“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give
unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive.”
—Gilda Radner
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Walking into the Pet Partners training room, I’m immediately
greeted by a Golden Retriever who is eager meet me. His blonde, curly tail wags
as I sit down beside him and instantly a friendship is formed. That’s the magic
of dogs, no words are exchanged, no formal introductions are needed, they seem
to know exactly who you are and what you need even before you do. In fact, a dog’s uncanny ability to
positively impact humans has been the focus of countless studies that have
ultimately proved that our connection to dogs is not just based in love, but in
science. For example, studies show that humans can experience a drop in blood
pressure and an increase in oxytocin (i.e. happiness) by interacting with a dog
for as little as five minutes (Urnäs-Moberg, 1998). Dogs have also
been shown to decrease loneliness and depression while positively impacting the
sympathetic nervous system (Friedmann, 1995, Katcher et al., 1983,). These, and countless other studies, are a part
of the reason that programs like Pet Partners are working hard to bring the healing
benefits of dogs to those who need it most.
Founded in 1977, Pet Partners has
become the national “leader in demonstrating and promoting positive
human-animal therapy, activities and education.” From hospitals and nursing
homes to courtrooms and schools, Pet Partners is the overarching branch that
trains, certifies and insures pets that perform therapy, including those
associated with the local Madison, WI pet therapy group Dogs on Call. In fact,
all members of Dogs on Call, both human and canine, must participate in the
certification process through Pet Partners which includes thorough training, a
health screening and a team evaluation. Dogs on Call also trains those who wish
to participate in the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program
which provides therapy dogs to children who are learning to read. Dogs in both
programs must be well-behaved and meet a number of criteria which can be found here, but
ultimately the program is a way to share the unconditional love of dogs with
those in need.
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| Karen Smith and Zombie demonstrate during a Pet Partner course in Madison, WI |
For Karen Smith, a Pet Partner
trainer and a member of Dogs on Call and R.E.A.D, the programs were a natural
fit for her Dutch Shepherds Zombie and Shaka. Members of a working breed, both
dogs enjoy being active participants in flyball, agility and more, but Smith
knew that each of them could contribute to pet therapy in a unique way.
For Zombie, it was his empathetic
nature that led Smith to believe that he would find great joy in pet therapy.
“Zombie is rock solid,” Smith said.
“He really loves people and seeks them out. He’s just very empathetic and has a
sense of who needs him.”
For Shaka, Smith knew that his kind
nature and love of affection would be beneficial for patients who were in need
of joy.
“Shaka loves to be adored just as a
dog with a royal name should,” said Smith, who explained that Shaka is named
after one of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu kingdom. “People just
get a kick out of him and his love of attention.”
Though Smith knew that both dogs
would have a passion for pet therapy, she didn’t foresee the profound affect
the program would have on her dogs, herself and the people they’ve helped.
“I originally did it for my dogs so
that they could have a fun job,” Smith said. “It was great to see them running
to the door when I put on their Pet Partner vest, but I had no grand
expectations. I had read about the incredible experiences people had while
volunteering but I never thought that would happen to me.”
Smith soon found, however, that it
could and that meaningful impact on others is what has kept Smith and her dogs
volunteering with the program for more than seven years. Whether it is
comforting a terminally ill patient, providing a bit of stress relief for
students, providing companionship for a patient with Alzheimer’s or simply
sitting with a child struggling to read, Smith has seen the profound impact her
dogs have had on the lives of others.
“I’ve had those moments when I
really feel like we’ve impacted someone’s life,” said Smith. “It seems strange
that doing something so small can have such a big impact. But the dogs know,
it’s all about finding that one person who needs it the most.”
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| Button models the Dogs on Call vest |
Gina, the mother/owner of Button, a
ten-year-old beagle who works with Dogs on Call and R.E.A.D, agreed with Smith,
stating that her favorite moments are when Button finds that one person who
needs the unconditional love most.
“You go where the dog tells you,”
said Gina. “It’s not about me, it’s about the dog and she knows exactly who to
go to whether it is the patient, the spouse or the parents.”
To date the national Pet Partners
organization has made over one million visits to those in need and Smith, Gina
and other members of Dogs on Call are honored to continue working and training
so that those in need can continue to experience the benefits of dog therapy.
“You know
we have these small snapshots of people’s lives,” Gina said. “But, it’s in
those moments that we see a million reasons why we do this.”
To learn more about Pet Partners please visit: https://petpartners.org/about-us/
To learn more about Dogs on Call or R.E.A.D. please visit: http://www.dogsoncall.org
Sources:
Odendaal, J. S., & Meintjes, R. A. (2003, May).
Neurophysiological Correlates of Affiliative Behaviour between Humans and Dogs.
Retrieved November 22, 2016, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002330200237X
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