I started this blog as an attempt to organize, collect and process knowledge that I've gained as well as to keep track of our progress in a consecutive and, I don't know, logical way? It turns out I don't have the writing skill, patience or detail-oriented nature to follow up on any of my last posts or even formulate any semblance of a plan.
I realized, when glancing back at some of my older posts, that I glossed over a whole lot.
I did end up bringing Pierre to a long-term care facility where I work a number of times. He is a soothing being and during his visits, he developed some really heart-warming relationships. One woman in particular, enjoyed walking around the facility with her hand on his back. Her mind was succumbing to dementia very quickly while the rest of her body was healthy and it was very frustrating and upsetting for her. Time with Pierre cheered her right up and allowed her to focus on something light and therapeutic. She would follow him around and ask me, "does she need any water? can I get her anything?". She would stroke his back and talk to him, complimenting him, endlessly. It was just the most beautiful friendship.
A requirement for therapy dog certification is a quick test as well as hundreds of supervised hours of volunteering. Thankfully, the management and staff at this particular facility know me very well and trusted my judgement. We expected to start with a short visit but were blown away by the positive response by the residents and staff and ended up staying for the full day. Almost all of the residents, and their visiting family members, those who enjoy the company of dogs, were able to spend some time with him and I was able to use some of the commands he knows to get the kind of engagement that the residents hoped for. One example being, when I gave a resident a kibble to hold out for Pierre and Pierre looked at me in confusion, not knowing what was happening. I just asked him to "find it!" and pointed at the hand, which worked great.
Visit days were long days for him, though, too long, especially since he's used to napping during the day. For me to balance regular recreational programming with handling Pierre was a lot. In environments outside of our home, he has a hard time with separation anxiety so though it was necessary for me to put him in the fenced in backyard at this place, or in one of the offices, when I had to do other responsibilities, it was not something he could really handle.
In the end, I decided not to continue with these visits. We were able to have "Pierre Saturdays" about 3 or 4 times but in the long run, I don't have a car, the regular work day is a bit too long for him, he does have an unpredictable side so there is still a bit of a risk, and providing the programming that the residents need requires my full attention. I was really happy to have the opportunity to explore this avenue and will really cherish the memories. He's a really great dog and I'm so lucky to have him.
I realized, when glancing back at some of my older posts, that I glossed over a whole lot.
I did end up bringing Pierre to a long-term care facility where I work a number of times. He is a soothing being and during his visits, he developed some really heart-warming relationships. One woman in particular, enjoyed walking around the facility with her hand on his back. Her mind was succumbing to dementia very quickly while the rest of her body was healthy and it was very frustrating and upsetting for her. Time with Pierre cheered her right up and allowed her to focus on something light and therapeutic. She would follow him around and ask me, "does she need any water? can I get her anything?". She would stroke his back and talk to him, complimenting him, endlessly. It was just the most beautiful friendship.
A requirement for therapy dog certification is a quick test as well as hundreds of supervised hours of volunteering. Thankfully, the management and staff at this particular facility know me very well and trusted my judgement. We expected to start with a short visit but were blown away by the positive response by the residents and staff and ended up staying for the full day. Almost all of the residents, and their visiting family members, those who enjoy the company of dogs, were able to spend some time with him and I was able to use some of the commands he knows to get the kind of engagement that the residents hoped for. One example being, when I gave a resident a kibble to hold out for Pierre and Pierre looked at me in confusion, not knowing what was happening. I just asked him to "find it!" and pointed at the hand, which worked great.
Visit days were long days for him, though, too long, especially since he's used to napping during the day. For me to balance regular recreational programming with handling Pierre was a lot. In environments outside of our home, he has a hard time with separation anxiety so though it was necessary for me to put him in the fenced in backyard at this place, or in one of the offices, when I had to do other responsibilities, it was not something he could really handle.
In the end, I decided not to continue with these visits. We were able to have "Pierre Saturdays" about 3 or 4 times but in the long run, I don't have a car, the regular work day is a bit too long for him, he does have an unpredictable side so there is still a bit of a risk, and providing the programming that the residents need requires my full attention. I was really happy to have the opportunity to explore this avenue and will really cherish the memories. He's a really great dog and I'm so lucky to have him.
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