At Work

Graduates of our October Therapy Dog Training Class

Another FULL class of eight teams completed their therapy dog training course with Bright Spot Therapy Dogs this past Sunday. Next step for these course graduates is an individual evaluation held on site at a nursing home.

Here, the evaluator will put the team through a variety of situations like approaching, greeting, and interacting with a resident in a wheelchair, or visiting a bedridden resident in his room. All the while, the evaluator will watch for the handler’s ability to communicate with her dog. Teamwork is key. If all goes well, the team will pass the evaluation and be given paperwork to fill out and send in to Bright Spot. Once the paperwork is received, the team will receive their Welcome Packet including: Certificate of Certification, volunteer liability insurance coverage document, identification badges for handler and dog, Bright Spot vest for dog and t-shirt for handler. The team’s next step is to choose a facility to visit from our List of Visiting Opportunities for Volunteers containing over 160 healthcare and educational facilities throughout New England that request visits from our well-trained Bright Spot Therapy Dog Teams.

This team is learning how to interact with a person using a walker

If you’ve been thinking of getting your dog certified with Bright Spot, now is the time. By the New Year, you’ll be ready to start visiting as a certified therapy dog team. That’s a great New Year’s Resolution to make!

Details about our training/evaluation/certification process can be found on our website. Please note that dogs must be at least one year old (I always say, The older the better) and if you adopted your dog from a rescue, the dog must have lived with you for at least one year.

Bright Spot Therapy Dog Training prepares teams with the skills and techniques needed for visiting.

The last class of 2016 starts on November 6th. There are still a few spaces left in class. Don’t delay. Sign up today! Sharing your dog with those in need is a wonderful way to start 2017.

Therapy Dog King is the center of attention as he happily receives petting and compliments from adoring students.

Wednesday was a gorgeous, summer-like day in the high 70’s. The Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts glowed with sunlight and foliage was at it’s peak. Bicycles lined the many racks around campus.

All in all, it was a bucolic sight. But, what caught the eye of many on campus that day were the twenty-five Bright Spot Therapy Dogs as they headed to the Student Union Ballroom for a Therapy Dog Stress-Relief Event providing students with a much-needed break from the pressures of studying for mid-term exams.

Bright Spot Calvin enjoys the company of students sitting around him on the floor

One would think students would want to be spending break time out enjoying the summer sun. But not where dogs are concerned.

It was an easy choice for the record-breaking crowd of 1600 students, many who cite missing their own dog as the one thing they miss the most about being away from home.

Upperclassmen have grown accustom to our Bright Spot Therapy Dog Events on their campus. We hold four such events on the UMass campus each academic year, at mid-terms and finals, each semester.

These students find out the dates of the events ahead of time and mark them on their calendars. I’d never miss a therapy dog event, said one female student, smiling and petting my dog King as she spoke.

Toy Poodle Peanut was the tiniest and oldest (12 yrs) therapy dog at the event.

Freshman are new to this special treat and seemed extra thrilled at the prospect of seeing us back again in early December, then February and April.

They love the variety of dogs in attendance. Large, tiny, and in between. Different breeds and mixed breeds. Most students made sure they spent time with every one. Voices were soft and a sense of calm filled the large ballroom space. Students texted friends to come on over. Selfies with the dog were being snapped. Some students left to attend a class, then came back for more hang-out time with the dogs.

It’s a win-win for all involved. Fun for the students and for the dogs. The job of a therapy dog is to happily accept hugs and petting from others. A lot of that happened during the 2 1/2 hour event!

One volunteer in attendance is a recent UMass graduate who enjoyed these events so much when she was a student that she and her dog trained with Bright Spot to become a certified team. She was happy to give back to the students what she had enjoyed so much.

Therapy dog Rowan and his teammate Diane Houston listen to book talk at The Eric Carle Museum

Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Rowan, Lily, Max and Milo sat among a large group of children and their families gathered in the library at The Eric Carle Museum listening to author Angela Diterlizzi and illustrator Brenden Wenzel talk about the process involved in creating their new book Some Pets.

