At Work

Betty, therapy dog in training, makes friends with two students at the Melican Middle School

Many SayHelloSpot readers will remember the inspiring weekly reports from Coco, the Bright Spot Therapy Dog that went to school with her teammate Michelle Karb, principal of Robert E. Melican Middle School in Northborough, Massachusetts, and helped hundreds of students build self-esteem, perform better in school, and was simply on-hand to comfort and be a friend to all who needed her at the school.

With over 650 students and over 100 staff members, Coco was performing a huge service to the school. When Coco retired, it left a tremendous void. But, not for long…

Here’s Betty…

My name is Betty. I am a 17 month-old labradoodle. You may remember my sister, Coco, who was the first-ever therapy dog at the Robert E. Melican Middle School in Northborough, Massachusetts, where my mom is the principal. Coco spent over 2000 hours working with the students and staff at Mom’s school. Before she retired, she taught me everything I needed to know about being a therapy dog.

Eight-week-old Betty receives loving care and training from big sister Coco.

Coco and I bonded quickly in March of 2016 when I came to live with her and the rest of the family. I was 8 weeks-old at the time, and she was very accepting of my churlish puppy antics. She also helped me learn how to be calm when I needed to be. Coco retired from her work at Mom’s school the same month I began living with my new family. Mom and Coco made it clear to me that I was to follow in Coco’s paw prints and become the next therapy dog at MMS.

Mom brought me to school with her for the first time in April of 2016, and I was an immediate hit with the students – who doesn’t love a cute and bubbly puppy? At that point, I was considered a therapy dog in training, wearing a yellow training vest, and continuing to learn my manners and basic commands, as I became accustomed to the sounds, smells, and other stimulation of what would soon become my second home. I had a strong several weeks last year, logging well over 150 hours.

Betty as an official Bright Spot Therapy Dog provides a calming break for this staff member.

This year, I continued my training, participating in obedience classes and therapy dog class, and working on my skills at Mom’s school. In March of 2017, I became a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog.  Students noticed immediately that I had gone from my yellow training vest to my official blue vest.

Jackson, wearing a yellow therapy dog In training vest, starts learning to meet-and-greet students as they arrive at school.

In January of 2017, we added another member to our family. Jackson, my littermate, came to live with Mom, Dad, my older sister, Sophie, and me.  Mom immediately began bringing him to her school as a therapy dog in training. He continues to work on his skills, attending training classes and working with students and staff at Mom’s school.

The last day of school was yesterday. I logged well over 700 hours at Mom’s school this year, and Jackson well over 300 hours. We absolutely LOVE working. We work with students in the therapeutic program, students in the language-based program, students in the behavior specialist’s room, and students in the guidance suite. We work with students with special needs and with typical students. We have become important members of the Melican Middle School staff. I even attended presentations with Mom on some evenings, and met several incoming 6th graders who are anxious about beginning middle school in the fall.

When off-duty, Betty, Jackson, and Sophie (also a Bright Spot Therapy Dog) enjoy lots of fun together.

When we are not working, we enjoy playing and wrestling together, and hanging out with Sophie. We will miss the students and staff at Mom’s school, but we are excited to go swimming, kayaking, and hiking this summer.  ~Betty

Bright Spot volunteer Nancy Ronan and her therapy dog Comet stand ready to enter the Beaven Kelly Rest Home where they visit every Friday afternoon.

I wrote this piece as one of the lead articles in our 2017 annual print publication Bright Spot NEWS. I thought it would be helpful to my general readership to post it here on SayHelloSpot because many people interested in doing therapy dog work contact me asking what steps they should take to prepare their dogs for therapy dog training, 

This is the journey one recently certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team took to prepare…

On one of her frequent visits to the Westhampton Public Library, Nancy Ronan picked up an issue of Bright Spot NEWS. The headline caught her attention and she wanted to read more.

It was our 10^th anniversary issue highlighting the programs we established in our first decade of bringing comfort and caring to those who need it most. Inside the issue, several volunteers wrote about what it meant to them to volunteer with their dogs, and facilities directors wrote about the impact the therapy dog visits had on those receiving them. All of this piqued Nancy’s interest. The idea of sharing her dog with others appealed to her. An animal lover her entire life, she and her three daughters own three horses and have had several dogs through the years. Nancy knew, though, that their current dog was too old to take on the job of a therapy dog, so she tucked the idea away in the back of her mind. Someday she would do this.

Comet, a handsome, energetic Golden Retriever pup entered the Ronan household after their beloved senior dog passed.

