Inspiring Dog Story - Schnauzer getting ready for work as therapy dog
(Brighton UK)
Lewis looking very smart
Therapy dog Lewis (18 month schnauzer) and I (Louise) are new members to Sussex Caring Pets so have never visited any where before. We have been assigned Queens Park School year 1-2 children (age range 6 – 8 years) which we visit once every two weeks.
My first visit with Therapy dog Lewis was to be honest hair raising. We were both unsure what was expected of us and how the school wanted to handle the visits. After a friendly chat we have settled into a routine where the class is divided into groups of 5 and we pop outside with the children for 10 minute slots. Therapy dog Lewis manages 3 ten minute sessions and the back and forths before he keels over exhausted for the rest of the day.
I have arranged the chats to cover areas of dog care to get the conversation going – this week we looked, smelt and touched doggy toothpaste and toothbrush, we talked about hair brushing and had a feel of a doggy hair brush and then the children all had a chance to give Lewis a treat – today it was peas.
The children love the fact that I change the veg each visit and they have to guess what might be in my pot. You don’t really get feedback as it is all so hectic so it can feel a bit isolating but I got all the feed back I needed when I visited this week.
Therapy dog Lewis and I had not visited for 4 weeks due to bank holidays, easter etc. As we entered the school Hall the class were doing PE – There was a murmur of recognition from the children which quickly grew to shouting Lewis’s name. Lewis plonked himself down in the hall and the children could hardly contain themselves with excitement.
Next visit we are going to talk about Dog Poo – nothing gets a conversation going like Poo and approaching dogs in parks.
PS. Lewis is a rescue from Patcham RSPCA. He was an unwanted Christmas
present.
Sussex Caring Pets is a non-profit making, voluntary organisation that provides free-of-charge, registered and temperament-assessed therapy cats and dogs for those in need, throughout Sussex.
