Bebe is a Toy Poodle who is very intuitive about humans. She seems to know what they need and is patient about being touched. She is happy to be passed around and to have her picture taken.

The same could be said about Chelsea the Dalmation and Mitzy the Maltese. They are St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs and they were all visiting a group of senior citizens at Canturbury Court recently. Their antics and the stories shared were thoroughly enjoyed by those present, who took turns playing with them and holding them.

Bebe's mistress, Jo-Ann Johnston, is the facilitator of the Vernon Branch of this fast-growing program. It was a natural for her because she had witnessed the benefits of using her dog as a teaching and socializing tool as a Learning Assistance teacher.

Now research has verified that stroking and touching a dog lowers blood pressure, calms people who are agitated and refreshes the minds of those who are confused.

In Vernon there are presently 50 dog and handler teams visiting at group homes, retirement residences, schools, nursing homes, support groups and the hospital. Twice a year Johnston trains new teams. She gives a two-hour orientation followed by individual evaluations in which the dogs are assessed for suitability. This includes looking at responses to noise, wheelchairs, crutches, other dogs, touching by strangers and other things. Volunteers are asked to make a one-year commitment to the program. They also need a criminal record check, references and healthy dogs with up to date shots.

Therapy dogs know that they are working when their collar and scarf appear. Tippy, a Poodle Terrier X, always sat in the back seat until she had visited a couple of times, when she started to sit in the passenger seat instead and returned to it until her mistress gave up and let her stay. When her scarf was removed she jumped into the back. This kind of recognition of importance is typical and the dogs are exhausted when they return home after visiting, much like a human after a workday.

Johnston tells of a 102 year old blind man at a senior's center who would touch Bebe's nose and her ears and by the time he got to her tail he would be laughing. Another man who had refused to leave his room or participate in any activities had a visit from a dog. He asked to brush it and then to take it for a walk and soon was leaving his room.

It took a long time to get into the hospital according to Johnston, but now when they knock on doors on the third floor many patients "brighten right up." Eight members of a family were visiting a man recently when the team was asked to come in. They put the dogs on the bed with him and everyone focused on them and on dog stories from the past for a few minutes. After they left one of the family followed them out to say "You have no idea what that did for him."

Noreen Primrose and her Dalmation Chelsea have reached the next level of evaluation and been approved to visit in schools. She said, "I'm so proud of my dog. I really enjoy doing this. I can't get over how children change." She went on to share how boys with learning difficulties who cannot remember or put words together could remember the dog and his breed. They learn something new about the dog each time she visits and then tell the rest of the class. It provides recognition and reward for them.

2006-03  Lynn Dewing