FEATURE | EXPERIENCING EMPATHY
Ranger
Trainer says two dogs recently offered calming presence during times of agitation , anxiety
By Skye Anderson , M . S ., CPDT-KA , CTDI
Mack
I have been a dog trainer for a long time . I give seminars and workshops about service dogs and have trained them for years . I also evaluate dogs for therapy work . Some of us even work with therapy dogs and service dogs . We have seen them do their magic but how many of us have actually experienced first-hand what a therapy dog or service dog can do ? I have had the occasion twice recently to experience the comfort of both a therapy dog and PTSD dog . Both incidents have made me a better trainer .
SO , THIS IS WHAT A THERAPY DOG DOES ! It is nearly post-pandemic now ( October 2021 ) and a couple of months ago I was doing a refresher meet-and-greet at a dog sitting client ’ s house since I haven ’ t been there in nearly a year and a half . I have been their dog sitter for several years — two dogs ’ worth , as a matter of fact . In 2017 , I even had Ranger , their current Labrador Retriever , in my puppy socialization class at eight weeks old . He had just come from a veterinarian ’ s visit where he received shots and being at the end of the day when he was not at his most energetic , he actually fell asleep in the first class .
Anyway , as a lab for a busy family , Ranger is an almost-perfect dog and I love the guy ( and the feeling is mutual ). Now Ranger is nearly four . So , we were doing the meet-and-greet to review Ranger ’ s schedule and to chat and catch up . I was telling the mom about my stressful year in local politics that is just beginning , which caused me to lose 20 pounds in two months . I was probably becoming quite animated , and even agitated , because , unbeknownst to me , Ranger came over and quietly put his head in my lap . The mom , who happens to be a minister , remarked how Ranger had behaved naturally like a therapy dog — responding to anxiety . Ranger would make an excellent partner for a human therapist . And I am so glad he gave me that physical understanding . Now I really ‘ get ’ what dogs can do for us because I received this canine present in person . And I learned that all dogs are therapy dogs : the majority are just freelancing — like Ranger .
SO , THIS IS WHAT A PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOG DOES ! Recently , the U . S . extricated personnel from Afghanistan , so this was still constantly in the news . Having been deployed there
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Ranger photo courtesy of M . Eliot | Mack photo courtesy of L . Saula