Therapy Goldendoodle

The ultimate teacher’s pet is expected to show up in the near future in Burrell School District buildings: Her name is Stella, a goldendoodle who is a therapy dog in training.

The pet will serve as an aid to support students. Not to mention provide a little fun.

The Burrell School Board recently approved having a therapy dog in district buildings for classes and one-on-one visits with students.

“Stella will be an additional resource to help students surround themselves with good, positive care,” said Mary Balich, a school counselor at Bon Air Elementary School in Lower Burrell.

Stella joins a legion of therapy pets that continue to surge in popularity.

Animal Friends in Ohio Township has its own therapy pet certification program, Therapets, which is continuously sold out with waiting lists, according to Ann Ensminger, Animal Friends chief programs officer. Last year, 88 potential therapy dogs went through Therapets prep classes. The program is on hold because of covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

Stella will be in training until at least next May, when she can be tested for certification as a therapy dog. Balich will bring her to school earlier than that to meet with students and become familiar with the district environs.

The school board liked the idea of the extra help a therapy dog could bring to students.

“The kids will absolutely love Stella,” said School Board President Tricia Shank. “She will light up environments and mental well-being.”

Another fan of therapy dogs is LeeAnn Guido, a school board director and a social worker with the Shaler Area School District who has therapy dog Pepper, a labradoodle, she took to school in 2019 into early this year.

Guido expected the dog to make children feel more comfortable and happy. But there were more benefits, she said.

Guido discovered that Pepper helped enrich the relationship between counselor and student.

The therapy dogs were especially effective in reaching children on the autism spectrum.

“I was seeing kids visit the counselor’s office more than they normally would just to see Pepper,” she said.

The therapeutic effects of petting a dog, such a lowering blood pressure, are well known, Balich said.

A therapy dog can help a student who is suffering through trauma or is having other struggles, Balich said. “If nothing else, Stella will be joyful to be around,” she said.

Bringing calm is one of the major roles of therapy dogs, whether they are helping school counselors or any group of people coping with loss or other struggles, Ensminger said.

Animal Friends’ certified Therapets are used in a number of situations where soothing is in order: in classrooms where children are having difficulty reading, in colleges to relieve stressed-out students during finals and in tragedies to calm people when there is a sudden death.

“We have group that works with children who have lost a parent who meet at a church once a month, but that was before covid,” Ensminger said.

Ensminger hopes to see more dogs in more places in the future while still maintaining integrity in certification. In fact, the popularity of therapy dogs, as well as therapy cats and rabbits drove Animal Friends to offer its own training and certification program.

Certified therapy dogs should be social, friendly, confident, not easily startled, and comfortable in new situation, Ensminger said. Dogs need to know the command “leave it.”

Training and certifications for dogs in general take about six weeks of classes, however preparation can vary greatly, she added.

Longtime Kennel Celebrates Anniversary

The property at 2400 E. Manogue Road has seen a lot of dogs. One year ago, it was purchased by JoLynn Burden and her children, Callie and Booker, and renamed Kip’s White Dog Inn, after “Kip,” a former family pet and therapy dog who succumbed to illness. Before that, JoLynn said, the property was owned and operated as a kennel by Cindy and Steve Busch, both of whom were on site Wednesday, Aug. 26, when the kennel held an open house to debut its improvements, acknowledge its one-year anniversary and showcase two area rescue organizations. August 26 was also National Dog Day, set aside in recognition of man’s best friend and those in rescue shelters looking for forever homes.

During the open house, some 150 in attendance were offered tours of the inn and visited tables set up by Paddy’s Paws, a Fort Atkinson-based rescue shelter with a sister operation in Texas, and Albert’s Dog Lounge Rescue, Whitewater, catering to senior, special needs and hospice dogs. Jolynn and her family have fostered dogs from both rescues, JoLynn said, including “Rex,” a 3-year-old lab mix who is without the use of his front legs. The family ultimately adopted Rex through Paddy’s Paws and today he is one of five of the family’s canine pets.

Rex, who also holds the title: runner-up in the 2018 People Magazine’s World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest, was on hand to greet visitors while receiving hugs and attention.