They first laid eyes on Comet when he and his siblings were just two weeks old. It was a litter of four-one female and three males. The Ronan’s had first pick of the males at eight weeks of age. It was Comet who chose us, said Nancy. He came right over to us and licked our faces. He made his choice and home he went with the Ronans where training began right away. Having trained five dogs before Comet, Nancy knew the importance of socialization, of interacting with lots of people and other dogs. She began taking Comet everywhere she went-outdoor concerts, the town library, Easthampton Feed, Dave’s, Tractor Supply, the town hall on voting day, the bank, walks on the bike trail, car rides and to busy areas with lots of noise and people. Wherever dogs were allowed, Comet went and he was definitely showing signs of being a sociable boy.

Classes began right away, as well, first with Puppy Kindergarten where much of class time is playtime with the other puppies.

The name game was introduced to teach the pup the very important skill of responding when his name is called. The instructor exposed the youngsters to different surfaces, like a grated surface, and to things like umbrellas, hats, and other objects that might be foreign to them. In addition, the basic commands of sit and down were introduced. Basic Obedience Class followed where skills were expanded to stay, come, heel, and leave it. After a holiday break, the team of Nancy and Comet started up anew with Basic Agility, Intermediate Obedience, then Outdoor Etiquette. This class took place in Child’s Park in Northampton where the dogs were exposed to real-life distractions, such as squirrels and people walking their dogs. This proved to be a challenge for Comet who pulled quite a bit on his leash. Nancy continued building the relationship between Comet and herself by taking the Canine Good Citizen Class and Nosework. All the while, Nancy kept working on Comet’s socialization.

Comet turned a year old in May-the minimum age for a dog to start Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team Training. Nancy signed up for the next available class, giving her three months to work on Comet’s weak points and reinforcing the skills taught in their classes. Nancy felt confident that Comet was well prepared and ready to give-it-a-go.

With the class sessions running two full hours, she was concerned about Comet’s ability to hold-it-together for that length of time. But.. The way the class is structured, with lots of activities and practice, Comet settled right into the pace and we both enjoyed ourselves. The role-playing as patients using a walker, a wheelchair, a cane, and lying in bed was a lot of fun and useful. And, the array of distractions put out by the instructor to reinforce the leave it command was challenging and helpful.

With Therapy Dog Team Training behind them, the evaluation at an area nursing home came next.

Although the training course prepared the team with the basic skills and techniques they would use while visiting, Nancy reports that she was nervous going into the evaluation. But the evaluator coached us through the visits, offering suggestions and tips, making the evaluation like an additional training opportunity for Comet and me, putting us both at ease. All of Nancy and Comet’s work over the past twelve months paid off. Both handler and dog passed the evaluation with high marks and were ready to begin a new role as a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team.

Comet and Nancy visiting with one of their special friends at the Beaven Kelly Rest Home

Now the final step: where to do their visiting.

Having had personal experience working with elders, Nancy felt that Comet was a perfect nursing home dog. They now make weekly visits to the residents at the Beaven Kelly Rest Home where Comet delights the elders and staff with his outgoing, friendly personality. In addition, the team participates in our Every-Third-Saturday-of-the-Month Bright Spot Group Visits at the Soldiers Home, and our group therapy dog stress-relief events on college campuses. When Comet has had more time to mature and settle into his new role, Nancy hopes to become involved with hospice work and our Bright Spot Reading Buddy Program.

Our March Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team Training Class poses for a group photo after completing their required training. Missing from the photo is Betty, a black Labradoodle who also completed the class.

Our last class before summer break is scheduled for May 21 and June 4. This is the perfect time to get your special dog trained and certified with Bright Spot Therapy Dogs.

Our classes are small, interactive and FUN! During the two 2-hour sessions you and your dog will be taught the skills and techniques needed to make meaningful visits to healthcare and educational facilities.

Reading Buddy King stands suited up with reading bag packed… out the door to the Kelly School.

Wonder what it’s like to visit with your dog as a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog team?

Check out our Facebook page to see lots of photos of our volunteers in action and read about the wonderful things our therapy dog teams are doing. Want more details about what’s involved? Head to our website and learn all about it.

Participants role-play as patients using equipment found in healthcare environments. Here the patient uses a 4-pronged cane.

Now’s the time to become a certified therapy dog team.

Dogs need a job to do. If you have a well-trained, friendly, outgoing dog who loves people, therapy dog work is a great job for him or her! Just think, you could be out visiting with your dog during July and August.

Don’t live in the Northampton area? No problem.

People travel from all parts of New England to train with Bright Spot Therapy Dogs. Our training center, Animal Alliances, is conveniently located right off Interstate 91. We hope to see you at our May/June Class!

