The first week in March 2020 was designated as “Reading Across Holland Elementary School Week.” Howard Barkan, better known to the kids as Mr. Howard, volunteers with his therapy dog Winnie in a third grade class taught by Kelly Burdette and Amanda Vierick.  When Mr. Howard and Winne walked into the classroom on Wednesday of that week, he was so surprised! The students in the class had collaborated on a book to present to Mr. Howard and Winnie as part of the “Acts of Kindness Day” which they had celebrated the day before. On the cover of the book the kids had written “Thanks for always being so kind,” and “Mr. Howard & Winnie Rock!”  Inside, were 20 letters of appreciation from the students in the class.

When Winnie and Mr. Howard do their weekly visit, usually only 5-6 students read to them, but on this special day everyone who had contributed to the book read their letter aloud to them!  While Winnie maintained her usual nonchalant behavior, Mr. Howard was clearly surprised and overwhelmed with the celebration and expression of appreciation; just look at that huge smile on his face. THIS is what makes therapy dog work so enriching for volunteers.

We hope you enjoy reading a few of the letters written by the students. Winnie and Mr. Howard are looking forward to the day when they can return to their weekly visits to their third grade class at Holland Elementary School.

Also a couple of regular pictures from a different day.  Just because.

I am a retired Council Rock special education teacher. The year before I retired, my husband and I rescued a 5 year old Siberian Husky named Rory. Neither of us had any past experiences with dogs. Our youngest adult daughter had adopted a Husky who became our grand-dog, and we adored him. My daughter said to us one day, “Why don’t you get your own dog?” That’s when we adopted Rory.

After we’d had Rory for about a year, I was at St. Mary’s Hospital one day waiting for my husband while he had a medical procedure. A volunteer walked into the waiting room with her therapy dog where all of us were anxiously awaiting updates regarding our loved ones. The reduction of anxiety in the room was immediate and so apparent, I thought to myself, “Rory and I could do this!”

I enrolled in training, and we got our certification. After I retired, I discovered there was a therapy dog organization in my local school district called Nor’wester Therapy Dogs. I knew I wanted to continue working with kids, so this was a perfect fit for me and Rory.

Thanks to the Nor’wester organization, I get to do my favorite things every week:

• spend time with my dog in a stimulating and educational setting
• spend time with kids which keeps me on my toes
• know we are making a difference when we see every smile we get from the students and teachers

We are so grateful we have this opportunity to be of service!
Thank you Nor’wester Therapy Dogs!!
Contributed by Michele Lecker
(Rory and Piper)

Mike Nelson and his teachers work together closely. They communicate weekly regarding the expectations the teacher has for the upcoming therapy dog visit.  Mike then offers suggestions about what he and Bubba can do to enhance the goals set for the visit.  This collaboration has produced amazing results and supports the mission and vision of the Nor’wester canine partners in education program.

Mike shares: “Most classrooms have a Smartboard. I will supply the teachers with photos of Bubba with labels such as “math,” “spelling,” and “reading.”  The teachers then load the photos onto the Smartboard and use them throughout the week (not just during the hour that Bubba visits) to encourage and motivate the students. Teachers often use Bubba as an incentive: “Bubba will be here Friday, and he is eager to hear you read your book!”

It wasn’t long before the directors of the Nor’wester organization sensed that Mike and Bubba would be great in special education classes. They started with special needs children at Warwick House in Hartsville. Warwick is a residential facility, so children live there while emotional support and crisis intervention occurs. The Bucks County Intermediate Unit provides special education & emotional support teachers so the children can continue their academic studies while living at Warwick House.

The teacher at Warwick observed very quickly that Bubba had a very calming effect upon the students, which made it easier for them to focus on their assignments and make progress. Mike shared: “Bubba will sit or lie by their feet and listen to them read or do math flash cards. Each student has a chance to brush Bubba and choose a trick for Bubba to perform. Bubba is loved dearly, and he has received cards and books created by the students. Each Christmas Bubba gives the students a small stuffed likeness with a tag that says STUDY WITH ME. One Christmas the children and teacher gave Bubba a beautiful collar which he still wears.”

Then the Nor’wester directors asked Mike if he would take Bubba to help brain damaged/special needs students at Council Rock High School – North. Some are partially paralyzed; others are deaf or blind, non-verbal, and with limited attention spans.