Several ambassadors from the Milton Area Chamber of Commerce and Forward Janesville arrived to help facilitate a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Dog enthusiasts were treated to cookies, beverages and booths with myriad dog-themed information and supplies.

Along with Rex, canine VIPs in attendance included two Paddy’s Paws rescue dogs, both of whom are in foster care and looking for forever homes. They also served to help tell the Paddy’s Paws story: Begun in 2014, the organization has placed some 3,000 dogs in forever homes, Paddy’s Paws volunteer Keri Wagie said.  Greeting event-goers was “Shea,” a 2-year-old lab mix who was rescued through the Texas shelter and relocated to Wisconsin. She has spent the last month living with Jodi Allard, Fort Atkinson, who volunteers with the rescue as a foster caregiver and she performs home visits, which, she said, is the last step in the adoption process.

“I have a passion for dogs and I hope we are a stepping stone on their way to forever homes.” Allard said.

Shea is one of 11 dogs at Paddy’s Paws’ Wisconsin shelter waiting for adoption, Allard said. Shea, whom Allard described as “shy and timid at first, but warms up,” and “fully-trained, obedient and well-mannered,” would do best with a family with another dog and a fenced yard, she said.

A second dog, “Angie,” is a 2- or 3-year-old terrier and bird dog mix, her foster caregiver Milton resident Stephanie Cimineri said. She, too, came through the Texas shelter and has been in Wisconsin since March. She is looking for a forever family with a fenced yard, Cimineri said.

A second shelter, Albert’s Dog Lounge Rescue, was represented by its founder and president Mandy Lewis of Whitewater. The organization provides care to senior, special needs and hospice care dogs, she said. Concerned with exposing older dogs to the summer heat, Lewis said, she opted not to bring canine ambassadors.

The rescue is named for “Albert,” a former pet and rescue dog who died suddenly seven months after arriving in Wisconsin in 2016. The organization was formed as a nonprofit rescue in 2017, according to its website.

While dogs came looking for homes, some people came looking for dogs: Twelve-year-old Ella Hollenberger, Lake Mills, made the trip to Milton, she and her parents said, in search of a dog that Ella will train as a support dog to help her manage anxiety. Ella said she was looking for a large- to medium-sized dog that is calm in all environments, social, and a quick learner.

Volunteers conducted tours of the kennel’s improvements, which include, within each kennel, a doggie door and potty area with artificial turf, which, JoLynn said, is better than natural grass for keeping oder at a minimum and it’s easier to clean. Each kennel also has orthopedic, elevated beds.

The five-acre facility offers 17 kennels within three temperature-controlled buildings, with a capacity of up to 30 dogs, JoLynn said.

While the inn caters to dogs, the family has cared for cats on a limited basis in their home. The family lives on the property so they can offer round-the-clock care, JoLynn said.

The facility also offers limited opportunities for doggie daycare two days a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participation is limited to six dogs per day, JoLynn said.

While JoLynn and her family are relatively new to the property, they are not new to dogs. Over the last four or five years, JoLynn said, the family has fostered some 90 dogs. JoLynn is also a therapy dog trainer, and she and Callie are both certified providers of canine first aid.

“Callie has a big heart for dogs,” JoLynn said. A junior at Milton High School, Callie, JoLynn said, might easily choose a career in veterinary medicine.

Booker, a 2020 graduate of Milton High School, operates a lawn care business and helps out with the kennel, JoLynn said.

Treatments For Pets

We are happy to note that the health of dogs and cats are given more attention these days.

For example, food for specific dog or cat conditions have been developed and are still being developed, and more natural treats are being produced for our pets. The best news is that natural or alternative remedies and approaches to certain medical conditions are now available and more accessible

But the said natural treatment should always  be given to pets in combination with Western medicine, and with the go-signal of  licensed veterinarians.

One dog who benefited from natural treatment is Chacha, a rescued dog of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL Inc.). She  has started to feel pain due to a spinal problem that is said to be common among Maltese dogs.

While there are pain killers for dogs, she can not be put on pain killers everyday as the medicine can damage her liver and kidneys.  Joint supplements can not be given often also as she developed pus in her private part when we gave it every day. The vet explained that too much joint supplement can cause an increase in sugar level.

