Savi is now a Pet Partners Therapy Dog!

Last Sunday,Savi, CH Grayhart's Shear Genius, SH, NSD, NRD,V, and I underwent and passed with flying colors, the evaluation for the Pet Partners, formerly Delta Society, Therapy Dog Program. The test was given in New York City by Anita Sacks, a certified Pet Partner Evaluator.

What is unique about this program is that both the dog and handler are tested on their skills and aptitude as relating to what it takes to being a successful and safe team able to visit various environments. I was so proud of Savi, who did an awesome job, and received wonderful feedback from our evaluator on her terrific, outgoing temperament.

From the Pet Partners Website:

Pet Partners® program trains volunteers and screens volunteers and their pets for visiting animal programs in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, schools and other facilities.
The Pet Partners program was established in 1990 to ensure that "both ends of the leash," people as well as animals, were well-prepared to participate in animal-assisted activity and animal-assisted therapy programs. Pet Partners is the only national registry that requires volunteer training and screening of animal-handler teams.

Pet Partners national network links volunteers with facilities in their own communities that request visiting pets and helps Pet Partners contact facilities to begin visits in new locations.

The evaluation consists of two parts, Skills and Aptitude.  Above shows the dog at the beginning of an overall exam and then the tester will move on to clumsy petting and a restraining hug.  Savi gave Anita lots of kisses whenever she could and was allowed.

The dog must have basic obedience skills and do these with distractions, ranging from yelling, staggering individuals, getting bumped from behind and being crowded and petted by a group of people.  Above, shows a stay.  The dog is kept on a long lead for safety purposes.

The last exercise was accepting a treat.  The dog must do this in a polite manner and the evaluator must not feel teeth.  It is also important that the handler show or tell the person how they are to give the dog a treat.

And we have a new Therapy Team!!!

Thanks to my good friend, Kellyann for the terrific photos and our puppy people, Aimee, Michael Rosalie and Danielle for helping make the entire test day a success!

Pet Partners Video Star Jam!

Jam and I had an exciting day! We were honored and thrilled to be asked to be one of the therapy dog teams to be chosen to be included in the new Pet Partners promotional video!  It all started last summer, when I was down in South Carolina to have Jam bred to Summit, and received a phone call from the VP of Marketing at Pet Partners, calling to find out if I would be interested in participating in their new promotional video.  Apparently, our Pet Partner mentor, Anita, had recommended us based on the noteworthy work Jam and I have done at the YAI group home we visit.  The video was in the planning stages and they were waiting for a grant to be approved which would provide the funding for the project.

Fast forward and two weeks ago we received the call that the grant was approved and the video was going to be shot.  Jam and I were filmed during our visit to the group home for developmentally disabled adult men, especially with one special consumer who has an amazing bond with Jam and me.   The taping also included an interview and we were asked many questions on how we became involved in dog therapy work, our observations on the effects of Jam on the consumers as well as how others can become involved with Pet Partners.  It was a fun and amazing experience, making me reflect on what our visits mean to others as well as how they have effected me.  I am blessed to have this special dog who can make such an incredible difference in peoples lives.

As soon as the video is available, I will share it on the blog.

Trixie - our Newest Therapy Dog!!!

I am very proud to announce that Trixie is our newest Pet Partners Therapy Dog!  With Jam out on maternity leave and Savi away for field training, we needed to find a Weim to fill their shoes and  it was Trixie.  The group home for developmentally disabled adults has missed our visits and I'm sure will be thrilled to have us back.

Thanks to our wonderful evaluator, Anita Sacks, who organized and administered the Pet Partners, formally Delta Society, Therapy Dog evaluation in New York City.  Trixie adored Anita!

Even with torrential rains and a tornado nearby, we made it safely into the city and were able to get  the evaluation done, and make it out to the Somerset Hills Kennel Club show to purchase dog food and puppy toys for Jam's litter!

It takes a group of trained volunteers to assist with making the evaluation a success and our fabulous friend, KellyAnn, joined us for the day to help.  The other volunteers were terrific and thanks go out to them for donating their time.

2012 YAI Central Park Challenge

Jam and I had an amazing day, being part of the 12,000 at the YAI 2012 Central Park Challenge! A day of fun and excitement for a truly important cause: raising funds to change people’s lives...those with developmental disabilities. I am humbled to be part of this wonderful organization.

 We joined the 12,000 or so who attended to either run in the 5K or walk the 3K, or cheered everyone on.

 The group home that Jam and I visit for our Delta Therapy Dog visits are part of YAI.

 The walk wound through Central Park on a glorious day!

 We made it to the finish line and there was a band playing in the Bandshell and lots of booths plus fun stuff for kids like face painting and sand art.

