sunnysbestlife

Kenzie has a heart for Animal-Assisted Therapy and is partnering with her Goldendoodle Kopa in her social work. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 40th episode of @therapydogtalk, I spoke with Kenzie about her experience in learning what it takes to implement Animal-Assisted Therapy into her work as a social worker as well as her experience training her Goldendoodle @kopadoodle who is now a registereed Therapy Dog through @utahpetpartners. While Kenzie has always loved dogs, it wasn't until later that she learned the differences between Emotional Suppot Animals, Service Dogs, and Therapy Dogs. Since then she has received a Masters in Social Work with a certificate in Animal-Assisted Social Work which she is putting to use by implementing Animal-Assisted Therapy at the clinic where she works and partners with Kopa to reach their clients in a different way than she could on her own. We spent quite a bit of time talking about what we've learned through our respective programs for mental health professionals, what the training and evaluation is like with @petpartners, how she helps Kopa to build his confidence, and how she knew that Kopa was the right dog for her to embark on this journey together. If you're ready to hear about Kenzie and Kopa's experience so far, let's dive in: In this episode, we discuss … • The differences between two Animal-Assisted Therapy programs for mental health professionals.
 • What the Pet Partners training and evaluation experience was like for them.
 • How Kenzie has helped Kopa to build his confidence with inanimate objects.
 Give it a watch and let me know which part you found the most helpful, then follow their journey at @kopadoodle. • Interested in getting started as a Therapy Dog but don’t know where to begin? Check out my new guide at freeguide.therapydogtalk.com.

Tracy enjoys volunteering with her two Therapy Cats Roger and Sal and wishes that other cat owners would join her. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 39th episode of @therapydogtalk, I spoke with Tracy about what it's like to volunteer with her two Therapy Cats, @therapycatroger and @therapycatsal through @petpartners. That's right, hold on to your pups because this week we're talking felines. "But Sherrie, this is Therapy DOG Talk!" Don't worry friend, we will get back to dogs next week. While Sunny is my pet that you probably know the best, if you follow her on Instagram you likely know that she has an older cat sister—Matilda, who is 16. What you may not know is that Matilda freelanced as a Therapy Cat for my mom when she was on hospice. She is far too unreliable to do volunteer pet therapy for others; however, my lifelong love of cats did prime me for many of the cat-specific questions for Tracy, such as: "What do you do about their tiny paw knives?" Tracy calls these "murder mittens" or "making biscuits," and it turns out that she doesn't have to worry about them as her cats were raised by dogs and are natural at therapy work. In fact, Roger loves pet therapy work so much that he saves almost all of his purrs for volunteering. Lucky for him, Tracy doesn't take it too personal. In a world full of volunteer Therapy Dogs, Tracy has found that being a Therapy Cat team helps them to stand out in a crowd and to brighten the days of cat lovers in hospice and at the local children's hospital. It's her hope that other cat owners will recognize their feline's potential and help Roger and Sal to spread the joy to those who need it. Give it a watch and let me know which part you found the most helpful, then follow their journey at @therapycatroger and @therapycatsal. • Interested in getting started as a Therapy Dog but don’t know where to begin? Check out my new guide at freeguide.therapyd

Dr. Sunday Agbonika is pioneering Animal-Assisted Interventions in Nigeria with a specific goal of helping children with Autism. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 38th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with @drsenos, a Veterinary Surgeon, dog trainer, and 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow, about his journey to bringing Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) to his country, Nigeria, and what his goals are in doing so. Dr. Sunday’s efforts in Nigeria led him to become a 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow where he was placed in LeHigh University where he was able to get involved in Equi-librium, an equine therapy facility for children with special needs, as well as to meet the international AAI community and connect with mentors around the world including Dr. Elizabeth Omerod who was instrumental to introducing the human-animal bond in the UK. These experiences led to shaping his work back home in Nigeria as well as to founding the first ever intra-African AAI conference. If you’re ready to learn more about Dr. Sunday’s AAI work in Nigeria, let’s dive in: In this episode, we discuss … • How Dr. Sunday discovered animal-assisted interventions through a short documentary. • Which animals Dr. Sunday partners with and what his dogs Tish and Bishop love about being Therapy Dogs. • How Dr. Sunday is bringing together his community and international leaders in AAI. Give it a watch and let me know which part you found the most helpful, then follow their journey at @drsenos. • Interested in getting started as a Therapy Dog but don’t know where to begin? Check out my new guide at freeguide.therapydogtalk.com.