While both Angela and Brenden talked about how their childhood experiences influenced the drawings and types of pets they chose to write about in their book, the dogs seemed as mesmerized by the talk as were the young children in the audience.

Reading Buddy Dogs Lily, Rowan, Max and Milo pose for a photo in front of Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar

Rowan, Lily, Max and Milo are no strangers to children, books, and listening. These four therapy dogs are specially trained as Reading Buddy Dogs.

Each dog participates in The Eric Carle School Vacation Reading Buddy Program held during February, April, and Summer Vacations. The program started three years ago and keeps growing in popularity. Some of the same children have attended every session since the program began in the summer of 2014. They know the Reading Buddy dogs well and can’t wait to read their favorite books to them.

In addition to The Eric Carle Museum, the Bright Spot Reading Buddy Program is held in elementary and middle schools in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine.

As a Thank You for attending the author talk at The Carle, each Therapy Dog was given a copy of Some Pets signed by both Angela and Brendan.

Watch James as his owner Sally puts him through an Agility or Obedience routine

If you are a doglover, Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Hadley, Massachusetts is the place to go on Saturday, November 5th. From 11:00-3:00, Bright Spot Therapy Dogs will be hosting their second annual FUN DAY WITH DOGS.

Bookstore shoppers will have the chance to interact with as many as 20 or more therapy dogs as they demonstrate a wide variety of activities dog owners can do with their own dogs. Here is a sampling of the FUN activities that will be happening at Barnes & Noble on November 5th:

Learn about Therapy Dogs: Our Bright Spot information booth will be set up with photos of our Therapy Dog Teams visiting in healthcare and educational settings. Copies of our print publications will be available as handouts, and our knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to describe the meaningful work our therapy dogs do and explain how dogs get trained and certified as therapy dogs through Bright Spot.

Learns some tricks you can do at home with your own dog by watching Raven perform a repertoire of amazing tricks

Agility, Obedience, and Tricks: Bright Spot therapy dogs James and Raven will delight shoppers with a variety of fun training activities they can do with their dogs. Training is a great way to build the bond between you and your dog. Come watch and talk to their handlers Sally King and Karyn Cordner about the various types of fun training activities you can do with your dog.

Meet the Breeds: Find out what it’s like to live with a Bernese Mountain Dog, an American Eskimo Dog, an English Setter, a Standard Poodle, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a Golden Retriever, a Jack Russell Terrier, an Italian Greyhound, a Cocker Spaniel, and lots more. A variety of breeds & all-Americans will be scheduled throughout the day. Event attendees will have the chance to meet the breeds in person and talk to the dogs’ owners.

Enter the Selfie Contest: Take your Selfie with one of the many cute Bright Spot dogs you meet at the event and enter it to WIN a $25 VISA CARD.

Read to a Bright Spot Reading Buddy Dog: Dogs are wonderful listeners and enjoy all kinds of books! Young children will have the opportunity to read to one of the Reading Buddy dogs for a 15-minute time slot. Different Reading Buddy dogs will be scheduled throughout the day. Bring a favorite book or choose one from the store to read.

Meet Brinkley, a certified Hope Animal-Assisted Crisis Response Dog: Brinkley and his teammate Ned Polan would love to talk to you about the meaningful work they do helping on the national level in times of crisis, along with the training and certification involved. Brinkley has served at a military kids’ grief camp, the Revere tornado, a weekend encampment for homeless and at-risk veterans, and four weeks with survivors and the families of victims at the Washington Navy Yard shooting. For his work, Brinkley received an Award of Merit from the Secretary of the Navy.

Attending the FUN DAY WITH DOGS offers a great opportunity to buy those books you’ve had on your reading list or shop early for holiday gift-giving. And, by mentioning Bright Spot Therapy Dogs when checking out, your purchase will count toward the donation Barnes & Noble will make to Bright Spot for holding our event at their store.

