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George the Therapy Dog: A Tale of Love, Healing, and Resilience

In the tapestry of our lives, there are certain threads that stand out, woven with love, compassion, and boundless joy. One of these threads is my beloved dog, George, a registered and trained therapy dog who has brought immeasurable happiness to countless lives for over a decade.

He’s not just the cutest and sweetest dog; he’s a source of unwavering love and comfort for those in need. Today, I want to share the story of George’s journey, including a recent twist in his path—the diagnosis of a cruciate ligament injury in his left leg.

For more than ten years, George has been a shining beacon of hope and warmth in our community. His kind eyes and gentle demeanor have graced schools, hospitals, and various therapy sessions, where he’s made a profound impact on the lives of many.

From comforting anxious students during exam periods to bringing smiles to the faces of patients facing health challenges, George has been a source of solace and joy to all who have had the privilege of meeting him.

Recently, however, our dear George faced a challenge of his own—a diagnosis of a cruciate ligament injury in his left leg. It was a moment that filled my heart with concern and sadness, knowing that my loyal companion was in pain. But, just as he has brought comfort and healing to others, it’s now our turn to provide him with the care and love he so deserves.

George’s injury has prompted us to take a closer look at his health and well-being, and to explore the best ways to help him on the path to recovery.

While surgery may be an option in the future, for now, we’re focusing on conservative management of his symptoms. This includes hydrotherapy to strengthen his leg, anti-inflammatories to reduce pain and swelling, and plenty of rest to allow his body to heal.

But it’s not just about the physical treatments; it’s about the emotional support as well. George may be semi-retired, but his spirit remains as strong as ever. He thrives on love and cuddles, and I am more than willing to provide him with all the affection and comfort he needs during this challenging time as is my partner, who loves George as much as I do❤️

As I watch him undergo his treatments and see the determination in his eyes, I am reminded of the countless lives he has touched throughout his years of service as a therapy dog. It’s a testament to his resilience and unwavering spirit that even in the face of adversity, he continues to inspire those around him.

In sharing George’s story, I hope to highlight the importance of cherishing our animal companions, who bring so much love and joy into our lives. They are more than just pets; they are family members who deserve our care and attention, just as we would provide for any loved one facing a health challenge.

George may be on a different journey now, one that requires patience and dedication to his recovery, but his spirit remains undiminished. He has given us so much over the years, and now it’s our turn to give back, to ensure that he can continue to enjoy a life filled with love, cuddles, and the occasional visit to the schools and hospitals that have come to rely on his boundless affection.

As we move forward in this healing journey with George, we do so with gratitude for the joy he has brought to our lives and the countless lives he has touched. And we look ahead with hope, knowing that with time, care, and the resilience that defines him, he will overcome this obstacle and continue to brighten the world with his presence.

dog in a hydrotherapy pool

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Health, fitness, dogs, dancing and coffee!

I take my health and fitness very seriously. I am committed to healthy (and balanced) eating and exercising most days of the week. I love to run outdoors and I also love heading to my favourite gym and jumping into a weights, yoga or cardio class. I love my fitness instructors and my workout buddies.

I also love to dance and I have a whole community of dance friends, including my lovely teachers. The older one gets, the more important it is to keep moving, do some resistance training, stretching and balance work.

Sometimes you can get stopped dead in your tracks. I’ve had to take some time out from my fitness regimen as I’ve had a couple of health issues to deal with, including numerous tests, biopsies and a surgery.

When I say time out, I mean from my full on routine. I haven’t entirely stopped. Well, not until Covid bit me again – that stopped me for a whole couple days!

I had to slow down on the weights training after the surgery to give myself time to heal. No problem, I went for super long, brisk walks and a hike in the countryside. Then returned to dancing once the surgeon gave me the all-clear. Which was literally a week after surgery as I was healing so well.

That is why I stay healthy and fit. It helps my day to day life, eases life stresses, keeps me emotionally balanced and prepared me for facing a couple of health scares that I really did not anticipate.

I was back running and hit a cardio class last week. This week I was cleared to head back to weights training.

Then I got bloody Covid again! Seriously?!? I had it last July and not too bad, this time was about the same. I felt absolute garbage for a couple of days with a temperature/fever. Then that cleared and I started to feel better day by day and today I am feeling fine and dandy.

I know that restrictions and isolation rules have ended. However, I am mindful that other folk are more susceptible to getting really sick, so I have spent all of this week at home.

Yesterday and today I was able to get outside and go for a couple of long (6km) walks with George (my dog) and a quick car trip to the drive through coffee place. I took Georgie-boy with me, so he could get his dog bikkie from the server. The pic above is George waiting on his dog treat – that face!🥰

I also have a favorite YouTube exercise woman who does a weights workout that I enjoy. I have weights and exercise equipment at home, in fact, one of my spare rooms is set up like a mini gym. Useful when I can’t run in the dark or on heavy rainfall mornings.