Bubba works with the teachers and therapists to bring out the best in all of them. The teachers are very creative and often use Bubba in a group setting. One child would not speak or look at any adult. After a few months he had a one-word vocabulary, “Bubba,” and he would look at Bubba and Mike. 

Many of the students are nonverbal and use their tablets to answer questions. Their tablets have a special page for Bubba with commands or phrases such as “Bubba, sit,” “Bubba, beg,” “Brush Bubba” and “Goodbye, Bubba.” As a group they select Bubba cards with numbers. The number determines in what order they will do an activity with Bubba.  Some favorite activities are brushing Bubba and teaching him tricks. The students will help demonstrate a trick while Bubba watches. Then they all watch to see if Bubba can do the trick.  Mike always gives them full credit for training his dog.

This year on Friday mornings you will find Bubba at Bensalem and Friday afternoons at Council Rock North. The teachers at both high schools think out of the box creatively and use technology to support how they use Bubba in their classrooms. The students and teachers at both high schools love Bubba and recently presented him with a red and yellow hand-sewn Super Dog Hero Cape. In addition, Bubba is working with an autistic support class at Maple Point Middle School in Neshaminy.

Bubba creates magic wherever he goes. Mike claims the magic formula for a therapy dog is:

Golden Retriever PLUS excellent training PLUS Nor’wester’s vision PLUS creative, dedicated teachers EQUALS Bubba, an amazing therapy dog.

Mike Nelson and his Golden Retriever Bubba have been volunteering with Nor’wester Therapy Dogs since 2012. They are one of our teams that work primarily with special needs students. Not only do Mike and Bubba currently visit four classes weekly, they also do summer Extended School Year visits. We asked Mike to share a bit about himself, the dogs he’s had in his life, and how he came to therapy dog work.

Mike and his siblings were born in Brooklyn, NY and later moved to New Jersey when he was a teen. He received his Civil Engineering degree from NJIT and his master’s degree in water resources engineering from Villanova University.  Ultimately, Mike moved to Philadelphia with his wife Barbara. They have five children and ten grandchildren

When they moved to Philadelphia, they bought a house and it was time for dogs to come into their lives. Over 50 plus years of marriage, Mike and his family have enjoyed seven dogs (2 Vizslas and 5 Golden Retrievers).

Mike adopted his fourth Golden Retriever from the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue (DVGRR). All his previous dogs had been puppies purchased from breeders. When Mike picked up his first adopted dog from DVGRR, they recommended that he enroll the three-year-old Scoobie in dog training classes. Mike then joined Old York Road Dog Training Club (OYRDTC) on the recommendation of his vet.

This was Mike’s first experience with formal obedience training, and he said, “Everything I’d learned before was wrong!” The patient instructors quickly re-educated Mike about positive reinforcement in  training.  Mike declared, “Scoobie, my adopted Golden, learned much quicker than I, and eventually, he  was competing successfully in competitive rally events.”

Scoobie was also a wonderful and very obedient family dog. Sadly, Mike and his family lost Scoobie to cancer around the age of eight, and he immediately asked OYRDTC to find him another Golden Retriever.

Within weeks Mike had a new three-year-old Golden named Bubba, and he began the training process anew with the club. Bubba was very obedient and a quick learner who loved everyone. It wasn’t long before the instructors recognized that he would make a great therapy dog. Mike said he had no clue what a therapy dog was. Mike and Bubba trained so they could test for the proper certifications, and six months later Bubba was a registered therapy dog!

Bubba and Mike have worked exclusively with the Nor’wester Therapy Dogs organization. Their first assigned class was with children working on their reading skills. If the children did well, the teacher would allow Bubba to do a trick for them. Mike would let the student give the command, and Bubba would respond.

Mike shared that his teachers were always quite creative in how they incorporated him and Bubba into their academic goals and lesson plans. (Next week Mike shares more therapy dog experiences and some of the ways he and his teachers collaborated in making learning more fun for the students.)

by Jan Reisen 

Published on American Kennel Club website: July 31, 2019 

Dogs have been aiding and working with humans since ancient times, in everything from farming to hunting to protection and more. Service dogs, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs all fulfill important roles in their aid to humans, but the terms are not interchangeable: each is specifically defined, both in terms of their jobs and their legal rights.