Kim and her Greyhound Therapy Dog Bubbles bring the fun to their campus visits as part of the founding BGSU PAWS Team. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 37th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with Kim and @bubbles.therapy.dog —a Greyhound Therapy Dog team who have found their place volunteering as part of the @bgsupaws. BGSU reached out to @allianceoftherapydogs looking for dogs to fill their starting lineup on a mission to help destress students on their campus. Not only were Kim and Bubble up to the task, but they have found ways to bring their own personalities to the work in a way that even won over the hearts of the SICSIC, a secret society on campus. (Here’s hoping Bubbles in an honorary member for the 2022-23 school year, right?) Bubbles is not the only dog in the household, and not even the only Greyhound, but Kim has been able to identify which parts of her personality make her interested in volunteering as well a good fit for volunteering. She shared with us why her other Greyhound, Piper, would not be able to volunteer without being a safety risk or squashing a key part of how she expresses happiness and how her daughter’s dog, while not socialized enough for campus visits, excels at showing off her tricks during their virtual pet therapy visits through @petstogethervisits. If you’re ready to catch Kim’s contagious joy in sharing her journey with Bubbles, let’s dive in: In this episode, we discuss … • Why Kim knew early on that Bubbles would enjoy Therapy Dog work.
 • What gear Kim and Bubbles always have on hand (paw?) during visits.
 • How Bubbles won the hearts of a secret society and our hope that she become an honorary member.
 Give it a watch and let me know which part you found the most helpful, then follow their journey at @bubbles.therapy.dog. • Interested in getting started as a Therapy Dog but don’t know where to begin? Check o

Being a Junior Therapy Dog team with her pup Millie is the beginning of a dog-centered career for Holden. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 36th episode of @therapydogtalk, I spoke with Holden and Millie—a Junior Therapy Dog team in College Station, Texas, with over 100 visits so far. Holden fell in love with dogs in 4th grade while seeing Therapy Dogs assist college students with stress relief and began dreaming of a career working with dogs. Three years later, she had the opportunity to learn more about what it would take to volunteer with a dog when Aggieland Pets with a Purpose visited her school library and she decided pet therapy would be a great place to start learning how to train and work with dogs. Now 17, and getting ready to enter her senior year of high school, Holden has her sights set on working with either Facility Dogs or Therapy Dogs. If you have advice on how she can continue down this journey, she would love for you to reach out to her through Millie’s Instagram account: @milliethetherapydog. Before you run off to give her a follow, make sure you check out the episode to hear how Holden and Millie are impacting those they visit in memory care as well as a coveted list of what items they find essential to take with them on their dog therapy visits and how they prepare for it all. If you’re ready to take in Holden’s enthusiasm and hear her story, let’s dive in: In this episode, we discuss … • How Holden’s first experience with Therapy Dogs inspired her to work with dogs.
 • What it’s like to connect with residents in memory care and how they’ve impacted Holden.
 • An important reminder to know your dog’s limits and be ready to advocate for them.
 Give it a watch and let me know which part you found the most helpful, then follow their journey at @milliethetherapydog. • Interested in getting started as a Therapy Dog but don’t know

What’s it like for a family to work with volunteer Therapy Dogs? The Wadley’s weigh in with their experiences. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 35th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with Jared Wadley, News Magazine Editor for Alliance of Therapy Dogs, and his sons Jordan and Devin about their experiences with their past, present, and future volunteer Therapy Dogs Bella, Legend, and Bree. After hearing their story, it’s safe to say the Wadley’s love Collies and volunteering through pet therapy. Jared discovered the opportunity to volunteer with his dogs after moving from California to Michigan and seeking out ways to help his new community. At the time he had two Shetland Sheepdogs who he didn’t feel would be up to the task, so he adopted Bella with the goal to pursue dog therapy together. Bella’s temperament was what Jared was looking for, and she had previous obedience training, but she needed a bit of socializing in order to feel confident around other dogs. When Bella let Jared know she was ready to retire, he adopted Legend, a former show dog in need of a new home. Unlike Bella, Legend was well socialized but lacked basic obedience cues. At 12 years old, Legend is now nearing retirement, but the Wadley’s are already working on their newest member of the family and future Therapy Dog: Bree. Bree is the first puppy that Jared’s sons have had and he is enjoying utilizing this period of working from home part time to combine the socialization Bella needed with the obedience cues that he taught Legend. While Bree’s first goal will be replacing Legend, Jared hopes that in two year’s time they will be able to travel the country as a Crisis Response Team. Along the way, Jared’s sons joined him with the dogs as Junior Handlers where they were able to learn how to feel confident talking to people from many walks of life while sharing their dogs and taking note of the impac

