My Dog, My Hero

This season marks a very special season for this household. It was three years ago this season that my Rottweiler, Chelsea, entered the ranks of some of the most beloved animal heroes in the world. Her colleagues in this elite group include many other Rottweilers, such as Hearts (whose story can be found at http://www.rott-n-chatter.com/hearts/ ) . Even the most famous Rottie in Children's literature, the real-life "Good Dog" Carl is a member. And what is this illustrious order that my dog is a part of? Simple. Three years ago, Chelsea became a pet therapy dog.

A Rottweiler therapy dog? Actually, they are more common than you might believe. So many Rotties have such a clown-like side to their nature that they are practically naturals. Plus, for a dog that visits nursing homes, they are the perfect wheelchair height. Patients can easily touch the dog.

In fact, the only drawback I've had with having a Rottie therapy dog it that, like a lot of other Rottweilers I've heard of, Chelsea doesn't seem truly happy unless she's standing or sitting on someone's foot. With a 90lb dog in a nursing home, you really have to keep an eye on were those four tootsies are at all times.

Benefits

Obviously, a Rottweiler therapy dog is great PR for a breed with such an undeserved reputation. And also, an entire building of people wanting to pet him only reaffirms a Rottie's belief that people were put on the earth to scratch his rump.

However, the true benefits of pet therapy do not involve breed PR or your dog's ego. The true benefits of the program are those received by the patients visited. Many times, these people have pets at home. In the case of most nursing home patients, these pets had to be left behind. Visting them opens a window to life outside of the hospital or home.

A therapy dog also offers a bridge to clarity for some patients. Often while stroking Chelsea's head, people who might not remeber day to day life will tell about dogs that they remember having when they were growing up. From there, they might move on to other memories of their lives.

According to Joanne Keigley, an activities director at the nursing home that Chelsea and I visit, there are three things that seem to a noticeable, positive impact on her residents: music, children, and animals.

For example, on one of our visits, we were approached by a patient who immediately began smiling and petting Chelsea. He talked to her and asked me several questions about her. During the exchange, I noticed that several of the nurses were staring at us strangely. I found out later that particular man hadn't said more than a handful of words since he first came to the home.

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