September Letters

Four Great Therapy Dogs

9/30/03

I had taken each of my four dogs to visit my husband when he was in hospice care the week before he died this past May, and the staff were enchanted with each of them. That crystalized a thought I'd had off and on for years - having gotten obedience titles on them all, maybe they could pass the necessary tests to become therapy dogs.

Then I learned that the trainer for my puppy's intermediate obedience class was one of the two people in the area who certified therapy dogs. A phone call, observation visits for each of my canine kids, and we are now providing loving therapy for me, the dogs, the patients in the nursing homes we visit, and the staffs. Talk about a win-win situation!