Living and working with therapy dogs
Bright Spot Therapy Dog Lily gets a trim and a bath in preparation for the Therapy Dog Stress-Relief Event at the University of Massachusetts tomorrow.
She LOVES all the attention the college students give her. Poor King. He loves these events, too. He’ll get to go next time. Bright Spot Therapy Dogs will be back on campus for final exams in December.
As usual, Coco has been a very busy Bright Spot Therapy Dog. It makes me smile to read what she has to say. Coco also writes about Molly, the new Therapy Dog at her school, who just recently became a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog. Enjoy…
I spent another exciting and rewarding week at school with Mom. I went with her on Wednesday and Friday again, working with lots of different students. Molly, our other therapy dog, worked Tuesday and Thursday, making many students very happy.
Molly is really enjoying her new celebrity status at school. She thinks it is neat when lots of kids get excited and call her name in the hallway and as she walks into the building Tuesday and Thursday mornings. A lot of students have been asking to meet her and spend time with her. Being the new Melican Middle School therapy dog makes Molly feel very special…and it sure beats hanging out at home all day with two cats while her family is at work. Molly is helping her mom, Julie, a lot with meeting new students. Julie is one of the guidance counselors at school. Having Molly at school is helping many of the new sixth graders find their way down to the guidance office. Some seventh graders, who didn’t have much contact with Julie in the past, are now stopping by and connecting with Julie a lot more this year because of Molly.
One student, who really likes dogs, stayed home from the sixth grade Stone Environmental School overnight trip. He expressed some disappointment about that because most of the other students were at Stone, but the good news was that he got to spend a lot of quality time with Molly. He had three different meeting times with Molly on Tuesday, including a walk and spending lunch with her. At one point in the day he said, “This is turning out to be a great day…I got to see Molly three times!” His special education teacher said to Julie the next day, “Whatever you did with him while he was down in guidance, he came back to class looking so happy and energized! It was great.”
Two friends spent some time in the guidance office on Thursday because they needed a quiet place to talk and resolve some differences they were having. The students wanted to talk without Julie present, but Molly stayed in the office with them. The conversation started off a little bit tense, with the students upset with each other, but by the end of the conversation both of them were laughing together and petting Molly. These students are very mature and caring, so they probably would have sorted their differences without any support, but having the quiet space and a friendly dog nearby made things a little easier for them. Nice job, Molly!
One student has been late almost every day this year. Mom and the school psychologist decided to try to help him out using Molly and me. He LOVES dogs, has two at home, and always enjoys time with me. On Monday, a plan was hatched – if he made it to school on time, he could walk me on Wednesdays and Fridays, and he could walk Molly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The plan worked! He was on time for the rest of the week, and he walked Molly and me, smiling throughout the walks with us, and feeling very proud that he made it to school on time. We are hopeful that he will continue to come on time this week.
On Wednesday, I spent time with many students, in small groups and in one-on-one settings. I got to go for several walk with students, which I enjoy very much. One girl, who had never met me, requested some time with me. She and Mom talked for about fifteen minutes. She talked about how much she loves dogs, but that she cannot have one at home. She talked about her sister leaving for college and taking her cat with her. She is hoping for her own cat soon because she understands the benefits of having an animal. She petted me the entire time, and was very appreciative of the time she had with me. Another student was feeling extremely anxious and was losing control. Mom and I went to his classroom and sat next to him. He petted me and was able to calm himself down. After school, Mom and I headed to Greenfield to visit with our friend in a nursing home. She had been having a terrible day, feeling sad and confused, and Mom and I cheered her up, if only for ninety minutes or so. She loves animals, and talks to Mom about missing Susie and Buttercup, the cats she left behind when she became too physically compromised to live on her own.
On Friday, I also spent time with lots of students. I walked with a girl and her friend. The girl is very anxious and is struggling. She and her friend walked me last Friday, too, and she hopes to continue each Friday. As we walked around the building and talked, other students joined us. Students were in Homeroom Connection, and many of them were outside playing games and enjoying the beautiful fall weather. By the time we reached the front of the building, our group had grown to ten students. The conversation and chatter from the students is interesting to listen to, and I love all the attention.
On our way home from school, Mom and I stopped in Auburn to visit the friend we met last Friday, who is in a nursing home. He was on the phone when we arrived, and I heard him say, “Oh, I’ve gotta go – my dog is here!” Mom and I visited with him for twenty minutes or so. He let me give him kisses on his face, and he petted me throughout the visit. He and Mom talked about dogs, work, and family. As we walked outside with him, we stopped several times so others could pet me and talk to Mom. If we hadn’t been heading to Vermont for the weekend, Mom says we would have stayed longer and visited with more residents. Our friend hopes to be home by next Friday, but we will stop anyway, and if he is not there we will visit with other residents. Mom says I am a “hit” there, and it makes sense for us to stop each Friday. Sounds good to me!