To manage the pain, the vet suggested acupuncture. We are glad it worked well for Chacha.

Since she underwent acupuncture treatment, she can stay standing up for a longer period of time now, and she can walk a longer distance.  She now goes for acupuncture treatment every other week.

The cost is  P2,000.00 per session.

Acupuncture and other natural treatments are now accepted in the Philippines. Some vets do recommend them as supplemental treatment to Western treatments.

In “Natural and Alternative Pet Remedies That Humans Use, Too,” Fetch by WebMD listed natural treatments for our pets:

Acupuncture

This ancient Chinese healing method uses tiny needles to stimulate specific parts of your pet’s body. Acupuncture can improve organ function, soothe muscles, get the blood flowing, and release feel-good hormones. It’s good for animals with muscle or skeletal issues, skin problems, respiratory problems, or digestive troubles.

Aromatherapy

The smell of certain plants and oils is the basis for this therapy. It’s gentle and noninvasive, and it can help treat a four-legged friend who has anxiety or other forms of emotional or physical stress. Check with your vet first, though. Some essential oils can be toxic if your pet drinks them. Others could cause allergic reactions if you put them on his skin.

Flower Essences

Another way to harness plant power to calm an anxious animal friend is to use flower essences — a diluted herbal solution that you can drop in his water or directly in his mouth. Often you can find this remedy as a blend of several flower essences in one.

Chiropractic

Dogs or cats who have a slipped disk or pinched nerve may benefit from chiropractic. A trained practitioner uses gentle pressure on joints to realign the spine and keep feeling and function flowing in muscles, organs, and tissues. It might help with other problems too, like epilepsy, skin disorders, or behavior issues.

Herbal Medicine

Supplementing your pet’s diet with herbal medicine might treat digestive issues, kidney and bladder disease, parasites, skin problems, and bone or tissue injuries. It’s important not to use herbs without consulting a vet first — some are toxic to pets, and others may cancel out when used as a combo.

Massage

Massages are more than just a menu item at the day spa. Done right, they can ease your pet’s cramps, reduce pain from injuries, and improve circulation. Find a trained massage therapist who specializes in animals, so they know which muscles and soft tissues to target.

Osteopathy

This holistic approach to medicine is based on moving and handling your pet’s muscles and joints in a specific way to help his body heal itself. You might turn to osteopathy to help a pet who has trouble walking, or who has stiffness, problems holding his head well, muscle tension, or changes in behavior or digestion.

Hydrotherapy

Water can help your pet work out injured muscles without putting weight on them. Hydrotherapy may also help treat certain behaviors. A trainer will spend time with your pup (or cat, though they tend to be warier of getting wet) in a pool swimming, walking on a treadmill, or playing therapeutic games.

Nutritional Therapy

Your companion’s diet can have a big impact on his overall wellness. The foods you choose may also help improve certain health problems like heart disease. Together with your vet, you can craft meals that focus on the specific nutrients that best address your pet’s needs.

Honoring Canine Ambassador

Therapy Dogs of Santa Barbara announces the passing of Sandy, one of its beloved therapy dogs and the matriarch of the organization. She was 14-1/2 years old.

“During her long and wonderful life, Sandy brought joy and smiles to thousands of children, young adults, and the elderly in our community and we will be forever grateful for the tremendous love and loyalty of this sweet soul,” said Karen Lee Stevens, Founder and Executive Director of Therapy Dogs of Santa Barbara. After Sandy, a Labrador Retriever, accepted a position as the organization’s first certified therapy dog, she began lending a helping paw during classroom visits, enthusiastically introducing herself to children of all ages and happily accepting treats and tummy rubs from kids and adults alike. During her free time, Sandy enjoyed swimming in the ocean, chasing tennis balls, camping, backpacking and lounging under a giant oak tree in her backyard.

Sandy was also the main character in the popular children’s book, Animals Have Feelings, Too!, which was published by the organization in 2011. “Our book takes readers on a journey through the alphabet and shows kids that animals and people share many of the same feelings. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we’ve been able to give away thousands of copies of our book to children in Santa Barbara County,” said Stevens.

