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Permalink Reply by Sylvia & Timmy on October 1, 2008 at 7:59pm

Hi,
Timmy is a therapy dog with the Delta Society. We visit nursing home and hospital in my local area. You can read our story in the "Healing and Therapy Corgi" group.

Good foundation is CGC and then take the specialized training which describes the additional characteristics and temperment needed to be successful as a therapy dog. There are a lot of dogs who don't really enjoy the work, but those that do, are eager to go into the facilities. I've attached something I wrote after our last visit.


Magic in Room 19

Yesterday Timmy and I had the pleasure of visiting patients in our small rural community hospital. We visit there monthly and Timmy shares corgi smiles and love with all the people we meet. But yesterday was very special and brought tears to my eyes and those of one of the Sister Administrators of the hospital. When we do visits, we always check in at the nurse’s station and ask if they feel that any particular patients would benefit from a pet visit.

Timmy normally greets patients and sniffs them, then settles on the bed or a chair if there isn’t enough room on a bed. I start conversations regarding former pets and/or about the breed and Timmy’s special personality and characteristics. It’s always amazing how he adapts to the different patients, their limitation and just “knows” what they are comfortable with. Some he bonds with quickly, others take a few minutes, but he wins them over with corgi smiles and the gentlest of touches and movements until they begin to stroke him. Pretty soon, I disappear and become an observer, watching my special dog. Sometimes, we spend a long time with a patient, other times because of a patient’s medial needs we only get to spend a few minutes. He is normally alert and rests his head on an arm or leg, but yesterday was different.

I was mentoring a new team member, Samantha (new human team members must accompany a veteran team on two visits before visiting twice with their pet partner, while being observed by the mentor). This was a first visit and I was hoping for a few good patient interactions for Samantha to observe. Our first visit was memorable and I was so happy that she got to see my special boy in action. The patient a wonderful older woman that had had abdominal surgery and we discovered later had not been eating and therefore not recovering as quickly as her doctors and the hospital would like. When we entered the room, I saw her eyes lift as she saw Timmy. At that point, I could tell she wanted to have a visit. After finding out the location of surgery (so I wouldn’t put Timmy on the bed near her wound or incision). She scooted over and let me put him next to her on the bed. Timmy immediately snuggled next to her and laid his head into the crook of her arm, while she began to stroke his head, face, neck and everything she could reach. She closed her eyes and began to talk of the dog she left at home in the care of others. Then she forgot all about me and just talked directly to Tim. He responded and laid his head on her chest and promptly began to doze off, but I could tell he was listening. It was at this point that one of the hospital administrators came into the room. (This is a Sisters of Saint Orange Hospital, so several of the Sisters visit patients daily). She started to talk, noticed the interaction of Timmy with that wonderful lady, stepped aside, motioned to my student and they left the room. Timmy continued to stay there, occasionally licking her hand. I had to turn aside a couple of times; I felt that I was interrupting, first time I’ve ever felt that! Medical staff came into the room after about 15-20 minutes and we had to bid our goodbyes. Timmy does a sit up and one pawed wave before we leave each room.

After we left the room Samantha told me that the Sister had felt as I did and stepped outside. She asked if we would visit two additional rooms before we left for the day. We did visit those rooms and one other. Timmy delighted three more people, but our first visit was “Special”. As we left the hospital, I went by our first patient’s room and she was sitting up eating a Popsicle!!!!!

I’ve always known that corgis are magical and in all the time we’ve done visits at nursing homes and the hospital, yesterday was the first day I truly felt and SAW what power therapy dogs have. Animals truly have a therapeutic effect on our species, if we let them into our hearts and share.


Feel free to contact me if you have any questions

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Permalink Reply by Corgi Mom on October 1, 2008 at 8:32pm

Our Tank (Cindi and I) is CGC & Delta Society Therapy Dog certified. He loves it. We haven't visited Assisted Living Facilities or Nursing Homes in awhile but when we do go he loves it. He does a number of different commands and the residents love him. They miss having a dog to pet and he thinks everyone and everything exists to love him. :-) If you look at the photos on my page there are some of his visits. Good luck on the testing.

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