Brandy and Val

Since Brandy and Val participate in pet therapy programs with autistic children, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge       World Autism Awareness Day which already passed on April 2.  In the United States the entire month of April is designated as National Autism Month.   It is estimated that 35 million people worldwide are afflicted with some form or autism and it is hoped that by raising awareness of autism, the importance of early diagnosis and intervention will be encouraged and greater research funding will become available.  The jigsaw puzzle is the emblem for autism and major buildings in several cities worldwide will light up in blue in recognition of the month – including the Empire State Building in New York City, Willis Tower in Chicago, the CN Tower in Toronto, and Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia.  Airports, bridges, museums, concert halls, restaurants, and retail stores, are among more than 100 structures that will also participate, including Madison Square Garden in New York City and even NBA stores!

Most people don’t know (I certainly didn’t) that World Autism Awareness Day was formally adopted by the United Nations in 2007 and that April 2 is its’ designated day.  Autism is also only one of three diseases that have formal “days” specified by the United Nations.  The other two diseases, by the way, are diabetes and AIDS.   Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America are the two primary U.S. based organizations responsible for disseminating education, information and news about autism, current treatments and where to get help.   It is estimated that 1 in 70 boys has autism, another fact that I did not know until recently.   In the classes I work in with Brandy, there is only 1 girl out of about 30 kids!  In addition, the NBA is teaming up with Autism Speaks this month promoting autism awareness in its NBA stores, in public service announcements and during its games.

To read more about how pet therapy assists in working with these children, please refer to our earlier blog posts: (Pet Therapy Breakthroughs, Pet Therapy Breakthroughs, contd.)  or our recent guest blog article on Imagination Soup.  Autism Speaks also has many informative videos about the subject, divided into categories:  http://www.autismspeaks.org/video/index.php

A few weeks ago we talked about some breakthrough moments we had during our sessions and wondered whether we were going to be able to repeat the process of having two, very nervous autistic children who were scared of Brandy take a walk with her.  Well, I am glad to report that INDEED, these same children were very willing to walk with my sister and had an equally good time.  One of the kids even held mom’s hand and patted it.  Awesome.  We wonder how this translates, if it does, to other aspects of their lives.  We hope it does.  Another big moment for Brandy occurred when the sole remaining child in the class who wouldn’t acknowledge her agreed to wave “hi” and “bye” and looked at her when he did this.  He even kind of agreed to maybe touch her next week.  Wouldn’t that be great.

As for me, well, I “flew solo” today.  The other dog I normally work the room with was absent so it was up to me to carry the day.  I think I did a great job working with so many children and dad keeps calling me a star, so it must be true.  We did all my favorite activities:  walking with the children; taking treats from them; being brushed by them; playing the cup game in which I get to find my treat and playing GET MINNIE where I retrieve my mini-Val toy from a basket and bring it over to the person calling my name.  It was a good day.

I think we’re ready for much deserved naps.

We had major breakthroughs at pet therapy this week that I want to share with you.  In my session with mom, two children who absolutely, positively would not communicate or show any emotion with me agreed to go on a “walk.”  Maybe it’s because they are used to me by now or maybe it was something else, but the kids walked with enthusiasm, laughed and smiled.  This made it a really good session for me.  I wonder if,  the next time we visit, they will remember this outing and go with me again for a walk.  Maybe they will pet me. One boy gave me a treat on a fork and he seemed to really like that.  I know I did, after all, who doesn’t like getting a treat?  I really hope that they understood something good was going on!

Later when we met up with Val and dad, Val told me that he did 3 roll-overs on his own without any help and the children in his group all clapped and laughed.  I know he really loves little girls, I bet when he lived in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina he had a sister but I also know he really likes it when everyone gives him good attention, too!

A big cheer to all the children who participated this week and whom we gave some happiness to.

In the February 1 edition of New York Magazine, the cover story, The Rise of Dog Identity Politics, elicited over 100 responses on their blog.  I’m not convinced this article wasn’t yet another rehashing of so many we’ve read before about how we treat our dogs as pampered pets in today’s society but its’ scope was all encompassing in terms of the myriad levels of discussions it could provoke.  Two basic categories stand out:  the obvious, or superficial ways we humanize and treat our pets and the scientific, evidential studies that substantiate the underlying reasons for our behavior.

