Therapy Dog Visit

  

I'm currently working on my second K-9 Ranch Rescue novel for Harlequin Romantic Suspense.  In it, my heroine is a therapy dog handler who also teaches others to work with therapy dogs.  I've done quite a bit of research, including talking to friends who are handlers, watching therapy sessions online and visiting other online sites to learn what I can.  But last week was the first time I was fortunate enough to be able to watch a live therapy dog session in person.

Wow!  In some ways, it was as I'd anticipated.  The session was held at a senior living center.  Some visits were with patients who knew the dog and his handler would be there at that time that day, so those fans were waiting. 

In other instances, dog and handler went into rooms where groups of patients were undergoing physical or memory therapy, group discussions, whatever--and once again were welcomed.

 The dog was an experienced therapy dog about seven years old, and he was a wholly sweet black Labrador retriever who appeared to enjoy going up to the people individually and get petted and made over.  He never balked at the contacts and was even friendly with a few dogs owned by patients or the facility who happened to live there.  Not all those dogs were as friendly with him, though.

Despite all the research I'd done, this session was really special and taught me things I can now incorporate into my story.  I hope it won't be my only visit, and I hope to observe not only this handler and dog again but others, too--although I don't intend to try to become a handler myself. 

But I do know that therapy dogs and their handlers are really, really special!