Pet Therapy Doodle days with Harley and Jaxson are never typical but are always full of tail wagging happiness…

No matter where I go, when people find out what I do, they are pleasantly intrigued and full of questions. So I thought pawhaps YOU might be interested in what they do on any given doodle day!

Here are the more pawpular questions I answer regularly –

DO THEY WORK ALL DAY? –  

Most pet therapy organizations have policies in place for therapy handlers “humans” to abide by. One of those rules address the maximum number of hours a therapy pup should volunteer. The common timeframe is usually between two and three hours per day.

As a “paid” employee of the hospital, the Boys are insured by my employer which technically removes them from this rule. But I pay close attention to the hours they’re spending at the hospital. Harley will generally work once or twice a week. He’s almost eleven years old and I am super conscience about not “over-working” him. He typically works on Mondays and on occasion Fridays. His schedule depends a great deal on Jaxson’s commitments.

WHAT DO THEY DO? – 

Interesting enough – they both have different responsibilities. Harley is your “Animal Assisted Activity” (AAA) therapy dog. He’s the one you call on to help a patient with anxiety, high blood pressure, loneliness and depression. Still within the weight range to jump up on your bed – he’s able to give patients lots of cuddle time if that’s what they want…

Harley has been known to travel on the gurney with children into pre-op if need be. He’s comforted many a young patient until they are sedated for a surgical procedure.

Harley is also “that Dood” who ends up in marketing photoshoots…

As you can see – he isn’t phased much by his celebrity status…

Jaxson is more active and full of endless energy, so in addition to doing AAA work, he’s utilized in a therapeutic capacity. We call that “Animal Assisted Therapy” (AAT). This means he works with one patient, and one therapist with specific therapeutic goals, strategies and outcome measures. 

He’s a huge hit with both the medical and University staff…

On any given day, he and I will show up either on or off campus responding to a staff’s pet therapy request…

He visits all the offices and loves interrupting/attending staff meetings…

Since January, Jaxy has been “beta testing” Canine Assisted Stroke Rehabilitation and the patient response has been incredible! He spends time with stroke patients helping them walk, reach, balance and bend, preparing them for out patient rehab. Occupational and physical therapy patients will also request him for their appointments from time to time.

DO THEY GET ATTACHED TO PATIENTS? – 

I would like to think there are patients they remember and get excited to see again. Jaxson has a few children who come back for infusions on a routine bases. They call for him by name and his tail starts wagging out of control.

Then there’s Harley – do you remember when he rang the cancer bell with his favorite nurse Jennifer? Well, the other day we went to the new Children’s Medical Pavilion where she now works and it was quite the reunion…

Harley has all the patience in the world for all the humans in the world…

DO THEY EVER SEE PATIENTS AGAIN? –

It’s actually happening more often now. Most memorable one that comes to mind occurred last winter. Harley was scheduled to assist with an occupational therapy session which turned into something much more. The injuries sustained by a young lady created seizures. Harley stayed on her gurney for several hours. He literally rode the seizures with her, and cuddled after they subsided…

Months later while the pet therapy teams were greeting travelers at the Charleston International Airport, I heard a squeal coming from the direction of the baggage carousels. There she was – huge smile on her face, screaming Harley’s name to the top of her lungs. People stopped and stared as Harley ran directly to her and leaped in her arms. He remembered her – he knew who she was…

ARE THEY EMOTIONALLY DRAINED?  

I used to think so, but I have since changed my mind.  Modern Dog Magazine summed it up nicely for me, here’s a snippet from a very interesting article –

A dog will have all of the basic emotions: joy, fear, anger, disgust, and, yes, love, but the dog does not experience the more complex emotions like guilt, pride, and shame.

I watch both Boys closely. So far their days are filled with lot’s of love and a little bit of romance. Jaxson’s smittened with a mini Goldendoodle therapy dog named Holly…

We have meaningful days together especially on those special event days – like our 4th of July parade where many of the 84 teams come out to play…

I make sure we play in between patients – so my office is full of balls…

But when we get home – it’s lights out! He’s fallen asleep in the foyer right next to where I’ve taken off my work sneakers…

I feel blessed beyond measure to work in a field that I am so passionate about and have the two creatures I love with all my heart right there with.

Our hospital’s mission statement ends with “we’re changing what’s possible in healthcare.” I’d like to think each and everyday the Boys and I (along with the other pet therapy teams) are doing just that!

Thanks so much for reading – come back soon!

Life is a gift – wake up everyday and realize that ❤️