 After the run, I took Jam for a walk to some of the famous sights in the park, like the fountain and lake.

 We then me up with a fellow Delta Pet Partner team, Anita and her lovely lab, Deacon, to spend the afternoon chatting and walking through the park.  A great day in the city!

Weimaraner Wednesday

Sky during her 1st place NAJ title run!

A wonderful Weimaraner Wednesday!  We started the day with a fabulous agility lesson for all three girls.  The weather held and we were able to train outside, a real bonus as we get ready for Spring trial season.  There were many good distractions and I was able to work the girls through these challenges.  We had a great lesson, focusing on body awareness, wrapping around jumps and weave poles.  I was really proud of how they all did since we haven't had a lesson in months.  Jam and Trixie, experienced agility dogs, are ready to get back into trials and we are fine tuning their runs and trying to add speed and accuracy to their weave poles.  Savi really made me proud, as she is a novice dog and quickly picked up everything we asked her to do, even some advance maneuvers including front crosses, pinwheels and wraps.  Our instructor, a top level competitor, gave the girls the ultimate compliment, calling them "brilliant!"

If the morning lesson wasn't enough fun, in the afternoon, we made our weekly Delta Therapy Dog visit.  It was an enjoyable visit for the residents or consumers as they are called and the staff.  They really get a kick out of Jam and her visits have such a positive effect on them, both physically and mentally.

Weimaraner Wednesday

Weimaraner Wednesday has a new meaning for us as it has become our new Delta Therapy Dog visiting day.  Jam resumed her visits a few weeks ago and the consumers and staff were beyond thrilled to have her back.  As mentioned in a previous post, we visit a residence that is part of the Rockland County Association for Learning Disabilities and had wanted a pet therapy team for a long time. From the start back in the fall, Jam was a hit and I was honored to be asked back and offered to do weekly visits. The residents or consumers as they are called, are mostly men in their mid-twenties with ASDs (Autism Spectrum Disorders) plus developmental disabilities and neurological issues and are non-verbal.

Due to Jam's season and breeding plans, we had taken seven weeks off before returning. When we visited, it was as if we had never left. The staff of course, were very excited to see us and I was happy to see that the consumers remembered us. We met one of them outside and he immediately put his hand out to pet Jam!  We went into the rec center and had a nice visit with the consumers wanting to do their favorite tricks with Jam.

Last week's visit was a bit different as the rec center was occupied so the staff asked if Jam would be okay in the house in the TV room and she was fine. It was more intimate than the rec center and I think a little better as the consumers all sat on couches and it was easier for all to pay attention and get their time with Jam. One of the consumers started to do something new with Jam, not sure if he was copying one of the other consumers, who always loves to feed Jam, but this consumer wanted to repeatedly feed Jam a treat from his open hand. He smiled, which his aide said was the first time he had smiled all day and then he laughed and smiled some more.  The consumers each have their favorite things to do with Jam, some feed her, others give her the hand signals to down, spin or speak, which is a big crowd-pleaser. We really crammed a lot of quality interaction into our visit.

Today's visit was extra special as one of the consumers had a private visit with Jam as the other consumers were at their therapeutic horseback riding lesson. This consumer continues to feel more comfortable with Jam each visit and reaches out to her independently. May not seem like a big deal but for this individual, it is huge.  This is also the same consumer who first started to feed Jam treats last week and he again surprised us by opening his hand for me to put a treat on it so Jam could get it! The resident behaviorist witnessed this for the first time and was thrilled.  The consumer laughed and smiled when Jam ate the treat from his hand.  We all smiled too!

I guess we should say this was a truly Wonderful Weimaraner Wednesday!

Therapy Thursday

  

 I've mentioned before that Jam is a certified Delta Society Pet Partner.  Over a month ago, we were asked by a social worker who is also a Delta Evaluator, to be ambassadors and do an initial visit to a residence that is part of the Rockland County Association for Learning Disabilities and has wanted a pet therapy team for a long time.  Jam was a hit and I was honored to be asked back and offered to do weekly visits.  The residents or consumers as they are called, are mostly men in their mid-twenties with ASDs (Autism Spectrum Disorders) plus developmental disabilities and neurological issues and are non-verbal.

 Our visits have been powerful, for me and also for the positive effects of the therapy visits on the consumers.  Jam seems to be a calming influence and the staff see wonderful reactions, such as smiling, laughing and the individual behaviors expressed by the men.  Each visit, the men, especially the one pictured, get more comfortable with Jam and it was exciting to see him initiate petting her - a truly big deal for him.

The consumers enjoy petting Jam and helping me give commands for her to do tricks.  It is important to understand the population and know what to do to make them feel comfortable and safe when interacting with Jam and to also keep her safety paramount.  Jam loves going on the visits and gets extra special treats!