Mental health professional Xochitl is making a positive impact with her Labradoodle Lucy, a certified Therapy Dog. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 34th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I spoke with Xochitl, a mental health professional in Southern California who, through her work in social services and social work, saw the impact Therapy Dogs were making in schools and decided that she wanted to do the same. After dong some research, she found @lucylu_pawsitivepup—a Labradoodle who became the perfect addition to her family at the same time as participating in pet therapy through volunteering and working with Xochitl. Xochitl learned quite a bit while navigating the challenges of training a dog during COVID and shares what it was like to look for volunteer opportunities during a worldwide pandemic. Nevertheless, she persisted and she and Lucy found many opportunities to grow their bond together at the same time as making an impact with those around them. What’s next for them? Xochitl hopes to open a private practice this summer where Lucy will work alongside her to continue to help the children and adults who come their way. She shares a few examples of the unique connection canines can make on people who don’t benefit as much from talk therapy alone and we talk about some of the other examples of Animal Assisted Therapy in research as well a some of the special considerations such as insurance. If you’re ready to hear more from Xochitl and her positive pooch Lucy, let’s dive in: In this episode, we discuss … • How Xochitl discovered Therapy Dogs in her work as a mental health professional. • What she does to continue Lucy’s socialization and skill development. • Things you may want to know when working with a dog in a professional setting. Give it a watch and let me know which part you found the most helpful, then follow their journey at @lucylu_pawsitivepup. In

Tanya says her special needs Therapy Dog Boone provides unique opportunities to connect with children with special needs. [🎙 Check out Therapy Dog Talk on your favorite podcast platform or at therapydogtalk.com! ] In this 32nd episode of @therapydogtalk, I spoke with Tanya who volunteers through @allianceoftherapydogs with her special needs Therapy Dog, @a.miracale.named.boone. Boone is Tanya's second special needs rescue. Her first rescue, Joey, inspired her to help other disabled dogs to find forever homes by providing them with wheelchairs and prosthetics through their non-profit @joeys_paw. As of the date of this recording, Joey's Paw has helped 1,125 dogs. For Tanya, this was a way to make meaning out of the suffering that Joey had endured prior to finding his home with them. When Tanya brought Boone home, she knew right away that, after he received the medical help that he needed, he would enjoy being a volunteer Therapy Dog. It turns out, her intuition was spot on as she shared stories of Boone's love of working with children as well as his pat downs from the Pittsburgh Airport TSA when volunteering at the airport. Like our friend @colethedeafdog, Boone's disability has provided opportunities for them to reach children with special needs in a way that is unique to how those same children interact with other Therapy Dogs. If you're ready to hear more from Tanya about her experiences volunteering with Boone, let's dive in: In this episode, we discuss … • Why Tanya knew that Boone would enjoy volunteering as a Therapy Dog.
 • What inspired Tanya to found her non-profit Joey's Paw and how they've helped over 1,000 other dogs.
 • How Boone's wheelchair allows them to reach children with special needs as well people who are afraid of dogs.
 Give it a listen and let me know which part you found the most helpful, then follow their journey at @a.mircale.named.boone. • Interested in getting started as a Therapy Dog but don’t

We are big into consent around here so when Sunny says she doesn’t want to pose for photos - we figure out what she _does_ want to do and work with it.In this case that meant dance parties and games of tug. 💃🏻Letting her make choices in situations like this where the outcome isn’t a safety issue allows her to grow in optimism and confidence and to trust me to guide her through this world.Anything we do to build our relationship will also help to prepare us for our future work as an Animal-Assisted Therapy team.How do you build your relationship with your dog? ⤵️•VD: A small tan dog with floppy ears dances with a woman in front of a purple backdrop and then photos of the dog wearing flowers and playing tug appear one by one.•#RescueDogsRule #LosAngelesDogs #TherapyDogs #TherapyDogsOfInstagram #TherapyDogInTraining #TherapyDogsRock #DogTrainingTips #DogTrainingIsFun #DogTrainingLife #DogTrainingPaysOff #PetTherapy #CaliforniaDog #SoCalDogs #DogsOfLA #TherapyAnimals #AnimalTherapy #DogTherapy #LifeIsBetterWithADog #FunWithDogs #DogsMakeMeSmile #GirlAndHerDog #AnimalAssistedTherapy #ForceFreeDogTraining #LittleDogLife #MuttsKick