UMass Amherst students enjoy spending time with Mac and his teammate Mary O’Connell.

Bright Spot Therapy Dogs have been busy these past few weeks.

First, we spent several hours at Mass Amherst on Wednesday, April 26th, then we were on the road again, heading to other colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

Bright Spot Therapy Dog Zoe enjoys the company of adoring Emerson College Students during Finals Week.

Thanks to our growing presence in the eastern part of the state, we’ve had Bright Spot Therapy Dogs at Boston University and Emerson College.

Just a couple of teams, but they were well-received, garnering all the attention and making the students very happy as they took much-needed breaks from studying for  exams and writing final papers.

Velvet, a tiny Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, enjoys getting attention from students at Western New England University. Sitting by Velvet’s side is her teammate Patti Tibbetts.

Locally, here in western Massachusetts, we’re able to gather our base and send out larger numbers of therapy dogs teams. Our volunteers enjoy these group therapy dog stress-relief events so much that some take a day off from work to attend. Some attend every one of the events scheduled.

Friday, May 5th, found us at Western New England University where the royal treatment was offered to our special therapy dogs coming to campus for the first time. As volunteers drove into campus, they were greeted by a Welcome Bright Spot Therapy Dogs sign. Arrows guided us to our parking area reserved especially for Bright Spot. The event location was a lovely, large carpeted room-perfect for the dogs so they weren’t slipping on the floor surface. A water bowl was placed next to each dog’s station, and handlers were given a liter of Smart Water. To add to this, in the end, each dog received a special gift packet of gourmet dog treats and the handlers each a Dunkin Donuts gift card. When I got home, not only was an email waiting for me in my inbox from the point person of the event thanking us for coming, but he asked to set up dates for the 2017-2018 academic year. In addition, emails from several volunteers came in telling me how much they they enjoyed the WNE event. Aside from the  warm welcome and lots of adoring students stopping by to hang out with the dogs, several staff members spoke with me about the training process to get their own dogs certified through Bright Spot. They, too, followed up with emails to me. Days like this are so rewarding as the director of Bright Spot Therapy Dogs.

Cadence, an Australian Cobber Dog, a regular at our Bay Path events, enjoys getting lots of attention from the students.

Monday, May 8th, found ten Bright Spot Therapy Dogs at the main undergraduate campus of Bay Path University in Longmeadow and three Bright Spots at the graduate campus in East Longmeadow.

We have been heading to Bay Path for several years now during final exams. Many of the students come looking for their special dogs they’ve come to know through their entire time at the University. Bay Path has a beautiful campus tucked in along the lovely tree-lined main street running through the town. New this year is going to the graduate campus where the students are so appreciative to have the dogs come there, too.

Bright Spot Therapy Dogs gather in preparation for the start of the Therapy Dog Stress-Relief Event at Bay Path University

Bright Spot is now done with university and college events for this year, and has pretty much scheduled all schools on our Community Outreach Calendar for the next academic year.

Sadly, we can only accommodate a few schools each semester, since the demand is clustered around exams. Occasionally, a college or university will make a request for an off-peak time, and we’re happy to add them to our calendar, when possible.

Students pose with Greyhounds Max and Milo and their teammate Wayne and Golden Retriever Comet and his teammate Nancy.

A reported 1100 students at UMass Amherst swarmed the student union ballroom to spend time with the 26 Bright Spot Therapy Dogs that came to campus on Wednesday, April 26th.

Classes were ending, final papers were being completed, final exams were looming, and students were in need of the calming relief only a dog can give. They just wanted to hang out, sit down next to the dogs and pet them. One female student told me she had read that research has proven that the simple act of petting a dog can make a person feel happy and relaxed. I’ve never had a dog myself, so I was skeptical… until now. It’s true. I really do feel calmer after petting your dog, and he makes me feel happy, too!

The therapy dogs came in all sizes, shapes, breeds and mixed breeds.

Most students circulated throughout the large ballroom making sure to spend time with each dog there, then headed over to the library where three more therapy dogs were hanging out.

They met Kaezli, a Bernese Mountain Dog…

Spent time petting Bella, a Rottweiler…

Loved petting Mac, a Golden Retriever…

And hanging out with King – most students never met an English Setter before…

And lots more Bright Spot Therapy Dogs during the event that lasted from 11:00-1:30.

Some students were first-time attendees to the event. Others have come to every event we’ve held at UMass Amherst. The University has already booked dates for the 2017-2018 academic year, when once again our friendly, outgoing therapy dogs will be on campus for mid-term and final exams, both first and second semester.