What Do Service Dogs Do?

As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs are individually trained to perform specific tasks and to work with people with disabilities. According to the ADA, disabilities can be “physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.” The work of the service dog must be directly related to the handler’s disability. These are just some of the things a service dog can do:

Guide dogs help blind people navigate in the world.

Hearing (or signal) dogs alert deaf people to sounds, such as a knock on the door or a person entering the room.

Psychiatric dogs are trained to detect and lessen the effects of a psychiatric episode.

Service dogs help those in wheelchairs or who are otherwise physically limited. They may open doors or cabinets, fetch things their handler can’t reach, and carry items for their handler.

Autism assistance dogs are trained to help those on the autism spectrum to distinguish important sensory signals, such as a smoke alarm, from other sensory input. They may also alert their handler to repetitive behaviors or overstimulation.

Service dogs that are trained to recognize seizures and will stand guard over their handler during a seizure or go for help.

What Rights Do Service Dogs Have?

The ADA mandates that service dogs have full public access rights, which means they are allowed to go places where are animals are forbidden. They can be brought into restaurants, stores, libraries, and other public spaces. They must be permitted in housing, even if other pets are not allowed. Service dogs are also allowed on airplanes and other public transport. One caveat: each airline has its own rules regarding service dogs. Most require that the dog sits on the traveler’s lap or at their feet. Dogs cannot block the aisle or sit in the emergency exit row. Service dogs are exempt from the pet fees that airlines charge.

What Do Emotional Support Animals Do?

Emotional support dogs are not considered service dogs under the ADA. They may be trained for a specific owner, but they are not trained for specific tasks or duties to aid a person with a disability, and this is the main difference between ESAs and service dogs. This doesn’t minimize the support these dogs provide for people with a psychological disorder. They’re considered companion animals and ease anxiety, depression, some phobias, and loneliness.  In order to be considered an emotional support dog, it must be prescribed by a mental health professional for a patient with a diagnosed psychological or emotional disorder, such as anxiety disorder, major depression, or panic attacks.

What Rights Do Emotional Support Animals Have?

Unlike service dogs, ESAs have only limited legal rights and those typically require a letter of diagnosis from the owner’s doctor or psychiatrist. While they don’t have unlimited access to public spaces, the Fair Housing Act mandates “reasonable accommodations” for emotional support animals even in buildings that don’t allow pets. The Air Carrier Access Act requires airlines to allow ESAs on flights, but travelers must have a letter from a doctor or licensed therapist. There may be additional requirements as well. Because so many people abuse the concept of an emotional support animal, including the traveler who tried to bring an “emotional support peacock” on board a United Airlines flight, airlines are tightening restrictions on emotional support animals. We can expect other commercial and public spaces to follow.

What is a Therapy Dog?

Therapy dogs play a different helping role than service dogs and emotional support animals. They aren’t trained to live with a specific handler. Rather, these are dogs that — with their human teammate (often the dog’s owner) — volunteer in clinical settings, such as hospitals, mental health institutions, hospices, schools, and nursing homes, where they provide comfort, affection, and even love in the course of their work. Therapy dogs are trained to be comfortable in new environments and to interact with different people. They should have a calm temperament, be unfazed by unfamiliar noises and movements, be comfortable being handled, and love people.

Do Therapy Dogs Have Legal Rights?

Although they are defined as comfort dogs and often used in therapeutic settings, therapy dogs are not considered service dogs under the ADA and don’t have the same legal right to access in public spaces. There are no uniform state or national rules that regulate and certify therapy dogs, and different organizations have different guidelines. As a general rule, therapy dogs should be trained, insured, and licensed by the non-profit that’s offering their services.

Can My Dog Be a Therapy Dog?

If you’re interested in volunteering and think your dog may be a great candidate to be a therapy dog, organizations like the Alliance of Therapy Dogs test dog for their suitability and, if accepted, have guidelines that must be followed.

While it doesn’t certify therapy dogs, the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program offers their training program to organizations, and the CGC test is often a prerequisite required by therapy dog organizations.

Dolores (better known as Kelly) Wolff and her Shih Tzu, Miss Daisy, have been part of the Nor’wester Therapy Dog organization for the past eleven years. Kelly learned about our canine assisted learning program from another therapy dog handler while volunteering at Abington Hospital. Because Miss Daisy loves children so much, Kelly decided to join Nor’wester Therapy Dogs.               