So, for the first time in a while I did some weights training and oof! I am feeling it today, but you know what? I’ma going to do it all over again today. It’s such a wonderful feeling to notice my muscles are in action again!

I am giddily excited at the idea of going back to my full on training next week. Really cannot wait!

I tested negative to Covid this morning, and fortunately so, as I have an action packed weekend coming up. Two dances – tonight & tomorrow night💃🕺

Plus my gorgeous partner has booked us in for a private lesson to learn the Viennese Waltz tomorrow during the day. That’ll be a challenge for me. I can do the basic box step regular waltz. I’ve watched couples dance the Viennese Waltz and it looks so elegant and flowy! I surely hope I can channel my inner elegance and learn this lovely dance routine! I’ll let y’all know how I go…❤️

 

 

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Therapy Dogs: A Paws-itive Impact on Mental Health!

Who doesn’t love dogs? They’re cute, cuddly and oh-so-loving. But did you know they can also serve as your personal therapist? Enter the world of Therapy Dogs!

Therapy dogs are trained pups offering emotional support to people in need, whether they be in hospitals, schools, or even airports. These dogs are not the same as service dogs as they don’t perform any specific tasks for a person with a disability. Instead, therapeutic dogs play soothing roles, helping individuals to relax and cope with anxiety, stress, and depression.

It’s not surprising that such furry companions can improve mental health. Research shows that stroking and petting dogs can reduce stress and anxiety hormones like cortisol, while simultaneously increasing happy hormones and feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain (Harvard Medical School. A little wagging of tails, nuzzling, and snuggling go a long way in influencing human well-being.

Dog therapy has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many organizations offering programs for seniors, hospital patients, and school children. Even airports have implemented therapy dog teams to help ease the stress of travel.

One specific group that benefits a lot from therapy dogs is children. Kids have been shown to have better self-esteem and social skills and lower anxiety in the presence of dogs (Fine et al.). The benefits of therapy dogs are numerous, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood and socialization, and increasing physical activity.

One major appeal of therapy dogs is their non-judgmental and unconditional love. They don’t care about our appearance or background, and they don’t hold grudges. A therapy dog simply wants to be by our side, offering their furry warmth and calming presence. Studies have shown that interacting with dogs can even lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

My dog George has been a therapy dog since he was two years old. He’s a Spoodle (Cockapoo, Doodle) and has a beautiful, calm temperament, ideal for working with the elderly and with children.  Everybody loves George and he’s super friendly and chill.

Therapy dogs must pass rigorous health and behavior assessments to ensure they’re well-suited for the role. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT), as it’s called, also requires specific training and certification for both the handlers and canine companions (Smith & Matuszek). So, it’s not just about the cuteness factor.

Of course, not every pooch is cut out to be a therapy dog. Some breeds are more naturally suited to the job. Labradors and Golden Retrievers are popular therapy breeds due to their affectionate nature and easy-to-train personalities.

While the process of training and certifying therapy dogs sounds intense, the results make all the effort worthwhile. So, the next time you’re feeling down, instead of picking up your phone and scrolling through Instagram, why not cuddle with your furry friend or visit a therapy pet outside. After all, they say that dogs are a person’s best therapist!

REFERENCES:

Fine, A. H., Tedeschi, P., Elfenbein, H., & Rosenthal, S. (2015). The handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice. Elsevier.

Harvard Health Publishing. (2018). The health benefits of dogs (and cats). Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-dogs-and-cats

Smith, M. C., & Matuszek, S. (2010). Animal-assisted therapy: An emerging opportunity in oncology. Journal of Oncology Practice, 6(6), e21-e23.

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Even therapy dogs need a bath!

George goes to the groomers for a bath and haircut every few weeks. In between times I take him to the local pet supply store who offer a free hydrobath for local dogs!

Having a bath is not entirely his favorite activity. He does always get a treat afterwards (don’t tell him it’s a dental hygiene treat 😉) But he’s pretty chill and relaxed about it.

His groomer, my friend Ang, tells me that when he’s having a bath there he is so relaxed he almost falls asleep!

My daughter came along with me this time, so she was able to snap some pics of bathtime for good boy!

woman bathing her dog

He looks pretty chill here… don’t mind the li’l bandages on my arms, I’d just been to have my bloods taken that morning 😊

I give him a good scrub down with the shampoo, comb it through his fur and rinse… then he rewards me by shaking water and shampoo all over me 😂

Then it’s the baby wipes to clean his eyes and ears and a vigorous rub down with the towel.

woman drying dog with a towel

Then we are done! Much to his relief!

I usually take him for a walk to the park to air-dry him further, less likely to have my place smell of wet dog! 😂 Not that I mind…

He’s a happy doggo and everyone loves him. He brings so much joy to people’s lives.

