Introducing new therapy dog Finn
Yesterday, I evaluated three new Therapy Dog Teams. All of them had completed our required Bright Spot Therapy Dog Training Course and were now well-prepared and eager to become certified and start visiting. Finn, a sweet, soft white English Golden Retriever, and his teammate Mary Ellen plan to visit mentally challenged adults. Louie, a strikingly handsome black Lab and his teammate Gregson plan to visit with abused youth. Gidget, a super-friendly Staffordshire Terrier/Mix and her teammate Janet plan to visit the elderly in nursing homes. I enjoy interacting with folks interested in pursuing therapy dog work. Each person has a special reason of their own for becoming involved. It is my good fortune to meet these kind-hearted people and their wonderful dogs.
Handsome Louie charms a nursing home resident during his evaluation.
I love every part of the work I do for Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. I love training dogs and their handlers in our therapy dog training classes that prepare them with the skills and techniques they need to visit in a facility. I love evaluating potential therapy dog teams who are seeking therapy dog certification with Bright Spot, and working with facilities wanting to start a therapy dog program. I love giving talks at conferences and to groups interested in learning about the power of the human-canine bond, and take great pride in writing our annual Bright Spot News publication which highlights the meaningful work our dedicated volunteers have performed over the previous year.
Nursing home resident Ruth gets to visit with little Gidget during her therapy dog evaluation.
Most of all, of course, I love visiting folks with one of my own therapy dogs, whether it be an elderly person in the nursing home, on hospice care, with Alzheimer’s disease, or visiting someone in a mental health facility overcome by despair, or sitting with my therapy dog Lily while she listens to a young child read aloud. It truly is a wondrous thing to be following my passion of bringing comfort and caring to others through the human-canine bond and to encourage others to do the same.