Kelly is a native of Philadelphia, and was raised in North Wildwood, NJ. She graduated from Gwynedd-Mercy Academy and then went to the University of Pennsylvania for a degree as a dental hygienist.  After working in this profession for 10 1/2 years, marrying, and raising her two children, she decided, at the age of 38, to go back to school for a nursing degree. She attended Gwynedd-Mercy College where she acquired her BSN degree.  Kelly then went to work at Holy Redeemer Hospital as a Labor & Delivery nurse for 27 years. “I loved every minute of those 27 years,” says Kelly. 

Kelly has had dogs all her life. She grew up with large breed dogs such as German Shepherds, Collies, and Great Danes. She had Great Danes until 1994 when she lost her last Dane named Alex.  At that point she decided to move to a smaller breed and got a miniature French Poodle whom she named P.J. Wolff. P.J. delighted everyone with his intelligence and obedience, but succumbed, at age 12, to a non-operative tumor in his ear.  

Shortly after P.J.’s death, Kelly’s best friend convinced her that the Shih Tzu was a perfect breed for her.  She found a wonderful breeder of Shih Tzu dogs and was permitted to choose her puppy from a litter of five. Miss Daisy displayed her wonderful temperament at an early age. It was this that made Kelly decide to pursue therapy dog certification with her. 

Miss Daisy passed “with flying colors” and joined the Abington Hospital therapy dog program.  Occasionally they also visited a nursing home in Rydal, PA. Currently they add Rolling Hills Elementary School (Council Rock School District) to their list of therapy dog visits.  Miss Daisy is a “good listener” to the students in Mrs. Suzanne Swenson’s class. During the past two years, Kelly and Miss Daisy have added weekly visits to classes at Belmont Hills and Valley Elementary Schools in the Bensalem School District. 

“She is so eager to go to work,” relates Kelly. “She leads me to the classroom and wiggles her whole body when she sees her children. I know how much they love her from all the special stories they write about her.”   

When she is not doing therapy dog work, Kelly loves to travel. She says she got the “travel bug” from her father who was a Chief Steward on passenger liners. She feels fortunate that she has been able to travel extensively. Her other hobby is solving crossword puzzles. “I’m afraid I’m an addict,” she confesses.  

“Nor’wester Therapy Dogs is a wonderful organization,” says Kelly. “Our two directors make it what it is. They have new and exciting ideas, always with an eye to the future. This is an organization which keeps in close touch with its volunteers, not just once a year.” 

“Reading and learning with Miss Daisy has been a wonderful incentive for my reluctant students,” says Mrs. Swenson. “The dog’s presence is also a motivational reward for students with behavior problems.”   

Kelly and Miss Daisy are making a difference!

One of the most frequent questions we get is from owners who want to know how they can get their dog certified to work as a registered therapy dog. 

We have learned over the years that the most important thing is a well socialized dog.  Proper socialization creates a relaxed, confident, well-adjusted, and happy canine, one that is comfortable in a wide variety of environments.  Socialization does not just happen; it takes a serious commitment on the part of the owner to expose the dog regularly to traveling in the car, interacting with people of all ages, other dogs, and to strange sights and sounds.

It is strongly recommended that socialization be done in 5 different venues per week. Some prime locations for socializing dogs are outdoor malls, flea markets, sporting events, walking in towns like Newtown or Doylestown, canine training classes, pet stores, Peddler’s Village, and at the entrance to high traffic places like Rita’s Water Ice and grocery stores. Use your imagination, but always be safe!

It is important to reinforce and emphasize good manners while socializing your dog.  The owner needs to separate dog socialization from working socialization.  While you are exposing your dog to different environments, remember to insist that your dog walk past another dog calmly and/or sit by your side while in the presence of another dog.  This will make it easier when you navigate this portion of the therapy dog test as well as when you work in group therapy visits.  Dogs should learn to walk on a loose leash and not be allowed to jump on people.  Even small dogs should not be allowed to jump on people.

Therapy dogs destined to work in schools should be comfortable and confident with children. Likewise, therapy dogs who will be working in nursing homes and hospitals should be gentle with the elderly and ill, and unafraid of medical equipment and assistive devices.

