Linden's lap when a woman passed in a wheelchair.

When it came time for Mom to leave Little Bear alone, though, he wailed and cried. Happy Tails wouldn't accept him.

Let me show you some tricks he can do, Linden pleaded. Come back in six months, they told her.

Little Bear didn't care much about failing, but Mom was disappointed.

Apparently, Little Bear needed to acquire some social skills. Over the next six months, Linden dropped him off for regular play dates at a pet store. It was nothing special, but it gave him time to get used to other people and animals.

In May 2004, she and Little Bear went back to Happy Tails and left happy campers. It was official: Little Bear passed his test.

In the four years since, he's volunteered regularly at St. Anne's, as well as various dates at the Shepherd Center, Trinity Presbyterian Church near their home in Buckhead and Sunrise Senior Living in Alpharetta.

He favors his Jimmy Buffett sun visor, but last month, he got into the St. Patrick's Day mood. Linden helped him into some green, and he looked as cute as he usually does in his tux or pirate's outfit.

At St. Anne's, not far from their Buckhead apartment, he sprang from the car and ran inside.

Mom pulls out the Pup-Peroni, signaling to Little Bear it's show time.

"The first thing you should know about Little Bear is he does nothing for free," she told the crowd. "Oh, Little Bear, you gotta work baby."

And work, he does. Fetching his leash when told; picking up the mess he made with an empty box; talking a little; dancing a little; jumping through hoops.

He runs through his bag of tricks, stopping long enough only for applause and occasional petting from the women across the room.

Mom asks if there are any requests. One gentleman asks Little Bear for a handshake and he obliges. Could he dance again, another asks. And when Little Bear sits on command, it prompts a wish from one of the grandmothers: "I wish my grandbaby would sit like that."

Sit. Why that's nothing. You name it, Little Bear can do it. But first pass the Pup-Peroni.

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