In loving memory of Sandy, Therapy Dogs of Santa Barbara is giving away hundreds of copies of Animals Have Feelings, Too! Beginning today, volunteers will start distributing autographed copies of the book to every Little Free Library in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria. At the request of Sandy’s extended family, please pick up a copy of “The Sandy Book” for a youngster in your life and give your own dog a hug, belly rub, and an extra treat.

For the past 23 years, Therapy Dogs of Santa Barbara has been dedicated to empowering people to live more fulfilling lives through the human-animal bond.

The organization’s signature program, ARF! (Animals + Reading = Fun!), inspires children to become better readers by reading aloud to specially trained therapy dogs. Its newest program, MindfulKidsSB gives children the skills they need to reduce stress and anxiety and increase focus and resilience.

Therapy Dog Begley

St Mary’s Special School in Rochestown is one of many reopening its doors today for the first time in months.

Since the school’s closure to 64 students and 25 staff, students have enjoyed daily check-ins with their therapy dog Begley who has been helping both children and staff for over a year.

Now, the school is prepared to return to what is a new norm after working “really hard” to make the school “a safe and happy place for our students to return to”.

Principal of the school, Kerri Hollywell, said that due to Covid-19, Begley has been furloughed “as he is not able to sanitise his paws” but will return to the school as soon as it is safe to do so.

Staff have been clearing their classrooms and preparing the school’s first aid and isolation rooms ahead of reopening today.

The school’s lunchroom has been moved to its larger hall and has been cordoned off into sections to keep each class pod separate and allow for social distancing with a one-way system also in place throughout the school building.

“We are lucky that we have beautiful grounds that we can take advantage of, hopefully in the sunshine but with a proper coat we’ll try to get out in the bad weather too. We will be walking a lot and even hopefully taking lessons outside where possible,” Ms Hollywell said.

She said that one downside to the new rules for schools is that the school’s soccer coach “will not be seen for a while” and swimming lessons have also been postponed.

She said that although staff were feeling “slightly anxious” ahead of returning, that they were also excited to welcome back familiar faces and new students alike.

“We are all looking forward to hearing about all the new things that they have done throughout the lockdown and also getting back to most of our old routines. We will all look after each other by following our hygiene rules,” she said.

Ms Hollywell said she has “really missed” working with her students over the last number of months and that it has been “tough at times” but she is looking forward to some “socially distanced chats and maybe even a therapeutic cup of tea in the sunshine with them all”.

“Fingers crossed for a warm and dry September and we will all learn new ways to be at school and get the best out of it,” she said.

Max The Miracle Dog

Tewitt Tarn is an idyllic pond high in the hills above Keswick in Cumbria.

To the north are the imposing green and grey cliffs of Blencathra, to the south, glazed in the haze of hot summer days, the steep slopes of Helvellyn.

The shimmering water is serene, the surface faintly ruffled by the soft breeze that lazily drifts and dances its way through the Lake District.

And then, with a splash that sends a snipe and three gulls soaring out from the rushes, Max, Paddy and Harry arrive.

The three dogs certainly put the spring in springer as they launch themselves into the water, chasing a hefty stick thrown from the shoreline by their owner Kerry Irving.

The trio have become an internet sensation, twice daily Facebook Live videos of them enjoying their walks and swims being watched by hundreds of thousands of people around the world during the coronavirus lockdown.

“It was a pure mistake,” Kerry says, as we are showered by three enthusiastic spaniels shaking themselves dry.

“I was trying to take a picture and accidentally started a video. Suddenly people were watching and I realised that my dogs were giving a lot of joy to people.”

Kerry understands the joy they bring; it was the same joy Max first gave him 12 years ago that he says saved his life.

In 2006 his car was rear-ended by a lorry, leaving him with crippling back pain.

He spent the following two years barely able to move, declining into a deep and seemingly irreversible depression.

Then one day, having been persuaded by his wife of 22 years Angela to walk to the local shop to get some milk, he met Max.

The then one-year-old poked his nose between the bars of a backyard gate and the two struck up an instant friendship. Kerry suddenly had a purpose to go out – to see Max.

Max’s owners were struggling to give him the time he needed so were happy for Kerry to take their dog out for walks.

“It’s always been about the eye contact with Max, the way he looks at you and you just feel he cares,” Kerry says, as Max sits a short way away, appropriately enough gazing at us as a soggy stick hangs from his mouth.

