We are a Therapy Dog Team – by Juno and her MaPaw

Juno and her MaPaw, Kathie are a certified pet-therapy team now volunteering in Summerland and Penticton

“If I end up requiring the care provided in a nursing home, I will only live there if
 they have visiting dogs or a resident dog. End of story.”

This is what MaPaw said the other day as we left the Dr. Andrew care facility. She has first-hand experience of the value of pet visitors. having worked in long term care settings for many years as an Occupational Therapist.

Molly, for instance, was a very large harlequin Newfoundland dog at Overlander Care Home in Kamloops. Molly would amble into the building where both the residents and the staff gathered around this large, gentle dog. With other dog visitors she brought such joy and a sense of calm to the day. Occasionally a cat named Tetley joined the team.

When Mapaw worked in Victoria, they even had a visiting llama! When the llama peeked into one of the resident’s rooms, she said, “I know my vision was poor, but that looked like a llama!”

When MaPaw retired in 2019 one of her retirement dreams was to have a dog that would be well suited for pet visiting. She found a breeder that bred labradoodles with a temperament that would suit being a pet visitor—calm, gentle, well-mannered and weighing about forty lbs.—and let’s not forget good looking. And this is where our relationship as a therapy team began.

I had a lot of growing up to do before I could be considered as a St. John’s Ambulance therapy dog. I had to learn some manners—such as walking calmly on leash; I needed to avoid jumping up when I met people; I needed to focus, and not be distracted with other dogs and people around.

Almost from day one I was inspired by an older golden retriever friend named Daisy who has been a therapy dog for several years. She demonstrated exemplary manners and behaviors. She and her lovely owner Bridget were truly inspirational.

Bridget reassured MaPaw that Juno would be a good therapy dog (even though she becomes totally distracted around birds!). Bridget should know given her decades of work supporting therapy dog programs, work for which she was recently named to the Order of BC by our lieutenant governor.

Of course, COVID caused a few hiccups in my training, but after moving to Summerland last year, MaPaw and I were assessed by the St. John’s Ambulance Therapy Dog program. Our assessment was not a pen and paper test; I had to demonstrate comfort being near equipment such as walkers and canes; I had to  meet a lot of people in a group; some of these people were unusually loud or boisterous. Well, I did brilliantly, and passed with flying colours! MaPaw and I have been visiting residents at Dr. Andrew Pavilion long term care centre here in Summerland for about eight months now.

As we prepare to leave the house I knows when I am “going to work” as MaPaw  brushes me, puts on my special red collar as she dons her kerchief and the Interior Health name tag! It’s an exciting drill. Other dogs loaf around; I get to work. So I do my business, and then it’s off to meet the residents.

Just inside the front door I meet my friend Norma from whom I happily get bum scritches for the whole time we are visiting. Sometimes I sit up on the chesterfield beside Lois or Gertie; I surprised Judy once when I jumped up on her bed! (I don’t think I am supposed to do that.) My friend Poldy exclaimed, “I want to be her grandmother”! Many of the staff also enjoy our visits. Having worked in these sort of facilities for many years, MaPaw knows how special it is to have physical contact with a loving, warm and soft animal. (That’s me.)

In September, we started visiting at Okanagan College in Penticton. We haven’t had enough time to establish routines but we are starting to recognize familiar students and staff. One young woman asked, “Can Juno do tricks?!” Juno has one trick and one trick only—that is to shake a paw (and the left paw only). We will leave the tricks to my golden retriever partner, Kibou, who has lots of tricks up his sleeve. Showoff!

And when it’s all over, we go home after our visits, for Juno (and Mapaw?) to have a well-earned nap!

St. John’s ambulance pet therapy dogs and volunteers also volunteer in elementary schools, libraries, family court, and in airport waiting rooms giving children and adults an opportunity to for unconditional love by the dog. Thank you St. John Ambulance for this wonderful opportunity, and thank you MaPaw for making it all happen.