King loving his job as a Bright Spot Therapy Dog

King was in his element yesterday as he was surrounded by adoring PA and OT graduate students who clearly enjoyed his special brand of stress-relief.

Several times, I heard students say they could feel themselves becoming relaxed and calmer as they sat on the floor petting King.

This was the first time a therapy dog came to the graduate school campus located in East Longmeadow, several miles away from the main undergraduate campus in Longmeadow.

King was in no hurry to end his time at his solo event. It was non-stop petting. He loves his job!

King was the center of attention, holding a one-man (dog) show as the only therapy dog on the premises. And, this boy loves the limelight.

He was enjoying himself so much, and the students were so happy he was there, that we extended our 90-minute event to 2 hours. Students kept coming. Some left and came back, taking another study break. The point person at the school was thrilled, saying she had received multiple texts from students saying how much they enjoyed having King on campus.

This student stopped by several times during our mini-event to hangout with King.

On Monday, May 8th, we’ll be holding a Bright Spot Therapy Dog Stress-Relief Event on the main undergraduate campus with 12 therapy dog teams in attendance.

Three teams will be heading to the graduate campus that day where students will be in the final days of exams. Evidently, their coming has been well-advertised. All the students said they knew to expect them and can’t wait.

Bright Spot Therapy Dog Mac and his teammate Mary O’Brien pose by the Curran-O’Brien Funeral Home sign, the place where Mac works his magic by comforting those in need.

This is just what we needed, said a daughter and granddaughter as they sat petting and hugging Mac, a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog.

Mac is among a growing number of therapy dogs that comfort mourners at funeral homes across the country. Mac is a sweet, gentle, four year old Golden Retriever owned by Mary and TJ O’Brien of South Hadley, Massachusetts. The O’Briens, along with business partner Joe Curran, own and operate three funeral homes in western Massachusetts, the Curran-Jones Funeral Homes in Agawam and West Springfield, and the Curran-O’Brien Funeral Home in South Hadley. With their family now grown, the O’Briens decided to move into the apartment in their South Hadley funeral home. It is here that Mac works his magic.

When a friend of Mary’s emailed her an article she had seen on Facebook about therapy dogs being used at funeral homes to help ease the pain of loss, the O’Briens were very interested in the idea.

Turning to Bright Spot, Mary moved ahead with therapy dog training. After becoming a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog, Mac needed a job. The job of funeral home dog found Mac as he started greeting mourners at the door when they came to discuss funeral arrangements with TJ.

Mary serves as TJ’s administrative assistant and Mac hangs out with her in the office. When people come to the door, he’s right there to greet them. Instead of immediately heading into the office to meet with TJ, folks linger awhile with Mac, who accepts all the hugs and kisses they care to give him. Funeral planning is an extremely difficult task for bereaved families. With Mac, they can feel free to cry and wipe their tears on his soft, satiny fur. If people like, Mac will accompany them into the office where he quietly sits or lies down by their feet, offering the kind of gentle comfort only a dog can give.

One time, as Mary was leaving the office and heading to their apartment, looking for Mac, she found him making his way along a line of about seventy-five mourners waiting to go in for a wake. They loved him. He brought smiles and even a bit of laughter to people deeply saddened by loss.

Mary calls Mac her sidekick. He follows me everywhere. It was only natural, given Mac’s friendly, outgoing personality and love for people that once certified as a therapy dog this would become his niche. These days, he greets mourners wearing his official Bright Spot Therapy Dog uniform consisting of blue therapy dog vest and ID badge.

Mac poses with his teammate Mary O’Brien in the foyer of the Curran-O’Brien Funeral Home where he often spends time comforting mourners.

Mary and TJ love the idea of sharing Mac with others in this way. Mary has put a sign on the front door of each of the funeral homes that reads: Bright Spot Therapy Dog On The Premises.

If requested, Mac will help out wherever he can. At a time of such grief, this special dog relaxes people and breaks the tension by just being there. For now, Mac works at the Curran-O’Brien Funeral Home in South Hadley five days a week and by request at the other two homes.

Bright Spot NEWS offers a glimpse into the meaningful work our therapy dog teams do helping those in need.

Some of my readers, I know, are already on our Bright Spot Therapy Dogs mailing list. That means you just received our annual publication in the mail. If you’re not on our list, I’m happy to send you a copy. Please email me at cynthia@ sayhellospot.net.

