Therapy Dogs in the Classroom. Good Idea or Not?

Posted by Barbara Techel

Frankie posing in her new bandanna after receiving her therapy dog certification in 2008

Recently I overheard someone (who is training her dog to be a therapy dog) ask a former teacher if she felt it was a good idea to bring therapy dogs into classrooms.  The response was: “I think therapy dogs are overworked and this causes them stress and why they die so young.”  I was very surprised to hear this for so many reasons– and yes, in part, because I took it personally because Frankie was a therapy dog.  It is likely she didn’t mean me personally, but it seemed to include all therapy dogs, that I can’t help but speak to this.  And on the behalf of not knowing the full reasons for this being said maybe there was a situation in this person’s life that has caused her to feel this way.

Are there people who put undo stress on their dogs?  Yes, no doubt. But there are many other situations where dogs are caused stress. But I’ll speak to the therapy dog issue and my thoughts. First and foremost, I was always very conscious of never putting any undo stress on Frankie. Her well being always came first. I loved my work with her, and I was so passionate about sharing our message. But as she aged I knew we needed to slow down. I knew I had to be very aware of what she could handle and that she needed time to just be a dog too. I found ways around it like using Skype and social media to share our message without putting stress on her.

Most dogs need a job. This has been said over and over again. Not all dogs are meant to be therapy dogs, but many that are, are really good at their job. They also have positively impacted so many lives in so many amazing ways. Can they get stressed from being a therapy dog?  Absolutely!  Especially in a hospice situation where they take in all the emotions that go with that. It is very trying on a dog to do that line of work. So it’s important that the owner is aware of this and watches for signs of stress in their pet and limit their exposure.

Animals in classrooms have also proven to instill so many valuable lessons. It makes me sad to think if Frankie and I would never have had the opportunity to help children because of this opinion that may be shared by others too. For the most part, I think therapy dog work is such a win-win for all involved. It gives the dog a job to do. It gives the owner of the pet a wonderful experience in not only the deepening of their relationship with their pet, but the people and children they meet along the way.

I guess the bottom line for me hearing this is that I didn’t feel it was completely true.  Yes, there are exceptions where pets are exploited and overworked, and this causes me great sadness when I think this has happened.  Also there are oodles of reasons why a dog may die young.  Could overworking your dog as a therapy dog be one of them?  Yes, I’m sure it could and I think it is important that handlers recognize and realize this and that their dogs need time off.  And in a recent interview I did with Lisa J. Edwards who is the author of  A Dog Named Boo she stated that dogs are not meant to work eight hours a day and why she teaches responsible therapy dog work to those interested in this line of volunteer work.

So again, while I don’t know the full circumstances to why this statement was made, I did feel it important to clarify the good side to therapy dog work while also bringing attention to those that have a therapy dog, or those giving thought to it, that they are cognizant of their pets, making sure they are healthy and as happy as can be.

Perspectives on Publishing. Meaning of Success.

Posted by Barbara Techel

This past Saturday I was on a panel about Self Publishing Children’s Books at R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury, MN.  I learned alot and it was enjoyable to share what I’ve learned over the years. I also enjoy when I get the opportunity to encourage other writer’s to share their stories.

There were two other panelists, Marion Dane Bauer who has written 86 children’s books —wow, I was impressed!  Also on the panel was Judy Galbraith who owns Free Spirit Publishing and publishes 20-25 books a year with a staff of twenty two people. Both are from the Minnesota area.

Marion has always had a publisher, in fact more than one as the industry changed, while Judy has worked with countless authors over the years helping launch their books. It was an interesting mix to have on the panel and hear the many sides to publishing from each of our perspectives. One thing we all had in common was our passion and mission to do what we are doing. Another thing we had in common was that none of has gotten rich from our endeavour’s, but it is the heart of our mission’s that drive us.

The bottom line of sharing our experiences with those that attended is that you have to have a passion to be in this field because if you are looking to get rich it likely won’t happen, whether you self publish or have a publisher.  While that may have seemed disheartening for those attending to hear, it was the honest truth. Yes, there are some that have made millions, but those are the exceptions.

I appreciated the honesty from the other two panelists as I heard how hard they have worked, because it is hard work. I think there is often this idea that because you have a publisher, you are guaranteed to make a lot of money and not have to work at promoting your books, which is far from the truth. But I left feeling really good about the choice I made to publish my own books given the many changes to the publishing world, which continue to change. I still stand by my thought that there has never been a more exciting time to publish a book than right now with all the advantages of technology and social media that we have to get our message out there. While I’ve embraced these avenues, it has been a bit more tough going for others that have been in the industry for many years and now must learn to roll with the new changes.

As I thought about the panel discussion the past two days I’m proud of what I have been able to accomplish. I may have not made alot of money from this endeavor, but I know I’ve positively impacted lives. It’s about the friendships and connections I’ve made that feed my soul and keeps me moving forward. And getting away for a mini get-away with John and Joie was just icing on the cake.

A Dog Named Leaf: The Hero from Heaven Who Saved My Life by Allen Anderson. A Book Review.

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

I had the honor of being asked to review this wonderful new book by Allen Anderson. Hope you enjoy my review!

It takes courage to share your story. I also think to share the deep love of a pet takes courage. The fact that Allen, being a man, shares his deepest fears and also his amazing love for Leaf makes this book truly inspiring. We’ve heard many stories of the connection between women and dogs, or children and pets, but to hear Allen share his deepest thoughts and biggest fears, as well as, his devotion and love for Leaf touched me deeply.

As I read the last page of his book I wanted to weep. I wanted to weep for those that never experience a connection like Allen and Leaf have. I wanted to weep in happiness for Allen and his recovery. I wanted to weep for the courage it took for Allen to share this remarkable story that some may find hard to believe at times. But I know it is real as I’ve experienced some profound moments with my own dogs, just like Allen has with Leaf.

If you’ve ever doubted animals have souls, this book will open your heart and mind to truly believing we are all connected. You will never doubt again. Your life will be enriched far beyond what you could have ever imagined and you will have author Allen Anderson to thank for it.

A Dog Named Leaf is a great gift idea for the dog loving friends and family in your life!

Find out more about Linda and Allen Anderson’s work on their website, Angel Animals. You can also follow them on Facebook!