"Barkley"
Ch. Rosha Lil Bit Country VRaseac CGC, AAT/ ATT/ READ DOG

Well, Barkley was a show dog and when he finished his Championship we decided to do something else for our community. We trained toward the Delta Society Evaluation test for Therapy Dogs.

Barkley started working at Henry Mayo Hospital after passing the Delta Society Evaluation at the highest level. Complex. This means he can work in all different types of animal therapy. He was 2 years old and has been working ever since at the age of 8 1/2 years now.

Barkley and I now go to three hospitals Kaiser in Panorama City and Valley Presbyterian Hospital as he loves to visit the children. We also have a Kaiser Hospice patient we visit every few weeks.

During school year we visit the disabled children at La Mesa Jr. High School every other Monday.

Barkley and I also joined the Reading Education Dogs READ Program where the children come to read to the dogs. We do this every other Wednesday evening at the Santa Clarita Community Center and the Valencia Library every second Saturday.

One story I can relate is when we went to the Behavior Unit at Henry Mayo Hospital and their was one gentleman that would not talk or look at anyone. Barkley greeted everyone in the room and then went back to this gentleman. He pushed his hand with his muzzle and no response. So Barkley pushed his hand again. This time the man smiled and started talking to Barkley and petting him. They told me the man had not talked to anyone since he was there. Somehow Barkley knew this man needed his help more than any other person in that room. This is only one of many stories I could tell you.

Danes are very sensitive to people and have great empathy for them. They are gentle and kind.

I was a breeder (Rosha Danes) for some 20 years and have always trained my own dogs.

We have owned Danes for some 28 years along with small dogs. They are indeed a very special breed.

I am also an Evaluator for Delta Society now.

Sharon Rendall

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"Magnum" - Esquire's Ride 'N Shotgun
Delta Society
Animal Assisted Crisis Response
Reading Education Assistance Dog

Along with a summer reading program for children at the local library (where children with reading issues read to dogs to gain confidence in their skills), Magnum makes weekly visits to our local hospital pretty much year round and has become quite the calm, but shining star. He never fails to catch the attention of patients, visitors and staff, both in terms of his appearance but probably more so because of his soul. Magnum has the unique and wonderful ability to reach people who are not particularly interested in dogs. His great size and unusual coloring, and of course his mellow personality, delightful disposition and unflappable temperament, all make him almost irresistible even to those who would normally pass up a visit from a therapy dog. The fact that his size allows him to walk up to the side of the patients' beds for visits is another plus.

I don't like to make Magnum out to be a uniquely intuitive dog, but I have witnessed some amazing moments. On one early therapy visit, Magnum for the first time ever crawled, unbidden, into the hospital bed with a nauseous cancer patient who was desperately missing her 3 dogs. Her nausea went away. Another time, after a school shooting, Mags allowed a grieving student to latch onto him and hug him for several prolonged minutes, without moving a muscle or ever offering to pull away. He welcomes visitors with cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular disorders and patiently accepts their irregular/clumsy petting, without making them feel awkward, abnormal or out of place. Magnum always thanks the visitor with a small nose nudge, to let them know that the moments have mattered to him, as well.

Because of Magnum, I now know that I will continue to do pet therapy work. It is rewarding on so many levels, and I plan on always having a Dane as a partner in my life journeys.

Pam and Greg Seltz

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"Penny"

While my girl has been gone for a while now, I do want to share with you a special story about her and how I saw just how important her "work" was. My Penny, Stone Valleys Royal Flame, CGC, TDI, came to me when she was 3 years old. Her breeder and my friend, had made the choice not to finish Penny and asked me if I may be interested in her.

I had just lost my boy Winston (not a dane) and had one big hole in my heart. I decided to drive to meet Penny. After the 11 hour drive, and spending the day with Penny, I knew she was a special dog that I was so truly lucky to bring into my life.

I like my dogs to have a "job", so I began to see what kind of things Penny enjoyed. One thing she loved was getting attention from people. To keep this short, let me jump ahead a bit. At the age of 4,

Penny took and passed her CGC test. Shortly after, we began to work with the Charles County Humane Society's pet therapy group. Penny and I began what was to be a year of visiting a nursing home each week. While she excelled at her job, it was I who had the hard time at first. It was so sad to see all these folks who were forgotten about. They would so light up when Penny and I would come for a "dog visit". For many of these folks, I think we were the only visitors they had.

One particular night after a long day at work, then a long drive to the nursing home, my heart was just not in doing the visits that day however, Penny was always ready to be admired and loved. After visiting all the folks who had signed up for us to come that day, I began to walk Penny out of the facility and on our way home. We were both pretty tired at this point. I was almost to the door when a man ran up to me and asked me to wait. I stopped and he walked up to Penny and I. He asked me if I would mind coming back into the facility and letting Penny visit with his dad. I was so tired, as was my girl. I was going to tell him.. Next time, we will come visit with your dad, but before I could get the words out, the man began to share his dads story with me. He told me that when his dad was younger, he used to have Great Danes. He told me how the man so loved to tell him stories about the Danes he used to have as a young man. He was sure his dad had not seen one in years. He continued on to tell me how his dad was very ill. He was legally blind, deaf and had cancer. He was very worried for his dad because he had become so sad, he was not eating and was slowly slipping away. When he noticed Penny and I walking to the door, he knew that maybe he could brighten his dads day if he could have his dad "see" Penny. He could not see things far away, but when he has something up close, he could see what it was.

How could I say no after hearing that story. I followed the man so that Penny could meet his dad. We came to a room where a very frail older man was sitting. He had so many tubes in him, all I could think of was concern that Penny may pull one of those tubes out by accident.. As she slowly walked up to the man.. I could see how she was so careful in how she walked up to him.. Not out of fear but empathy. She walked up to this man and ever so gently put her head near his lap. When he "saw" her.. He went from looking so frail, sad and distant to a face that had peace and happiness on it. He produced the best smile I have ever seen! He gently began to pet Penny's head and Penny just stood there letting him rub the top of her head...looking up into his face. Both the son and I cried at the interaction that was going on between the two of them. He never said any words.. But he did not have to. It was obvious the joy Penny had brought to this dying man. We stayed for quite a while.. Until the nurse told us we had to go. I began to leave and the son thanked me. He told me that he had not seen his dad smile in a very long time.

I am so glad we took that time to visit with this man. On our next visit to the nursing home, I asked about the man and was told he died two days later. I am so glad that my girl was able to bring a smile to that man, as well as his son. I will never forget that day.

At the age of 6, Penny got her TDI. If I would have been able to find a tester sooner, Penny would have gotten hers more quickly but you know, it did not stop her from doing some very important work before I had to retire her.

Eileen Edelblute

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"Bryson"
Intl Ch Lobato's Top Brass V HRT GLD CGC TDInc

I have been involved with Therapy Dogs Inc for over 20 years. I am a tester evaluator and have done expert testimony for
several courts. Danes make fabulous Therapy Dogs. They are the "right" size, and most are calm enough. Bryson goes to Bethany Everett every Thursday. They call him "their" dog.

Barbara Graves

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