Service Dog at the Mayo Clinic

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Does anyone have a service doodle who visits the Mayo Clinic.  My DIL's 12 year old niece just had surgery at the Mayo Clinic and was visited by a black doodle - maybe named Toby?  Just wanted to say that the highlight of her day was the visit.  Thank you to everyone who has a dog that can visit hospitals etc.  You really make a difference.

[Taylor & Huff]

Awww:) If I was in the hospital, I would love to be visited by a doodle!:)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

She has had two dog visits and it has made such a wonderful difference.

[Jennifer and Jack]

In the hospital where I work we have a labradoodle, I swear he is more therapeutic for the staff then the patients.

[Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim]

It is hearing things like this that really make me want to get my two certified as therapy dogs.  I can't imagine how proud the doodle's owner must feel to bring a ray of sunshine to people when they are sick or troubled.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Last Fall, Sophie and I added the local hospital to the list of places that we visit.  Of the places we go, it is by far my favorite.  I agree that the staff loves the visits just as much as the patients.  In all the time we have been going we have only encountered two people that were borderline rude to us, just not understanding what the heck a dog was doing in a hospital!  Those two times are far outweighed by the people whose day you make brighter.  Some days are better than others though as one week we encountered like 3 people who had just had their dogs put to sleep for various reasons, and it brought them to tears.  They were still comforted by Sophie, but in tears at the same time.  That was a tough day.  We are getting ready to add a second hospital in the next couple weeks.  My ultimate goal would be to get approved to visit Children's hospital, but I'm not sure that will happen for us.  The testing for it is much more difficult than the Delta test.  They put the dogs through pretty much every scenario that you could anticipate when around children.  Since my girls didn't grow up around children we don't have a lot of experience there.  We might make it, but it will be a little while yet.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Our local hospital doesn't allow Therapy Dogs, which I really don't understand since there are great programs in so many other hospitals throughout the country.  Guinness and I go to the Alzheimer's Facility and the clients there are always so happy to see him, but I'd love to be able to take him into the hospital.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I was surprised that our local hospital has a program.  I only found out about it because when my DH was in the hospital he was talking to one of the nurses about our girls and she mentioned that they had a dog that comes to visit.  There are now I think 4 dogs that visit that particular hospital.  Have you approached the volunteer coordinator at your hospital to see if they might be interested in starting a program.  All the big hospitals in Cincinnati apparently have them as well (as we get asked all the time if we go to one of them because they have seen a dog that looks like Sophie there).  Maybe you could be the ground breaker.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Wow, that is wonderful.  I have been thinking about getting Peri certified and I would take her to the Children's Hospital here. I know the kids would love her. 

 

Great to hear that a doodle brighted your DIL's niece's day.