On Saturday, Toby, Sophie, and I went with Mom, Dad, Gram, and Grampa to the Blessing of the Animals in Lyndonville, Vermont. We were blessed – whatever that means – and we got some treats. I got to hike in the woods and visit with lots of people over the weekend. On our way home from Vermont on Sunday, we stopped to see our friend in Greenfield. She was so happy to see Sophie and me at the same time, since Mom usually only brings one of us at a time to visit her. She explained that weekends feel especially long in the nursing home, and she says we brightened her day. It brightened my day, too, because I love spending time with her. When we got there, she said, “My day is much better because you came to visit me today.” We feel the same way. ~Coco
Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Niles and Caber are always a big hit at our college events.
College administrators across the country are realizing that Therapy Dogs can play an important role on their campuses during exam periods. It’s a stressful time for students: papers due, long study hours turn into sleepless nights for college students striving to do their best to get good grades. Anxiety builds. Therapy Dogs provide a perfect way for students to relax, take a break, and chill while petting the well-trained, dogs that are gentle, friendly, and outgoing.
Ex-racer turned Therapy Dog, Max intrigues students with his racing record.
Tuesday, October 7th, twenty-two Bright Spot Therapy Dogs will head to the University of Massachusetts where students can gather in the student union ballroom from 11:30-2:00 for some canine loving. Those students studying in the library, will find several Therapy Dog teams there, as well, throughout the event, should they not want to venture too far from their books.
Stay tuned for a post-event rundown with lots of great photos of our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs doing what they do best.
Today, Therapy Dogs are in high demand. They visit in a myriad of healthcare and educational facilities. Through advances in scientific research, it has been proven that interacting with a dog is in fact therapeutic and can effect both physical and emotional well-being. In my work with Therapy Dogs over the past twenty-two years, I have witnessed many magical connections between humans and canines in hospitals, nursing homes, Alzheimer’s units, hospice, mental health facilities, and in children’s programs in schools and colleges. Therapy Dogs, truly can bring comfort and caring wherever Therapy Dogs are needed.
Last week when I received an email from an individual on the West Coast asking if I could please arrange to have a Therapy Dog visit his stepdad in Massachusetts, I simply couldn’t pass it by. This young man wrote in his email that his stepdad is on hospice care and doesn’t have much time left. My stepdad has been a dog lover all his life. I just know a visit from a Therapy Dog would mean so much to him.
Coco and Michelle en route
Although Bright Spot Therapy Dogs is based in western Massachusetts, we have volunteers sprinkled throughout the state and beyond. When I learned that the young man’s stepdad is in a facility in the middle of the state of Massachusetts, I quickly sifted through our volunteer database and found the perfect Team, our famous Coco and her Mom Michelle. It turns out they are located only 20 minutes from the facility where the emailer’s stepdad is staying. I immediately emailed Michelle. We’re on it, she replied. I’d be delighted to stop by with Coco at the end of the school day on the way home. Connection made!
Michelle and Coco made their first visit with the stepdad last Friday and plan to visit him every Friday afternoon. The stepdad and Coco connected immediately and conversation about all his dogs started to flow. While there, Coco made impromptu visits with several folks,too, who enjoyed spending time with this sweet, gentle, loving dog.
An ever-increasing demand for Therapy Dogs in healthcare and educational environments has spiked the demand for our Bright Spot Therapy Dog Training Classes. Each session we hold runs FULL. We often have a wait list.
Our Northampton, Massachusetts, Therapy Dog Training Classes are held at Animal Alliances on Damon Road, conveniently located off I-91, Northbound Exit 19, and I-91 Southbound Exit 20. This location makes it very easy for participants coming from a distance – Boston Area (North and South Shore, The Cape), New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut – to attend our course consisting of two Sunday morning workshops, each 2 hours long.
The classes teach the skills and techniques needed to make successful and rewarding Therapy Dog visits. They are interactive – and lots of FUN.
Class size is limited to eight participant teams. The small class size insures that everyone gets plenty of time to practice and to ask important questions. We have one place left in our upcoming Therapy Dog Training Class running October 5 and 12. Wednesday is the deadline for registration.