Love to you all and I hope you have a fabulous day 🥰

 

 

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My dog is a ball thief!

Took my Georgie-boy to the park this morning for our usual morning meander.

He played with a cute l’il mini Schnauzer. I am always happy to see my dog play like a puppy. He’s nigh on 12 years old and he still thinks he’s a pup! But then don’t we all? Don’t be telling us we old! No such thing! 😂

I’ve mentioned before that George is a semi-retired therapy dog. He has spent hundreds of hours making folk feel better, calming them down in times of stress and anxiety. Helping people overcome dog phobias. He loves all people, from the tiniest of toddlers to the very old and infirm. He literally has endless patience with people wanting to pet him, talk with him, play with him and take photos of him (I swear he has more photos on his social media than I will ever have!) – you can check out his FB at George_the_Therapy_Dog (click the link). He’s on Insta as well and you can see all his gorgeous photos! @george-the-therapy-dog

He has the best traits for this type of work. He is calm, gentle, patient and sweet natured.

He is also my best friend.

Everybody loves him.

His only vice is stealing other dog’s tennis balls! Check that photo…. is he looking guilty? or is he looking pleased with himself?

I was just about to leave the park to head home and I called him over and he came trotting along with his latest acquisition! I let him happily and proudly trot one more time around the park with the ball (by this stage, there were no other dogs or people in the park – so I have no idea who owned the ball). I then placed the ball on the park bench in case the owner returned.

Usually I apologize for his cheeky behaviour if the ball owner is around, most times people end up throwing the ball for him and their own dog. That’s the thing with dog people, they are a nice mob. We get it. We love our dogs.

We also know that people who don’t like dogs are a little bit peculiar (I’m not talking about people who are scared of dogs – but for sure we can help you with that!), but when I come across a non-dog person I wonder what is wrong with them, often they are emotionally cold and have no empathy for dogs or people. They are the ones to avoid!

Peace and waggly tails to you – love and hugs from George and I to you and yours! 🐾 🤗

 

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Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)

My dog George is a therapy dog. He is semi-retired now as he’s becoming an older gentleman, he turns 12 this May.

For many years George and I volunteered every weekend at a dementia facility, and he was also the therapy dog at the university where I worked. We would also visit schools, childcare centres and we also worked with Psychologists helping children and adults manage their dog fear/phobia.

His job was to make people feel happy and he enjoys every minute of the time he spends with people and folk are always so happy to see him. The dementia facility we visited was a “lockdown” facility. The patients there were deemed at risk and were generally the most serious cases. Going there was confronting and challenging, worthwhile and humbling.

The patients were so excited to see George. It would remind them of dogs they had in their earlier life, and it would trigger conversations around dogs and pets and general reminiscences. They could pet him, brush him and he would help calm them when they felt confused and/or agitated. It was a really beautiful way to engage with people who had limited options for engaging with the world. All up we spent around 6 years visiting.

Therapy dog with dementia patient

In this photo, the lady asked if she could have him on her lap for a “real good” cuddle 🥰

Nowadays George only picks up the occasional (free – we never charge) gig as he’s older and needs more rest.

He has come into my current workplace for RUOK Day to spend time with team members and customers. He’s coming to work with me tomorrow for our Wellbeing Day, a day that I actually get to organise as part of my job! I literally have the best job! The whole team and the Managers are thrilled to be welcoming a four-footed, furry, loveable visitor.

Tonight, I’ll spend extra time brushing out his fur (he doesn’t shed much as he’s a Spoodle/Cockapoo – a Cocker Spaniel crossed with a poodle). But I want to make sure his fur is glossy and fully floofy for his visit.

Recently, we worked on a project visiting a dementia ward (different from the place where we volunteered) and spending time with a select group of patients. We would visit once/week and spend an hour to two hours with the patients.

The project is gathering data on whether the patient’s perceived quality of life improved or if they retained memory of the dog visits from week to week.

Research on animal assisted therapy for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients is growing and Dementia Support Australia Animal Assisted Engagement in Dementia Care outline the benefits of this type of care:

Interacting with animals has many benefits for older people. It can have a positive impact on physical, social, emotional, motivational and cognitive functioning, while helping reduce mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Animal assisted or pet engagement aims to provide pleasure and relaxation.

A research study conducted in 2019 Effectiveness of the dog therapy for patients with dementia – a systematic review | BMC Psychiatry | Full Text (biomedcentral.com) found that animal assisted therapy can be a very beneficial and complementary treatment, particularly regarding behavioural and psychological symptoms, and that this is true for patients with varying degrees of dementia severity when that therapy is tailored to their unique needs and interests.

So there you have it. My dog is a sweet soul. He was born to be a therapy dog, I knew it from when he was a pup. Best. Dog. Ever!

