MILWAUKEE (AP) — Oliver's photo still hangs at the Krause Funeral Homes, but he is no longer available to help grieving families.
First a Krause family pet, Oliver ended up working most of his life as a therapy dog.

"I remember one little boy, maybe about 8 years old, who wouldn't talk after a sibling died," funeral director Mark Krause said. "But he talked and talked to Oliver.

"Oliver worked maybe a thousand funerals in his day, maybe more," he said. "What he did was really magical. People in their suits and dresses would get down on the floor to pet him."

Oliver died Dec. 26, just a week after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

"The vet came to the house and we were all around him," Krause said. "I think that's what he would have wanted. He was with everyone who loved him."

Krause never planned to have a dog work at the funeral homes. Instead, the story began with his daughter and wife lobbying for a family dog.

"Then 9-11 happened," he said of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. "The whole world was going to hell, and I was arguing about a dog; shame on me."

They quickly settled on the Portuguese water dog breed — the same breed since chosen by President Barack Obama's family — and soon Oliver was part of the Krause family.

Born on Memorial Day 2001, he was still very much a pup. Krause's wife, Joan, took responsibility for training Oliver, taking him to classes where he became a star pupil.

"I get all the credit, but she did all the hard work," Krause said.

Oliver's formal education included training and certification as a therapy dog with Pets Helping People in New Berlin. When his wife began talking about taking Oliver to schools and nursing homes, Krause had a different idea.

"I think we could really use him at the funeral home," he said.

And so Oliver went to work.

Sometimes he would be there when families came in to make funeral arrangements. Sometimes people would ask about the dog with his portrait on the wall and then want Oliver to attend their gatherings.

When more than one funeral gathering was happening at the same time, families would ask if Oliver could visit theirs, too.

Oliver dressed for work — a service dog vest with the words "Ask to Pet Me, I'm Friendly" — when on duty.

"You would put on his vest and he'd put his game face on," Krause said. "He had this radar for who needed him. He'd scan the room and zero in on someone, walk up and say hello. Then he'd kind of lean against you."

His signature move was to sit on people's feet.

"It was his way of hugging people," Krause said. "When he was done working, he was a regular old dog, getting into trouble and everything."

Oliver also visited nursing homes and schools. Kids especially liked reading to him, and he was always a good listener.

"Oliver, although a canine, has always been considered a colleague of ours," wrote funeral director Elaine Litzau in an email to the Journal Sentinel. "He provided a lot of comfort to grieving families over the years."

But Oliver was not about all work and no play. One favorite trick included walking the dog — himself — at a simple "Come" command. People liked to see Oliver pick up his leash and happily escort himself back to Krause.

"We can't be sad for what we lost, but we're trying to be happy for what we had," Krause said. "We're getting to the point we're telling Oliver stories, not talking about how he died, so we're going to have a funeral for him."

Friends are invited to gather at 2 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Krause Funeral Home, 12401 W. National Ave., New Berlin.

"If any dog deserves a funeral, it's Oliver," Krause said. "He was a good boy."