With the confidence instilled in him by his new canine companion, Kerry, who had trained as a butcher and been a salesman of farming equipment before the crash, decided to retrain as a locksmith.

Max became his “head of security” and joined Kerry in his van, and when Max’s owners said they were moving to a city but thought their dog would have a better life in the country, Kerry leapt at the chance to become his friend’s full-time carer.

He started putting pictures of Max on his business’s Facebook page and found that, perhaps not unsurprisingly, people were more interested in snaps of a spaniel than they were images of deconstructed locks.

Kerry started a separate page for Max, and that’s when he realised the soulful stare that had helped him was also providing comfort to others around the world.

“I started getting all these messages from people telling me how just seeing pictures of Max cheered them up,” Kerry says, as we stroll in the shade of the rocky outcrops of Low Riggs. “And they started telling me their problems too.

“I understand it – if you see someone with a dog, they already seem friendlier. We stop and talk to people who have dogs, and something about Max just made people open up.

“I never used to want to talk about depression, but now I’m perfectly happy to because I have found that just talking about such things lifts them off your shoulders.”

Max is limping alongside Kerry as we walk and talk, his gait the result of suffering a broken leg when a labrador barrelled into him five years ago.

Paddy and Harry, companions Kerry acquired in 2017 and 2019, are trotting around in large circles, noses to the ground.

We are meeting the day after Max’s 13th birthday, an event which saw more than 1,000 birthday cards cascade into his Keswick home.

Many contained donations to the PDSA, a charity for which Kerry and his canines have raised more than £244,000 in the past three years, £100,000 of which has been raised in the past six weeks through events including climbing Ben Nevis.

“We get asked to help so many charities and while I would love to help them all, we just can’t,” Kerry says.

Their fundraising and spirit-raising have seen them win awards and earned Kerry, Angela and Max a visit to a Buckingham Palace Garden party in 2019, where Max wooed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Max tends to charm anyone who meets him, which is why Kerry had him registered as a therapy dog and why Keswick Town Council has just approved plans for a statue of him in the town.

As Kerry recounts in his memoir Max the Miracle Dog, they once arranged a surprise meeting with a woman who had terminal cancer.

She had enjoyed watching the dogs online so, unbeknown to her, her family arranged for the dogs to be waiting to greet her when she visited Castlerigg, an ancient stone circle on the edge of Keswick. The meeting made a big impression on Kerry too.

“She gave me the best advice I’ve ever had,” he told me, and it’s easy to see how her words of wisdom relate to his own story.

“Don’t make a bucket list, a list of things to do, but rather a bucket of memories.

“Whatever it is you want to do, just get on and do it.”

On a hot sunny day with no cloud cover, it’s not a good idea to walk the dogs – or a normally deskbound journalist – too far, so before too long we head back towards our starting point.

Kerry still has to watch every step he makes as a result of his injuries, and is mindful that his back pain could come back at any time.

But being out with his dogs is happiness.

“Look at them,” he says, as they circle us, sniffing their way across fields and through large tufts of long grass that obscure all but the tips of the dogs’ tails from our view.

“You cannot go for a walk with a dog and not just feel happy.”

At the end of the walk I give Kerry a pack of tennis balls for his dogs, a belated birthday present for Max.

“Do they actually like balls?” I ask, suddenly worried that they might not.

Kerry laughs, the same snort he gave when I had asked if they liked going in the water.

He rips open the bag of balls and bounces two out, much to the delight of Paddy and Harry.

By this time Max has already got into the back of Kerry’s van and is lying on his bed, his eyes half-closed, his tongue lolling from his gently panting mouth.

He’s not the same sprightly springer spaniel he was a few years ago, but he looks content.

Having retrieved the luminous green balls, Paddy and Harry join the elder statesman in the van. With a cheery farewell, Kerry clambers into the driver’s seat and heads off, back over the hills towards their Keswick home.

Reuniting With Therapy Dogs

A paw of support – on Friday therapy dog Diamond Lil got to visit her friends at the ChristyCare Senior Day Living Center in Huntsville.

Christy Todd, the founder of ChristyCare said the visit looked a bit different for safety reasons, but it was still a happy one.