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When your dog is sick…

My poor boy George was unwell yesterday. Dogs can get really sick really fast and then recover just as quickly. He had been nibbling at some grass at the park in the morning which made me wonder if he was not feeling great.

I went to the gym mid morning and stayed for a double class. I stopped for a coffee on the way home and as soon as I opened the door I was like hmmmm, that smells a bit funky!

George had had a couple of bouts of diarrhea on my bed and on the floor in the living room and he had also vomited on his dog bed. It was a bit of a smelly mess. I gave him lots of pets and used my most soothing voice to reassure him that it was all ok and to rest up whilst I cleaned up.

Thank goodness for latex gloves, paper towels and my mop! I stripped the bed and put the sheets in the wash, I scrubbed the mattress and then sprayed it liberally with Glen-20. I scooped up all the loose poop on the floor and the vomit on his dog-bed and threw it all and the gloves in a trash bag and flung it in the bin outside.

He had to go outside a few more times to poop and I just hosed it into the grass, there was no scooping of that loose mess!

I washed his dog bed, but it’s not ideal, the cover doesn’t come off and it’s been shoved in the machine a few times over the last few years and it’s become all lumpy and hard.

I decided we needed to go to his favourite pet supply store and buy him a new bed. He came for the ride as the store is pet friendly and he’s allowed inside on a leash. Bit of a risk as he might have hurled on the back seat, but he just lay down and napped. He perked up at the store, it’s his favourite place to visit (that and his doggy daycare).

We looked around for beds and chose the one in the pic above. It’s one of those calming dog beds and it has a removable cover, so it can be washed easily and the bed itself will maintain its structure. He sniffed it suspiciously when we got home, but you can see he decided that he does love it afterall.

He only drank water for the remainder of the day and didn’t seem to want food. I gave him a small handful of dog kibble this morning and he has brightened up considerably.

It’s good to see him back in top form and he was all a-gallop at the park and played with a couple of his doggy friends. If he’d been sick during the night it would have meant a trip to the vet, animals can get dehydrated really quickly, but because he got up in the night to drink more water I figured whatever had upset his stomach had passed and he was ok.

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Georgie-boy…

My dog is the best!

George went to the groomers yesterday and had a day of doggie daycare as well. He had a slightly shorter cut this time as it’s close on summer time in our neck of the woods and I don’t want him overheating. I took this photo of him and he looks so sweet and neat & tidy too! He has the most beautiful soulful eyes 🥰

So I thought I’d share the picture and share the love. I gave him a treat after taking his photo as he’s very patient with me. He sat there all nice and chill whilst I snapped a few pics until I got one that felt like I got the composition right. He has the nicest temperament, is very relaxed and calm and very loving.

Sometimes the world can be a bit hectic. Our lives can feel unbalanced and people or things happen that may disappoint. Sometimes you just need to see a photo of a lovely, friendly dog looking into your eyes and to remember that there is kindness, caring, love and peace in the world. Sending you all loving and peaceful vibes 🥰

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My dog George

George the Spoodle…

My daughter paid for a photoshoot for my dog (and me, but mostly for my dog George). It was a lovely and thoughtful gift. Part of it includes one of the photos being transferred onto canvas so I can have it up on my wall. 🥰 When it’s ready, I’ll do another post so you can see how it turned out.

George is super photogenic and looks gorgeous in pics, he’s pretty good at posing too! 😂 He is quite the character. We went to a beautiful park on the other side of the city, in the late afternoon, so the photographer could catch the late afternoon/early evening light. The photographer was really relaxed and gentle with him and she had plenty of treats as well, much to George’s delight!

We actually had really good fun, George posed in between scampering about and catching up with new doggie friends. A couple of times the photographer and I actually fell about laughing at his antics. I think we were there for around one and a half hours and it never felt forced or stressful, which is important when working with animals. It all has to be natural and gently engaging for the dog and also allow the dog to feel comfortable being photographed.

The photos she sent me are really beautiful and captured his nature perfectly. I also know he is getting older (shhhh, don’t tell him, he thinks he’s still a puppy!) and at 11 years old our time together is at the shorter end. Which literally brings me to tears.

I can’t thank my daughter enough for this gift. ❤️

 

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In the park having a scamper

Happiness is a joyful dog!

 

Took George for a walk in the park, it’s about to rain soon, so I thought we’d get out before it hits! I managed to get this video of him scampering about, watching him run makes me happy too!

Not that he minds going out in the rain, he has a yellow raincoat and neither of us care about getting wet. But getting out before it rains means I don’t have to dry him off when we get home, he’s a total water sponge! 😂💦

It’s true that having a dog is good for your emotional and physical wellbeing. Dogs need a walk and for some folk that’s their exercise for the day, which is a good thing.

Going outside is good for the spirit too. Grass, trees, the sky and a dog, what’s not to love?

 

 

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