Dogs attending our Bright Spot Therapy Dog Training Classes must be fully trained in Basic Obedience and walk well (heel) at the handler’s side on a 4-6 foot lead on a regular snap (or buckle) collar or regular harness. This is the mark of a dog that is ready to begin Therapy Dog Training.
Coco always has plenty to report – great stories and photos – of the students and staff members who seek her out for comfort during times of stress…
Here is my report from the week:
I went to school with Mom Wednesday and Friday again this week. The other therapy dog, Molly, only worked Tuesday this week because we did not have school Thursday.
Both Wednesday and Friday were busy days at school. There were many teachers at workshops and trainings, and there were other teachers who were out for different reasons. Because there are a limited number of substitute teachers, Mom was left to have other teachers cover lots of the classes. When there are many teacher coverage needs to figure out, Mom gets stressed. There is always a solution, but it takes time to figure out. On Wednesday and Friday, it took an hour to assign all the coverages, and then another fifteen minutes to deliver all the slips to classrooms. In those situations, I can always feel Mom getting stressed, but she says having me there helps her. As we walk the school to deliver the slips, I can feel her calm down. She says I play a huge role in that for her.
On Wednesday, I met with many students with Mom, and I also spent some time with the behavior specialist and students in small group studies. I met the sister of a student who has cancer. She is new to our school this year. She worries a lot about her brother, and it was nice for her to be able to talk to Mom about being at a new school, making new friends, all her interests, as well as her worries and concerns for her brother. She talked while she petted me. Her father has a dog, but she only gets to see him a few times a month, so she especially enjoyed the time with me. I spent time with lots of students Wednesday, and many teachers and custodians also came to see me. Mom says it is pretty neat that people instantly smile when they see me, and their shoulders seem to relax a bit. After school, I went to Greenfield with Mom to visit a good friend in a nursing home. She and many of the other residents are always glad to see me. I enjoy spending time there, also.
On Friday, after helping mom deliver all the coverage slips to classrooms, I attended the Leadership Team Meeting. I slept at Mom’s feet – she could hear me snoring – while the eight adults talked. I am very comfortable at Mom’s school and am able to take naps when I have downtime, even when there are people around. After spending homeroom with a small group of students -I have grown very attached to these students – I got to take many walks with other students. Mom and I walked with some of our “old” friends from last year, but we also met some “new” friends – students who signed up on a sheet to spend some time with me. Mom says this is a wonderful way to meet students and to connect with them in ways she wouldn’t otherwise be able to. She and I enjoy this time with students very much, and I can tell the students like talking with Mom.
One of the students we walked with is a student who is very anxious and shy. She is struggling this year, and her father asked if she could spend some time with me. She and a friend walked me while they talked to Mom. We found out that the only pet this student has is a fish, but that she loves dogs. Although she is very shy, she chatted the entire time we were walking. Mom says she will be a “regular” for us, and we will walk with her each Friday. Some of the sixth grade students came in pairs or in groups of three to spend time with me and talk to Mom. It is interesting listening to how they have adjusted to middle school and what they like doing for fun.
We also visited the Transitional Learning Center again, like we did last Friday. All the students in there LOVE me. One boy was having a particularly difficult time. I sat next to him, and as he petted me, he was able to calm down and complete some work. I stayed next to him, and he was then able to calmly ask for a break, which he took. At the end of the class, all the students came to pet me and to have their pictures taken with me. This is a fun group with lots of energy and excitement.
At the end of the day, I went outside with Mom for dismissal. Before the students came out, many of the bus drivers petted me and talked with Mom. Mom continues to be amazed by how many students want to pet me and say good-bye before they leave for the weekend. It is actually a nice opportunity for students who might not otherwise get to spend time with me to pet me and talk with Mom. I love the extra attention.
Later, a student returned from his suspension for a meeting with his dad, the principal, and Mom. He was nervous about the meeting, but I went up to him and gave him a nice kiss. He smiled right away, and seemed instantly relaxed. Mom says that was significant for him because he was terrified about the meeting. The rest of the meeting went well – the student was able to have a mature and reflective conversation about his mistake while I slept under the table.
