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Therapy Dog Thank You: Sammie Brings Joy to Schools

 

Every Tuesday morning this school year, Sammie and I have visited the kids at Terrace Park Elementary school. Sammie melts my heart as I witness her work her therapy dog magic with these sweet little humans. The idea of helping a child who is experiencing anxiety or feelings of overwhelm touches me on a soul level. I know how much small gestures of kindness and gentle acceptance meant to me as a child. That's what helped me live through my hell and come out smiling. Sammie is helping me pay it forward with her gentle ways with kids.

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Today these kids and the amazing staff at that school made my heart smile . . . and Sammie's tail wag. A lot!! They gifted us with a new backpack (mine was falling apart and my menopause brain kept forgetting to switch over to another backpack!), bags of dog treats, much needed Dentastix (Sammie has stinky dog breath even though I brush her teeth), toys for Sam, even toys for our puppy Max . . . and noodles!!!

Sammie therapy dog 101

But, the cards. These hand-written thank yous teared me up and, again, had my heart smiling. To know my beautiful dog touches so many lives just by radiating love and giving stinky kisses and sharing hugs (she has started to put her head on a shoulder and push her head against the hugger's head) . . . is fulfilling in ways I can't really express in words. It's like my soul is filled with light.

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So I send out a thank you to the awesome staff who welcome us each week with smiles and dog treats in the office before we head upstairs, thank you to the amazing teachers who invite us into their classrooms, thank you to Tricia and Liz for helping me continue to learn the gifts contained in just listening and for offering Sammie a space to shine, thank you Jen Hrovat for introducing us all and giving an adorable hint on the rainbow tennis balls. And THANK YOU to the kids for loving my Sammie girl and brightening our Tuesday mornings.

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I love this dog. She's a therapy dog. She's The Doodle with the Noodle. She's sweet. And snuggly. And funny. And overflowing with love. She's my best friend. And my snuggle buddy. My hiking pal. And my calming presence.

But most of all, she is love. A lot of love in a furry body.

 

Sammie therapy dog 103

Shared from my Unicorn Shadows blog.

 

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Robert Olcott posted:

Almost 40 years ago, I worked on the only "Patient-Governed Ward" of our State [Psychiatric] Hospital, and we had a Puppy on the ward, with a pile of newspaper below his 'treatment plan' posted on the wall. The Puppy had a 'noticeable positive effect'. We also had a national health service corps Family Physician-in lieu of a Psychiatrist, assigned to that ward....

Possibly the first therapy dog! Glad to know that little pup had a noticeable positive effect. I know Sammie certainly does on these kids and school staff.

Almost 40 years ago, I worked on the only "Patient-Governed Ward" of our State [Psychiatric] Hospital, and we had a Puppy on the ward, with a pile of newspaper below his 'treatment plan' posted on the wall. The Puppy had a 'noticeable positive effect'. We also had a national health service corps Family Physician-in lieu of a Psychiatrist, assigned to that ward....

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