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Originally Posted by alaskayorkie  I second that! YorkieTherapy, great post and a real good look at therapy work. Thanks. |
Thanks to alaskayorkie and YorkieTherapy for sharing your experiences. Though we volunteer with a group that is in DC, it sounds like ours has similar requirements for certification of the dogs and their handlers. I'm so happy to hear that there are purebred yorkies that enjoy visiting nursing homes.
I agree that participating is very fulfilling, and there is one more benefit that I haven't heard anyone mention. My husband's grandmother lived with his family when he was growing up, and I was raised by my grandparents. They have all passed away now, so taking our dog to nursing homes gives us the chance to spend time with people in an age group that we just don't get to visit with any more. There is something so wonderfully relaxing in just spending time with a senior citizen - they often have such great stories to tell and have all the time in the world to listen.
What I'm looking for is a dog that not only tolerates it but truly enjoys it as much as my husband and I do. Our yorkie/shih tzu mix THRIVES on attention, the only time he squirms around on a residents' lap or bed is in order to get more comfortable so that he can sit with them longer. He's fearless around loud noises, (to the point where you might wonder if he's deaf), and tolerates the rough handling that sometimes happens when residents have arthritis or partial paralysis. His only "flaw" is that he gives LOTS of kisses. Most people find it charming, but there are some who don't like it so I'm working on finding a way to get him to stop when it's unwanted.
I realize that our dog isn't typical. As I said before, we have two other dogs who are not suited for it at all -- but I'm now hopeful that we'll be able to find a yorkie that would enjoy a new "career" in peth therapy.
I'm also relieved to hear that rescue groups would welcome one of their dogs being adopted with therapy work in mind. I will concentrate on rescues that foster their dogs in home environments - I think they would be much more in tune with their dogs' personalities than a shelter's staff has time to be.