one of the best things i have ever done is getting my bulldog certified for pet therapy.
i visit a hospice unit on friday afternoons.
you would think i am some kind of saint. people are so happy to see him. about half of the patients are non-responsive, but their families are very happy for the visit. it is a chance to talk about dogs and pets and not what they are going through.
the staff likes him, too. most days it is just smiles and fun, but when we are there at the end of a hard week, they do spend a little extra time w him.
one patient on my visit yesterday was so happy that he was there that she offered to buy me another dog as a bequest. she apparently had been looking for a good cause. she thought having biff there was such a great thing that she wanted to endow that.
pretty sure that is against the rules anyway, but i did think of a good dog related organization for her.
one day i arrived just as a man passed. his room was full of wailing family. as they slowly trickled out of the room they encountered us in the sitting area. they all reacted to him w smiles and questions. the widow ended up hanging on to him for most of an hour. she was really grateful to have him to hang onto until she got home to her own little dog.
lots of folks are missing their own dogs, even tho they are allowed to visit. sometimes they had already rehomed their dogs, or recently lost them. although it is against the rules for therapy dogs to give kisses, we do it anyway.
he is just such a happy chill dog that it is hard not to smile and be happy around him. he loves people, and is always ready to give kisses, or just lay on the floor and chill while i chat.
i know he helps me greatly, and it is really gratifying to share him.
it helps that this is a regularly scheduled thing. every once in a while i duff out, but knowing that people are expecting me helps to get me out of whatever bs if flying my way on any given friday.
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