OUR DOGS AT WORK

Those of us who see these dogs do their "work", don't really understand exactly how they do what they do. Maybe it's in the way they wag their tail and act happy when they see you. Maybe it's the way they snuggle up against you to get closer to you when they sense that you want to hug them. Maybe they gently kiss you the way they do, because they feel your tenderness. They react to you, as you react to them, with no conditions nor demands for their love. Maybe it's all of these things together. Whatever it is, it has been proven that it can make a profound difference for someone when such a connection is made.

Nanette Winter, M.A., a professional therapist and a friend of ours, put it this way. "It never ceases to amaze me how quickly and effectively our dogs can touch others' hearts and help them to heal. Despite my years of training, experience, and education, I will always believe that sometimes the most effective kind of therapy begins with a cold, wet nose and ends with the wag of a tail..." Nanette is a highly trained professional therapist. She is the Director of Psychological Services for Northstar Industries in Saranac Lake, NY. She uses therapy dogs in her work on a regular basis.

If you think back to your childhood days, you may remember a certain stuffed Teddy Bear or a special blanket that helped you feel warm and secure when you hugged them. It seems to be like that, but all too often over the years, life teaches us that "Blankies" and "Teddy Bears" are just so much cloth and stuffing.
Perhaps therein lies the difference. Therapy dogs are warm and they are real, and when you hug them, they hug you back.....

Here are some photos of our dogs at work. Enjoy.

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