“It is unfortunate that they can’t touch her because that’s human nature they want to reach out,” Todd said. “They will probably try to get out of the door and reach out and get her, but we are glad she’s here and I know they’ve missed seeing her.”

Friday was the first visit after months of being away.

“Pet therapy is crucial just like art therapy, or music therapy,” Todd said. “So many things that help the elderly.”

Diamond Lil’s owner, Nikki Kolar, said even Diamond Lil benefited. “She seems to have a sense about her that there is a need and she is able to filter into that need and go to whomever needs her that day,” Kolar said.

Benefits From Your Pet

In honor of National Dog Day, celebrated on August 26th, 2020 I wanted to discuss the positive mental health benefits I have experienced from sharing my life with animals. I had a dog named Buffy as a companion when I was a child, she suffered a horrible death on my 12th birthday and because my Mom was “not an animal person” we never had another animal in the house again. I had no relatives that had pets and do not recall having any other close contacts with animals as a child. I had no idea what wonderous creature’s pets were at the time and how much help they would provide me in my adult life.

When I was 18 my older sister moved out and got herself a Rottweiler puppy that she named Caliber. I fell in love immediately and was amazed that this little dog had so much personality of her own! She was hilarious and adorable and was willing to hand out love every waking moment. I would visit her as often as I could because being around her brightened my not so happy life. Caliber grew to be one of the largest dogs I have ever know, taller than most male Rottie’s and weighed 200 pounds. She was as gentle as a Mom with a newborn, yet very protective of my sister if strangers were around. Caliber also loved giant pieces of bubblegum and would chew on them for hours at a time. She introduced me to the love between humans and animals and I will never forget her.

I got my first dog of my own when I was 24. She was an Alaskan Samoyed named Piggy. My ex-husband bought her from a pet store as a sorry gift for cheating on me. I had no idea how to be an adequate pet Mom but tried my best. Eight months later I adopted her brother Bubba from a county kill shelter. My ex-husband had relocated me 300 miles away from my entire family and left me at a lake house, while he continued to work in Chicago. I was alone, except for the constant companionship of my two best friends. We did everything together. They provided me with love and support, they listened to me talk about everything that was on my mind and never interrupted! Piggy and Bubba’s eyes would be staring at me every morning when I opened mine, their tails wagging, eager to give me love and affection. I was alone, yet not alone. I needed them more than they needed me, and they made my life bearable. Sadly, just to punish me, my ex kept them in the divorce.

My current husband is an avid animal lover and comes from a home that was the neighborhood dog rescue. Before I got involved in a serious relationship with him, he brought me home to meet his older ailing dog Foxy, her approval was required, which I received by getting many kisses and snuggles. This was demanded because she despised his previous wife and he did not listen to her disdain. In our 22 years as a couple we have shared our lives with 9 dogs and 11 cats.

Our first group of dogs we called The Three Musketeers. Payton and Marley were our Newfoundland litter mates that were born in 2003. If you have never met a Newfoundland dog you really need too, because their personality and temperament is the closest thing you will ever find comparable to a human in a dog. We rescued Max a month after getting the twins because his owners were going to have him put to sleep since they were moving. Max opened my heart to dog rescue. I am a failure at it because any dog that enters my home never leaves. The Newfies had terrible health issues and suffered much of their lives. Marley passed away from congestive heart failure at 7 and Payton suffered from laryngeal paralysis and died at the age of 10. Those two taught me the true meaning of unconditional love. For many years, my purpose was to care for their medical issues, give them medication 2 or 3 times a day, hand feed Payton for years, assist a 160-pound dog with getting up and walking. While I was caring for their needs, I had no time to think about my past life experiences and the things that caused me pain. I was wrapped up in the enormous amount of love I felt for them and my only job was trying to make their lives more comfortable.The other 6 dogs have come into our lives over the years as rescues in one way or another. The Universe aligned our paths at perfect moments, making it possible for each of us to save one another when needed. Having this many at one time is not possible for everyone. My husband and I work from home so have the time to dedicate to them, we also have the space they need. I am going to save their stories for a different day or else this story will be 10 pages long, my babies names are Joe, Bernice, Paulie, Ringo, Fred and Maya and I love them as much as I would love a child I gave birth to.