It wasn’t my idea to train Sunny to be a Therapy Dog.I brought her home in December 2019 at 3-4 months old (rescue “problems”), and she began brightening the day for everyone around us.During lockdown, we met many of our neighbors (safely) and they often asked if they could pet her.I always let her choose and she always chose to oblige.Her trainers commented that she had the perfect temperament for therapy work and she continued to make new friends and build relationships with everyone around us.Adolescence was a bit of a road bump for us but over time and at her pace I’ve helped her to use her natural bravery to rebuild her confidence and be herself again.This video montage is a pretty standard neighborhood impromptu session with one of her favorite people friends.How does your dog let you know what they do and don’t enjoy? ⤵️•VD: A tan Chihuahua mix, Goldendoodle, black Maltipoo, and red Golden Retriever enjoy time with neighbors on and around a bench.•#RescueDogsRule #LosAngelesDogs #TherapyDogs #TherapyDogsOfInstagram #TherapyDogInTraining #TherapyDogsRock #DogTrainingTips #DogTrainingIsFun #DogTrainingLife #DogTrainingPaysOff #PetTherapy #CaliforniaDog #SoCalDogs #DogsOfLA #TherapyAnimals #AnimalTherapy #DogTherapy #LifeIsBetterWithADog #FunWithDogs #DogsMakeMeSmile #GirlAndHerDog #AnimalAssistedTherapy #ForceFreeDogTraining #LittleDogLife #MuttsKickButt

INCOMING! 💨 Just a silly little moment from when I was recording Sunny’s posture for observation. Did you know that posture impacts behavior? Makes sense to me. I’ve been taking courses in Tellington TTouch to incorporate into Sunny’s Therapy Dog training. The more in balance she feels, the more she’ll be able to be present for others. If you’re not familiar with TTouch, but it sounds interesting to you then check out founder @linda.tellington.Jones’s account. Bonus: Can you guess what she reacted to? ⤵️ • VD: A small tan dog with floppy ears runs towards her human. • #TherapyDogs #TherapyDogsOfInstagram #TherapyDogInTraining #TherapyDogsRock #DogTrainingTips #DogTrainingIsFun #DogTrainingLife #DogTrainingPaysOff #PetTherapy #CaliforniaDog #SoCalDogs #DogsOfLA #TherapyAnimals #AnimalTherapy #DogTherapy #LifeIsBetterWithADog #FunWithDogs #DogsMakeMeSmile #GirlAndHerDog #AnimalAssistedTherapy #ForceFreeDogTraining #LittleDogLife #MuttsKickButt #TTouch

It’s my second gotcha day! This second year in my forever home has been al about growing our bond and getting consistent with training that will prepare me for animal assisted counseling work with my human. I’ve had so many fun adventures along the way and can’t wait to see what our third year brings! 💟 • #Accessibility: One second every day in the life of a small tan dog with floppy ears. • #1SecondEveryday #GotchaDay #RescuedAndLoved #DogsAreTheBest #TherapyDog #DogsThatExplore #HappyDoggo #RescueDogsRule #TrainYourDog #ConfidenceBuilding #DogTraining101 #LifeOfADog #PetTherapy #TrainingDog #DogsMakeLifeBetter #CaliforniaDogs #PawsThatWander #DogsAtPlay #LoveMyPup #DogMomForLife #DogGames #PupperDoggo #LosAngelesDogs #TherapyDogInTraining #TrainingDogs #MyDogIsTheBest #RescueMutt #PlayWithYourDog #FunWithDogs

Always happy to clean up trash with La Mer Maids! 🙌

Have you seen one of these? This was my first encounter with one but I did really well thanks to all my training for confidence, optimism, and novelty! This is one of many reasons why we find it so helpful to train for the situation rather than in the situation - you never know what you might encounter. What would you do if you saw one of these? #Accessibility: A small tan dog with floppy ears slowly checks out a large African Tortoise.