Tips for the Rusty Therapy Dog?

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

I used to take Bruno to our local hospital, and some of my work events so he did about 4 events/visits a month. Sometimes he excelled, other times he seemed a little overwhelmed. Not in a fearful way, but in an overload of sensations way maybe? Then I got more work hours, my health is up and down, Nina and Kramer required more time...basic stuff that happens kind of things. He also got snotty with a kid over his green guy toy-which was my fault-but I knew at that time it would take a lot of time for me to get him back to therapy dog levels and we withdrew from volunteering and let our TDI membership lapse (well, I did he really doesn't have that kind of control).

So now I am thinking I may have that time-ability to concentrate on Bruno actually-more importantly, hopefully the energy (that remains to be seen!), and the hospital that we visited is having real problems due to our state budgets, and so I was thinking it would be great if we could go for staff as well as patients. I haven't contacted the volunteer coordinator yet as I am still in the analysis paralysis stage...

Bruno has a real knack for, almost to his detriment, feeling the pain of others. When Kyah was sick, but I thought she was okay, he tried to tell me different, and does the same with people when he's working. I am thinking if I limit us to two times a month it might work for both of our needs.

However, I know we are rusty, obedience wise on up...any tips on some things we can do if we go forward? I know we are going to work on all the CGC/TDI skills, skill by skill...what else?

Thanks!

[Skye'sMom]

Practice up on the 'leave it' command since hospitals are likely to have anything on the floor.

If you know anyone with crutches, wheelchair, masks, anything medical, borrow them to get him used to them again.

Put some alcohol on cotton balls and just have them near you (not too close to him, maybe tucked up your sleeve or lying on the table) once in awhile so he gets used to the smell.

Have some friends have a mock quarrel while walking around him or accidently bump into you or Bruno. He may need to re-learn remaining calm.

Practice his 'paws up' so he can stand with his front legs on the bed rail if a patient want him to.

Since Bruno is sensitive to others' pain, he will need shorter visits. Being empathetic is a tough job! Be sure to follow his lead and call it quits early if he is done.

He may also be reacting to warmer rooms - take him back into the hall where it is cooler and give him a break if he needs it.

Buddy can usually go forever, but once in awhile he will sit in front of me and put both front paws on my legs. That is his 'take me home' stance. I don't try to find out why - I just take him home. We can't see or smell what they do, so we have to protect them.

Skye either loves it or is aloof. The more going on in the hallways the less she concentrates on the patient. She likes group, off leash visits more. I don't take her to nursing homes as often as I do Buddy and we don't vist the full hour if she is not into it.

You probably know you will have to test again since his registration expired.

May I ask what his 'snotty' reaction was to the kid over the green toy?

Good luck to you and Bruno. I am off now to vist with Skye. Buddy will be so disappointed.

By the way - where will you get the time when you are always busy saving the needy dogs of the world???

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

GOOD ONES! YES! Thank you. These kind of things, and general tips, will definitely help.

Bruno can be aloof at times too. He is also VERY interested in the nurses. like Skye-their movement and busyness are really appealing to him, so when we can help by walking with a patient in the hall is when he is all prancey. The more dressed up he is, the better, too. ?????

I need to respect his limits better. Strangely they did not seem to be asking me to retest, but I did find the list of tests upcoming just in case.

Mmmm...with the kid-all my fault-I took him to a meeting thinking there would be no kids there. He has never liked what I guess you would call normal children, but loves kids with any kind of disability. He really "resents" being told what to do by a kid that is not special needs. They seem to annoy him-I don't know. He was fostered by a family that had one child on the autism spectrum, one not. I am not sure if that had any impact-but when these so called normal kids try to make him do things he gets his feathers ruffled. I don't know how to explain it. Little boy with a disability can get him to heel, front, down, sit, dance, crawl...

Anyway, there were two little girls who thought he was adorable, and of course he is but they were also getting pushy with him in that little girl way of "but we WANT him to do things, so he shall." And I knew...oh boy he is getting ticked...so I told the girls that he was off limits, and please do not come near him. I also stupidly had his green guy with him (squeaky toy) and didn't put GG back in the car. ALSO, we were next to a table full of his favorite foods-recipe for disaster! Fruit everywhere! AND I hadn't put a bandana or other working clothing on him, which he keys into.

So there's green guy at his feet, his favorite foods above him, and he's watching these "annoying" girls play (you can almost hear him saying rude things about them) and of course one marches right over, stands over the top of him while he is in a down AND holding his GG, to get some food and goes to walk away with all "his" fruit. He had it at that point and stood up and gave a little jump at her-which he has never, ever done-and air snapped. So in one way, great that he did control his reaction to the extent he did, he could have grabbed her easily, and again totally my fault for allowing it to get to that point and not protecting him from her doing everything wrong, too (in addition to me), but I said until I have time to really concentrate on him, and work through this (which we will do before we even consider visits) we won't do visits. (PS-her mom said, oh, our dog bites her all the time-so...)

I've had him in mostly pet food stores since and he seeks out the kids he likes (and I always think, what is going on with your child!) and has been appropriate with others who have wanted to pet him. I know it sounds very weird, but we had quite a talk about kids and how it will work from here on out-that I decide and won't ever make him deal with them for that length of time, but that he has to tolerate them even if they are not sick (also very good with children who are ill). If it hadn't been summer, I would have just stuck him in the car. I am also trying to make sure my reactions are also good-that I don't tense up and that I use the hellooooo hellooooo happy voice I use for greetings.

I feel like each of my dogs needs to do something with me again-we used to go to obedience classes until it got to be too hard for me health and time wise-we have to drive about 40 minutes each way for classes, which adds to the problem. I don't want to get all maudlin here in the therapy dog section (unless we can rename it the in need of therapy section!) but after Kramer and Nina, and I am knowing you understand this Bonnie, I feel like I need to spend all the time I can with them.

I am even going to try to do obedience (backyard) with Anna (she's thinking Arby's)! If Mario can continue to do better traveling (still with Cerenia-but maybe someday au natural ) he might be another therapy dog candidate. I wish I could still do more to help other dogs (and hopefully can), but am going to thank these guys for letting me focus so much on other dogs, and then in the past year and a half or so, on Kramer and Nina.

Oh-do they ever let dogs go to dialysis units?

[Skye'sMom]

I wish you and Bruno the best with this. Sounds like you are tuned in to him.

Yes - many hospitals do allow dogs in the dialysis units as well as during chemo treatments. Very stringent on the cleanliness aspect as would be expected.

If you are interested in that and cannot go into the dialysis unit - ask about the waiting room. Stressed families need the gift of a visit from a therapy dog every bit as much as the patient.

Several years ago I also took each of my dogs to classes at least once a year, usually twice. It is so much fun and I needed this after a personal loss. Luckily, now that I am a trainer with the school I can take them to other classes for free! Skye is my demo dog (and pays for their dog food) and Buddy just had to learn that he won't die if he is more than 2 feet away from me.

Therapy visits are amazing and I hope this works out for you. Most places welcome us whether weekly, monthly or whenever you can work.

I have 3 regular vists a week, 4 during some special events. I thought I was going to give back to the community, but I think I am more enriched than our clients, patients, residents and staff.

Don't over do it for you - recently I had to take almost 3 weeks off at one facility due to work and health restraints. They were very understanding and just appreciated us when we were there.

Of course, be prepared. Everyone knows Skye and Buddy - I'm just the driver.

Hugs to you for your sad losses this year. Their only fault, isn't it? They just don't live forever.