My pets have always helped me deal with my mental health issues in a positive light. During extreme times of loneliness in my life they have been the best friends a person could ever want. They love unconditionally, are more forgiving then any person you will ever know, don’t care if you have had the same clothes on for 3 days and are okay if you just want to sit in silence for days. The constant feeling of love gives you an enormous self-esteem boost. The only requirements they have are that you love them back, give them attention and provide food, water and exercise. Taking care of their health needs is also especially important. Providing these things to the ones you love gives you a sense of purpose and keeps you motivated even when you do not want to be motivated for yourself. A walk alone may not sound like the greatest thing to do when you are feeling down, but you are going to do it when your best friend will not stop staring at their leash.

I sound like an infomercial, trying to sell you on the idea of getting a dog. Do not just take my word for it. Studies have shown that owning a dog lowers stress level. Cortisol is a hormone activated by stress, being around animals can decrease cortisol levels. Animal assisted therapy has become a treatment for depression and other mood disorders. Other studies have shown that being around dogs can alleviate the inability to feel pleasure. Children with psychiatric disorders showed noticeable improvements in mood after just one therapy session with a dog and AIDS patients were less likely to be depressed if they owned pets. Therapy dogs are used to visit nursing homes and patients in hospitals in order to brighten people’s days.

Owning a dog is not always possible. If you can not it is a great idea to volunteer at shelters. Spending an hour a week with a dog can change your life. When you are feeling down just looking at animal videos and pictures can lift your spirits. If you have not had the pleasure of sharing your life with a pet and have considered it, I highly recommend it. I can think of no greater joy that life has to offer besides Motherhood. I am dedicating my article to dogs because of National dog day. I am also the Mom to 8 wonderful cats and will write about all the joys of being a slave to a cat in the near future.

Jenny And Her Companion Koda

JENNY Angliss-Goodall is developing a special relationship. It is one of co-dependency and is not her first.

The last one lasted 12 years and, when it ended, she felt as though she had “lost my right arm”.

Heartbroken, but realistic enough to know that nothing lasts forever, Angliss-Goodall set about finding a new partner.

The loss more than two and a half years ago of her assistance dog, Dudley, left a huge gap in her life.

“We did everything together: from helping me around the home picking up anything and everything that I dropped – hair brush, shampoo bottle and even soap,” Angliss-Goodall affectionately recalls.

Dudley helped with everyday chores such as washing clothes and visiting the supermarket where he would pick up dropped items. He was also an active companion for swimming at Mothers and Mills beaches at Mornington, going to the movies and live shows, the tennis, going to Adelaide by train (“the only stop where someone could get off was to let Dudley have a pee at the half way mark”) and travelling with a camper trailer to Kakadu National Park and Uluru. Dudley had been a cabin passenger on at least 20 domestic flights.

Dudley was also well known to the hundreds of people at beach days organised by the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula branch, of which Angliss-Goodall is a foundation member and former president.

Angliss-Goodall was born with arthrogmyposis multiplex congenital (AMC), a condition that sees two or more joints become permanently fixed (bent or straight) before birth, leading to underdeveloped muscles and curved hands.

“I could walk with crutches and my trunk was growing normally but my legs weren’t,” she says.

“They wouldn’t amputate [someone with my condition] these days as they can do a lot more with early intervention, even doing tendon transplants.

“I persevered with the artificial legs for 10 years, but in the end it was too difficult. You can look as a good as the next person, but you’d be propped up.”

Angliss-Goodall says being sent to a special development school is another aspect of her upbringing that would not occur today.

“Dudley was such a seasoned sociable dog, our bond was strong – we adored each other,” Angliss-Goodall said.

“The sad part about owning a dog is that their lives are short. As Dudley aged, I was determined that I was never going to let him suffer. How could I after all he had done for me over the years?

I was not going to wait until he could not walk, I wanted his dignity to be intact.

“People ask how you know when it’s the time for my dog to leave this life. I can assure you, if you know your doggo well, they will tell you it’s time for them to go. It was it hard, devastating, heartbreaking – it broke my heart.”

Angliss-Goodall was alongside the vet “thanking, kissing and cuddling Duddles … as he slipped away”.

