Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Grady = shock therapy dog

As some of you may know, in addition to being a Customs Service dropout, Grady is also a guide dog school dropout. Not only did that work out well for us, it's probably best for whomever would have had Grady as their helper--I could see him yanking someone into traffic or over a fence trying to get at a squirrel or another dog. Still, we're big supporters of therapy dogs, even if it's not Grady's calling. This article and picture were on the website of one of the local papers (stellar translation from FreeTranslation.com):



Ten years society for therapy dogs
Switzerland on the dog come

Dog stop and its animals celebrated in the open church Elisabethen.

In the open church Elisabethen, one came at the past Saturday on the dog: on the occasion of the ten-year anniversary of the society for therapy dogs Switzerland approximately 30 dog owner with its animals as well as loaded guests in Basel encountered themselves. The extraordinary religious service let most dogs rather coldly. «Persons animals need», brought it Ursula Sissener, founder of the society, on the point. Actually: astonishing produced the experience exchanges during the religious service.

Totally flabbergasted «we had a heavily stuttering patient. As soon as it was with a dog together, it told a stotterfreien sentence.» Luzia Wittlin experienced this phenomenon at the canton hospital Basel in the frame of the Ergotherapie. Yet today it is totally flabbergasted. The dog had enabled it the patient to go out of itself out. Why therapy dogs can cause certainly «healing miracle,», is not proved. Roger Reinhard explains itself it as follows: «a dog does not appraise – in contrast to us persons.» for two years have let he and his wife its dog to the therapy dog instruct.

Education also in Basel a course this education enables practically each dog. Naturally it must fulfill certainly requests. Since newest, also Basel counts to one of the education sort. Trainer Annelies Hungerbühler wants to show the person, that a dog «not only ‹schisst› and ‹bällt›». Barking prices the animals however. So the Vierbeiner gave another food sample of its ability at the end of the religious service yet and barked drauflos.

www.therapiehunde.ch