My Name is Donna Riley-Sweet. I am the Director of Caring Paws. I am an evaluator for the Therapy Dog Test as well the AKC Canine Good Citizen test now. I first got started in Dog Therapy when I was attending a dog training class. I was eager to get involved with something more to do with my mixed breed dog Buck, I met Vikki Babcock (co director) at the class and during a conversation she mentioned how she visited Nursing Care Facilities with her dogs. I asked for more info and thought I'd give it a try. I took the test with Buck and we passed!!! I was nervous to go on the first visit , I was afraid it would be depressing and sad to see the people in the nursing home. I was surprised as to just how rewarding it actually was. Even though some of the folks I visit are disabled and sickly, while the dogs are there to visit most forget just for a while about themselves and their aches and pains. They really enjoy the dogs and the tricks they do and petting them and asking questions about them. The dogs enjoy it as well as myself, everyone wins on a therapy visit and that is what makes it so rewarding. Vikki and I visited together for some time before deciding to start a Therapy Dog International Chapter we started the Chapter with only 2 other members and we called it Caring Paws. Then we decided to apply to become evaluators, we passed the requirements and were certified. By running tests and generating awareness of the program locally we were able to get more great members and friends who help Caring Paws become a successful and active Chapter of TDI. We have branched off a bit. Besides conducting visits to health care facilities Caring Paws also does a dog bite prevention and dog care program for local schools and scout troops. Participating in Animal Assisted Therapy Visits is very rewarding and touching at times. This is a worth wild activity that not only will enrich the lives of those we visit but also our own lives as well.
Authored by Donna Riley-Sweet

I use to be afraid of dogs, and I never would go near one. Then I got Tommy Boy and I was really really scared at first. Now I am not afraid. He is a calm and gentle dog. He helped me to not be afraid and now I am helping him to not be afraid. I love him so much! My whole family loves him! I would never be around a dog before, but now Tommy can be lose in my house and I am not afraid any more! My dog is fun and he sits for me when I tell him and some day I'll teach him some other tricks that we can do together! He loves to play in the snow too. He's a lot of fun! If you are afraid of a dog then remember I was too, but I'm not any more. And you don't have to be either. I hope someday you can have a dog like mine and not be afraid any more.

Authored by Amanda

I'M THE LUCKY ONE

It's Saturday morning and I have a lot of things to do. The day is going to be a sunny breezy summer day. Not too hot, a great day to work in the yard and play in the garden. The lawn needs to be mowed, the garden is growing more weeds than flowers, and I think there used to be pine trees in where those weeds are now. So much to do, never enough time to get everything done.

Finally a Saturday that promises to be nice. Yes, this will work out fine, until I remember, Honee and I have a visit today at Newton Hospital.

Well that changes things a bit. Honee needs to be brushed first. That tangle of knots in her tail isn't going to go away on their own. By the time I put on her harness and a clean bandana, she is wiggling with anticipation. She knows we are going to see her "friends". You see, Honee thinks everyone is her friend. Strangers are just friends she hasn't met yet!

As we drive to the hospital, I think of the things at home that aren't getting done. As the list scrolls through my mind, we pull into the parking lot.

Once inside, I concentrate on keeping my enthusiastic pup under control until she releases some of her energy. She always gets so excited when she goes on a visit. Meeting with the Mental Health patients first, allows her to release some of that excitement.

Now a much calmer dog, Honee, and I go over to visit the patients in the rehab center. In one of the rooms is a man in a wheelchair, standing beside him is his wife. Both are very pleasantly surprised to see a dog in the hospital. Honee visits with the woman, than cheerfully sits beside the wheelchair. The man breaks into a big grin, trying but failing, to move his arm down to stroke the soft red/blonde head sitting next to him. His smiling wife takes her husbands' hand and gently rests it on Honee. No words come from the smiling face of the man in the wheelchair. No words were needed to describe how the man was feeling. As we leave, we hear a soft grunt and turn to see the man in the wheelchair struggling to say Thank You, moving his arm in a slight wave goodbye; while tears flowed down the smiling face of his wife.

As we exit the room, Robin our "hostess" at Newton Hospital explains. It seems this man was recovering from a severe stoke which left him very limited in his capabilities. This was the most animated he had been in a long time.

On the drive back home that beautiful Saturday morning, I forget my list of things to do and reveled in the glow of my companion who touches hearts and lives with the purest form of love.

Authored by Gina Ramsay.

Copyright ©2004 Caring Paws, TDI Chapter 126