Here’s how it works: On November 5, 2016, any purchase made at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Hadley will count toward the donation Barnes & Noble will make to Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. if the shopper mentions Bright Spot Therapy Dogs when checking out. Any purchase, be it a CD, stationary, a book, a magazine, or even a cup of coffee from the cafe, will help contribute to the meaningful work our certified Therapy Dog Teams do helping people in need.

Come, bring the family, and learn some fun and interesting things about dogs. And, don’t forget to enter the Selfie Contest with one of our cute therapy dogs. You just might be the winner of the $25 VISA Card!

Pictured are the nine teams that completed the September Bright Spot Therapy Dog Training course.

Bright Spot just finished up its September Therapy Dog Training Course with nine teams completing the required classes.

These teams now qualify to move on to step two in the Bright Spot Therapy Dog certification process. This step involves a one-on-one evaluation of the team conducted by a Bright Spot evaluator that takes place in an actual nursing home setting. Class participants have been prepared with the skills and techniques they need to know to pass the evaluation and make meaningful visits to people in need as a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team.

Pictured here, the team is demonstrating a visit with a patient in bed.

During the evaluation, the evaluator will watch both ends of the leash. The handler and the dog must work as a team, the handler always communicating to the dog how best to interact with the individual they are visiting.

For example, the handler with a large dog who is visiting a patient in bed must direct the dog to move alongside the bed and rest his head on the bed so the patient can pet his head. In time, the dog will learn to execute this maneuver instinctively. The handler of a small dog visiting the same patient in bed must pick the dog up off the floor – and with the patient’s permission – place the small dog gently on the bed within easy reach of the patient. This and a variety other techniques were played out in class, with each team getting its turn to practice.

A variety of equipment often encountered in healthcare facilities is introduced in class.

A team that passes its evaluation is given the veterinary health form to be completed by the dog’s veterinarian and sent in to Bright Spot, along with the membership fee for registration.

Once these documents are received the new Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team is issued a Welcome Packet including certificate of certification, insurance coverage, Bright Spot Therapy Dog vest, t-shirt, identifcation badges for both dog and handler, along with online access to the members only portion of the website containing the Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Handbook and Official List of Volunteer Visiting Opportunities.

The next Therapy Dog Training Class will be held in October. All classes are held at Animal Alliances in Northampton, MA, conveniently located off I-91.

Check our website for exact dates and time. The October class is filling fast and space is limited. Sign up today to reserve your place in class. The final course of the year will be held in November, with classes resuming in January 2017.

At Bay Path University, Bright Spot Therapy Dog Arlo relaxes students preparing for exams

Therapy Dogs bring smiles to people wherever they go. Today, you’ll find therapy dogs almost anywhere. Certified therapy dogs are found at Los Angeles’ busy airport LAX soothing harried travelers waiting for flights, in funeral homes comforting mourners, and, I’ve now heard that therapy dogs are used to help ease tension in grad students practicing delivery of their dissertations. These are some of the newer ways that therapy dogs are being utilized today. For an old timer like me who has been visiting with my therapy dogs since 1992 when I had to push my way into a nursing home to visit with my dog, I find tremendous delight in the evolution that has evolved over the past two decades. Therapy Dogs are now recognized as truly therapeutic and beneficial in both healthcare and education.

Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team Training Classes are held at Animal Alliances in Northampton, MA, conveniently located on Damon Road right off I-91.

Along with the interest from practitioners seeking the canine visitors, interest from dog owners seeking to share their beloved friendly, outgoing, well-trained dogs with those in need keeps growing. This is seen in the numbers of people signing up for our Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team Training Classes. Our organization is based in western Massachusetts, but draws people from all over New England who seek the type of thorough training we provide that prepares them with the skills and techniques needed to make meaningful visits.

Bright Spot Team Training Classes introduce the types of equipment a team would encounter in some healthcare environments.

We are kicking off our fall line-up of classes with a FULL September class schedule. A waitlist was started back in the beginning of August. Once we set the cut-off (classes are kept small to allow plenty of time for individual attention and practice), the waitlist people jumped onto the October class schedule.