I’m really excited about this year’s issue. With lots of news to tell our readers and with a growing list of wonderful donors who support the meaningful work our Bright Spot Therapy Dog Teams do helping people of all ages in healthcare, education, and a growing number of other environments, we published an expanded issue. Like a mini magazine! It’s a colorful issue full of outstanding photos of our volunteer teams in action. I’m excited to share it with all of you who love dogs and believe in power of the human-canine bond. Dogs do amazing things for the people whose lives they touch.

As the founder and executive director of Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, it gives me great pleasure to create this annual publication for our friends and donors offering them a glimpse into the amazing work of our organization.

No matter where you live, we’d love to send you a copy of this year’s special edition of Bright Spot NEWS. Perhaps it will inspire you to become involved in therapy dog work, too. Bright Spot services all New England states… and if you move from the area, your certification goes with you. Please email me at cynthia@sayhellospot.net and I will send you a copy today. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address. Enjoy!

Bright Spot Therapy Dog Lily knows instinctively what to do when visiting her hospice patient.

It was Lily’s turn to visit our English Setter friend on hospice care. The scene this week, though, was very different.

Last week, when King visited, we found our friend sitting in a cozy armchair in her living room. She was talking, and quite animated when King walked in the door of her apartment. In less than one week’s time, our friend declined to the point where staying in her lovely apartment, surrounded by her personal belongings, was no longer an option. Sadly, knowing the time had come, her wonderful, caring daughter moved her to a nearby hospice care home. It is here that Lily and I visited yesterday.

With all of my dogs, our hospice visits have been a week apart. In such cases, so much can occur. With some folks, it can be way Down at the last visit, then Up the next.

When I walk into the room of a hospice patient with my therapy dog, I never know what to expect…. Together, we just go in…. and I let the dog do what he or she knows instinctively to do… Yesterday, Lily knew. The friend she had visited (herself, two weeks prior) showed no sign of having seen her before. She was in bed, her head propped up with pillows. Hearing someone enter the room, she turned her head toward the door. As she spotted Lily, she said, That’s a beautiful dog. You’re a very sweet dog. Lily placed her head gently alongside her friend, very close to her hand. Lily just stayed there, quietly present. After several minutes, our friend looked again right at Lily, her frail hand stroking Lily’s head. Then, turning her head away, she said, Thank you for coming. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m shutting down. Sweet little Lily licked her friend’s hand… bringing a smile to her face. Then, we left.

Settled into a cozy corner of the school library, Reading Buddy Lily waits for her first reader to arrive.

Reading Buddy Dogs Lily and King are assigned three students to work with each week through the end of the school year. The aspiration for each is that reading aloud to a friendly, non-judgmental dog will help improve their fluency and self-confidence as readers.

The students are selected because they are reading below grade level. This year, we have three boys in the third grade. Reader one has the most difficulty with his reading. His sight word vocabulary is severely limited. During his 15 minute reading time slot, it is a struggle for him to finish one book with just a few pages and only a couple of words per page. On top of this, he is afraid of dogs.

I didn’t realize at first that he was afraid of dogs. Since his teacher selected him to participate in this special type of program using dogs,I assumed he was just very shy.

But, I saw him withdraw his arm quickly a couple of times when either King or Lily drew near him, and he didn’t want to brush the dogs a bit, as the other children do-with delight-after their reading is over. One day, I asked him if he is afraid of dogs and he nodded. Then, in a very quite voice, he told me he had been bitten by a mean dog. I explained that there are mean dogs and we all need to be careful of them, but not all dogs are mean and Lily and King are very friendly dogs that love boy and girls. I asked him if he’d rather not read with the dogs. Much to my surprise, his answer was a quiet no.

So together we set a plan in motion: Would you like to sit in a chair, rather than on the rug with the dog? I asked. A quiet, Yes, was his reply.

I retrieved a chair and put it at a distance of 4 feet from the dog. How’s that? Okay? I asked…. No. He wanted the chair 6 feet from the dog. That felt comfortable. The deal, though, was that he would have to read in a much louder voice so Lily or King could hear him read…. That was a struggle. He was barely audible.

And, so it’s been this way for many weeks. Until today!

One of our readers was absent today, so I split the reading time two ways instead of three. I thought this would prove to be tough for our super reluctant, fearful reader…. but today the tables turned. The books were longer, the words were sounded out, and his voice showed confidence. Best of all, he smiled, and kept smiling. He completed one book, then chose a second book. When he was finished, he asked if he could PET LILY!!!! All smiles, he started with her ear, then the top of her head, then down the side of her leg.

I’ve been working with therapy dogs for twenty-five years… the dogs work their magic every single time. I love it when this transpires. The smiles on the faces of those once-fearful people are broad smiles full of joy!