

	Featured Story		Dog of the Day

Maddy and Pippin

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.

"Okay girls, it's time for your bath." Those are the words that begin visiting day for Maddy and Pippin, our two golden retriever therapy dogs. Up the stairs they go, heading straight for the extra large doggy shower. After a thorough soaping followed by a conditioning cream rinse, they are ready to be toweled and given their blown-dry goldilocks. This is their favorite part of the beautifying process.

As soon as the red doggy visiting bag comes out of the closet with all the necessary equipment and paraphernalia, on goes the green vest. We are now ready to head out for a visit. While Maddy and Pippin are the same breed, they are as different as night and day. Maddy has deservedly earned her nickname, The Moose. She is as sweet as pie but as clumsy and goofy as the giant moose for which she is named. Weighing in at 80+ pounds, Maddy, the Moose, is no lightweight, but little children are never intimidated by her size. What she lacks in grace, she makes up for with her grinning smile and wagging tail. While at Shriners Hospital, she has been greeted by children running towards her from all directions. Down they plop on top of her, kissing her ears and face, shaking her paws, and even playing with her tail. We take a Polaroid picture with each child and give it to him as a memento of the visit. The smiles on the children's faces and their laughter are all Maddy needs to get her happy meter wagging at 90 miles an hour.

Our other special therapy dog is Pippin, also known as Pippinshortstockings because of her diminutive stature. Little Pippin is as gentle as a lamb and loves to cuddle. We recently visited at St. John's Hospital, where we stopped to ask a patient if she wanted to visit with Pippin. The first response was an adamant, "No", followed by an apprehensive nod to enter the room. After just a minute or two of interacting with Pippin, the patient's demeanor changed from one of sadness to great delight. The patient explained that this had been a difficult week and that Pippin had been the one bright spot in it. By the end of our visit, it was obvious what a positive influence Pippin had been.

It is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of the Love on 4 Paw program. Visiting with a Therapy Dog is a triple win. It is rewarding not only for the patients we visit but also for the four-legged fur children and their proud parents.