I don’t plan to detail the answers to all the underlying questions posed by the article but, they are definitely provide “food for thought” and will make for great dinner party discussions and ice breakers with fellow dog lovers at the next cocktail party. So, in no particular order, contemplate:

• What constitutes too much pampering for your pet? (Uh, like pet pedicures maybe and cologne for pets might be a bit over the top? I’m all for nail trimming, however)
• Should we really be dressing up our dogs?  What does it really say about us and our priorities when we are willing to spend as much on our dogs’ sweaters as that of our own?  (Yes, I do believe that some breeds need coverage while going for walks in cold-weather climes, but seriously, a Burberry coat?)
• Do you really think your dog knows the difference between a generic dog biscuit from the grocery and a carob-frosted donut from the corner barkery? (No, I really doubt he or she does but, to put it bluntly,  any food product that reduces the amount of poop and gas my dogs emit rate an A+ in my book)
• Is it misguided or wrong that in her will, Leona Helmsley earmarked billions of dollars to provide for the care of dogs and that was her only specific charitable request?  Regardless of where you stand on that matter, shouldn’t her wishes be carried out?  Why is it that so few funds so far have been distributed to animal causes?
• If you are a vegetarian or vegan, should your dog follow-suit? (aren’t dogs carnivores?  has anyone done a long-term study on the long-term health effects of a vegetarian diet on these animals?)
• Should all shelters be no-kill?  How should the animal population be controlled so there are fewer strays?
• How do we educate people that pet guardianship is a serious responsibility — adoption is for life!  We don’t give away kids that are problems do we? (ok, there are exception to every rule)
• Should all states enact spay/neuter laws for all pets being adopted?  How should that be monitored (won’t everyone who doesn’t want to comply say they are keeping their pet for stud purposes)
• Were too many resources used to help rescue the pets of Hurricane Katrina at the expense of helping human residents (since so few resources in this case were Federal, who is to judge?  However, the government does have pet rescue provisions in place for future natural disasters)

I’ll assume that the author of the article, John Homans, had fact-checkers, even though many of the scientific “facts” mentioned in his article were not specifically referenced.   In any case, we know beyond the scope of this article that having pets has a positive impact on our health and well-being both psychologically as a stress-reducer and physically in the recovery from certain heart ailments and that pet therapy programs have proven to be beneficial to the recipients.   Programs abound that study the relationship between animals and humans in addition to the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society,  Companion Animal Behavior Program at UC Davis and Animal Studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Given how much time, we, as humans, spend being mean and cruel to each other in this “dog eat dog” world, doesn’t it logically follow that the sky is the limit for the only creatures in our lives that love us unconditionally; the only creatures who are always there for us at the end of the day and first thing in the morning with a wagging tail and “smiling” face; and who can, in extreme circumstance, can save the day for us both figuratively and literally?

We’ve had our second pet therapy session of 2010 and Val is turning into the major star.  He has learned to roll-over for the children and everyone is so impressed.  Val continues to be very gentle and patient with the kids and his calm demeanor permeates the classroom. This, all according to dad who splits off from Brandy and me when we go to our sessions.   In addition to rolling over, Val and Jay continue to work on hand dexterity by having the kids use a fork to feed Val carrots; grooming and walking.

Brandy continues to make it known that she wishes to be the center of attention.  Since we work with two different age groups and skill levels, we do varied tasks in the two classrooms we visit.  We had a breakthrough in our first, lower skilled class today, when two of the children who wouldn’t walk with Brandy previously was willing to venture out of the room and “take her for a walk” with me.   Brandy did her part in taking the lead and the kids relaxed and concentrated on holding the leash when they realized that Brandy wasn’t threatening to them since she happily greeted everyone in her path.  Both classmates seemed to look relaxed and happy as we all ambled through the hallways!  In our older group, we had a new activity to show everyone.  Since many of the students in this class know their letters and some can read, we had flash cards with Brandy’s favorite commands (sit, stay, down, up, twirl) that the kids would have Brandy do.  They enjoyed being able to read as they worked with Brandy.  Her newest trick, twirl, was a hit and the kids enjoyed going around in a circle at the same time she did.

In order to hold everyone’s interest, we always try to have a new activity to do.   Most of the children we work with are autistic and we always keep in mind that it is important to make sure that the same themes and tasks are reinforced in each session so the kids always feel they are in a comfortable, non-threatening environment!

Today was our first pet therapy session of December.  We work with autistic/cognitively challenged children in elementary through high school classes.  Some are withdrawn and uncommunicative, some think they’re reaching out to pet the dogs but actually have only moved their hands a few inches away from their bodies.  Our missions are to foster interaction and trust!  Lots of times we succeed and that gives us all great feelings of accomplishments.