On our way home from school, Mom and I visited a man in a nursing home. His stepson, who lives in Seattle, thought is would be nice for his stepfather to have a visit from a therapy dog. He contacted Cynthia about the possibility of a Bright Spot Therapy Dog team visiting with him, and Mom and I were happy to meet this man. He is a “dog person” and he and I instantly bonded. He and Mom talked about dogs, his golden retrievers, his house in Worcester, and lots of other interesting topics that I have since forgotten. We are hoping to stop at the facility on our way home every Friday if we can. We stayed for over forty-five minutes because so many other people wanted to meet me. One woman asked us to meet her father. As his eyes met mine, he smiled the widest smile I have ever seen, and his daughter said, “That is the first time I have seen you smile in a long time.” His response: “There is more love in this dog than the entire rest of this place.” And that says it all. ~Coco
I am thrilled that Bright Spot Therapy Dog Coco has agreed to be my weekly guest blogger again this year. At the end of each week, she brightens my day when I read about all the comfort and caring she has brought to the students and staff at the Robert E. Melican Middle School in Northborough, Massachusetts, where her Mom, Michelle Karb, is the assistant principal.
I’m certain my readers who followed her weekly reports last year are as happy as I am to know that she plans to continue her meaningful work at the school and that we get to read all about it. Those who are new to Say Hello Spot are in for a therapy dog treat. Coco never missed a single week blogging!
So, without further ado… written in her own words… Here’s Coco:
It is so great to be back at school with Mom! To start the year, I will be working Wednesdays and Fridays. Our school also has another certified therapy dog, Molly, who will be working Tuesdays and Thursdays. Molly is our guidance counselor’s (Julie’s) dog. Because of my work last year, Julie pursued therapy dog certification through Bright Spot. Our first week at school was exciting and fun – we both worked very hard, and our week culminated with a parade on Saturday. Mom and I are both exhausted, but we had a wonderful time working with students and adults.
Molly, the new Bright Spot Therapy Dog at Melican Middle School
The two days are a bit of a blur for me. I worked hard. Of course Mom and I start each day practicing obedience and then delivering classroom coverage slips to teachers’ rooms. Wednesday, Mom and I presented to 5 sixth grade classes. On Friday, we presented to the other 5 sixth grade classes. Mom explained exactly what a therapy dog is and what it is not, talked about the work I did last year, the plans for Molly and me this year, and how any student who wants to can have some time with Molly and/or me. Mom used a PowerPoint to present, but the part of her presentation that students responded to best was when she asked about the different types of pets students have. Many students have dogs and cats, but some have snails, ferrets, fish, rabbits, and the list goes on. Mom asked students about that “feeling” they get when they pet their dogs, snuggle with their bunnies, or watch their fish swim, and all students could identify with that. Next, she shared with them what she saw when they walked into the classroom before her presentation began – huge smiles, shoulders lowering, much calmer and happier students than they were before they knew I would be with them. She connected this “feeling” to the purpose of the therapy dog program at school. Kids really seemed to get it. She also reviewed very specific reasons for the program, basic student guidelines, and shared my work from last year. Of course, I was the star of the presentations, and I just sat there next to Mom, or lay on the cool floor. Every time I heard my name, though, my tail thumped and, of course, the students loved that.
Between presentations, I worked with many students in one-on-one settings, and in small group studies. On Wednesday, Mom and I met with a seventh grade boy – he is new to our school this year – who has life-threatening medical conditions. He and I instantly bonded. He hugged me, and talked to Mom about his treatments and how he is feeling. Friday, he shared his story with his class, and I sat next to him, providing him some comfort. He was very brave to share his story with his classmates, and Mom and I are proud of him.
On Thursday, there was a student who would not get out of her mother’s car to come to school. She was having a very hard day. Mom “borrowed” Molly and walked out to the car. As soon as she saw the dog, the girl (through her tears) opened the car door and started petting Molly. Mom explained that she and Molly really needed her to come into the building, and after a few seconds, she did – nice work, Molly!
On Friday, I saw so many students. I worked with students in our Transitional Learning Center – one boy said, “I am addicted to Coco,” which made my mother laugh. Later in the day, another boy came down to the office because a student was making fun of him, and he was crying. He petted me while Mom talked with him, gathered the details, and offered him support. One sixth grader set up an appointment to meet with Mom and me. She said, “I’m not much of a dog person – no offense – but when I saw Coco, I instantly fell in love with her and I just knew I had to meet her.” She said she has never met a dog as calm as I am.
At the end of the day Friday, I went outside at dismissal with Mom. As students exited the building to board the buses, over a hundred of them petted me. Many told me to have a nice weekend. Some thanked Mom for bringing me. Some said they couldn’t wait until next week to see me again.