Here, a team is learning to interact with a patient who is bedridden.

Needless to say, Bright Spot Therapy Dogs is thrilled to have so much interest from people wanting to become involved with this amazing type of work. We currently have 151 healthcare and educational facilities throughout New England eagerly awaiting a well-trained certified Bright Spot visiting team. This is a wonderful activity to do with your dog, one in which you and your dog will receive as much pleasure as do those you visit. Check out our website today to learn the steps involved with becoming a certified Bright Spot Therapy Dog Team. Sign-up for the October class before it, too, gets marked FULL.

Therapy Dog Rowan and his teammate Diane Houston participated in the Bright Spot Therapy Dog Reading Buddy Program at the Eric Carle Museum in South Amherst, MA. 

Rowan met his buddy Hunter and Hunter’s Mom Khrystal in the museum library. Hunter, who just turned five, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) when he was eight weeks old. Khrystal has posted a number of photos and write-ups about Hunter on the internet to increase awareness of SMA. Rowan gave Hunter a big kiss and Hunter gave Rowan a big smile when they met.

Rowan sat by Hunter’s side as they both listened to Khrystal reading several books written and illustrated by Eric Carle, Hunter’s favorite author.

For the third summer in a row, Bright Spot Therapy Dogs launched the start of our Summer Reading Buddy Program at the Eric Carle Museum in South Amherst, Massachusetts.

King was very excited to put on his therapy dog vest and head out the door to go to work. Since the school year ended in mid-June, King hasn’t been working with any young children – something he loves doing.

Every Monday afternoon throughout July and August, young children have the fun of reading aloud to one of our specially trained Bright Spot Reading Buddy Dogs. Whether the youngster simply talks about the pictures in the book or reads every word on the page, sitting next to the dog and petting him provides a sense of calm. The non-threatening, non-judgmental Reading Buddy sits or lies down and seemingly listens to every word spoken by the reader – and enjoys looking at the pictures,too.

Readers must be signed-up ahead to reserve a coveted slot with the Reading Buddy. Four time slots are available every Monday afternoon. To reserve a time for your young reader, call the Eric Carle Museum and ask to sign-up for time with the Reading Buddy . One of the readers King had today has come to the Summer Reading Buddy Program every summer since it started at the Carle. Both the children and their adults love it!

Becoming a certified therapy dog team requires a great deal of teamwork. Both ends of the lead must work in sync to make successful visits in healthcare facilities or educational environments.

Becoming a certified therapy dog team requires more than a sweet, friendly dog that loves people and a handler who drives his/her dog to a visiting site. The dog must be at ease greeting strangers and entering new places. And, the handler, in turn, must serve as a skilled guide, providing signals to the dog who relies on his teammate to lead the way.

Before beginning therapy dog work, the owner must access his/her dog’s temperament. All dogs are wonderful, but not all dogs make good therapy dogs. You know your dog better than anyone. A shy dog that withdraws when a stranger approaches, won’t be interested in interacting with people in a healthcare or educational setting. An overly exuberant dog may have too much energy to work in a controlled setting. There are many things we can enjoying doing with our dogs as a team. It’s important to select an activity that fits both members of the team.

If therapy dog work is a good fit for you and your dog, sign up for one of our therapy dog training classes where the two of you will learn the necessary skills and techniques to work in sync and become a certified therapy dog team. Our Bright Spot Therapy Dog training classes are kept small to give plenty of time and attention to each team as skills and techniques are demonstrated and practiced in a relaxed, supportive, interactive environment. The class pictured above just completed our June two-session training course. They are well-prepared to have their on-site evaluation at a nursing home that tests a dog’s obedience skills and the team’s ability to interact in sync with the residents. Our next class will begin in September. Check out details on our website and sign up asap to reserve your spot. If it’s the right fit for you, becoming a certified therapy dog team is a very special activity. One that will bring you and your dog a feeling of great joy as you witness the power of the human-canine bond helping people in need.