Ever
heard of a Therapy Dog? This does not refer to taking your pooch to
your favorite psychiatrist – it represents a nice volunteer
opportunity to serve the elderly in your area. It also represents a
good opportunity to “market” CSRNE to prospective adopters
and donors. And, it does not require a large commitment of time.
One of my dog-adoption requirements was the fact
that I visit my father (who has severe Alzheimer's Disease and is in
a Special Care facility), and my grandmother (who is 102 and in
another nursing home) every week. I planned to bring the dog with me
regularly to visit, so its personality must be appropriate.
At the time, I didn't realize there was any such
thing as a Therapy Dog; I just figured that the residents would
enjoy briefly playing with a well-behaved, adorable cocker spaniel.
After taking Taffy to a basic obedience course at
Gemini Dog Training in Littleton MA, I was sure she'd be appreciated
by the nursing home residents in my dad's and my grandmother's
units. As it turned out, EVERYONE on staff of both facilities look
forward to our visits! The nurses, administrators, and aides, the
well residents in the assisted living areas, and the sicker
residents in skilled nursing wards, all want to pet Taffy or give
her a treat in exchange for an enthusiastic paw-shake!
A possible bonus: the aides and nurses I've met
doing this are among the kindest of people; just the type we'd like
as prospective adopters!
One surprise when I first took Taffy to Dad's
nursing home was her reaction to the walkers. Many of them have old
tennis balls on the end of the legs to help the walkers slide along
more easily, and not stick on carpeting. She was frustrated that I
wouldn't let her play with the tennis balls!
Most of the residents and patients will talk to
you about their own dog-owning experiences, and very much enjoy
reminiscing with you, as well as playing with the dog. Many of them
had to give up their own dogs to enter the facility in which they
now live.
Occasionally you do meet someone who is afraid of
or allergic to dogs, so as owner you must respect these folks by
giving them a wide berth; but these folks are definitely in the
minority.
At my grandmother's facility, the chaplain held a
pet-blessing event on St. Francis' Day (patron saint of animals).
Twenty residents showed up, either with family and their dogs, or
photos of their former dogs, and recited prayers of thankfulness for
their wonderful experiences and reminisced together about their much
loved pets.
I took the photo at the top of Taffy with my Mom
and Gram enjoying the enclosed outdoor courtyard at Gram's nursing
home.
So, how can you prepare yourself and your dog for
this activity, and how do you go about finding places to go? Here
are six suggestions:
1.
If
your dog is very bouncy or excitable, and not of a gentle nature,
you may want to reconsider whether this is the right activity for
him. Obviously, if your dog bites or even nips when approached for
petting, or when accepting treats, this would also disqualify him
from being a good therapy dog.
2. If you want to get formal training,
check out the Canine Good Citizen or other Therapy Dog training in
your area .
3. If you think your dog can pass the test
without additional training, look for a certified evaluator
in your area.
4. It may not be necessary to pursue formal
certification of any type. If you regularly visit a nursing home
with your dog, you will quickly see if your dog is welcome or not! I
do not have any formal certification for Taffy as a Therapy Dog, nor
does she require any to visit her “grandparents” with me.
5. Once you and your dog are ready to do visits,