“The first year and a half was terribly hard – I’d lost my right hand.”

Angliss-Goodall eased her pain by volunteering to do temporary care for the Dog’s for Kids, an organisation that provides assistance and therapy dogs for children whose everyday activities are restricted by physical, intellectual, sensory, social and emotional challenges.

While Dudley was still alive but retired, Angliss-Goodall trialed a possible replacement. However, Walnut, a 14-month-old Labrador, proved to be a “random barker”.

He was given “advanced training” but persisted with barking and so was placed with a family which has three children and his life involves going to school as a therapy dog.

Two and a half years after losing Dudley, Angliss-Goodall was called by Assistance Dogs Australia to say “they had a puppo that they thought was a good match for me”. It was, like Dudley, a black Labrador.

“They told me that he was tall, dark and handsome and his name was Koda, just what I needed, me having short arms and not a long reach.”

A problem arose. The coronavirus pandemic was restricting travel and so Koda has to fly solo, so to speak, from Sydney instead of being accompanied by a trainer.

“Usually the trainer and dog come together and stay for one week to train me and the puppo how to become a well working team,” Angliss-Goodall said.

However, Koda was met on arrival by trainer Kristen Papay, who brought him to Angliss-Goodall in Mornington.

In some ways it was a double homecoming for Koda as the two year old was born in Aspendale.

“To say that I was excited was an understatement, I was doing all sorts of things to keep me distracted until they arrived,” she said.

“When they walked through my front door it was love at first sight. Koda is tall, has a shiny coat, the most beautiful face, the kindest eyes and a big blobby nose that I love to kiss. I am teaching him how to give me eskimo kisses.”

Settling in to his new life and home involves lots of cuddling on the couch “which helps remember, with our bonding”.

Koda’s “job” at his new “forever home” is not ignored.

“There is a serious side to Koda’s and my partnership, which is to help me, make my life easier and give me confidence that when I am out and about that he will be there for me,” Angliss-Goodall said.

Among his responsibilities are to “pick up anything and everything: my car key’s if I drop them, money or my credit card, pass me the toilet paper and anything else along the way”.

Dudley – remember, he was a Labrador – would pick up a piece of dropped cake and return it to the table. Whether or not Koda will find temptation that easy to resist is yet to be seen.

But that’s a test Angliss-Goodall does not see as being the most important to their relationship.

“Koda will be my companion through this wonderful journey of life,” she said

“Although there will never be a replacement for Dudley, what I do know is that I already love this beautiful boy and, without a doubt, our love and admiration for each other will continue to deepen.”

New Four Legged Recruit

The Iowa National Guard has recruited a new member for their team… one with four legs and lots of love to share.

His name is Lincoln, and he’s a 13-week-old English Cream Golden Retriever puppy.

Lincoln, one small dog, with a big job ahead… providing help, hope, and healing at the 185th Air Refueling Wing.

“They are just accepting, they are loving no matter what, and it just brings a different atmosphere wherever he is at, and it really shows,” said Steve Peters, Chaplain/Lt. Col with the 185th Air Refueling Wing.

Lincoln joined the 185th care team nearly a month ago. Right now, he’s being trained to become a therapy dog.

His job will be to offer emotional support for servicemen and women.

“This program for therapy dogs has developed as a tool to help reduce their stress and anxiety and help them focus, and perhaps unlock the abilities to get in touch with emotions and feelings that they are having that are impacting their day to day life,” said Peters.

Lieutenant Colonel Steve Peters said Lincoln helps break mental barriers, making it easier for people to open up and talk about any spiritual, mental and physical health issues.

“Lincoln, or therapy dogs in general, become a barrier breaker. He is the kind of guy that someone comes in and sits down and says I want to come see Lincoln today, and they come in for that purpose, and they are sitting there, and playing and petting them, and then all of a sudden they start talking,” said Peters. “I go, ‘okay I get it,’ and it’s fantastic to see when that happens, and it happens all of the time.”

While Lincoln still has months of training ahead, he’s already won the hearts of his co-workers.

Lincoln came from a kennel that breeds dogs to be therapy dogs. So, he’s been ready for his career as a therapy dog since the day he was born.