Sheena and Molly know how to spread a lot of happiness around.
They are two of the dogs in the local St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program.
The pooches were out with their owners on Saturday at the Chatham branch of the Chatham-Kent Public Library ready and willing to be petted by young and old.
Judy Rikley, a volunteer dog handler, who owns Molly, a West Highland Terrier, said she is out up to six times a week with either Molly or her brother, visiting long-term care homes, hospitals and both elementary and high schools.
When asked what qualities make for a good therapy dog, Rikley said, “They have to be well behaved, quiet, they have to get along with other dogs.
“Just their total disposition and how they act when they’re out (in public),” she added.
Volunteer dog handler Dani Pongracz said Sheena, her standard poodle, first became a therapy dog six years ago when she was living in London.
“I took Sheena and she was tested and she came through with flying colours,” Pongracz said.
The dogs go through a rigorous testing in order to qualify as a therapy dog, she added.
The evaluation involves the dogs being around several types of medical equipment and lots of people, Rikley said.
Staying calm around people and when in a new environment seems to be a natural ability for therapy dogs.
“They just seem to know when they’re out. You put your (therapy dog volunteer) tag on and they know,” Rikley said.
Pongracz said Sheena knows when they are leaving the house it’s time to go to work.
“I’ll say, ‘We’re going to work,’ and the minute we walk into a place . . . her behaviour changes.”
And the dogs love the work.
Rikley said if she leaves the house with her tag on, the dog that is left behind sits at the back door with a look that says, ‘Why am I not coming?’
Sydney Modien, 14, of Chatham, was among those who came out to see the therapy dogs on Saturday.
Her family pet died last May and she is looking forward to having two puppies coming into the home soon.
This was Modien’s first time visiting the therapy dogs.
She said it was “really nice.
“I like dogs,” she added. “They’re soft and they’re fluffy and they make you laugh.”
Pongracz said the best part about volunteering for the program is “the smiles that we bring.”
Rikley added, “it’s very inspirational. The dogs open many doors.”
Pongracz said very early in Sheena’s time as a therapy dog they were at a long-term care home in London.
“There was a woman who hadn’t spoke for quite some time – about three months – to family members, nurses and personal support workers. . . and they thought she had lost her ability to speak,” she said.
Pongracz said the woman, who had Alzheimer’s, was there with her daughter and support worker and she initially didn’t look down at Sheena.
Then the daughter took her mother’s hand and put it on Sheena’s head and when she felt it, Pongracz said the woman uttered the words: “I like.
“We immediately all broke into tears . . . so that made me believe in the program and what these dogs can do.”
Rikley said she’s had a similar experience in two facilities she regularly visits.
“People who haven’t spoken or acknowledged anything, they just know (the dog’s) presence,” she said.
“They’ve maybe not been in great health, but they’ll reach out and pet the dog,” Rikley added. “It’s beautiful, you know there’s something around us.”
Both Rikley and Pongracz said what the dogs get out the experience is love.
A session of being petted and fawned over can be tiring and it is typical for dogs to go home and have a good sleep.
“They’ve got a lot of love and it totally relaxes them,” Pongracz said. “It’s almost as if they know they’ve done a good thing.”
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