Mocha " aka: Brown Dog"

Please Note: The dog in the accompanying photograph is the subject of the story, but the person pictured is probably not the patient in the story.

Mocha is a beautiful brown Labrador Retriever. She came into our home at Christmas time, as a gift for my husband, an avid bird hunter. Alas, Mocha loved playing more than hunting, so she took the job of chief couch guardian for the house! A loving and calm dog, she tried out for the Love on 4 Paws program, and she has become a terrific therapy dog.

A couple of weeks ago, Mocha and I went to Kaiser Hospital. We knocked on the door of a room and asked if they would like a visit. The mom said she was allergic to dogs but her son would probably enjoy a visit. The little boy (3 years old) would not look at us and stood in the corner for a few minutes. The dad asked him if he would like to pet the dog. He came right over and started petting Mocha and talking to her. This went on for about 10 minutes.; The dad began to talk to me but got choked up and could not continue. The mom explained that her son has autism and cerebral palsy. She said he rarely talks and he hates to touch things.

It was such an amazing experience to see a little boy who doesn't talk or touch things make an emotional connection to Mocha. The parents said they had never heard their son talk so much. Mocha had succeeded in getting their son to come out of his shell, and, even if it was only for 15 minutes, it was a miracle for them.