Brandy and  I work with the older kids and in today’s session we worked on teaching them how to introduce themselves to dogs–friendly or otherwise.  Safety is always a concern when approaching unknown animals but is especially important for both the person and the pet when the individual is disabled in some way.  Animals sense when things aren’t “normal” as they know it and they, too, need to adapt to a different surrounding or personality. Children (and adults!)  need to understand that animals, like people, want an introduction before a friendship is initiated.  So, here are 4 key points that we go over that everyone can benefit from: (more…)

OK, so mom in a previous post talked about pet therapy programs and what they are, but, from the pet’s point of view, why do we like doing it?

We love going to “Read to Rover” programs in libraries because kids come in to read to us. We love having them around and it’s like they’re talking only to us the whole time.  For a whole hour,  we get undivided attention while we basically do nothing.  Then, at the end of every 15 minute reading session we usually GET A TREAT!  That makes 4 an hour!   The most stressful thing we have to do is wag our tails when we say “hi” and “bye” to the kids.  Almost all the kids hug us or scratch our bellies. How great is that?

When we go to school programs, though, we do have to work and think a whole lot more.   The programs are enjoyable but in a different way.  We work with autistic children and lots of times, they don’t talk at all and we have to figure out a way to get them to show they like us.  Maybe they are afraid of us or maybe they really love us but just don’t know how to show it yet.  So, we have to approach each child carefully until we are sure they relate to us in a positive way.  After all, we don’t want to scare them and we don’t want them pulling our ears or tails.  We have been very lucky so far. We have more friends than not and a few of the kids who were afraid of us at the start, now touch us a little bit and that makes us feel good.    During these programs, we get brushed and fed carrots and usually we play a few games that help the kids identify colors or numbers or words.  It’s really great when we hear the kids laugh or when they call our names and want us to come over. We hope that our working with them will help their lives in other situations and make them happier.  They make new friends and so do we.

For over 20 years, I have been involved with a variety of tutor/mentoring programs, teaching English as a second language, promoting adult literacy and working with children in various capacities.  About a year ago, my husband and I wanted to do an activity that we could do together with Brandy and Val, so, after receiving their Canine Good Citizenship certificates, we started working in pet therapy programs.  Our participation to date includes ongoing school and library programs and one-time events such as a Dog Safety Workshop for elementary aged children and their mentors.

What is pet therapy or animal assisted therapy (AAT)?  It’s where animals and their handlers work with individuals to help them overcome specific physical, social or emotional obstacles or help them achieve certain goals that will ultimately improve their health and overall quality of life.  The theory behind a lot of it is that people will relate to animals in ways that they won’t or can’t with other humans.  They become uninhibited, will open up to the pets or even try new tasks since there is no fear of being judged or ridiculed by another adult or peer.  Interaction with pets has also shown to have positive health benefits on lowering blood pressure and stress!

We have worked in library reading programs–”Read to Rover” and “Paws to Read” are popular titles–where children will read to the dogs at 15 minute intervals and, during that time, the kids sit next to Brandy or Val and simply read a book at their own pace without adult intervention.  The children can stop and pet the dogs or they can just keep reading.  At the end of the 15 minutes, there is a little time for Q&A or giving treats.   Some children are excellent readers and just enjoy being around the dogs; others stumble or mumble at first and as the time or program goes on, their confidence seems to build and their reading and elocution improves.

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New York Times/Nov 1, 2009

Provocative article in the “Week in Review” section of  November 1 NEW YORK TIMES:  Good Dog, Smart Dog Many of us are already aware of the human-like and super-sensory capabilities our canine friends possess.  They are so prominently on display in the roles of service dogs–in search and rescue capacities (think 9/11, Hurricane Katrina), pet therapy (soothing anxious patients in hospitals or making contact with autistic people), seizure and psychiatric service dogs and seeing eye dogs to name a few.  However, the verdict is still out as to whether dogs can actually think like humans or whether it is a combination of training and dogs’ keen awareness of the people around them that explains this perception.

Research on these topics is discussed citing studies by scientists in Hungary, Germany, that of  Clive D. L. Wynne at the University of Florida, and reknowned psychology professor Stanley Coren, the author of several books on dogs, including The Intelligence of Dogs and Why We Love the Dogs We Do.  The U.S. Army is even now planning to study how psychiatric service dogs might help soldiers cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

How often does one hear the phrase, or some variation of, uttered in dismay or disgust, “my dog has more brains than he/she does.”  Well, maybe one day the evidence will confirm that.  In the meantime, we can simply refer to Dr. Coren’s rankings of the 100 most intelligent breeds where Border Collies, Poodles, Retrievers, Labradors and Shepherds round out his Top 5.