Cynthia

Seven prospective Therapy Dog Teams finished their training on Sunday in our workshop 2-part course held at True Blue Dog Training in Haydenville, Massachusetts.

There was a definite show of progress, demonstrating that the would-be Teams had left the first workshop and heeded my suggestion to Practice, Practice, Practice.  Practice basic commands of Sit, Down, Stay, Leave It, and Heel – and to do this in a variety of public places both outside (like farmers markets, flea markets, festivals) and inside (like libraries, banks, Cowles Lumber, Dave’s – anywhere dogs are allowed).  Socialization and good manners are key.

After reviewing the basics taught in part one, we introduced advanced elements such as distractions, like yummy food, stuffed animals, and shrill noises, all things they could encounter when out visiting.  We added an exuberant resident, an immobile patient, a hearing impaired person and set up scenarios challenging the handler to figure out how they should position their dog for maximum interaction.  Visiting a patient in bed, also an advanced skill, was introduced and practiced.  Classes are deliberately yet small to allow each team plenty of opportunity to try out the skill or technique that is introduced.

Most of the teams are ready to take the next step:  to be evaluated in an actual healthcare setting.  We use nursing homes to conduct our evaluations.  The folks there love having the dogs come in.  It gives them a chance to visit with the dogs and allows the evaluators to test the Team on their understanding and utilization of the skills and techniques they were taught.  We look forward to having these dogs and their handlers become certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog Teams.

What a gorgeous day to spend outside meeting and talking with people interested in learning about therapy dogs.  That’s just what Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Lilo and Tucker, two docile Great Danes, and their teammate Ern Damon, along with Caber and Niles, two lovable Golden Retrievers, and their teammate Kevin Russell, did yesterday at the grand opening of Dr. Isabel Jurk’s brand new facility, Animal Eye Care of New England, in Whately, MA.

While the two teams of therapy dogs mingled amongst the crowd modeling their good manners and friendly temperaments, Bright Spot Board member Diane Houston and I manned our Bright Spot information booth and answered all kinds of questions.  People wanted to know what training they need to do with their dogs, how they go about getting their dogs certified, where therapy dogs visit.  There was no end to the variety of questions people asked.  And, judging from the interest at yesterday’s event, we should be receiving many inquiries for training and certification.  We are always looking for new volunteer teams eager to serve in one or more of the many healthcare and educational facilities requesting visits from our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs.

Several other organizatons were represented at the event, as well.  I had a chance to make the rounds of the other booths and chat with the folks from Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society from Springfield, MA, Monadnock Humane Society from Swanzey, NH, Fast Friends Greyhound Rescue from Swanzey, NH, and Keeley Bollen, owner of Animal Alliances Companion Animal Behavior Services from Northampton, MA.  We made some nice connections with these folks and picked up some of their great ideas.  An added bonus to being there was a tour of the new state-of-the-art facility, that deals solely with animal eye care.

We enjoy having opportunities like this to get out in the community and share our story about the meaningful work our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs do to help so many folks in need.

My boy James had such a great time on Tuesday at the Westhampton Elementary School resuming his role as a Bright Spot Reading Buddy with the first and second graders, that I decided to take him with me today to the Hilltown Charter School.

He showed me by the way he interacted with the children as they read their books to him that he was doing what he likes best.  James has enjoyed a very active and varied career as a therapy dog – and this semi-retired guy is showing me by his actions that he would rather be wearing his therapy dog vest and listening to the children read books to him, than lying for hours on the sofa.

I adore having my special boy at my side, working together as a Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team as we have for the past seven years.  He’s happy and so am I.  I love this guy!

Today, James returned to Westhampton Elementary School (WES) where he piloted our Reading Buddies Program last spring as an after school activity.  He showed me how happy he was to don his therapy dog vest and ID badge by prancing around in circles and wagging his tail.  Once suited up, he headed over to the door.  He seemed to be saying to me: Hurry up, Let’s go…

My sweet, sweet James, a 12-year-old English Setter, has been in semi-retirement since mid-January.  James has had an extensive career as a therapy dog spanning a seven-year period.  He started visiting as a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog at the age of five.  Over the past seven years, he has visited in hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, Alzheimer’s units, hospice care, ending as the first Bright Spot Reading Buddy.

At this stage, visiting in healthcare environments is too taxing for my boy.  He now prefers lounging on his comfy couch in our family room to lying on patients’ beds in nursing homes.  But, his work as a Reading Buddy is very different.  He gets to lie down on a comfortable blanket and interact with young children he adores.  He loves to listen as the children read their books to him.  Reading Buddies is the perfect job for my sweet boy who truly enjoys interacting with people.  The mark of a good therapy dog.

Kindergarteners at the Westhampton Elementary School (WES) got to meet Bright Spot Therapy Dog Lilo yesterday when they had their first introduction to our Reading Buddies Program.  Sweet, docile Great Dane Lilo, a giant among dog breeds, has the perfect temperament to work with these young school children.  So, too, does Lilo’s teammate, Bright Spot volunteer Ern Damon.  Ern’s friendly, patient manner is the perfect compliment to his Lilo.  The two our a model Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team.  Lilo and Ern now work with kindergarteners one week, and the alternate week, they work with pre-schoolers and third graders at WES.

I love to go an observe this team in action.  The way the children and Lilo interact with one another, is amazing.  I try to capture their connection to one another with my camera, whenever possible.  One would think such a large-sized dog would be intimidating, but, just the opposite is true.  The children seemed enchanted by her size.  They adore Lilo.

I am often asked if a rescue dog can become a therapy dog.  My answer is:  Absolutely!  At Bright Spot, many of our terrific therapy dogs are rescue dogs.  Any dog – pure breed, mixed breed, or rescue – that has a friendly, outgoing personality, that is at ease meeting strangers and going into new places, and that is well-trained, may qualify to do the important work of a therapy dog.

A rescue dog often comes with a story.  I’d like to share the  amazing story of one of our special Bright Spot Therapy Dogs.  This is Frosty’s story as told to me by his forever companion Shannon:

At 4 months of age, Frosty and his sister Jingle Bells were picked up wandering the streets of a Louisiana town.  They were taken to a high-kill shelter.  Jingle Bells was lucky.  She was adopted right away.  Frosty was not.  This shelter closes its doors each Tuesday to euthanize 10-30 dogs to make room for more dogs coming in.  On the day Frosty was scheduled to be euthanized, on a whim, a woman who fosters dogs to be sent north for adoption, stopped by on her lunch break.  She saved Frosty’s life by bringing him home that day.  After fostering him for 6 weeks, Frosty was then listed with a Connecticut-based rescue.  Shannon found Frosty on Petfinder.  She watched a few videos on Frosty and couldn’t fill the paperwork out soon enough.  

Shannon went on to say:  Frosty may be the most thankful dog you’ve ever met. His eyes tell me that he understands his good fortune. After nearly two years of training and learning from our new dog, I knew Frosty had the kind spirit and gentle nature to be a wonderful therapy dog. So we started on this amazing journey together. For me, Frosty is a daily reminder of all the good, compassionate people in the world. I hope that through our work with Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, we are able to bring it all full circle.

 I fell in love with Frosty the moment he and Shannon walked into one of my Therapy Dog Training Classes.  He looked up at me with his sweet face and soft brown eyes, and I knew instantly that he would make a wonderful therapy dog.  He and Shannon have trained long and hard together preparing to work as a Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team.  They make regular visits at Elaine Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hadley, MA, and participate in the Paws-to-Read Program at Clapp Memorial Library in Belchertown, MA.  We are proud to have this sweet, loving Rescue Dog-turned Therapy Dog as part of our organization.