On Saturday, Mom and I, Julie and Molly, and several students led our school’s float in Northborough’s AppleFest parade. It was great to meet Molly – since she and I will not be working on the same days at school, it was nice to have a chance to meet one another – we instantly bonded, knew we were there to work, and got to business, marching in the parade. As we walked the parade route, many children and adults recognized me, yelling my name and talking about me with others. There were lots of smells, sounds, and other dogs in the parade and along the parade route, but we focused on what we were doing. After we finished the parade, I enjoyed the ride back to school, feeling the cool air overcome me, and welcoming the smells I was able to experience. Mom helped her principal and band director bring everything from the float back into the school and, though I was very tired, I stuck with Mom, in and out of the building, up and down the stairs. I slept the whole ride home, and spent most of the rest of the day sleeping. The parade route was only a mile, but the over-stimulation was exhausting for me.
I am looking forward to the year at school. Mom says in four days, Molly and I made a significant difference for the students and staff at Melican. ~Coco
Owen, a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog, has had a summer full of fun frolicking with his brother Finley along wooded trails throughout western Massachusetts and swimming in crystal-clear streams (and a few muddy ponds) whenever they could.
With school now well-under-way, it’s time for this fun loving dog to get back to work. Owen is one of twelve Bright Spot Reading Buddy Teams heading back to area schools to help children with their reading skills. Owen and his brother Finley alternate weeks working with kindergarteners at the Westhampton Elementary School. In addition, Owen and Finley, both Australian Cobberdogs, participate in our college campus Therapy Dog Stress-Relief Events during mid-terms and finals. Like all good Therapy Dogs, this friendly duo LOVES their work!
Children love the sweet, gentle Therapy Dogs, and they love reading book after book to these non-judgmental, non-threatening dogs. In the process, they are developing a love of reading.
Our highly successful Bright Spot Reading Buddy Program first piloted at the Westhampton Elementary School in Westhampton, Massachusetts in 2012. Today, we have thirteen certified Bright Spot Reading Buddy Teams that work weekly with school children in elementary and middle schools in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester counties of Massachusetts.
New this summer was our Bright Spot Reading Buddy Program held at the internationally renowned Eric Carle Museum in South Amherst, Massachusetts. Interest in the program far exceeded our expectations. The Bright Spot Reading Buddy Program was – according to the education director Courtney Waring – a huge success. Courtney sent us these fabulous photos of the program in action. As the saying goes: A picture is worth a thousand words.
Exciting plans are in the works to continue the partnership between Bright Spot Therapy Dogs and the Eric Carle Museum throughout the year.
Bright Spot volunteer Michelle Karb has been spearheading the use of Therapy Dogs in her school system since she and her Bright Spot Therapy Dog Coco started working with the students at Melican Middle School last year. Many of you have followed Coco’s amazing work with the students in her End-of-the Week Reports she sends to me to post on the blog each week.
Michelle was so moved by the therapeutic effect Coco’s interaction with students has had, she didn’t want to leave it at that. Feeling that Therapy Dogs should be in all the schools in her district, Michelle, assistant principal at Melican Middle School, prepared a power point presentation on Coco, The Therapy Dog, and has presented at meetings with administrators throughout her entire district. It was Michelle who was instrumental in establishing a Bright Spot Therapy Dog training class open to educators in her district.
In its infancy, the class drew three educators who gave up three Sunday afternoons this summer to learn the skills and techniques needed to become certified Therapy Dog Teams. The Therapy Dog training was held at the Robert E. Melican Middle School in Northborough on August 10th, 17th, and 24th from 1:00-3:00. Pam Murphy, our Greenfield, Massachusetts, trainer, agreed to teach the class, assisted by Michelle. For the last two classes, the second hour was spent at the Coleman House, a local nursing home and assisted living facility, where teams were able to put their skills to use in an authentic setting, while receiving feedback and suggestions from Pam and Michelle. The three teams graduated on August 24th and continue to practice their skills as they look forward to their evaluations.
Michelle has this to say about the class: I could write so much about the experience. I presented a PowerPoint at the beginning to set the stage. The three teams were terrific and worked so hard between classes to practice. The dogs were wonderful. The three handlers were like sponges, asking questions and absorbing everything they could. It was awesome working with Pam. She is a great teacher, and I was able to offer everyone first-hand experience, things that have worked and not worked for Coco and me, how to get therapy dogs into schools, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel proud that we were able to offer the training at my school. Despite the long drive, Pam also enjoyed working with the teams.
Once the handlers and dogs pass their evaluations, they will become certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog Teams. I look forward to hearing about the meaningful work these special dogs do in their schools. I have no doubt, too, that Michelle will continue to press for more Therapy Dogs in her school district and will set-up more special Therapy Dog Trainings at Melican Middle School.