Some of the environments and situations where therapy dogs work includes schools, college campuses, hospitals, nursing homes, with war veterans, hospice, and crisis intervention.  Therapy dogs also visit public libraries, special needs camps, and community groups such as the Girl Scouts.

The Nor’wester Therapy Dogs organization requires our handlers to complete the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/training-testing/  as part of their dog’s preparation for therapy dog testing.

If you feel your dog is ready for the CGC test, some local testers are listed at https://norwestertherapydogs.org/get-involved/therapy-dog-certification/  for your convenience. In addition, CGC testing is often available at AKC sanctioned dog shows and through local dog training organizations. There is no age restriction for CGC testing. 

Many dog training organizations offer therapy dog classes prior to testing. These classes are often helpful for novice dog handlers because they offer guidance in preparation for testing and for working as a therapy dog. However, classes are not required. If an experienced owner feels his/her dog is ready, arrangements can be made with a therapy dog organization or evaluator to have the dog tested.  It is important to understand that the test is as much an evaluation of the handler as it is the dog, and the pair are certified as a team.

On some therapy dog organization websites, you can review the test used by that respective organization. Dogs are required to be at least one year old before they are eligible to be tested.  If an adult dog is adopted, then that dog may not test until it has been owned by the handler for a minimum of 6 months. 

The two main therapy dog organizations which most of our handlers test with are:

Alliance of Therapy Dogs:  https://www.therapydogs.com/

Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs: http://www.golden-dogs.org/

Starting socialization and training is easier with puppies, but many owners adopt adult dogs who are sometimes suitable candidates for therapy dog work.  Because it is likely the past socialization/training history of the dog is unknown, it is recommended that owners diligently socialize and train the same as they would with a puppy.  Enrolling in obedience classes is always a great way to get a good feel for the temperament of an adopted adult canine.  

It is extremely rewarding to prepare your dog for therapy dog testing. The time spent socializing and training strengthens your bond and enhances your effectiveness as a therapy dog team.  The Nor’wester Therapy Dogs organization is always available to answer any questions you may have.

Sue Oakes of Oakes K9 Training and Kathy Gardosh are both evaluators who are certified to do the AKC Canine Good Citizen and the Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs tests.

Sue has over 30 years of experience training dogs and specializes in canine behavioral cases. She is a former certified animal control officer and a graduate of the School of Animal Sciences. Her other memberships and qualifications include:

• Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
• International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP)
• Certified Dog Trainer (CDT) per the IACP
• Judge and senior representative for World Cyanosport Rally Obedience – All Levels
• Judge and representative for Companion Dog Sports Program (CDSP) Obedience – Novice/Open

Kathy is currently owned and loved by two rescued Golden Retrievers, Sam and Patrick.

• Sam came from a puppy mill and was very timid and shy. However, Kathy discovered he was an excellent therapy dog who is still working at 12 years of age. Sam is also a “test dog” for the Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs Registry.

• Patrick had a tough time before finding his forever home as he was a stray walking the streets and beaches of Puerto Rico. Fortunately, he was brought to the states for adoption by a reputable rescue organization. Patrick loves obedience work and has earned multiple titles in both traditional obedience and rally obedience in three different venues. He is currently working as a therapy dog, earned his AKC Therapy Dog Novice Title this past year and was recently made a “test dog” for Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs.

Kathy serves as the Nor’wester Therapy Dogs liaison to Upper Dublin and facilitates the Nor’wester program in the schools where therapy teams are visiting.

Over the years of testing, Kathy and Sue have had some funny experiences. We asked them to share some of those experiences with us. 

A schutzhund lady was testing her dog in hopes of passing the therapy dog test. 

“Sitzen,” she commanded.  The dog did not obey and just looked at her.  A repeat of the command did not produce any results.  The tester proceeded with the next exercise. 

“Nieder!” the owner said.  The dog looked at her quizzically and did not respond. 

“Hacke,” and “kommen sie” were also ignored by the dog. 

At this point the owner was getting annoyed and frustrated. 

Kathy and Sue then suggested that she start over and try the commands in English.  The dog performed beautifully!

**Schutzhund refers to a dog sport that was developed in Germany in the early 1900s as a breed suitability test for the German Shepherd breed. The test would determine if the dog displayed the appropriate traits and characteristics of a proper working German Shepherd. Today, it is used as a sport where many breeds other than German Shepherd dogs can compete, but it is such a demanding test that few dogs can pass.

Another woman had three Australian Shepherds she was bringing to test.  Two of them needed to share a crate on the ride to the testing facility. When she arrived, she was aghast to discover that one of the dogs had chewed the collar off his crate partner.  The owner had not brought a spare collar and was in a panic. How was she going to test?! Her home was too far to go back for a collar. Fortunately, Sue and Kathy, chuckling quietly, offered her a collar so she could test. The dog passed.

A woman was in the midst of testing with her 5-year-old Labrador Retriever she had recently acquired.  She was performing the distraction exercise, which requires the dog to walk past and “leave” a treat lying on the floor.  When the evaluator gives the command, the handler is required to stop, pick up the treat, and hand it to the evaluator.  The dog performed the “leave it” exercise beautifully, and the handler picked up the treat and promptly fed it to her dog!  The owner failed, but the dog passed. 

One day a man came with his wife’s dog to take the therapy test.  His wife wanted to do therapy work with the dog so she sent her husband to get the dog certified.  The husband was prepared to do the test until the evaluators explained that his WIFE had to take the test with the dog if SHE planned to be the handler on therapy visits. 

Then Sue and Kathy reminisced about the many dogs brought in for testing that are totally out of control. Lunging at the end of the leash, barking, jumping on people, or petrified in new surroundings.  The owners are often clueless about training and what is required of a therapy dog.  “But my dog LOVES people,” is the common refrain. 

Sue and Kathy patiently explain that a good therapy dog needs to be well socialized, confident, mannerly, and obedient. 

Those tales from a tester are ongoing and often provide the laughter to break the testing tension.  We look forward to more of these humorous stories as well as funny things that happen in the classrooms our therapy teams visit.

Our volunteers were invited to our annual Appreciation Breakfast to express the organization’s gratitude for their commitment to our therapy dog program.  This year we held the celebration at Corner Bakery Café in Newtown, PA.

During the gathering we present annual certificates of service and do special recognition for five and ten year honorees.  We had three five-year honorees who received a special certificate and a rhinestone paw pin: Janine Monico, Lynn Lenz, and Lynne Tatarowicz. We had one ten-year honoree who received a special certificate and an engraved frame including a photograph of the handler and dog: Nan Muska.

Janine Monico rebuilt our website and contributes her expertise and talent as our webmaster. She also advises us on how to use social-media effectively and has guided us in employing our website blog as a way to reach the public and make our website more interactive.

Lynn Lenz has been our public library coordinator since 2014. She works with the librarians at the Free Library of Northampton Township and Southampton Free Library to keep our “Read to the Dogs” program running smoothly.  Lynn also collaborates with the librarians to organize the annual summer reading program for children in kindergarten through grade six. In addition, she schedules therapy dog teams and is on site to monitor the visits.

Lynne Tatarowicz and her Basset Hound, Oberon (better known as Obie), have visited classes at Quarry Hill Elementary in the Pennsbury School District for the last five years. They were much loved by their classes and were also very popular with all the students at Quarry Hill who would see Obie trotting down the hall with his long ears flopping on his way to class.  Our ten-year honoree this year was Nan Muska who has worked with three dogs over the years. She joined Nor’wester Therapy Dogs in 2009 with Jillian, a black Lab mix who was a refugee from The Seeing Eye.  Jillian had a talent for working with special education classes and was an extremely sensitive and intuitive therapy dog. Sadie, a purebred black Lab, was known for being very laid back and did anything you asked her to do. . . after she thought about it for a few minutes.  Penny, a Golden Retriever, is another refugee from The Seeing Eye.  Penny also does most of her work with special needs children and has been known to sense and interrupt seizures in her multiple disabilities class. This spring Nan started working with her newest dog, April, also a black Lab.  April is learning the ropes and is currently figuring out what her job is in the classroom she’s visiting.

Our volunteers look forward to our gathering each year. They enjoy talking with and meeting new members.  Nor’wester Therapy Dogs wouldn’t be the successful and respected organization it is without our wonderful group of volunteers dedicating so much time to making a difference in the classrooms they visit.  If YOU have a well socialized dog and love working with children, why not think about joining us!